CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
@sjcenos.bsky.social
Driving groundbreaking research at St. Jude’s Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences to advance understanding and improve outcomes for children with #braincancer, including #medulloblastoma, #ependymoma, and #glioma. 🧠🔬
Scientists at St. Jude published the largest analysis of #medulloblastoma treatment from ~900 patients. By harmonizing clinical & molecular data, they identified new risk groups—enabling more precise, less toxic therapies for kids. ow.ly/XtYs50Xn8cF 🧠✨
Data-driven risk stratification guides childhood brain tumor treatment, reducing side effects
Find how St. Jude researchers discovered a new way to group patients with medulloblastoma, which could lead to major reduction in treatment-related toxicity.
ow.ly
November 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Scientists at St. Jude published the largest analysis of #medulloblastoma treatment from ~900 patients. By harmonizing clinical & molecular data, they identified new risk groups—enabling more precise, less toxic therapies for kids. ow.ly/XtYs50Xn8cF 🧠✨
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Olivier Ayrault from Institut Curie as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Causal Multi-omics Integration Reveals Metabolic Dependencies in Human Medulloblastoma".
November 4, 2025 at 3:42 PM
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Olivier Ayrault from Institut Curie as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Causal Multi-omics Integration Reveals Metabolic Dependencies in Human Medulloblastoma".
A new computational method to separate bulk multi-omics data has been developed in collaboration between Qian Li and Paul Northcott’s lab. MOADE can predict cell types and generate personalized molecular profiles for analyzing complex tissues and tumors. (1/2)
October 6, 2025 at 6:41 PM
A new computational method to separate bulk multi-omics data has been developed in collaboration between Qian Li and Paul Northcott’s lab. MOADE can predict cell types and generate personalized molecular profiles for analyzing complex tissues and tumors. (1/2)
Alisha Kardian, graduate student in the Mack lab, is the 2025 recipient for the prestigious Schweisguth Prize awarded for the best scientific article by a trainee in pediatric oncology. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement! siop-online.org/schweisguth-...
October 3, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Alisha Kardian, graduate student in the Mack lab, is the 2025 recipient for the prestigious Schweisguth Prize awarded for the best scientific article by a trainee in pediatric oncology. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement! siop-online.org/schweisguth-...
Droplet-like formation of nuclear condensates underlies how a fusion oncoprotein disrupts gene expression in a form of pediatric cancer. This study spanning disease biology, molecular genetics, and biophysics was published today in Nature Cell Biology. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Synthetic ZFTA fusions pinpoint disordered protein domain acquisition as a mechanism of brain tumorigenesis - Nature Cell Biology
Arabzade, Shirnekhi, Varadharajan, Ippagunta and colleagues show that the zinc finger translocation-associated (ZFTA) fusion oncoproteins gain intrinsically disordered regions, inducing nuclear conden...
www.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Droplet-like formation of nuclear condensates underlies how a fusion oncoprotein disrupts gene expression in a form of pediatric cancer. This study spanning disease biology, molecular genetics, and biophysics was published today in Nature Cell Biology. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Ependymoma, the third most common childhood brain tumor, has seen little therapeutic progress in 30+ years. New findings reveal how the ZFTA–RELA fusion protein drives tumor formation via condensates. ow.ly/fg4r50WMPZJ
Research implicates biomolecular condensates in a type of childhood brain cancer
Discover research showing that small disordered regions of a fusion protein creates droplets called condensates that are essential to ependymoma development.
ow.ly
August 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Ependymoma, the third most common childhood brain tumor, has seen little therapeutic progress in 30+ years. New findings reveal how the ZFTA–RELA fusion protein drives tumor formation via condensates. ow.ly/fg4r50WMPZJ
The Mack lab congratulates Amelia Hancock, a student from the @uniofbath.bsky.social exchange program, for her fantastic presentation on the work conducted during her year-long rotation. She has been an awesome part of the lab and will be greatly missed!
August 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The Mack lab congratulates Amelia Hancock, a student from the @uniofbath.bsky.social exchange program, for her fantastic presentation on the work conducted during her year-long rotation. She has been an awesome part of the lab and will be greatly missed!
