# Translational Research in Breast Cancer

> **NIH NIH P50** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2021 · $2,092,818

## Abstract

Abstract
Lack of progress in curing metastatic breast cancer is due to a number of fundamental treatment barriers. These
include insufficient knowledge of therapeutic vulnerabilities, lack of reliable predictive biomarkers, inability to
target common tumor suppressor gene loss, inability to target oncogenes that are not protein kinases or ligand-
dependent transcription factors, resistance due to clonal evolution and tumor heterogeneity, and failure to mount
an immune response against the tumor. This SPORE renewal focuses on these obstacles by articulating cross-
cutting objectives and aligned approaches that increase the efficiency of core utilization and promote inter-project
collaboration. The three full Projects include studies on how to target the derepressed kinases consequent upon
loss of the PTPN12 or the NF1 tumor suppressors in breast cancer, and the development of a promising new
therapeutic approach for MYC-positive breast cancer. During the execution of these Projects we will: a) deploy
proteogenomic approaches for monitoring kinase targets and resistance pathways; b) establish high-quality
biomarkers for clinical trial eligibility and stratification; c) investigate disease-monitoring approaches with
circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA); d) incorporate immunological approaches
into treatment regimens by increasing the quality and quantity of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes; e) embed our
SPORE biomarker program into early phase clinical trials to inform the design of Phase 3 trials; and f) promote
collaborative research between Academia, NCI-Supported Cooperative Groups, Industry, and Advocacy
Groups.
These objectives are served by three reformatted Cores, with the addition of a dedicated and highly-qualified
molecular research pathologist for the Pathology and Biobanking Core, the addition of deeper bioinformatics
expertise to the Informatics and Biostatistics Core, and a new SPORE director plus additional advocates and
advisory board members for the Administration Core. The Career Enhancement and Developmental Research
Programs will be guided by highly experienced leadership and, as before, will cement the future of our SPORE.
With this powerful enhanced program we will advocate nationally for progress in the treatment of advanced
breast cancer, with the conviction that a cure is a near-term possibility.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10219965
- **Project number:** 5P50CA186784-07
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Xiang Zhang
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,092,818
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-09-19 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10219965

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10219965, Translational Research in Breast Cancer (5P50CA186784-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10219965. Licensed CC0.

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