Updates

Cancer and Hematology Center

 Faculty Awards and Recognitions

Lisa Bouchier-Hayes, PhD

Bouchier-Hayes awarded $3.5m NIH grant for sickle cell research (Baylor College of Medicine - April 25, 2024)
Dr. Lisa Bouchier-Hayes was awarded a $3,596,803 R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health for her project, Inflammatory Caspase Activation in Sickle Cell Disease. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Hematology-Oncology.

Casey L. McAtee, MD, MPH

McAtee to serve on SIOP Research Committee (Baylor College of Medicine - April 19, 2024)
Dr. Casey McAtee has been invited to serve on the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP)'s Programme for Advancing the Research Capacity (PARC) Scientific Committee. PARC 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. 

Dr. McAtee has also been invited to join the editorial board of the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, which reports on major advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and blood diseases in children. 
 
Dr. McAtee is an Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology. He 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.

Leonid S. Metelitsa, MD, PhD

Metelitsa earns Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. Excellence in Research Award (Baylor College of Medicine - April 19, 2024)
Dr. Leonid Metelitsa has been named a recipient of the 2024 Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., Excellence in Research Awards from Baylor College of Medicine, recognizing his contributions to cancer immunology and the development of novel immunotherapies. Dr. Metelitsa 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.

Pediatric cancer grants awarded (Baylor College of Medicine - March 29, 2024) 


Dr. Andras Heczey, associate professor of pediatrics hematology and oncology, was awarded a $800,000 grant from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for his project, Synthetic gene expression regulator switches (SynGERS) expressed in CAR T cells to cure children with solid tumors.

Dr. Debananda Pati, professor of pediatrics hematology and oncology, was awarded a $1.5 million grant from the United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (Department of Defense) for his project, Development of novel separase inhibitors from the natural products to treat refractory breast cancers.

Dr. Pavel Sumazin, an associate professor of pediatrics hematology and oncology, was awarded an R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health for his project, Discovery of chemoresistant tumor subclones in pediatric liver cancers. 

Carl E. Allen, MD, PhD

Allen named Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Pediatrics (Baylor College of Medicine - April 5, 2024)
Dr. Carl Allen has been named Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Pediatrics. In this role, he will work with colleagues to optimize the health of children and young adults through research and innovation. He is also a Professor of Pediatrics-Hematology-Oncology; and at Texas Children’s he is the Milton and Allene Nirken Chair in Pediatric Oncology; the Director of Research for Global Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE); and Co-Director of both the Histiocytosis and Lymphoma Programs.

YoungNa J. Lee-Kim, MD, MEd

Dr. YoungNa Lee-Kim 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). She will also serve as Chair of this committee in 2025-2026 and Past Chair in 2026-2027. APPD aims to lead the advancement of pediatric medical  education, the cultivation of an inclusive learning environment and promotion of educational innovation.

Dr. Lee-Kim is an Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology. At Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, she serves as Fellowship Director, and the Director of Professional Education and Career Development.

Eveline Barbieri, MD, PhD
Maria Monica Gramatges, MD, PhD

Dr. Eveline Barbieri and Dr. Monica Gramatges received investigator research awards from Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

Lisa R. Bomgaars, MD, MS

Dr. Lisa Bomgaars has been appointed 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.

Dr. Michael D. Taylor served as the latest prestigious Viking Lecturer. Using a highly motivational approach, he delivered three plenary lectures—each focusing on a different aspect of the link between research and neurosurgery in the field of pediatric brain tumors.

Philip J. Lupo, PhD, MPH

Lupo appointed to Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Initial Review Group’s (IRG) Developmental Biology Study Section (Baylor College of Medicine - March 29, 2024)
Dr. Philip Lupo 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.

Pediatric faculty and trainee earn grants & honors (Baylor College of Medicine - March 18, 2024) 


Dr. Mohammad Abu Arja, clinical fellow in pediatrics – hematology and oncology, has been awarded a St. Baldrick’s Foundation Fellows Grant for $195,000. This project will allow Abu Arja to further investigate a unique subset of killer CAR-T cells to fight brain tumors. Read more here. 

Dr. Jennie Foster, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, has been invited to serve as mentor for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Leadership Award (CILA). CILA is a three-year career and leadership development program designed to provide clinical cancer researchers with advanced clinical trials knowledge, leadership skills, mentorship and sponsorship to succeed as independent clinical researchers, team members and leaders. 

Dr. Lisa Kahalley, professor and associate chief of research for the psychology division in the Department of Pediatrics and director of neurobehavioral oncology at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, was elected as co-chair of the Pediatric Psycho-Oncology Network for the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. In this role, she will co-lead the psycho-oncology initiatives of the largest global multidisciplinary society entirely devoted to pediatric and adolescent cancers.

Manuscript by Rabin published in the 2023 Research Highlights from the Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program (EGRP) (Baylor College of Medicine - January 17, 2024)

Karen R. Rabin, MD, PhD

Dr. Karen Rabin, Director of the Leukemia Program at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, at Baylor College of Medicine, published a recent manuscript that was included in the 2023 Research Highlights from the Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program (EGRP). Published in the journal Blood, the findings explore the genetic features of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in individuals with Down syndrome. In the paper, an international team of researchers used deep sequencing of 295 clinical cases to identify new subtypes of the disease as well  as novel treatment targets. 

Archives

Jennifer H. Foster, MD, MPH

Foster appointed to NCI Investigational Drug Steering Committee Pharmacology Task Force for early-phase drug trials (Baylor College of Medicine - Nov 2, 2023)

 

Dr. Jennie Foster, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, was recently appointed to the National Cancer Institute Investigational Drug Steering Committee Pharmacology Task Force. The IDSC was established to collaborate with the NCI in the design and prioritization of early phase drug development trials carried out within the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network with agents for which NCI’s Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program holds an Investigational New Drug application.

Rayne H. Rouce, MD

Rouce and team secures a grant to form BCM/TSU CURED, a collaborative cancer research initiative with Texas Southern University (Baylor College of Medicine - October 19, 2023)

 

Dr. Rayne Rouce, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, and a team of Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers were awarded a P20 grant from the National Cancer Institute to partner with Texas Southern University, a historically Black college and university, to create the BCM/TSU Collaborative Union for Cancer Research, Education and Disparities (CURED). This collaboration includes a cancer research education program, a community outreach and engagement core, an administrative core and collaborative pilot projects.

