Grants Search Results

Based on progress to date, Dr. Rowe was awarded a new grant in 2019 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Leukemia that develops in infants under one year of age is difficult to cure and has poor long-term outcomes compared to leukemia developing in older children or teenagers. The therapies used for infant leukemia are highly toxic with long-term adverse effects and are not particularly effective at curing the disease. To identify more tolerable and more effective treatments, we need better models to study infant leukemia in the laboratory. We could use such a model to identify the genes that drive infant leukemia and make it so aggressive and challenging to treat, and to develop drugs to target these genes. Dr. Rowe has developed a new model of infant leukemia and is using this system to identify the key genes that make this form of leukemia so aggressive.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Iglesias was awarded a new grant in 2019 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Neuroblastoma is the second most common pediatric solid tumor. Patients with high-risk disease have only a 50% chance of survival. The immune system can be engineered to efficiently kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. However, neuroblastoma has been shown to evade these treatments by downregulating their target structures and upregulating inhibitory proteins. Dr. Iglesias is developing immune cells that specifically recognize neuroblastoma cells and also circumvent the aforementioned treatment evading mechanisms by restoring the target structures and blocking the inhibitory proteins. Through this work Dr. Iglesias aims to develop a new treatment approach for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Winters was awarded a new grant in 2019 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Dr. Winters' research involves developing more effective and more targeted therapies for children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of leukemia that continues to have poor outcomes. The therapy for pediatric AML has not changed much in 20-30 years, and many children who receive this therapy relapse. There is a protein on many AML cells called CD123, which marks the earliest leukemia cells. In adults there are drugs that target this protein which are being studied in clinical trials. However, no one has studied whether CD123 is a useful target in pediatric AML. Dr. Winters is looking at CD123 protein expression in AML samples from pediatric patients, as well as investigating whether expression of CD123 marks the primitive leukemia cells in these patients - that is, those that give rise to the leukemia and cause relapse. She is also testing some of the same drugs that are being used in adult clinical trials on these pediatric samples in a laboratory setting, to see if they may be useful in pediatric patients. These studies are expected to generate new therapy options for children with difficult-to-treat AML.

ALL is the most common blood cancer occurring in children. Great strides have been made in the treatment of this disease, but new less toxic therapies for high risk ALL are needed. A new effective therapy is chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) which involves altering a patient’s own cancer fighting cells (T-cells) to express a protein able to recognize a protein on ALL cells (CD19), thus promoting killing of ALL cells. This form of therapy is much less toxic than traditional chemotherapy, but it is still associated with unwanted side effects. Dr. Falcon is working on ways to eliminate anti-CD19 CAR-T if severe side effects occur. This will greatly enhance the safety of this promising treatment.

A portion of this grant is generously supported by the Not All Who Wander Are Lost Fund, a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund which was named after Kiersten Dickson’s favorite quote from J.R.R. Tolkien and honors the memory of a free spirited, courageous young woman who battled a rare, incurable cancer. This fund hopes to advance cutting edge immunotherapy treatments for pediatric cancers.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Deel was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a childhood cancer of the muscle that has two major subtypes. Children with the alveolar type do very poorly, as these are frequently recurrent and metastatic. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells have a specific fusion protein that is a powerful cancer driver and that does not yet have a pharmaceutical treatment. Dr. Deel and his team recently found that the Hippo pathway, normally functions to suppress tumor growth, is not correctly regulated in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, which leads to TAZ (a co-activator) activating pro-tumoric gene transcription.

As the Aiden's Army St. Baldrick's Fellow, Dr. Deel is studying the interaction between the protein and the co-activator TAZ as a novel therapeutic target. Aiden Binkley was diagnosed with Stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma at age 8. This bright, funny and courageous little boy believed he got cancer so he could grow up to find a cure for it. His vision is being carried on by Aiden’s Army through the funding of research. They will march until there is a cure!

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.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Ney was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Many cancers include groups of cells that are relatively inactive, meaning that they divide less frequently than other cells and use fewer nutrients from their environment. This inactivity often makes these cells less susceptible to chemotherapy because these cells do not take in chemotherapy drugs due to their slow growth. As a result, these cells can remain present after treatment, potentially leading to disease recurrence. Dr. Ney is studying these inactive cells and their behavior, to more fully understand cancer and how to better treat it.

