— The Child Health Research Institute — Areas of Emphasis — Pediatric Cancer

Pediatric Cancer

The Pediatric Cancer Research Group (PCRG) is a multidisciplinary team of scientists working to improve the outcomes of children diagnosed with cancer by combining the scientific infrastructure of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Fred & Pamela Buffet Cancer Center with the resources and clinical expertise of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.

The PCRG is the pediatric cancer CHRI area of emphasis (AOE), and its efforts span:

Epidemiology and prevention, including extensive research into water quality as it relates to pediatric cancer rates in Nebraska and other rural areas
Pathology of different cancers/tumors, including medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, hematological malignancies and more
Innovative treatments with collaborators from pharmaceutical sciences and increased infrastructure to conduct clinical trials, including augmenting data management
Quality of care research, such as the use of robotics and virtual reality to improve experiences in physical therapy or decrease the need for sedation in radiation oncology and imaging
Survivorship research in partnership with Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Survivorship Clinic
Developing resources and tools to benefit a wide range of cancer research, including animal models and tumor banks
Training for the next generation of researchers through fellowships and laboratory experiences

If you are a CHRI member and would like to join the Pediatric Cancer area of emphasis, please email chri@unmc.edu.

Funding through the PCRG

In early 2014, LB 764 was introduced by State Senator Danielle Conrad to appropriate $1.8M from the General Fund for pediatric cancer research infrastructure at the University of Nebraska.
In early 2015, LB 417 was introduced by State Senators Nordquist and Mello and subsequently approved to continue appropriations of $1.8M per year (with $300K per year reserved for neuro-oncology) in perpetuity.

PCRG Application for Funding

To submit an application or ask a question contact: PCRG Program Director, Don Coulter, MD dwcoulter@unmc.edu. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Co-Champions

Don Coulter, MD

Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

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Sidharth Mahapatra, MD, PhD

Director for Research, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry

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Within the Pediatric Cancer AOE, two collaborative focus areas have emerged to address specific areas in research. The Medulloblastoma Collaborative formed due to connections made at the Pediatric Cancer Research Symposium, and the Hematological Malignancies Subgroup came out of conversations started at Pediatric Cancer AOE events.

Medulloblastoma Collaborative

Vision:

To improve the life of children with high-risk medulloblastomas

Mission:

To capitalize on complementary biomedical expertise within CHRI and the greater University of Nebraska campuses to collaboratively advance our understanding of high-risk medulloblastoma pathophysiology and therapeutics

Goals:

To allow for free exchange of ideas that may result in better quality research
To provide a panel of MB experts who may provide peer review for future projects, manuscripts and grants
To eventually procure multi-PI national funding

Members



Kishor Bhakat, PhD, Scientist Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy	Nagendra Chaturvedi, PhD, Scientist Assistant Professor and Research Scientist, Division of Hematology/Oncology


Don Coulter, MD, Hematologist Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology	Arnett Klugh, MD, Neurosurgeon Associate Professor of Neurosurgery



Sidharth Mahapatra, MD, PhD, Critical Care Clinician and Scientist Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics	Ram I. Mahato, PhD, Scientist Chair and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences


Aaron Mohs, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Sutapa Ray, PhD, Scientist Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics


Angie Rizzino, PhD, Scientist Professor, Eppley Institute	Afshin Salehi, MD, MS, Neurosurgeon Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery


Paul Trippier, PhD Associate Professor and Director, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program

Hematological Malignancies Subgroup

Goals:

Increase communication between clinical, translational, and basic science researchers
Provide resources for group members
Promote new research projects- particularly those in line with the pediatric patient population in Omaha

Members


Melissa Acquazzino, MD Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology	Hamid Band, MD, PhD Director of the Center for Breast Cancer Research Associate Director of Translational Research Co-Program Leader of Molecular and Biochemical Etiology Program (MBEP) Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center


Jill Beck, MD Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology	Shannon Buckley, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy


Dalia Elgamal, PhD Assistant Professor, Eppley Institute	James B. Ford, DO Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology


Jordan Fritch Hematology/Oncology Fellow	Kyle Hewitt, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy


Kate Hyde, PhD Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Javeed Iqbal, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Microbiology


Shantaram Joshi, PhD Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy	So-Youn Kim, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), Cancer Research (CR), and Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology (MGCB)


Taylor Losole, MD Hematology/Oncology Fellow	Aaron Mohs, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences


Grace Murray, MD Hematology/Oncology Fellow	DJ Murry, PharmD Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science


Sachit Patel, MD Associate Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology	Chittalsinh Raulji, MBBS Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology


Sutapa Ray, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics	Jordan Rowley, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy


Paul Trippier, PhD Associate Professor and Director, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program