September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month — a time to honor the young lives impacted by cancer and shed light on the urgent need for better treatments. In Erie, a powerful new partnership is stepping up to meet that need with innovation, compassion, and cutting-edge science.

For Jim Foote, CEO of First Ascent Biomedical, this mission is more than professional — it's deeply personal.

"As a parent of a child that I lost to cancer. It’s not just about science — it’s about saving lives and helping families who are facing the unimaginable."

First Ascent Biomedical is bringing a new state-of-the-art lab to Erie, aiming to revolutionize how we approach cancer treatment. The lab, which will be housed on the fourth floor of Gannon University’s I-HACK building, will span 3,000 square feet and is expected to support up to 20,000 patients each year.

“Our Erie lab has finished the engineering design plans, and we’ll be breaking ground pretty soon — so we’re really excited,” Foote shared.

At the heart of First Ascent’s approach is artificial intelligence. Their technology uses AI to analyze DNA and RNA sequencing, identify mutations, and test how individual cancer cells respond to a wide range of existing drugs.

“Everybody keeps searching for the silver bullet,” Foote said. “What we’re saying is, we believe we already have enough drugs today — we’re just not using them in the right way.”

By customizing treatments based on each patient’s unique cancer profile, the company hopes to dramatically improve outcomes — especially for children.

While September shines a spotlight on childhood cancer, Foote stresses that awareness and action are needed every day.