Stem cell transplants may get less risky for lymphoma patients, thanks to preliminary research by Drs. Marcel van den Brink and Michael Sadelain. They found that using CD19 specific CAR-T cells does not increase the risk of graft-versus-host-disease after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplants. They are planning a phase 1 trial using these donor-derived CAR-T cells to prevent relapse after bone marrow transplants, scheduled for later this year.

New York Jets safety, Calvin Pryor, took time out of his Christmas Day to visit 19-year-old Aeden Wall at MSK. In the Jets final game of the season Pryor dedicated his performance in the Jets 30-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills to Aeden, tweeting out “That was for you Aeden”. Aeden passed away just two days later after an eight-month battle with rhabdomyosarcoma.

The AACR released its Project GENIE (Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange), which provides almost 19,000 de-identified patient tumor genomes. The genomic data and a limited clinical data on each patient can be accessed via the AACR website. By providing this massive dataset to the public, the group hopes to accelerate research in locating genetic signatures, identifying patients who will benefit from existing drugs, and finding new targets. MSK is one of eight institutions that are participating in the first phase of Project GENIE.