In 2024 TBBCF shined a spotlight on its breast cancer research mission

By ELLYN SANTIAGO

The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation shared a behind-the-scenes look at the Foundation’s breast cancer research program in a monthly series featuring stories about our researchers, scientific board members, and administrators. We also reported on the breast cancer research scientist grant decision-making process and noted an impressive library of legacy recipients.

In February, our research spotlight series began by introducing the 2024 grant recipients: Julia D. Ransohoff, MD Stanford University – School of Medicine; Paolo Tarantino, MD Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Sam Kleeman, MD, PhD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Learn more about the “aspiring young investigators poised to dedicate their careers to an ultimate goal of finding effective treatment options to eradicate all forms of breast cancer,” as described by TBBCF scientific advisory board chair Nick Saccomano, Ph.D. Learn more here 

In March, we shared our Publications listing, highlighting six TBBCF researchers’ findings in prestigious oncology journals. Established in 2016, our researcher's published scientific works library has been maintained and updated annually by founding Scientific Advisory Board member, Susan K. Logan, PhD, Associate Professor, New York University, Langone Medical Center. Read about that here. https://tbbcf.org/face-of-tbbcf-research-publications/

In the spring, with a focus on the critical scientific research dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer, the very bedrock of TBBCF’s mission, naming medical oncologist Adrienne G. Waks, MD as Honorary TBBCF 2024 Walk Chair was a natural fit. Read that story here.

In a summer newsletter, a rare treat: A deep-dive interview with scientific advisory board chair Nick Saccomano was a captivating read. Here’s an excerpt: “In its infancy in 2006, (TBBCF co-founder Norma) Logan asked Saccomano to serve on the TBBCF Scientific Advisory Board. ‘I remember her …talking about far-reaching goals and on the back of that came, ‘You’ll stick with this until we cure cancer, Nick.’ That’s what she told me. It wasn’t a question. So I said, ‘OK. What do we do after that?’ That was the level of the discussion, and we agreed that this wouldn’t be a short-term commitment. That was 18 years ago.” Read the full story here.

In September, we shared with our readers a ‘Then and Now’ map view of our 65 grant recipients over the years. We call it, Where In The World Are The TBBCF Fellows.’ Turns out, they’re from across the globe. This is another fascinating read.

 

In October, the 2024 Walk for a Cure theme was ‘Research Matters’ with Dr. Waks acting as honorary walk chair and the closing ceremonies’ keynote speaker. Waks is also the subject of the ‘Face of TBBCF Research’ video by Copper Pot Pictures.

November brought readers a look at another TBBCF ‘Walk for a Cure’ in the Books! As noted by Saccomano, TBBCF is “proud of our Foundation Fellows, given the remarkable impact they have had in the field and their continued dedication to breast cancer science and patients.”

At the end of this year, TBBCF 2021 grantee Dr. Daniel Abravanel’s new research manuscript on metastatic breast cancer was published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine. You’ll read more about Abravanel’s publication, which acknowledges TBBCF’s funding, later this month, so be on the lookout. It’s big news!

Funded by TBBCF, two Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers, medical oncologist Adrienne G. Waks, MD and Erica Mayer, MD, MPH, presented at the 47th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December 2023.

Mayer, who is the Director of Clinical Research in the Breast Oncology Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was awarded a TBBCF $100,000 grant in 2007. She has substantial “experience leading national and global clinical trials designed to answer some of the most relevant questions in breast oncology,” DFCI notes.

Waks, the Associate Director of Clinical Research in Breast Oncology at Dana-Farber, was awarded a TBBCF $100,000 research grant in 2018. Her clinical trial study assessed the feasibility for oncologists to use reduced levels of breast cancer medications post-successful breast cancer surgery -- its attainability has been borne out by her work. The study’s overarching goal was to see if it’s feasible to reduce the amount of chemotherapy needed for patients with non-metastatic, HER2+ breast cancer, thereby minimizing side effects. Read more about her research here.

“As noted by Saccomano, “Our Foundation asks a great deal of our awardees and their respective institutes. One hundred percent of gross funds must go directly to activities focused on high-impact areas of clinical and preclinical breast cancer therapeutic research.”

Because research matters.