New York has awarded $2 million to Albert Einstein College of Medicine for a cancer genomics study involving first responders exposed to toxins after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The project is examining blood samples for precancerous mutations that could identify responders at elevated risk and lead to earlier testing and care.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the completed award during a visit to a Manhattan firehouse. Her office said the funding will allow researchers to analyze about 2,000 unresolved cases after earlier support ran out.
The state initially provided $1 million for the work and added another $1 million in the enacted 2027 budget, bringing the total to $2 million. Hochul said leaving thousands of responders without answers was unacceptable and pledged to support the research.
The Albert Einstein team is studying genomic changes that may signal a higher likelihood of blood cancers. Early detection can give patients and clinicians more time to monitor a condition and consider treatment.
The award supports analysis of samples already collected from responders. State officials said completing the review can alert people whose results show a possible mutation and help connect them with appropriate follow-up care.
The announcement came as New York marked the 25th anniversary of the attacks and continued to confront the health effects of rescue and recovery work. Hochul said 452 firefighters who participated in the response later died after exposure to toxins and chemicals at the World Trade Center site.
Researchers and clinicians have spent decades tracking cancers, respiratory illnesses and other conditions among responders and survivors. The state said the new study is intended to extend that work by identifying molecular warning signs before a cancer diagnosis.
Hochul announced the award at FDNY Engine 16 and Ladder Company 7 with fire service and medical leaders. She said the research was brought to her attention through requests from advocates concerned that funding had ended before all collected samples could be reviewed.
The governor also signed three laws extending benefit deadlines for 9/11 responders, National Guard members and surviving families. Those measures give eligible workers more time to document participation in rescue and cleanup work and preserve claims involving World Trade Center-related illnesses.
State officials said the research grant and benefit legislation address separate needs: the study seeks better early detection, while the laws protect access to compensation and retirement benefits.
The governor's office described the study as an effort to unlock early testing and care for thousands of first responders. The work focuses on people exposed to toxic material during their response to the attacks, a population that has faced elevated cancer risks.
Medical leaders joined Hochul for the announcement, including Dr. David Prezant and Dr. Amit Verma. Representatives of firefighter unions also attended the event.
Hochul said New York would continue supporting people whose health was affected by the attacks. Firefighter representatives and medical researchers said long-term monitoring remains important because some conditions can develop many years after exposure.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.