The METAvivor Research Program was established in 2009 with the specific goal of funding stage IV metastatic breast cancer research to one day, end death from metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The following list includes current and past grant recipients along with their progress reports.
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Adrian Lee, PhD
University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Targeting RET for the treatment of breast cancer brain metastasis
Blake “Eason” Hildreth, DVM, MS, PhD
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Targeting the CSF1R/PU.1 axis and PU.1/BET super-enhancer regulome in breast cancer bone metastasis
Julie Di Martino, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Targeting dormant breast cancer cells with ACE inhibitors
Nathan Reticker-Flynn, PhD
Stanford University
Targeting lymph node-induced immune tolerance to treat metastatic breast cancer
Lou Song, PhD
University of Virginia
Oncogenic TRIM37 is a new driver of metastasis in triple negative breast cancer patients
Tae-Hyung Kim, PhD
University of New Mexico
Harnessing cell mechanotype to regulate the immune evasion of highly metastatic breast cancer cells
Reva Basho, MD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Tucatinib in Combination with Pembrolizumab and Trastuzumab for Patients with HER2+ Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Isaac Chan, MD, PhD
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Presented by #Lindasbug: A VW Beetle Fundraiser in Memory of Linda Kreizenbeck
Using natural killer cells to eliminate breast cancer metastases
Jessica Christenson, PhD
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Repurposing Lung Microenvironment Targeted Therapies for the Treatment of Established Breast Cancer Lung Metastases
Erin Howe, PhD
University of Notre Dame-Harper Cancer Research Institute
Presented in memory of Erin Remme by Minneapolis Metsquerade
Targeting endosomal trafficking to enhance immune recognition of breast cancer brain metastases
Natasha Hunter, MD
University of Washington
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Tissue and liquid biopsy for breast cancer patients with bone-only metastases
Dennis Jones, PhD
Boston University
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Targeting breast cancer plasticity and immunosuppression in metastatic lymph nodes
Srinivas Malladi, PhD
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Presented in Honor of Abbey Rapoport
Targeting vulnerabilities of immune-evasive HER2+ Breast Adenocarcinoma Metastasis Initiating Cells
Shreyas Rao, PhD
The University of Alabama
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Engineered biomimetic hydrogels to probe metastatic tumor cell cluster–brain microenvironment interactions facilitating tumor progression
Thu Truong, PhD
University of Minnesota, Masonic Cancer Center
Presented by MetaRaise DENJPA in Memory of Our Friend Patty Ann Baldwin
Progesterone receptor reprograms metabolic pathways to drive therapy resistant populations in metastatic breast cancer
Yun Zhao, PhD
University of Notre Dame
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Targeting the pitfall of chemo-immunotherapy: Immunosuppressive myeloid cells induced by apoptosis
Guizhi Zhu, PhD
Virginia Commonwealth University
Presented by Southwest Florida Metsquerade in Memory of Amanda DeFiebre
Multi-epitope/di-adjuvant co-delivering albumin-binding vaccines (Medico-AlbiVax) for the combination immunotherapy of metastati
Stacy Blain, PhD
The Research Foundation of the State of New York, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Presented by #LightUpMBC and Moore Fight Moore Strong in memory of Jessica Moore
p27Kip1: A game changing target in metastatic breast cancer
Fumito Ito, MD, PhD
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Health Research Inc
Presented by Southwest Florida Metsquerade in Memory of Karin Petrocelli
In situ radio-immunotherapy to maximize the engagement of cross-presenting dendritic cells to treat metastatic breast cancer
Bethany Kerr, PhD
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Presented in Honor of Beth Fairchild and Her Service to Metavivor Research and Support
Profiling combinatorial treatment response in early and late bone metastatic breast cancer
Traci Lyons, PhD
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Presented by Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade In Memory of Erin Leland
Targeting therapeutic vulnerabilities of endocrine therapy resistant ER+ metastatic breast cancer
Steffi Oesterreich, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
Presented by Facebook Fundraisers
Targeting mesothelial – tumor cell interaction to treat invasive lobular cancer metastases
Selvarangan Ponnazhagan, PhD
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Presented by Metavivor Facebook Fundraisers
Co-targeting immunosuppression and skeletal pathology for metastatic breast cancer therapy
Pranela Rameshwar, PhD
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Presented in honor of Tami Bowling and METAvivors of NJ
Preventing epigenetic-mediated DNA repair induced by bone marrow niche cells to eliminate drug resistance
Brad St Croix, PhD
National Cancer Institute
Presented by Monica Hill’s Be Bold and Behold, In Loving Memory of Monica Hill and Jasmine Charles
Improving the therapeutic index of ADCs targeting metastatic breast cancer
Alana Welm, PhD
University of Utah
Presented by 2020 New York Fashion Week in Memory of Halli Lannan
FORESEE: Functional precision oncology for metastatic breast cancer: a feasibility trial
Danny Welch, PhD
University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc.
