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St. Jude Family of Websites
Explore our cutting edge research, world-class patient care, career opportunities and more.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Home
- Fundraising
Divisional focus
The Division of Cancer Predisposition was formed in 2014 with the overarching mission to combine state-of-the-art clinical care with cutting edge research to enhance the outcomes for children and families at increased genetic risk for cancer. By further elucidating why these tumors form, we aim to enhance the clinical care of affected children and their families.
Our division identifies children with a variety of cancer predisposing conditions and provides guidance regarding initial tumor treatment as well as how to best monitor for the subsequent development of additional tumors. This includes confidential genetic counseling and testing for St. Jude patients, and when appropriate, their parents and siblings. We also implement state-of-the-art protocols for cancer surveillance and prevention. Finally, we serve as a resource on cancer genetics and genetic testing to colleagues within St. Jude as well as to outside providers and families.
Our research projects range in scope from identifying novel genetic causes for cancer, to understanding the factors that influence how parents and adolescents make decisions about, communicate and react to cancer genetic testing. We are a collaborative investigative team and look forward to participating in related research projects being undertaken by colleagues in the Solid Tumor, Neuro-Oncology, Survivorship, Leukemia / Lymphoma, Hematology, and Computational Biology programs. We also actively collaborate with external investigators on cancer genetics-related investigations.
In the news
DNA isn't destiny, but genetic predispositions do underlie many cancers. St. Jude scientists have gained a nuanced understanding of cancer predisposition and are learning more to help personalize patient therapies. Learn more. #StJudeOn
In the news
The SJFAMILY clinical trial helps St. Jude investigators explore why some cancers run in families and why certain people get more than one cancer. Read more.
In the news
Research from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has found that prominent cancer risk gene BRCA2 can increase risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adolescents. Learn more.
In the news
St. Jude genetic counselors spend their time examining the past, but their work has a big impact on the future of patients and families. Find out more.
in the news
Li-Fraumeni syndrome is rare, the implications are daunting. A conference at St. Jude empowered families who have Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Learn more.
Selected publications
Cancer Predisposition Leadership
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Kim E. Nichols, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director, Cancer Predisposition Division
Kim E. Nichols, MD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director, Cancer Predisposition Division
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Identifying novel genetic causes of childhood cancer
- Optimizing methods of tumor surveillance for children with increased cancer risk
- Evaluating the factors that influence parent and adolescent decision making and communication around genetic testing for heritable cancer risk
- Understanding the behavioral and psychological impacts of cancer genetic testing on children and their families
- Increasing understanding and developing new therapies for malignant and non-malignant hematologic disorders, including B-cell leukemias and lymphomas, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferations
Contact Information
Kim E. Nichols, MD
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3311
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
Cancer Predisposition Research and Treatment Team
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Sabrin Albeituni, PhD
Sr. Scientist
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a Sr. Scientist with a strong interest in understanding the regulation of T cell responses by myeloid cells during normal immune homeostasis and in conditions of hyperinflammation. My research focuses on investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving the pathogenesis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)- a severe hyperinflammatory syndrome characterized by excessive immune cell activation and multi-system organ failure. In the Nichols’ laboratory, our goal is to advance innovative therapeutic strategies to mitigate hyperinflammation and improve clinical outcomes in patients with HLH.
Contact Information
Sabrin Albeituni, PhD
Cancer Predisposition
MS 343, Room D4022
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Melinda S. Artz
Program Coordinator
Affiliations
Short Biography
I joined St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2014 as a Contract Review Specialist in the Office of Legal Services where I gained experience reviewing and editing contracts. In this role I had the opportunity to work with several people in the Division of Cancer Predisposition and was fascinated by the work they do.
In 2017 I transitioned to the Liaison Office where I coordinated the tour guide and lab host programs for the hospital. This position allowed me to expand my knowledge of the hospital by working with the various departments and labs on campus. In 2022 I transferred to the Infectious Diseases department where I coordinated the St. Jude Tracking Study of Immune Responses Associated with COVID. This involved tracking and testing over 300 participants over a two-year period.
