St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Rising Stars of Cancer Research present in next week's The Science of Childhood Cancer virtual lecture series. The double feature hosts rising stars Kira Bona, MD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and Matt Ehrhardt, MD, MS, Associate Member at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.     Join us as Dr. Bona talks “Poverty as a "druggable" target: opportunities and challenges for health equity research," and Dr. Ehrhardt discusses a “Guideline development and delivery of precision-survivorship care” on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 12 pm CT/1 pm ET. Register to attend and view previous lectures. https://bit.ly/4bkwiP5 

A multinational effort with St. Jude researcher, Marcin Wlodarski and collaborators at the helm created new guidelines for Diamond Blackfan anemia syndrome treatment, helping identify and treat the rare congenital disease using the most recent research and clinical experience. Learn more about those new DBA treatment guidelines in The Lancet Hematology. https://lnkd.in/gJ4kFUBE

Hongbo Chi, PhD, has been elected as a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science Family of Journals, AAAS elects members annually whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science, or its applications, are scientifically or socially distinguished. Chi's induction recognizes his contributions to immunology and immunometabolism. His work in T-cell metabolism has led to a deeper understanding of the interplay between metabolism and immunity. “I am honored to be named a Fellow of such a prestigious organization,” said Chi, a faculty member and the Robert G. Webster Endowed Chair in Immunology at St. Jude. “This recognition highlights the work we do at St. Jude that is changing the field of immunology.” Chi is the most recent St. Jude faculty member selected as an AAAS Fellow. Other St. Jude honorees include Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, PhD; Victor Torres, PhD; Doug Green, PhD; Chuck Rock, PhD; Relling Mary, PharmD; Oliver, Guillermo, PhD; Charles Sherr, MD, PhD; James R. Downing, M.D.; Peter Doherty, PhD; Ching Hon Pui, MD; Joseph Simone, MD; and William Evans, PharmD. Join us in celebrating Hongbo Chi, PhD, and learn more about his contributions that continue to help researchers and clinicians find new ways to treat patients and improve their quality of life: https://bit.ly/49ZWf4K #AAAS #StJudeResearch #Immunology

Amid evolving circumstances, Richard Webby, PhD, a St. Jude virologist and influenza expert, believes it is still possible to eradicate the bird flu (H5N1) virus from dairy farms, but effective control measures are dependent on the scope of the outbreak.    “You’d want to go not just to the places you knew there was activity and cows — you want to go to places where at least there’s no reported bird flu”, Webby said in The New York Times.     The FDA continues to monitor the spread of bird flu in cattle, with the latest turn in the story showing fragments of H5N1 in roughly 20 percent of retail milk samples in a national study. However, live virus has not been found in any samples and regulators have found no evidence that milk poses a danger to consumers because the pasteurization process inactivates the virus.    Although there is no cause for immediate concern, eradication is important because sustained spread among cows would give the virus time to acquire mutations that could make it transmissible among humans. The outbreak among cows remains a low threat, as cows are not exhibiting symptoms of H5N1 and are recovering. https://bit.ly/4bfpD8e   #H5N1 #Virology #BirdFlu 

Sriram Venneti, MD, PhD, an Associate Professor of Pathology and Pediatrics and Scientific Research Director at the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at the University of Michigan Medical School, will present "Metabolism and epigenetics as integrated drivers of childhood brain cancer" as part of The Science of Childhood Cancer lecture series. Join us on May 2, 2024, at 12 pm/1 pm ET as Venneti identifies core mechanisms at the interface of epigenetics and cancer metabolism that drive childhood brain cancers in his lecture. Register to attend and view previous lectures. https://bit.ly/4bkwiP5

Volunteers at St. Jude are the heart and soul of the institution. Volunteers serve patients, their families and staff through everyday acts of selflessness and kindness. They provide respite care in clinical settings, deliver beverages, toys, and help families in the cafeteria and beyond. St. Jude Volunteers are a steady source of comfort in moments that require immense courage. Join us in celebrating the 224 individuals who make each day possible this National Volunteer Week! #Wehonoryou Hospital volunteers make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients, their families and the daily operations of St. Jude. Explore opportunities. https://bit.ly/3QhhEzk