Presented by #Cancerland in Memory of Champagne Joy
BMRS1 MSD: A potential new inhibitor of breast cancer metastasis
Stuart Martin, PhD
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presented by the We "Neeta" Cure Fundraiser in Memory of Neta Meier
Targeting Tau-induced microtubule stabilization to reduce outgrowth of metastatic tumors
Nancy Lin, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Overcoming Treatment Resistance in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Bolin Liu, PhD
Department of Genetics Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center School of Medicine Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Presented in Memory of Cecilia “CeCe” Curry, METAvivor Board Member
IGF-2 in Herceptin refractory HER2-positive breast cancer
Paul Lockman, PhD
West Virginia University
Timing of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to improve drug effect in brain metastases of breast cancer
Deepali Sachdev, BSc, MSc, PhD
Regents University
Presented by 2019 NYFW + #Cancerland in memory of Champagne Joy
Development of natural killer cell based tri-specific killer engagers (TriKEs) as novel immunotherapy for metastatic breast canc
Robert Weinberg, PhD
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Mechanisms of Acquired Adaptation of Disseminated Breast Cancer Cells
Fei Xing, PhD
Wake Forest University
Treating breast cancer brain metastasis with immune checkpoint inhibitor and c-Met targeting agent
Massimo Cristofanilli, MD
Northwestern University
Presented In Memory of Karen Presswood, Co-Founder of METAvivor
Unravelling New Cytokine-Mediated Mechanisms to Enhance Response to CDK4/6 inhibition in ER+/HER2-Metastatic Breast Cancer
Andrew Ewald, PhD
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
Presented In Memory of Avis Halberstadt, Co-Founder of Metavivor
Targeting the survival pathways required by established breast cancer metastases
Carol Lange, PhD
University of Minnesota
Presented In Memory of Rhonda Rhodes, Co-Founder of Metavivor
Targeting Activated Progesterone Receptors in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Prasanna Alluri, MD, PhD
UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Presented in honor of Erin Remme by Minneapolis Metsquerade
Identifying Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in RB1-negative, ER-positive Breast Cancers
Lucia Borriello, PhD
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Presented by 2019 New York Fashion Week
Targeting the Mechanism of Re-Dissemination and Metastasis in Stage IV Breast Cancer
Joshua Drago, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Presented by METAvivors of New Jersey
The intestinal microbiome and response to chemoimmunotherapy in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (MTNBC)
Mick Edmonds, PhD, MS
UAB School of Medicine
Presented In Memory of Kristin Todd
A novel strategy targeting SRC tyrosine kinase for breast cancer metastasis
Colt Egelston, PhD
City of Hope
Presented In Memory of Angie Powell by Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade
Bispecific monoclonal antibodies for treatment of advanced breast cancer
Jeremy Force, DO, MA
Duke University
Presented In Memory of Kristie Godwin Rolan by Triangle Metsquerade
Discovery and validation of putative oncogenic ROS1 alterations in breast cancer
Jamie Fornetti, BA, PhD
Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah
Presented by Abbey Rapoport
Novel RON Inhibitors for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Antonio Giordano, MD, PhD
Medical University of South Carolina
Presented In Honor of Michael Kovarik by 2019 New York Fashion Week
Phase 1 clinical trial of Polo-like kinase 1 inhibition with nab-paclitaxel in TP53 mutated metastatic triple negative breast ca
Sheheryar Kabraji, BMBCh
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Presented by 2019 METAbash
Targeting drug-resistant quiescent cancer cells in breast cancer brain metastases
Jungwoo Lee, PhD
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Tissue-engineered bone to determine the impact of chemotherapy-induced premature aging in breast tumor metastasis
