What We Fund

How to apply for our grants: BCA funds four types of grants which are offered annually: Exceptional Project and Young Investigator Research, Screening and Support Services and Breast Surgery Fellowships.

Young Investigator Grants

TWO YEARS | $125,000

This grant is meant for those at an early stage in their research career to help provide seed funding for the research required to apply for larger, longer term grants, often with the NIH. (To secure federal funding, a researcher must prove a theory works; BCA creates the critical bridge between novel research and the opportunity to generate preliminary results.)

Clinical doctors and research scientists at institutions in the contiguous United States who, following completion of their training, will not have held a faculty position for more than four years at the start date of the grant, are invited to apply. 

HOW TO APPLY > 

2024 RECIPIENTS (in their first grant year)

Igor Bado, PhD, Mount Sinai, New York, NY, Deciphering mechanisms and impact of miRNAome alterations in bone metastasis.

Steven Corsello, MD, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, Exploiting FOXA1 synthesis lethality to treat breast cancer.

Andrew Davis, MD, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, Improving outcomes with Traztuzamab Deruxtecan through innovative phase 1 trial with neratinib/biomarker analysis, Supported by Jane and Stuart Weitzman in memory of Irma Wallin

Sarah Olsen, PhD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard University, Boston, MA, Mechanistic and functional characterization of DOTIL and Menin-ML chromatin complexes in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer.

Polina Vaitsenfeld, PhD, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, Immune modulation of tumor microenvironment in breast cancer by targeting CD40 with immune checkpoints/tumor antigens. 

Emma Watson, PhD, University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine, Worcester, MA, Aneuploidy associated metabolic vulnerabilities in breast cancer, Deborah G. Black Memorial Research Grant

2023 RECIPIENTS (in their second grant year)

Patricia Pereira, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis, WA, Target breast tumor heterogeneity and combat drug resistance with an antibody clicking strategy.

Neil Vasan, MD, PhD, Columbia University, New York, NY, Large-scale functional analysis of PIK3CA variants in breast cancer.

Hai Wang, PhD, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, Buffalo, NY, Re-sensitizing the refractory breast cancer bone metastasis to endocrine therapies, Supported by Jane and Stuart Weitzman in memory of Irma Wallin

Roberta Zappazodi, PhD, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, Tumor-metabolism-driven therapies to overcome TNBC immune resistance, Deborah G. Black Memorial Grant          

 

 

2022 RECIPIENTS 

Raymond Acciavatti, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Self-steering 3D mammography

Ana Christina Garrido-Castro, PhD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Studying the evolutionary dynamics of tumor and immune microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer

Ryan Stowers, PhD, University of California – Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, Understanding epigenomic remodeling induced by tumor mechanical properties, Supported by friends of Stephanie Latham

Jessalyn Ubellacker, PhD, Harvard University, Boston, MA, Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities of breast cancer metastasis in lymph

Alexander Valvezan, PhD, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, Targeting triple-negative breast cancer by exploiting a metabolic vulnerability downstream of mTORC1

2021 RECIPIENTS 

Gloria Echeverria, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine, Waco, TX, Characterizing and targeting mitochondrial metabolism in chemoresistant triple negative breast cancer

Jennifer Rosenbluth, MD, PhD, Dana Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA, Modeling cancer prevention in mammary organoids derived from BRCA1/2 mutation carriers

Maria Soledad Sosa, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, Targeting disseminated breast cancer cells to prevent metastasis, Deborah G. Black Memorial Research Grant

2020 RECIPIENTS 

Colt Egelston, PhD, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, Tumor-derived T cell receptors for engineered T cell therapy of breast cancer

Pengda Liu, PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, Targeting the deubiquitinase OTUD6B in basal-like breast cancer

Thomas O’Sullivan, PhD, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, Multifunctional microimplants for sensing and delivery of response-guided treatment in breast cancer, Supported by Jill and John Coyle

Marjan Rafat, SB, SM, PhD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Novel mammary organoids to examine radiation-induced recurrence in HER2BC

Laura Spring, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, The neoadjuvant model as a translational tool to improve outcomes in ER+ breast cancer, Deborah G. Black Memorial Grant

