BCRFA funds two breast cancer research grants at UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center  

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) is proud to announce the funding approval of two new projects at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. BCRFA’s 2025 investment in these projects totals $130,000. The two grants underwent a rigorous peer review process by a panel of UAB faculty members through the O’Neal Invests program.

O’Neal Invests Awards funded by BCRFA: 

Nicole Henderson, PhD, MPH – Communication of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Results in Women’s Cancer Care

Dr. Henderson’s study focuses on how doctors explain complex genetic test results to patients with breast cancer. These tests, called next-generation sequencing (NGS), can help guide treatment choices, but the reports are often hard to understand. The study will consist of recording real clinic visits of oncologists going over these reports with patients, interviewing patients afterward, and reviewing test reports to learn what causes confusion and what helps people feel informed. The goal is to make sure all patients, especially those in Alabama and the Deep South, can understand and use this information to choose the treatment that is best for them. The outcomes from the study will help improve how genetic test results are shared, so every patient can feel confident making decisions about their care. 

Sooryanarayana Varambally, PhD, MBA – Evaluation of the targetable enzyme trip13 as a biomarker in breast cancer and investigation of its functions

Dr. Varambally’s project is a continuation of a previous project that was funded by the BCRFA. The project developed UALCAN and Mammonc-DB, two platforms that were developed with the support of BCRFA funding, for comprehensive analysis of cancer proteogenomic and epigenetic big data. These platforms are now used by cancer researchers around the world. The previous study found that about 35% of metastatic breast cancers showed more TRIP13 gene copies compared to normal breast cells, suggesting that it is a cancer-causing gene. The gene expression analysis of TRIP13-modulated cells showed that the tumor and metastasis suppressor gene, ITIH5, is negatively regulated by TIRP13 and that its expression is low in breast cancers, in which TRIP13 is high. Based on their findings and preliminary data, this project is testing the hypothesis that TRIP13 is a driver oncogene that promotes breast cancer initiation and progression. It will evaluate in Aim 1 the role of TRIP13 in transforming breast epithelial cells and elucidate the role of TRIP13 in tumor progression. In Aim 2, the study will characterize the expression and prognostic utility of TRIP13 and ITIH5 in breast cancer. 

About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama

Founded in 1996, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help find a cure for breast cancer by funding promising breast cancer research in Alabama and raising community awareness and funding for that research. BCRFA funds promote a comprehensive approach to battling breast cancer by promoting collaborative and innovative research to help diagnose, treat, prevent, and eradicate the disease. 

With community support, the BCRFA has invested over $16 million in life-saving breast cancer research and treatments across Alabama since its founding in 1996. Most recently, in December 2024, the foundation announced its annual grant investment of $1.125 million to research partners including the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Alabama State University (Montgomery), Auburn University, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (Huntsville), Tuskegee University, the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), and the Mitchell Cancer Institute at the University of South Alabama (Mobile). All funding stays in Alabama, but the impact is worldwide.