Blaney hosts the inaugural TXCH Research Elevator Pitch Competition (Baylor College of Medicine - October 19, 2023)

Dr. Susan Blaney, division chief of pediatric hematology-oncology and director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, hosted the inaugural TXCH Research Elevator Pitch Completion. Seventeen faculty members competed, explaining their research in lay language in a compelling manner and seven judges scored the pitches. Congratulations to the awardees!

    First place: Dr. Robin Parihar
    Second place: Dr. Alison Bertuch
    Third place: Dr. Raj Venkatramani

Texas Children’s Cancer Center faculty earn grants (Baylor College of Medicine - August 4, 2023)

The following faculty at Texas Children’s Cancer Center received grants for their work:

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    Dr. Alexandra Stevens, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, received a K08 grant of $1,310,265 from the National Cancer Institute for her project titled, “Exploiting the Metabolic Dependencies of Pediatric AML (ASSIST).”

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    Dr. Austin Brown, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, received a grant of $3,113,978 from the National Institutes of Health for his project titled, “A Systems Epidemiology Approach for Predicting Methotrexate Neurotoxicity in Pediatric Acute Leukemia ASSIST.”

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    Dr. Jeremy Schraw, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, received a grant of $3,689,432 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for his project titled, “Leveraging Ethnic Anotia-microtia Disparities for Discovery (LEADD) Study.”

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    Dr. Bilal Omer, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, received a grant of $599,954 from the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation for his project titled, “C7G-CD2 CAR TCells for DMG: Clinical Trial of Dual Route Strategy.”

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    Drs. Michael Scheurer, Lisa Kahalley and Monica Gramatges received a grant of $7.6 million from the National Cancer Institute for continued funding of their study titled, “Survivorship and Access to care for Latinos to Understand and Address Disparities.” Read more about their work here.

Malcolm K. Brenner, MD, PhD

Brenner to present Beaudet Mentorship Award lecture (Baylor College of Medicine - July 14, 2023)
Dr. Malcolm Brenner, founding director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and Fayez Sarofim Distinguished Service Professor in the departments of medicine, pediatrics and molecular and human genetics, has been awarded the 2023 Arthur L. Beaudet Outstanding Mentorship Award.

Helen E. Heslop, MD, DSc (Hon)

Heslop honored by hematology society (Baylor College of Medicince - June 30, 2023)
Dr. Helen Heslop, director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, deputy director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dan L Duncan Chair at Baylor, received the American Society of Hematology Mentor Award. It is awarded to hematologists who have had a sustained career commitment to mentoring, a significant positive impact on their mentees' careers and through their mentees, have advanced research and/or patient care in the field of hematology. The award will be presented during the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, December 9-12, in San Diego. Read more about Dr. Heslop and other award winners here.

2023 Quality Awards (Texas Children's Hospital - June 15, 2023)
The Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center Quality & Safety Leadership announced the quality improvement project “Implementing Photobiomodulation Therapy to Decrease Oral Mucositis Severity & Duration in Pediatric Cancer Care” has been selected as the 2023 Quality Award in Cancer and Hematology recipient. This innovative project is transforming approaches to patient care by introducing photobiomodulation as a preventative measure against oral mucositis.

The dedicated members of the project team include: Zachary Prudowsky, Kandice Bledsaw, Sharon Staton, Jenell Robins, Janet DeJean, Khoi Pham, Gabriella Llaurador, David Steffin and Alexandra Stevens. 

Carl E. Allen, MD, PhD

Allen receives funding for global lymphoma project (Texas Children's Hospital - May 24, 2023)
Dr. Carl Allen recently received a grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for his project, Investigating Mechanisms of Susceptibility to Burkitt Lymphoma in Sub-Saharan African Children.

Rayne H. Rouce, MD

Rouce honored for DEI efforts (Baylor College of Medicine - May 19, 2023)
Dr. Rayne Rouce is the recipient of the Award for Excellence in Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). This is one of three new awards from ASGCT to acknowledge individuals who have done exceptional work in the areas of service, DEI and mentorship. Rouce was selected unanimously by the awards committee. She is being recognized for her outstanding contributions toward the society’s principles and programs advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rouce is an assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology and an associate director in Baylor’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Shaniqua J. Anum, MD

Anum receives R25 grant for sickle cell research (Texas Children's Hospital - May 16, 2023)
Dr. Shani Anum was recently awarded an R25 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for her project titled, PRIDE-Determining the Role of BMT-9 in Severe Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Disease.

Jennifer H. Foster, MD, MPH

Foster earns NCI Clinician Scientist Award (Texas Children's Hospital - May 9, 2023)
Dr. Jennie Foster, Director of the Solid Tumor Programs, Clinical Director of the Neuroblastoma Program, Assistant Director of the Developmental Therapeutics Program and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, was awarded a National Cancer Institute Research Specialist - Clinician Scientist Award.

Rouce elected to cellular immunotherapy committee (Baylor College of Medicine - May 5, 2023)
Dr. Rayne Rouce has been elected to the position of Cellular Immunotherapy Data Resource (CIDR) Executive Committee Member for the Center for International Blood Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). The CIDR Executive Committee ensures the organization carries out its mission and provides ongoing advice and counsel to the CIBMTR Coordinating Center relative to the Cellular Therapy Program for treatment of cancer. 

David G. Poplack, MD

Poplack recognized for teaching excellence (Baylor College of Medicine – April 14, 2023)
Dr. David Poplack, professor of pediatric oncology at Baylor and director of the Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) Program at Texas Children's Hospital, received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This award recognizes teaching as a vital part of cancer care and brings awareness to the need for teachers to train more oncologists for the future. The award underscores ASCO’s belief that teaching is as important to the future of cancer medicine as are research, care delivery and clinical work. The award will be presented during the ASCO Annual Meeting in June. Read more on ASCO Connection and the Texas Children's Hospital Newsroom.

Becker’s Hospital Review with Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, Dr. Alison Bertuch, Dr. Judith Margolin: 761 Exceptional Women In Oncology (Becker's Hospital Review, April 11, 2023)
The number of female physicians in oncology is increasing, thus enhancing the patient journey for those who feel most comfortable receiving treatment from a female provider. As part of their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative, Castle Connolly has released their 2023 list of Exceptional Women in Medicine. To compile this list, Castle Connolly accepted nominations from physicians’ peers and then assessed each physician based on criteria such as qualifications, education, leadership appointments, outcomes data and more.

