December 2025 — ALK Positive, a patient-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating research and improving outcomes for people with ALK-positive (ALK+) cancer, today announced a new partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) to fund a two-year AACR–ALK Positive Lung Cancer Research Fellowship. The award will support a postdoctoral or clinical fellow conducting mentored research focused on ALK-positive lung cancer.
“The AACR-ALK Positive Lung Cancer Research Fellowship is designed to encourage and support young researchers at this highly important time in the cancer field,” said Kirk Smith, President, Board of Directors
The collaboration aligns with ALK Positive’s patient-led mission to drive transformational research to find a cure for ALK+ cancer. It also supports the AACR’s long-standing commitment to advancing discoveries across the full spectrum of cancer science.
“The AACR-ALK Positive award represents our commitment to supporting young investigators so that they may have the opportunity to dedicate their career to finding a cure for ALK+ lung cancer,” said Ken Culver, MD, Executive Director and Medical Director, ALK Positive, Inc.
Why This Research Matters
ALK-positive lung cancer is a subtype of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) characterized by rearrangements in the ALK gene. It has no known risk factors, does not appear to run in families, and often affects younger people with no smoking history. It is estimated that as many as 1.2 million people worldwide are currently living with ALK+ lung cancer. On average, people with ALK+ lung cancer are diagnosed about 20 years younger than those with most other types of lung cancer, with a median age at diagnosis of 52.
There is currently no cure for ALK+ lung cancer. While advances in testing and targeted therapies have substantially improved survival for many patients, drug resistance and limited treatment options after targeted therapies remain urgent challenges.
Significant progress has been made, but continued research is essential to better understand why people develop ALK+ lung cancer, create next-generation treatments, identify new therapeutic targets, improve understanding of resistance mechanisms, and advance approaches that can ultimately lead to long-term survival or cure.
How the Fellowship Will Be Awarded
The award will be administered by AACR with scientific guidance from the ALK Positive Medical Committee and the AACR Lung Cancer Task Force. Together, these groups bring deep expertise and first-hand knowledge of unmet needs in ALK-positive disease and will work collaboratively to identify and support the most promising investigator in this field.
About ALK Positive
ALK Positive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created by and for patients and caregivers affected by ALK-positive lung cancer. The organization’s mission is to seek a cure for ALK positive cancer, and to improve patients’ quality of life and life expectancy worldwide. Through strategic research funding, education, and global advocacy, ALK Positive is transforming the future of targeted cancer therapy.
Learn more at: www.alkpositive.org
2025 Grantee
Alice Tzeng, MD, PhD
Medical Oncology Fellow
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Epigenetic Drivers of Resistance to Lorlatinib in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Lung Cancer
Scientific Statement of Research
Although anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have significantly improved prognosis for advanced ALK+ lung cancer, acquired resistance inevitably occurs. Dr. Tzeng hypothesizes that epigenetic changes mediate acquired resistance to the third-generation TKI lorlatinib, and that epigenetic modulators may re-sensitize tumors to ALK inhibition. Liquid epigenomic profiling will be used to identify markers that are differentially expressed pre- and post-progression on lorlatinib. For the subset of patients on first-line lorlatinib, co-occurrence of genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with resistance will be evaluated. Using ALK+ lung cancer patient-derived xenograft models, she will assess the causal role of epigenetic changes in lorlatinib resistance and test rational drug combinations pairing lorlatinib with epigenetic modulators.
Biography
Dr. Tzeng earned her doctorate in biological engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later obtained her medical degree from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is currently a medical oncology fellow at Dana-Farber/Mass General Brigham. She is passionate about developing innovative yet practical improvements to patient care, with a focus on translating molecular findings to real-world clinical outcomes in thoracic oncology.
Acknowledgement of Support
“The AACR-ALK Positive Lung Cancer Research Fellowship provides me with the support to focus on an important therapeutic question, gaining critical exposure to oncogene-driven lung cancers, targeted therapies, and epigenomics. Completing this project will help establish a robust foundation for launching a productive career in cancer research.”
