increase NIH funding to support research for CLL and other rare diseases which do not interest for-profit institutions.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), a B-cell disease often afflicting the elderly, is a classic example of neglected areas of research in desperate need of well-funded, well-designed, well-executed scientific efforts which press aggressively forward into the search for a cure. NIH support would fill the void left when for-profit funding cannot and historically has not provided the commitment and long-term effort needed for less profitable research. This CLL research would not only provide hope for the hopeless, it would also contribute immeasurably to the broader field of leukemia itself as complex cellular mysteries are explored and new strategies implemented for all blood cancers.