Table Data

The following research projects were approved for funding, and will be funded once the Grant Agreements between Komen and the Grantee institution(s) are fully-executed. There are 4 types (mechanisms) of grants: ASPIRE: A Supplement to Promote Inclusion for Research Excellence, Big Data for Breast Cancer Grants, Career Transition Award Grants and Leadership Grants.

Investigator(s)	Organization	Sate/Country	Grant Mechanism	Project Title	Project Summary
Curtis, Christina	Stanford University School of Medicine	CA	Opportunity Grant	Understanding the Tumor Microenvironment in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Metastasis	Dr. Christina Curtis of Stanford University will uncover specific features of the tumor microenvironment with spatial transcriptomics and proteomic profiling to predict metastatic relapse risk and treatment response for invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) using AI/machine learning. In addition, she will identify new targets for metastasis treatment and prevention for ILC.
Derksen, Patrick	University Medical Center Utrecht	Utrecht, Netherlands	Opportunity Grant	Controlling Dormancy to Treat Relapses of Metastatic Invasive Lobular Carcinoma	Dr. Patrick Derksen from University Medical Center Utrecht will investigate the mechanisms that activate dormant, disseminated tumor cells hiding in the body that can become metastatic tumors. He will use transcriptomics and phosphoproteomics in laboratory and patient-derived models to identify biomarkers of dormancy, relapse, and to discover new targets for treating invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). He will also test the effectiveness of CDK inhibitor palbociclib and AKT inhibitor capivisertib in ILC.
Wolff, Antonio	Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine	MD	Opportunity Grant	The Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium	Dr. Antonio Wolff, of Johns Hopkins University, will receive funding to support the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC). The TBCRC, a group of 18 leading academic institutions and medical centers, provides a forum where investigators, advocates, coordinators, scientists and biostatisticians work together to plan and refine clinical trials, advancing breast cancer research. More than half of TBCRC trials have focused on metastatic breast cancer.
Mukhtar, Rita	University of California San Francisco	CA	Scientific Strategy and Programs Grant	International Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer Symposium	This grant will support collaborative programming at the International Lobular Breast Cancer (ILC) 2026 Symposium, led by Dr. Rita Mukhtar at the University of California at San Francisco. This conference will bring together the scientific community to foster ILC research, raise awareness and advocate for ILC research, disseminating the latest advances and fostering the development of trainees and early career investigators to support research and clinical efforts on ILC. There will be exchange of information between researchers, clinicians, and patients from all over the world.
Quinn, Kate	American Society of Clinical Oncology	VA	Scientific Strategy and Programs Grant	Global Oncology Young Investigator Award: Funding the Future of Oncology Research	This grant to Conquer Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Foundation, will support the Conquer Cancer-Susan G. Komen Global Oncology Young Investigator Award which provides research funding to an early-career breast cancer investigator to encourage and promote quality research in global oncology and to develop the next generation of researchers to address global health needs.
Welm, Alana	Metastasis Research Society	FL	Scientific Strategy and Programs Grant	21st Biennial Congress of the Metastasis Research Society	This grant to the Metastasis Research Society (MRS) under the leadership of Dr. Alana Welm of the University of Utah will support collaborative programming at the 21st Biennial Congress of the Metastasis Research Society. This conference will support progressive research on metastasis and metastatic cancer of all types. There will be exchange of information between researchers, clinicians, industry, and patients from all over the world.
Battaglia, Tracy	Yale University	CT	Leadership Grant	AI-Assisted Navigation to Mitigate Hereditary Breast Cancer Testing Disparities	Dr. Tracy Battaglia of Yale University aims to increase genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer, especially among Black patients. Her team is using an AI algorithm to identify eligible individuals within a statewide care network who should receive testing. They will implement a single-arm prospective pilot study to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness in increasing genetic testing rates among approximately 1,200 eligible breast cancer patients.
Chavez MacGregor, Mariana	The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center	TX	Leadership Grant	Breast Cancer Treatment Initiation and Completion: Advancing Understanding and Reducing Disparities	Dr. Maria Chavez MacGregor from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will study the social and policy-level factors that contribute to patients from underserved populations delaying treatment initiation, or not completing their breast cancer treatment. She will investigate the impact of treatment initiation and completion on population-specific outcomes as well as the role of interpersonal violence and the impact of socioeconomic deprivation, insurance type (comparing Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage), and Medicaid expansion on treatment. The overall goal is to better understand patient patterns and highlight areas of need to inform design of future interventions with a goal of improving care and influencing policy.
