MIB Agents OsteoBites and osTEAo

Results of a phase II trial of olaparib in combination with ceralasertib in patients with recurrent and unresectable osteosarcoma

Results of a phase II trial of olaparib in combination with ceralasertib in patients with recurrent and unresectable osteosarcoma Osteosarcoma Webinar Series: Katie Janeway, MD and Suzanne Forrest, MD join us on OsteoBites to discuss results of a phase II trial of olaparib in combination with ceralasertib in patients with recurrent and unresectable osteosarcoma. Dr. Janeway received her MD and MMSc from Harvard Medical School. She completed her pediatrics residency and her Pediatric Hematology-Oncology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, a Senior Physician who cares for young people with sarcoma, and Director of Clinical Genomics. Dr. Janeway’s research is focused on precision oncology and bone sarcomas. She leads clinical trials both as an independent investigator and as the Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Bone Tumor Committee. The Janeway Laboratory leads several studies, which have enrolled and sequenced more than 2,500 patients with childhood cancers. They are using this data to deepen the understanding of clinical and genomic factors explaining prognosis and treatment response, and resistance, with a focus on sarcomas. In collaboration with Count Me In, the group is innovating patient partnerships in sarcoma research.Dr. Forrest completed her medical school training at Yale University, followed by pediatrics training in the Boston Combined Residency Program. She then pursued a pediatric oncology fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Boston Children’s Hospital. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an Attending Physician in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Dana-Farber / Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Her research focuses on developing novel clinical trials that utilize cancer genomics to guide treatment strategies for pediatric solid tumors. After a short presentation on this research, they will take questions from attendees. Share your questions in advance with us at Christina@MIBAgents.org.

Ongoing chromothripsis underpins osteosarcoma genome complexity and clonal evolution

Osteosarcoma Webinar Series: Isidro Cortés-Ciriano will discuss his work studying how ongoing chromothripsis underpins osteosarcoma genome complexity and clonal evolution.

osTEAo: Navigating Loss in the AYA Community

In this episode of osTEAo, Mia and Sammy — joined by Mackenzie and Alejandro — open up about the many forms of loss: losing friends, losing health, and losing parts of themselves as life shifts after cancer. They talk about how grief shows up in changing abilities, in memories, and in the quiet moments where life feels different than before. Through honest conversation about rituals, storytelling, and the ways grief softens over time, they explore how remembrance can heal and how connection helps carry the weight. Despite the heaviness, the group finds hope in shared stories, laughter, and the idea that while grief is intertwined with love, no one has to navigate it alone.

Synergy of ATM and PARP Inhibitors in Pediatric Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma Webinar Series: Janeala Morsby, PhD, a postdoctoral associate at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, discusses her OutSmarting Osteosarcoma funded work focused on exploring the mechanism of synergy of the dual inhibition of ATM and PARP for the treatment of pediatric osteosarcoma. Janeala Morsby hails from the beautiful island of Jamaica, where she was born and raised in Port Antonio, Portland. Her journey to the United States began when she received a full honors scholarship to attend Claflin University, where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, summa cum laude. She then went on to complete her PhD at the University of Notre Dame under the supervision of Dr. Bradley Smith. At the University of Notre Dame, her work focused on the detection of hypoxia in cancer cell models, in addition to diagnostics and imaging. She is now a postdoctoral associate at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (SJCRH) in Dr. Lillian Guenther’s lab. At SJCRH, her work focuses on exploring the mechanism of synergy of the dual inhibition of ATM and PARP for the treatment of pediatric osteosarcoma. She is very passionate about the proposed research project and hopes that the findings of the proposed work will be beneficial to pediatric osteosarcoma patients.

Comparative extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarkers for osteosarcoma risk and prognosis

Dr. Kelly Makielski and Dr. Jaime Modiano from the University of Minnesota join us on OsteoBites to discuss comparative extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarkers for osteosarcoma risk and prognosis. They are investigating extracellular vesicle (EV) transcriptomic profiles as minimally invasive biomarkers in canine and pediatric osteosarcoma in two ongoing studies. In the Canine Osteosarcoma Early Detection (COED) study, they are sequencing EV RNA from otherwise healthy dogs in breeds at elevated risk of osteosarcoma to identify gene signatures for the early detection and risk assessment of osteosarcoma. In parallel, they are conducting the KIDsCAN study, where we are sequencing EVs from pediatric osteosarcoma patients to identify prognostic signatures that could ultimately guide treatment intensity, aiming to minimize long-term therapy-associated morbidity without negatively impacting survival. Preliminary results from COED will be shared, along with how their comparative approach is helping to guide the KIDsCAN study. Kelly M. Makielski, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) is an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center. Her research focuses on extracellular vesicle (EV) biology and comparative oncology, using naturally occurring cancers in dogs to inform human cancer biology and treatment. She is the recipient of an NIH K01 investigating EV–based biomarkers for osteosarcoma prognosis in pediatric osteosarcoma, to guide personalized therapy and reduce treatment-related morbidity. Dr. Jaime Modiano holds the Alvin and June Perlman Endowed Chair of Animal Oncology and is director of the Animal Cancer Care and Research Program of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He completed his training through the Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (VMD, PhD) at the University of Pennsylvania, and he followed it with a residency in Clinical Pathology at Colorado State University and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine. Before joining the University of Minnesota, he served on the faculties of Texas A&M University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Modiano has also worked in the private sector, as founder of several start-up companies, and as Director of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy for the Donald Monk Cancer Research Foundation. Through his research, Dr. Modiano seeks to understand how and why cancer happens and to develop strategies for improving the health and well-being of companion animals and humans alike.