The Uni v er sit y of Tex a s
M. D. A nder son C a ncer Center
Mosbacher Pediatrics Chair: Battling a Rare Bone Cancer
Keri
Schadler’s face lights
research, polishing presentation skills
up as she talks about her work
and gaining the experience necessary
as a graduate research assistant
to succeed in the competitive
in experimental pediatrics at The
academic research arena.”
University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Kleinerman feels confident this
Cancer Center. Since choosing to
research will identify potential new
work in the laboratory of Eugenie
targets in the treatment of Ewing’s
S. Kleinerman, M.D., head of the
sarcoma, which afflicts mainly
Children’s Cancer Hospital at
adolescents and young adults.
M. D. Anderson, Schadler has been
“If we can prevent bone marrow
immersed in a study of the signaling
cells from migrating into the tumor
protein Delta-like Ligand 4 and its
area and participating in the formation
role in vasculogenesis in Ewing’s
of new tumor vessels, and if we can
sarcoma. In lay terms, she hopes to
prevent these bone marrow cells from
determine whether agents that block
differentiating into the pericytes that
DLL4 can be used to treat this rare
are needed to sculpt efficient tumor
Keri Schadler*
form of pediatric bone cancer by
vessels, we think this will result in the
blocking the development of blood
inability of Ewing’s sarcoma to grow
vessels in tumors, essentially starving them to death.
and metastasize and may even lead to the regression of
Schadler is one of three young investigators in
established tumors,” she says.
Kleinerman’s lab who have benefited over the past year
Only 200 new cases of Ewing’s sarcoma are diagnosed
from funds provided by the Mosbacher Pediatrics Chair at
each year in the United States. Because Ewing’s sarcoma is
M. D. Anderson, an endowed position established in 1978 by
rare, the number of laboratories engaged in research is small
the Hon. Robert A. Mosbacher Sr.
compared with those involved in breast, colon, lung, ovarian
Kleinerman, who has held the Mosbacher Pediatrics
and prostate cancers, Kleinerman says.
Chair since 2005, chooses to use the funds to support
“It’s particularly important to train the next generation
graduate student stipends, allowing trainees the means to
of translational investigators focused on generating new
work in her lab.
knowledge of the processes that control the growth and
“My goal is to train Ph.D. investigators who truly
metastasis of pediatric solid tumors to enable us to identify
understand disease processes, not just molecular pathways
new therapeutic targets. What better way than to teach,
in isolated cells,” says Kleinerman,
engage and inspire young minds
who applied the past year’s funding
during their graduate education,” she
to trainees’ salaries, benefits and
says. “The Mosbacher Pediatrics Chair
lab materials. The funds also made
has supported innovative research at
it possible for trainees to attend a
M. D. Anderson for more than 30
national conference, giving them
years. Today, its impact continues as it
the opportunity to present abstracts
provides a vehicle of hope for Ewing’s
and interact with established
sarcoma patients and their families
investigators. “Supported by these
around the world.”
funds, these budding young scientists
A life member of M. D. Anderson’s
are helping us better understand the
Board of Visitors, Mosbacher was
biology of Ewing’s sarcoma tumor
Secretary of Commerce during
cells and the vascular structures that
former President George H. W. Bush’s
support tumor growth. In turn, they
administration and is chairman of
are learning to do hypothesis-driven
Mosbacher Energy Company.
Eugenie S. Kleinerman, M.D.
*Top photo by Kent Creative