Funding research has been at the core of METAvivor’s mission since its founding in 2009.
Our all-volunteer Board of Directors, most of whom are living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), are especially committed to supporting investigators early in their careers. We strive to encourage these bright young minds to stay in the field of metastasis research and to explore the concepts that will lead to new treatments until no one dies from MBC.
Since 2010, we have funded 230 grants, totaling almost $40.8 million dollars. Congratulations to the 2025 METAvivor grant awardees, and thank you to our supporters who make this possible!
Translational Award
| Name | Institution | Project Title | Presented by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traci Lyons, PhD | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus | Characterizing the TME and SEMA7A expression in TNBC metastasis to improve targeted therapy | |
| Jessica Christenson, PhD | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus | Leveraging normal lung cells to fight metastatic breast cancer | |
| David Entenberg, PhD | Albert Einstein College of Medicine | Quantifying and Controlling Tumor Cell Re-Dissemination in Metastatic Breast Cancer | #LightUpMBC Ambassador Team, in loving memory of Jessica Moore and all lives lost too soon to MBC |
Quality of Life Award
| Name | Institution | Project Title | Presented by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilana Schlam, MD, MPH | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard Medical School | Phase 2 Study of ctDNA-Guided Temporary Treatment De-Intensification in Exceptional Responders with Metastatic Breast Cancer | Western PA #LightUpMBC Color Walk, in loving memory of Lisa Szczepankowski |
Early Career Award
| Name | Institution | Project Title | Presented by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Barra, PhD | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | Targeting neuronal dopaminergic DRD4 signaling in brain metastatic breast cancer | |
| Na Zhao, PhD | Baylor College of Medicine | Targeting eIF4A to Treat TNBC Liver Metastases | In memory of Michele Wahlder, presented by her husband, Michael Kerber |
| Maxine Umeh-Garcia, PhD | University of California, Davis | Mapping and Modulating the Brain Tumor Microenvironment (TME) to Unlock Therapeutic Potential in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases (BrMets) | In memory of Tonyia Lucas |
| Mengying Hu, PhD | The Ohio State University | Improving anti-PD1 efficacy by activated T cell-derived EVoids in metastatic breast cancer | |
| Jorge Gomez Deza, MRes, PhD | Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University & Fox Chase Cancer Center | Investigating the potential of inhibiting CDK7 to mitigate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in metastatic breast cancer patients | |
| Michelle Williams, PhD | UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh | Targeting the Tumor Secretome to Reverse Immune Exclusion in Breast Cancer Liver Metastases | In memory of Erica Griffiths |
| Hua Wang, PhD | University of Illinois | Next-Generation Exosome Vaccines for Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer | |
| Adriana Kahn, MD | Yale University | Sacituzumab Tirumotecan to Treat Patients with Brain Metastases from Triple-Negative Breast Cancer – BERLIN Trial | Jackson #LightUpMBC Glow Walk, in loving memory of Mary Cero and Alicia Sheckard |
| Stephanie Yoon, MD | City of Hope | Biomarker-Driven Approaches to Optimize Craniospinal Irradiation for Breast Cancer Leptomeningeal Disease | To Heck With Cancer partnering with RadNet Management, in memory of Julia Heck |
Advisors Award
| Name | Institution | Project Title |
|---|---|---|
| Danny Welch, PhD | University of Kansas Medical Center | Mitochondrial tRNA Fragments as Modifiers of Metastasis |