Researchers at Harvard University have discovered that women who give birth in their early 20s are less likely to develop breast cancer later in life than women who don’t. Harvard scientists are continuing their research and working to develop a way to transfer this protective state to women who don’t give birth in their early 20s.
“The reason we are excited about this research is that we can use a progenitor cell census to determine who’s at particularly high risk for breast cancer,” said Kornelia Polyak, a Harvard Medical School professor. “We could use this strategy to decrease cancer risk because we know what regulates the proliferation of these cells, and we could deplete them from the breast.”
According to a Harvard University news article, the research took five years to complete and was recently published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Researchers found that having a baby in her early twenties reduces a woman’s relative number and proliferative capacity of mammary gland progenitors. These are cells that can divide into milk-producing cells, and when they decrease, there is less risk of developing mutations that cause cancer.
“In general, people who study cancer always want to focus on treating the cancer. But, in reality, preventing cancer can have the biggest impact on cancer-associated morbidity and mortality,” Polyak said. “I think the mentality has to change because breast cancer affects so many women, and even though many of them are not dying of breast cancer, there’s a significant personal and societal burden.”
Kornelia Polyak
Image courtesy of Harvard University
Harvard University conducts a great deal of groundbreaking research in a number of medical fields, and this latest breast cancer discovery could have profound impacts on women’s health. Lab suppliers marketing life science products and working to sell lab equipment in Boston may want to take a closer look at exhibiting at life science marketing events on the Harvard University campus. According to NSF and NIH research funding statistics, Harvard University is a very well-funded market. The NIH awarded Harvard University $392 million in research funding in 2012. For a full list of departments receiving NIH funding organized by department name, total funding awarded and number of awards received, please visit the NIH website.
In 2012, the NSF also awarded Harvard University $55.3 million in research funding. The money was given to a number of different projects in the life science field. These programs of study included ecosystem science, cellular dynamics and function, developmental systems, evolutionary processes, systematics and biodiversity science, bio informatics, molecular biophysics, population and community ecology, developmental systems, and genetic mechanisms.
Given Harvard University’s exceptional contributions in fields such as breast cancer research as well as the latest NIH and NSF funding statistics, lab suppliers working to sell lab equipment and market life science products may want to exhibit at upcoming Boston life science marketing events held at Harvard University. Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. invites lab suppliers to meet with researchers, lab managers and purchasing agents at our Boston BioResearch Product Faire™ Event.
Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. is a full-service science research marketing and events-planning company that organizes life science marketing events at top research universities across the country. If you’d like to market your life science products and work to sell lab equipment at life science marketing events closer to home, we encourage you to view our 2013 calendar of events. To view more funding statistics for Harvard University, or for more information on our Boston BioResearch Product Faire™ Event, click on the button below.