The initial grant was made with generous support from Tough Like Ike, a St. Baldrick's partner which was created in honor of cancer fighter Issac "Ike" Yarmon. The organization raises awareness and funds for leukemia and childhood cancer research.

This additional award is named for Ben's Green Drakkoman Fund, a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund created in memory of Ben Stowell who battled an aggressive form of osteosarcoma yet lived life with courage and an inspiring determination to survive. The fund is named after the superhero he created to help him better understand his body's fight against cancer.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare cancer of the immune cells that can cause a wide range of symptoms, ranging from a rash to lethal multi-organ disease. Dr. Zinn hypothesizes that a patient's symptoms are determined by a combination of the patient's specific mutation and the specific immune cell that becomes mutated. Dr. Zinn is investigating the causes of LCH in order to develop the most effective and safe therapies for each patient.

Children with aggressive leukemia frequently require a bone marrow transplant to achieve a cure. Some children have a small number of leukemia cells remaining before receiving a bone marrow transplant, which makes it very likely that their leukemia will recur. Dr. Taraseviciute, the Team Abby St. Baldrick's Fellow, is studying the power of the immune system to fight any remaining leukemia cells after bone marrow transplantation. To do this, Dr. Taraseviciute and her team are making T cells (a special type of immune cell) that can recognize and eliminate leukemia cells to provide a chance for a cure for children who have already received a bone marrow transplant.

This grant is generously supported by TEAM ABBY Gives, a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund. Abby was diagnosed with Pre-B ALL when she was almost five years old. She had a successful bone marrow transplant, but battle battled graft vs. host disease (GVHD) for years. Abby and her treatment team worked hard over many years to keep the GVHD in check. Sadly, Abby passed away on October 19, 2021. This fund unites the incredible support of family and friends in Abby's memory and inspires others to join the fight for cures and better treatments.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Huang was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Cure rates for Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are poor and current therapies are toxic. Dr. Huang is using accurate models of AML to test novel agents that target cancer specific dependences. The overall goal of Dr. Huang's research is to develop new therapeutic strategies in AML to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity. This research will inform efforts to develop novel treatment combinations in children with AML.

Pediatric Philadelphia Chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has a poor prognosis despite the introduction of Ph+ targeted drugs (TKIs). And for patients that fail to respond or relapse after TKIs, the prognosis remains grim. Dr. Cohen is studying why pediatric Ph+ ALL patients relapse (or fail to respond) to TKI treatment. Dr. Cohen has shown in early studies that combinations of TKIs and another new class of drugs can overcome TKI resistance. Because many of the drugs Dr. Cohen and his team are testing are commercially available, promising data from their research may move into future clinical trials.

Children's cancer can spread through the body by hiding from the bodys immune system. There are certain cells, called regulatory T cells, that make it easier for cancer to hide by turning down the bodys immune system. Children with cancer who have a higher number of these cells seem to have a poorer outcome. Additionally, some cancers have these cells inside them. Dr. Mathias's lab has made a drug that can kill regulatory T cells, and will test this drug in a model to see the effects of killing the regulatory T cells, hopefully helping the body to improve the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Sinha was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Myelodysplastic syndrome is a rare disease that affects the stem cells in the bone marrow, which causes decreased blood counts. It is also known to be a precursor to acute myeloid leukemia. Cellular mutations are present in majority of these cases, however the mechanisms of development of these mutations are still not clear. Dr. Sinha is studying these interactions, in order to identify new prognostic factors and therapeutic options for these patients. Awarded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and transferred to University of Oklahoma Health and Science Center.

Based on progress to date, Dr. John was awarded a new grant in 2018 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Unfortunately, even with intensive treatment, only 60% of children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will survive the disease. Intensifying standard therapies have failed to improve survival rates, so a new approach is needed. Dr. John is creating a novel receptor that will specifically target a marker on AML cells. He will put this new receptor on T-cells of the body, which will then target and kill the leukemia cells. Dr. John hopes to improve outcomes for pediatric AML with this grant.

