 |
| Sandra McAllister, PhD |
Sandra McAllister, PhD, of the Division of Hematology, was awarded a Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers Rising Innovator Research Grant in partnership with Pelotonia and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Her project, “Eliminating Age- and Race-Based Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes,” has received a three-year, $700,000 grant and aims to uncover critical insights into immune-related determinants that underlie the disparities in breast cancer outcomes for older women and Black women.
This award program funds innovative research in breast and gynecologic cancers and to invest in female scientists to foster innovation in the understanding, prevention, interception, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of these cancers, with the goal of eliminating cancer health disparities and improving patient outcomes.
Black women and older women of all races die of breast cancer at disproportionately high rates. Despite the critical role of immune fitness (adequate function of the immune system) in cancer control and therapeutic response, immune health evaluation is not currently part of clinical risk assessment. With this funding, McAllister and her team are testing a novel hypothesis that declining immune fitness, which would otherwise limit breast cancer progression, contributes to worse outcomes experienced by both older women and Black women. They hope that, ultimately, evaluating immune fitness as part of standard risk assessment will improve breast cancer outcomes for all women.
The AACR is the first and largest cancer research organization in the world. Its mission is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, collaboration, funding and advocacy. Pelotonia is a grassroots organization based in Columbus, Ohio, that raises money to accelerate funding for innovative cancer research. Victoria’s Secret is a fashion and beauty brand that has also committed to advancing cancer research and care through the Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancer.
