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Breast Cancer

Professor reflects on decades of breast cancer research, sees hopeful future

For decades, Professor Benita S. Katzenellenbogen has focused on understanding breast cancer and women’s health, collaborating with scientists on campus and around the world to develop better treatments and reduce morbidities from the disease. Her research has provided the framework for the...

New approach eradicates breast cancer in mice

A new approach to treating breast cancer kills 95-100% of cancer cells in mouse models of human estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers and their metastases in bone, brain, liver and lungs. The newly developed drug, called ErSO, quickly shrinks even large tumors to undetectable levels.

MCB faculty among recipients of Cancer Center at Illinois seed grants

Nine interdisciplinary projects designed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty, including several from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, were selected for the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) annual seed grant awards.

Cholesterol metabolite induces production of cancer-promoting vesicles

Scientists working to understand the cellular processes linking high cholesterol to breast cancer recurrence and metastasis report that a byproduct of cholesterol metabolism causes some cells to send out cancer-promoting signals to other cells. These signals are packaged in membrane-bound...

Meet MCB: Professor Erik Nelson

Dr. Nelson’s lab focuses on determining how different hormones and metabolite factors impact breast and ovarian cancer progression.

Erik Nelson receives $4.5M grant to study prevention and treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Erik Nelson, professor of molecular and integrative physiology, has won a $4.5 million Era of Hope Scholar Award from the United States Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.This prestigious award supports individuals early in their careers who have demonstrated significant potential...

Cancer compound originating from U of I scientists leads to major licensing deal

University of Illinois researchers are leading the science behind a new global licensing agreement between the pharmaceutics company Bayer AG and the cancer drug development company Systems Oncology for a new breast cancer drug called ERSO.

Cholesterol metabolite causes immune system to attack T cells instead of breast cancer, study finds

In breast cancer tumors, a molecule produced when the body breaks down cholesterol hijacks the myeloid immune cells that normally arm T cells to fight cancer, a new study in mice found. Instead, the hijacked myeloid cells disarm the T cells and even tell them to self-destruct.

Researchers: Breast Cancer Deadlier in Heart Attack Survivors

Breast cancer patients are 60 percent more likely to die of cancer after surviving a heart attack, according to a new study published in Nature Medicine.

MIP Professor Benita Katzenellenbogen named Senior Advisor for the Cancer Center at Illinois

Benita S. Katzenellenbogen, Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been appointed Senior Advisor to the Director of the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), Rohit Bhargava.