I joined the Division of Cancer Predisposition in 2024 and am excited to capitalize on my knowledge, skills and expertise to further grow the vision, resources and activities of this exciting and innovative Division.
Contact Information
Melinda S. Artz
Department of Oncology Division of Cancer Predisposition
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Alise Blake
Senior Genetic Counselor
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a pediatric cancer genetic counselor with a passion for helping patients and their families navigate complex genetic information and the implications of cancer predisposition syndromes.
Specific research interests include:
- Utilizing genetic information to guide screening and treatment of individuals with cancer predisposition syndromes.
- Exploring Family dynamics, belief systems, and cultural differences as they relate to cancer predisposition syndromes and psychosocial coping strategies
- Identifying gaps in genetics education and building resources to meet the identified needs
Contact Information
Alise Blake
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Sk Mohiuddin Choudhury, DVM, MS, PhD
Associate Scientist
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a dedicated viral immunologist with a profound interest in unraveling the cell signaling pathways that govern hyperinflammation. My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation and the inflammasome, particularly on their roles in the context of viral pathogens and cancer.
As a member of Dr. Nichols’s team, I am committed to advancing our understanding of these complex biological processes and contributing to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hyperinflammatory disorders, immunodeficiency, and cancer. With a passion for scientific discovery and a collaborative spirit, I aspire to make meaningful contributions that drive progress in combating these critical health challenges.
Contact Information
Sk Mohiuddin Choudhury, DVM, MS, PhD
Department of Oncology
MS 343, Room D4022.03
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Aidin Foroutan
Bioinformatics Research Scientist
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a Bioinformatics Research Scientist with research interest in developing bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of large “omics” datasets to uncover cell type-specific molecular mechanisms of childhood and adult cancers.
Towards this end, my research focuses on:
- Developing bioinformatics workflows for genomic variant discovery, interpretation, and prioritization related to germline cancer predisposition genes.
- Integrative analysis of multiple omics data to uncover mechanisms of cell type-specific gene dysregulation in cancers.
Contact Information
Aidin Foroutan
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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LilyAnne Grieve
Certified Genetic Counselor I
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a pediatric cancer genetic counselor whose research interests include:
- Utilizing genetic, family history, and personal history information to guide care of patients with cancer predisposition syndromes.
- Exploring patient coping and understanding related cancer predisposition diagnoses and how these factors evolve in different stages of life.
- Addressing access and barriers to clinical genetics healthcare in underserved communities.
Contact Information
LilyAnne Grieve
Cancer Predisposition Program
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Claudia Harrison
Genetic Counselor Assistant
Affiliations
Contact Information
Claudia Harrison
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Lynn Harrison, MPA, CCRP
Manager - Clinical Operations
Affiliations
Short Biography
I joined St. Jude in March 2011 as a research associate in the Epidemiology and Cancer Control Department. Through my work on the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, which follows over 20,000 cancer survivors, I became very interested in the wide range of survivors’ experiences years after treatment is complete. I believe the ability to provide patients and their families with comprehensive and personalized information concerning their present illness and the likelihood of potential health risks is critical.
Contact Information
Lynn Harrison, MPA, CCRP
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3318
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Stacy Hines-Dowell, DNP, FNP-BC, AGN-BC, ACGN
Lead of Clinical Operations - Division of Cancer Predisposition | Doctor of Nursing Practice | Advanced Practice Provider III
Stacy Hines-Dowell, DNP, FNP-BC, AGN-BC, ACGN
Lead of Clinical Operations - Division of Cancer Predisposition | Doctor of Nursing Practice | Advanced Practice Provider III
Affiliations
Research Interests
My core mission of clinical and translational research is to develop novel approaches for delivery of genetic health education directly to underserved communities. The demarcation of translational research into T1 (bench-to-bedside) and T2 (bedside-to-community) activities corresponds to two significant bottlenecks in clinical research. I'm interested in newborn screening, sickle cell disease and education pertaining to genetics and genomics literacy.
