Program Leaders
Education and Training Liaison: Nicolas Prionas, MD, PhD
Community Engagement Liaison: Jennifer James, MSW, MS, PhD
The goal of the Breast Oncology Program is to reduce the risk of breast cancer development, progression, and mortality through innovative approaches that utilize the molecular, cellular, and targetable networks underlying breast cancer susceptibility, heterogeneity, and disparities in outcomes.
The translational nature of the program means that laboratory-based work in the program can be rapidly moved into clinical trials. The clinical research of the program includes reducing overdiagnosis, over- and under- treatment, and the burden of cancer therapy through risk assessment to individualize screening and prevention measures, and through improved tumor classification to tailor treatment.
All of the work of the Breast Oncology Program is critically informed by a committed group of patient advocates, who participate in regular research meetings, help to establish program priorities, and undertake efforts to educate their peers about participation in clinical research studies.
The activities of the Breast Oncology Program towards reducing cancer risk and improving outcomes are accomplished through research, education and training, and community engagement aligned under the following aims:
- Aim 1: To understand how tumor heterogeneity contributes to metastasis, dormancy, and therapeutic resistance
- Aim 2: To develop new therapeutic strategies using innovation in trial design and drug development
- Aim 3: To better characterize early breast lesions to improve screening, prevention, and health care value
Roster of Breast Oncology Program
For details on membership criteria, please see our membership page.