Research Grants
The Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation proudly funds two types of research grants to drive innovation in breast cancer research.
Lynn Sage Scholar Awards support promising young researchers within the first seven years of their careers, helping to launch their work and build momentum.
Lynn Sage Research Awards provide funding for experienced researchers exploring novel, potentially groundbreaking theories that could transform the field.
By offering seed funding, we foster innovation and enable researchers to collect critical data, paving the way for larger grants from major government agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.
Research types
Lynn Sage Scholars
Dr. Nan Chen
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Chicago Medicine
Discovering novel biomarkers of therapy response and resistance in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients
Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is an aggressive cancer for which there currently is no cure. However, there are many treatment options to help control the disease and allow patients to live longer. Despite available treatments, there is a limited understanding of how to select treatments for patients to better extend their survival. This study plans to look for changes in DNA which will help identify the treatment best suited to each patient. To achieve this, blood samples are collected from patients with MBC currently receiving treatment and changes in their DNA over time are studied to understand how these changes correlate with their response to treatment. The hope is to leverage this new dataset to develop a blood-based test which can help MBC patients select the most effective treatment.
About Dr. Chen:
Nan Chen, MD, is a board-certified hematologist/oncologist who specializes in comprehensive breast cancer care. Dr. Chen’s practice primarily focuses on treating patients with all forms of breast cancer. She has particular expertise in high-risk breast cancers, including metastatic hormone receptor positive and triple-negative breast cancer. Dr. Chen offers both standard of care (such as, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and endocrine therapy) and novel therapies through clinical trials in order to create individualized treatment plans for her patients. Dr. Chen’s research interests include identifying innovative treatments for both early and advanced breast cancer in addition to identifying new biomarkers to predict response to the therapies. She is very active in clinical research, managing several trials evaluating advanced care for breast cancer. Working closely with laboratory-based researchers at the University of Chicago, Dr. Chen is developing tools that investigate mechanisms of treatment response or resistance. She has been awarded grants to fund her research and has published numerous peer-reviewed papers on breast cancer.
Dr. Nurmaa K. Dashzeveg
Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Targeting Chemotherapy Associated CTC Clusters in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Chemotherapy remains the major standard of care for metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, TNBC often develops resistance to chemotherapy, which accelerates the formation of circulator tumor cells (CTCs) clusters. In this proposal, we aim to investigate the molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance associated CTC cluster formation, and to develop new therapeutic approach to block CTC cluster formation and inhibit metastasis of breast cancer.
About Dr. Dashzeveg:
Nurmaa K. Dashzeveg, PhD, is a leading researcher in breast cancer metastasis, focusing on therapeutic approach to block breast cancer metastasis by investigating new modification of glycoproteins on circulating tumor cells. With a background in DNA damage response and tumor suppressor p53 from Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Tokyo Jikei University School of Medicine, her research aims to develop targeted treatments that selectively eliminate cancer cells.
Dr. Lamiaa El-Shennawy
Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Uptake of Tumor Extracellular Vesicles for Immune Regulation in TNBC
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), accounting for up to 20% of all breast tumors, is highly metastatic and more aggressive than other breast cancer subtypes, leading to lower survival rates than other breast cancer types due to limited treatment options. Like other tumors, TNBC secretes tumor extracellular vesicles (TEVs), which promote tumor progression and metastasis, but can also be used as a diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study seeks to use TEVs to enhance the patient’s immune system against the tumor in a specific and personalized manner to support the treatment of TNBC.
About Dr. El-Shennawy:
Lamiaa El-Shennawy, PhD, studies the role of cancer-derived extracellular vesicles in triple negative breast cancer. Dr. El-Shennawy’s work has been published in high impact journals, such as Cancer Discovery, Nature Communications, and Cancer Research. Her contributions and potentials have been recognized by several outstanding awards, such as Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA), Susan G. Komen Scholar‐In‐Training Award, and the prestigious International Fulbright Science and Technology Award. Dr. El-Shennawy joined Northwestern University in 2019 as a postdoctoral fellow then she was appointed the position of a Research Assistant Professor in 2023.
Dr. Frederick Howard
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Chicago
Predicting Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Chicagoland Area Using Artificial Intelligence
Although there is often a wealth of information available at the time of breast cancer diagnosis, such as digital images of tumor biopsy specimens and radiographic imaging such as breast MRI, data from imaging is under-utilized in decision making for breast cancer. This project will utilize artificial intelligence (AI) approaches on cases from three (3) Chicagoland Hospitals to improve
prediction of recurrence risk using all the information available at the time of diagnosis, allowing for improved personalization of treatment decisions.
