Grants Search Results

Many children with cancer cannot be cured with chemotherapy alone and must undergo stem cell transplantation (sometimes known as bone marrow transplantation). But this potential cure can also cause a very bad complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) which can make children suffer miserably or even cause death. Studies have shown that a special type of white blood cell called an invariant natural killer T cell (or iNKT cell) is important in preventing GVHD. However, there are many different kinds of iNKT cells, some of which may be good to prevent GVHD and some of which may be ineffective or even cause harm. As the Rays of Hope St. Baldrick's Scholar, Dr. Mavers' research will study these different iNKT cells to identify ways we can separate out the good cells and use them to prevent GVHD, as well as ways we can modify the iNKT cells to make them even better at this job. The results from this project can help make stem cell transplantation a safer way to cure cancer and give survivors long, healthy lives.

This grant is funded by and named for the Rays of Hope Hero Fund that honors the memory of Rayanna Marrero by giving hope through research funding. She is remembered for her infectious smile and energetic spirit that continue to inspire so many.

This grant was awarded at Stanford University and transferred to Washington University, St. Louis.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Mavers was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Many children with cancer cannot be cured with chemotherapy alone and must undergo bone marrow transplantation. This treatment permits very high doses of chemotherapy to cure the cancer then rebuilds the immune system, which is destroyed by such high chemotherapy doses. In many cases, rebuilding a new immune system causes the new immune cells to attack the body, which is called graft-versus-host disease. Graft-versus-host disease can damage many organs. Dr. Mavers is studying ways to use special cell types to stop graft-versus-host disease and make stem cell transplantation a safer way to cure cancer.

This grant is made with generous support from the Rays of Hope Hero Fund that honors the memory of Rayanna Marrero by giving hope through research funding. She is remembered for her infectious smile and energetic spirit that continue to inspire so many.