Press Releases
Please direct all Media Inquiries to:
Kimberly Campbell
Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications,
773.577.8785 or
[email protected]
ABTA Press Releases
American Brain Tumor Association Announces More Than $1.3 Million in Research Funding for 2025
CHICAGO, Ill. (November 4, 2025) — The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) announced the awarding of more than $1.3 million toward new grants in 2025 to advance brain tumor research and treatments. This funding comes at an especially crucial time due to the proposed budget cuts to federal research organizations which fund majority of cancer research grants in the United States. “While we’ve seen important progress in brain cancer research, the brain tumor community still needs more effective ways to monitor and treat this disease,” said Kelly Sitkin, president and Chief Executive Officer of the ABTA. “That’s why we remain deeply committed to funding innovative research—just as we have since our founding more than 50 years ago.” Nicole Willmarth, PhD, Chief Mission Officer of the ABTA, added, “Every dollar invested through our research program brings us closer to the answers patients and families urgently need. By supporting early-stage scientists and pioneering studies, we are not only accelerating discovery but also helping to build
Metastatic Brain Tumor Collaborative Announces First-Ever Collaborative Grant Opportunity Focused on CNS Metastasis
Grants Support Innovative, High-Risk Research Aimed at Improving Diagnosis and Treatment of CNS Metastases CHICAGO, October 15, 2025 — The Metastatic Brain Tumor Collaborative (MBTC), created by the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) announced $100,000 in research grants to support innovative projects aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of central nervous system (CNS) metastases. This represents the first-ever collaborative grant opportunity dedicated to CNS metastasis, made possible through the collective effort of ten leading nonprofit cancer organizations. CNS metastases are the most common type of brain tumor in adults, occurring when cancers such as breast, lung, melanoma, colorectal, and kidney spread to the brain or spinal cord. Despite affecting more than 200,000 people in the U.S. each year, this patient population remains vastly underrepresented in research and clinical care. Announcing this milestone underscores the urgency of advancing research that benefits patients across cancer types. The MBTC’s CNS Metastasis Research Grants provide $50,000 for one-year seed funding to high-risk, high-impact projects
Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative Awards $1 Million to Advance LiquidBiopsy Research in Primary Brain Tumors
Two Multi-Institutional Teams Selected to Improve Diagnosis and Monitoring of Primary Brain Tumors CHICAGO, September 23, 2025 — The Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative (BTFC) today announced $1 million in grant funding to support two multi-institutional research teams focused on developing liquid biopsy technologies for the diagnosis and monitoring of primary brain tumors. Each research team will receive $500,000 to support these 2-year projects. Liquid biopsy represents a promising breakthrough in brain tumor care. Unlike traditional biopsies that require surgical procedures to extract tumor tissue, liquid biopsy analyzes tumor-derived material circulating in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or other bodily fluids. These innovative approaches could enable earlier detection, real-time tracking of tumor evolution, and more precise assessment of treatment response. Ultimately, it offers a safer, less invasive, and more personalized strategy for managing brain tumors. The BTFC is proud to support the following projects: Project Title: Global Alliance to Establish a CSF-based Liquid
American Brain Tumor Association Names New President & Chief Executive Officer
American Brain Tumor Association Names New President & Chief Executive Officer Proven Leader Spearheaded Organization’s Dynamic Development Team, Volunteer Network CHICAGO – (November 18, 2024). The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) today announced that the organization’s board of directors has appointed Kelly Sitkin as the organization’s next President & Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2025. Sitkin will replace longtime ABTA President & CEO Ralph DeVitto who will retire from the position after seven years at the helm. During her tenure as the ABTA’s Chief Development Officer (CDO), total revenue increased by 45%, from $6.3 million in 2017 to $9.1 million in 2023. As CDO, Sitkin was responsible for the overall execution of an integrated development and volunteer network strategy for the ABTA – a national voluntary health organization providing comprehensive resources to support the complex needs of brain tumor patients and caregivers, across all ages and tumor types, as
Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative Announces New Grant Opportunity to Support Studies on Liquid Biopsy in Primary Brain Tumors
Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative Announces New Grant Opportunity to Support Studies on Liquid Biopsy in Primary Brain Tumors The Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative (BTFC) announced a request for proposals for two-year, $500,000 research grants for multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary research projects focusing on liquid biopsy for primary brain tumors. The BTFC plans to award two grants in total. These grants are intended to fund practice-changing research with the hope of advancing the technology to make liquid biopsy a viable option for brain tumor patient care. Through the collection and testing of blood, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), or other bodily fluids, liquid biopsy can detect signs of a tumor via fragments of tumor DNA, proteins, or tumor cells circulating in these biofluids. Open to a team of two or more faculty-level researchers at distinct institutions, the grant opportunity focuses on supporting studies on liquid biopsy in primary brain tumors in pediatric, adolescent and
American Brain Tumor Association Awards Over $1 Million in New Grants to Advance Brain Cancer Research
American Brain Tumor Association Awards Over $1 Million in New Grants to Advance Brain Cancer Research Chicago, IL (October 17, 2024)— The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) is proud to announce their continued investment in brain tumor research that spans $36 million dollars and over 800 research projects. For more than 50 years, the ABTA has remained committed to funding brain tumor research, especially for early-stage investigators. This investment, that starts with the earliest phase of medical training, seeks to not only drive brain tumor research forward, but empower the next generation of physicians and scientists to propel the neuro-oncology field forward. “Through the funding of brain tumor research, the ABTA empowers talented researchers to pursue challenging questions in neuro-oncology,” says Ralph DeVitto, ABTA President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud to continue our legacy of funding critical brain tumor research and bringing hope to patients.” This year’s slate