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news/Bids Breast Cancer: Why African-American Women are at Greater Risk M orehouse School of Medicine’s lat- est research explains why African- American women are at greater risk of developing more aggressive and diffi- cult-to-treat forms of breast cancer. Conducted by Veena N. Rao, Ph.D., co- director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Morehouse School of Medicine, the research pro- vides the empirical evidence for what many long thought to be true. “Morehouse School of Medicine focuses our research on signature areas that disproportionately affect minority communities including cardiometabolic diseases, HIV/AIDS, neuro- logical disorders and can- cer,” said Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., dean and executive vice pres- ident of Morehouse School of Medicine. “Dr. Rao’s discovery is in line with our mission to better understand health inequities and developing a cure.” While white women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer, African-American women are more likely to develop aggressive breast cancers with lesser- known treatments and more likely to die from the dis- ease, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of can- cer-related death among African-American women. The American Cancer Society estimated more than 6,000 African-American women will die of breast in Volume 226, Issue 12, of the Journal of Cellular Physiology. Her study could lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers that can predict disease progression and validate the increased risk for African-American women in developing these aggressive breast cancers. Rao’s research find- ings reveal why young African-American women with triple negative breast can- cers who have cyto- plasmic mislocaliza- tion of BRCA1 pro- teins often develop BRCA1-associated hereditary and spo- radic breast cancers. The function of the BRCA genes is to repair cell damage and keep breast cells growing normally. But when these genes contain abnormalities or mutations that are passed from genera- tion to generation, the genes do not function normally New Research from Morehouse School of Medicine Shows Why African-American Women May Be At Greater Risk for Aggressive Breast Cancer cancer in 2011. Rao is professor and co- director of the Cancer Biology Program, in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Morehouse School of Medicine and her latest research is published We honor the many accomplishments of African Americans. and breast cancer risk increases. Following the discovery of the breast cancer gene in 1994, researchers have come a long way in unlock- ing how various forms of breast cancer develop and creating targeted treatment therapies. Rao has spear- headed numerous break- throughs in breast cancer research including the iden- tification of short form BRCA1 proteins known as BRCA1a and BRCA1b – which are expressed at reduced levels in breast and ovarian cancers. Her team was the first to show mere down regulation of expres- sion of BRCA1 in normal cells results in cancer, BRCA1 nuclear cytoplasm shuttling is a regulated process, BRCA1a induces cell death in breast cancer cells and the first to intro- duce BRCA1a into triple negative breast cancer by gene therapy and success- fully block tumor develop- ment in mice. Since she began her lab work in 1994, Rao has received four patents for her research findings. “We are showing for the first time that the exclusive non-nuclear distribution of mutant BRCA1 and BRCA1a proteins cause deregulated Ubc9 resulting in breast cancer” said Rao. “BRCA1 serves as a master switch which, by turning off or on Ubc9 binding, con- trols estrogen receptor activity and cell growth. This discovery will change the current understanding of how BRCA1 functions as a Dr. Veena Rao’s latest study provides research to further explain minority cancer health disparities tumor suppressor by bring- ing in novel concepts and new directions.” Other researchers partici- pating in this study include Shyam P. Reddy, Ph.D., professor and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program and Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar; Qin Yulong, M.D., PhD; Jiang Xu, M.D., Kartik Aysola, B.S; Nurjahan Begum, M.D., PhD; and Yuli Chai, M.D., William E. Grizzle, M.D., and Edward E. Partridge, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Cancer See rISk on page 11 Bids/classifieds To place your ad, email advertising@theskanner.com ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID Allen Hall Expansion & Remodel Bid Package #2.10 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon Advertisement for: University of Oregon – Allen Hall Expansion & Remodel Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC, serving as the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) for the University of Oregon is soliciting bids for the construction of the Allen Hall Expansion & Remodel in Eugene, Oregon. Terms and conditions of the bid are outlined in Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC (CM/GC) “Invitation to Bid”, dated October 4th, 2011, attached to and made a part of the Contract Documents. Bids will be received at the offices of Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC, (CM/GC), 600 SW 10th Avenue, Suite 310, Portland, Oregon 97205, until 2:00 P.M. PST, October 18th, 2011 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Proposals shall be clearly marked “Allen Hall Expansion & Remodel” The total construction cost for Allen Hall Expansion & Remodel is projected to be approximately $12.5 Million. The scope of work for Bid Package #2.10 includes: Masonry & Precast. Contract Documents and the Invitation to Bid may be reviewed at the following locations: Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC (CM/GC)/Portland, OR; Daily Journal Plan Center/Portland, OR; Eugene Builders Exchange/Eugene, OR; Willamette Valley Builders Association/Tangent, OR; Oregon Assoc. of Minority Enterprises/Portland, OR; Oregon Contractors Plan Center/Clackamas, OR; Salem Contractors Exchange/Salem, OR; S.W. Washington Contractors Assoc./Vancouver, WA; Builders Exchange of Washington/Everett, WA. Contract Documents may be purchased (non-refund- able) in its entirety or in part from Precision Images, (503) 274-2030. All proposers must comply with the following require- ments: Prevailing Wage Law, ORS 279C.800-279C.870, Licensed with Construction Contractors Board ORS 671.530. Bidder shall indicate Resident Status per ORS 279A.120. If Required, Bidders must obtain business licenses to perform work in the City of Eugene prior to mobilizing on jobsite. Bids will not be considered unless RECEIVED by 2:00 P.M. PST on October 18th, 2011, and fully com- pleted in the manner provided by the “Instructions to Bidders”. “NOTICE OF REQUIREMENT FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO ENSURE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPOR- TUNITY (Executive order 11246)”. Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC (CM/GC) is committed to tak- ing affirmative action to encourage and facilitate the par- ticipation of minority, women-owned, and emerging small business enterprises (M/W/ESBE) in State projects and encourage Subcontractors to provide similar opportuni- ties for their subcontractors / vendors. LEASE CRUTCHER LEWIS, LLC, (CM/GC) 10-05-11 Page 10 The Portland and Seattle Skanner September 5, 2011
