Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center

02/06/2026

At Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Center, we’re celebrating faculty who have recently secured a total of over $3.2M in research grants that will advance care for children fighting cancer or serious blood disorders. These new awards support innovative projects in immunotherapy, disease monitoring, rare cancer biology, and understanding cancer risk factors.

See below for the list of Principal Investigators and their newly funded projects (pictured above, top left to right by row):

• 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹 𝗘. 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻, 𝗠𝗗, 𝗣𝗵𝗗 | Curing pediatric Langerhans cell histiocytosis: testing synergy of chemotherapy and MAPK inhibition – Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation

• 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗟. 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝗣𝗵𝗗, 𝗠𝗣𝗛 | Exploring the role of immune dysregulation on Hodgkin lymphoma susceptibility – The Jeffrey Pride Foundation

• 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗦. 𝗞𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗣𝗵𝗗 | Radiation dose-volume associations with neurocognitive change in pediatric brain tumor patients treated with proton vs. photon radiotherapy – CPRIT

• 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗹 𝗔. 𝗢𝗺𝗲𝗿, 𝗠𝗗 | Toward durable remissions: gene-edited GD2-CAR T cells to overcome resistance in pediatric brain tumors – The Faris Foundation

• 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶, 𝗣𝗵𝗗 | Advancing P27600: a novel plant-derived compound for treating Ewing sarcoma – TeamKate

• 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗦. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗠𝗗, 𝗣𝗵𝗗 | Updated disease monitoring & treatment to enhance pediatric AML outcomes – Cannonball Kids' cancer

• 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗛. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻, 𝗠𝗗 and 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗘. 𝗛𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗽, 𝗠𝗗, 𝗗𝗦𝗰 (𝗛𝗼𝗻) (not pictured) | Cancer adoptive cellular therapy (CAN-ACT); administrative supplement to Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in lymphoma (P50) – National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘄𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗠𝗗, 𝗣𝗵𝗗 | Enhancing GD2-CAR NKT anti-tumor efficacy against neuroblastoma through targeting BLIMP1 – The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation

• 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗔. 𝗪𝗮𝗵𝗯𝗮, 𝗠𝗗 | Early career award program: advancing pediatric cancer immunotherapy with CAR-NKT cells – 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱

Thank you to these foundations and our dedicated faculty for pushing forward research that will make a meaningful difference for families.



ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

02/04/2026

Cancer research took center stage on Good Morning America. A recent segment features new findings in Nature Medicine on a personalized T cell therapy for pancreatic cancer, with Ann Leen, PhD, and Benjamin Musher, MD: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/129449690

The segment aired on January 22nd and was reported by ABC News’ Becky Worley.

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is difficult to detect, and even when detected early, outcomes are often poor. The phase 1/2 clinical trial highlighted in the video explores whether boosting a patient’s own immune cells and helping them target five cancer-specific proteins can improve disease control.

In the study, 84.6% of patients responding to chemotherapy achieved disease stabilization, with control lasting a median of six months. Control lasted longer in some patients, and two patients remain disease-free over five years after surgery. Along with Drs. Leen and Musher, Spyridoula Vasileiou, PhD, and Brandon G. Smaglo, MD, FACP served as lead authors. Read the findings here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04043-5.epdf

While this study focused on adults, the approach could inform future strategies for other hard-to-treat cancers.

ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

02/01/2026

02/01/2026

🎥 Watch a short video highlighting a next generation CAR T immunotherapy for children with 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮 (𝗗𝗠𝗚), supported by The Faris Foundation and led at Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Center.

▶️ https://youtu.be/PdhEEU2oiYo

DMG is one of the deadliest pediatric brain cancers, affecting an estimated 200–400 children each year in the United States. In the video, Bilal A. Omer, MD and D. Will Parsons, MD, PhD, Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, explain how this work builds on early clinical trial results to further refine the approach, and advance toward a cure for all children with this hard-to-treat cancer.

Early GD2 targeted CAR T cell trials supported by The Faris Foundation showed encouraging tumor regressions and meaningful neurologic improvements, even in children who had no other options. This next phase focuses on gene edited, “armored” GD2 CAR T cells designed to persist longer and resist immune suppression in the brain—key barriers to lasting remission.

Support from The Faris Foundation has helped bring families from across the country to Houston for innovative clinical trials, with the long-term goal of expanding these therapies nationally. 👧🧠

ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center.

Children diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma (DMG) face one of the most devastating pediatric brain cancers, with very limited treatment options. In this s...

