Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Emory University received a $402,401 project grant from the National Cancer Institute under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) for the period April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. The award supports research to develop enhanced treatment strategies for HER2-negative and HER2-low breast cancers through investigation of ionizing radiation combined with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXD), an antibody-drug conjugate. The research aims to overcome current therapeutic limitations by leveraging radiation to increase HER2 expression and heterogeneity in HER2-negative breast cancer models, thereby sensitizing tumors to T-DXD treatment. This work addresses a significant clinical need, as approximately 50 percent of diagnosed breast cancers exhibit HER2-low status that does not respond adequately to conventional HER2-targeted therapies.

The project will employ established cell culture and circulating tumor cell (CTC) models to test the hypothesis that ionizing radiation enhances the therapeutic efficacy of T-DXD in heterogeneous HER2-negative and HER2-low breast cancer populations. Research activities will be conducted at Emory University's Atlanta, Georgia campus under the direction of the Office of Sponsored Programs, contributing to the Cancer Treatment Research program's objective to develop and evaluate improved cancer treatment methods through fundamental and applied research across therapeutic modalities.