California Breast Cancer Research Program Funds $9.8 Million to Researchers

Contacts

Lyn Dunagan
510.987-0037
lyn.dunagan@ucop.edu

August 29, 2006—Oakland, CA—The California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) has offered $9.8 million in funding to 53 new research projects around the state. “We’re excited by the possibilities inherent in these projects,” said Mhel Kavanaugh-Lynch, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the CBCRP. “These projects represent a spectrum of scientific analysis, career development, and community participation that will increase our knowledge of the causes of breast cancer, and investigate new avenues for preventing detecting, and treating the disease.”

Highlights of this year’s CBCRP new grant portfolio include:

Funding for the California Breast Cancer Research Program is partially dependent on individual donations and voluntary contributions made by California tax payers on their state income tax forms. The CBCRP awards some grants specifically from these funds.

Faith Fancher Research Award
The recipient of the 2006 Faith Fancher Research Award is Irene Yen, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, for her study, “Neighborhood Environment and Obesity in Pre-adolescent Girls.” Dr. Yen is studying the impact of city planning policies and neighborhood conditions and services on girls’ eating and exercise habits. Obesity is a significant risk factor for breast cancer, and childhood obesity may lead to early puberty, which is an additional breast cancer risk.

Faith Fancher was a long-time television reporter and news anchor with KTVU (Oakland) and one of the founding members of the CBCRP Executive Team. Faith waged her very own public battle with breast cancer, and worked fearlessly to improve breast cancer services to women in the Bay Area. She passed away in 2003 after a six-year struggle with the disease. In Faith’s honor and to commemorate her work in breast cancer education and research, the California Breast Cancer Research Program annually selects a researcher, institution, or community group whose work reflects those values that Faith held most closely and extends the work that Faith did for all women facing breast cancer.

Tax Donations Fund Research
In 2005, California taxpayers contributed $636,319 to the CBCRP through the voluntary contributions section of their state income tax forms. Line 57 on State Income Tax Form 540 earmarked donations for the Breast Cancer Research Fund, and the CBCRP earmarked that money specifically for research projects that could make the greatest direct impact on Californians. Seven projects will receive funding from Tax Check-off donations:

Southeast Asian Breast Health Navigation
Mary Anne Foo M.P.H., CHES and Marjorie Kagawa-Singer, Ph.D., R.N., M.N.
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance and University of California, Los Angeles
This Community Research Collaboration pilot study will examine aspects of current patient navigation systems that might help Southeast Asian women with breast cancer. Findings from this study will inform the development of a formal patient navigation system in this community.

Addressing Cultural and Tribal Issues in Breast Cancer
Linda Navarro and Marlene von Friederichs-Fitzwater, Ph.D.
Turtle Health Foundation and University of California, Davis
This Community Research Collaboration pilot study addresses the disparity in breast health knowledge among American Indian women. The team is developing a DVD to help increase knowledge, reduce barriers to screening, and to integrate traditional health and healing beliefs and behaviors with Western medicine to encourage and support the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

Telephone-based Decision Support for Rural Patients
Sara O’Donnell and Jeff Belkora, Ph.D.
Mendocino Cancer Resource Center and University of California, San Francisco
Newly diagnosed patients are often too overwhelmed to think of all of the questions they need to ask their doctor to make decisions about their treatment and some geographically isolated, underserved patients face additional barriers to participating in decisions about their care. This research team is expanding their successful consultation planning tool to serve more diverse patient groups and residents in extremely rural areas.

The Role Chk1 in Breast Cancer DNA Damage Repair
Jennifer Scorah, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute
This postdoctoral fellowship project aims to understand key genetic events that lead to breast cancer by comparing the regulation of a breast cancer cell cycle checkpoint protein, called Chk1, during the normal cell cycle to how it behaves following DNA damage. Understanding the differences in the mechanisms of Chk1 regulation could lead to better breast cancer therapies..

Identification of Metastasis Competent Breast Cancer Cells
Barbara Mueller, Ph.D.
La Jolla Institute for Molecular Medicine
This IDEA grant will pursue the hypothesis that breast cancer metastasis can be predicted before it occurs. The research team will employ a novel approach, called “phage tagging” to identify which combinations of proteins are present when a tumor metastasizes and then to discover which of the proteins enable metastasis

A Novel Biological Framework for the Role of Xenoestrogens
Shanaz Dairkee, Ph.D.
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute
The objective of this IDEA grant is to determine the biological effects of the xenoestrogen bisphenol A, a common component of plastic containers for water, milk, and other ingested consumables.

