Grants Search Results

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: Consortium for Childhood Cancer Predisposition. For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Ou was awarded a new grant in 2022 and 2023 to fund an additional year of this Scholar grant. Due to the tumor and treatment damaging the developing brain, 60-80% of pediatric brain tumor survivors experience long-term neurocognitive impairment. There are two possible paths to improve outcomes: intervene the adverse brain development after treatment, or further optimize radiotherapy dose distribution in the brain before treatment. For the former, the question is to find at-risk patients to intervene after treatment. For the latter, the question is to find target brain regions, where changing radiation doses can potentially change outcomes. Both questions have been studied on the population-level, not on the individual level. This project aims to push our knowledge in these two fronts to the individual level. Dr. Ou is using data from 3 just finished clinical trials to find target patients and find target brain regions for radiation dose optimization. Compared to studies that consider one risk factor a time, Dr. Ou will consider a comprehensive set of risk factors to improve precision to the individual level. The results will allow him to design future larger-scale, multi-site retrospective replicative and eventually prospective clinical trials, to improve neurocognitive outcomes in this vulnerable population before and after treatment.

This grant is generously supported by the Grace for Good Fund, established in honor of Grace Carey and celebrates her survivorship from medulloblastoma. Her cancer journey began in 2007 when she was diagnosed at age 5 with a treatment regime that entailed surgery, proton beam therapy and chemotherapy. While Grace handled it all with minor setbacks, she now faces the physical, emotional and cognitive challenges wrought by the very medications and procedures that saved her life. This fund was inspired by Grace’s desire to help other kids with cancer and supports research of brain tumors and the multitude of challenges facing survivors post treatment.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

Eight out of ten children with cancer will be cured and will become long-term survivors. However, children with cancer experience serious side-effects during, and even after, finishing treatment that negatively affect their well-being. There is also variation and unpredictability in who will experience these side-effects. Additionally, despite the best treatments, some children are not cured and ultimately lose their fight against cancer. Dr. Wadhwa is examining the role played by body composition (fat and muscle) of children with cancer on side-effects and cure rates. The dose of chemotherapy has been based on height and weight. Dr. Wadhwa and colleagues believe that body composition plays an important role in how the chemotherapy is distributed in the various compartments of the body. They are using routinely performed CT scans to determine body composition and plan to identify a method to personalize the chemotherapy dose for each child and minimize serious side-effects but at the same time, maximize cure rates.

Based on progress to date, Dr. Stanton was awarded a new grant in 2022 and 2023 to fund an additional year of this Scholar grant.
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly aggressive and lethal pediatric cancer affecting children and adolescents and arises in the soft tissue and skeletal muscle of the extremities, head and neck, and reproductive organs. From the clinical perspective, although patient outcomes have improved in general, nevertheless survival rates for some RMS tumors remains at less than 30%. One particularly aggressive subtype is alveolar RMS which is driven by the occurrence of chromosomal translocations resulting in the generation of chimeric or fusion proteins between the PAX3 or PAX7 and the FOXO1 genes. These are known as fusion-positive RMS (FP-RMS) and are associated with reduced relapse-free survival and generally poorer outcomes. But researchers still have limited understanding of how the "fusion" gene itself is driving the tumor, and no subtype-specific therapies exist. Dr. Stanton aims to determine how the fusion gene works with a protein complex known as BAF, to alter the epigenetic state of the cell to keep them dividing and stop the cell from differentiating into mature muscle tissue. His team is exploring the mechanism of how the BAF complex regulates the epigenetic state and memory of the FP-RMS. Furthermore, using small-molecule drugs and genetic depletion strategies (CRISPR) they will determine if FP-RMS tumors are dependent on the BAF complex for survival. Finally, they are working to identify potential novel therapies for patients with aggressive and lethal FP-RMS, to improve their outcome.

The 2021 and 2022 portions of this grant is funded by and named for the Aiden's Army Fund. When he was 8 years old, Aiden Binkley was diagnosed with Stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma. He had a huge tumor in his pelvis and the cancer had metastasized to his lungs. But this bright, funny and courageous boy believed he got cancer so he could grow up to find a cure for it. Aiden’s story has inspired so many people and his vision to cure cancer is being carried on by Aiden’s Army through the funding of research. They will march until there is a cure!

