A Fashionable Way to Support Cancer Research

Photo Submitted

David Zaharoff modeling one of Life Tie's products.

David Zaharoff, assistant professor and holder of the Twenty-First Century Endowed Professorship in Biomedical Engineering, is finding new ways to treat cancer, with a little help from a company that makes ties. Zaharoff is developing methods to help the human body fight cancer. He does this by combining proteins called cytokines, which produce an immune response, with a substance called chitosan, which can release these substances slowly anywhere in the body.

Zaharoff explained that this approach trains the immune system, and works like a vaccine. With enough research, it could be a more effective approach than surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. Zaharoff is working with the National Cancer Institute on this project, doing pre-clinical studies. These studies will hopefully lead to clinical trials, and eventually a new cancer treatment.

Medical research takes lots of resources, however, and Zaharoff has found an unusual source of funding: the Life Tie Project, an organization that raises money for cancer research by selling fashionable ties and scarves. A substantial amount of the cost of each tie goes to cancer research, support and patient care.

“The scientific community has more great ideas than it has money to fund those ideas,” said Zaharoff. “It’s great when others step up to help, and Life Tie has a great approach, focusing on raising money that goes straight to individual projects.”

To support Zaharoff’s research, go to thelifetie.com and use the discount code ARKANSAS. You will get a 10 percent discount and ensure that 50 percent of the revenue from your tie goes the University of Arkansas cancer research.