$1.125 million investment by Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama funds lifesaving research

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) announced its continued dedication to support breast cancer research in Alabama through an investment of $1,125,000 in 2024.

This grant funding will support 22 projects at seven established institutions throughout the state, to support lifesaving breast cancer research. The beneficiaries are Alabama State University, Auburn University, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Tuskegee University, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, University of Alabama and Mitchell Cancer Institute at the University of South Alabama.

Since the foundation’s founding in 1996, its cumulative investment in breast cancer research has exceeded $16 million.

Beth Davis, president and CEO of BCRFA, reflected on the organization’s consistent funding to achieve breast cancer research breakthroughs.

“This year’s investment of $1,125,000 reinforces our ongoing reputation as a catalyst for important research across Alabama,” Davis said. “Our support allows research to occur that ranges from new early detection strategies to refined innovations in treatment. Ultimately, these investments give increased hope and improved opportunities to Alabamians and others who are fighting breast cancer.”

Dr. Barry P. Sleckman, director of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, echoed Davis’ statement: “The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama continues to act as a progressive force for breast cancer research in Alabama and worldwide. This funding will thrust forward the work of UAB investigators, and others in Alabama, and we continue to be appreciative for their steady support.”

BCRFA funding allows for early-stage studies to obtain preliminary support, leading to researchers generating important data and attracting considerable national grants down the road. Multiple projects from the BCRFA have received multimillion-dollar grants from national organizations like the National Institutes of Health, amplifying the significance of BRCFA’s investments.

The 2024 recipients embody a diverse cohort ready to accomplish advancements in breast cancer research, supporting new and innovative solutions and superior patient care.

The 2024 grantees are:

Alabama State University

• Parul Dubey: Bridging the Gap: Integrating Genetic Insights and FDA-approved Therapies to Revolutionize Treatment for African American Breast Cancer.
• Manoj Mishra: Nanostructured Copper Oxide Aptasensor for Noninvasive Early Detection of 8-oxo-dG in Breast Cancer Diagnosis.

Auburn University

• Amit Mitra: A novel strategy to prevent the development of drug resistance in breast cancer.
• Valery Petrenko: Development of advanced substitute antibody phage probes for screening/detection of breast cancer using sensitive, inexpensive blood tests.

Auburn University and Tuskegee University collaboration

• Maninder Sandey (AU) and Dr. Deepa Bedi (TU): Combining Macrophage Modulation, PD-1 Blockade and 4-1BB Agonism for TNBC Therapy.

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

• Sara Cooper: Identification of rare and population-specific regulatory variation contributing to inherited breast cancer risk.

UAB — O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Erin Ahn: Phenotypic and metabolic reprogramming of breast cancer by mascRNA.
• Sofia Beas: Neuropathological effects of chemotherapeutic drugs.
• Jin Chen: Fusion AI for Intraoperative Margin Assessment of Breast Lumpectomy Specimens.
• Blake Hildreth: Targeting CSF1R/PU.1 signaling and PU.1 superenhancer regulation in tumor progression across breast cancer subtypes.
• Katia Khoury: Phase II single arm trial of low-dose capecitabine in patients with advanced breast cancer.
• Steve Lim: Nuclear FAK-mediated epigenetic reprogramming of triple negative breast cancer.
• Timiya Nolan: ECHO: Exploring Cardiovascular Health Outcomes among Black Breast Cancer Survivors.
• Catherine Parker: Research conducted by Breast Surgical Fellow.
• Bin Ren: Targeting the signaling that drives arteriolar niche formation and cancer cell stemness.
• Mary Kathryn Sewell-Loftin: The Role of Biomechanical Regulation in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

University of Alabama

• John Victor Napoleon: Design, Synthesis and Testing of Novel Tumor Associated Macrophage Reprogramming Agents in TNBC Tumor Model.
• Shreyas Rao: Engineered environments to probe immune cell-mediated reawakening of dormant breast cancer brain micrometastasis.

University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute

• Debanjan Chakroborty: WNK1 and matrix stiffness: Exploring a novel axis in breast cancer progression.
• Santanu Dasgupta: Circulating mitochondrial DNA for the detection of breast cancer progression and recurrence.
• Simon Grelet: Targeting the nerve-cancer crosstalk to prevent breast cancer metastasis.
• Chandrani Sarkar: Adipocyte and lymphatic endothelial cell crosstalk in breast cancer.

BCRFA funding is made possible with support from corporate and community partners, local and state funders, event patrons, individual donors and sales of the Breast Cancer Research specialty license plate. Available at DMVs across the state, more than 15,000 vehicles in Alabama sport the Breast Cancer Research tag. One hundred percent of tag sale proceeds received by the BCRFA support local, lifesaving research.