Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center

Congratulations to the ever-inspiring Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer! She is this year’s recipient of the Arnold J. Rudolph Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching from Baylor College of Medicine!

It’s a welcome recognition of the impact that she has had on trainees and on fostering the next generation of health leaders.

Thank you for sharing your passion for helping children and young adults with cancer – and inspiring so many people to continue this important work.

Congrats to Dr. Leonid Metelitsa at Texas Children's Hospital who is among six recipients of this year’s prestigious Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards for outstanding published scientific contributions!

2024 Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards The Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards recognize our faculty's outstanding published scientific contributions to clinical and basic science research over the past three years.

We had a blast with patients and families creating art during The Periwinkle Foundation's Making A Mark® Artapalooza at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center!

Thanks to Northwestern Mutual for presenting the event, which saw over 150 children and family members make and submit their artwork to the 34th exhibit. Submissions from past years can be viewed at the Making a Mark® digital gallery here: http://ms.spr.ly/6186YmmcY

Read more about the event here: http://ms.spr.ly/6187Ymmcl

Image credit: Larry Geiger Photography
http://ms.spr.ly/6188Ymmcm

New research from Texas Childrens Cancer and Hematology Center and Baylor College of Medicine has found that certain inherited genetic variations are associated with worse outcomes in rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer. The study, led by Dr. Philip Lupo, analyzed genetic data from over 550 children and young adults with rhabdomyosarcoma to identify variants that increase risk of metastasis and mortality. This work highlights the potential that genetic testing holds for informing treatment strategies.

Read more about the JAMA Network Open article here: http://ms.spr.ly/6181Ygovf

This year’s American Academy of Physician Associates Conference was hosted in Houston and was a huge success! The event offered opportunities for PAs to connect with over 6,000 attendees from diverse fields, present their work, moderate sessions, and participate in national research surveys that help shape the future of their clinical roles and medicine.

The conference took place between May 18 and 22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Individuals from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center attended, including Susan Kirk, who presented a talk titled "The CBC: Tips on Interpreting the Most Common Laboratory Test"; and Julie Klinger, Courtney Lee and Brandi Runnels, who served as AAPA delegates or session moderators.

Learn more about the 2024 AAPA conference here: http://ms.spr.ly/6182YgoUo

During , we sat down with Dr. Chintagumpala, the clinical director of our Brain Tumor Program. We discussed everything from what inspired him to become a neuro-oncologist to the best part of his job. 🧠

To learn more about the incredible work happening at our Brain Tumor Program, click here: http://ms.spr.ly/6189Ycm9l

Last week we were thrilled to host the first Faculty Awards Ceremony at Texas Children's Hospital Cancer and Hematology Center! The event, hosted by Director Dr. Susan Blaney, celebrated our Faculty's accomplishments, honored past Director Dr. David Poplack, and announced the 2024 Pediatric Hematology Oncology Quality Safety (PHOQS) Awardees!

Congratulations to inaugural PHOQS awardees Dr. Lisa Bomgaars and Kathleen Magee!

The heartfelt event was topped off with socializing and refreshments.

Thanks to everyone who made it and looking forward to next year's event!

Congrats to Dr. Bahey Salem, who was recently invited to join the Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma (TACL) Immune Effector Cell Therapy (IEC) Working Group. Members of this group are helping to advance innovative therapies for currently incurable leukemias and lymphomas of childhood.

At Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Salem is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology.

To learn more about Dr. Salem and TACL, see below:
http://ms.spr.ly/6182Ygocn
http://ms.spr.ly/6183YgocX

With beautiful Post Oak Hotel as the backdrop, 700 supporters were treated to an intimate 'Evening with Legends' David Foster (16 Grammys) & Katharine McPhee. The unforgettable night raised funds to the tune $1.25M for children with cancer and blood disorders!

Performances included iconic songs written by David Foster for the likes of Whitney Houston, Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton; billboard topping songs by McPhee; comedy filled banter between the two stars; and guest vocalists, including neuroblastoma survivor and aspiring chanteur, Layla Bourghesi, whose rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’ earned her a standing ovation and won over all the hearts in the room.

