Leader of Global Breast Cancer Movement Takes New Approach to Research, Focuses on Delivering Cures to Patients Sooner
DALLAS – September 30, 2008 – Determined to fast track
research into help for breast cancer patients who can’t wait, Susan G.
Komen for the Cure® is distributing an unprecedented $100 million in
grants to American and international scientists this year alone, the
organization announced in unveiling its 2008 grants portfolio today.
View a list of grants by state (includes the institution and state dollar totals) - PDF
View a list of Research Topic Descriptions - PDF
Producing results for patients
It is the largest commitment of
breast cancer research funding by a single nonprofit organization,
targeted to 81 universities and hospitals in 27 states and five
countries. These grants represent research with the highest likelihood
of producing results for patients during the next decade.
"There's a tremendous urgency to translate what we're learning in
the lab into treatments for patients, particularly patients with very
aggressive cancers who don't have years to wait,” said Dr. Eric P. Winer,
Chief Scientific Advisor to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and director of
the Breast Oncology Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“The grants we are funding focus on safely and effectively bringing
treatments to cancer patients in a more timely way than we have been
able to in the past," Winer added.
“We’ve revamped Komen’s research program, challenging the best minds to solve the most difficult issues in breast cancer,” said Hala Moddelmog,
president and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “These grants are
geared to results – finding cures, tailoring treatments and resolving
the issues that have stymied the search for a breast cancer cure.”
Some of the biggest questions to be tackled by the Komen-funded research include:
1. Why do some breast cancers respond to certain treatments, and others don’t?
2. How can we prevent the spread of breast cancer to other organs?
3. Does diet and/or obesity play a role in cancer development and treatment?
4. Can we predict who is most at risk for developing breast cancer?
5. Can we develop a cancer “vaccine?”
6. What technologies will help detect breast cancer at its earliest possible stage?
7. What treatments can prolong the lives of those women living with advanced breast cancer?
During the past 25 years, Komen for the Cure has raised and distributed $1.2 billion for research and community health programs. And Komen is pledging to invest another $2 billion during the next 10 years.
Promise Grants designed to get scientists and doctors to work together in new ways
This year, Komen introduces new research programs called Promise
Grants, which are worth millions of dollars and last for five years.
They are designed
to get scientists and doctors to work together in new ways to bring
treatments out of the laboratory to patients as quickly as possible.
Komen also is funding new and bigger grants to attract and retain young
cancer researchers.
Moddelmog noted that research and awareness funding has helped ease
suffering from breast cancer. “In the past 20 years, we’ve gone from a
time when breast cancer was not even discussed, to a new era with
higher survivor rates and less invasive treatments than existed even
just a decade ago,” Moddelmog said.
“Even so, we have so much more to do. Almost 200,000 women will be
diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. this year and more than 40,000
women and men will die of this disease. That adds urgency to our
mission to end breast cancer forever.”
The Komen grants undergo a rigorous peer-review process by groups of laboratory scientists, clinicians and advocates.
These grants fall into the following categories:
Promise Grants: These are large-scale grants, up to $7.5
million each during a five-year period, targeted to research that
brings science to the bedside quicker than ever before. Komen will
provide $35 million in Promise grants to seven, multi-year projects in
2008.
Post-Doctoral Research: To attract and retain promising
young researchers, annual grants of $60,000 will be distributed to
these scientists nationwide and internationally. Forty-six scientists
will share grant funding that totals $7.7 million over three years.
Career Catalyst Research: Grants of $150,000 per year for
three years to fill a critical gap in support and stimulate the
transition from training to independence among promising cancer
investigators. Total funding: $10.9 million to 26 researchers.
Investigator Initiated Research: Grants of up to $200,000 per
year for three years to explore new ideas and approaches leading to
reductions in breast cancer mortality and/or the incidence within the
decade. Total funding: $35.3 million for 60 grants.
Affiliate Grants: Special grants co-funded by 15 Komen Affiliates to institutions in their hometowns or states.
In addition, Komen has directed $13 million to other cancer research organizations to fund collaborative projects.
A complete list of the grants can be found on www.komen.org/grants.
Editor’s Note: To see grants awarded in your areas, please see the attached list. More details are on www.komen.org. Please contact the local Susan G. Komen for the Cure Affiliate in your area, or the communications offices of these institutions for more details or to make interview arrangements.
