HUNTINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Cancer Institute has awarded Marshall University a research grant for more than $70,000.

The funds are intended to purchase ultrasound equipment used for ultrasound-guided gene delivery to help develop more effective treatment and possibly a cure for pancreatic cancer.

"This grant funding will aid in the ultimate goal of bringing this exciting new technology to the patients who need it most," said Dr. Pier Claudio, associate professor of Biochemistry and Microbiology and Department of Surgery at Marshall University.

"Given the vast possibilities of this delivery system to noninvasively combat a variety of acute disease processes, there should be multiple exciting new research opportunities stemming from this opportunity," Claudio continued. "This underscores the importance and the benefits to mankind of funding medical research."

Marshall is currently doing work in translational research, which attempts to directly apply knowledge from research to helping patients. This research gives Marshall students and faculty their first opportunity to analyze a novel gene therapy model that overcomes one of the prior biggest obstacles in this area of research, the lack of targeted gene delivery.

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said in a news release that providing for university research is an investment, particularly in the area of cancer.

"From personal experience, I know that cancer can strike anyone at any place or any time, and it is only through medical research that we will be able to protect our loved ones and ourselves by finding better treatments and eventually cures to various types of cancer," Rahall said.

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