Media RelationsUPMC/University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Research Supported by the Frieda G. and Saul F. Shapira BRCA-Associated Cancer Research Program
The Frieda G. and Saul F. Shapira BRCA-Associated Cancer Research Program actively brings together some of the most innovative research happening in UPCI laboratories today and fully engages the investigative strengths of UPCI’s and Magee Womens Hospital’s clinical and basic science faculty. Targeting at-risk populations, helping to reduce risk and creating the earliest possible screenings for disease are just some of the goals of the program.
Victor Vogel, M.D., M.H.S., a leading breast cancer specialist and medical oncologist, oversees the day-to-day leadership for the program. Research components currently underway include the following:
- A comprehensive registry and specimen bank to facilitate BRCA 1 or 2 related research – The goal of this project is to establish a comprehensive registry and specimen bank to facilitate multi-disciplinary research. Specific goals include capturing demographic, clinical, epidemiological, pedigree and genetics data in one centralized database, and to obtain tissue, serum and lymphocytes from BRCA 1 or 2 carriers for ongoing research.
- Proteomics research into the discovery of breast cancer biomarkers – According to Thomas P. Conrads, Ph.D., and William L. Bigbee, Ph.D., co-directors of the Clinical Proteomics Facility at UPCI, this project applies novel and state-of-the-art proteomic technologies to the discovery of new serum-based biomarkers (a characteristic indicating the presence of disease process) to further improve breast cancer screening, early detection and diagnosis.
- A multi-marker approach for early detection of breast cancer in BRCA-positive women –With this project, Anna F. Lokshin, Ph.D., director of the Luminex Core facility at UPCI, hopes to identify multi-marker panels with high diagnostic power for the early serum-based detection of breast cancer in BRCA-positive postmenopausal women.
- Cancer risk prediction in daughters of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers: opportunities for prevention – Emanuela N. Taioli, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the cancer epidemiology program and professor of epidemiology, hematology and oncology at UPCI, intends to find out if estrogen levels, estrogen metabolites and estrogen-derived DNA adducts are higher in daughters of BRCA 1 or 2 carriers than in daughters of women with sporadic breast cancer, and to study longitudinal changes in hormonal patterns during puberty in daughters of both carriers and non-carriers.
- Predicting breast cancer risk among BRCA 1 or 2 mutation carriers – Marjorie Romkes, Ph. D, director of the pharmacogenetics/pharmacogeomic facility at UPCI, utilizes powerful new genetics and genomics methods to identify and characterize genetic differences in genes involved in DNA repair, cell-cycle control and estrogen receptor expression that modulate the risk of breast cancer in individual women with the mutations.
- Risk analysis and risk reduction targets based on gene-environmental interactions – David C. Whitcomb, M.D., Ph.D., Giant Eagle Foundation professor of cancer genetics, wants to understand why some individuals who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations develop cancer in one organ rather than another. For instance, breast and ovarian cancer run in some families that carry one of the mutations, while pancreas cancer occurs more often in other families. Current available data suggests that both behavioral factors such as taking hormonal medications or environmental exposures like cigarette smoking may shift the risk from one organ to another. Dr. Whitcomb’s investigation will unite all of the relevant elements of BRCA1 or 2 investigations at UPCI.