The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) has awarded a grant for continued breast cancer research to Zachary Hartman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery. Dr. Hartman, a member of the Division of Surgical Sciences, will collaborate with H. Kim Lyerly, MD, Professor of Surgery, to study the treatment and prevention of estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer.
ER+ cancer typically responds to endocrine therapy initially, but in many patients the tumor cells eventually develop endocrine resistance. Dr. Hartman’s research will test the use of a neoepitope subunit vaccine that targets the mutated estrogen receptors of the cells. Combined with standard-of-care hormone treatments, the vaccine has the potential to prevent cancer growth.
The CDMRP has awarded $1,183,281 for the research project, titled “A Neoepitope Subunit Vaccine Targeting the Mutated Estrogen Receptor Ligand Binding Domain to Treat and Prevent Endocrine-Resistant ER+ Breast Cancer.”