Jun 23, 2022

Susan G. Komen , the world’s leading breast cancer organization, is awarding $21.7 million to fund 48 new research projects at 26 distinguished academic medical institutions in the U.S. that are focused on improving patient outcomes – particularly for people with the most aggressive breast cancers, or who have experienced a recurrence or metastasis. With this investment, Komen is now supporting more than 152 active research projects representing more than $115 million in funding. “The investment we are announcing in a broad portfolio of cutting-edge research will help advance breast cancer care and improve outcomes for all people diagnosed with breast cancer, including underserved populations and those with few treatment options,” said Victoria Wolodzko Smart, SVP of Mission at Susan G. Komen. “With this investment, we’re supporting some of the top breast cancer researchers who share our mission and giving everyone impacted by breast cancer hope, as we move closer to the cures for breast cancers.” Of the total $21.7 million awarded: 79 percent supports research focused on the most aggressive breast cancers, metastasis and recurrence; 33 percent supports clinical trials; 20 percent supports research focused on eliminating breast cancer disparities; “We still have much to learn about aggressive breast cancers and breast cancers that recur and metastasize. This critical research investment from Susan G. Komen will help us unravel the biology of breast cancers to better understand how to prevent breast cancer recurrence and metastasis, and develop more treatment options, including new treatments for people living with metastatic breast cancer,” said Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., Susan G. Komen Chief Scientific Advisor. Pietenpol also serves as the Benjamin F. Byrd, Jr. Professor of Oncology, Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Komen Research Grants Julie Palmer, Sc.D., M.P.H., Boston University Jennifer Ligibel, M.D., FASCO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Nancy Lin, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Kornelia Polyak, M.D., Ph.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Sara Tolaney, M.D., M.P.H., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Nikhil Wagle, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Sunil Badve, M.D., FRCPath, Emory University School of Medicine Maria Sosa, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Tarah Ballinger, M.D., Indiana University Pedram Razavi, M.D., Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Jorge Reis-Filho, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPath, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Sohrab Shah, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University Yibin Kang, Ph.D., Princeton University Hai Wang, Ph.D., Roswell Park Cancer Institute Christina Curtis, Ph.D., M.S., Stanford University School of Medicine Melinda Telli, M.D., Stanford University School of Medicine Allison Kurian, M.D., M.Sc., Stanford University School of Medicine Haruka Itakura, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University School of Medicine Daniel Hollern, Ph.D., The Salk Institute for Biological Studies Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., University of Michigan Melissa Troester, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Angela DeMichele, M.D., M.S.C.E., University of Pennsylvania Adrian Lee, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Alana Welm, Ph.D., University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute Amelie Ramirez, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., UT Health San Antonio Mariana Chavez MacGregor, M.D., M.Sc., FASCO, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Sharon Giordano, M.D., M.P.H., FASCO, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Srinivas Malladi, Ph.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center Tuya Pal, M.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical  Center Sonya Reid, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center Cynthia Ma, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University Rulla Tamini, Sc.D., Weill Cornell College of Cornell University Mariya Rozenblit, M.D., Yale University Lajos Pusztai, M.D., D.Phil., Yale University Komen has invested more than $1 billion in breast cancer research in the 40 years since its founding, more than any other non-profit, and second only to the U.S. government. [Source(s): Susan G. Komen, EurekAlert] Share: