Lance Bertrand
Research GrantLance Bertrand
Lance Bertrand lost his battle with lung cancer on December 31, 2018, but he won the hearts of all who knew him with his strength, perseverance, dedication, passion and that amazing smile. Known to friends, family, doctors and staff and MD Anderson as Superman, the Miracle Man, Iron Man, Bionic Man, Legend and the Captain – Lance was treated for 10 years at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center after being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, just 4 months prior to his wedding day to the love of his life, Therese. Lance was dad to Jude and Jolie Bertrand.
Rexanna’s Foundation is honored to recognize, celebrate, and memorialize the memory of Lance through a grant that will be given annually for research dedicated to extending the lives of lung cancer patients and focused on eradicating it completely.
Grant Proposals
Grant proposals will be received from researchers beginning in November in recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Grant selections will take place prior to the Lone Star Huddle Up in Houston. Award recognition will take place at the Lone Star Huddle up in Houston in September.
March 30, 2026
Flintrock Falls Golf Course
Flintrock Falls Golf Course
401 Jack Nicklaus Dr., Austin, TX
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Funded Research
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Pre-Cancer & Environmental Exposures Research
Researchers:
Dr. Zhang, Dr. Heymach, & Dr. Vaishnavi
Targeting IL-1α for Interception of KRAS-Driven Lung Pre-Cancer / Combined with Elucidating the Molecular Mechanisms of Sexual Dimorphism in Lung Cancer following Environmental Exposures
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Characterizing Transcriptional Events in EGFR-driven Lung Cancer for Resistance
Researchers:
Dr. Heeke & Dr. Le
Prediction and Biomarker Identification in Tissue and Liquid Biopsies
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
MD Anderson Young-Onset Lung Cancer Center (YOLCC) Initiative
Researchers:
Eric K. Singhi, MD - Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Department of General Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center | Mara B. Antonoff, MD - Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
This project will directly benefit young adults with lung cancer by providing specialized care that addresses their unique needs, from diagnosis through survivorship. The holistic support services and expert care provided by the YOLCC are designed to improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life, and offer a supportive community. The insights and advancements achieved through this initiative could also set a precedent for addressing other cancers affecting younger individuals, potentially transforming care paradigms across different disease spaces.
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Understanding direct-KRAS inhibitor resistance pathways for therapeutic targeting in non-small cell lung cancer
Researchers:
Don L. Gibbons, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Deputy Chair, Thoracic-Head and Neck Medical Oncology
Samrat Kundu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Thoracic-Head and Neck Medical Oncology
There is an urgent need to understand why certain patients benefit from KRAS inhibitors and others do not. These preclinical studies will be critical in advancing this exciting class of KRAS inhibitors to combination clinical trials, ultimately leading to potential approval as frontline cancer therapeutics.
