St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, awarded a $72,233 Pediatric Oncology Fellowship to Vanan Issai, M.D., $50,000 funding for Pediatric Oncology Research Grant to Sarah Vaiselbuh, M.D., and $330,000 to fund Jonathan Fish, M.D. as a St. Baldrick’s Scholar. They are all scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. St. Baldrick’s began as a challenge between friends, and has exploded into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research. Worldwide, 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and in the United States. Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation coordinates worldwide head-shaving events, with volunteer “shaves” raising money to support childhood cancer research. Since 2000, head-shavings have taken place in 18 countries and 48 U.S. states, raising more than $50.8 million. That’s more than 72,490 shaved heads.

Dr. Issai is one of eighteen doctors currently receiving funding as a St. Baldrick’s Fellow. Overseeing his fellowship will be his mentor, Jeffrey Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., head of the Susan and Herman Merinoff Center for Patient-Oriented Research at the Feinstein Institute and chief of hematology/oncology at Schneider Children’s Hospital. All funding applications were evaluated by the foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee and other expert reviewers, who made funding recommendations to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s Board of Directors. Pediatric oncology fellowships last for three years. The first year is spent mostly in the clinic, and the next two years — those funded by the St. Baldrick's Foundation — are spent doing research under an expert mentor.

Dr. Issai’s Fellowship research project is entitled, “The Role Of MRK Kinase in Radiation-Induced Invasion in High Grade Gliomas.” Dr. Issai hypothesizes that in high grade gliomas, IR-activated MRK protein stimulates biochemical pathways inside the cell that promotes tumor cell invasion favoring possible relapse of these tumors. His research will test this hypothesis and he will also study the biochemical pathways involved in this process.

Dr. Vaiselbuh received a research grant from St. Baldrick’s. Her research project is entitled, “Leukemia Stem Cell Niche in Fanconi Anemia.” Leukemia is a disease of the bone marrow (BM). In nature, soil, water and seeds are team players. Each needs to interact with each other in a fine balance to safeguard a healthy environment. Similarly, blood formation is a microcosm that consists of several key parts that interact, and disharmony can result in leukemia. Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a disease increases a patient’s risk for leukemia. Dr. Vaiselbuh's hypothesis is that early-onset FA-induced leukemia develops after "planting the wrong seed in the wrong soil." Her study will help scientists understand how these components interact to cause leukemia.

This year, St. Baldrick’s created a new category of funding and one of the first doctors to receive this award is Dr. Fish. Feinstein’s Dr. Lipton will also oversee his work. Part of a new funding program to further the research of promising young pediatric oncologists, these awards bridge the funding-gap between their fellowships and sources of funding available to more established researchers. These awards will also provide much-needed research funding to doctors during this critical stage of their careers.

Dr. Fish’s research project is entitled, “Effects of Centralized Care on Self-Advocacy of Childhood Cancer Survivors.” Since over 75% of children with cancer can now be cured, the population of 250,000 survivors of childhood cancers in the USA is rapidly growing. Over 60% of survivors have a chronic medical problem, and 27% a severe or life-threatening problem as a result of their treatment. Research into problems faced by survivors is critical to improving their care. Dr. Fish will investigate whether care in a specialized center will improve patient awareness of the treatments they received and risks they face because of those treatments. He will also track the ability of survivors to follow medical recommendations and referrals.

The Feinstein Institute is the only center in the country to receive all three types of funding awards provided by St. Baldrick’s, as part of their Summer Grants.

“The work of Dr. Lipton and his colleagues has been leading the field and we are extremely proud that St. Baldrick’s Foundation will be supporting this important research at our institute,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, director of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

About The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, human genetics, leukemia, lymphoma, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. Feinstein researchers are developing new drugs and drug targets, and producing results where science meets the patient. For more information, please visit www.FeinsteinInstitute.org or http://feinsteininstitute.typepad.com.

About The St. Baldrick’s Foundation

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation makes grants to research institutions to find new cures for childhood cancer, and to find treatments to ensure a better quality of life for patients and survivors. The Foundation funds research projects conducted by established pediatric cancer experts, as well as younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, offering the best available care for every child. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is grateful to its many volunteers (bald or not!) and donors, including Headblade Ultimate Headcare, PartnerRe, elope and QBE for making life-saving childhood cancer research possible. For more information about St. Baldrick’s, please call 1-888-899-BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.

Contact: Joseph Kelly (626) 792-8247, ext. 16 Joseph@stbaldricks.org

Rachel Black (626) 792-8247, ext. 17 Rachel@stbaldricks.org

Jamie Talan (516) 562-1232 jtalan@NSHS.edu