Susan G. Komen® awards $600,000 research grant to radiology chair Elizabeth Morris

Grant is part of $14 million in funding for leading scientists studying breast cancer

(SACRAMENTO)

Department of Radiology Chair Elizabeth Morris at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has been awarded a $600,000 Susan G. Komen® grant. She’ll use the funds to develop artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict breast cancer risk at a personalized level. 

Elizabeth Morris was awarded a Susan G. Komen® grant to develop artificial intelligence models to predict breast cancer risk.
Elizabeth Morris was awarded a Susan G. Komen® grant to develop artificial intelligence models to predict breast cancer risk.

“I’m honored to receive this important grant to advance our artificial intelligence research at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center so that we can better predict breast cancer risk,” said Morris, who is also a Komen Scholar. “We will develop a database of patient molecular and genomic data as well as imaging and clinical outcomes that will ultimately create personalized breast cancer risk prediction models.” 

The grant is included in  $14 million  that Komen recently awarded. The funds support the organization’s mission to end breast cancer through funding two key focus areas: research to better detect and treat stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer and research to eliminate disparities in breast cancer outcomes. 

“We are extremely proud to be able to continue our legacy of leading investments in breast cancer research, especially in light of the challenges all nonprofits faced raising funds during this pandemic year,” said Paula Schneider, president and CEO of Susan G. Komen and a breast cancer survivor.  “This investment reinforces our commitment to funding innovative science from some of the leading minds in breast cancer research while also developing the next generation of scientists at a time when we have never needed them more.” 

Komen has now invested about $1.1 billion in research in the nearly 40 years since its founding, the largest collective investment of any breast cancer nonprofit, and second only to the U.S. government. Visit komen.org for a full list of this year’s research grants.

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region of more than 6 million people. Its specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 15,000 adults and children every year and access to more than 150 active clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research program engages more than 225 scientists at UC Davis who work collaboratively to advance discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat cancer. Patients have access to leading-edge care, including immunotherapy and other targeted treatments. Its Office of Community Outreach and Engagement addresses disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations, and the cancer center provides comprehensive education and workforce development programs for the next generation of clinicians and scientists. For more information, visit cancer.ucdavis.edu.

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