Dr. Stephen Mack, Associate Member of DNB & CENOS, is presenting “Deciphering the molecular and cellular basis of fusion driven ependymoma to uncover novel therapies” for the virtual Science of Childhood Cancer Lecture Aug 21. stjude.org/socc
August 15, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Dr. Stephen Mack, Associate Member of DNB & CENOS, is presenting “Deciphering the molecular and cellular basis of fusion driven ependymoma to uncover novel therapies” for the virtual Science of Childhood Cancer Lecture Aug 21. stjude.org/socc
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
We are excited to kick off this season of SOCC with a milestone: our 150th lecture. Join us every Thursday, from 8/14 to 11/20, at 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET for an engaging and interactive 15-week virtual lecture series.
August 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
We are excited to kick off this season of SOCC with a milestone: our 150th lecture. Join us every Thursday, from 8/14 to 11/20, at 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET for an engaging and interactive 15-week virtual lecture series.
The Baker lab had a fantastic experience mentoring POE intern Ethan Wunibald through the summer. He did an excellent job learning an array of techniques in the lab and presenting his findings. We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next!
August 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The Baker lab had a fantastic experience mentoring POE intern Ethan Wunibald through the summer. He did an excellent job learning an array of techniques in the lab and presenting his findings. We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next!
The Northcott lab is proud of High School Research Immersion Program student Catherine Carney for her summer research project poster. Your hard work and boundless curiosity was clear in your findings and way you answered tough questions. We know you have a bright future ahead!
July 31, 2025 at 10:13 PM
The Northcott lab is proud of High School Research Immersion Program student Catherine Carney for her summer research project poster. Your hard work and boundless curiosity was clear in your findings and way you answered tough questions. We know you have a bright future ahead!
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
A recent study testing CAR-T immunotherapy for ependymoma identified treatment promise and new questions to understand how the immune response can influence treatment response. www.stjude.org/research/pro...
CAR T–cell therapy shows promise for ependymoma though barriers remain
Find out how B7-H3-targted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells successfully killed ependymoma tumors in some models but still faced resistance in others.
www.stjude.org
July 18, 2025 at 9:05 PM
A recent study testing CAR-T immunotherapy for ependymoma identified treatment promise and new questions to understand how the immune response can influence treatment response. www.stjude.org/research/pro...
The Northcott lab conducted an extensive re-analysis of a single-cell transcriptional atlas of human cerebellar development originally published in 2022. During this process, we identified significant concerns related to data integrity and interpretation,
Lack of evidence for the transitional cerebellar progenitor - Nature
Nature - Lack of evidence for the transitional cerebellar progenitor
tinyurl.com
July 10, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The Northcott lab conducted an extensive re-analysis of a single-cell transcriptional atlas of human cerebellar development originally published in 2022. During this process, we identified significant concerns related to data integrity and interpretation,
Graduate Student Sanya Mehta and Postdoc Siri Ippagunta tested CAR T-cell immunotherapy in ependymoma models. This collaboration between the Stephen Mack and Giedre Krenciute labs examines how the immune system responds to CAR-T cells and mediates treatment efficacy. doi.org/10.1158/1078...
B7-H3 CAR T-cells are effective against ependymomas, but limited by tumor size and immune response
Abstract. Purpose: Targeted treatments are desperately needed for ependymomas (EPNs). Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells have immense potential to transform patient outcomes. However, CAR T-cell ...
doi.org
July 9, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Graduate Student Sanya Mehta and Postdoc Siri Ippagunta tested CAR T-cell immunotherapy in ependymoma models. This collaboration between the Stephen Mack and Giedre Krenciute labs examines how the immune system responds to CAR-T cells and mediates treatment efficacy. doi.org/10.1158/1078...
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
A deeper understanding of how cells organize themselves is changing the way we think about neurological diseases. At St. Jude, researchers are studying biomolecular condensates—droplets that organize proteins, RNA and DNA—to uncover new treatment strategies. ow.ly/tzpp50WbzjK
June 18, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A deeper understanding of how cells organize themselves is changing the way we think about neurological diseases. At St. Jude, researchers are studying biomolecular condensates—droplets that organize proteins, RNA and DNA—to uncover new treatment strategies. ow.ly/tzpp50WbzjK
Congratulations to the Northcott team making the cover of Cancer Cell for their work demonstrating how inherited ELP1 variants confer risk for SHH #medulloblastoma! tinyurl.com/39p365ae
The June issue of Cancer Cell is available now: www.cell.com/cancer-cell/...
