Howard Y. Chang, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Scholar ‘06-‘08) of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, was named one of three investigators named recipients of this year’s Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research. The award, given by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, recognizes promising investigators aged 45 or younger for their efforts in advancing cancer research. He is honored for his discovery of genetic material called long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and analysis of their roles in helping cells sense where they are in the body.

Ryan B. Corcoran, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator '12-'17), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues reported the results of a Phase I/II clinical study demonstrating that the combination of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and the MEK inhibitor trametinib (Mekinist) produced responses in some patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, ranging from stable disease to complete response. Interestingly, they also identified mutations in the gene PIK3CA in responding patients.

Elizabeth S. Sattely, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '08-'10) and colleagues at Stanford University reported that they were able to produce a common cancer drug called etoposide—previously only available from an endangered plant—in a common laboratory plant. This work could lead to a more stable supply of the drug and allow scientists to produce even safer and more effective versions of the drug. The technique could potentially be applied to other plants and drugs, creating a less expensive and more stable source for those drugs.

Lara E. Davis, MD (Damon Runyon-Sohn Fellow ‘12-‘15) of Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, and colleagues, described the first cancer patient treated in a Phase 1 clinical trial of LOXO-101, a novel drug that inhibits a protein called TRK. This patient had advanced soft tissue sarcoma which had metastasized to the lungs. Genetic analysis of the tumor indicated an alteration in the gene encoding TRK (tropomyosin receptor kinase). Following multiple unsuccessful courses of other treatments, the patient was treated with LOXO-101.

Ash Alizadeh, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator ‘14-‘17) of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, and colleagues reported an analysis of gene expression profiles from ~18,000 human tumors with overall survival outcomes across 39 subtypes of cancer. They developed and applied CIBERSORT, a novel computational approach for associating immune system biomarkers with cancer survival.

Julien Sage, PhD (Fellowship Committee Member, Damon Runyon Scholar ‘05-‘07), of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, with a team of international colleagues, sequenced the genomes of 110 small cell lung cancers (SCLC), one of the deadliest human cancers. These studies confirmed that loss of the two tumor suppressor genes, Rb and p53, is required for tumor initiation. Importantly, they also identified new therapeutic targets such as the Notch signaling pathway.

James M. Olson, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Award Committee Member, Clinical Investigator ‘02-‘07), of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the University of Washington, Seattle, developed “Tumor Paint” (BLZ-100) to allow surgeons to better see the tumor margins with high resolution in real time during surgery. This can aid surgeons in removing all of the cancerous tissue while sparing normal cells. A wide range of preclinical studies have demonstrated the potential of this technology.

Clark C. Chen, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '04-'06), and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, used clinical data collected over the past decade through a U.S. cancer registry to demonstrate that the survival of adult patients with low-grade glioma brain cancer has significantly improved. Survival has increased from 44 months (in 1999) to 57 months (in 2010). The findings were published in the journal Neuro-Oncology: Clinical Practice.

Dennis L. Buckley, PhD (Damon Runyon Merck Fellow ’14-’18), James E. Bradner, MD (Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator ’11-’13), and colleagues at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, reported the development of a new strategy that uses tumor cells’ own machinery to disintegrate and dispose of proteins that drive cancer growth. When tested in laboratory samples of leukemia cells and in animal models of the disease, the approach caused cancer cells to die much more quickly than with conventional targeted therapies.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) announced its newest class of 26 Investigators, some of the nation’s top biomedical researchers who will receive the flexible support necessary to move their research in creative new directions.  Four Damon Runyon scientists were selected for their individual scientific excellence.  Their appointments will begin in September 2015.