UF researcher awarded grant for breast cancer research

Vita Golubovskaya, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of oncology in the University of Florida College of Medicine's department of surgery, has received a $300,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation.

The grant, which will be distributed over three years starting in July, will fund her research into two proteins associated with breast cancer development and spread: focal adhesion kinase and p53, a tumor suppressor gene altered in about 40 percent of breast tumor cases. Golubovskaya, who is affiliated with UF Shands Cancer Center, will analyze how the two proteins interact, an association that has never been studied in the breast cancer cell-biology field.

"This grant will help develop future therapy for breast cancer targeting these two proteins," Golubovskaya said.

The grant is part of nearly $82 million the foundation is awarding this year through its Research Grants and Awards Program.