June 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Congratulations to the Northcott team making the cover of Cancer Cell for their work demonstrating how inherited ELP1 variants confer risk for SHH #medulloblastoma! tinyurl.com/39p365ae
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Online Now: Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 primes group-3 medulloblastomas for cuproptosis
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 primes group-3 medulloblastomas for cuproptosis
Dang et al. report that group-3 medulloblastomas (MBs) show c-MYC-driven high DLAT expression. In these tumors, wild-type IDH1 epigenetically regulates c-MYC, and inhibiting IDH1 lowers c-MYC and DLAT expression. Further, DLAT sensitizes group-3 MBs to cuproptosis. Notably, the copper ionophore elesclomol is toxic to multiple group-3 MB models, underscoring its therapeutic potential.
dlvr.it
May 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Online Now: Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 primes group-3 medulloblastomas for cuproptosis
Reposted by CENOS at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Online Now: Genetic modeling of ELP1-associated Sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma identifies MDM2 as a selective therapeutic target
Genetic modeling of ELP1-associated Sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma identifies MDM2 as a selective therapeutic target
Elp1 heterozygous LOF mutations in Sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma (MB) elevate transformation risk in granule neuron precursors through stalled differentiation, DNA replication stress, genomic instability, and accelerated cell cycle. Pharmacological restoration of p53 signaling in ELP1-deficient tumor cells suppresses tumor growth and represents a potential therapeutic opportunity.
dlvr.it
May 21, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Online Now: Genetic modeling of ELP1-associated Sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma identifies MDM2 as a selective therapeutic target
The Northcott lab identified inherited ELP1 loss increases risk for SHH #medulloblastoma through stalled differentiation, DNA replication stress, genomic instability, and accelerated cell cycle. Restoring p53 signaling was found to have therapeutic potential.
tinyurl.com/5355xy6t
tinyurl.com/5355xy6t
Study reveals targetable mechanism behind high-risk predisposition gene in pediatric medulloblastoma
Uncover how ELP1 gene defects drive pediatric brain cancer—and learn how that revealed MDM2 inhibition as a targeted therapy to restore tumor suppressor p53.
tinyurl.com
May 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The Northcott lab identified inherited ELP1 loss increases risk for SHH #medulloblastoma through stalled differentiation, DNA replication stress, genomic instability, and accelerated cell cycle. Restoring p53 signaling was found to have therapeutic potential.
tinyurl.com/5355xy6t
tinyurl.com/5355xy6t
Congratulations to the Northcott lab for 10 years at St Jude! Thank you to the Mack lab for joining as we celebrate this important milestone!
May 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Congratulations to the Northcott lab for 10 years at St Jude! Thank you to the Mack lab for joining as we celebrate this important milestone!
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Sameer Agnihotri from the University of Pittsburgh as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Microenvironmental, Epitranscriptomic, and Chromosomal Engineering Approaches to Uncover Translational Targets for Gliomas".
April 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Sameer Agnihotri from the University of Pittsburgh as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Microenvironmental, Epitranscriptomic, and Chromosomal Engineering Approaches to Uncover Translational Targets for Gliomas".
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Alex Miller from NYU Langone Health and Perlmutter Cancer Center as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Tapping the Genome: Liquid biopsies for CNS tumors".
March 3, 2025 at 10:51 PM
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Alex Miller from NYU Langone Health and Perlmutter Cancer Center as a guest speaker for the CENOS-NBTP seminar series presenting "Tapping the Genome: Liquid biopsies for CNS tumors".
Congratulations to Tuyu Zheng for winning a Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Fellowship for her research, co-supervised by Stephen Mack and Lindsay Schwarz at St. Jude’s! tinyurl.com/23cbtkt3
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital invest $1.8 million in childhood cancer research
Cancer researchers in Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, New York and Memphis were selected as Pediatric Fellows
tinyurl.com
February 13, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Congratulations to Tuyu Zheng for winning a Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Fellowship for her research, co-supervised by Stephen Mack and Lindsay Schwarz at St. Jude’s! tinyurl.com/23cbtkt3
The proteosome fine-tunes protein levels; defects in targeted degradation cause disease, such as mutations in KBTBD4 driving medulloblastoma. Investigators at UW, Harvard, and St. Jude identified these mutations create interactions with new protein targets to aberrantly degrade them.
February 12, 2025 at 8:10 PM
The proteosome fine-tunes protein levels; defects in targeted degradation cause disease, such as mutations in KBTBD4 driving medulloblastoma. Investigators at UW, Harvard, and St. Jude identified these mutations create interactions with new protein targets to aberrantly degrade them.