Michael Lukey, PhD
Cornell University
Presented by Minneapolis Metsquerade in honor of Erin Remme
Targeting the unique metabolic profile of brain metastases in breast cancer
Ashley Makela, PhD
The Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University
Presented In Memory of Connie Cadwell by Miles4Metavivor
Understanding extracellular vesicle trafficking in established breast cancer metastases: In vivo tri-modal imaging provides long
Madeline Oudin, BSc, MSc, PhD
Tufts University
Presented by METAribbon Challengers
Investigating how obesity-driven changes in the tumor microenvironment promote metastatic outgrowth and chemoresistance in metas
Lijuan Sun, PhD
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Presented In Memory of Rebecca McNally Gilden - Blessed mother, wife, daughter, engineer, friend and breast cancer advocate
Reprogramming innate-adaptive immune interactions to eliminate metastatic breast cancer
Stuart Martin, PhD
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presented In Memory of Wendy Taylor by Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade
Reducing the risk of chemotherapy-induced scattering of metastatic triple-negative breast tumors
Danny Welch, PhD
University of Kansas Cancer Center
Presented In Memory of Valerie Wright by Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade
New inhibitors of breast cancer metastasis
Andrei Bakin, PhD
Roswell Park Cancer Center
A Novel Combination Therapy to Improve Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Sanchita Bhatnagar, PhD
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Targeting the mechanisms of oncogenic TRIM37 in metastatic triple negative breast cancer
Rolf Brekken, PhD
UT Southwestern
Pleiotrophin as a driver of the immune metastatic niche
Andrew Brenner, MD, PhD
Mays Cancer Center
Presented In Memory of Tarah Harvey by Minneapolis Metsquerade
Permeability of Sacituzumab Govitecan in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Barbara Fingleton, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Presented In Memory of Destiny Rivera and Stephanie Sunday by Orlando Metsquerade
Tumor targeting of an immune super-activator in male and female metastatic breast cancer
Barry Hudson, PhD
University of Miami
Presented in memory of Amanda De Fiebre by Southwest Florida Metsquerade
Therapeutic targeting of RAGE in metastatic breast cancer
Yibin Kang, PhD
Princeton University
Presented by The Fraternal Order of Eagles
Preventing Regulatory T cell Induction to Enhance Immunity Against Breast Cancer Metastases
Stephen Kron, MD, PhD
The University of Chicago
Mechanisms determining local and systemic anti-tumor immune response after metastasis-directed image-guided radiation combined w
Sandra McAllister, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital; Harvard Medical School
Presented In Memory of Lauren Smoke by Chicago Metsquerade
A new approach to identifying effective therapeutic strategies that eliminate de novo and recurrent stage IV triple-negative bre
Yusuke Shiozawa, MD, PhD
Wake Forest University
An osteolytic bone lesion-targeted radiopharmaceutical for bone metastatic breast cancer
Zena Werb, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Presented by METAvivor Facebook Fundraisers
Identification of Novel Cell Targets for Metastatic Breast Cancer Therapy
Jing Yang, PhD
University of California, San Diego
Overcoming therapy resistance in TNBC metastases through targeted inhibition of Periostin
Dihua Yu, PhD
The University of Texas
Presented In loving memory of Tiffany Foust and Kriss Fierro by Monica Hill's Be Bold and Behold
Impeding Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis by Blocking CCR2+ Myeloid Cell Infiltration
JULIO AGUIRRE-GHISO, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine
Targeting Intrinsic And Immune Mechanisms In Persistent Dormant Cancer Cells In Stage IV Breast Cancer
CHARLES CLEVENGER, MD, PhD
Virginia Commonwealth University
