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Awards and Funding

Members of the Pittsburgh Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) Program of Excellence have received extensive recognition and funding for their pioneering work in ILC research. Below we highlight key faculty grants, industry partnerships, foundation support, and awards received by our team and trainees.

Faculty Funding for ILC Research

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Drs. Steffi Oesterreich and Adrian Lee
R01 CA252378 (2021–2026)
Credentialing Models of Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer for Translational Research
Supplement (with Dr. Yi Li, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX): Mutating E-cadherin in rats to model lobular breast cancer

Dr. George Tseng
R01 LM014142 (2022–2027)
Disease subtyping guided by clinical phenotype for precision medicine

Drs. George Tseng and Adrian Lee
R01 CA285337 (2025–2030)
Single-cell congruence evaluation and selection of cancer models toward precision medicine

Dr. Julia Foldi
KL2, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2025–2028)
Liquid biopsy-guided tailoring of therapy in metastatic lobular breast cancer

Industry Collaborations

Our group partners with numerous biopharma and biotech companies to accelerate discoveries in ILC biology and treatment:

  • AstraZeneca – Analysis of estrogen receptor action and turnover in response to SERDs in ILC
  • PUMA Biotechnology – Study of ERBB2 mutations in ILC and response to anti-HER2 therapies
  • Natera – Evaluation of Signatera data in primary and metastatic ILC and integration into clinical trials
  • Illumina – Sequencing of primary and metastatic ILC tumors
  • Caris Life Sciences – Real-world data analysis of HER2 mutations in ILC
  • Foundation Medicine – Genomic profiling of ILC using large-scale real-world datasets

Foundation Support

Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)

Dr. Steffi Oesterreich has been continuously funded by BCRF since 2012 for studies on estrogen receptor action, endocrine resistance, and molecular drivers of ILC. Dr. Adrian Lee has received BCRF support since 2021 for his work on growth factor receptor signaling in ILC. BCRF also funds the annual BCRF ILC Symposia and the ILC Legacy Project, which supports the ILC Living Biobank.

Susan G. Komen Foundation

Drs. Adrian Lee and Steffi Oesterreich serve as Komen Scholars (since 2013 and 2016, respectively) supporting ILC research, including work in the Patient-Derived Organoid (PDO) and Hope for Others (HfO) programs. Dr. Rachel Jankowitz received a Komen Career Development Grant for the neoadjuvant ILC trial (TBCRC037).

Dynami Foundation

2020: Funding to study unique features of mixed ductal–lobular tumors
2022: Support for using Bionano sequencing to study DNA structural variants in ILC
2025: Dr. Julia Foldi received funding to apply spatial sequencing to pleomorphic ILC

METAvivor

Supported research (2021–2024) on mesothelial–tumor cell interactions as potential therapeutic targets in metastatic ILC.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN)

Funded early studies (2017–2019) identifying novel druggable pathways in metastatic ILC.

Conquer Cancer Foundation (ASCO)

Supported Dr. Nasrazadani’s work (2019–2020) on the clinical and molecular characterization of mixed invasive ductal–lobular breast cancers.

Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation

Since its establishment in 2010, the Foundation has provided broad support for ILC research, including biostatistics, equipment, and the HfO rapid autopsy program.

Shear Family Foundation

Provided sustained support for multiple ILC projects, including funding for Dr. Oesterreich’s Endowed Chair (2020) and the ILC Symposia.

A Glimmer of Hope Foundation

Supported the collection and analysis of liquid biopsies from patients with metastatic breast cancer, enabling discovery of genomic alterations in cfDNA from ILC patients.

Funding for Trainees

Rachel Jankowitz
CCR14300865 (2014-2020 in NCE)
A Trial of Endocrine Response in Patients with Invasive

Nilgun Tasdemir
NIH K99 CA237736 (2019-2021)
Non-Canonical FADD Signaling as a Genetic Driver of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Nilgun Tasdemir
CDMRP (2017-2020)
Investigating Models and Drivers Of ILC

Emily Harrington
NIH, F31 (2016-2018)
Targeting the EMT-Like Phenotype in ILC

Matthew Sikora
NIH K99 CA193734 (2015-2016)
Elucidating the Function of WNT4 in Endocrine Resistance in ILC

Kevin Levine
NIH, F30 (2017-2020)
FGFR4 as Driver of ILC Progression

Sreeja Sreekumar
DF14301091 (2014-2017)
Harnessing Altered Estrogen Receptor Turnover on Invasive Lobular Carcinoma for Improved Therapy

Awards and Honors

Dr. Steffi Oesterreich – AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research (SABCS, 2024)

Publications

Our research program, led by Steffi Oesterreich and Adrian V. Lee at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, focuses on understanding the unique biology of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and translating these insights into improved diagnostics and therapies. We integrate molecular, genomic, and clinical studies through extensive collaborations with national and international partners to advance precision medicine for patients with ILC.

Estrogen Receptor Biology and Endocrine Resistance

Our research has long focused on how estrogen receptor (ER) signaling drives lobular breast cancer biology and contributes to endocrine therapy response and resistance. We have characterized unique ER-mediated gene expression patterns in ILC, uncovered the role of WNT4 and lipid metabolism in resistance, and identified mechanisms such as ESR1 fusions and NF1 loss that underlie acquired resistance. Together, these studies define the molecular diversity of ER function and reveal novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in endocrine-resistant ILC.

E-Cadherin Loss, IGF1R Signaling, and Collateral Pathways

A hallmark of invasive lobular carcinoma is loss of E-cadherin (CDH1), which disrupts cell adhesion and profoundly alters cell signaling. Our team has shown that E-cadherin loss activates the IGF1R pathway, creating therapeutic opportunities, and that some ILCs without CDH1 mutations rely on alternative genomic or epigenomic mechanisms. We have also discovered cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway enrichment, underscoring how E-cadherin loss drives distinctive molecular rewiring in ILC.

Genomics, Transcriptomics, and Molecular Subtypes

Our integrative genomic and transcriptomic analyses have revealed the molecular diversity of ILC, distinguishing it from ductal carcinoma. We identified recurrent ESR1 and FGFR4 amplifications, characterized single-cell transcriptional heterogeneity, and contributed to spatial and computational studies of mixed and lobular-like tumors. This work continues to define ILC as a distinct and heterogeneous molecular disease.

Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Landscape

We have found that ILC tumors exhibit a distinctive immune microenvironment compared to ductal cancers, often enriched for macrophages and unique immune-evasive mechanisms. By linking transcriptomic subtypes to immune infiltration, our work suggests new avenues for immunotherapy and highlights the complexity of immune biology in ER+ breast cancers.

Clinical, Pathologic, and Translational Studies

Our collaborators and team have sought to define the unique clinical behavior of ILC—its metastatic patterns, diagnostic challenges, and response to therapy. Through large collaborative efforts, we have shaped international understanding of ILC’s presentation, outcomes, and clinical management, bridging molecular discoveries with patient impact.

Model Development, Bioinformatics, and Collaborative Infrastructure

Our group and collaborators have developed and characterized a wide array of ILC models, including cell lines, organoids, and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), to better study lobular biology and therapeutic response. Through integrated bioinformatics and systems approaches, we have created publicly available resources that support collaborative discovery and reproducible science across the field.

Advocacy, Collaboration, and Global Research Networks

Our research has always been strengthened by close collaboration with patient advocates and international research networks. Together, we have worked to identify shared research priorities, harmonize diagnostic standards, and accelerate discovery through global partnerships.



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