Susan G. Komen awards $450,000 to Roswell Park Cancer Institute for breast cancer research

Susan G. Komen has announced the recipients of the 2013 national research grant awards. This year's $42 million research portfolio includes more than $3.3 million in new funding to researchers across New York, including $450,000 to Katerina Gurova, M.D., Ph.D.,of Western New York's Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Komen is proud to fund Gurova's project, which aims to identify patients at risk for tumor recurrence and metastasis, and develop treatments to target these cells before they spread. The protein complex known as FACT, present in some breast cancer stem cells, has been previously associated with disease recurrence. Gurova seeks to develop methods of depleting FACT, in order to offer a new treatment for early-stage metastatic disease while also potentially preventing recurrence.

Since 2001, Komen National has invested more than $3.6 million in research funding to Western New York institutions, including Roswell Park and the University at Buffalo. The local affiliate has also funded more than $3.5 million to community health programs that provide screenings, education, financial aid and social and emotional support to women and families throughout Western New York.

"Up to 75 percent of the net funds we raise locally stay here to support our local community health and education programs. The other 25 percent helps fund Komen's national research programs," said Executive Director Juliana Janson. "We're thankful for our supporters who help us serve our communities here at home, while also supporting our education and research institutions."

A list of public health programs funded by the Affiliate can be found online at www.komenwny.org.

Susan G. Komen works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world by investing more than $790 million in breast cancer research and $1.5 billion in community outreach programs over the past 30 years. For more information on your local affiliate, call 716-332-2481 or visit www.komenwny.org.