Breast Cancer Metastasis: A Heritable Trait?
Alice Wittemore, Ph.D.
Stanford University
This IDEA grant will examine families that have more than one person with breast cancer to investigate whether the spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body is influenced by an inherited gene.

This is the twelfth year of funding for the California Breast Cancer Research Program. To date, the CBCRP has awarded 725 grants to 89 scientific institutions and community organizations, totaling more than $174 million for research in California to detect, treat, and prevent breast cancer.

The mission of the CBCRP is to eliminate breast cancer by leading innovation in research, communication, and collaboration in the California scientific and lay communities. Grants from the CBCRP fill gaps not traditionally funded by other research programs to jump-start new areas of investigation that push the boundaries of research and foster new collaborations.

The CBCRP was created by the State Legislature in 1993, and is funded through the voluntary tax check-off program on personal income tax form 540, a portion of the state tobacco tax, and individual contributions. The CBCRP is the largest state-funded breast cancer research program in the nation, and 95 percent of all funds go to research and education.

The List of Cycle 12 Awards

Dialogue with Breast Cancer Survivors
Grace J. Yoo, Ph.D.
San Francisco State University
$25,000

Inhibition of Breast Cancer Aggressiveness by Cannabidiol
Sean McAllister, Ph.D.
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute
$177,580

Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Screening Among Older Thai
Bulaporn Natipagon-Shah, Ph.D, RN and Mary Jo Clark, Ph.D, RN
Thai Health and Information Service and University of San Diego
$175,400

Fresno Breast Cancer Navigator Pilot Program
Mary Wallace and John Capitman, Ph.D.
San Joaquin Valley Health Consortium and California State University, Fresno
$188,900

Multilingual Access to Breast Cancer Early Detection
Linda Engelstad, M.D. and Susan Stewart, Ph.D.
Alameda County Hospital Authority and University of California, San Francisco
$10,000

Filipina Breast Cancer Support: What Model is Meaningful?
Edwin Jocson and Nancy Burke, Ph.D.
West Bay Filipino Multi-Service Center and University of California, San Francisco
$10,000

Mammography Screening for Latinas with Diabetes
Stergios Roussos, Ph.D., M.P.H. and Christine Noguera
Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health and Golden Valley Health Centers
$202,624

Breast Health Literacy and Health Care Decision Making
Joel San Juan and Suzanne Lindsay, Ph.D., MSW, MPH
Operation Samahan Health Clinic and San Diego State University Research Foundation
$10,000

Increasing Mammography Among Latinas with Disabilities
Elsa Quezada and H. Stephen Kaye, Ph.D.
Central Coast Center for Independent Living and University of California, San Francisco
$175,000

Southeast Asian Breast Health Navigation
Mary Anne Foo, M.P.H., CHES, and Marjorie Kagawa-Singer, Ph.D., R.N., M.N., M.A.
Orange County Asian & Pacific Islander Community Alliance and University of California, Los Angeles
$187,500

Addressing Cultural and Tribal Issues in Breast Cancer
Linda Navarro and Marlene von Friederichs-Fitzwater, Ph.D.
Turtle Health Foundation and University of California, Davis
$167,725

The Breast Cancer Experience of Slavic Women
Roman Ramaso and Debora Paterniti, Ph.D.
Slavic Assistance Center and University of California, Davis
$167,359

Introducing Acupuncture to Black Survivors for Wellness
Carolyn Tapp and Michael Johnston, Ph.D.
Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors Support and University of California, Los Angeles Project
$10,000

Informal and Formal Support and Needs Among Samoan Survivors
Sala Mataalii and Sora Tanjasiri, Dr.P.H.
Samoan National Nurses Association and California State University Fullerton Foundation
$199,720

Breast Cancer Education for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Women
Heidi Kleiger and Barbara Berman, Ph.D.
Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc. and University of California, Los Angeles
$675,000

Telephone-based Decision Support for Rural Patients
Sara O'Donnell and Jeff Belkora, Ph.D.
Mendocino Cancer Resource Center and University of California, San Francisco
$672,272

Profiling Drug Metabolism (P450) Proteins in Breast Cancer
Aaron Wright
Scripps Research Institute
$135,000

In Vivo MRS for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring
Hyeon-Man Baek, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
$90,009

Analysis of MicroRNA Expression in Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Yohei Shimono, M.D., Ph.D.
Stanford University
$135,000

The Role Chk1 in Breast Cancer DNA Damage Repair
Jennifer Scorah, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute
$90,000

The Role of Podosomes in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Barbara Blouw, M.Sc.
The Burnham Institute
$135,000

Chemical Inhibitors of Hsp70 for Breast Cancer
Chung-Wai Shiau, Ph.D.
The Burnham Institute
$135,000

