Damon Runyon News

Dr. Koldobskiy studies the ways that cancer cells rely on “epigenetic” modifications, or chemical marks that modify the expression of genes without a change in the genetic sequence itself. Variability of epigenetic marks allows cancer cells flexibility in turning genes on and off, and may account for resistance to treatment. By dissecting the mechanisms of epigenetic modification in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer in children, he aims to identify new targets for treatment.

Dr. Kentsis [Richard Lumsden Foundation Clinical Investigator] focuses on the discovery and development of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with refractory cancers, with immediate emphasis on therapy-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Recent advances in genomic technology revealed a daunting complexity of genetic lesions in some cancers, and surprising dearth of gene mutations amenable to therapy in others.

Analysis of tumor DNA has transformed cancer care, allowing researchers to identify unique vulnerabilities within some cancers and treat them with highly effective, yet tolerable, targeted therapies. Moreover, emerging technologies now allow detection and analysis of tumor DNA which is circulating freely within the blood of cancer patients. Such “liquid biopsies” hold promise in their ability to accelerate the delivery of targeted therapies to appropriate cancer patients, while also allowing noninvasive monitoring of treatment outcome. Dr.

The cost of gastrointestinal cancer care in older adults is high, and hospital readmission after major GI cancer surgery can be particularly costly. The Center for Medicare Services (CMS) estimates that around 75% of these readmissions are preventable. For these patients, early warning signs for dehydration, infection, or other complications, if noted earlier, would allow physicians to intervene and prevent readmission. Dr.

Chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) can cure otherwise deadly cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas. Unfortunately, there are many serious complications associated with these aggressive forms of therapy. A significant proportion of these complications have been associated with alterations in the microbiome - the bacteria, viruses and fungi that naturally live within and on us. Dr. Bhatt applies cutting-edge molecular, microbiology and computational biology approaches to understand how the microbiome may mediate these serious complications.

Prostate cancer is a clinically variable disease – some patients do well, while others do very poorly – and recent studies have shown clear molecular subtypes of prostate cancer that may explain this variability. Some subtypes of prostate cancer have underlying defects in repairing their DNA, making them potentially sensitive to therapies that exploit this deficiency. Dr. Barbieri [MetLife Foundation Clinical Investigator] is a surgeon scientist whose overall goal is to translate our understanding of the molecular basis of prostate cancer into near term benefits for patients.

Modern molecular characterization of tumors of the urinary bladder has illuminated cellular pathways that may be important for bladder cancer development. Dr. Arora is investigating the role played by a family of proteins called nuclear receptors in driving bladder cancer development and progression. These studies will provide insights into the fundamental basis of bladder cancer, while validating potential drug targets. Nuclear receptors are particularly attractive drug targets because they are highly amenable to modulation with drugs.

Despite improved outcomes for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma over the last two decades, a significant number of patients - about 40% in the most common type of lymphoma - will ultimately die from their disease. One of the major reasons for this is a lack of response to chemotherapy. Predicting how an individual patient will respond to treatment remains a major challenge. Current methods rely on risk factors measured prior to therapy; however, cancer is a dynamic process with dramatic changes throughout therapy. Dr.

Leukemia is, for some patients, an inherited disease that may affect multiple individuals within a single family. Similar to other diseases such as inherited breast cancer, we now understand that specific genes may increase an individual's risk for developing leukemia over the course of his or her lifetime. While an increasing number of genes involved in inherited leukemia have been identified, the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of leukemia and other blood cancers are less well understood.

Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nervous system that occurs in young children and is often lethal. An improved understanding of neuroblastoma tumorigenesis is urgently needed to catalyze development of innovative and effective therapies. Recent immunotherapy advances have provided optimism for the use of this treatment type in children with neuroblastoma. However, there is a desperate need for new molecules that can be safely and specifically targeted with immune-based therapeutic approaches.