St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

By combining bone marrow transplantation and the pioneering technology of machine learning, St. Jude scientists created the first version of a powerful prediction tool that could one day improve patient outcomes. The newly developed algorithm predicts patient survival more accurately than ever at 100 days, one year, and two years following a bone marrow transplant. This enables physicians to better identify which patients need additional clinical support. “One of the things that we have always struggled with is how to predict who’s going to have a bad outcome after transplantation,” said Akshay Sharma, MBBS, St. Jude Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. “If we can predict who will have these bad outcomes, we can do something about it.” Given the significant risks associated with bone marrow transplantation, physicians have created risk prediction models to identify who needs additional medical interventions because they are at the highest risk of developing these complications after transplant. Many of these models estimate mortality risk with only 50% accuracy because many of them only use data from a single point in time. The St. Jude algorithm takes data points at multiple times and examines far more variables than its predecessors to improve accuracy. The study demonstrated the possibility of improving early prediction of bad outcomes after bone marrow transplantation using machine learning. “We aim to uncover additional insights, piece together a clearer picture and develop enhanced solutions for the benefit of both clinicians and patients,” said Li Tang, PhD, St. Jude Department of Biostatistics. “It’s important to stress that this is just the outset.” Learn more: https://ow.ly/e5Xe50SUHGw

Rising Stars of Cancer Research are set to shine in next week's Science of Childhood Cancer virtual lecture series, Kyle Daniels, PHD at Stanford University School of Medicine and Evan Weber, PhD, at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will present research on pediatric cancer therapies.    Join us on Thursday, August 15, at 12 pm CT/1 pm ET as Dr. Daniels presents "Decoding CAR T Cell Phenotype Using Combinatorial Signaling Motif Libraries and Machine Learning” and Dr. Weber talks "Targeting transcription factors to augment CAR T cell fitness." Register now: https://ow.ly/AsPy50SUaM7

Inclusion and excellence have always been part of our DNA. Forbes recognized St. Jude in the Top Ten on their 2024 list of America’s Best Employers for Women. #WomenInScience #BestEmployersForWomen #ForbesList https://ow.ly/mWyq50ST6g3

Scientists at St. Jude have been studying pathogens that cause severe infections in children for as long as the hospital has existed.    To take St. Jude into the next era of infectious diseases research, Octavio Ramilo, MD, Department of Infectious Diseases chair and Victor Torres, PhD, Department of Host-Microbe Interactions chair, are bringing a bold vision to pathogen research.   “We have an opportunity to leverage the fundamental research strength and expertise of St. Jude in Infectious Diseases, Host-Microbe Interactions, and even other departments to learn how to save more children,” said Ramilo, who is dedicated to translational research and building a repertoire of knowledge on how the host immune system interacts with these pathogens. This work creates knowledge that feeds back into the laboratories of Host-Microbe Interactions.    For his part, Torres and his department focus on what happens at the molecular and cellular level when a pathogen challenges the immune system.  “We like to tackle difficult things here at St. Jude, and we are good at making progress on issues others have deemed impossible,” said Torres. “That’s the challenge and that’s why I came here. We want to transform the world by tackling one microbe at a time.”   Learn more about the future of pathogen research here: https://ow.ly/rJIb50SSp3M  

St. Jude strives to treat the untreatable and cure the incurable. Of the rare catastrophic diseases treated at the institution, 80% have a genetic component. The Pediatric Translational Neuroscience Initiative (PTNI) targets these types of conditions through a unique program leveraging visionary researchers and physicians, resources and leading-edge St. Jude facilities.  The program is the creation of J Paul Taylor, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Scientific Director, Chair of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, as well as Director of PTNI.    Informed by his clinical background in neurogenetics and research background in molecular biology, Taylor sought a new way to leverage the advances made in neurological disease research to address the unmet need for available treatments for catastrophic neurological disorders in children. Through the blue-sky initiative at St. Jude that empowers faculty and staff to propose pioneering ideas with the potential to transform science and medicine, he began shaping PTNI. Seeking to reach the needs of the pediatric neuro medicine field, Taylor’s conversations with a network of experts helped him craft the infrastructure to support the initiative. He added centers that provide fundamental and translational research and advance treatment through clinical trials, as well as a strategic office to engage the industry, maintain patient interaction and coordinate with internal and external academics around the world. Today, PTNI provides the framework to succeed in intervening in any disease with a clear genetic target. With clinical trials already under way for interventions for Friedrich's ataxia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, among other monogenic neurological diseases, PTNI is poised to alter the landscape of pediatric neurological disease research and treatment. “What PTNI provides is an opportunity to advance treatment strategies that are not going to move forward without this intervention,” says Taylor. Read More in Progress: A Digital Magazine. https://ow.ly/MhL550SRhI9

