Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer, and while most children are cured, many who relapse or do not respond to treatment face very poor outcomes. Many children who fail newer targeted drugs must return to intensive chemotherapy, which can cause serious short- and long-term side effects. New, less toxic treatment options are urgently needed. Our team recently discovered a surprising weakness in leukemia cells: unlike many other cancers, ALL cells must constantly remove a protein called beta-catenin to stay alive.

Mentor Name: Ranjit Bindra

Primary brain tumors are one of the most common solid neoplasms in children, and they are a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. In particular, pediatric high grade gliomas are clinically devastating tumors, with associated 5-year survival rates of less than 20%. The current treatment for these cancers begins with surgical removal of the tumor, followed by radiation therapy (RT) and chemotherapy. RT consists of ionizing radiation (IR), which kills residual tumor cells by inducing DNA breaks in the genomes of these cells.

Childhood leukemia is a devastating cancer and many current treatments are not effective for certain aggressive forms of the disease. This project aims to uncover how specific cancer-causing genes alter normal cell processes to drive leukemia. In particular, we are investigating how these changes cause cells in very young infants to become cancerous. By understanding these mechanisms, we can identify new waysto block the cancer’s growth.