The Grant through the PA Breast Cancer Coalition will go towards studies on ways to block the spread of breast cancer
At a press conference held at Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center this morning, Sandra Fernandez, PhD, a research assistant professor in Medical Oncology, received a $50,000 award from the PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) for her work on breast cancer.
The award is part of the more than $3 million raised by the PBCC from Pennsylvania residents who donated a portion of their tax refunds for cancer research.
This is the second time that Dr. Fernandez has received an award from the PBCC for her work. The first time was she was given PBCC’s Refunds for Research award was in 2010, when she was a post-doctorate researcher.
The funds will help Dr. Fernandez study how breast cancer becomes more aggressive and how it spreads, or metastasizes, to other organs. Specifically, she will look at how drugs that are in development for lung cancer might also help keep breast cancer metastases in check.
The project is part of a larger partnership with Jefferson medical oncologist Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, director of Jefferson’s Breast Care Center that includes a clinical trial, currently enrolling patients.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Fernandez thanked The PBCC and all the Pennsylvanians who have put money from their tax refunds towards finding a cure for cancer.
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