Thanks to everyone who made this legendary event a success! Especially event chairs Sue Smith, Shelly and Brian Hendry, and Limor and Stuart Smith; Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center’s Director Dr. Susan Blaney, Associate Director of Donor Relations Lisa McCoy, and Event Specialist Katie Dillon.

To learn more, see http://ms.spr.ly/6180YjnVn

Highlighting Maggie's story during Brain Tumor Awareness Month:

Last July, Maggie, just 2 years old, had a check-up for what her family thought was a stomach bug. Six hours later, they were rushing to our main campus for emergency surgery.

A CT scan revealed a tumor behind Maggie’s right ear that was causing a buildup of fluid in her brain. Doctors placed an external shunt to drain the fluid—and then performed a 12-hour procedure to remove the tumor. Afterwards, the family received more news—Maggie had Medulloblastoma, SHH-activated, a malignant tumor of the nervous system.

Maggie underwent 3 rounds of standard chemo followed by 3 rounds of high-dose chemo with stem cell rescue to help lessen the effects. During treatment, Maggie was surrounded by love and support from her family, oncology staff and Child Life team. This past February, Maggie had her final round of chemo and was cleared to recover at home. Now, her hair is beginning to grow back. Her family is excited to see what color it will be. 👶🏼

“Yes, it's hard, but you can do this,” says Maggie’s mom, Amanda. “It's scary and exhausting and there are so many unknowns, but you just have to keep going.” ♥️

Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center honored eight team members in the latest quarterly Bravo awards. This award, given by our Center’s clinical leadership, recognizes exemplary work in helping us care for our patients and families on a daily basis. Join us in congratulating Andrea Davis, Corbin Dodge, Ivin Varghese, Stephanie Hritcko, Rhea Noval, Sam Quintana, Jen Sullivan and Diane Vasquez!

Congratulations to Dr. Ajibike Lapite on receiving the American Society of Hematology Minority Hematology Fellow Award! We are so proud of you and excited to see the many significant contributions you will make to our field. A shout out to the The King Lab for outstanding mentorship!

Through providing salary support as well as funds to support hematology-focused research projects, the award encourages early-career researchers from communities underserved and underrepresented in hematology to pursue a career in academic hematology.

Thanks to everyone who attended the 20th Annual Research Symposium at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center!

The event featured two fascinating keynotes: one on the epigenetics of osteosarcoma by Dr. Sweet-Cordero from USCF; and another on precision transfusion medicine for sickle cell disease by Dr. Chou from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The day-long event also included opening and closing remarks by Dr. Susan Blaney.

By bringing together faculty and fellows, the symposium encouraged collaboration and discussion, while providing a venue for participants to communicate their research findings through oral and poster sessions.

Our Texas Children’s Hospital Liver Tumor Program is one of the largest in the country. Meet the multidisciplinary team of Baylor College of Medicine experts who provide state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment for pediatric liver tumors. Read more >> http://ms.spr.ly/6181YpthZ


The image depicts members of the team, who enrich the program by providing the following specialty and subspecialty expertise:
· Dr. Andras Heczey (program Director; oncology, CAR T cell immunotherapy; on right):
· Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan (program Co-Director; surgical oncology; third from left):
· Dr. Lola Lopez-Terrada (pathology; center):
· Dr. John Goss (liver transplantation & surgical management of liver tumors; not pictured):
· Dr. Prakash Masand (diagnostic radiology; on left)
· Dr. Daniel Leung (hepatology & liver transplantation; second from left)
· Dr. Kamlesh Kukreja (interventional radiology; second from right)

This wealth of experience is key to combining expert clinical care with groundbreaking treatment strategies so families can rest assured their child is in the right place.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are so grateful for the School Coordinator team at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center! Kennedy, Ashley, and Lindsey — thank you for all you do to help advance our patients’ academic journeys!

