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BRIDGE Research Project Receives Funding to Study Biomarkers for Aggressive Breast Cancer

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BRIDGE Project Aims to Unlock Biomarkers for Aggressive Breast Cancer

A collaborative research project named BRIDGE has received funding to investigate biomarkers for aggressive forms of breast cancer. The project, a partnership between Portuguese research institutions, will focus on understanding tumor-immune system interactions with the goal of translating laboratory findings into potential clinical applications.

Project Overview and Funding

The research initiative, titled Biomarker Research Integrating Data of Glyco-Immune Signatures and Clinical Evidence in Breast Cancer (BRIDGE), has been awarded funding through the iNOVA4Health Lighthouse Projects 2025 program. The project will receive up to €75,000 in funding over a two-year period.

Research Collaboration

The project involves researchers from the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier of NOVA University of Lisbon (ITQB NOVA) and the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPOFG). The IPOFG will supply patient samples for the research.

Scientific Focus and Goals

The BRIDGE project aims to identify biological markers, or biomarkers, to better detect, monitor, and treat aggressive breast cancers. The research will focus on the tumor microenvironment, specifically investigating interactions between cancer cells and immune cells.

A key area of study involves small molecules on cell surfaces that may be involved in tumors avoiding immune detection. The project seeks to validate previous laboratory findings on tumor-immune system communication using the supplied patient samples.

Catarina Brito, leader of the Advanced Cell Models laboratory at ITQB NOVA, stated the project's objective is to "validate these findings using real patient samples and translate this knowledge into clinical applications." Brito also said that "by finding new biomarkers, we hope to contribute to more precise therapies."

The stated broader goals of the research include:

  • Contributing to more personalized breast cancer care.
  • Identifying biomarkers for tracking disease progression.
  • Aiding in the development of new therapeutic targets.

Disease Context

According to World Health Organization data from 2022, approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer globally, and about 670,000 died from the disease. Some forms of breast cancer are aggressive and difficult to manage, and a noted clinical challenge is the lack of reliable methods to predict how these cancers will progress.

Biomarkers are measurable biological signals that can help monitor cancer development and guide treatment decisions.