Coussens, Lisa	Oregon Health & Science University	OR	Leadership Grant	Identifying Immune-Mediated Protumoral Pathways in Breast Cancer for Therapeutic Targeting	Dr. Lisa Coussens of Oregon Health & Science University will continue to 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 School of Medicine	CA	Leadership Grant	Molecular Determinants of Breast Cancer Progression and Recurrence	Dr. Christina Curtis, of Stanford University School of Medicine, will study the tissue environment around breast cancer tumors in high-risk groups to better understand what causes the breast cancer tumor to grow, resist treatment, or come back. By using advanced tools, the research aims to improve how patients are grouped for treatment and help develop better therapies.
Domchek, Susan	University of Pennsylvania	PA	Leadership Grant	Use of PRS and Early Detection Assays for Decision Making Regarding Risk Management in BRCA Carriers	Dr. Susan Domchek from University of Pennsylvania will investigate new strategies for helping women with BRAC1 and BRCA2 mutations make decisions regarding breast cancer screening and risk-reducing surgery. The goal of this project is to capitalize on new advances in genetic testing technology to empower patients to make the best decisions for their breast health.
Jagsi, Reshma	Emory University	GA	Leadership Grant	Personalizing Radiation Oncology Care and Decision Support for Patients with Breast Cancer	Dr. Reshma Jagsi from Emory University will continue her clinical studies to understand how radiation therapy combined with drug treatment or surgery can be personalized using biomarkers to optimize patient response. Treatment-related physical and financial toxicity in African American breast cancer patients and a decision-making tool will also be evaluated. The goal of this project is to use several clinical trials and data sources to better understand how to personalize radiation therapy to improve both breast cancer outcomes, treatment experience, and quality of life for breast cancer survivors from all racial backgrounds.
Krop, Ian	Yale School of Medicine	CT	Leadership Grant	Personalized Biomarker Guided Therapy in Early Stage HER2+ Breast Cancer	Dr. Ian Krop from Yale School of Medicine will test liquid biopsy ctDNA screening to determine when to use the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (TDXd) in the phase II GUIDE HER2 clinical trial. The goal is to use real-time biologic responses in decision-making to guide and personalize therapy instead of just treating all patients the same, which may to improve outcomes and prevent unneeded side effects.
Kurian, Allison	Stanford University School of Medicine	CA	Leadership Grant	Spatial Molecular Imaging and Cell-Free DNA Analysis in the Diverse Breast Cancer Family Registry	Dr. Allison Kurian, at Stanford University School of Medicine, will explore why some women are more likely to die from breast cancer by studying data from the Northern California Breast Cancer Family Registry and the California Cancer Registry. Dr. Kurian will be using advanced technologies to analyze breast cancer tumors and the area around them for molecular patterns associated with recurrence and breast cancer death. The project will look at how factors like race, genetics, and the immune system affect outcomes, with the goal of improving treatments and making clinical trials more inclusive.
Lin, Nancy	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	MA	Leadership Grant	Identifying New Targets and Therapies for CNS Metastases From Breast Cancer	Dr. Nancy Lin, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will use patient samples to find new treatment targets for people with advanced breast cancer that has spread to the brain and spinal fluid. The goal is to develop better therapies and improve outcomes for these patients.
Ma, Cynthia	Washington University in St. Louis	MO	Leadership Grant	Identifying and Conquering Hormone Therapy Resistance in Early Stage Breast Cancer	Dr. Cynthia Ma of Washington University in St. Louis will use tumor samples collected post surgery from the ALTERNATE clinical trial and following endocrine therapy to identify genetic changes and mechanisms of endocrine resistance. Dr. Ma hopes that this data will help identify which patients may develop resistance to endocrine therapy and guide the development of more personalized treatments that will save lives.
McDonnell, Donald	Duke University	NC	Leadership Grant	Targeting the LYPD3 Signaling Pathway in Metastatic Breast Cancer	Dr. Donald McDonnell of Duke University will explore the mechanism driving LYPD3, a protein shown to be expressed in all subtypes of breast cancer and when elevated, has been associated with aggressive disease. This project will identify and exploit parts of the LYPD3 communication mechanism for new drug and therapeutic discovery.