A huge congratulations to the eight Texas Children's nurses who were recognized by the Houston Chronicle as being in the top 200! We salute you!

Of these, our very own Sharon Staton made it to the top 15!

So thankful for these individuals, who, along with all of our nurses, inspire us everyday through their dedication, compassion and know how:

Reji Biju | Hematology Nurse Coordinator
Donna Daigle-Tinsley | Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse
April Lyle | Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic Manager
Jennifer Segovia | Hematology Oncology Nurse
Aleida Stark | Hemostasis and Thrombosis Nurse Coordinator
Sharon Staton | Bone Marrow Transplant Clinical Specialist
Alice Thomas | Solid Tumor Team Nurse Coordinator
Amy Valdez | West Campus Assistant Clinical Director

Read more >> http://ms.spr.ly/6180Ypz3G

Excited to share the results of our 2nd Research Elevator Pitch Competition! Hosted by our Director Dr. Susan Blaney, the event saw a panel of 5 judges score 18 pitches from faculty, who used compelling plain language to explain their research.

Congratulations to awardees, who are listed below with links to their Texas Children’s Hospital profiles:

1st place - Dr. Michael Taylor
http://ms.spr.ly/6181YPXjW

2nd place - Dr. Jennie Foster
http://ms.spr.ly/6182YPXjo

3rd place - Dr. Lauren Scherer
http://ms.spr.ly/6183YPXjU

“Telling our stories in a way that can be understood by a wider audience has never been more important. It’s our responsibility to ensure that we communicate the importance of our work, the impact we are having, and our how we are working every day to improve the lives of children and their families. A huge thank you to all the faculty members who participated. The quality of the pitches was exceptional, which made ranking them difficult, and made all of our competitors winners,” said Dr. Susan Blaney.

A symposium for Advanced Practice Providers at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center was held on April 26. The event brought together 40 APPs from across the hospital for a day of learning, connecting and sharing ideas.

The event covered multiple service areas – hematology, oncology, bone marrow transplant – and included presentations on topics that included palliative care, communication and professional development.

🔬 Exciting Breakthrough in Sarcoma Treatment!

A phase I clinical trial led by Dr. Meenakshi Hegde and Dr. Nabil Ahmed from Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine has shown promising results in treating advanced sarcoma. Published in Nature Portfolio, the findings show safety and clinical benefits.

The team used CAR T cell therapy to target the HER2 antigen, which is overexpressed in sarcoma cells. Multiple infusions were combined with lymphodepletion to improve expansion and persistence of the therapeutic cells.

This research, supported by various organizations including Stand Up To Cancer the National Cancer Institute, marks a significant step forward in sarcoma treatment.

Read more about the trial here: http://ms.spr.ly/6182YyzSs

Dr. Hegde’s profile: http://ms.spr.ly/6183YyzSt

Dr. Ahmed’s profile: http://ms.spr.ly/6184YyzSQ

CAR T cell therapy targeting HER2 antigen shows promise against advanced sarcoma in phase I trial Researchers at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and...

Congrats to Dr. Lisa Bouchier-Hayes Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center for receiving a prestigious NIH Research Matters R01 grant. The funding will support her project titled, “Inflammatory Caspase Activation in Sickle Cell Disease.” At Baylor College of Medicine, she is an Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology.
http://ms.spr.ly/6186Y8x3s

Congratulations to Dr. Leonid Metelitsa at Texas Children's Hospital, who has been named a recipient of the 2024 Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., Excellence in Research Awards from Baylor College of Medicine! Nice to see his contributions to cancer immunology and the development of novel immunotherapies recognized!

The award will be presented to him at an award ceremony on May 21, 2024.

Dr. Leonid S. Metelitsa, MD, PhD, is the Endowed Chair in Cancer Immunotherapy at Texas Children's Hospital. He is also Director, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy; Associate Director, Texas Children's Cancer Center; Co-Director, Neuroblastoma Program; and at Baylor College of Medicine, he is Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology.

