In December, Momo received the AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research in San Antonio. This award recognizes investigators below the age of 50 with significant work in their field. We are extremely proud and glad of this prize. Congratulations Momo !!
In recent years, Mohamed Bentires-Alj has made significant contributions to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling normal and neoplastic breast stem cells, metastasis and resistance. He and his group found that mutant PI3K induces multipotency and multi-lineage mammary tumors, and that SHP2 promotes breast cancer progression and maintains tumor-initiating cells. Notably, his research revealed that co-targeting PI3K/mTOR and JAK2 in triple-negative breast cancer models decreases tumor volume, seeding and metastasis, and increases overall survival. He also discovered that cessation of CCL2 inhibition accelerates breast cancer metastasis by promoting angiogenesis. The AACR recognizes these noteworthy achievements but also cites in particular “his relentless efforts in building bridges between basic research and the clinic.â€
The AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research, funded by Susan G. Komen®, recognizes an investigator of no more than 50 years of age whose novel and significant work has had or may have a far reaching impact on the etiology, detection, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of breast cancer.