Susan G. Komen has awarded $10.8 million in new research grants that will help propel innovative science and deliver hope to those facing breast cancer. The grant recipients include three researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The grants support 25 cutting-edge projects at 17 institutions — marking a powerful commitment to improving outcomes for people living with breast cancer today and in the future.

“We are proud to support these exceptional researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in breast cancer science,” said Paula Schneider, president and CEO of Susan G. Komen. “Research saves lives, and now more than ever, we must invest in science that brings hope to patients — especially those facing the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.”

The three VUMC researchers were each awarded Komen Leadership Grants of $400,000. The Komen Leadership Grant Program supports innovative, hypothesis-driven breast cancer research that aligns with Komen’s mission to save lives and improve personalized care and outcomes for all. Open to Komen’s Scientific Advisors and to Komen Scholars, the program funds bold, high-risk/high-reward projects with the potential to significantly advance the field of breast cancer research.

The VUMC recipients are Tuya Pal, MD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Medicine; Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and professor of Medicine; and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Biochemistry.

Through this research investment, Komen is prioritizing the most pressing challenges facing patients, including metastatic breast cancer, optimal health for all and the need for more precise, personalized treatment strategies to improve care and outcomes for everyone impacted by breast cancer.

“Komen’s commitment to breast cancer research comes at a pivotal time and will drive meaningful advances in our understanding of the disease and care of patients,” said Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “By fueling science that is both innovative and inclusive, we’re accelerating progress where patients need it most — while building a foundation for individualized care for all.”

Komen is the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research outside the U.S. government, investing nearly $1.1 billion since its inception. Unlike many research institutions, Komen’s work is powered entirely by the generosity of individual donors, corporate partners and community supporters.

“Investing in top scientific talent is one of the most powerful ways we can drive progress,” said Pietenpol, PhD, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “Komen’s commitment, especially to early-career researchers, cultivates a vibrant ecosystem where bold ideas and pioneering research can thrive, accelerating our path toward the cures we urgently seek.”

Pietenpol holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development at VUMC. Park is director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a member of the Komen Scientific Advisory Board. Pal is a Komen Scholar.

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Pelayo Correa, MD, professor emeritus of Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and John Kuriyan, PhD, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, have been elected to the 2025 class of fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy.

The mission of the fellows of the AACR Academy is to recognize and honor extraordinary scientists whose groundbreaking contributions have driven significant innovation and progress in the fight against cancer.

Fellows of the AACR Academy constitute a global brain trust of leading experts in cancer science and medicine, working to advance the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, collaboration, communication, advocacy and funding for cancer research.

Fellows of the AACR Academy are nominated and elected through a peer-reviewed process that rigorously evaluates each candidate’s scientific achievements and contributions to global cancer research. Only those whose work has made a profound and lasting impact on cancer research and related fields are considered for election and induction into the AACR Academy.

Correa was recognized for his “illustrious work defining the histological stages of gastric carcinogenesis through the ‘Correa Cascade’ and establishing the link between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer, fundamentally advancing the understanding of the pathology, epidemiology, and prevention of this disease.”

Kuriyan, Mary Geddes Stahlman Chair and University Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Cell and Developmental Biology, was recognized for his “heralded contributions to cell signaling and kinase biology, including the elucidation of the switching mechanisms of tyrosine kinases such as SRC and EGFR, which has advanced the fundamental understanding of signal transduction regulation and informed the development of kinase-targeted therapies for cancer and other malignancies.”

Correa and Kuriyan are among 33 new fellows who will be recognized at the AACR Annual Meeting on April 25-30 in Chicago. Including this year’s class, only 375 cancer researchers have been named fellows of the AACR Academy.

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