Investigating Better Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Patients
How V Foundation Grantee Joshua Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., is Accelerating Breast Cancer Research
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the United States with approximately 320,000 new cases diagnosed in 2025. Because of innovative cancer research in the past, the five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer is 92%. This deserves to be celebrated, but often treatment options carry harsh, potentially long-lasting side effects.
V Foundation grantee Joshua Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., is aiming to lessen the burden of breast cancer survivorship.
“My work on breast cancer has been focused on trying to develop new drugs such that women can have a better chance at curing their breast cancer without having the side effects that a lot of people have feared in the past,” Dr. Gruber said. “We’re trying to dig deep into new pathways that haven’t been drugged before, trying to work with chemists to develop novel chemistries, new targets and better ways of treating breast cancer so that women have better options going forward.”
An Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Gruber shared insights into his research at the 2025 V Foundation for Cancer Research Summit, a gathering of recently funded V Foundation scientists of all different cancer types to engage, collaborate and build community.
Check out Dr. Gruber’s presentation.