The USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine of USC will host A Concert to Cure Cancer, a fundraising event to be held on Sept. 26 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City.

The gala is the first of its kind for USC Norris. The event will feature the Pasadena POPS, conducted by Rachael Worby in a Hooray for Hollywood themed concert that highlights both nostalgic and current sounds of old and new Hollywood, including songs from Titanic, The Wizard of Oz, Nine and Star Wars.

Event organizers hope to raise $1 million to benefit the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the new USC Center for Molecular Pathways and Drug Discovery.

We are excited that this event shines a spotlight on the relevant work taking place every day at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center while specifically supporting the USC Center for Molecular Pathways and Drug Discovery, said Peter Jones, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Proceeds from this event will help accelerate the pace of drug discovery and the development of non-toxic, less invasive, and more effective treatments of cancer.

The new center was created by Heinz-Josef Lenz, professor of medicine and preventive medicine, associate director of clinical research at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Kathryn Balakrishnan Chair for Cancer Research; and Michael Kahn, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Provosts Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Lenz and Kahn are co-leaders of the USC GI-Oncology program. Lenz called the new center a unique marriage between clinical research and basic science, a real bench to bedside approach. He added, We hope this center will be the mechanism, or pipeline, for faster translation of novel promising molecules to bring them into the clinic more quickly.

The event opens with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m., and a live auction and concert starting at 7 p.m. Philanthropists Leslie and Peter Tolan, whose friend was treated by Lenz, initiated the event and are underwriting the Pasadena POPS performance. Individual tickets are $500. For more information, contact USC Norris Development at 323-865-0700 or visit http://uscsom.convio.net/DrugDiscovery.