A new study by MiraKind’s Founder, Dr. Joanne Weidhaas, in collaboration with her team at the University of California, Los Angeles and City of Hope, has been published in the scientific journal Death & Differentiation.
The study, entitled, “The KRAS-variant and its impact on normal breast epithelial cell biology,” investigated altered normal cellular biology in the presence of the KRAS-variant. The study found that:
- The KRAS-variant changes the fundamental biology of breast cells.
- Those with the KRAS-variant may be immune suppressed, explaining their elevated cancer risk.
- This type of mutation can explain individuals unique responses to cancer therapy.
The KRAS-variant is an inherited gene mutation that is associated with an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and lung cancer, as well as multiple cancers in the same individual. The first known inherited mutation of its kind in cancer, the KRAS-variant, was discovered in 2007 by Dr. Joanne Weidhaas of MiraKind and Dr. Frank Slack. MiraKind was born out of the desire to ensure that novel genetic markers, such as the KRAS-variant, are brought into the lives of the individuals that need information about them the most. MiraKind conducts patient-centric research and disseminates educational awareness on these markers in order to find and promote actionable strategies to reduce cancer risk and suffering.
Read the press release from UCLA here. If you are interested in the full-text article from Cell Death & Differentiation, please click here.
