Andrechek, Eran (PI) Garcia-Lerena, Jesus (Trainee)

Michigan State University

MI

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Uncovering Drivers of Organ Specific Breast Cancer Metastasis

Eran Andrechek, Ph.D., from Michigan State University, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Jesus Garcia-Lerena, who is studying the role of a protein called E2F5 in breast cancer metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes. The goal of this study is to better understand this mechanism, which could help uncover potential new therapeutic options to prevent breast cancer metastasis.

Bos, Paula (PI) Garcia-Santillan, Aìlen (Trainee)

Virginia Commonwealth University

VA

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Investigating the Impact of Immune and Brain Cells Communication on Brain Metastasis

Paula Bos, Ph.D., from the Virginia Commonwealth University, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Ailen Garcia-Santillan, who is studying how immune cells and neurons in the brain impact breast cancer brain metastasis. Learning more about this relationship could help us find new ways to treat brain metastasis.

Castro, Eida (PI) Rosario, Lianel (Trainee)

Ponce Medical School Foundation, Inc.

PR

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

PREPARE: Preparing Hispanic Advanced Breast Cancer Dyads for End-of-Life Care

Eida Castro, Psy.D., M.Sc., from Ponce Medical School Foundation in Puerto Rico, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Lianel Rosario, who is addressing the limited social-support services and psycho-oncology mental health care available for Hispanic breast cancer survivors in Puerto Rico. Together, they will conduct a clinical trial to determine whether improving patients' access to mental health care affects certain biological markers of stress, which might have an impact on breast cancer outcomes.

Chan, Isaac (PI) Terrazas, Isabella (Trainee)

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

TX

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Activating Natural Killer Cells to Treat Breast Cancer

Isaac Chan, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Isabella Terrazas, who is investigating the role of a type of immune cells called natural killer cells during immunotherapy treatment. Furthering our understanding of natural killer cells may pave the way for developing new breast cancer immunotherapies that target natural killer cells.

Dharmawardhane, Suranganie (PI) Cruz-Collazo, Ailed (Trainee)

University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus

PR

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Targeted Therapeutics for Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Suranganie Dharmawardhane, Ph.D., from the University of Puerto Rico, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support postdoctoral researcher Ailed Cruz-Collazo, Ph.D., who is investigating the new drug MBQ-167 as a potential therapy for triple negative breast cancer and metastasis. The goal of this study is to provide preclinical data for this drug that leads to the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial investigating its use in advanced breast cancers.

Fraley, Stephanie (PI) Rowell, Maya(Trainee)

University of California, San Diego

CA

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Regulation of Collective Breast Cancer Migration and Metastasis-Supplement

Stephanie Fraley, Ph.D., from the University of California San Diego, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Maya Rowell, who is studying how a protein found outside of breast cancer cells called Col1 promotes breast cancer metastasis. The goal of the study is to identify potential therapeutic strategies to prevent metastasis caused by Col1.

Gastounioti, Aimilia (PI) Hernandez, Juanita (Trainee)

Washington University in St.Louis

MO

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Image-Driven Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Racial Disparities

Aimilia Gastounioti, Ph.D., at Washington University in St. Louis, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator for postdoctoral trainee Juanita Hernandez, Ph.D., who is using artificial intelligence to identify Black women that are at a high and low risk for developing breast cancer. The goal of the study is to develop a breast cancer risk assessment tool that can be used to personalize treatments, and ultimately, reduce breast cancer mortality among Black women.

Hagan, Christy (PI) Tinoco, Julio (Trainee)

University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc.

KS

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Role of Immunosuppressive T cells in Progesterone-Promoted Breast Cancer

Christy Hagan, Ph.D., from University of Kansas, will serve as mentor and principal investigator for graduate student Julio Tinoco, who is investigating whether targeting the progesterone receptor can prevent suppression of the immune system in progesterone receptor-positive breast tumors. The goal of this study is to uncover a new way to prevent and treat progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Janes, Kevin (PI) Alvarez Yela, Catalina(Trainee)

University of Virginia

VA

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Modeling Chromosomal Abnormalities in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Kevin Janes, Ph.D., from the University of Virginia, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Catalina Alvarez Yela, who is studying how errors in the cell cycle occur in triple negative breast cancer cells that lead to chromosomal imbalance. The goal of this project is to gain a better understanding of this process and identify new therapies that can reverse it.

McCarthy, Anne Marie (PI) Mah’Moud, Mattia (Trainee)

University of Pennsylvania

PA

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Background Parenchymal Enhancement as a Biomarker of Breast Cancer Risk in Black Women

Anne Marie McCarthy, Ph.D., Sc.M., from the University of Pennsylvania, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Mattia Mahmoud who is evaluating a new biomarker associated with breast cancer risk called background parenchymal enhancement (BPE). BPE is a phenomenon that occurs when some women undergo an MRI scan, and this study will be the first to assess BPE as a biomarker of breast cancer risk in Black women.

