Breast cancer research in Ireland has received a major boost with the announcement of more over half a million euro of funding by leading British research charity Breast Cancer Campaign. In a first for the charity, the funding of three projects in Ireland, including one at NUI Galway, forms part of €3 million awarded to 29 research projects throughout the UK and Ireland and represents a fantastic opportunity to tap into a talented group of researchers who can make a real difference to the lives of people with breast cancer. Dr Adrienne Gorman, NUI Galway, has received more than €100,000 for a three year study into why a particular molecule, nerve growth factor (NGF), which is produced in 80 per cent of breast cancers, may prevent some people from responding well to chemotherapy. NGF kick-starts a chain of events that enable cancer cells to avoid destruction by chemotherapy and Dr Gorman aims to fully understand this process in order to develop ways to prevent it from happening. Dr Gorman said, "I am grateful to Breast Cancer Campaign for funding my research and to be the one of the first scientists in Ireland to receive a grant from the charity is very exciting. I hope my project will provide vital information on how breast cancer evades chemotherapy so that we are able to overcome this resistance, giving patients the best chance of survival." Frank Fahey TD said: "The National Breast Cancer Institute in Galway under the directorship of Dr Michael Kerrins has been doing wonderful work in breast cancer research. The fact that such a prestigious group such as Breast Cancer Campaign has awarded a research grant to Dr Adrienne Gorman at NUI Galway is a significant recognition of the wonderful work being done at University College Hospital and NUI Galway." Arlene Wilkie, Director of Research and Policy, Breast Cancer Campaign said, "We are delighted to fund our first three projects in Ireland and we hope they are the first of many. "Each year in Ireland more than 2,300 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed and around 700 women will die from the disease. We hope that people in Ireland will raise funds to support even more of these talented scientists with innovative research ideas to ensure progress is made in finding a cure for breast cancer. "Research is already making a huge difference to the lives of those with breast cancer and we hope that by funding high quality, innovative projects, such as Dr Gorman's, it will bring us ever closer to beating this disease." -Ends-