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Specially packaged DNA secreted by tumor cells can trigger an immune response that inhibits the metastatic spread of the tumor to the liver, according to a study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Korea’s Yonsei University. The discovery improves the scientific understanding of cancer progression and anticancer immunity, and could yield new clinical tools for assessing and reducing metastasis risk.

In the study, reported Dec. 3 in Nature Cancer, the researchers examined cancer cells’ secretion of short stretches of DNA packaged on tiny capsules called extracellular vesicles (EVs). All cells use EVs to secrete proteins, DNA and other molecules, and tumor cells are particularly active EV secreters. The biological functions of these EV-packaged molecules are still being explored, but in this case, the researchers discovered that in various cancer types, EV-DNA secreted by tumor cells works as a “danger” signal that activates an anti-tumor response in the liver, reducing the risk of liver metastasis.

The project focuses on creating an outreach event/day to a local middle school to help teach children more about nutrition, healthy eating habits, and to teach them about the medical field/pediatric GI. The goal is not only teach them about nutrition but also to hopefully spark interest in the medical field and also have kids see multiple diverse members/doctors who are part of this field who they may identify with. 

The DEI committee of NASPGHAN helped to make this event possible. The outreach day took place during the week of the NASPGHAN annual conference in Hollywood Florida. They plan to continue having this outreach event/day during future annual NASPGHAN conferences. This provides the ability to have multiple different volunteers/doctors/trainees/RD's and medical reps from different institutions/locations come together and participate in this event. 

This year they had multiple stations where the kids could rotate through and learn about high fiber foods, healthy food options, a smoothie making station, a station where they learned about constipation and how nutrition can be a way to treat this. They also had a station where we had members from EvoEndo come and teach children about a new scoping device/procedure (transnasal endoscopy) and where the kids had the opportunity to be hands on and use the transnasal endoscopy simulator. 

The Department of Pediatrics and the Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Dhristie Bhagat as Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology concurrently with an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Division of Neuro-ophthalmology, effective October 1, 2024. She will be seeing patients in both divisions.

Dr. Olvier Barry is a leader in pediatric cardiac catheterization and interventions and has been a faculty member at Columbia University since 2019. Dr. Barry received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine. He did a pediatric residency at Columbia University/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, followed by fellowships at Boston Children’s Hospital in pediatric cardiology and in sub-specialization in congenital interventional cardiology. He is active in several areas of clinical research, including the development of new devices and technology as well as quality improvement and outcomes research to measure and improve quality of care in the pediatric catheterization lab. Join us in welcoming Dr. Barry to his new leadership role.