Inhibition of breast cancer metastatic outgrowth with non-immunosuppressive cyclosporine
VERA DONNENBERG, PhD
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Assays to determine optimal dosing and therapeutic effects of localized immunotherapy for established metastatic breast cancer t
GLORIA ECHEVERRIA, PhD
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Elucidation and functionalization of transcriptomic heterogeneity of established multi-organ metastases in patient-derived xenog
DORRAYA EL-ASHRY, PhD
University of Minnesota School of Medicine
Eliminate breast cancer metastasis by targeting the tumor microenvironment
XU FENG, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Development of Targeted Drugs for Treating Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis
JANET FUNK, MD
University of Arizona Cancer Center
Improving Survival in Stage IV Breast Cancer by Targeting Dormant Breast Cancer Cells in Bone
ANA GARRIDO-CASTRO, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Identifying predictive biomarkers of response to PD-1 inhibition in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
MARK HEADLEY, PhD
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Monocyte Contribution To Lung Metastasis Of Breast Cancer
FRANSISCA LEONARD, PhD
Houston Methodist Hospital Research Institute
CRISPR-nanoparticle for macrophage reprogramming: New therapeutic strategy for breast cancer liver metastasis
SOPHIA LUNT, PhD
Michigan State University
Targeting Sialic Acid Metabolism to Stop Metastatic Breast Cancer
ELIZABETH MCDONALD, MD, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
In vivo visualization and quantification of pharmacodynamics response to PARPi therapy
ERIK NELSON, PhD
University of Illinois
Targeting an immune-suppressive cholesterol metabolite in the treatment metastatic breast cancer
JOSH NEMAN, PhD
University of Southern California
Chemotherapy and tau interplay permeabilize BBB and facilitate brain metastasis
AXEL SCHÖNTHAL, PhD
University of Southern California
Controlled Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier to Achieve Therapeutic Access of Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Brain Metastases
BRAD ST CROIX, PhD
National Cancer Institute
Improving Immunotherapies for Advanced Metastatic Breast Cancer
RACHEL STEWART, PhD
University of Kentucky
Characterizing Metastatic Breast Cancer Heterogeneity through Post-Mortem Tissue Collection
WEI TAO, PhD
Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Multi-staged delivery system overcoming the physiological barriers for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) therapy
MICHAEL WENDT, PhD
Purdue University
Enhancing anti-metastatic immunity through targeted inhibition of SHP2 phosphatase
THOMAS WESTBROOK, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine
Microenvironment response disparities of metastatic TNBC to multi-tyrosine kinase inhibition
DIHUA YU, MD, PhD
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Combating Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis by Blocking CDK5 Driver Kinase Function
FIONA YULL, PhD
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Macrophage-based immunotherapy for eradication of pre-existing breast cancer metastases
ANDREI GOGA, MD, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Targeting the MYC Pathway in Metastatic Breast Cancer
DIANA CITTELLY, PhD
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Targeting BDNF/TrkB in Brain Metastasis from Young Women with TNBC
MICHAEL FLISTER, PhD
Medical College of Wisconsin
Personalized Therapy for Curing Metastatic Breast Cancer
MELANIE HAYDEN GEPHART, MD, MAS
Leland Stanford Junior University
Halting the Progression of Breast Cancer Leptomeningeal Brain Metastases
CHERYL JORCYK, PhD
Boise State University
High Impact Therapeutic for the Elimination of Breast Cancer Metastasis to Bone
JAMES MCINTYRE, MA, PhD AND BARBARA FINGLETON, PhD
Vanderbilt University
A Novel Self-Reporting Paclitaxel Prodrug without Systemic Neurotoxicity: Preclinical Assessment for Targeted Treatment of Metas
VIVEK MITTAL, PhD