Eneda Toska, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (first year: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) Elucidating the role of ARID1A in lineage plasticity and endocrine therapy resistance in ER+ breast cancer, Deborah G. Black Memorial Grant

2019 RECIPIENTS 

Teresa Davoli, PhD, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
Targeting breast cancer specific aneuploidy

Madeleine Oudin, BSc, MSc, PhD, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Dissecting the role of innervation in breast cancer progression and metastasis

Nidhi Sahni, MD, MD Anderson, Houston, TX
Novel role of spliceosome in homologous recombination deficiencies in TNBC

Exceptional Project Grants

ONE YEAR | $100,000

This award recognizes creative, unique and innovative research. Clinical doctors and research scientists at institutions throughout the contiguous United States are welcome to apply.

HOW TO APPLY >

 

2024 RECIPIENTS

Pooja Advani, PhD, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, Targeting de novo lipogenesis to enhance immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer.Andrew Elia, PhD, Harvard University, Boston, MA, Targeting DNA replication defects in homologous recombination-deficient breast cancer.

Thordur Oskarssun, PhD, Moffit Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Targeting novel mediators of chemotherapy resistance in dormant breast cancer.

2023 RECIPIENTS

Camilla dos Santos, PhD , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, Characterization of strategies for immunosuppression of breast cancer development

Christy Hagan, PhD, University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Kansas City , Progesterone promotes breast cancer immune evasion through downregulation of antigen presentation.

Li Lan, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Targeting R-loop and mRNA-dependent repair in homologous recombination-proficient breast cancer.

Laurie Littlepage, PhD, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, Overcoming endocrine therapy resistance by targeting the response to metabolic stress and immune response.

Jordana Phillips, PhD, and Michael Cassidy, PhD, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, Comparing impact of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) to breast MRI on barriers to breast cancer treatment.

2022 RECIPIENTS

Barbara Fingelton, PhD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN,
Type II IL4 receptor blockade as a strategy for treating breast-to-brain metastasis

Hyungjin Kim, PhD, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY,
DNA replication fork instability as a target for the synthetic lethality of breast cancer

 

2022 RECIPIENTS (CONT.)

Xin Lu, PhD, Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, “Off-the-shelf” novel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cell therapy for metastatic TNBC, Supported by the Jeffery family in honor of Karen Lowney

David Rimm, PhD, Yale University, New Haven, CT, Budding carcinogenesis; a novel pathway to malignancy, Deborah G. Black Memorial Research Grant

Anna C. Weiss, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, The impact of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy on breast cancer axillary outcomes, Supported by Jane and Stuart Weitzman in memory of Irma Wallin

2021 RECIPIENTS

Scott Abrams, PhD and Michael Nemeth, Roswell Park, Buffalo, NY, Unique combination immunotherapy to confront triple negative breast cancer

Rumela Chakrabarti, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, A novel combination immunotherapy to improve treatment of metastatic triple negative breast cancer, Deborah G. Black Memorial Research Grant

Jianua Yu, PhD, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, An oncolytic virus-engineered to express a full-length anti-CD47 lgG1 antibody for the treatment of breast cancer brain metastasis, Supported by Jane and Stuart Weitzman in memory of Irma Wallin

2020 RECIPIENTS

Mary L. Disis, MD, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, Vaccination Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cells, Supported by Susan Bevan & Tony Daddino

Hani Goodarzi, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Leveraging circulating cancer-specific orphan RNAs for screening of women with BRCA1/2 mutations, The Walsh Family Grant

Poulikos Poulikakos, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, Targeting SHP2 as a converging node of targeted and immune therapy in TNBC

Jose Silva, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, Alterations in microtubule dynamics: the Yin and Yang of chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancers, Supported by Tami Eagle Bowling and Friends

Sichun Yang, PhD, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH, Drugging the undrugged for advanced ER-positive breast cancer

Junran Zhang, MD, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Interruption of Squalene Epoxidase and DNA Damage Response

Breast Surgery Fellowships

ONE YEAR | $75,000

Society of Surgical Oncology-accredited institutions that are located in NY, NJ or CT may apply for funding for fellowships.

