HIGHLAND, MD – The Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy (JKTG) today announced funding to Daniele Gilkes, Ph.D., at Johns Hopkins’ University, for research that aims to better understand breast cancer metastasis and builds on a previous JKTG-funded pilot project at the Gilkes’ lab.​

“Daniele’s work suggests that organs play a unique role in development of metastasis and understanding how cells survive and spread,” said Ted Giovanis, founder and president of the JKTG Foundation. “Most research in this area approaches metastasis through the lens of how cancer cells use and need oxygen. Daniele’s approach takes that to another level. We’re excited to build on initial findings by funding this next phase.”

JKTG funded initial research in which the modeling work of Gilkes and her collaborator Paul Macklin, Ph.D., resulted in the unexpected finding that cells experiencing hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, in the primary tumor prefer to metastasize to the brain and liver instead of in the lung and lymph nodes. The new research will investigate how and why that occurs in order to define biomarkers and therapeutic targets tailored to the site of the metastatic spread giving new hope for viable treatment strategies to patients living with metastatic breast cancer.

ABOUT THE JKTG FOUNDATION
The Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy (JKTG Foundation) aims to change health care for the better. Funding innovative medical research, data analysis, events, and other projects, the Foundation serves as an honest, independent broker of ideas and actions designed to advance both health care and health policy. Visit www.jktgfoundation.org to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Lee / 202.280.8816 / [email protected]