News and Events

Steven A. Rosenberg and Louis M. Staudt receive HHS Departmental Awards

Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Louis M. Staudt, M.D., Ph.D. are 2021 Health and Human Services (HHS) Departmental Award recipients. Rosenberg, Chief of the Surgery Branch, is a recipient of the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service, the highest honor granted by HHS. The award recognizes senior leaders for their sustained excellence. Staudt, Chief of the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, is a recipient of the Career Achievement Award, which recognizes ten or more years in HHS and dedication and loyalty to the Department.

Microscopic image of oral chronic graft-versus-host disease

Collaborative study leads to FDA approval of belumosudil for chronic graft-versus-host disease

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved belumosudil on July 16, 2021, for people 12 years and older with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after failure of at least two prior lines of systemic therapy. Chronic GVHD is a complex condition that can be life threatening and occurs when donated stem cells attack healthy tissues in a patient’s body. Steven Z. Pavletic, M.D., M.S., Senior Clinician in the Immune Deficiency Cellular Therapy Program, guided CCR’s involvement in the pivotal consortium study that led to FDA approval of belumosudil. Pavletic was part of the trial clinical leadership at CCR, one of the 28 centers that enrolled study patients. The study found belumosudil to be safe and well-tolerated, and it may have the potential to improve overall patient well-being.

Clinical trial studies six-drug combination aimed at relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma

Christopher J. Melani, M.D., Assistant Research Physician in the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, is leading a study to see whether a combination of six drugs is safe and can help people with both aggressive and indolent B-cell lymphoma.

Sheue-yann Cheng receives 2021 Valerie Anne Galton Lectureship Award

Sheue-yann Cheng, Ph.D., Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, is the first recipient of the 2021 Valerie Anne Galton Distinguished Lectureship Award from the American Thyroid Association. This award recognizes an individual who has been instrumental in collaborative research that has significantly contributed to the advancement of clinical knowledge of thyroid conditions.

Protein that drives aggressive liver cancer identified

Cancers with more protein diversity (heterogeneity) tend to be more aggressive and less responsive to treatment. CCR researchers led by Xin Wei Wang, Ph.D., Deputy Chief of the Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis and co-Director of the CCR Liver Cancer Program, have identified a protein that may drive an evolution toward greater heterogeneity in two forms of liver cancer.

A conversation with Troy A. McEachron, Ph.D.

Troy A. McEachron, Ph.D., Investigator in the Pediatric Oncology Branch, studies osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in children and young adults. In a new Q&A, he discusses the intriguing differences between the tumor microenvironments of primary and metastatic osteosarcomas as well as his personal goal for increasing the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical research.

Immune cells promote breast cancer’s metastasis to the brain in young mice

Animal studies led by Patricia S. Steeg, Ph.D., Deputy Chief of the Women’s Malignancies Branch, suggest that younger immune systems promote breast cancer’s metastasis to the brain — but that the risk can be reduced by triggering immune changes that usually occur later in life.

International study of rhabdomyosarcoma finds genetic clues, potential for tailored therapy

New findings from the largest-ever international study on rhabdomyosarcoma – the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children – suggest that children with the disease could benefit from tumor genetic testing. Javed Khan, M.D., Deputy Chief of the Genetics Branch, led the study.

New study tests therapy in patients with hemorrhagic cystitis after bone marrow transplant

Jennifer A. Kanakry, M.D., Associate Research Physician in the Experimental Transplantation and Immunotherapy Branch, is leading CCR’s participation in a study of a drug, Viralym-M, that targets six viruses that can cause hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) in people who have had a hematopoietic cell transplant. Researchers are most interested in Viralym-M’s ability to clear the symptoms of HC faster than a placebo and evaluating Viralym-M’s effect on five other viruses.

Howard A. Young receives 2021 ICIS Mentorship Award

Howard A. Young, Ph.D., Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, is the first recipient of the newly established International Cytokine & Interferon Society (ICIS) Mentorship Award. This award recognizes ICIS members who have made significant and sustained contributions to the career development of trainees and to the profession through outstanding mentoring.

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