Modeling, Targeting Acetyl-CoA Metabolism in Breast Cancer
Chen Yang, Ph.D.
The Burnham Institute
$90,000

Isolation of Cancer Precursors from Normal Human Breasts
Bob Liu, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
$135,000

Social Capital, Social Support, and Long-term Quality of Life
Dana Petersen, M.A., M.P.H.
University of California, Berkeley
$67,540

MYC and CSN5 in the Breast Cancer "Wound Signature" Profile
Adam Adler
Stanford University
$76,000

Inflammation Alters Transcription by ER in Breast Cancer
Eliot Bourk
University of California, San Diego
$75,551

The Role of Serine and Metallo-Hydrolases in Breast Cancer
Sherry Niessen, M.S.
Scripps Research Institute
$76,000

Social Support and Quality of Life in Older Minority Women with Breast Cancer
Yoshko Umezawa, M.H.S.
University of California, Los Angeles
$70,838

Sulforaphane: Its Potential for Treatment of Breast Cancer
Olga Azarenko, M.A.
University of California, Santa Barbara
$65,415

Real-time 3D Ultrasound Image-guidance for Breast Surgery
Michael Bax, M.S.
Stanford University
$66,641

The Role of Estrogen-related Receptors in Breast Cancer
Anastasia Kralli, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute
$278,850

Neighborhood Environment and Obesity in Pre-adolescent Girls
Irene Yen, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
$162,847

Hereditary Breast Cancer and Novel Hispanic BRCA Mutations
Jeffrey Weitzel, M.D.
Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope
$253,500

A Targeted Therapy for Wound-like Breast Cancers
Howard Chang, M.D., Ph.D.
Stanford University
$232,934

Twist Activation in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Jing Yang, Ph.D.
University of California, San Diego
$150,000

Inhibition of Breast Cancer Growth by Vitamin D
David Feldman, M.D.
Stanford University
$234,388

A Candidate Marker of Mammary Tumor Initiating Cells
Alexey Terskikh, Ph.D.
The Burnham Institute
$286,500

New Technology to Enhance PET Imaging of Breast Cancer
Craig Levin, Ph.D.
Stanford University
$169,612

Combined Imaging Modalities for Breast Cancer
Gultekin Gulsen, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
$149,382

Identification of Metastasis Competent Breast Cancer Cells
Barbara Mueller, Ph.D.
La Jolla Institute for Molecular Medicine
$327,372

A New Marker for Mammary Epithelial Stem Cells?
Robert Oshima, Ph.D.
The Burnham Institute
$191,000

A Novel Biological Framework for the Role of Xenoestrogens
Shanaz Dairkee, Ph.D.
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute
$279,242

Intraoperative Assessment of Surgical Lumpectomy Margins
Armando Giuliano, M.D.
John Wayne Cancer Institute
$283,200

Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Brunhilde Felding-Habermann, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute
$302,085

Role of Cell Division Asymmetry in Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Claudia Petritsch, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
$149,990

RADDs: Novel Disintegrins Targeting Breast Cancer
Stephen Swenson, Ph.D.
University of Southern California
$244,500

Topoisomerase-IIa as a Predictor of Anthracycline Response
Michael Press, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Southern California
$244,500

Vascular Targeting Therapy for Breast Cancer
Albert Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D.
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
$289,500

Artemisinin Disrupts Estrogen Receptor-Alpha and Cell Growth
Gary Firestone, Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley
$100,000

Breast Cancer Metastasis: a Heritable Trait?
Alice Whittemore, Ph.D.
Stanford University
$264,595

Nur77-derived Peptides as a Novel Breast Cancer Therapy
Xiao-Kun Zhang, Ph.D.
The Burnham Institute
$286,500

Inhibition of Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer
Brunhilde Felding-Habermann
Scripps Research Institute
$464,750

About the CBCRP
The mission of the California Breast Cancer Research Program is to eliminate breast cancer by leading innovation in research, communication, and collaboration in the California scientific and lay communities. Created by the State Legislature in 1993, the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) is the largest state-funded breast cancer research program in the nation and is administered by the University of California, Office of the President. To date, the CBCRP has awarded 672 grants to 73 scientific institutions and community entities, totaling more than $164 million for research in California to prevent, treat, and cure breast cancer. Grants from the CBCRP fill gaps not traditionally funded by other research programs to jump-start new areas of investigation that push the boundaries of research and foster new collaborations. The CBCRP is funded through the voluntary tax check-off program on personal income tax form 540, a portion of the state tobacco tax, and individual contributions; 95 percent of all funds go to research and education. For more information call 888 313-2277, or visit www.CABreastCancer.org.