Faculty earn cancer research grants (Baylor College of Medicine – April 7, 2023)
Baylor cancer researchers are among the recipients of grants from the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. Dr. Jeremy Schraw, assistant professor of pediatrics – oncology, received a career development award for research on “Integrating Epidemiology and Genomics to Characterize Rare Childhood Tumors.” Dr. Rachel Rau, associate professor of pediatrics – oncology, received an award for research on “High-throughput Sequencing of the Ig loci for Refined Risk Stratification in Pediatric B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.” Dr. Atreyi Dasgupta, instructor of pediatrics – oncology, received an award for research on “Tumor Derived Extracellular Vesicle in Preparation of Lung Metastatic Niche.” Dr. Casey McAtee, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, received an award for research on “Eliminating Abandonment of Pediatric Cancer Therapy in Malawi.”

 

Michael Scheurer, PhD, MPH, FACE

Scheurer named to oncology society (Baylor College of Medicine – March 31, 2023)
Dr. Michael Scheurer, professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology and co-leader of cancer prevention and population sciences at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been voted president-elect of the American Society of Preventive Oncology. He will serve in this role for two years and then serve as president for the following two years. ASPO is a multidisciplinary society committed to advocacy for cancer prevention and control research.

Michael Scheurer, PhD, MPH, FACE

Scheurer joins editorial board of Neuro-Oncology (Baylor College of Medicine - November 18, 2022)
Dr. Michael Scheurer, professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology and co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, was invited to serve a five-year term on the editorial board of Neuro-Oncology, a leading journal in its field.

YoungNa J. Lee-Kim, MD, MEd

Lee-Kim appointed to ACGME Panel (November 17, 2022)
Dr. YoungNa Lee-Kim, associate professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology and Director, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, has been appointed to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) Standing Panel for Accreditation Appeals in the specialty of Pediatric Hematology Oncology. Appointment to the standing panel reflects the esteem in which nominees are held by their professional peers. Nominees were selected by the Review Committee for Pediatric Hematology Oncology.

Philip J. Lupo, PhD, MPH

Lupo joins NCI Cancer Prevention Steering Committee (Baylor College of Medicine - November 4, 2022)
Dr. Philip Lupo, professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology and director of the Epidemiology and Population Sciences Program at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, was recently invited to be a member of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Prevention Steering Committee (CPSC). The CPSC addresses the design, prioritization and evaluation of concepts for clinical trials to prevent cancer.

Maria Monica Gramatges, MD, PhD

Gramatges to lead COG committee (Baylor College of Medicine - November 4, 2022)
Dr. Monica Gramatges, associate professor of pediatrics – oncology and co-director of the Long-Term Survivor Program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, has been named vice chair for the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Outcomes/Late Effects Committee. In this role, she will inform priorities for childhood cancer survivorship research and build collaborations across COG disease committees, domains and disciplines.

Faculty recognized for contributions to patient quality and safety (Texas Children's Hospital - October 10, 2022)
Drs. Anil George, Alexandra Stevens and David Steffin, assistant professors of pediatrics — hematology and oncology, were recently awarded the Clover Award in recognition for the contributions they've made to patient quality and safety. The award was presented by Texas Children's Hospital.

Jennifer H. Foster, MD, MPH

Foster honored with Dr. Peter Adamson Young Investigator Award (Children's Oncology Group - September 23, 2022)
Dr. Jennifer Foster, associate professor of pediatrics — hematology and oncology and Director, Solid Tumor Programs, Clinical Director, Neuroblastoma Program and Assistant Director, Developmental Therapeutics Program was presented with the Dr. Peter Adamson Young Investigator Award by the Children's Oncology Group (COG). The award, which was made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, recognizes Dr. Foster's commitment to a career in early phase pediatric clinical trials, her role in COG's Developmental Therapeutics Program, and her demonstrated success in clinical trial design and conduct. The award is named for Dr. Peter Adamson, who led COG's Developmental Therapeutics program before serving as COG Group Chair from 2011-2020.

Pictured with Dr. Foster are Joe McDonough, President of the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, and current COG Group Chair, Dr. Doug Hawkins.

Trinh T. Nguyen, DO

Nguyen earns Ambulatory Practitioner Award for Excellence in Patient Experience (Baylor College of Medicine - September 23, 2022)
Dr. Trinh Nguyen, assistant professor of pediatrics — hematology and oncology at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, was recently awarded the Ambulatory Practitioner Award for Excellence in Patient Experience, 3rd quarter, by Baylor College of Medicine.

Caridad A. Martinez, MD

Martinez elected to board of Cord Blood Association (Baylor College of Medicine - August 5, 2022)
Dr. Caridad "Cary" Martinez, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology and medical director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, was recently elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Cord Blood Association. The international, non-profit organization promotes both public and family cord blood banking with the objectives of saving lives, improving health and changing medicine. 

Bernhardt elected to American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP) (Baylor College of Medicine - August 5, 2022)
Dr. Brooke Bernhardt, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, recently was elected a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP). FCCP recognizes excellence in practice and science of clinical pharmacy, and fellowships are awarded to individuals who have made sustained contributions to the College and who have demonstrated exceptional performance in clinical pharmacy practice and/or research.

Philip J. Lupo, PhD, MPH

Lupo to serve on journal editorial board (Baylor College of Medicine - July 15, 2022)
Dr. Philip Lupo, professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was invited to serve as a member of the editorial board of Pediatric Blood and Cancer. Editorial board members are recognized for their expertise and contributions in the field of pediatric hematology and oncology and will serve as manuscript reviewers in their areas of expertise, advise on policies and new features and suggest topics for review articles or supplements.

Scheurer to lead brain tumor consortium (Baylor College of Medicine - July 1, 2022)
Dr. Michael Scheurer, professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology and co-leader of the cancer prevention and population sciences program at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, was recently named U.S. co-president of the Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium for a two-year term. He served as U.S. co-vice president for the last two years and as treasurer from 2012-2020. The goals of the consortium’s international group of researchers are to learn the causes of brain tumors, reduce the incidence through prevention and early detection and improve outcomes for those diagnosed with these diseases.