The Science of Childhood Cancer Lecture Series returns on August 8, 2024, for an engaging ninth season filled with talks from leading experts across the spectrum of basic, translational, clinical and population science.    prof. dr. Rob Pieters, MD, PhD, MSc, a leading expert in pediatric oncology, starts the series sharing the latest advancements and findings from his groundbreaking research at the Princess Máxima Center. This lecture will delve into translational and clinical studies, offering valuable insights into the fight against childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Register now and join us on Thursdays at 12pm CT/1pm ET. https://ow.ly/x1OV50SPC13

The Science of Childhood Cancer lecture series is back for its 9th season! Join us every Thursday at 12PM CT/ 1PM ET from August 8- November 14 for engaging lectures followed by insightful Q&A. You can explore a wide array of topics and learn from leading experts across the spectrum of basic, translational, clinical and population science. This virtual, interactive series hosted by the St. Jude Comprehensive Center promises a deep dive into the science at the forefront of pediatric cancer research. Sign up to get weekly updates on lectures. Registration is free. https://ow.ly/YR5850SMGz0

Driven by the mission of advancing cures for pediatric catastrophic diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital unites the brightest minds in science and medicine with world-class resources. The knowledge generated by the groundbreaking research at St. Jude is translated directly into clinical progress, improving outcomes for patients. The annual scientific report—Translating Science Into Survival—spotlights key breakthroughs from the last year highlighted by work that accelerates scientific discovery. We dive deep into four features: using CRISPR gene editing, understanding and preventing infectious diseases, how protein structure guides therapeutics, and the molecular make up of brain tumors. “In our 62-year history, we have made tremendous progress in curing the incurable, treating the untreatable, decreasing the side effects of therapy, and accelerating the adoption of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches globally to improve cure rates,” said James R. Downing, MD, President and CEO. “The work described in the Scientific Report underscores the unique scientific culture at St. Jude and illustrates how it drives our faculty and staff to tackle the most challenging problems and answer the most complex questions.” To learn about the ways St. Jude continues to change the future of research and treatment, read the 2024 Scientific Report. https://ow.ly/Bhrg50SHrCR

While pediatric cancer survival rates in the U.S. now exceed 85%, the global five-year survival rate is less than 20%. Complications from infectious diseases cause more than half of all pediatric cancer deaths worldwide. “The crux of the issue is that there are not enough infectious diseases specialists in all of these settings,” said Sergio Licona, MD, MBA, coordinator of the St. Jude Infectious Diseases Transversal program, which is dedicated to developing expertise worldwide to overcome infectious disease challenges.  “So, we need creative ideas on how to address the need and scale them up.” The program addresses the gap in infectious disease specialty care in two ways: training and community-building. Training includes such as courses on infection prevention and control for infection preventionists and leadership in infectious diseases for physicians caring for infections. This intensive training is delivered yearly by collaborative institutions that are close to home to encourage local participation and spread knowledge. Since many hospitals lack dedicated infectious diseases specialists, training even one provider can have a major impact. For community building, the program is developing the Global Infectious Diseases (ID) Network, which keeps people in contact with St. Jude and each other after completing the training program. As problems in resource-limited settings are different from those in wealthier countries, such a peer network can be an invaluable source of practical information. “Decreasing infection risk and impact is the first step to provide safe cancer care. Our focus is to create effective, sustainable, scalable processes that reduce the incidence and impact of infectious diseases and childhood catastrophic diseases, especially in underserved areas.”  Explained Miguela Caniza, MD, MPH, Infectious Diseases Transversal Program director, St. Jude Global and St. Jude Departments of Global Pediatric Medicine and Infectious Diseases member. Learn more about how the St. Jude Global Transversal Program is making a difference. https://ow.ly/76Bm50SGyXY

All week, I��ve been overwhelmed by the many employees who have come up to me and congratulated me on my 10th anniversary of being the president and CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This wasn’t a job I ever envisioned for myself, but it’s one I’ve loved doing. When I was younger, I discovered my “superpower.” Even if I wasn’t the smartest, quickest, or most talented in the room, I could outwork almost anyone. However, once I became president and CEO of St. Jude, I quickly learned that I couldn’t outwork my team. Over the past decade, we have made seismic changes at St. Jude, expanding our campus, our progress, and our global reach to fulfill the mission of advancing cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. We are incorporating cutting-edge technologies in labs and clinics, increasing our fundamental scientific research exponentially, and growing our workforce by 40% over six years. None of the successes we’ve seen in the past 10 years would be possible without the dedication and tireless efforts of the many employees, partners and donors of St. Jude. I’m humbled and grateful to continue leading this institution as we pursue our mission of finding cures and saving children, not only in Memphis but everywhere.