About Us

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MISSION STATEMENT

To fund pioneering pancreatic cancer research, expand access to care, and grow the next generation of scientists to eradicate patient suffering from this deadly disease.

Vision Statement 

A future where pancreatic cancer is detected early; treated effectively, equitably, and compassionately; and no longer among the most feared diagnoses.

Researchers reviewing results in a laboratory

Guiding Principles

We believe in the power of science to improve the human condition. These principles reflect how we choose partners, make grants, and measure what matters.

Rigorous, independent science

We fund peer-reviewed research that will be selected by an independent Scientific Advisory Board.

Growing the field

Through PRIA Scholars, we seek to invest in early- and mid-career researchers, building the urgently needed pipeline of talent in pancreatic cancer research.

Collaborative grantmaking

We work with our grantees to identify the most impactful form of support — discovery research, translational science, or clinical investigation.

Breakthroughs can come from anywhere

We engage leading cancer centers and innovative scientists and clinicians across the country, believing that no single institution or geographic location holds all the answers.

Transparency and accountability

We are committed to clear reporting of how funds are deployed, the outcomes they produce, and the governance standards that protect our donors' trust.

Trustees

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Barry Brown, AB, EdM, JD

Barry has been a professor of law, academic author, and university executive for over fifty years. He has served as Interim President of Suffolk University and President of Mount Ida College, and is Emeritus Professor of Law at Suffolk University.
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Rick Lyon, MBA, CPA, JD

Rick has worked in various industries starting in public accounting with one of the then Big Eight. He held a senior position in the Fidelity Investments Legal Department for eight years. Most recently he was a partner and tax group head at Howland Capital Management for thirteen years.
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Jennifer F Tseng, MD, MPH

Jennifer has been the scientific advisor to Pria Foundation for the last decade. In 2025, she had the privilege of succeeding founder Rose Cole as a full trustee. Jennifer is a pancreatic surgeon, a cancer researcher, and an advocate for patients and families dealing with cancer diagnoses. As of September 2026, Dr. Tseng has assumed the additional role of Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer of PRIA.
Jennifer's Website

Scientific Advisory Board Members

Syed Ahmad, MD
University of Cincinnati

Eric Collisson, MD
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Karyn Goodman, MD, MS
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Sean Griffin
Patient Advocate

O. Joseph Hines, MD
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Kelly Kenzik, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Brian Lewis, PhD
UMass Chan Medical School

John H. Stewart IV, MD, MBA
Morehouse School of Medicine

Susan Tsai, MD, MHS
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - The James

A Pria grantee

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

The Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research at UT MD Anderson is home to one of the world's foremost pancreatic cancer research programs. Pria Foundation supports leading investigators across surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and cancer biology — funding the kind of high-risk, high-reward science that has the potential to make meaningful impacts for patients facing pancreatic cancer.
Our grantees
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Ben and Rose Cole Pria Foundationinfo@priafoundation.org
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