Mark C. Zobeck, MD, MPH

Zobeck recevies Young Investigator Award (Baylor College of Medicine - June 27, 2022)
Dr. Mark Zobeck, Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, was recently awarded a Young Investigator Award from The International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) for his abstract, “Accurately Forecasting Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Patient Volumes at Treatment Centers in Sub-Saharan Africa.” He will present his research at the Annual Congress, held in Barcelona (Spain) from September 28 – October 1, 2022. Learn More

Philip J. Lupo, PhD, MPH

Lupo elected to birth defect society (Baylor College of Medicine - June 17, 2022)
Dr. Philip Lupo, professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was recently elected as vice president-elect for the Society of Birth Defects Research and Prevention and will advance to president in 2024. The mission of the society is to understand the cause and pathogenesis of structural and functional birth defects, developmental delays, perinatal death and other disorders of developmental and reproductive origin to prevent their occurrence and improve diagnosis and treatment.

Faculty Awards Celebrate Excellence in Education, Service and Patient Care (Baylor College of Medicine - June 2, 2022
Baylor College of Medicine honored top leaders at Faculty Awards Day in recognition of outstanding faculty contributions in education, patient care and service. These awards include:

  • Master Clinician
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching and Evaluation
  • STAR Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Care
  • Early Career Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Care
Lisa Bouchier-Hayes, PhD

Bouchier-Hayes receives Women of Excellence Award (Baylor College of Medicine - May 13, 2022)
Dr. Lisa Bouchier-Hayes, who was honored with a Women of Excellence Award from the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Women of Excellence Awards was established in 2018 to celebrate individuals who exemplify Baylor Values and demonstrate exceptional dedication to issues that affect women at Baylor College of Medicine, or in the larger community.

Titilope Fasipe, MD, PhD

Fasipe to chair special hematology group (Baylor College of Medicine - May 9, 2022)
Dr. Titilope Fasipe, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was named as the new chair of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology's (ASPHO) Hemoglobinopathy Special Interest Group. The group promotes collaboration among pediatric hematologists/oncologists who care for children, adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies and serves as a forum for research, advocacy and awareness initiatives.

Shaniqua J. Anum, MD

Johnson accepted for the 2022 PRIDE-Functional and Translational Genomic of Blood Disorder Program (PRIDE-FTG) (Baylor College of Medicine - April 26, 2022)
Dr. Shani Johnson was accepted for the 2022 PRIDE-Functional and Translational Genomic of Blood Disorder Program (PRIDE-FTG) at Augusta University. The goal of this one-year training program is to increase potential as an independent investigator and success in health related research.

Philip J. Lupo, PhD, MPH

Lupo joins National Cancer Institute editorial board (Baylor College of Medicine - April 15, 2022)
Dr. Philip Lupo, professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology and director of the Epidemiology and Population Sciences Program at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, recently was invited to join the Journal of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Spectrum editorial board.

Luisanna Sánchez Ventura, MD

ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award (April 14, 2022)


Luisanna Sanchez Ventura, MD was selected by the American Society of Hematology to receive the ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award. This award program provides fellows the opportunity to conduct basic, translational, outcomes-based, or patient-oriented clinical research in hematology.

Graduate student earns women in research award (Baylor College of Medicine - March 25, 2022)
Bailey Martin-Giacalone, graduate student in the lab of Dr. Philip Lupo, was recently awarded the 2022 Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award. The awards are given annually to American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) members who are scientists-in-training and presenters of meritorious scientific papers at the AACR Annual Meeting.

Marilyn Hockenberry, PhD, RN, PNP-BC, FAAN

Nurses honored for innovation (Baylor College of Medicine - March 18, 2022)
A team of nurses from Baylor College of Medicine earned the 2022 American Nursing Association Innovation Award. Marilyn Hockenberry and Tadala Mulemba from Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center were among the honorees who received the Nurse-led Team Award for developing devices that provide training on inserting catheters and performing peripheral intravenous therapies.

Faculty, fellow named to hematology society (Baylor College of Medicine - February 25, 2022)
Two pediatric hematology members of the Baylor College of Medicine community are recipients of the American Society of Hematology's (ASH) 2022 Scholar Awards, which support fellows and junior faculty dedicated to careers in hematology research.

Dr. Danitza Nebor, instructor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was awarded $125,000 in the Basic/Translational Fellow to Faculty category.

Dr. Madhavi Lakkaraja, fellow in pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was awarded $100,000 in the Clinical Fellow category.

Jacquelyn M. Powers, MD, MS

Powers appointed to hematology committee (Baylor College of Medicine - February 22, 2022)
Dr. Jacquelyn Powers, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology, was appointed to a four-year term as member of the American Society of Hematology Committee on Quality. The ASH COQ is charged to promote the highest quality care of patients with hematologic diseases and is responsible for overseeing and implementing the ASH quality initiative.

Maria Monica Gramatges, MD, PhD

Baylor faculty elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation (Baylor College of Medicine - February 11, 2022)
The American Society for Clinical Investigation has elected Baylor College of Medicine faculty member Dr. Monica Gramatges, associate professor of pediatrics – oncology, to its new class of members.

 

Bernhardt selected for NIH pilot award (Baylor College of Medicine - January 21, 2022)
Dr. Brooke Bernhardt, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology, has been selected as the first recipient of an NIH P20 Developmental Research Program Pilot Award to investigate outcome disparities in Hispanic children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Bernhardt's project is titled, "Clinical implications and predictors of delayed clearance of high-dose methotrexate in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

Rayne H. Rouce, MD

Rouce named journal editor (Baylor College of Medicine - January 14, 2022)
Dr. Rayne Rouce, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was recently selected as digital commissioning editor for the journal Blood Advances, a peer-reviewed, open access medical journal published by the American Society of Hematology.

Shaniqua J. Anum, MD

Johnson earns diversity fellowship (Baylor College of Medicine - January 7, 2022)
Dr. Shani Johnson, clinical fellow in pediatric hematology and oncology at Texas Children's Hospital, has been named a Jeanne Marie Lusher Diversity Fellowship recipient by the National Hemophilia Foundation. This fellowship aims to increase diversity among benign hematologists by fostering a career-long interest in inherited bleeding/blood disorders.

Lupo receives 2021 Research Mentor award (Baylor College of Medicine - January 5, 2021)
Philip Lupo, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology-oncology was awarded the 2021 Research Mentor Award from Baylor College of Medicine.

