CBCRP News

January 14 Deadline for Core Funding and Community Research Awards
Application materials are available now for 2009 Cycle 15, for investigator- initiated projects in our core funding and community initiative subprograms. We expect to have available at least $7 million to award new grants beginning July 1, 2009. Applications and LOIs, except the optional CRC pre-application research plan, must be submitted online through Altum proposalCENTRAL(https://proposalcentral.altum.com/). Forms and instructions for all award types are online now www.CABreastCancer.org/apply/. The CBCRP website also has the application forms/instructions and other helpful information.

Over $8 million Awarded in Grants for Cycle 14
The CBCRP recently announced funding for 42 awards to 23 California institutions and community organizations. These investigator-initiated and community-initiated research projects will push old boundaries, support developing careers, help communities leverage research into practical use, and look in new directions for answers to breast cancer issues.

The 2008 recipients of the Faith Fancher Research Award are Natasha Riley (Vista Community Clinic), Georgia Sadler (University of California, San Diego), and Vanessa Malcarne (San Diego State University) for their community collaborative project, Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Education Program. The overall goal of this research project is to increase participation in cancer trials by African American and Latina women. Low clinical trial participation by minorities is a problem because it: (1) limits researchers’ ability to apply findings to diverse populations; (2) often means that minorities will be given medical care based on research that involved mostly white middle class communities; and (3) means that cutting- edge medical care options usually associated with clinical research will not be available to minorities. This new program will use the theme, “women united against breast cancer ‘sisterhood’” in English and Spanish.

For the full list of funded awards, including initial abstracts, investigators, and institutions, please see our website at www.CABreastCancer.org/.

California Community Foundation Supports CBCRP Research
The California Breast Cancer Research Program secured a research grant from the California Community Foundation (Los Angeles, CA) to support Grapefruit, Hormones, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk, an innovative research project led by Kristine Monroe, Ph.D., at the University of Southern California that will look for a link between grapefruit products and increased estrogen levels and breast cancer risk.

Cause to Run™ and the San Francisco Marathon™ Supports Breast Cancer Research
In August, 19 runners raised $10,870 for the California Breast Cancer Research Program through the San Francisco Marathon’s™ Cause to Run™. “Team CBCRP” runners pounded the pavement through beautiful San Francisco, and volunteers handed out T-shirts, race packets, and other behind-the-scenes details. Thanks to all who ran, cheered, volunteered, and supported the team.

Tax Check-off Funds Support Breast Cancer Research
California is one of 41 states that allow taxpayers to make a voluntary contribution to a range of causes when completing and filing their yearly state tax return. In 2006, the California Breast Cancer Research Program partnered with other recipients of tax check-off funds to form a collaborative effort to raise awareness of this special opportunity.

So far this year, California taxpayers have donated over $500,000 to breast cancer research through the Tax Check-off. That money is earmarked specifically for research projects that the CBCRP advisory council believes will be of specific interest to Californians. Four awards received Tax Check-off funding this year:

Reproductive Concerns and Depression among Younger Survivors
Jessica Gorman, University of California, San Diego

Pesticide and Gene Interactions in Latina Farm Workers
Paul Mills, Ph.D., M.P.H., University of California, San Francisco

Nanotherapy for Breast Cancer Targeting Tumor Macrophages
Gaurav Sarma, Ph.D., The Burnham Institute for Medical Research

Stratifying DCIS Biopsies for Risk of Future Tumor Formation
Thea Tlsty, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco

For more information about these awards and the Tax Check-off program, please visit our website, www.endbreastcancer.org/.

Meet our New Council Members
The CBCRP relies on its 16-member advisory Breast Cancer Research Council for direction and oversight. Council members have significant interest in breast cancer research and represent the people affected by breast cancer and institutions pursuing solutions to the disease. Members serve three year, overlapping terms, without compensation for their dedicated service.

We welcome these new members to our Breast Cancer Research Council:

Jeanne Rizzo serves as Executive Director of the Breast Cancer Fund, a national environmental health organization whose mission is to identify— and advocate for elimination of—the environmental and other preventable causes of the disease. Jeanne Rizzo (Advocate) A longtime women’s health advocate, Jeanne is committed to legislative, regulatory and corporate accountability initiatives that protect women’s health and ultimately prevent breast cancer. Through Jeanne’s vision and leadership, the Breast Cancer Fund published the landmark report “State of the Evidence: What Is the Connection between the Environment and Breast Cancer?” and helped found the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

 

Larry Green, Dr.P.H. (Scientist/Clinician) Dr. Lawrence W. Green received his public health degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Waterloo in Canada. He has served on the public health and medical faculties at Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Texas, the University of British Columbia, Emory, and Maryland. He served the Carter Administration as the Director of the Office of Health Information, Health Promotion, Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (now the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) with a central role in the first round of the Healthy People objectives for the nation in health promotion and disease prevention. He retired as Distinguished Fellow/Visiting Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Director of the Office of Science and Extramural Research, and is now Co-Leader of the Society, Diversity and Disparities Program in the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California at San Francisco. He has authored some 300 chapters, monographs and articles. Four of his books have been widely adopted as college texts. He is on the Editorial Boards of 12 journals in the health sciences, past president of the Society for Public Health Education, Fellow and first Research Laureate of the Academy of Health Behavior, and recipient of the Award for Excellence, Distinguished Career, and Mayhew Derryberry awards of the American Public Health Association. He currently serves on several boards, including Community- Campus Partnerships for Health, and the US Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

We thank our returning advisory council members for their ongoing support and guidance:
Council Chair: Klaus Porzig, Medical Specialist, Stanford Cancer Center Vice Chair: Catherine Quinn, Nonprofit Health Organization Representative, California Health Collaborative Roxanna Bautista, Nonprofit Health Organization Representative, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Chris Bowden, Industry representative, Genentech Barbara Brenner, J.D. Advocate, Breast Cancer Action Teresa Burgess, Ph.D. Industry representative, Amgen, Inc. Moon Chen, Jr., Ph.D., M.P.H., Scientist/Clinician, University of California, Davis Crystal D. Crawford, Esq., Advocate, California Black Women’s Health Project Laura Fenster, Ph.D., Scientist/Clinician, California Department of Public Health Jim Ford, M.D., Scientist/Clinician, Stanford University School of Medicine Karren Ganstwig, Advocate, Los Angeles Breast Cancer Alliance Shelley Hwang, M.D., Scientist/Clinician, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center Angela Padilla, Advocate, Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) Sherie Smalley, Ex Officio, California Department of Public Health Mary Alice Yund, PhD. Scientist/ Clinician, University of California, Berkeley

Avon Foundation Invests $500,000 in CBCRP Special Research Initiatives
On July 13, Marc Hurlbert, Director of Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, presented a $500,000 grant to the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) to support three of the ten CBCRP Special Research Initiatives.

CBCRP Director, Mhel Kavanaugh- Lynch, received the check at the end of Avon’s Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco, and she praised the Avon Foundation for its support, “We are thrilled to have the Avon Foundation stand shoulder to shoulder with the California Breast Cancer Research Program in our efforts to eliminate breast cancer’s heavy toll on California women and men.” More information about this award and the Special Research Initiatives may be found on our website, www.CABreastCancer.org/.