In addition to funding the initiatives outlined in our Research Strategic Plan, Children’s Cancer Research Fund also allocates grant money in an effort to develop the next “big idea” in pediatric cancer research. When investigators have a promising hypothesis as evaluated by research peers, a grant is awarded to help initiate or expand preliminary data in order to apply for larger federal grants. We are venture capitalists—willing to invest in research that could result in the cure that brings us closer to eradicating childhood cancer completely.
This past year, we awarded funding to 11 peer-reviewed research projects at the University of Minnesota. Details of four key projects are noted below.
The role of lag-3, a CD4-related protein as a negative regulator of Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Bruce Blazar, M.D.
Dr. Bruce Blazar has been conducting research that seeks to minimize the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a potentially fatal side effect of blood or marrow transplantation. The research has shown that donor cells that have a specific protein cause significantly more tissue injury to the patient. In addition, the research team has identified a new T-regulatory cell population that has a highly potent suppressor function, which could play an essential role in controlling GVHD.
Strategies for differentiating murine multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC) into thymic epithelial cells (TEC) as a cellular replacement therapy to correct thymic injury post-bone marrow transplant.
Ryan Kelly, B.S. and Bruce Blazar, M.D.
Ryan Kelly and Dr. Bruce Blazar have been investigating the differentiation potential of Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPC) into thymic epithelial cells (TEC), which ultimately become T-cells, an essential element in fighting disease and infection. The goal of this research is to develop a renewable source of TEC from MAPC to functionally restore T cells in patients who have compromised immune systems through cellular replacement therapy.
The identification of discrete human NK cell developmental stages
Michael Verneris, M.D. and Bartek Grzywacz, M.D.
Drs. Verneris and Grzywacz are working to better understand Natural Killer (NK) cells, their development, their differentiation and their power in fighting multiple agents. NK cells, a key element in the body’s immune defense system, seek out and destroy tumors and infectious agents within the body. Because of the merit of this preliminary research, the team was awarded an additional $100,000 in grant funding.
Birth factors and childhood cancer — a data linkage study
Logan Spector, Ph.D.
Dr. Spector aims to create a population-based case-control dataset by linking cases of childhood cancer in an existing database to birth records. Analyses of birth factors in the risk of leukemia, Wilms tumor, and hepatoblastoma have been completed and manuscripts have been submitted. In addition, data are being examined for evidence of clustering of childhood cancer cases in Minnesota. Dr. Spector is now pooling this dataset with similar sets from four other states to investigate the association of very low birth weight and childhood cancer to continue this study.