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Targeting Epigenetic Regulator PRC2 as a Therapy for Established Metastasis
PARTHA ROY, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
Pharmacological Inhibition of Myocardin-Family Proteins as a Novel Strategy to Combat Metastatic Breast Cancer
REBECCA WATTERS, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
Discovery of Clinically Actionable Genes in Breast Cancer Bone Metastases
KATHERINE LOREE COOK, PhD
Wake Forest University
Dietary Considerations Effecting Lung Metastatic Therapeutic Responsiveness and Co-Morbidities
JOSHUA DONALDSON, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins University
Resistance Mechanisms to Palbociclib in Hormone Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
GINA SIZEMORE, PhD
Ohio State University
Targeting Novel Tumor-Stroma Interactions in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
DAVID SOTO-PANTOJA, PhD
Wake Forest School of Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Anti-CD47 Immunotherapy as a Treatment for Metastatic Breast Cancer
PAULA BOS, PhD
Virginia Commonwealth University
Regulatory T Cell Promotion of Brain Metastatic Processes
IAN CORBIN, PhD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Lipoprotein Omega-3 Fatty Acid Nanoparticles: A Novel Treatment for Breast Cancer Liver Metastases
KATHLEEN GALLO, PhD
Michigan State University
Deciphering and Targeting Signaling Nodes that Drive Metastatic Breast Cancer
TODD GIORGIO, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Quantitative Characterization of Anti-Tumor Immune Response in Metastatic Breast Cancer Induced by Focused Ultrasound
PATRICIA SHEEAN, PhD, RDN
Loyola University Chicago
Is lean soft tissue (i.e., skeletal muscle) a potentially modifiable biomarker predictive of prognosis, treatment tolerance and
KATHRYN SCHWERTFEGER, PhD
University of Minnesota
Development of Immune-based Strategies to Enhance Therapeutic Targeting of Metastatic Breast Cancer
BRAD ST. CROIX, PhD
National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research
Improving Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer through Targeting of Tumor Stroma
SENDURAI A. MANI, PhD
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Targeting Cancer Stem Cells to Treat Metastasis
J. CHUCK HARRELL, PhD
Virginia Commonwealth University
Genomic Dissection of Patient-Derived Xenograft Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis Models
YIBIN KANG, PhD
Princeton University
Development of a Humanized Mouse Model of Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis
YIBIN KANG, PhD
Princeton University
Sensitizing Bone Metastasis to Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy by Targeting Jagged1-Mediated Tumor-Stromal Interactions
BONNIE KING, PhD and CHRISTOPHER CONTAG, PhD
Stanford University
Modeling Therapeutic Strategies for Breast Cancer Metastasis to Bone
JITESH PRATAP, PhD
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
Novel Regulatory Mechanisms of Cell Survival During Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer
TIFFANY SEAGROVES, PhD
University of Tennesee Health Science Center
Targeting Creatine Kinases to Inhibit Metastatic Breast Cancer
GEORGE SGOUROS, PhD
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
A Pre-Clinical Model of anti-HER2/neu-Antibody Reactive Breast Cancer Metastases
HAIFA SHEN, PhD, MD
Houston Methodist Research Institute
Harnessing Vascular and Cellular Depots of Nanotherapeutics for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
KAY-UWE WAGNER, Phd
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Identification of Candidate Target Genes for Metastasis and Cancer Cell Dormancy in a Novel Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Model
MICHAEL WENDT, PhD
Purdue University Center for Cancer Research
Targeting Growth-Factor Receptor Discordant Metastatic Breast Cancer
ELIZABETH YEH, PhD
Medical University of South Carolina
Application of a Connexin 43 (Cx43) Targeted Agent for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
