Breast Cancer Research Program (BC) (Project-004)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

PROJECT 004 ? BREAST CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Breast Cancer Research Program (BC) members have expertise in cellular signaling and molecular biology, breast pathology, genomic profiling, biomedical informatics, medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, clinical trial design, epidemiology, and quality of life studies. Ingrid A. Mayer, MD, MSCI, Associate Professor of Medicine, has been added as co-leader of the program. She brings extensive clinical trials expertise to the program. BC has a strong emphasis on breast epithelial cell and molecular biology, basic science-driven translational and clinical research, innovative clinical trials and molecular epidemiology. The main scientific goals of the program are to: stimulate collaborative, extramurally fundable basic science-based translational and clinical research in breast cancer; enhance communication between program members and dissemination of new data and cutting-edge methodologies; stimulate investigator-initiated clinical trials of new therapies and therapeutic combinations with an emphasis on discovery of predictive biomarkers and mechanisms of drug resistance; mentor and train investigators in translational research in breast cancer; and seek and establish research partnerships with biotechnology and industry that will enhance the program's translational and clinical research. Specific themes of investigation, most of which are connected to clinical trials based in the program, include: · Role of PI3K inhibitors in resistance to antiestrogens in ER+ breast cancer · Molecular sub-classification of triple negative breast cancer and discovery of novel treatment targets · Prediction of anti-cancer drug action and treatment response with non-invasive imaging · Role of ERBB3 in mammary gland development, transformation and adaptive resistance · Role of TGF? in cancer stem-like behavior and tumor progression · Obesity as a metabolic marker of breast cancer risk in African Americans · Discovery of actionable therapy targets in drug-resistant breast tumors post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy · Innovative clinical trials with targeted therapies and combinations There are 28 program members from 11 departments and three schools with $5.3M in NCI funding and $2.8M million in other peer-reviewed cancer-related funding. Out of 545 publications, 17% are intra- programmatic and 65% are inter-programmatic. Members also have 230 collaborative publications with investigators at other institutions.