Contact Information
Stacy Hines-Dowell, DNP, FNP-BC, AGN-BC, ACGN
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3331
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Laura Howell, MLS (ASCPCM), CCRP
Clinical Research Associate II
Affiliations
Research Interests
I joined St. Jude in June of 2005 as a Medical Laboratory Scientist in the Molecular Microbiology Lab with the Department of Pathology. I transitioned to Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2011 where I performed therapeutic drug monitoring tests in the PK Clinical Lab. During my time in Pharm Sciences, I got to experience the Total 16 and Total 17 research protocols, which sparked my interest in clinical research. This led me to pursue my role as a Clinical Research Associate in the Division of Cancer Predisposition.
Contact Information
Laura Howell, MLS (ASCPCM), CCRP
Oncology Department
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Manish R. Kubal, MBA (MIS), MHA, MSIS
Database Analyst II
Affiliations
Research Interests
I have worked in different industries and handled data management and analysis requirements. I develop, maintain and update the Cancer Predisposition Division’s clinical and non-clinical databases needed to coordinate protocol research information management while ensuring the consistency of standards, procedures and content. I am assigned to manage all of the division’s data management requirements including integration of information from various disparate systems; data modeling; data analysis; and dissemination of data to various entities that interact with the division.
Contact Information
Manish R. Kubal, MBA (MIS), MHA, MSIS
Cancer Predisposition
MS 260, Room B1109
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Rose McGee, MS, CGC
Certified Genetic Counselor III
Affiliations
Research Interests
I am a pediatric cancer genetic counselor with interests in:
- Identification, surveillance and genotype-phenotype correlations of cancer predisposition syndromes. Syndromes of particular interest are constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) syndrome and DICER1 syndrome
- Incorporation of clinical genomics into pediatric cancer care
- Communication of complex information to children of varying ages, assessing impact of illness on the family and pre-symptomatic testing of minors for cancer predisposition
Contact Information
Rose McGee, MS, CGC
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3314
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Ninad Oak, PhD
Lead Bioinformatics Research Scientist
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Genetic Basis of Pediatric Cancer Predisposition: Investigating inherited and somatic genetic variations underlying pediatric cancer predisposition syndromes by leveraging large-scale genomic datasets, including analysis of >6,000 pediatric cancer genomes from St. Jude.
- Functional Genomics in Mouse Models: Utilizing mouse models to perform functional genomics analyses, with a focus on understanding gene regulation and mechanisms of hematopoiesis, as well as their implications for cancer predisposition.
Short Biography
I am a Lead Bioinformatics Research Scientist in the Division of Cancer Predisposition, with over 14 years of experience in cancer genetics and genomics. My research centers on deciphering the genetic factors behind pediatric cancers, with a focus on cancer predisposition syndromes and the application of computational tools to analyze complex genomic data. My latest work has focused on mining >6000 pediatric cancers at St. Jude for signals of cancer predisposition and understanding mechanism of ETV6 mediated regulation in mouse models of early hematopoiesis.
Mentoring has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. I’ve had the privilege of guiding over 15 pre- and post-doctoral students, helping them develop skills and pursue successful careers in academia and industry. I am also passionate about engaging younger students in science, mentoring high school interns on impactful projects such as understanding Wilms tumor predisposition.
Outside of research, I love to draw sketchnotes of many scientific talks and regularly post them on my X account (@ninadoak).
Contact Information
Ninad Oak, PhD
Cancer Presdisposition/Oncology
MS 1135, Room IA6218.5
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Lena Oslund
Administrative Specialist
Affiliations
Short Biography
Lena is a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a BS in Genomics and Molecular Genetics. Through her coursework, Lena was exposed to the field of genetic counseling, which led her to pursue a career in the field. This has brought her to St Jude to work as a Genetic Counseling Assistant, with the goal of eventually attending a Master’s in Genetic Counseling program in the future.
