2019 RESEARCH FUNDING TO STOP BREAST CANCER DEATHS

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) awarded a total of $9.2 million in funding across 21 breast cancer research projects in the ongoing battle against the disease. This funding will support 66 Australian researchers – from established leaders in breast cancer research to some of our brightest up-and-coming stars from all over the country.

Professor Sarah Hosking, CEO of NBCF stated, “We are thrilled to be awarding $9.2 to such groundbreaking research studies and brilliant Australian research talent. This is a promising step as we strive towards Zero Deaths from breast cancer.”

As a completely community funded organisation, NBCF’s dedication to breast cancer research relies solely on Australian donations. This year, those donations will assist research projects extending across detection, quality of life, improved and new treatment, and prevention and risk. Some of the projects funded this year include:

• Associate Professor Alexander Dobrovic from La Trobe University / Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (VIC) : $385k funding towards liquid biopsies for monitoring and managing breast cancer

• Dr Rohan Bythell-Douglas from the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research VIC : $272k funding towards pin-pointing cancer-causing mutations on a new breast cancer gene

• Professor Kum Kum Khanna from the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QLD): $408K funding towards repurposing an existing therapy for triple-negative breast cancer

• Dr Zhi Ling Teo from the The University of Melbourne / Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (VIC): $647k funding towards using a state-of-the-art tumour bank to investigate drug-resistant breast cancer

• Professor Bogda Koczwara from Flinders University: $291k funding towards reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease from breast cancer

NBCF Research Director Dr Chris Pettigrew commented that, “This is an incredibly talented group of researchers, from emerging to established leaders of breast cancer research. We’re confident that the 2019 grants will get us closer to our goal of zero deaths from breast cancer.”

NBCF has made incredible achievements in Australian breast cancer research since its inception in 1994. By identifying, funding and championing world-class research, NBCF will continue to work towards our vision of Zero Deaths from breast cancer. At their heart is an ambition to stop deaths from breast cancer so future generations will live in a future without fear of breast cancer.