St. Baldrick’s Foundation Welcomes Pediatric Sarcoma Expert to its Board of Directors

Houston, Texas (January 25, 2021) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, announces the appointment of Dr. Jason Yustein, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, to its board of directors.

Dr. Yustein has long been involved with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and its mission to conquer kids’ cancer. In 2009, Dr. Yustein was awarded a St. Baldrick’s Scholar grant to support his research focused on finding new treatments for Ewing sarcomas, osteosarcomas and rhabdomyosarcomas. Dr. Yustein has also participated in initiatives to raise money for childhood cancer research, including St. Baldrick’s head shaving events.

“It is a tremendous honor to become a member of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation Board of Directors,” Dr. Yustein said. “Over the past two decades, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation has become an essential presence and advocate for the pediatric cancer community. I look forward to continuing my efforts in supporting the mission and goals of this incredible organization.”

Dr. Yustein also serves on the St. Baldrick’s Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee, a widely respected group of pediatric oncology researchers charged with advising the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in all matters related to childhood cancer research since 2012. He is also a member of the Foundation’s Advocacy Committee.

“We first came to know Dr. Yustein and his work as a St. Baldrick’s Scholar and grant reviewer. Later he joined our Scientific Advisory Committee and helped us shape our research and advocacy strategy. We look forward to accelerating progress as a result of his thought leadership,” said Kathleen Ruddy, St. Baldrick’s Foundation CEO. “Dr. Yustein is in this for all the best reasons and he will be a wonderful addition to the Board of Directors.”

Dr. Yustein is Co-Associate Director for Cancer Education and Career Enhancement for the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research concentrates on pediatric bone tumors, focusing on osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, which are the two most common bone tumors in the pediatric population. He is member of the Ewing Sarcoma as well as the Osteosarcoma Biology Committees of the Children’s Oncology Group. He is also a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Ewing Sarcoma Drug Task Force. This task force was formed to identify, prioritize and recommend therapeutic approaches and treatment regimens for upcoming COG clinical trials.

Dr. Yustein received his M.D./Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, his pediatric residency training at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and his pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute.

He has also been actively engaged in the training of numerous undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, clinical fellows and junior faculty. He provides numerous lectures for the medical and graduate schools and he is also director of two graduate level cancer courses at the Baylor College of Medicine. He has received several awards including the prestigious Fulbright-Jaworski Teaching award.

Dr. Yustein is married to Gabrielle Moses and they have three children, Doran, Elias, and Liora.

To learn more about St. Baldrick’s, visit www.StBaldricks.org, and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Every 2 minutes a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is on a mission to give kids a lifetime by supporting the most promising research to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. When you give to St. Baldrick’s, you don’t just give to one hospital – you support virtually every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick’s ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the development of new therapies, to life-saving clinical trials. Join us at StBaldricks.org and help #GiveKidsaLifetime.

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