Special Research Initiatives
Focus on Environment and Disparities
In 2004, the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) launched its Special Research Initiatives (SRI). This multi-million effort has identified and is pursuing research strategies that increase knowledge about and create solutions to both the environmental causes of breast cancer and the unequal burden of the disease. The SRI is leveraging California's unique and diverse geographic, population, and research resources to support critical studies that significantly move these fields forward.
The creation of the research directions was guided by Identifying Gaps in Breast Cancer Research (see SRI reports) written and edited by more than 40 experts in breast cancer, the environment and disparities. You can also find handouts and a summary from our stakeholder meetings, our Strategy Development Plan, and background papers that led to the development of the Special Research Initiatives in our reports section.
The process was overseen by an external steering committee guiding the SRI's five-phase strategy development plan. Working closely with the SRI Steering Committee and senior California Breast Cancer Research Program staff, the Strategy Team provided expertise and vision to produce research strategies to accomplish our mission. For more information, go to our Advisory Boards page.
Funding Opportunities
In October 2009, we anticipate releasing two SRI Requests for Proposals (RFPs): An Integrated Approach to Understanding Breast Cancer among Immigrants; and Making Chemicals Testing Relevant to Breast Cancer.
For information about applying for the SRI, view the (SRI) Call for Applications. For information about other CBCRP awards, visit our Apply section.
If you are not already on our mailing list and want to automatically receive SRI funding announcements, please email SRI@CABreastCancer.org.SRI Research Underway
In March 2008, the CBCRP Advisory Council reviewed the recommendations of the SRI Steering Committee and decided to pursue program-directed research areas. As of September 2009, 14 grants totaling $7,212,594 have been awarded to address the environmental causes of breast cancer and the unequal burden of the disease.
- Disparities
- Race & Ethnicity in Stage-specific Breast Cancer Survival. A pilot project for six researchers to explore combining California studies to explain racial and ethnic differences in breast cancer survival.
- Demographic Questions for California BC Research Scientists and community advocates working to identify demographic measures that will improve understanding of disparities in breast cancer.
- A study of the characteristics of immigration that influence breast cancer risk and overall survival (to be funded in 2010).
- Environment
- California Chemicals Policy & Breast Cancer Developing recommendations for a state chemicals policy that considers breast and other hormonal cancers.
- Environmental Causes of Breast Cancer Across Generations Investigate how exposure to environmental toxins in infants is related to breast cancer risk.
- Multiple grants to create new protocols and methods for testing chemical for their potential role in breast cancer (to be funded in 2010).
- Both Environment and Disparities
- Statistical methods to study interacting factors that impact breast cancer.
- Model-building with Complex Environmental Exposures;
- New Methods for Genomic Studies in African-American Women; and
- Cancer Mapping: Making Spatial Models Work for Communities.
- New Paradigm of Breast Cancer Causation and Prevention Develop a complexity-theory model of breast cancer causation to aid researchers and communities.
To read more about a particular grant, click on the grant title.
More Information
For our latest press releases and other announcements, please check our Media Center. For more information, please contact Catherine Thomsen at 888.313.2277 or email SRI@CABreastCancer.org.