BCM announces 2021 Young Investigator Awardees (Baylor College of Medicine - January 5, 2022)
Eveline Barbieri, MD, PhD, Austin Brown, PhD, Jane Montealegre, PhD, Jacquelyn Powers, MD, MS and Rayne Rouce, MD, were awarded the 2021 Young Investigator Award from Baylor College of Medicine. The committee based their decision on the following metrics: H-index greater than 10, 20 or more publications in peer-reviewed journals, evidence of research independence through extramural funding support as a PI ($150k or more per year with R01 or equivalent competitive funding), and at least 5 years as a faculty member.

More than 250 BCM researchers recognized in Top 2% worldwide (Baylor College of Medicine - December 16, 2021)
Six Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology faculty members and researchers have been recognized in the top 2% worldwide: Drs. Malcolm Brenner, Helen Heslop, Marilyn Hockenberry, Kenneth McClain, Donald William (Will) Parsons and Sharon Plon.

Heslop elected to the National Academy of Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine - October 26, 2021)
Dr. Helen Heslop, director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital and interim director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Lupo elected to COG committee (Baylor College of Medicine - October 15, 2021)
Dr. Philip Lupo, associate professor of pediatric hematology and oncology, recently was elected to the Children's Oncology Group Nominating Committee as one of the four members representing the non-hematology/oncology disciplines. COG is a National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials group and is the world's largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research.

Rouce joins Be The Match board (Baylor College of Medicine - October 15, 2021)
Dr. Rayne Rouce, assistant professor of pediatric hematology and oncology, was invited to join the Board of Directors of Be The Match, a global leader in bone marrow transplantation for patients with life-threatening blood cancers.

Cancer and Hematology Center announces new Endowed Chairs and Professorship
(Texas Children's Hospital - September 30, 2021)
Dr. Susan Blaney, Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center and Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, is pleased to announce the appointment of six new Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) Endowed Chairs and one Endowed Professorship.

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Flores honored with Outstanding Community Caretaker Award (Texas Children's Hospital - September 28, 2021)
Dr. Ricardo Flores was recognized with the 2021 Outstanding Community Caretaker Award by The Morgan Frazier Cancer Foundation including a special recognition from Mayor Sylvestor Turner. He received the award at the 3rd Annual Heart of Gold Celebration.

Grant funds pediatric leukemia project (Baylor College of Medicine - September 3, 2021) 
Co-principal investigators Dr. Philip Lupo and Dr. Karen Rabin, both associate professors of pediatric hematology/oncology, received a three-year, more than $1.1 million per year NIH P20 grant for their project, "Improving outcome disparities for Latino children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

In addition to reducing disparities among Latino children by identifying biological factors that result in increased toxicities, the project will lay the groundwork for establishment of the first Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) devoted to pediatric leukemia. Baylor College of Medicine core and project directors are Drs. Michael Scheurer, Monica Gramatges, Terzah Horton and Austin Brown.

Rouce honored by women in science group (Baylor College of Medicine - July 9, 2021)
Dr. Rayne Rouce, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, has received the 2021 Outstanding Women in Science Award from the Association for Women in Science – Gulf Coast Houston. She was recognized for her clinical work with pediatric leukemia and lymphoma patients and her research on T cell immunotherapy. Rouce also serves as associate dean of community engagement at Baylor College of Medicine and has been actively involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives. She was honored at a ceremony July 7.

Porea earns award for resident training (Baylor College of Medicine - June 25, 2021)
Dr. Tim Porea, associate professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology, received the inaugural Dr. Drutz Society Coach Award, named after Dr. Jan Drutz, professor of pediatrics. Porea received this award to highlight the significant impact he has made in training pediatric residents as an advisor for one of the Baylor pediatric residency societies. In this role he helps to mentor a group of 25 residents, offering guidance in both clinical and career areas

Iacobas to serve on vascular anomalies committee (Baylor College of Medicine - June 18, 2021)
Dr. Ionela Iacobas, assistant professor of pediatric hematology oncology and medical director of the Texas Children's Hospital Vascular Anomalies Center, was invited to join the Scientific Committee of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies. The committee, which consists of 10 international experts in the field, drives the organization's scientific initiatives and oversees the scientific program at ISSVA's World Congress.

Pediatric oncology team earns NCI survivorship grant (Baylor College of Medicine - June 9, 2021)
Dr. Michael Scheurer, Dr. Monica Gramatges and Dr. Lisa Kahalley received a highly competitive cohort-building grant from the National Cancer Institute to study disparities in childhood cancer survivorship. They will receive approximately $2.1 million over the next two years to understand and address factors related to disparities in adverse outcomes and access to survivorship care, specifically among Latinos.

Fasipe to serve on sickle cell panel (Baylor College of Medicine - May 21, 2021)
Dr. Titilope Fasipe, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology, was selected to serve on the American Society of Hematology Technical Expert Panel for Sickle Cell Quality Measures. She also was elected as vice-chair of the Hemoglobinopathy Special Interest Group for the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Pediatric oncology honors faculty Dream Team (Baylor College of Medicine - April 16, 2021)
The St. Baldrick's Foundation-Stand Up 2 Cancer Pediatric Cancer Dream Team has been selected as this year's recipient of the AACR Team Science Award. Dr. Nabil Ahmed, Dr. Donald "Will" Parsons, Dr. Meenakshi Hegde, Dr. Sujith Joseph, and Bambi Grilley of Baylor are among those recognized. The award recognizes an outstanding interdisciplinary team of researchers for their innovative cancer research.

Dreyer recognized as a female hero by Northwestern Mutual (Baylor College of Medicine - April 16, 2021)
Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology and clinical director of the Texas Children's Cancer Center Long-Term Survivor Program, was recognized by Northwestern Mutual as a female hero in the fight against childhood cancer.

Kahalley earns NCI grant (Baylor College of Medicine - March 12, 2021)
Dr. Lisa Kahalley, associate professor of pediatrics, was awarded a $6.7M R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute for a large, multinational, multidisciplinary study comparing symptom burden/toxicity, neurocognitive change and functional outcomes in pediatric brain tumor patients treated with proton vs. photon radiotherapy. Kahalley is leading this study with Dr. Donald Mabbott at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Dr. Pamela Hinds at Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Kirk recognized for work as PA (Baylor College of Medicine - March 5, 2021)
Susan Kirk, MSPAS, PA-C, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology and physician assistant at Texas Children's Hospital, was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow by the American Academy of Physician Assistants for her outstanding dedication to her profession.