Neuman, Heather (PI) Dickerson, Faith (Trainee)

University of Wisconsin-Madison

WI

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Deimplementation of Preference-Sensitive Low Value Breast Cancer Care

Heather Neuman, M.D., from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator for postdoctoral trainee Faith Dickerson, Ph.D., who is developing a conversation guide for breast surgeons to discuss treatment options with patients of diverse backgrounds. The goal of this guide is to help surgeons better support patients’ needs as they discuss surgical options like breast reconstruction with them.

Palmer, Julie (PI) Holder, Etienne (Trainee)

Boston University

MA

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Tumor Characteristics, and Breast Cancer Survival in U.S. Black Women

Julie Palmer, Sc.D., from Boston University, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support postdoctoral researcher Etienne X. Holder, Ph.D., who is studying how stress induced by the neighborhood a person lives in can impact breast cancer outcomes. The goal of this research is to understand why Black women face a disproportionately high breast cancer mortality rate and determine if stress-reducing interventions can improve outcomes.

Porter, Weston (PI) Carter, Hannah (Trainee)

Texas A&M AgriLife Research

TX

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

SIM2 Regulation of Metabolism and Progression in ER+ Breast Cancer

Weston Porter, Ph.D., from Texas A&M University, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Hannah Carter, who is studying how a protein called SIM2 regulates mitochondria to maintain the metabolism of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells. The goal of this project is to better understand how estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers maintain their metabolic state, which could lead to the future development of new therapies that will disrupt their progression and kill them.

Rosen, Jeffrey (PI) Smith, Alex (Trainee)

Baylor College of Medicine

TX

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophage Heterogeneity to Treat TNBC

Jeff Rosen, Ph.D., from Baylor College of Medicine, will serve as mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Alex Smith, who is studying the role of a type of immune cell called tumor-associated macrophage in triple negative breast cancer. The goal of the study is to identify ways to target tumor-associated macrophages to improve outcomes for patients with triple negative breast cancer.

Tavazoie, Sohail (PI) Faisal Yambire, King(Trainee)

The Rockefeller University

NY

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Retrograde Signaling of Mitochondrial tRNAs Suppresses Breast Cancer Progression

Sohail Tavazoie, M.D., Ph.D., from The Rockefeller University, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support postdoctoral fellow King Faisal Yambire, Ph.D., who is studying the role of a newly discovered type of RNA called mitochondrial tRNA in breast cancer metastasis. The goal of this study is to identify how mitochondrial tRNAs impact breast cancer metastasis and determine if they could be effective targets for new breast cancer treatments.

Wang, Hai (PI) Ernst, Cheyenne (Trainee)

Roswell Park Alliance Foundation

NY

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Deciphering Cancer Metabolism in Skeletal Metastases of Breast Cancer

Hai Wang, Ph.D., from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support graduate student Cheyenne Ernst, who is studying how breast cancer cells change their metabolism to adapt to their new environment during metastasis, specifically in the bone. The goal of this study is to identify ways to block this adaptation to prevent bone metastasis.

Welm, Alana (PI) Blanchard, Zannel(Trainee)

The University of Utah

UT

ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence

Patient Derived Models to Understand Tumor Evolution in Response to Therapy

Alana Welm, Ph.D., from the University of Utah, will serve as the mentor and principal investigator to support postdoctoral fellow Zannel Blanchard, Ph.D., who is studying how breast cancer evolves in response to treatment. The goal of the study is to better understand how certain factors make breast cancer more resistant to treatment.

Lu, Xin

University of Notre Dame

IN

Big Data For Breast Cancer Grant

Big Data-Guided Metabolic Targeting of Metastasis-Promoting Immune Cells

Xin Lu, Ph.D., of the University of Notre Dame, will develop a computational model of breast cancer tumor metabolism to identify molecules that regulate a specific population of immune cells, which are only expressed in tumors and are known to drive disease progression. Identified molecules will be tested in cell lines and animal models as potential new immunotherapeutic targets.

Nakshatri, Harikrishna

Indiana University

IN

Big Data For Breast Cancer Grant

Deep Learning-Based Discovery of Drug Targets for PIK3CA Mutated Breast Cancers

Harikrishna Nakshatri, Ph.D., from Indiana University, will determine the functional roles of two newly identified molecules that accompany a common mutation in breast cancer and may work together to drive estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Computational approaches will be used to identify additional molecules and their potential as new therapeutic targets.

Bellissimo, Moriah

Virginia Commonwealth University

VA

Career Transition Award

Physical Activity to Reduce Breast Cancer Treatment Morbidity

Moriah Bellissimo, Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, will investigate whether short periods of intense exercise can prevent heart problems for patients who received chemotherapy for breast cancer. By participating in physical exercise during their treatment, these patients can prevent heart problems associated with chemotherapy and experience a higher quality of life.

