Investigating Breast Cancer

Studying Breast Cancer Risk in Asian American Communities with Dr. Scarlett Gomez

What elements of our environment are carcinogenic? What role do factors like age, diet, and genetics play? And because cancer is biological in nature, many of us tend to think about the individual and their body as an obvious point of focus. What about, though, the larger, societal picture?

That’s what Dr. Scarlett Gomez and the field of social epidemiology are working to uncover and what you’ll hear about in this latest episode.

Bridging the Gap Between the Lab and Patient Care with Dr. Ian Krop

In the latest episode of Investigating Breast Cancer, Dr. Ian Krop discusses his team’s work to advance clinical trials through—including one to test immunotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer. A BCRF investigator since 2017, Dr. Krop is the chief clinical research officer and associate cancer center director for clinical research at the Yale Cancer Center.

Dr. Krop also currently serves as chief scientific officer for the BCRF-supported Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium.

Understanding and Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with Dr. Jill Bargonetti

The complexities of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) can sometimes make it hard to understand. It’s an aggressive form of breast cancer that is more likely to spread to other tissues––a process called metastasis.

BCRF Investigator since 2005, Dr. Jill Bargonetti’s research works to break down some of the complexities of TNBC. Her research has put her at the forefront of how we might develop novel strategies to accurately identify and kill these cells. In this latest episode of Investigating Breast Cancer Dr. Bargonetti uses dance and other techniques to explain molecular biology, genomics, and much more.

Exploring Social Determinants of Health in Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Sonya Reid

Why are Black women 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women? And why is it such a challenge to make clinical trials reflect everyone who faces breast cancer?

That’s what Dr. Sonya Reid and her team are working to uncover by addressing disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment through research. Dr. Reid is an assistant professor of hematology/oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her three-year Conquer Cancer–BCRF grant was made possible by The Estée Lauder Companies' Charitable Foundation Awards.

BCRF Investigators Discuss the Latest in Breast Cancer Research at 2022 Symposium

Each October, BCRF holds its annual New York Symposium and Awards Luncheon. The event recognizes BCRF-supported investigators for their devotion to ending breast cancer and announces the Foundation’s research investment for the coming year.

This year’s program included an extraordinary symposium, co-moderated by BCRF Founding Scientific Director Dr. Larry Norton and BCRF Scientific Director Dr. Judy Garber, that included Drs. Lisa Newman, Andrew Tutt, and Maria Jasin, who discussed novel breast cancer therapies, disparities, and what’s on the horizon in research.

We’re proud to make their discussion available in a special episode of Investigating Breast Cancer.

Finding and Targeting “Sleeping” Cancer Cells with Dr. Angela DeMichele

What are dormant cancer cells and how they lead to a clearer understanding of the cancer in remission? Why do particular cancerous cells behave differently than others? BCRF Investigator since 2017, Dr. Angela DeMichele, discusses her work to uncover the answer to these questions and more.

Investigating What Drives Recurrence and Metastasis with Dr. Christina Curtis

About 30 percent of people diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will experience a recurrence and develop metastatic disease. Dr. Christina Curtis and her colleagues are working to uncover why recurrence (when breast cancer comes back) and metastasis (when it spreads to other areas of the body beyond the breast and lymph nodes) happens.

A BCRF investigator since 2011, Dr. Christina Curtis is an endowed professor of medicine and genetics at Stanford University, where she leads the Cancer Computational and Systems Biology group and serves as the director of Breast Cancer Translational Research and co-director of the Molecular Tumor Board at the Stanford Cancer Institute. 

The Impact of Chemotherapy on Accelerated Aging in Elderly Patients with Dr. Hyman Muss

In the latest episode of BCRF’s official podcast, Investigating Breast Cancer, Dr. Hyman Muss explores the need for more research in the geriatric oncology field. Thanks to Dr. Muss and others, much has been learned about breast cancer in elderly people—but there’s still much more to uncover. A BCRF investigator since 2000, Dr. Muss is professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and director of the Geriatric Oncology Program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Advancing Breast Cancer Immunotherapy and Decoding Treatment Resistance with Dr. Hope Rugo

What is triple-negative breast cancer and how is it identified? How can triple-negative breast cancers escape the immune system? And how can determining whether circulating tumor DNA in blood samples be used to predict metastatic breast cancer or treatment resistance in patients with aggressive disease?

BCRF investigator since 2007, Dr. Hope Rugo answers these questions and many more on the latest episode of Investigating Breast Cancer.

Improving Breast Cancer Care and Narrowing the Health Disparities Gap with Dr. Dawn Hershman

Many extraordinary new treatments, diagnostic tests, and procedures for breast cancer patients have been introduced in the past decade—and more are needed and sure to come. But researchers are still exploring ways to improve health disparities in cancer care delivery, quality of care, and quality of life for patients and thrivers.

In this latest episode, we spoke to BCRF Investigator since 2008, Dr. Dawn Hershman, on ways to shrink these gaps in care.