Department of Medicine
Divisions of Hematology & Oncology
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Discovery helps show how breast cancer spreads
Working in mouse models of breast cancer and breast tumor samples from patients, Greg Longmore and his colleagues showed that a protein on the surface of tumor cells, called DDR2, binds to collagen and activates a multistep pathway that encourages tumor cells to spread. This finding may explain why women with dense breasts are at increased risk for invasive breast cancer. WU Record 5/5/13 | Nature Cell Biology 5/5/13
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Distinct niches in bone marrow nurture blood stem cells
In research that one day could improve the success of stem cell transplants and chemotherapy, Dan Link and co-workers have found that distinct niches exist in bone marrow to nurture different types of blood stem cells. The new findings, in mice, suggest that it may be possible to therapeutically target support cells in a particular niche. WU Record 2/24/13 | Nature 2013;495:227-30
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Doctors turn to genetics to search for cancer's Achilles' heel
To develop more effective treatments for cancer, doctors are zeroing in on the disease's genetic drivers. Listen to John DiPersio and Merck's Gary Gilliland discuss how this may revolutionize the future of cancer treatment. NPR Science Friday 1/11/13
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Into adulthood, sickle cell patients rely on ER
Analysis of Medicaid data of more than 3,200 patients with sickle cell disease shows that emergency room visits triple between ages 15 and 24. According to Morey Blinder, who presented this work at the ASH annual meeting in Atlanta, "This study highlights an emerging problem in transitioning pediatric age patients to adulthood and the need to explore new ways to facilitate that process." WU Record 12/10/12
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Existing drugs may help more with breast cancer
DNA sequencing studies by Ron Bose and co-workers indicate that some women with HER2 negative breast cancer may benefit from anti-HER2 drugs even though standard tests don't indicate they are candidates for the drugs. WU Record 12/7/12 | Cancer Discovery online 12/7/12
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ASH awards Tim Ley the 2012 E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize
On December 12, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) honored Tim Ley with the 2012 E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize for his groundbreaking work in the genetic analysis of acute myleoid leukemia that has greatly increased the fundamental knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of this disease. ASH News
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Faculty profile: John DiPersio
Throughout his career, John DiPersio has worked at the intersection of basic science, clinical research and patient care. While treating patients and participating in a large number of clinical trials, DiPersio has maintained a strong basic research lab. A major area of interest is controlling the trafficking of cells - stem cells, leukemia cells and immune cells - to different parts of the body. WU Record 11/16/12
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$9 million to investigate blood-clotting disorders
Washington University has been awarded funding from the NHLBI to support a new Translational Research Center in Thrombotic and Hemostatic Disorders led by Evan Sadler. Other local investigators include John Atkinson, Enrico Di Cera, George Broze, and Samuel Wickline. The research will focus on bleeding disorders, including some that are rare, and clot formation in both large and small blood vessels. WU Record 11/7/12
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Deadly complication of stem cell transplants reduced in mice
Jaebok Choi, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Oncology Division, showed that eliminating or blocking the interferon gamma receptor on donor T-cells makes these cells unable to migrate to critical organs such as the intestines but still leaves them capable of killing leukemia cells in mice. Blood 2012;120:4093-103 | WU Record 9/27/12
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Some breast cancers share genetic features with ovarian tumors
A comprehensive analysis of 825 women with breast cancer shows that basal-like tumors, one of the most deadly subtypes, are genetically more similar to ovarian tumors than to other breast cancers. The study was co-led by Matthew Ellis at Washington University and Charles Perou at the University of North Carolina. Nature 2012;490:61-70 | WU Record 9/23/12
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In lung cancer, smokers have 10 times more genetic damage than never-smokers
Ramaswamy Govindan, Richard Wilson, and colleagues have identified 3700 mutations in 17 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 5 of whom did not have a history of smoking. Surprisingly, the smokers had 10-fold more mutations than the non-smokers. In each patient who never smoked, at least one mutated gene that can be targeted with currently available drugs was found. Cell 2012;150:1121-34 | WU Record 9/13/12
Featured Video
In treatment for leukemia, glimpses of the future
By Gina Kolata
ST. LOUIS - Genetics researchers at Washington University, one of the world's leading centers for work on the human genome, were devastated. Dr. Lukas Wartman, a young, talented and beloved colleague, had the very cancer he had devoted his career to studying.... New York Times 7/7/12