The 2020 and 2023 portions of this grant is funded by and named for by Berry Strong, a St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund, established in honor of Caroline Berry. Diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma when she was 14, Caroline endured a two-year battle with courage and determination. Throughout treatments of radiation and chemotherapy and undergoing six surgeries, Caroline was a beacon of hope, unselfishly raising awareness and funding for research so no child would have to endure what she did. After a brief remission, scans revealed Caroline had relapsed and she passed away on Thanksgiving in 2018. Caroline is remembered as a bright light, creative, intelligent, funny and feisty who was always eager to share a smile with others. She continues to be an inspiration through the Berry Strong Hero Fund which will continue her legacy and her passion to raise awareness and fund the most promising childhood cancer research.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: Consortium for Childhood Cancer Predisposition. For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

Outcomes for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common pediatric cancer, are dependent on age, biological subtype, and early response to therapy. Survival for certain subgroups have improved by intensifying therapy. Patients with persistent leukemia after the first month of therapy have an increased risk of future relapse, regardless of underlying leukemia subtype or treatment protocol. Therefore, patients with even low levels of persistent leukemia receive intensified therapy to induce complete molecular remission prior to stem cell transplant, making therapeutic targeting of low level residual leukemia important in the frontline setting. However, the biological features of this minimal residual disease have not been assessed and therefore precision approaches are currently out of reach. Understanding the biology of residual leukemia has critical implications for ongoing therapy. Vulnerabilities specific to leukemia cells that have survived during the early phases can be an avenue for future clinical trials for this population of patients. The biology of these rare leukemia cells may also be a window into the broader dynamics of ALL eradication. Even in cases with great responses to induction therapy with no detectable disease, patients require years of therapy to reduce the risk of relapse, demonstrating the residual leukemia cells are present. Such undetectable residual leukemia likely has similar biology to low level residual leukemia. Dr. Alexander is combining proven clinical tools that carry rich prognostic information, with flow cytometry approaches to isolate rare leukemia cells, and to utilize novel genomic tools including single cell analysis to describe the biology of residual leukemia.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This grant funds a graduate student to complete work in pediatric oncology research for the summer. The experience may encourage them to choose childhood cancer research as a specialty. Millions of cells are formed every day in the developing brain of children. Medulloblastoma, a pediatric tumor, occurs when the proliferation of cells in the cerebellum (a lower part of the brain) becomes uncontrolled. The Notch pathway is a key mechanism that governs cell proliferation in many biological contexts. Aberrant up-regulation of Notch signals is associated with medulloblastoma. Re-gaining control of Notch could help cure medulloblastoma patients. The goal of the Rual laboratory is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that control Notch signals in brain cells and, thus, to define novel therapeutic targets for the benefit of medulloblastoma patients. This lab recently identified the L3MBTL3 gene as a new modulator of Notch signals. Importantly, previous studies have shown that the L3MBTL3 genes is deleted in medulloblastoma patients. These researchers hypothesize that the L3MBTL3 deletions observed in medulloblastoma patients result in the aberrant regulation of Notch signals, thus supporting tumorigenesis. In this project, the student is helping to test this hypothesis by studying the extent to which inhibiting L3MBTL3 modulate medulloblastoma tumor progression in models of medulloblastoma.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.

Pediatric acute leukemias are aggressive blood cancers that result in many childhood cancer deaths despite intensive treatments. Because these leukemias are highly sensitive to radiation, researchers have developed a technology called radioimmunotherapy. Radioimmunotherapy uses antibodies to deliver a radiation payload directly to cancer cells. Most existing radioimmunotherapies are directed against two cell surface proteins called CD33 or CD45. However, because these proteins are also found on many normal blood cells, the amount of radioimmunotherapy that can be safely given via CD33 or CD45 antibodies is limited.

As the recipient of the Emily Beazley's Kures for Kids Fund St. Baldrick's Research Grant, Dr. Walter is developing and rigorously testing a new form of radioimmunotherapy that is directed against CD123. CD123 is found on only a few normal blood cells but is heavily expressed on leukemia cells in most children with acute leukemia. Moreover, CD123 is particularly attractive as a target as it is widely overexpressed on underlying leukemic stem cells (the rare cells that have the ability to generate and fuel these cancers), whereas normal blood stem cells express little or no CD123. These studies are the first to test the value of CD123-targeting radioimmunotherapy and will guide researchers towards bringing this new, less toxic treatment to pediatric patients. At the age of 8, Emily was diagnosed with Stage III T-cell lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her cancer was extremely aggressive, and she bravely battled it through three relapses. Her family prayed for a miracle but discovered Emily herself was the miracle. She inspired a community to come together to show love and changed lives with her message: “You gotta stay strong, you gotta stay positive, no matter what happens.” Emily passed away in 2015 at age of 12. She often talked about her dream of starting a foundation that funded research. She named it “Kures for Kids”. Her family and friends carry on her dream and her mission with this Hero Fund.

This institution is a member of a research consortium which is being funded by St. Baldrick's: North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). For a description of this project, see the consortium grant made to the lead institution: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.