Contact Information
Lena Oslund
Oncology
St. Jude Childen's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Arti Pandey, PhD, CGC
Certified Genetic Counselor l
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Cancer predisposition in pediatric hematological malignancies
Contact Information
Arti Pandey, PhD, CGC
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Melissa Perrino, MD
Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
Affiliations
Research Interests
- Identification of germline variants and their role in driving tumor formation
- Refining surveillance guidelines for patients with underlying germline predisposition
- Targetability of tumor and germline variants in cancer therapy and prevention
- Effects of tumor and germline genomic variants on treatment outcome
Contact Information
Melissa Perrino, MD
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3312
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Leslie Taylor
Program Coordinator, Cancer Predisposition
Affiliations
Research Interests
As we continue to better understand hereditary childhood cancer, I am interested in the process of communication, coordination and knowledge-sharing with patients and families. I know that being a part of the Cancer Predisposition Program at St. Jude, I am able to aid in education as well as early detection of hereditary cancer. As a nurse, you always want to know that you make a difference in someone’s life. That is why I love working at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Contact Information
Leslie Taylor
Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3016.04
Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Roshina Thapa, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Affiliations
Short Biography
I am originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. I am a registered medical microbiologist with a keen interest in cancer research. I received my master’s degree from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI), Israel. I investigated how increased expression of kinetochore genes, particularly centromere protein A (CENPA), the gene encoding centromere protein, has been associated with genomic instability and development of cancer. I then moved to Ben Gurion University, Israel where I pursued a PhD in the department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics. My PhD dissertation focused on examining the effects of chronic stress on hematopoietic stem cells that did harbor the gain of function mutations in Tp53.
To dive deeper into the avenue of hematological malignancy, I joined the lab of Dr. Kim E Nichols at St. Jude where I will be investigating how germline mutations in the ETV6 gene contribute to development of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common childhood cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death in children. My research will elucidate how ETV6 variants affect normal blood cell development and contribute to leukemia progression. This study holds significance for public health as it will enhance our understanding of B-ALL, leading to the development of improved classification, treatment, and even prevention of this common and occasionally lethal childhood cancer.
Outside of the lab, I love to do short hikes and cook interesting Nepalese food.
Contact Information
Roshina Thapa, PhD
Department of Oncology
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105
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Paige Turner
Clinical Research Associate-RN II
Affiliations
Short Biography
I joined St. Jude in April of 2015 as an Inpatient Bone Marrow Transplant nurse. While working inpatient I helped collect samples for various research studies, which made me curious about Clinical research. My career then led to Infectious Diseases in 2017 as a Clinical Research Associate RN. During my time in ID, I learned quite a bit, but was I ready for an advanced new challenge, and the opportunities offered through the Division of Cancer Predisposition caught my attention. I transitioned to my new role as Clinical Research Associate RNII in June of 2022. I believe the work this Division is doing really helps patients and families identify underlying cancer predispositions that could affect their current treatment and their future health care.
Contact Information
Paige Turner
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
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Rolanda Woods, MBA
Lead Researcher
Affiliations
Short Biography
I am a native of Memphis, TN. I received my B.S. in Animal Sciences from Tuskegee University with a concentration in Business in 2002 and my M.B.A in Entrepreneurship from Walden University in 2017. I also hold certification (2006) as a registered Laboratory Animal Technician with the American Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (AALAS).
My experience in the Lab Animal Sciences spans over twenty years, beginning in animal husbandry and expanding into technical/surgical experience and leadership.
Contact Information
Rolanda Woods, MBA
Cancer Predisposition
MS 343, Room D4022
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
Studies and Clinical Trials
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St. Jude investigators have the freedom to focus on making big discoveries, backed by extraordinary resources and support teams. We are always looking for highly motivated scientists and engineers with passion and talent to join us!
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Faculty, Division of Cancer Predisposition, Oncology Department
We seek a highly motivated, faculty-level investigator (clinician scientist or clinician track) with training in hematology and oncology or clinical genetics and a strong interest and experience in hereditary predisposition to cancer.
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Division of Cancer Predisposition
MS 1170, Room I3311
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
Email: GPTeam@stjude.org
Phone: (901) 595-4445
Fax: (901) 595-6086
Preferred contact method: email