Plon appointed as endowed chair (Baylor College of Medicine - February 25, 2021)
Dr. Sharon Plon, professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology and molecular and human genetics, was appointed to a Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Professorship. She also is co-leader of the pediatrics cancer program at the Duncan Cancer Center and director of the Cancer Genetics and Genomics Program at Texas Children’s Hospital. Her research is focused on improving understanding of genetic susceptibility to pediatric cancer. Plon is director of the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program at Baylor College of Medicine and serves on the NIH Human Genome Advisory Council.

Powers appointed to hematology committee (Baylor College of Medicine - February 22, 2021)
Dr. Jacquelyn Powers, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology, was appointed to a four-year term as member of the American Society of Hematology Committee on Quality. The ASH COQ is charged to promote the highest quality care of patients with hematologic diseases and is responsible for overseeing and implementing the ASH quality initiative.

Heslop to deliver honorary lecture (Baylor College of Medicine - February 12, 2021)
Dr. Helen Heslop, director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and interim director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, will give the Mortimer M. Bortin Lecture at the virtual Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Meetings today, Feb. 12. She will discuss T cell immunotherapy via native and chimeric receptors. In addition, she was named a 2021 Fellow of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). She earned the designation for serving as the society's president from 2008-2009 and in recognition of service and dedication to the specialty of transplantation and cellular therapy.

Gramatges honored for cancer survivorship research (Baylor College of Medicine - December 11, 2020)
Dr. Monica Gramatges, associate professor of pediatrics – oncology and co-director of the Long-Term Survivor Program at Texas Children's Cancer Center, received the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 2021 Northwestern Mutual Award for Excellence in Childhood Cancer Survivorship. The award recognizes an early or mid-career investigator who has demonstrated commitment to survivorship research and project funding.

Rouce earns NCI award (Baylor College of Medicine - November 6, 2020)
Dr. Rayne Rouce, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology and member of the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, has won the National Cancer Institute's 2020 Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award. The award recognizes outstanding clinical investigators at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers who participate extensively in NCI-funded clinical trials and whose leadership and activities promote a successful culture of collaborative clinical research.

Zobeck earns SIOP Young Investigator Award (Baylor College of Medicine - October 16, 2020) 
Dr. Mark Zobeck, instructor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, received the 2020 Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Paediatric Oncology for his study called Novel Risk Factors for Glucarparidise Use in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL): Hispanic Ethnicity, Age, and the ABCC4 Gene.

Schneider honored for work in resource-poor settings (Baylor College of Medicine - October 16, 2020) 
Dr. Nicole Schneider, pediatric psychologist in the Department of Pediatrics, received the 2020 Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. She is presenting her study, Pediatric Oncology and Psychosocial Care in Low and Middle Income Settings, this week at the society's pediatric oncology congress. Schneider serves as co-chair of the SIOP Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries Psychosocial Task Force and has been working with collaborators in El Salvador on this research.

Kirk earns Fasser Visionary Award (Baylor College of Medicine - October 9, 2020)
Susan Kirk, MSPAS, PA-C, assistant professor of hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hematology Center, is the 2020 recipient of the Carl E. Fasser Visionary Leadership Award. Named for the longtime director of the Physician Assistant Program at Baylor College of Medicine, the award recognizes excellence by a physician assistant in education, research, clinical practice and service. The award was announced during National PA week, October 6.

Lubega to serve on healthcare safety committee (Baylor College of Medicine - July 10 , 2020)
Dr. Joseph Lubega, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology, has been selected to serve on the U.S. Pharmacopeia Healthcare Safety & Quality Expert Committee from 2020 – 2025. Lubega plans to focus on issues relating to appropriateness, safety and access to pharmaceutical products for children in the U.S. and around the world.

Mahoney honored by ASPHO (Baylor College of Medicine - May 29, 2020)
Dr. Donald Mahoney, professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, has received the George R. Buchanan Lectureship Award from the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. This honor is in recognition of his scientific contributions to the field and his outstanding mentorship. The award will be presented at the 2021 ASPHO Conference in Portland, Ore.

Lupo named to NIH study section (Baylor College of Medicine - May 25, 2020) 
Dr. Philip Lupo, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, has been selected to serve on the Genetics of Health and Disease Study Section, part of the NIH Center for Scientific Review, for a three-year period beginning July 1. In this role, Lupo will contribute to the national biomedical research effort by reviewing and making recommendations on grant applications submitted to the NIH and surveying the status of research in this field.

Srivaths recognized with Women of Excellence award (Baylor College of Medicine - April 4, 2020) 
A group of women from across all mission areas and roles at Baylor College of Medicine were honored as Women of Excellence for their leadership, mentorship and commitment to academic medicine, including Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths of Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers. In addition, allies who support women in their roles at Baylor also were recognized. See the award video and list of winners.

Venkatramani appointed Chair of the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee for the Children's Oncology Group (Baylor College of Medicine - February 6, 2020)
Dr. Rajkumar Venkatramani, Medical Director of Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine was recently appointed as Chair of the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee for the Children's Oncology Group. He will assume the role following the Spring meeting held in Chicago, Illinois.

Rooney honored as leader in science (Baylor College of Medicine - January 31, 2020) 
Dr. Cliona Rooney, professor of pediatrics and in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, was honored as one of four 2020 Women Leaders in Science by BioHouston, a local organization seeking to position the city as a leader in life science and biotechnology commercialization. Rooney was honored with her fellow awardees at the 11th annual WISE Luncheon last week at the River Oaks Country Club. 

TAMEST protégés selected (BCM Newslink - January 24, 2020)
Dr. Maksim Mamonkin was selected as Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) Protégé for 2020. He attended the TAMEST annual conference earlier this month in Dallas.

Goodell recognized for hematology research (BCM Newslink - January 17, 2020)
The International Society for Stem Cell Research awarded the Tobias Lecture Award to Dr. Margaret A. (Peggy) Goodell, chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and director of the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. The prize recognizes original and promising basic hematology research as well as direct translational or clinical research related to cell therapy in hematological disorders. The award will be presented June 26 during the ISSCR 2020 Annual Meeting in Boston.

Pediatric oncologists earn grant funding (BCM Newslink - January 10, 2020)
Cookies for Kids' Cancer has awarded grants to two members of the Texas Children's Cancer Center for their research in childhood cancer. Dr. Stephen Mack, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology at Baylor, will receive $200,000 for his work on epigenetic and immune checkpoint inhibition in brain tumors.

Dr. Robin Parihar, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology and oncology at Baylor, will receive $200,000 for his work on immunotherapy in pediatric sarcomas.

