$8.3M supports breast cancer research

Saskatoon, SK – $8.3 million in funding has been announced by Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to support 24 research projects in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.

“We want our stakeholders and everyone touched by the breast cancer cause to be confident in the work that the region methodically selects to support, because the foundation is investing in innovative research and creative education and awareness programs that are taking us one step closer to our vision of a future without breast cancer,” says Trish Bronsch, CEO Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Prairies/NWT Region.

The following projects received 2011 research grants with funding provided from 2011 to 2014.

University of Saskatchewan & Saskatchewan Cancer Agency; Dr Deborah Anderson. Project title: Role of p85 in EGFR-expressing triple negative breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Shairaz Baksh. Project title: The role of pro-apoptotic protein, MOAP-1, in triple negative breast cancer.

University of Saskatchewan & Saskatchewan Cancer Agency; Dr Keith Bonham. Project title: Epigenetic reprogramming of transcription in breast cancer cells by HDAC inhibitors.

University of Alberta; Dr David Brindley. Project title: Novel mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Sambasivarao Damaraju. Project title: Mechanisms underlying postchemotherapy outcomes in early stage breast cancer treated with adjuvant docetaxel, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide: Identification and validation of predictive biomarkers.

CancerCare Manitoba; Dr James Davie. Project title: Role of peroxiredoxin phosphorylation in estrogen receptor negative breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Richard Fahlman. Project title: Alternative mechanisms of BRCA1 protein turnover and apoptosis.

University of Alberta; Dr Larry Fliegel. Project title: Role and regulation of the Na+/H+ exchanger in proliferation of breast cancer cells.

University of Calgary; Dr Don Fujita. Project title: Steps in the Src signaling pathway that are important mediators in breast cancer metastasis and critical targets for targeted therapeutics.

University of Saskatchewan; Dr Ron Geyer. Project title: Antibodies targeting the ErbB2/ErbB3/ IGF-1R complex as therapeutics for ErbB2 positive breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Roseline Godbout. Project title: Investigating the mechanism underlying retinoic acid resistance in triplenegative breast cancer.

University of Saskatchewan; Dr Troy Harkness. Project title: The antiproliferative effects of insulin sensitizing drugs on multiple drug resistant breast cancer cells.

University of Alberta; Dr Roger Leng. Project title: Mechanisms of inactivation of the p53 pathway in breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Margaret McNeely. Project title: Feasibility of night-time compression systems for breast cancer related Lymphedema.

University of Calgary; Don Morris. Oncolytic Project title: Viral Immunotherapy for breast cancer. (Funding is for 2011-2012 only.).

University of Alberta; Dr David Murray. Project title: Targeting the apoptotic threshold for improving breast cancer therapy.

University of Alberta; Dr Manijeh Pasdar. Project title: The role of plakoglobin in the p53 pathway in breast normal and carcinoma cell lines.

University of Calgary; Dr Karl Riabowol. Project title: Can ING epigenetic regulators predict response to epigenetic cancer drugs?.

Cross Cancer Institute/University of Alberta; Dr Wilson Roa. Project title: Targeted paramagnetic gold nanoparticles in the treatment of breast cancer.

University of Saskatchewan; Dr David Sanders. Project title: Design of B-glucuronidase for use in antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT).

University of Saskatchewan; Dr Rajendra Sharma. Project title: Role of N-myristoyltransferase in modulating breast cancer.

University of Alberta; Dr Andrew Simmonds. Project title: Defining the role of post-transcriptional regulation for the Wnt1 breast cancer associated oncogene.

University of Alberta; Dr Jack Tuszynski. Project title: Towards individualized Tubulin targeting chemotherapy for breast cancer.

University of Saskatchewan & Saskatchewan Cancer Agency; Dr Jim Xiang. Project title: A combinatorial immunotherapy of anti-HER-2 antibody and HER-2 specific adenoviral vector vaccine for advanced HER-2 positive breast cancer.