This grant is generously supported by Super Soph's Pediatric Cancer Research Fund. Sophie Rossi was diagnosed with AML at 3 months of age. Throughout her courageous battle, she was always smiling, always joyful. This fund was created to honor her spunky, sweet spirit by funding research to find cures for AML and all childhood cancers.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Vasquez was awarded a new grant in 2017 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. Dr. Vasquez, the Tap Cancer Out St. Baldrick's Fellow, is investigating the human immune system's response to pediatric brain tumors and how it can be manipulated in order to develop new treatments. Immune therapies can be highly specific for cancer cells because they target proteins only found on the cancer while sparing the normal cells. This research is using nanoparticles that contain the target protein as well as medications that block other cells that dampen the immune system in order to increase the immune system's ability to kill the cancer cells.

This grant recognizes the partnership with Tap Cancer Out, a jiu-jitsu based 501(c)(3) nonprofit raising awareness and funds for cancer fighting organizations on behalf of the grappling community.

The immune system not only fights infection, but can also fight cancer cells. Recently, doctors have been able to use patients' own immune cells to help treat their cancer. Sometimes, cancer cells can hide from the immune cells. Dr. Richman, the Ben's Green Drakkoman St. Baldrick’s Fellow, aims to learn how cancer cells hide from immune cells, and how to make these cancer-killing immune cells more specific to tumor cells to avoid harming the patient's normal tissues.

This grant is named for the Ben's Green Drakkoman Fund, created to honor the memory of Ben Stowell who battled osteosarcoma with an inspiring determination to live life fully. The fund is named after a super hero Ben created named the Green Drakkoman who defeats his enemy, the Evil Alien.

Relapsed pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia is best treated by allogeneic stem cell transplant, including cord blood transplant. The significant number of children with persistent leukemia prior to transplant are at increased risk of post-transplant relapse and poor survival. As the Georgia and the Peachy Keens Hero Fund St. Baldrick's Fellow, Dr. Summers is working to prevent relapse by engineering cord blood donor T cells to target leukemia. The engineered T cells are infused following transplant to kill residual leukemia. This research aims to demonstrate that these cells are functional in eliminating leukemia.

A portion of the grant was named for the Georgia and the Peachy Keens Hero Fund created in honor of Georgia Moore and celebrates the 5th year past her cancer diagnosis. As a leukemia survivor, she inspires others to "just keep swimming" in raising awareness, hope, and research dollars.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Bhakta was awarded a new grant in 2017 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. While the increase cure rates for many childhood cancers is cause for celebration, researchers are increasingly recognizing the long-term consequences of cancer therapy. Recent studies have shown that survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for developing a wide range of long-term health problems and die at an earlier age due to the lifelong side effects of their curative therapies. Dr. Bhakta is investigating the magnitude of chronic health conditions experienced by survivors to inform future approaches for prevention and early detection to maximize long-term survival and quality of life.

A portion of the grant was generously supported by the Morgan and Friends Fund created to honor Morgan Loudon and celebrate her strength and determination as a cancer survivor while rallying family and friends to "battle on" in the search for cures and better treatments.

Most childhood cancer survivors develop complications associated with their treatment and many will require hospitalization. Dr. Smitherman is working to determine how often survivors are seen in an emergency department or hospitalized in the first years following completion of treatment. This research is also reviewing which medications are prescribed during this time to better understand what medical complications survivors are experiencing. With this knowledge, Dr. Smitherman hopes to prevent complications and improve survivors' quality of life.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Shah was awarded a new grant in 2017 to fund an additional year of this Fellow award. One challenge in caring for solid tumor patients is monitoring treatment response, as doctors currently use radiology studies that are unable to detect residual disease. Circulating tumor DNA is released by cancer cells into the patient’s bloodstream and carries tumor-specific mutations. Circulating tumor DNA could be used as a marker to measure tumor burden by a simple blood draw. Researchers recently developed a tool to measure circulating tumor DNA in lung cancer patients. Dr. Shah aims to design a similar tool for three common pediatric tumors.

This additional grant is made with generous support from the Dorian J. Murray Foundation which was created in honor and in memory of Dorian 'Dstrong' Murray who passed away from Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. The Foundation is committed to provide financial support to families of children fighting cancer, raise awareness and educate people and fund new and breakthrough research.

A portion of Dr. Shah's fellow award was named for the Sweet Caroline Fund, a Hero Fund created to honor the memory of Caroline Richards who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This fund pays tribute to her giving spirit and her compassion for others by supporting osteosarcoma research to help kids with cancer.