Nice to see Dr. YoungNa Lee-Kim recognized for her leadership pediatric medical education! She has been invited to serve as the 2024-2025 Chair-Elect of the Fellowship Directors’ Executive Committee of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD). In this role, she will advance pediatric medical education, the cultivation of an inclusive learning environment and promotion of educational innovation.

At Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Dr. Lee-Kim serves as Fellowship Director and Director of Professional Education and Career Development. At Baylor College of Medicine, she is an Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology.
http://ms.spr.ly/6182YBIHu

Congratulations Dr. Casey McAtee for receiving two distinctions! He was invited to join the Society of Paediatric Oncology - SIOP's Programme for Advancing the Research Capacity (PARC) Scientific Committee; as well, he was invited to serve on the editorial board of the LWW Oncology Journals.

The SIOP PARC Scientific Committee aims to bolster evidence-based pediatric oncology clinical research in low- and middle-income countries to improve the care and cure of children with cancer. The Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology reports on major advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and blood diseases in children. Dr. McAtee is based in Lilongwe, Malawi where he contributes to Global Hematology Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE), a capacity-building partnership between Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and healthcare institutions throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. At BCM, Dr. McAtee is an Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology.

http://ms.spr.ly/6189YBI1R

Congrats to Dr. Cary Martinez, Chief, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center! She was selected to give a talk at the Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) 2024 Scientific Workshop in the Best Abstracts session.

During the presentation, she discussed her research on alternative donor stem cell sources for children with severe combined immune deficiency disease (SCID) from underrepresented populations. PIDC is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is focused advancing research into rare diseases.

Think we’re just in Texas? Think again. 🌍

Through our Global HOPE program in Malawi, we’re able to take care of patients like Precious. Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was 10 years old, Precious was referred to our team through the Dowa District hospital.

Spending time apart at the hospital was hard for Precious and his family. But after three years of treatment, he officially became cancer free!

Today, Precious is 16 years old. He’s back in school and dreams of being an international football player.

“Seeing Precious back on his feet has also been a huge relief on me,” said Precious’ mom. “For a moment I thought I would lose my child. I am honestly thankful to God for his healing mercies and the medical team for the good job and the motivation they rendered unto us during our journey.”

Learn more about our Global Hope program: http://ms.spr.ly/6182c2736

This week Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center welcomed three former NFL players to meet our researchers and see our physicians in action!

Thanks to Grainne Owen, Co-Founder and President of Curing Kids Cancer, for organizing the visit; and Drs. Susan Blaney and Eric Schafer for sharing their passion for what they do.

It was a pleasure to meet Ben Cavil, who played for Baltimore, San Diego and Philadelphia; Michael Holmes, who played for San Francisco, Buffalo and Miami; and, Reggie Rusk, who played for Tampa Bay, San Diego and Seattle.

Congrats to Dr. Lisa Bomgaars for being named the Vice Chair of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO)'s Quality and Safety Special Interest Group! In this role, she will advance global quality and safety initiatives for the care of pediatric hematology/oncology patients.

At Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Lisa is the Director of Clinical Research and Director of Quality and Safety. At Baylor College of Medicine, she is the Associate Vice Chair for Research for the Department of Pediatrics; a Professor of Pediatrics-Hematology-Oncology; and a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

Link to Dr. Bomgaars' Texas Children’s profile > http://ms.spr.ly/6182cI4pC

Congrats to Dr. Philip Lupo, who has been invited to serve as a member of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Initial Review Group’s (IRG) Developmental Biology Study Section (CHHD). The four-year position, which begins on July 1, 2024, will enable him to contribute to and help guide national biomedical research efforts.

At Texas Children's Hospital, Dr. Lupo is the Endowed Chair in Molecular Epidemiology; at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Dr. Lupo is the Director, Epidemiology and Population Sciences Program. At Baylor College of Medicine, he is the Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology; and a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

Link to Dr. Lupo’s Texas Children’s profile > http://ms.spr.ly/6186cQE0p