As we age, our capacity for learning naturally wanes, but a recent study published in Cell Reports reveals the neurochemical gatekeeper to learning and the key to unlocking it. The brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout life is driven by its plasticity, the ability for neurons to form new connections or alter existing ones. In infants, it is a constantly shifting network, shaped by the environment. As we age, our priorities shift, we learn and interact with our environment. Stanislav Zakharenko, MD, PhD, and his colleagues demonstrated in 2017 in Science the release of adenosine reduces plasticity in neuronal cells, impeding both the strengthening and weakening of connections crucial for learning. However, juvenile-like plasticity can be restored through genetic disruption of adenosine production, or inhibition of its target, the A1–adenosine receptor. “Plasticity happens if you remove adenosine from the equation. You can achieve this if you pair sound with activation of neuro-modulatory systems,” Zakharenko explained. “When a sound becomes significant, which is telegraphed by neuro-modulatory systems, the representation of how the sound is understood expands.” Understanding the interplay of sound-evoked adenosine release (SEAR) and neuromodulator activation offers insights into maintaining cortical plasticity throughout life. By establishing these findings, we are one step closer towards further insights on the development of our cognitive functions. Learn more at https://ow.ly/2vKj50Rlq1Y #Neuroscience #Neuroscience #Research

A new drug may prove lifesaving for patients affected by collateral damage from the influenza virus. The flu virus can cause life-threatening or lethal lung damage in patients. Scientists at St. Jude, University of Houston, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Fox Chase Cancer Center developed a new preventative therapy, the drug UH15-38. Scientists took a ‘Goldilocks’ approach to treating inflamed cells. Too many of the infected cells generate runaway inflammation, and too little cannot clear the virus. To find balance, they used UH15-38 to prevent accidental cell death, maintaining properties of cell death of inflammatory cells. It was found that to treat flu-related infection, providers should administer modern antiviral drugs within days from the initial infection to be most effective. The drug may fill a currently unmet need for patients with severe disease who have been infected for days before visiting a doctor. "This drug can do something we've never seen before," said co-corresponding author Paul Thomas, PhD, Department of Host-Microbe Interactions. "We're able to start five days after the initial infection and show that we're still providing some benefit." During a series of tests, it was proved that the new drug protected against lethal influenza. Models were protected days into infection, a difficult achievement for a flu therapeutic. This is a breakthrough result for understanding how influenza and the immune system interact to cause lung injury. Read more. https://bit.ly/3JbNfye

Major progress has been made in understanding biology of childhood cancers, but very few new medicines have been introduced in standard of care. In his The Science of Childhood Cancer lecture, “Accelerating therapeutic innovations for children and adolescents with cancer,” GILLES VASSAL, MD, PhD, of Gustave Roussy answers how to speed up development of pediatric cancer medicines and address unmet medical needs.     Join us on April 25, 2024, at 12pm/1pm ET, for discussion on accelerating therapeutic innovations. As the spring season of the Science of Childhood Cancer comes to a close, watch missed lectures now. https://bit.ly/4bkwiP5

St. Jude has named Andrew Smith, MD, PhD, Diagnostic Imaging chair, welcoming a nationally recognized academic radiologist with expertise in body and oncologic imaging, clinical trials and imaging research and the application of AI in imaging and medicine. “I was drawn to the mission of St. Jude and the opportunity to make a difference for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases,” Smith said. Smith’s shared vision for St. Jude to become a global leader in cancer imaging includes integrating new AI solutions in clinical trials and practice. With so many advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms can help clinicians plan treatments, identify precise target areas for intervention, optimize surgical procedures, and deliver targeted therapies while minimizing the risk of adverse effects, leading to improved patient outcomes and quality of life. Welcome to St. Jude, Dr. Smith. https://ow.ly/EgaT50RgqKu #AIinMedicine #DiagnosticImaging #StJudeResearch