Newman, Lisa	Weill Cornell Medicine	NY	Leadership Grant	Triple Negative Breast Cancer in Women with African Ancestry	Dr. Lisa Newman from Weill Cornell Medicine is studying how ancestry, particularly African ancestry, contributes to the genetic risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). She will continue these studies by indentifying immune cells and immune biomarkers in TNBC to better define TNBC subtypes in diverse populations, with the goal of alleviating breast cancer disparities by expanding our knowledge of the root causes of TNBC in specific populations.
Pal, Tuya	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	TN	Leadership Grant	Genetic Risk Education and Testing (GREAT) Information for Breast Cancer Care	Dr. Tuya Pal, of Vanderbilt University, will continue providing web-based genetic counseling to young Black women with breast cancer, aiming to increase genetic testing to inform their families. She plans to enroll 100 more women and continue researching genetic drivers of hereditary cancer by analyzing medical records and sequencing archival tissues. The goal is to reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes through improved understanding of inherited mutations.
Park, Ben Ho	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	TN	Leadership Grant	Targeting Spliceosome Mutations for Breast Cancer Therapy	Dr. Ben Park, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, will explore how mutations in a protein called SF3B1 contribute to breast cancer and use that knowledge to develop new treatments for tumors with this mutation. The findings may also help create therapies for other breast cancers involving mistakes in processing genetic messages and could point to new drug targets.
Pietenpol, Jennifer	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	TN	Leadership Grant	Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Subtypes, Molecular Targets, and Therapeutic Approaches	Dr. Jennifer Pietenpol, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is using patient samples from a clinical trial, along with some lab models, to figure out how to better target and treat a type of triple negative breast cancer called luminal androgen receptor (LAR) TNBC. She's exploring how a mix of androgen therapy and regular treatments can work together. The main aim is to find new, effective treatments tailored to LAR, since this kind of TNBC doesn’t respond well to immunotherapy.
Polyak, Kornelia	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	MA	Leadership Grant	Breast Cancer Risk Prediction and Prevention Strategies	Dr. Kornelia Polyak, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will study whether a protein called midkine can be used to help identify younger women at higher risk of developing breast cancer. Her group will also explore how an inherited gene mutation increases the chances of getting estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer at a young age. The results could improve how we assess breast cancer risk and lead to new ways to prevent the disease in women who are most at risk.
Ramirez, Amelie	The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio	TX	Leadership Grant	Holistic Versus Usual Rehabilitation to Address Quality of Life in Breast Cancer	Dr. Amelie Ramirez of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will complete a pilot randomized controlled trial of 40 Latina breast cancer survivors to compare therapeutic yoga to guideline-concordant physical therapy with a goal of improving outcomes in health-related quality of life by alleviating long-term treatment side effects for these patients and to inform a future, larger national trial.
Shah, Sohrab	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	NY	Leadership Grant	Genomic Structural Variations as Markers of Breast Cancer Evolution and Immune Response	Dr. Sohrab Shah, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, will use HER2+ breast cancer samples from patients treated with antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) to uncover how treatment impacts cancer evolution with an ultimate goal of better understanding ADC resistance.
Tamimi, Rulla	Weill Cornell Medicine	NY	Leadership Grant	Weight Management, Metabolomics Signatures and Breast Cancer Risk and Survival	Dr. Rulla Tamimi of Weill Cornell is investigating how weight loss affects breast cancer risk, prevention, and survival. She will study how weight loss drugs affect breast cancer risk, testing an AI derived breast cancer imaging risk score (Mirani) as an intermediate marker of breast cancer risk in women before and after taking SGL2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists to determine if these drugs can be used for breast cancer chemoprevention.
Tolaney, Sara	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	MA	Leadership Grant	Enhancing the Immunogenicity of Metastatic Breast Cancer via DNA Damage	Dr. Sarah Tolaney from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will investigate whether the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan (SG) combined with immunotherapy pembrolizumab more effectively recruits and activates tumor immune cells compared to SG alone in metastatic TNBC patients. The goal of this research is to identify tumor and/or possible immune biomarkers of response and resistance to SG alone and which patients will benefit from combination with immunotherapy.
Troester, Melissa	University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill	NC	Leadership Grant	Impact of Spatial Heterogeneity in Tumor and Microenvironment on Recurrence	Dr. Melissa Troester, 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.
González Díaz, Eva	Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai	NY	Career Catalyst Research	Elucidating Drug Resistance in Breast Cancer Metastasis Using 3D Bone Organoids	Dr. Eva González Díaz of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will use breast cancer bone organoids to investigate how patients acquire drug resistance and how cancer cells acquire dormancy, as well as test novel treatments in order to advance personalized medicine for people with drug resistant bone metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer.
Li, Carman	University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine	PA	Career Catalyst Research	Leverage Epigenetic Insights for Early Interception of Basal-Like Breast Cancer	Dr. Carman Li of the University of Pennsylvania is interested in finding new therapies for sporadic and hereditary basal-like breast cancer, an aggressive and often deadly type of breast cancer that lacks common therapeutic targets and disproportionately affects Black women. She will use novel laboratory and patient-derived models for investigation of chromatin priming to discover targets for new treatments.
Sayaman, Rosalyn	The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco	CA	Career Catalyst Research	Heritable and Immune-Metabolic Drivers: Response and Disparities in Breast Cancer	Dr. Rosalyn Sayaman of the University of California, San Francisco will explore how genetic factors affect cancer cells processes fat (lipid metabolism), which reduces sensitivity to therapeutic treatments in some patients with high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. She will analyze data from the I-SPY2 trial to develop biomarkers and therapeutic combination strategies to stratify patients for new treatments, personalizing breast cancer medicine and improving outcomes.
Schrank, Benjamin	The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center	TX	Career Catalyst Research	An Engineered HER2-Directed Immunotherapy Against Metastatic Breast Cancer	Dr. Benjamin Schrank from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will investigate a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) breast cancer therapy, HERO47, that targets HER2+ tumor cells by activating the body's immune system to fight these cells. The overall goal of this work is to overcome drug resistance in patients and improve treatment of HER2+ metastatic disease.
Zhang, Anli	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern)	TX	Career Catalyst Research	mRNA-Encoded Autoactive cGAS Mutant for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment	Dr. Anli Zhang of the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center will investigate targeting factors that reduce effectiveness of current TNBC therapies. Dr. Zhang will evaluate and optimize novel vaccines for TNBC in laboratory and humanized animal models to produce high-impact preclinical data that may guide the development of next-generation immunotherapies in TNBC, including metastatic disease.
Di Martino, Julie	New York Medical College	NY	Career Catalyst Research	Targeting Novel BDKRB2-Driven Mechanisms of Breast Cancer Dormancy and Recurrence	Dr. Julie Di Martino of New York Medical College will investigate the Bradykinin Receptor 2-Apelin receptor pathway in controlling breast cancer dormancy and reactivation. She will use complementary laboratory models to test the therapeutic targeting potential of this pathway and to better understand metastatic progression. These findings could lead to biomarker identification for relapse risk and additional therapeutic targets, shifting the clinical focus from treatment to prevention of metastases.
Karvonen, Hanna	NYU Grossman School of Medicine	NY	Career Transition Award	Discovering Catalytic and Pharmacologic Vulnerabilities in Breast Cancer	Dr. Hanna Karvonen of NYU Grossman School of Medicine will investigate two new therapeutic targeting agents, PI3K inhibitor VPS34 and retinoic acid receptor alpha, to determine how each of these targets work individually and in combination for treatment of ER+ breast cancer. Using genetic and pharmacological tools in laboratory and patient-derived models, the information gained may expand treatment options and improve outcomes for patients with ER+ breast cancer.
Peiffer, Daniel	The University of Chicago	IL	Career Transition Award	Predicting and Enhancing Responses to Sacituzumab Govitecan in Breast Cancer	Dr. Daniel Peiffer of The University of Chicago will investigate the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan (SG) in laboratory and patient-derived models of metastatic breast cancer to optimize patient benefit. He will test if levels of Trop2 and other proteins can serve as biomarkers to guide treatment with SG versus other drugs, and if combining SG with drugs that target a protein called SLFN11 can increase effectiveness of SG in metastatic HER2- breast cancer.
Ransohoff, Julia	Stanford University School of Medicine	CA	Career Transition Award	Defining Spatial Molecular Residual Disease by Breast Tumor Tissue Profiling	Dr. Julia Ransohoff of Stanford University will investigate new techniques to detect and monitor chemotherapy resistance in small areas of molecular residual disease. Dr. Ransohoff will directly compare liquid biopsy methods with these new spatial molecular residual disease techniques in patient samples to identify biomarkers associated with metastatic potential and chemoresistance, improving treatment responses and survival.