Jane Visvader has made seminal contributions to the fields of mammary biology and breast cancer. Her team achieved a very significant breakthrough in health and medical sciences, with the isolation of breast stem cells. This work and her subsequent identification of master regulators of mammary gland development and cells of origin of cancer have altered our understanding of breast cancer, and pioneered a new field of research – Breast stem cell biology. Collectively these findings have laid a framework for translating basic discoveries to the clinic, aiming for improved breast cancer outcomes for the next generation of women.