Brantley, Kristen

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

MA

Career Transition Award

Evaluating Germline Genetics and Tumor Genomics of Young-Onset Breast Cancer

Kristen Brantley, Ph.D., from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is studying how inherited gene mutations and tumor mutations impact breast cancer prognosis in young women. The goal of this study is to better understand the underlying biology of breast cancers found in young women to further personalize their treatment and monitoring.

Fox, Douglas B

Massachusetts General Hospital

MA

Career Transition Award

Targeting Master Regulators of Tumor Cell Growth to Overcome Therapy Resistance in Breast Cancer

Douglas Fox, Ph.D., from Massachusetts General Hospital, will study how ETS proteins contribute to hormone therapy resistance in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. If ETS proteins are required for hormone therapy resistance, new therapies can be developed to target ETS proteins and restore sensitivity to hormone therapy.

Gan, Siting

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

NY

Career Transition Award

Targeting the Tumor-Stroma Interactions in Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis

Siting Gan, Ph.D., from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, will investigate how metastatic breast tumor cells interact with surrounding brain tissue to promote brain metastasis. These studies will guide the development of new treatments for breast cancer brain metastasis.

Marchese, Emanuela

Massachusetts General Hospital

MA

Career Transition Award

Breast Cancer Immunoprevention in BRCA Mutant Carriers

Emanuela Marchese, Ph.D., from Massachusetts General Hospital, will investigate how the immune system can help prevent breast cancer from forming in BRCA mutation carriers. The goal of this research is to develop new therapeutic strategies for breast cancer prevention which can ultimately benefit patients at high risk of developing breast cancer.

Nguyen, Long Chi

The University of Chicago

IL

Career Transition Award

Overcoming Immunotherapy Resistance in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Long Nguyen, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Chicago, is studying how a protein called BACH1 reduces the response to immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer. The goal of the study is to determine whether targeting BACH1 can improve immunotherapy treatment outcomes for people with triple negative breast cancer.

Pal, Purab

University of Illinois at Chicago

IL

Career Transition Award

Ceramide Actions in Endocrine Therapy-Resistant Breast Cancer Models

Purab Pal, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois at Chicago, will investigate how a type of fat molecule called ceramides can specifically kill hormone therapy-resistant breast cancer cells. The goal of this project is to find a new therapeutic strategy for hormone therapy resistant, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Priedigkeit, Nolan

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

MA

Career Transition Award

Targeting Fusion RNAs in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Nolan Priedigkeit, M.D., Ph.D., from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is studying the role of molecules called fusion RNAs in metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Priedigkeit will test a new technology that can target fusion RNAs and use these fusion RNAs as a tool to kill cancer cells from within. The goal of this project is to develop a breakthrough fusion RNA-based therapeutic for patients with advanced breast cancer.

Wang, Yifan

University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

TX

Career Transition Award

Microbial-inspired Strategy to Enhance Breast Cancer Immunotherapy

Yifan Wang, Ph.D., from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, will investigate how antigen presentation, or how cancer cells reveal themselves to immune cells, can be activated in breast cancer cells to increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy. The goal of the study is to identify a new immunotherapeutic strategy for breast cancer.

Nishida, Jun

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

MA

Career Transition Award

Topological Heterogeneity of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases

Jun Nishida, Ph.D. from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who will study how a protein in breast cancer cells called KDM2A allows breast cancer to survive in the low-nutrient environment of the brain. Dr. Nishida proposes that targeting KDM2A may be an effective way to treat breast cancer brain metastases.

Coussens, Lisa

Oregon Health & Science University

OR

Leadership Grant

Identifying Immune-Mediated Protumoral Pathways in Breast Cancer for Therapeutic Targeting

Komen Scholar Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., of Oregon Health & Science University, will investigate new ways of using the immune system to attack breast cancer cells. The goal of this research is to apply immunotherapy treatments to more patients, as not all people with breast cancer benefit from currently available immunotherapies.

Curtis, Christina

Stanford University

CA

Leadership Grant

Molecular Determinants of Breast Cancer Progression and Recurrence

Komen Scholar Christina Curtis, Ph.D., of Stanford University, will use advanced computational techniques to explain how a breast tumor’s surroundings impact its progression in high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. The goal of the project is to identify ways to reduce the risk of recurrence for the 20-30% of patients who die of recurrent breast cancer.

Troester, Melissa

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NC

Leadership Grant

Impact of Spatial Heterogeneity in Tumor and Microenvironment on Recurrence

Komen Scholar Melissa Troester, Ph.D., from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, will evaluate tumor and DNA samples from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study to determine how the composition of immune cells differs between African American and white women. The goal of this project is to better understand how variations within the tumors of African American women contributes to racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes and recurrence.