Powers, Yee earn ASH Scholar Award (BCM Newslink - January 3, 2020)
Dr. Jacquelyn Powers and Dr. Andrew Yee, both assistant professors of pediatrics - hematology, have been selected by the American Society of Hematology to receive the ASH Scholar Award. The program funds hematologists who conduct basic, translational and clinical research that furthers the understanding and treatment of blood disorders. They will each receive $150,000. Powers also was selected as an ASH Clinical Research Training Institute Faculty for 2020.

Stark receives National Hemophilia Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award (Texas Children's Hospital - November 14, 2019)
Aleida Stark, RN, recently received the National Hemophilia Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award! Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths nominated Aleida for this prestigious award saying, “You have been a great resource and advocate for the patients and their families at the Texas Children’s Hospital Hemostasis and Thrombosis Program for over 18 years. We applaud your tireless work in patient care, advocacy, education and quality improvement. Thank you for your steadfast dedication to the bleeding disorder community.”

Mack earns early career grant (BCM Newslink - November 8, 2019)
Dr. Stephen Mack, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, received an Early Career Development grant from the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation for his project, "Harnessing Viral Mimicry to Target H3K27M-Driven Pediatric Glioma." The $300,000, three-year grant supports the novel research of young investigators.

Allen-Rhoades to pen Doximity op-eds (BCM Newslink - September 20, 2019)
Dr. Wendy Allen-Rhoades, former assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology, was selected as part of the 2019-2020 cohort of Doximity Fellows to write six Op-Med pieces for Doximity, an online networking service for medical professionals. Doximity Fellows are a select group of inspired clinicians and leaders in medical news curation, storytelling and content creation.

Lubega to lead global special interest group (BCM Newslink - September 13, 2019)
Dr. Joseph Lubega, assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer Center, recently was appointed vice chair of the Global Special Interest Group of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO). His responsibilities will include organizing the annual special interest group meeting, engaging members who have an interest in global care, and working to extend the reach of ASPHO beyond the nited States. Lubega previously served as medical director of the Texas Children's Cancer Center's Global Hematology/Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE) Program in Uganda.

Bertuch named to NIH study section (BCM Newslink - August 23, 2019)
Dr. Alison Bertuch, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Cancer Center, recently was named chair of the Molecular Genetics B (MGB) Study Section of the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review, for a two-year term. Applications reviewed by the MGB study section involve molecular mechanisms of genome replication, maintenance and gene expression.

Baylor faculty contribute to cancer initiative planning (BCM Newslink - August 16, 2019)
Drs. Sharon Plon, Donald W. (Will) Parsons, Michael Scheurer and Philip Lupo, of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer Center, were invited to participate in the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative symposium at the National Cancer Institute July 29-31, along with other scientific stakeholders and leaders. This symposium was the scientific planning session for the proposed initiative, announced during the State of the Union address in February, to spend $500 million on childhood cancer research over the next 10 years, including efforts to collect, analyze and share data to make it easier for researchers and oncology care teams to learn from every child, adolescent and young adult with cancer.

Scollon recognized by alma mater (BCM Newslink - July 12, 2019)
Sarah Scollon, assistant professor of pediatrics – oncology, has received the Diane Baker Alumni Award from the University of Michigan Genetic Counseling Program, where she earned a master's degree in genetic counseling. The award honors genetic counselors who display the same vision and commitment to the field as its namesake. Scollon will deliver the annual Diane Baker Alumni Lecture in September.

Lindsay to serve on AAP clinical trial committee (BCM Newslink - July 12, 2019)
Dr. Holly Lindsay, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, recently was appointed to serve as the American Academy of Pediatrics representative to the Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials for Children Steering Committee. In this role, she will advocate for the inclusion of pediatric and adolescent patients in adult clinical trials to increase the therapies available for these patients. Lindsay is part of the Texas Children's Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine's Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program.

McClain receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the 29th Nikolas Symposium (Texas Children's Hospital - June 27, 2019)
Dr. Kenneth McClain received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his research and care of patients with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) from Mr. Apostolos Kontoyannis at the 29th Nikolas Symposium in Athens, Greece, May 16, 2019. The Kontoyannis family has organized this "think tank" symposium to advance the understanding and cure of LCH patients by bringing clinicians and scientists from various disciplines together for an intense 3 day meeting of presentations and collaborative discussions.

Gramatges appointed to National Institutes of Health study section (Texas Children's Hospital - June 27, 2019)
Dr. Monica Gramatges’s nomination to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Epidemiology Panel A Study Section (CHSA) was recently approved and her five year term will begin July 1, 2019. The nomination process is quite extensive and requires concurrence from senior investigators outside of NIH, NIH Program staff, and official approval from the NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins. In this role, Dr. Gramatges will join a team of scientists to serve as a peer reviewer for grants submitted to the NIH that are within a particular research field, including childhood cancer research. 

Faculty selected for leadership training (BCM Newslink - June 14, 2019)
Dr. Heather Haq, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology, was selected to participate in the highly competitive American Academy of Pediatrics Young Physicians Leadership Alliance training program, designed to develop leaders and build a leadership community amongst early career pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists.

Dr. Wendy Allen-Rhoades, also assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology, was one of two physicians selected as an American Society of Clinical Oncology 2019-2020 Health Policy Leadership Development Program Fellow. She will receive training in leadership, communication and advocacy along with practical experience working with ASCO staff to shape cancer-related policies that directly affect individuals with cancer and clinical care.

Chakraborty receives career development award (BCM Newslink - May 31, 2019)
Dr. Rikhia Chakraborty, assistant professor of pediatrics - oncology, has received a Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Career Development Award, part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs that foster novel approaches to biomedical research. The award provides support for her research on "Cancer immunotherapy as treatment option for Langerhans cell histiocytosis."

Faculty Awards Celebrate Excellence in Education, Service and Patient Care (Baylor College of Medicine - May 17, 2019)
Faculty members from Baylor College of Medicine will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to education, community service and clinical care before their colleagues, family members and College leaders. The following faculty members from Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers will be recognized at the awards ceremony:

Wulff earns research grant (Baylor College of Medicine - May 17, 2019)
Dr. Jade Wulff, clinical postdoctoral fellow in pediatric hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, has received a St. Baldrick Foundation Fellow grant for her project, "Targeting integrin-mediated signaling in metastatic Ewing sarcoma." Fellow grants support early career scientists whose research is focused on new cures and treatments for childhood cancers.

