Breast Cancer Research Advisory Network (BCRAN)

About the BCRAN

The Breast Cancer Research Advisory Network (BCRAN) is led by Amy Fowler, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Radiology at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and by Lisa Arendt, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor of Comparative Biosciences at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine with input from Jim Shull, PhD, Professor of Oncology with the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research and Associate Director of Laboratory Research at UW Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC).  The BCRAN is the first research advisory network at the UWCCC.  Network members include breast cancer researchers and patient advocates, including breast cancer survivors.

The BCRAN was formed in 2015 in order to provide a forum for researchers and advocates to collaborate on topics of mutual interest, with the goal of incorporating the patient’s perspective into developing research studies and grants.  This collaboration also meets the requirements of some national funding agencies which are now requiring the inclusion of at least one patient advocate on its grants.

BCRAN Meetings

Throughout the course of the meetings, which are held bi-monthly at the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR), advocates and researchers have been matched to form teams that focus on specific topics of interest. The meetings also provide advocates with educational resources to further develop their skills, and opportunities to receive more formal advocacy training at national meetings and conferences.