Dana-Farber/Harvard Breast Cancer Program
Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Breast Cancer
Testing new drug combinations and targeted approaches to help people with breast cancer—especially those with triple-negative disease, drug-resistant tumors, or brain metastases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11015462 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
At Dana-Farber and Harvard, teams of lab scientists and clinicians are working together on four linked projects to find better treatments for breast cancer. They are studying why antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) stop working and testing combinations that may overcome resistance, including drugs that target PARP1 and the proteasome. Another project focuses on breast cancer that spreads to the brain using patient-derived tumor grafts and mouse models, while a separate effort explores combining BET bromodomain inhibitors with chemo-immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer. Promising lab findings are planned to be moved into clinical trials at the cancer center.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with triple-negative breast cancer, those whose tumors no longer respond to standard therapies, and patients with breast cancer brain metastases.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage, well-controlled breast cancers or those who are not eligible for clinical trials at the center may not directly benefit from these projects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new treatment combinations that overcome drug resistance and better control brain metastases, improving outcomes for people with hard-to-treat breast cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise for ADCs, PARP inhibitors, and BET inhibitors in certain breast cancers, but the specific combinations and brain-metastasis strategies here remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Polyak, Kornelia — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Polyak, Kornelia
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.