01/30/2026

Congratulations to Austin Brown, PhD and Will Parsons, MD, PhD, on being selected as 2025 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀!

The Seven Blocks of Granite Award honors individuals who uphold the legacy of Vince Lombardi and have made meaningful contributions to cancer research and to improving the lives of cancer patients and their families.

🏆 Dr. Brown is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and serves as the Director of the Epidemiology Program and co-Director of the Long‑Term Survivor Research Program at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. His multidisciplinary research integrates clinical and molecular data to understand treatment‑related toxicities and improve survivorship outcomes. He is a dedicated mentor and collaborator, fostering partnerships across institutions to advance survivorship research.

🏆 Dr. Parsons is Chief of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine and Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. Over nearly two decades at Texas Children’s, he has built a nationally recognized career in precision oncology, advancing genomic testing and targeted therapies while serving in key leadership roles that advance pediatric cancer care, research and education.

Please join us in celebrating this achievement! 👏

Dr. Parsons and Dr. Brown were honored at the 52nd annual Lombardi Award ceremony. Learn more about the Seven Blocks of Granite Award: https://www.lombardiaward.org/sevenblocksofgranite



ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

01/26/2026

01/21/2026

🎉 It’s a pleasure to announce the latest Texas Children's Cancer & Hematology 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗼 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 winners! Each quarter, these awards recognize staff who go above and beyond for patients & colleagues. Read more about our incredible winners below (pictured, L-R top to bottom rows):

★ 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀, Senior Coordinator, Main Campus: Annually, Diandra coordinates onboarding and credentialing for 160+ faculty and new hires, while supporting 70+ rotating students and residents. Doing it all with a smile, she is known for her professionalism and helpful spirit.

★ 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗻, RN, Main Campus: Deborah is a trusted night-shift leader who serves in various roles, providing steady communication and compassionate oversight that keeps after-hours care running smoothly.

★ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀, RN, Main Campus: Manon is a versatile infusion room nurse known for her attention to detail, flexibility and kindness. She's a true team player, generously helping everyone who needs it.

★ 𝗗𝗲𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻, MA, Main Campus: DeKeisha's clear, efficient, and effective communication makes her a vital member of our team. Her interactions with patients, families, and staff are always thoughtful, respectful, and compassionate.

★ 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻, RN, Main Campus: Debbie is an inpatient nurse known for forming powerful bonds with patients, always finding ways to make a difference in their lives. Her care, advocacy and presence leave lasting impressions on families.

★ 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀, MA, Main Campus: Jamee efficiently manages a high volume of radiology scheduling needs — often on short notice — while maintaining calm, clarity and respect in every interaction with families and clinical teams. She is an outstanding asset to our service.

★ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗞𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗵, RN, Main Campus: Clare's flexibility, approachability, and clinical expertise make her an excellent leader of the inpatient BMT unit. Her warmth and strong interpersonal skills create a collaborative environment where each team member feels valued.

★ 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗱𝗲𝘁, RPH, Main Campus: Monique is an exceptional pharmacist who expertly handles medication verification and consistently goes the extra mile to resolve issues. Her dedication and collaborative spirit help keep the clinic running smoothly.

★ 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘇, Interpreter, Main Campus: Though Brenda has only recently joined the team, she has already strengthened communication for Spanish‑speaking families through expert interpretation on rounds, patient education, and clinic tours. She’s making a real impact.

★ 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘇, MA, McAllen: Bertha is a joyful, reassuring presence at the Vannie Cook Clinic, helping patients and staff daily. Her warmth eases patient fears and brightens everyone’s day.

★ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘀, MA, Main Campus: Regina is a highly trusted scheduler who coordinates imaging efficiently and collaborates across departments to reduce sedation needs and optimize patient care. She is kind, hardworking, and plays a crucial role in the timely care of our patients.

👏 Congratulations to our 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗼 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 recipients — thank you for the impact you make every day.



ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

01/16/2026

Immunotherapy has reshaped cancer care—but for solid tumors like sarcoma, major barriers remain.

Research led by Sujith K. Joseph, PhD, and published in 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, explores how a CAR T cell–based approach can be adapted to work within sarcoma’s dense, immunosuppressive tumor environment.

Instead of targeting cancer cells alone, this strategy focuses on endoglin (ENG/CD105)—a protein shared across sarcoma cells, tumor‑supporting fibroblasts, and tumor vasculature—enabling broader, multi‑layer tumor engagement.

