News and Events

Brigitte C. Widemann selected as a 2021 Sammies finalist

Brigitte C. Widemann, M.D., Chief of the Pediatric Oncology Branch, has been selected as one of 29 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal (Sammies) finalists. These finalists are outstanding federal employees who serve the public good and are addressing many of our country’s greatest challenges. Widemann is nominated in the Science and Environment category for her pioneering clinical studies that led to Food and Drug Administration approval of selumetinib as the first treatment for children with neurofibromatosis type 1 who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas.

Clinical trial evaluates COVID-19 vaccine in adults in treatment for cancer

Adults with hematologic malignancies or solid tumors may be eligible to participate in a new clinical trial at the NIH Clinical Center. Elad Sharon, M.D., M.P.H., Senior Investigator at the National Cancer Institute, is leading a study to assess the effects of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1273) in adults undergoing treatment for various types of cancer.

Personalized approach to prostate cancer diagnosis could mean less invasive biopsies

Systematic and MRI-guided biopsies can each find cancers that the other technique can miss — but not everyone needs both. According to a new analysis, magnetic resonance imaging can be used to determine which biopsy approach is appropriate for an individual.

Vinay K. Pathak receives Cozzarelli Prize

Researchers led by Vinay K. Pathak, Ph.D., Senior Investigator in the HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, received the 2020 Cozzarelli Prize in the Biomedical Sciences class for their PNAS publication “HIV-1 uncoats in the nucleus near sites of integration.” The Cozzarelli Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to the scientific disciplines represented by the National Academy of Sciences.

Near-infrared compounds for visualizing enzymatic activity in living organisms

New fluorescent probes developed that can help clinicians pinpoint cancer metastases

New chemical compounds developed by CCR researchers and clinicians are safe and highly effective in fluorescently highlighting microscopic metastases. The new compounds could have great utility in complex living systems based on experiments done in mouse models of metastatic human ovarian cancer.

Stem cell transplant after CAR T-cell therapy effective for young leukemia patients

In a clinical trial, CCR physician-scientists found that long-term survival for young patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia was significantly better for those who received CD19-CAR T-cell therapy followed by a stem cell transplant. As a result of these findings, use of stem cell transplant is now recommended following CAR T-cell therapy.

Manufactured CAR T cells ready for infusion into a patient

FDA approves BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma

The Food and Drug Administration approved idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma) for people with multiple myeloma that has not responded to or has returned after at least four different prior cancer treatments. The approval is based, in part, on earlier clinical work led by James N. Kochenderfer, M.D., Senior Investigator in the Surgery Branch.

In Memoriam: George Vande Woude, Ph.D. (1935-2021)

The CCR community mourns the recent death of longtime National Cancer Institute colleague, George Vande Woude, Ph.D. He was an expert in molecular oncology and discovered the human MET oncogene.

New tool predicts which treatments may work best in cancer patients

A new precision oncology software tool, called SELECT, analyzes tumor transcriptomics data to predict which therapies are most beneficial for an individual patient. When applied to data from over 30 different clinical trials, SELECT was predictive of patient responses to targeted and immune therapies in about 80 percent of the trial datasets.

CCR scientists and alumni honored by the American Association for Cancer Research

Several CCR scientists and alumni will be awarded for their exceptional contributions to cancer research at this year’s American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held virtually April 10-15 and May 17-21.

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