Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Congratulations to our colleague Stuart Orkin, MD on being a co-recipient of the Shaw Prize in Life Sciences and Medicine.   The Shaw Prize Foundation announced the Shaw Laureates for 2024 during a press conference in Hong Kong. The Shaw Prize consists of three annual prizes: Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences.   Orkin was honored for his transformational discovery that revolutionized the treatment of sickle cell anemia and b thalassemia.    Orkin received his MD in 1972 from Harvard Medical School, followed by postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health and clinical training in pediatrics and hematology-oncology at Children's Hospital Boston and DFCI, where he joined the faculty in 1978. Orkin is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and was elected to the 2019-2020 Council of the National Academy of Medicine. Over the past decade, his laboratory has defined critical nuclear regulators of hematopoiesis.   The Shaw Prize honors individuals who are currently active in their respective fields and who have recently achieved distinguished and significant advances, who have made outstanding contributions in academic and scientific research or applications, or who in other domains have achieved excellence. The Shaw Prize is dedicated to furthering societal progress, enhancing quality of life, and enriching humanity’s spiritual civilization.

Jennifer Costa, PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, was just 15 years old when her older brother was diagnosed with leukemia. She remembers sitting in Boston Children’s Hospital — the movie “Apollo 13” was on the TV, Tom Hanks was struggling to survive in outer space, and her parents and her brother tried to act as if the physician’s news wasn’t earth-shattering. “We sort of [felt like] deer in headlights,” Costa says. “It was difficult to process.” The following weeks that Costa spent supporting her brother on the oncology floor were formative. She saw first-hand the power of nursing and the deep relationships that can form between nurses, patients, and their families. It was not surprising when Costa pursued a career in pediatric oncology, first as a bedside nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, then later as a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner at UMass Memorial Medical Center. The role perfectly melded her analytical interests and passion for patient care. “You never know how cancer will affect you,” Costa says. “For me, it inspired a career.” In 2019, she was summoned for jury service. Alone with her thoughts for hours, she thought about what her future in nursing might look like. She asked herself, “What do I want to do?” She loved her work, but she also loved writing and research. “Oh no,” she said to herself. “That sounds like a PhD.” With two daughters at home and a full-time job, Costa added earning a doctoral degree to her plate. For the next four years, she spent soccer practices in the car with her laptop. Just halfway through her studies, in 2021, an opportunity arose to work in Dana-Farber's Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services as a clinic inquiry specialist, and Costa jumped at it. The Cantor Center occupies a unique space in oncology research. Everyone in the center is a PhD-prepared scientist. Emphasizing symptom experiences, health behaviors, and strategies to improve outcomes, their work is focused on the experiences of patients living with and beyond cancer and their caregivers. Costa recently helped develop Dana-Farber’s first nursing journal club. In this bimonthly forum, nurses are supported in critically examining published nursing research. They break down articles, the research behind them, and consider how the research might be integrated into their practice setting. The initiative has been so successful that Costa presented a poster on it at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress. Fueled by her personal and professional experience with pediatric cancer, Costa’s research interests center around understanding the complexities of relationship development between parents and nurses of children with cancer: Today, Costa feels confident that her leap of faith paid off. For her, the Cantor Center is a bridge between her clinical experience and research interests. “It’s perfect,” she says, smiling. More: https://lnkd.in/eTbGxSHU

Scientists at Dana-Farber and elsewhere are harnessing a process called targeted protein degradation to destroy specific proteins involved in cancer. In contrast to traditional targeted therapies, which block cancer-related proteins, targeted protein degradation offers a way to eliminate them altogether. Learn more about targeted protein degradation therapy: http://ms.spr.ly/6049YZmwB

Can any sunscreens cause cancer? Elizabeth Buchbinder, MD, senior physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, addresses recent concerns about trace levels of chemical sunscreens found in blood samples and what this could mean for your health. Buchbinder, MD explains the benefits of using sunscreen and the evolution of sunscreens from mechanical blockers like zinc to modern chemical sunscreens. Want to learn more about skin cancer risk, screening and prevention? http://ms.spr.ly/6044YZQlg You can also find Cancer Questions with Dana-Farber wherever you get your podcasts.