In preclinical sarcoma models, ENG‑directed immunotherapy:
✅ Disrupted compact 3D tumor structures
✅ Achieved strong, sustained tumor killing
✅ Delayed metastatic spread and improved survival

Together, these findings point toward new ways immunotherapy may reach children and adults facing advanced sarcomas.

🔗 Full article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12492877/
*Journal from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

We’re grateful to the collaborators and supporters who made this work possible, including teams at Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist, and the British Columbia Cancer Research Institute (BC Cancer Foundation), along with generous support from The Faris Foundation, Victory Houston, Inc. , the Sarcoma Foundation of America, Inc., the Stand Up To Cancer–. St. Baldrick's Foundation Pediatric Cancer Dream Team, CPRIT, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Cancer Moonshot. Their collective commitment helps accelerate discoveries for children and adults facing sarcoma.

Image caption (L-R): Sujith K. Joseph, PhD and Jeneffer Cotilla Mirabal.

ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

01/16/2026

From labs to offices to clinic floors—Texans gear was everywhere this week. So proud of our staff and faculty for showing up in team colors after a big playoff win and cheering the Houston Texans on as the postseason run continues. 💙❤️🏈

01/14/2026

🌟 Recent professional leadership roles highlight the world-class expertise of our faculty at Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Center—and their impact on care and policy for children with cancer or complex blood disorders.

Congratulations to the following individuals (pictured from top to bottom):

• 𝗠. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗴𝗲𝘀, MD, PhD, elected to the American Pediatric Society, joining leaders dedicated to improving child health across North America.

• 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗥. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀-𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘂, MS, CGC, named Co-Chair of the National Society of Genetic Counselors Pediatric Cancer Subcommittee, supporting collaboration and education for genetic counselors in pediatric oncology.

• 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗟. 𝗠𝗰𝗔𝘁𝗲𝗲, MD, MPH, appointed to the JCO Global Oncology Editorial Board (a journal from the American Society of Clinical Oncology), contributing to peer review, editorial policy and advancing global cancer research.

These roles reflect our faculty’s commitment to collaboration, innovation and leadership—locally and globally. Learn more about these organizations and their missions:

🔗 JCO Global Oncology: https://ascopubs.org/journal/go
🔗 NSGC: https://www.nsgc.org
🔗 APS: https://www.aps1888.org

ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center in 2026. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

01/08/2026

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., and survival rates remain devastatingly low. A new study in Nature Medicine offers hope through a personalized therapy that uses patients’ own immune cells—boosted and targeted to seek out five cancer-specific targets.

The trial was led by first authors Benjamin L. Musher, Spyridoula Vasileiou, and Brandon G. Smaglo, with senior author Ann M. Leen. Findings revealed that the phase 1/2 clinical trial achieved an 84.6% disease control rate in patients responding to chemotherapy. Disease control lasted a median of about six months—and in some cases much longer. The therapy showed excellent safety with no severe immune reactions. Two patients remain disease-free more than five years after surgery.

🔗Read the full article: https://rdcu.be/eXjbL

This work reflects a collaborative effort among Baylor College of Medicine, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, and Houston Methodist, with support from The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, National Institutes of Health (NIH), CPRIT, and the National Cancer Institute.

While this study focused on adults, the approach could inform future strategies for other hard-to-treat cancers.

🖼️ Featured in the image (clockwise from top): Ann M. Leen, PhD; Benjamin Leon Musher, MD; Spyridoula Vasileiou, PhD; and Brandon G. Smaglo, MD, FACP.

ℹ️🏥 Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are joining forces to launch the Kinder Children's Cancer Center in 2026. Learn more: kinderchildrenscancercenter.org

01/07/2026

📣We’re proud to announce that D. Will Parsons, MD, PhD, has been appointed 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆-𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 at Baylor College of Medicine and 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.

A nationally recognized physician-scientist and trusted leader, Dr. Parsons brings nearly 20 years of experience, vision and dedication to advancing care, research and education for children with cancer and blood disorders. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved appointment.

🔗Dr. Parson’s profile at Texas Children's Hospital: https://www.texaschildrens.org/find-a-provider/donald-williams-will-parsons-md-phd

Image caption (L-R): Jennifer Sanders, DNP, RN, NEA-BC; Debra F. Sukin, MHA, PhD, FACHE; D. Williams (Will) Parsons, MD, PhD; Lara Shekerdemian, MD, MHA.