Two Columbia Physicians Awarded Susan G. Komen Grants to Improve Breast Cancer Care and Survivorship

Two Columbia physicians are being recognized for their innovative efforts to improve the lives of people affected by breast cancer. Claire Sathe, MD, JD and Alissa Michel, MD, both members of the Cancer Population Science program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center and faculty of the division of hematology/oncology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have been awarded grants from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The competitive grants support early-career scientists whose work is driving progress in breast cancer screening, care, and survivorship. 

Sathe received a Career Catalyst Research Grant, which funds promising early-stage investigators. Her project focuses on understanding how a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) affects patients’ ability to remain employed—an increasingly important issue as people live longer with advanced disease. By identifying key points of disruption and potential interventions, her research aims to inform workplace, clinic-based, and policy solutions that help patients maintain both employment and financial stability.  

Michel was awarded a Career Transition Award (CTA) which helps outstanding clinical and postdoctoral fellows launch independent research careers. Her project will develop decision-support tools to empower women at high-risk for breast cancer to make informed screening choices and ensure access to the enhanced screening they need. 

The Komen Foundation recently announced  $10.8 million in new research grants to address the most pressing challenges faced by breast cancer patients, including metastatic disease, health inequities, and the need for more precise and personalized strategies for care. About one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. While advances in screening and treatment have improved survival, disparities in screening, treatment, and follow-up care remain. The new Komen grants aim to make progress in these areas which have lagged behind.  

In this Q&A, Sathe and Michel share more about their research and the impact of their work.

What drew you to breast cancer research?

Dr. Michel: I was interested in breast cancer early on, shaped in part by my mother’s diagnosis when I was in middle school. That experience gave me an understanding of how life-changing a cancer diagnosis can be and inspired me to pursue a career supporting women through both the clinical and emotional challenges of breast cancer. 

I’ve been fortunate to be mentored by Dr. Katherine Crew, a leader in breast cancer prevention and risk communication, and Dr. Meghna Trivedi, co-leader of the Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Program. They have helped me view research not just as a way to improve outcomes, but as a means to advance equitable and personalized care, from screening and prevention to diagnosis and treatment. 

Dr. Sathe: I trained at Columbia as an oncology fellow and knew early on that I wanted to focus on breast cancer because it impacts the lives of millions of women and is a field filled with hope and innovation. A big part of oncology training is learning to conduct research: it is how we move the needle forward. During my fellowship, I was lucky to be mentored by Dr. Dawn Hershman, chief of the hematology/oncology division, whose work has deeply influenced how I think about improving the quality of care we deliver to patients.

What does your Komen-funded research project address?

Dr. Michel: My project focuses on decision support for women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Many high-risk women are under-identified, especially in primary-care and gynecology settings, where most young women are seen. Even when identified, MRIs – one of the most sensitive screening tools – are underused, particularly among racial minorities. 

We are adapting a Columbia-developed decision aid called Real Risks, a web-based, graphic-novel-style tool that helps women understand their individual risk and make informed choices. Available in English and Spanish, it guides users through interactive modules on different aspects of risk and treatment. The Komen grant will allow us to add a new module on screening and the use of MRIs. We want to help patients make evidence-based and value-consistent decisions, which is key. 

Dr. Sathe: The Komen grant supports my project to understand and address the employment challenges faced by people living with MBC. Our study, which will begin as a Columbia-based cross-sectional analysis, examines how factors such as treatment type, side effects, and lack of workplace accommodations affect patients’ ability to stay employed after diagnosis. Using survey data, we aim to identify modifiable risk factors linked to job loss or reduced employment.  

The idea is to use what we learn to design practical, evidence-based interventions that help patients remain employed during treatment. That may mean doing more telehealth visits or offering treatments like chemotherapy on weekends.

What impact do you hope your research will have on the lives of people affected by breast cancer?

Dr. Michel: Our goal is two-fold: to educate patients so they understand their own risk and screening options, and to support providers so that they feel confident initiating these discussions. Improving both sides of that conversation is key to making risk assessment, and the early detection it enables, a routine part of care. Early detection saves lives, and informed screening empowers women to understand their risk and choose the screening that’s right for them.  

Dr. Sathe: I hope that this project helps change the way we view patients with MBC. As they are living longer with new, more tolerable treatments, we are entering a new paradigm – one where living with MBC can resemble living with other chronic diseases. My long-term goal is to make it easier for patients to balance their medical needs with their professional lives and maintain the stability and sense of purpose that employment provides.