The Max Pound Foundation deepens PNOC support with additional $50,000 gift
The Max Pound Foundation deepens its support for PNOC with an additional $50,000 gift to advance pediatric brain cancer research.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 18, 2025) – The Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) is honored to announce an additional $50,000 gift from the Max Pound Foundation, continuing and expanding the foundation’s longstanding commitment to accelerating progress for children with brain cancer. This latest contribution builds on the Max Pound Foundation’s previous support of PNOC’s research portfolio and reinforces its dedication to bringing forward more effective, less toxic treatment options for kids.
This new gift will advance two of PNOC’s most innovative, high-potential programs:
AI-Enabled Imaging, led by PNOC Co-Founder Dr. Sabine Mueller, which harnesses artificial intelligence to accelerate and enhance the accuracy of pediatric brain tumor diagnosis and treatment planning.
PNOC020, a clinical trial led by Dr. Elias Sayour, investigating a personalized mRNA vaccine approach for treating pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGG)—among the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat childhood brain tumors.
“These two programs represent the bold, science-driven progress we believe in,” said Carol Pound, founder of the Max Pound Foundation. “We are proud to continue supporting PNOC’s collaborative, boundary-pushing approach, and we are grateful to help move forward research that can meaningfully change outcomes for children.”
“This continued support allows us to bring the best tools in science—from AI to mRNA—directly to the children who need them most,” said Dr. Sabine Mueller, PNOC Co-Founder. “We are deeply grateful to The Max Pound Foundation for fueling this work and helping us accelerate discovery.”
The Max Pound Foundation’s ongoing investment in PNOC reflects its mission to empower children battling brain cancer by supporting groundbreaking research with the potential to save and transform lives. This work is done in honor of Max—whose bold, bright spirit continues to light the path toward better futures for the children who will come after him.
About PNOC Foundation:
PNOC Foundation is a platinum-rated non-profit dedicated to supporting advancements in childhood brain cancer research. PNOC Foundation’s vision is to lose no child to brain cancer, and to improve the quality of life for those fighting and surviving pediatric brain cancer. Since its inception in 2012, PNOC has pushed beyond older paradigms and historic trial designs, expanding nationally and globally to accelerate clinical trial completion and find cures faster. Through their cooperative open-source network, PNOC is fostering worldwide collaboration with the world’s leading pediatric brain tumor specialists. PNOC has grown from a 7-member group along the West Coast to a global consortium with 43 participating sites, funded largely by philanthropy.
Media Contact:
Adam Eversole, Director of Development, PNOC Foundation adam@pnocfoundation.org | 513 673-1170