DeBakey Research Awards (BCM Newslink - May 10, 2019)
The 2019 Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards Ceremony and Symposium is Wednesday, May 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. in room M112 at main Baylor. Dr. Carl Allen, Co-Director of the Histiocytosis Program, was among the recipients selected for their significant published scientific contributions to clinical or basic biomedical research over the past three years and will present their recent work at the event.

McClain earns leadership award (BCM Newslink - May 10, 2019)
Dr. Kenneth McClain, professor of pediatrics - oncology, received the 2019 George R. Buchanan Lectureship Award from the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology in recognition of his work as an international expert in the field and for his service as an accomplished educator, researcher and clinician, committed mentor and effective speaker. It was presented at the 2019 ASPHO Conference in New Orleans last week.

Plon to serve on advisory council; earns award (BCM Newslink - May 3, 2019)
Dr. Sharon Plon, professor of pediatrics - oncology and molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Cancer Center's Cancer Genetics and Genomics Program, has been appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research until 2020. The council advises government agencies on genetics, genomic research, training and programs related to the human genome initiative. In addition, Plon received the 11th annual Niehaus Southworth Weissenbach Award in Clinical Cancer Genetics from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. As part of the award events, she delivered Medical Grand Rounds on May 3 titled "Genetic Predisposition to Childhood Cancer in the Genomic Era" and consulted with genetics clinicians.

Yustein named to cancer task force (BCM Newslink - April 29, 2019)
Dr. Jason Yustein, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, is one of the experts participating in the New Agents for Ewing Sarcoma Task Force recently formed by the Children's Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee. The mission of the task force is to evaluate and prioritize new agents for incorporation into clinical trials for metastatic and relapsed Ewing sarcoma. A manuscript detailing the work of the Task Force was published this week.

New leadership added to diversity office (BCM Newslink - April 12, 2019)
The Office of the Provost and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Inclusion and Equity announced the appointment of Dr. Rayne H. Rouce, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology, was named associate director of community engagement.

Article on solid tumors in infants on best-of list (BCM Newslink - January 11, 2019)
A paper authored by Drs. Wendy Allen-Rhoades, Sarah Whittle and Nino Rainusso of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers was included on the 2018 list of most-read articles in Pediatrics in Review, an official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their article, "Pediatric Solid Tumors of Infancy: An Overview," was in the February 2018 issue.

Phung to head pathology arm for foundation (BCM Newslink - January 4, 2019)
Dr. Thuy Phung, associate professor of pathology and immunology, has been appointed the director of pathology strategies for the Sturge-Weber Foundation. The foundation's primary goal is to lead a national effort across 25 clinical care centers in the U.S., including Texas Children's Hospital, to establish a tissue biorepository for research in vascular anomalies.

Sheehan helps design trial network (BCM Newslink - November 9, 2018)
Dr. Vivien Sheehan, assistant professor of pediatrics - hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, assisted in the design of the American Society of Hematology Sickle Cell Disease Clinical Trial Network, which is focused on advancing development of new and more effective therapeutics for individuals with sickle cell disease. She recently was invited to be one of four members of the oversight committee that will identify, recruit and evaluate sites and interface with industry and federal agencies to promote this Network.

Foster named to AAP committee (BCM Newslink - October 19, 2018)
Dr. Jennie Foster, assistant of pediatrics hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, was appointed to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs. The committee reviews all aspects of pediatric pharmacology and advises the AAP Board of Directors on drug labeling, safety and efficacy for both prescription and over-the-counter drugs; monitors federal legislation related to the drug approval process; and promotes the need for expanded pediatric drug trials.

Gaber earns mentorship award (BCM Newslink - October 12, 2018)
Dr. M. Waleed Gaber, associate professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, received the Scholar-in-Training Excellence in Mentorship Award from the Radiation Research Society. This award honors an individual who has provided exceptional mentoring in both professional and personal aspirations.

Fasipe honored for sickle cell disease efforts (BCM Newslink - October 9, 2018)
Dr. Titi Fasipe, assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, received the Sickle Cell Association of Texas Marc Thomas Foundation Leadership of Excellence Service Award. She was recognized for her commitment to patient care, education and community awareness, and has the unique perspective of understanding these needs as both a physician treating patients with the disease and an individual with sickle cell disease.

Lupo to serve as journal editor (BCM Newslink - September 21, 2018)
Dr. Philip Lupo, associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer Center and member of the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, was invited to be an associate editor for Birth Defects Research. Lupo conducts research on the intersection of birth defects and childhood cancer.

Mahajan named to journal board (BCM Newslink - September 7, 2018)
Dr. Priya Mahajan, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, was selected for the editorial board of Clinical Thyroidology for the Public, a monthly online journal that shares the latest in thyroid research with patients and families.

Ozuah earns oncology innovator award (BCM Newslink - September 7, 2018)
Dr. Nmazuo Ozuah, assistant professor of pediatrics hematology/oncology and part of the Global Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE) program at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, was awarded the Daniel D. Von Hoff Innovator Award at the American Association of Cancer Research/American Society of Clinical Oncology Methods in Clinical Cancer Research conference held in Vail, Colo., from July 28 - Aug. 3. This award recognizes the most innovative and impactful protocol from a workshop attendee. Ozuah's proposal was on the feasibility of dose-intensive response-based chemotherapy for pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma in Malawi.

Flores to speak about pediatric clinical practices (BCM Newslink - August 31, 2018)
Dr. Ricardo Flores, assistant professor of pediatrics oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and member of the NCI-designated Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been invited to present about pediatric clinical practices and research findings at the Puerto Rico Hematology and Medical Oncology Association Annual Meeting. He is the first pediatrician to have been invited to present at this venue.

Srivaths named to blood disorders foundation (BCM Newslink - August 1, 2018)
Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths has been appointed as chair of the education/advocacy subcommittee for the National Foundation for Women and Girls with Blood Disorders. The chair will be in charge of the subcommittees organization and ongoing activities, which include creating education for clinic staff, referring providers, providers outside of primary institution and organized/informal education opportunities.

Rooney elected microbiology fellow (BCM Newslink - August 1, 2018) 
Dr. Cliona Rooney, professor of pediatrics and part of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, was one of 68 new fellows elected to American Academy of Microbiology for 2020. Fellows are an honorific leadership group within the academy, elected annually through a selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.

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