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Based on progress to date, Dr. Parameswaran was awarded new grants in 2019 and 2020 to fund additional years of this Scholar grant. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is the second most common acute leukemia in children, and current treatment strategies are inadequate to cure AML. Dr. Parameswaran is developing a new strategy using Natural Killer cells, which are a type of white blood cells with potential to kill cancer cells. Cancer cells often produce a protein that makes Natural Killer cells less active, which helps the cancer cells escape from NK cell-mediated killing. Dr. Parameswaran and her team are developing methods to stop this NK cell inactivation and thereby improve NK cell function to treat pediatric AML.

This grant is generously supported by Rays of Hope, a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund created in memory of Rayanna Marrero. She was a happy 3 year old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She battled ALL and won but a treatment induced secondary cancer claimed her life at age eight. Rayanna had an amazing attitude and loved life. She, like so many kids facing childhood cancer, did not allow it to define who she was. This Hero Fund aspires to give hope to kids fighting cancer through research.