HOW TO APPLY >

 

2024 RECIPIENTS

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Solange Bayard, MD, MS, New York, NY, Gabelli Family Foundation Fellowship

Mt. Sinai, Erika King, MD, New York, NY, Supported by Kubtec

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Larissa M. Pamen, MD, New Brunswick, NJ, Rodkin Family Breast Surgery Fellowship

Yale University, Sarah K. Merkel, MD, New Haven, CT, Gary and Stacia Smith Grant

 

 

2023 RECIPIENTS

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Kate Rose Pawloski, MD, New York, NY, Veronica Beard Fellowship

Mt. Sinai, Catherine Chappuis, MD, New York, NY

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Toobah Mohammad MD, New Brunswick, NJ, Rodkin Family Breast Surgery Fellowship

2022 RECIPIENTS

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Anna C. Beck, MD, New York, NY, Tap Cancer Out Fellowship

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Shridevi Singh, MD, New Brunswick, NJ, Rodkin Family Breast Surgery Fellowship

2021 RECIPIENTS

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Marissa Srour, MD, New York, NY

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Kelly Krupa, MD, New Brunswick, NJ,, Rodkin Family Breast Surgery Fellowship

Yale University, Billie Borden, MD, New Haven, CT, Supported by the Mitchell Family

 

Screening and Support Services

(formerly Education and Outreach)

ONE YEAR | AWARD VARIES

Breast Cancer Alliance offers grants to providers that conduct screening and diagnostic breast cancer services for the underserved: screening and diagnostic mammograms, biopsies, ultrasounds and MRIs. The programs must be located in Connecticut and/or in Westchester County, New York. Breast Cancer Alliance does not fund patient counseling, patient navigation, office supplies, medical supplies, financial aid (i.e. gas bills, transportation, rent, overhead, grocery gift certificates, fringe benefits, etc.) printing costs, travel costs, marketing costs, recruitment costs or training programs.

HOW TO APPLY >

 

2024 RECIPIENTS

Cancer Support Community of NY and CT at Gilda's Club, White Plains, NY

Cancer Support Team, Purchase, NY

Danbury Hospital/New Milford Hospital, New Milford, CT, Paula L. Banwell Memorial Grant

Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, CT

Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT

Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain, CT

Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center, Middletown, CT

Norma F. Pfriem Breast Cancer Center/Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, Mitchell Family

Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT

Open Door Family Medical Center, Port Chester, NY

Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT

St. Vincent's Hospital, Bridgeport, CT

White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY

2023 RECIPIENTS

Cancer Support Team, Purchase, NY

Danbury Hospital/New Milford Hospital, New Milford, CT, Paula L. Banwell Memorial Grant

Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, CT, Town of Greenwich Grant

Griffin Hospital, Derby, CT

Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT

Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain, CT

Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center, Middletown, CT

Norma F. Pfriem Breast Cancer Center/Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, Supported by the Mitchell Family

Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT

 

2023 RECIPIENTS (CONT.)

Open Door Family Medical Center, Port Chester, NY

Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT

St. Vincent's Hospital, Bridgeport, CT

White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY

 

**Unless otherwise noted, all 2023 Education and Outreach grants were generously funded by Veronica Beard

2022 RECIPIENTS

Cancer Support Team, Purchase, NY

Danbury Hospital/New Milford Hospital, New Milford, CT, Paula L. Banwell Memorial Grant

Gilda’s Club Westchester, White Plains, NY

Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, CT, Supported by Veronica Beard

Griffin Hospital, Derby, CT

Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT

Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain, CT

Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center, Middletown, CT

Norma F. Pfriem Breast Cancer Center/Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, Supported by the Mitchell Family

Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT

Open Door Family Medical Center, Port Chester, NY

Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT

St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, CT

White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY

 

2021 RECIPIENTS

Danbury Hospital/New Milford Hospital, Paula L. Banwell Memorial Grant

Gilda’s Club Westchester

Greenwich Hospital

Griffin Hospital

Hartford Hospital

Hospital of Central Connecticut

Mary's Center

MedStar Georgetown

Middlesex Hospital

Norma F. Pfriem Breast Cancer Center

Norwalk Hospital

Open Door Family Medical Center

Stamford Hospital

White Plains Hospital

Yale New Haven Hospital


BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE

48 Maple Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
203.861.0014

info@breastcanceralliance.org

Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions