2021 Archive

Solid Tumors

Studies link SMARCAL1 to increased risk for pediatric bone cancer

Alex Generous, PhD

Two St. Jude efforts independently uncovered the predisposition gene’s role.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

The behind-the-scenes chemistry driving drug discovery

Caitlin Deane, PhD

See how St. Jude chemists approach drug discovery and development to make the therapies of tomorrow.

Research

Solving the mysterious case of DICER1 cancer predisposition for pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma

Alex Generous, PhD

Investigate the decades-long cold case that St. Jude researchers finally cracked.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

The turbulent chemistry behind smarter, safer therapeutics

Brian O'Flynn, PhD

Explore the ingenuity behind therapeutic optimization

Clinical Research

Reducing the risk of posterior fossa syndrome: Questions for Paul Klimo, MD

Paul Klimo, MD and Brian O'Flynn, PhD

Neurosurgeon Paul Klimo, MD, explains posterior fossa syndrome, and how surgeons can work to reduce its risk.

Research

Integrated sequencing approach delivers the most reliable pediatric AML diagnosis

Brian O'Flynn, PhD

See how combining sequencing approaches provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for diagnosing AML.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Finding the balance between efficacy and toxicity in pediatric cancer treatment

Alex Generous, PhD

Discover how researchers find ways to improve treatments with genetic information.

Outreach

St. Jude affirms commitment to global childhood health at United Nations General Assembly

Lance Wiedower

The work of St. Jude Global was on display at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

The circuitous path from chemical compound to clinical trial

Heather Johnson

St. Jude scientists are making progress in the treatment of pediatric cancer by translating new drug findings from the lab to the clinic.

Profiles

5 Questions for Andrew Kleist, MD, PhD

Andrew Kleist, MD, PhD and Alex Generous, PhD

Meet Andew Kleist, MD, PhD, a 2025 STAT Wunderkind early career scientist.

Respiratory Diseases

Cancer care during a pandemic: What we learned prepares us for the next emergency

Dylan Graetz, MD, MPH

The pandemic exposed shortcomings in health care. But this study revealed more than expected in this type of children’s treatment.

Profiles

Learning the value of mentors, champions and building a strong network

St. Jude Progress

Tangie Thomas, MPH, is vice president of Clinical Trials Operations at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Profiles

Jasmine Turner: Overcoming obstacles, rising to meet challenges

Mike O’Kelly

For Jasmine Turner, resilience and tenacity were required to enter a field with very few Black women. There weren’t many women or teachers of color in her scientific courses—no one with similar experiences to help guide her or focus her talents. She turned to her mother for encouragement and inspiration.

Survivorship

What we’ve found out about hearing loss and cognitive function in children

Johnnie Bass, AuD, PhD

This study, to our knowledge, is the first to objectively measure hearing and neurocognitive function in a large cohort of long-term survivors of childhood cancer stratified by treatment exposures.

Profiles

Making purposeful connections to help others grow and develop

Chris Pennington

Andrea Stubbs shares her experiences that shaped her career in community outreach to raise awareness for both HIV and HPV.

Profiles

Leadership begins where the comfort zone ends

St. Jude Progress

Women of St. Jude highlights the influences and events that shaped the career of Pat Keel, who shares lessons she’s learned about teamwork and leadership.

Sickle Cell

The global burden of sickle cell disease: The quality of treatment shouldn’t depend upon where you live

Ayobami Olanrewaju, MD

Survival and quality of life for many with sickle cell disease depends upon where they live. Here’s what a doctor wants to do to fix that.

Clinical

How do fathers grieve the loss of a child?

Michael J. McNeil, MD

Fathers express grief through keeping busy or focusing on work – different than a mother’s grief. But fathers may not be getting the support they need after the loss of a child.

Profiles

A career of service to those in need

Katy Hobgood

Nehali Patel, MD, grew up helping those in need. Read how working with HIV-infected children has shaped her medical career.

Vaccinations

The path to cancer prevention includes HPV vaccination

Heather Brandt, PhD

There’s a global push to increase HPV vaccination rates, and if successful, there are these future benefits everyone can enjoy.