Stanford Cancer Institute

We were honored to have Lorenzo nardo, MD, PhD, from University of California, Davis - School of Medicine, as our guest speaker for this month's Stanford Cancer Institute Breakthroughs in Cancer seminar. His presentation, Long Axial Field of View PET/CT: Current State," is available for viewing here: https://lnkd.in/gXeuFM3N

While some people with cancer have pre-existing disabilities, most patients are newly disabled as a result of their cancer diagnosis and encounter unique challenges related to their treatments. #inclusionmatters #disabilityrights

The use of molecularly specific radiolabeled drugs to both detect and treat cancer – termed “theragnostics” – is experiencing unprecedented growth. However, only a few molecular targets are addressed by the handful of existing radiopharmaceuticals, and these treatments are not widely available. A team of researchers, led by Stanford Cancer Institute member Katherine Ferrara, PhD, Division Chief of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) and Professor of Radiology at Stanford Medicine, has been awarded an up to $35 million federal contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to innovate precision radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy. The Micro-Radiolabeling for Imaging and Therapy (MiRIT) research team includes scientists at Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles and DropletPharma Corp, bringing together leading experts in nuclear medicine, cancer diagnosis and therapy, protein design, radiopharmaceutical science and microscale technology. Read more: https://stan.md/3TThYpI #nuclearmedicine #radiopharmaceuticals @stanfordradiology

Congratulations to our new Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Fellows. This prestigious fellowship is awarded to exceptional postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators. Layla J. Barkal, MD, PhD, with her sponsor Michael A. Fischbach, PhD Dr. Barkal is investigating how to harness the immunomodulatory properties of S. epi to develop a new class of T cell immunotherapy that is potent and tumor antigen-specific, avoiding the systemic side effects associated with current immunotherapies. David S. Roberts, PhD [Connie and Bob Lurie Fellow], with his sponsor Carolyn R. Bertozzi, PhD Dr. Roberts' research aims to molecularly define cell surface glycosylation and understand the role of glycosylation in driving cancer immunosuppression. Simon Sretenovic, PhD [Connie and Bob Lurie Fellow], with his sponsor Lars M. Steinmetz, PhD Dr. Sretenovic is using both yeast and human cell lines to model various properties of cancerous cells as complex genetic traits. Combining novel CRISPR genome editing approaches with next-generation sequencing technology, he aims to dissect the intricate relationships between genetic variants, chemical and physical environmental factors, and phenotypic outcomes (i.e., observable characteristics). Read more: https://bit.ly/47QwRyS

Stanford Cancer Institute leader Tanja Gruber, MD, PhD, shares her dedication to offering hope to children with high-risk leukemia. As a physician-scientist at Stanford Children's Health | Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, she combines her clinical expertise with research in her laboratory. She oversees clinical trials, aiming to bring new treatments, and highlights the importance of celebrating the small victories along the way. https://bit.ly/4dp5PzA #Childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #childhoodcancer #leukemia

Ten percent of childhood cancers are associated with a cancer predisposition syndrome caused by mutations to genes that prevent tumor growth or that drive cell growth and division. #ChildhoodCancer #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #GenomicTesting #precisionmedicine #PediatricCancer #HereditaryCancer 

A past Stanford study using engineered immune cells to treat pediatric solid tumors showed promising results in a mouse model. Now, that therapy is being tested in its first clinical trial. The phase 1 clinical trial will evaluate the safety of the therapy and observe a therapeutic response in pediatric patients. The trial’s first patient received their first treatment in September 2024. The therapy uses chimeric antigen receptor T cells, or CAR-T cells, which are modified T cells from the patient’s body engineered to target specific markers on the cancer cells. CAR-T cells are grown in vitro and then infused into the patient to treat the cancer. This study’s CAR-T cells target the B7-H3 antigen on cancer cells. B7H3 is expressed in many solid tumors and some brain tumors in both children and adults. Read more: https://stan.md/3ZA17Md #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #ChildhoodCancer #CellTherapy #CarTCellTherapy

The 2024 Stanford Cancer Institute's Comprehensive Cancer Research Training Program (CCRTP) was a resounding success. Marking CCRTP's 16th anniversary, the event offered three days of learning and networking opportunities. The program featured a range of informative plenary sessions and half-day sessions focusing on key scientific themes, including Breast Cancer, Brain Cancer, Drug Discovery and Development, Hematologic Malignancies, and AI and Cancer. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from distinguished Stanford faculty, who shared their expertise on current topics in basic, translational, and clinical cancer research. A highlight of the event was the poster sessions, where learners showcased their research work and engaged with faculty, colleagues, and peers. These sessions provided a platform for emerging researchers to present their findings, exchange ideas, and foster professional connections in a collaborative environment. Thank you to everyone involved for making this event a huge success! View photos of the event here: https://bit.ly/4eyQ0rl #CancerResearch #StanfordCancer

The Stanford Cancer Institute Office of Cancer Health Equity invites you to the SCI Bridging the Gap Health Equity Symposium, which will bring together Stanford Cancer Institute members, researchers, and community members. This gathering will address critical issues in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and barriers to equitable care. On October 31st, on Stanford University's campus, we will explore pressing issues in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and barriers to equitable care. This event is an excellent opportunity to connect with professionals in the field, deepen our understanding of these challenges, and contribute to advancing cancer care for everyone. We look forward to your participation and contributions to this important conversation. Date: October 31, 2024 Location: Li Ka Shing Center, Stanford, CA Register today: https://stan.md/3B9zAHq #HealthEquity #StanfordCancer

You may be interested in a tool if you have issues with telomeres (those “caps” of noncoding material at the ends of each chromosome) when using long-read sequencing for your genomic research. Stanford Cancer Institute director Steven Artandi, MD, PhD, and team have developed a method that produces high-resolution, high-throughput measurements of individual, intact telomeres using nanopore sequencing.   National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded researchers used machine learning to develop a new approach for digitally measuring telomeres via nanopore long-read sequencing. With their approach, they were able to distinguish between healthy people and those with telomere disorders, some of which can set the stage for cancer. As noted by Artandi, “Digital telomere measurement (DTM) gives us the ability to measure telomere lengths using whole-genome, long-read sequencing from human samples with unprecedented accuracy.” He added, “There’s been such a paucity of telomere content information relative to the rest of the human genome. This is due, in part, to the crude nature of our current technologies to measure telomere length. Our study confirms that DTM is a useful tool for clinical investigations of these elusive structures—giving us insight into how they’re inherited over time, as well as how they impact cells and lead to diseases as well as aging.”  https://bit.ly/3ZtJGgd