Special to the Journal
Three Albany State University faculty members have joined forces with state and local cancer centers to improve breast cancer research. Dr. Ashok Jain, director of the center for undergraduate research; Dr. Seong Seo, associate professor of chemistry; and Dr. Arun Saha, assistant professor of physics, will participate in the breast cancer research project.
At ASU, the project seeks to train faculty to become proficient cancer researchers by increasing research capabilities and building upon the current success of the ASU Natural Sciences Department in attracting research funding that will contribute to cancer research, as well as address health issues in rural Southwest Georgia. The program is funded by the Department of Defense.
“The award is imperative for the department to become self-sustainable in basic research,” Jain said.
The training program will consist of a three-part mentorship program between ASU, the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition (SWGCC) and the Georgia Health Sciences University that will result in research to benefit breast cancer patients. Topics to be studied include the effects of diet on breast cancer; use of nano-particles to find new ways of delivering cancer medications; and use of microwaves to diagnose breast cancer in its early stages.
Breast cancer is a disease that plagues women all over the U.S. It has been shown that African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans have a higher rate of breast cancer than white women. In Georgia, African American women are more likely to die from the disease.
For more information, contact Dr. Ashok Jain at 430-4817.