Impact Archive - The Faris Foundation

Highlights from the Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, as well as our work in the areas of childhood cancer education, awareness, and public engagement.

Rudolph’s Pediatrics (2018), Chapter on Ewing Sarcoma and Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors co-written by Dr. Jason Yustein, Director of the FDV Center

Book Chapters:

Steven G. DuBois and Jason T. Yustein (2018). Ewing Sarcoma and Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors Chapter, Rudolph’s Pediatrics Community Engagement

Publications:

1. Gargi G, Yustein JT. (2015) EWS-FLI1 Regulates Genotoxic Stress Response in Ewing Sarcoma. J Cancer Biol Res 3(2): 1063

2. Satterfield, L., Allen-Rhoades, W., Kurenbekova, L., Donehower, L. and J.T. Yustein. “miR-130b directly targets ARHGAP1 to drive activation of a metastatic CDC42-PAK1-AP1 positive feedback loop in Ewing sarcoma”, International Journal of Cancer. 2017 Jul 27. Doi:10.1002/ijc.30909

3. Dasgupta, A., Trucco, MT, Rainusso, N., Shuck, R., Kurenbekova, L. and J.T. Yustein. “Metabolic Modulation of Ewing Sarcoma Cells Inhibits Tumor
Growth and Stem Cell Properties”, Oncotarget. 2017 Aug 24;8(44):77292-77308. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.20467

4. Carroll Shapiro, M., Tang, T., Dasgupta, A., Kurenbekova, L., Shuck, R., Gaber, M.W., and J.T. Yustein. “In vitro and in vivo characterization of a preclinical radiation-adapted model for Ewing sarcoma”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. 2018 Feb 5. pii: S0360-3016(18)30219-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.01.095.

5. Rainusso, N., W. Allen-Rhoades, L. Kurenbekova, R. Shuck, L.L. Wang and J.T. Yustein. “Generation of Patient-Derived Tumor Xenografts from Percutaneous Tumor Biopsies in Children with Bone Sarcomas” Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2018 Dec 11:e27579. doi: 10.1002/pbc.27579.

Members of Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center team

Dr. Wendy Allen-Rhoades leads Rice University students on a tour of the FDV Center

Research

Clinical Trials

1. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02657005: A Phase 1, Dose Escalation Study of Intravenous TK216 in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Ewing Sarcoma

2. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00902044: Administration of Her2 Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Expressing T Cells for Subjects With Advanced Sarcoma (HEROS)

Pharmaceutical Interactions

1. Oncternal Therapeutics: TK-216, which targets
EWS-FLI1
2. Salarius Pharmaceuticals: SP-2577, targets genetic regulation

Symposium

Hosted by the Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, the Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma International Symposium was held in Houston in April 2015, September 2016, and September 2017.

Dr. Jeffery Toretsky (Georgetown University), Dr. Stephen Lessnick (University of Utah), and Dr. Elizabeth Lawlor (University of Michigan) at the inaugural Faris D. Virani International Ewing Sarcoma Symposium

College internship programs (contact for applications):

1. Jaime Campbell, University of Notre Dame, Summers 2017 & 2018
2. Malaika Mathias, The International School Bangalore, Summer 2017
3. Natalie Cooley, Texas A&M University, Summer 2018

Community Engagement

We engage with school groups and the greater community to invite young people to visit the lab and take a VIP tour with Dr. Yustein. This is a unique opportunity, as the institutional barriers for youth to access a research lab environment are otherwise complex. Through the experiential introduction to a lab in action, viewing Ewing sarcoma cells under the microscope, and learning about the most cutting-edge frontiers in research – such as xenografts and immunotherapy, we inspire the next generation of researchers and advocates for childhood cancer. Many Youth Ambassadors now serve as volunteers within the Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

Middle school student viewing Ewing sarcoma cells during a visit to the FDV Center

Rice University students visit the FDV Ewing Sarcoma Center as part of their capstone class project. — Rice University students visit the FDV Ewing Sarcoma Center as part of their capstone class project

“I’m working in an oncology lab this quarter, and what a smooth transition it has been because of my experience at the FDV Center.”

– Malaika Mathias, student at the University of Chicago and FDV Lab Intern Summer 2017

Education and Awareness

Since 2014, Faris has inspired ever-increasing levels of gold around the world. Each year, Let There Be GOLD celebrations have expanded and grown, and now take place at Texas Children’s Hospital Main Campus, West Campus, Woodlands, Vannie Cook in McAllen, and Global HOPE in Africa.

Our partner, Prime Communications, raised over $300,000 for childhood cancer research in September 2018, through their in-store fundraising campaign. Over 35,000 generous and golden people participated, and on a single Saturday in September, they raised over $17,000!

Impact