Damon Runyon News

Renier J. Brentjens, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon-Lilly Clinical Investigator ‘06-‘11) and colleagues at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, reported the success of immunotherapy treatment in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This is the largest clinical study conducted thus far; it showed that 88 percent of patients achieved complete remissions after being treated with their own T immune cells, which had been genetically modified to target and attack the cancer cells.

William Y. Kim, MD (Damon Runyon-Merck Clinical Investigator ‘09-‘14) of University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, and colleagues, reported the results of a comprehensive genetic analysis of 262 invasive bladder cancer tumors. The researchers found that the disease shares genetic similarities with two forms of breast cancer, basal-like and luminal. They hope that the identification of these subtypes will lead to improved diagnosis as well as effective targeted therapies for bladder cancer.

Jean Y. Tang, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator ‘11-‘14) of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, and colleagues, reported that a common inexpensive anti-fungal drug, called itraconazole, may be useful in treating basal cell carcinoma (the most common form of skin cancer). The drug was tested in a Phase II clinical trial with 29 patients who had a total of 101 tumors. Within a month, the size and spread of tumors had decreased in most patients. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Pardis C. Sabeti, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘04-‘06), Harvard University, Cambridge, was named one of three recipients of the 2014 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science.  The awards from the Vilcek Foundation recognize young foreign-born biomedical scientists, 38 years old or younger, who demonstrate outstanding early achievement.

Adam de la Zerda, PhD (Dale F. Frey Scientist ‘13, Damon Runyon Fellow ‘11-‘12) of Stanford University, Stanford, was named to the Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” list in Science and Healthcare for 2014. Adam is using sound waves to image the body at the molecular level, applying the technology to take pictures of brain tumors, blood, and living mice. Those on this list are described as the “brightest young stars” of their generation.

A team of researchers including Akinyemi I. Ojesina, MBBS, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘08-‘11) and Matthew L. Meyerson, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘95-‘98) of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute, Cambridge, reported genome sequencing results for 115 cervical cancer patient tumor samples. The researchers identified genetic mutations not previously found in cervical cancer, including at least one for which targeted treatments exist for other forms of cancer.

Nathanael S. Gray, PhD (Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator ‘08-‘10), of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, was honored as the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Meyenburg Cancer Research Award. He was recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing first-in-class chemical inhibitors for protein kinases, which are potential targets to treat cancer and other diseases.

Election to the Institute of Medicine is one of the highest honors that can be earned in the fields of medicine and health.  In recognition of their outstanding achievements, two Damon Runyon alumni were inducted this month:

Helen M. Piwnica-Worms, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘84-‘85, Former Fellowship Award Committee Member), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Danny F. Reinberg, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘83-‘85), New York University School of Medicine, New York City

James E. Rothman, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘76-‘78) of Yale University, New Haven, was named a recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shares the honor with Randy W. Schekman (Former Damon Runyon Fellowship Sponsor) and Thomas C. Südhof “for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells.”  Dr. Rothman is the twelfth Damon Runyon Scientist to be named a Nobel Laureate. 

The intent of the NIH High-Risk High-Reward Research Awards is to encourage investigators to explore bold ideas that have the potential to catapult fields forward and speed the translation of research into improved health.  We congratulate the Damon Runyon scientists who are recipients of these awards.

2013 NIH Pioneer Awards:
Michael Z. Lin, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator ‘13-‘15), Stanford University, Stanford
Mark J. Zylka, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘00-‘03), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill