Fall 2025
By Hannah White Hannah
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research recently awarded $450,000 in grants to four Dana-Farber researchers developing innovative treatments for pediatric cancer. Recipients include Tom Rosenberg, MD; James Morrow, MD, PhD; Basudev Chowdhury, PhD; and Yana Pikman, MD.
Rosenberg is designing new therapies for children with recurrent atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), a rare and aggressive brain cancer that primarily affects infants. While current treatments cure nearly half of patients with ATRT, there are no effective therapies for patients whose disease recurs. In addition, the intensive therapy patients receive often causes significant long-term side effects. Rosenberg designed a platform study that will test safer, more targeted therapies.
Morrow is studying osteosarcoma, a bone cancer common in adolescents and young adults. Recent work has identified two tumor subtypes—one that resembles normal bone and responds well to treatment and another that behaves more like stem cells and spreads aggressively. Morrow is testing whether the latter can be reprogrammed into bone-like cells to improve outcomes. “Understanding what makes these tumors more aggressive may open the door to entirely new treatment strategies,” said Morrow.
Chowdhury is investigating the biology of pediatric leukemias, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. By studying molecular vulnerabilities in these cancers, his research could uncover new targets for treatment and lead to breakthrough therapies.
“Understanding what makes these tumors more aggressive could open the door to entirely new treatment strategies.”
James Morrow, MD, PhD
Pikman led the first national precision medicine trial using genomic testing to guide treatment for children with high-risk, relapsed, or treatment-resistant leukemia. She is now expanding this work to pediatric centers across the Northeast to assess how genomic testing impacts diagnosis and treatment of pediatric leukemia and testing the feasibility of offering extended genomic testing at the regional level. Her research seeks to improve access to testing, support clinicians in using genomic data, and ultimately reduce toxicity of treatment while improving survival.
These early stage, high potential studies represent Rally Foundation’s commitment to funding research that improves both outcomes and quality of life for children with cancer.