Breast Cancer Care
Aimed at improving the effectiveness of radiation therapy for breast cancer patients, research by Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD, will receive a $450,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen® foundation.
Dr. Bergom is an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and directs a translational research lab. Her lab team’s ultimate goal is to discover molecular targets that will lead to the advanced knowledge needed to improve and personalize breast cancer care.
This particular Komen grant will support Dr. Bergom’s efforts to identify genes around tumor cells that change the effectiveness of radiation therapy for individual patients. Once pinpointed, these genes could offer doctors new ways of advancing how patients respond to radiation and ultimately improve their breast cancer survival.
Not only does Dr. Bergom conduct lab research to develop and improve radiation therapies, she also works with patients directly. She recently partnered with Melinda Stolley, PhD, associate director of public health at MCW, to investigate the impact of exercise and diet on breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.
Dedicated to promoting breast cancer research, awareness and care, Susan G. Komen® announced it will distribute $30.7 million in funding for 98 research grants around the country and world this year.