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Vol. 03 Issue 4, Fall 1998

First New York State Breast Cancer Research and Education Awards Granted
The Ribbon 

The initial 28 awards of the New York State Breast Cancer Research and Education competition were announced by First Lady Libby Pataki on October 5, 1998. Nine postdoctoral fellowships and 19 EMPIRE (EMPowerment through Innovative Research and Education) grants were awarded, ranging from basic research projects to community-based education initiatives.

The largest number of funded proposals (40 percent) seek to characterize some of the cellular changes that contribute to the development of breast cancer. About one-fifth of the projects address the problem of metastasis, the spreading of disease. Among the questions investigators seek to answer are: how can we identify cells in tumors that will become metastatic, can we boost the immune system's ability to fight metastatic disease, and what role does a particular class of proteins, the integrins, play in metastasis? Other projects address the issue of diagnosis: how can current imaging methods be optimized, what new diagnostic imaging techniques can be developed, and can a new biopsy approach improve diagnosis and reduce costs? A wide range of outcomes from these projects are anticipated, including new breast cancer prevention strategies, new chemotherapeutic approaches or new diagnostic markers or prognostic indicators.

"If New York is to win the battle against breast cancer it is essential that we support and advance the groundbreaking research of our scientific community," said First Lady Pataki. "These awards will advance innovative research into the cause, prevention, screening, treatment and cure of breast cancer."

Education projects that received funding include a program to develop and implement a one-on-one education approach to provide rural residents with the critical information needed to make good decisions regarding their health care. Another project aims to fill gaps in our knowledge of the socio-cultural factors relevant to breast cancer detection in immigrant minority populations.

A two-step process was used to review 83 submissions. The first phase, an assessment of technical and scientific merit, involved 37 basic scientists, clinicians and social scientists and 11 breast cancer advocates. The reviewers were assigned to one of three panels reflecting the funding mechanisms and broad research areas of proposals. Their goal was to evaluate objectively all submissions according to six criteria: innovation, significance, investigator, environment, approach and relevance.

Each proposal was assigned at least two scientific / technical expert reviewers and one breast cancer advocate reviewer. Reviewers presented their assessments to others on their panel, starting with a brief synopsis that emphasized the heart of the proposal - the fundamental idea, question, gap in knowledge or scientific hypothesis to be tested. Reviewers determined if these keystone ideas were novel and relevant to breast cancer. Also, they evaluated if the approach proposed by the applicant was the best strategy to use or was innovative, and noted if alternative approaches were outlined or if the investigator anticipated any technical challenges.

Reviewers determined if the investigator and collaborators were well-suited for the tasks outlined. For example, did they possess the necessary expertise required to assure successful implementation of the proposal? Did they have access to all the necessary facilities and resources - including access to patients - required to complete the study? Lastly, reviewers considered if the results of the project would likely provide a solid and compelling foundation for seeking subsequent funding elsewhere. Open discussion ensued on the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal, followed by scoring each proposal by secret ballot.

After the review panel meetings, Department of Health staff summarized scores for each proposal and each panel. The Health Research Science Board conducted the second review using scientific / technical merit as its guiding principle. The Board recommended, and the Commissioner of Health accepted, supporting the greatest number of proposals possible to the broadest institutional base with the $1.2 million available from the check-off on the New York State income tax form.

Stay tuned for the Health Research Science Board web page, soon to be part of the Department of Health's site: www.health.state.ny.us. Click on Info for Researchers or Public Health Forum.

Article contributed by: Kathy Schofield Zdeb, MS, Media Specialist, Wadsworth Center and Trish Lowney, PhD, Program Coordinator, HRSB, Wadsworth Center

For more information contact:
Trish Lowney, PhD
Wadsworth Center / New York State Department of Health
518-473-6961

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Last Update 06.23.00