Could blood platelets shed light on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? Researchers in Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Pathology have shown that some infants who died from SIDS had brainstem abnormalities in serotonin and related pathways. Now, a collaboration with the Center for Platelet Research Studies at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s finds that platelets mirror these abnormalities. This suggests that platelets could be a proxy for brain tissue, thereby accelerating SIDS research and potentially aiding diagnosis. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ebT93Z2h

What if we could block the proteins that cause runaway cell division? See how Dana-Farber laid the foundation for CDK4/6 inhibitors, drugs that are increasing the survival rate for many advanced breast cancers.

Stephanie Dobson, just 34, was diagnosed with #LynchSyndrome and #rectalcancer not long after giving birth to her second child. #DanaFarber Learn more about Stephanie’s journey: http://ms.spr.ly/6040YZwo8

Does skin color affect melanoma risk?

Ask patients and loved ones about their interactions with Dana-Farber volunteers, and the answers span every touchpoint throughout a cancer experience.  Those arriving for their first appointment are welcomed with a friendly smile by Dana-Farber Ambassadors. The blue-vested volunteers are ready to answer questions, allay concerns, and walk them to their destination. In waiting areas, Resource Cart volunteers distribute magazines, newspapers, and warm conversation. During infusions, Hands-On Care volunteers offer free hand massages. And behind the scenes, members of the Adult and Pediatric Patient Family Advisory Councils – composed entirely of individuals who have had personal care experiences with cancer at Dana-Farber – serve as advocates and provide input for new patient programs, initiatives, and physical spaces. ”I believe there’s nothing more soothing and powerful than kindness when fear is at its peak,” says Patricia Stahl, MEd, director of Volunteer Services and Patient Programs. ”When people are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, our volunteers share that kindness and create an environment that makes Dana-Farber what it is.” Last year, 325 volunteers contributed more than 15,000 in-person or virtual hours to Dana-Farber. During National Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 21-27), Stahl and her colleagues ensured these individuals understood the significance of their contributions. At a table outside the Lavine Family Dining Pavilion at Dana-Farber’s Longwood campus, and through cards sent to regional campuses, patients, employees, and visitors wrote notes of thanks to volunteers. These were delivered to them, along with other small tokens of gratitude. ”Patients and families benefit from every interaction they have with our volunteers,” shares Maritza Nassif, MEd, manager of Volunteer Services and Patient Programs. ”They become familiar faces they can count on, whether they are celebrating their last infusion or had a tough drive in to Dana-Farber that morning. Our volunteers are an incredible group of people who choose to spend their time with us.” The recipients of this praise insist that the benefits flow both ways. Volunteer Aarush Patnala devotes his three-hour shifts as a Dana-Farber Ambassador to ”making everybody’s day a little better.” ”Volunteering here has encouraged me to be more caring and empathetic,” reflects Patnala. ”I’ve found myself getting stronger in my feeling of self-satisfaction. I truly believe I’m making a difference by adding to the positive and supportive vibe that every staff member promotes.” According to Volunteer Services staff, the success of these interactions lies in their authenticity and consistency. ”Volunteers are integral to the patient and family experience, and they’re a warm touch during a difficult time,” expresses Jessica Gagnon, LCSW, MSW, LCSW, program manager of Volunteer Services on the Longwood campus. ”The many little things they do make the biggest difference in the world.” ❤️

Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, President & CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was honored to be to received by His Royal Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week.   The leadership of the UAE convened global health care leaders to seek solutions to the world's most intractable problems. Dana-Farber was privileged to be a part of the conversation and we look forward to engaging with our colleagues from the UAE and around the world to continue the discussion. Dana-Farber extends deep gratitude to His Royal Highness and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi for their extraordinary leadership and warm hospitality.   (l to r: His Royal Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman, Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Laurie Glimcher)