Family Funding: Lance Bertrand Research Grant
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Maximizing the effects of targeting therapies in lung cancer to improve patient outcomes
Researchers:
Dr. Lovly & Dr. Elamin
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Radiographic and molecular predictors of benefit from local consolidative therapy
Researchers:
Dr. Wu, Dr. Vokes, & Dr. Elamin
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Unbiased, avidity-based isolation of antigen-specific T cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Reuben
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Targeting immunotherapy resistant tumors through characterizations and inhibition of the 9p21 locus
Researchers:
Dr. Vokes & Dr. Cobo
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Stratification of patients for subtype-specific clinical trials in SCLC using novel diagnostic essays from tissue and liquid biopsies
Researchers:
Dr. Heeke & Dr. Gay
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Tumor volumetric measurements to improve immune checkpoint inhibitor response assessment and prediction
Researchers:
Dr. Altan & Dr. Vokes
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Development of preclinical models of resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitor sotorasib (AMG 510)
Researchers:
Dr. Robichaux & Dr. Negrao
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Radion-immunogenomic habitat phenotypes to predict efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapies in operable non-small cell lung cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Wu, Dr. Cascone, Collaborators: Dr. Gibbons & Dr. Godoy
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for research addressing the recurrence of cancer after surgery alone
Researchers:
Dr. Cacsone
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Gay & Dr. Byers
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Unbiased, avidity-based isolation of antigen-specific T cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Reuben
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for developing new strategies for enhancing anti-tumor immunity in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Nilsson, Dr. Le, & Dr. Heymach
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Research into Novel T cell therapies for lung cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Reuben
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Research into resistances to therapy
Researchers:
Dr. Chen
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Focused research on reoccurrance instances of cancer cells and combining immunotherapy and/or surgery or chemotherapy
Researchers:
Dr. Sepesi
Focused research on reoccurrence of cancer cells that have developed resistance. A second project we funded focused on the Immunotherapy combined with surgery and/or chemotherapy
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Research project STK11/LKB1 Mutations and PD-1 Inhibitor Resistance in KRAS-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma
Researchers:
Dr. Skoulidis
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Small Cell Lung Cancer focused research
Researchers:
Byers Lab
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for the study of EGFR/HER2 exon 20 mutant non-small cell lung cancer's developing resistance to poziotinib
Researchers:
Dr. Robichaux
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for targeted treatments for Oligometastic lung cancer outside of chemo
Researchers:
Dr. Gomez & Dr. Zhang
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for the study of microorganisms in the gut with relation to immunotherapy side effects
Researchers:
Dr. Altan
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for personalizing immunotherapy in early stage lung cancers with microbiome and blood-based markers
Researchers:
Dr. Sepesi
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for personalizing immunotherapy in metastatic lung cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Altan & Dr. Sepesi
UT MD Anderson
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Biomarkers for predictive response in immunotherapy
Researchers:
GEMINI
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Novel Molecular Targets in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Byers
GEMINI
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Novel Molecular Targets in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Dr. Byers
GEMINI
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Patient Education Materials for Health Fair, Living with Lung Cancer
Researchers:
Thoracic Patient Teaching Initiative
An ongoing project to create instructional videos for Thoracic Patients
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Lung Cancer Shot Program
Researchers:
GEMINI
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Patient Education Materials
Researchers:
Living with Lung Cancer Health Fair
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for the Lung Cancer Moon Shot Program
Researchers:
GEMINI
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Micro RNAs as NOvel Serum Biomarkers to Guide Personalized Treatment
Researchers:
BATTLE
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Micro RNAs as Novel Tumor Biomarkers to Guide Personalized Treatment
Researchers:
BATTLE
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Public Education Materials
Researchers:
Lung Cancer Educational Fund
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Patient Education Materials
Researchers:
Living Your Life with Lung Cancer Health Fair
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Personalized Cancer Therapies
Researchers:
BATTLE Trials
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for Lung Cancer Research
Researchers:
BATTLE 2
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Genetic Proteins Role in Immune Cells
Researchers:
Gibbons Lab
Focuses on understanding the regulation of cancer cell invasion and metastasis by studying the genetic information of production of proteins in cell and the role of the immune cells in those processes
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Public Education Materials
Researchers:
Lung Cancer Educational Fund
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Patient Education Materials
Researchers:
Living Your Life with Lung Cancer Health Fair
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Personalized Cancer Therapies
Researchers:
BATTLE Trials
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Support for the Lung Cancer Research Priority Program
Researchers:
BATTLE
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Public Education Materials
Researchers:
Lung Cancer Educational Fund
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Patient Education Materials
Researchers:
Living Your Life with Lung Cancer Health Fair
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
General Research Support and BATTLE Trials
Researchers:
Dr. Roy Berbst
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
Personalized Cancer Therapies
Researchers:
Lung Cancer Tissue Bank
Funded by —
Lance Bertrand Grant
MD Anderson Lung Cancer Research Priority Program
Researchers:
Dr. Lippman
Funded by —