About Dr. Howard:
Medical oncologist Frederick Howard, MD, is an expert in treating breast cancer. In 2024, Dr. Howard was named to the prestigious list of 40 Under 40 in Cancer, an award that recognizes him as one of the nation’s most promising young oncology professionals and celebrates his contributions to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.
Research Grants
Dr. Jaehyuk Choi
Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Development of T-cell Therapies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Immunotherapies, such as the use of harvested T-cells from patients, have revolutionized our treatment of blood cancers but have not yet been effectively used for solid tumors, like breast cancer. Breast cancers make natural defenses to protect themselves from invading T-cells, but the Choi Lab’s previous research identified a novel approach to “super-charging” T-cell therapies through genetic engineering, which has already shown to cure multiple solid tumors in mice. This study aims to leverage these new technologies to develop potentially curative immunotherapy,
with the hope of moving towards first-in-human clinical trials for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, and potentially other types of breast cancer.
About Dr. Choi:
Jaehyuk “Jae” Choi. MD, PhD, is a physician scientist with a clinical and scientific interest in cancer immunotherapies. His lab deploys cutting-edge genomic approaches to identify the mechanisms by which tumors evade recognition by the immune system and engineers novel
solutions. Recently, he has developed a next-generation potency enhancement that can power T cell therapies for aggressive solid tumors such as triple negative breast cancer. His work has been published in Nature, Nature Cancer, Nature Genetics, and other broadly read journals and has
been recognized by the NIH New Innovator Award, the Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award, and most recently the Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award.
Dr. Seema Khan
Professor, Surgery (Breast Surgery)
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Optimizing Family Planning for Young Women at High risk of Breast Cancer
Tamoxifen (TAM) is a commonly used medication to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, but further research is needed to understand interactions between hormonal contraceptives (e.g., “the pill”) and TAM on the safety and efficacy of both medications. Since family planning is of major importance for premenopausal women, this gap in knowledge will be addressed through study in breast tissue and lab rats. Through these studies, we hope to understand if hormonal contraception is harmful to women in need of TAM, as well as different responses to two different contraceptives, which is expected to lead to clinical trials on this important issue.
About Dr. Khan:
Dr. Seema Ahsan Khan, MD, is a surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer treatment and prevention. A Professor of Surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, she leads clinical and research efforts at the Lynn Sage Comprehensive Breast Center, focusing on high-risk patients and innovative surgical approaches. As principal investigator of the Northwestern Cancer Prevention Consortium, Dr. Khan advances early-phase trials in cancer prevention. Her research explores novel prevention therapies, transdermal drug delivery, and minimally invasive techniques for biomarker analysis.
A Novel Deubiquitinase in Breast Cancer Tumorigenesis and Therapeutic Targeting
Principal Investigator: Deyu Fang, PhD
Hosmer Allen Johnson Professor of Pathology Professor, Pathology (Experimental Pathology), Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
A Pilot Test of the Breast Cancer Pre-habilitation and Prospective Surveillance to Prevent, Detect, and Optimize Physical and Functional Recovery (B-PREPeD)
Principal Investigator: Ann Marie Flores, PT, PhD
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences and Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Developing a combinatorial mRNA immunotherapy for breast cancer
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jun Huang
Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering at UChicago
Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
Automated Methods for Continuously Measuring Cancer Detection Rates for Breast Cancer Supplemental Screening Modalities and Risk-Based Populations
Principal Investigator: Dr. Lisa Stempel
Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rush University
Single-cell proteomic analysis and targeting of breast circulating tumor cells
Principal Investigator: Huiping Liu, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology, Lurie Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Treating Breast Cancer by Novel WEE1 Inhibitors
Principal Investigator: Bin Zhang, MD, PhD
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology Oncology
Educational Initiatives
Travel Grant
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
Leadership: William Gradishar, MD, FACP
For more information: Sister Cities Symposium
Symposium
Lynn Sage Symposium: For Scholars
Leadership: William Gradishar, MD, FACP Contact Erin Donoghue at 312.695.1391 or erin.donoghue@northwestern.edu
Handbook
Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook
Leadership: Nora Hansen, MD Contact: Burt Korman at 312.472.4779 or bkorman@nm.org
