UPMC Children's Hospital 2024 Year in Review

Year in Review: 2024

A Note from the Division

The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh proudly reflects on another year of research and clinical achievements throughout 2024. Once again, our hospital has been nationally ranked in all 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report in their “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings. Our ranking reflects our unwavering and decades-long commitment to excellence in both clinical care and research.

Our faculty and staff continue to make impactful contributions to advance the field of pediatric hematology/oncology, through innovative research or exemplary patient care.

As we step into 2025, we remain dedicated to building on these successes and fostering collaborations that drive progress and discovery.

We encourage you to reach out to our division or connect with any of the featured faculty members highlighted below to explore potential partnerships and learn more about our ongoing work.

Respectfully,

Cheryl Hillery, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Clinical Director, Hematology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Director, Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Program, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Louis Rapkin, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Clinical Director, Oncology, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is Nationally Ranked in all 11 Specialties by U.S. News & World Report

As a leader in treating and caring for childhood conditions and diseases, pioneering new therapies, and educating the next generation of pediatric specialists, UPMC Children’s was recognized for excellence in all 11 pediatric specialties.

Published Research, Clinical Trials, and New Grants

Additional Research Publications from 2024

RNA-sequencing predicts a role of androgen receptor and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 in osteosarcoma lung metastases. Heim TE, Hankins ML, Belayneh R, Douglas N, Dinh V, Kovvur M, Boone DN, Ukani V, Bhogal S, Patel V, Moniz TMA, Bailey KM, John I, Schoedel K, Weiss KR, Watters RJ. Oncogene. 2024 Mar; 43(14): 1007-1018.

Therapeutic Hope on the Surface of Ewing Sarcoma. Bailey KM. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Mar 1; 30(5): 934-936.

Abnormal Global Longitudinal Strain During Anthracycline Treatment Predicts Future Cardiotoxicity in Children. Gunsaulus M, Alsaied T, Tersak JM, Friehling E, Rose-Felker K. Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Dec; 45(8): 1750-1758.

What Is Childhood Leukemia?Ruiz J, Mathews C, Friehling E. JAMA. 2024 Mar 5; 331(9): 808. (Patient information page).

Fatty acid oxidation in immune function. Kemp F, Braverman EL, Byersdorfer CA. Front Immunol. 2024 Jun 27; 15: 1420336. Review.

AMPK drives both glycolytic and oxidative metabolism in murine and human T cells during graft-versus-host disease. Ramgopal A, Braverman EL, Sun LK, Monlish D, Wittmann C, Kemp F, Qin M, Ramsey MJ, Cattley R, Hawse W, Byersdorfer CA. Blood Adv. 2024 Aug 13; 8(15): 4149-4162.

Successful Treatment of a Fulminant Rothia mucilaginosa Central Nervous System Infection in an Adolescent With T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Espinoza-Candelaria GJ, Mamauag E, Bukowinski A, Aldewereld Z. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2024 Jul 1;43(7): e255-e256.

Sterile inflammation induces vasculopathy and chronic lung injury in murine sickle cell disease. Rarick KR, Li K, Teng RJ, Jing X, Martin DP, Xu H, Jones DW, Hogg N, Hillery CA, Garcia G, Day BW, Naylor S, Pritchard KA Jr. Free Radic Biol Med. 2024 Mar; 215: 112-126.

Fertility preservation in pediatric central nervous system tumors: A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Felker J, Bjornard K, Close A, Chavez J, Chow EJ, Meacham LR, Burns K. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Nov; 71(11): e31246.

Immunotherapy for pediatric low-grade gliomas. Pollack IF, Felker J, Frederico SC, Raphael I, Kohanbash G. Childs Nerv Syst. 2024 Oct; 40(10):3263-3275. Review.

Assessing Pediatric Resident Needs in Grief and Bereavement Education. Reuman H, Maurer SH, Harris K, Brown AW. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2024 Oct; 68(4): e312-e318.

Body-Wide Inactivation of the Myc-Like Mlx Transcription Factor Network Accelerates Aging and Increases the Lifetime Cancer Incidence. Wang H, Stevens T, Lu J, Roberts A, Van't Land C, Muzumdar R, Gong Z, Vockley J, Prochownik EV. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Sep; 11(34):e2401593.

Inhibition of DUSP18 impairs cholesterol biosynthesis and promotes anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer. Zhou X, Wang G, Tian C, Du L, Prochownik EV, Li Y. Nat Commun. 2024 Jul 12; 15(1): 5851.

Increases in 4-Acetaminobutyric Acid Generated by Phosphomevalonate Kinase Suppress CD8⁺ T Cell Activation and Allow Tumor Immune Escape. Zhou X, Chen Z, Yu Y, Li M, Cao Y, Prochownik EV, Li Y. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Nov;11(43): e2403629.

ZDHHC3-mediated SCAP S-acylation promotes cholesterol biosynthesis and tumor immune escape in hepatocellular carcinoma. Wu M, Zhou X, Zhou X, Wang G, Zeng Y, Li J, Prochownik EV, Wang F, Li Y. Cell Rep. 2024 Nov 26; 43(11): 114962.

Evaluation and Surgical Management of Pediatric Cutaneous Melanoma and Atypical Spitz and Non-Spitz Melanocytic Tumors (Melanocytomas): A Report From Children's Oncology Group. Sargen MR, Barnhill RL, Elder DE, Swetter SM, Prieto VG, Ko JS, Bahrami A, Gerami P, Karunamurthy A, Pappo AS, Schuchter LM, LeBoit PE, Yeh I, Kirkwood JM, Jen M, Dunkel IJ, Durham MM, Christison-Lagay ER, Austin MT, Aldrink JH, Mehrhoff C, Hawryluk EB, Chu EY, Busam KJ, Sondak V, Messina J, Puig S, Colebatch AJ, Coughlin CC, Berrebi KG, Laetsch TW, Mitchell SG, Seynnaeve B. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Oct 4: JCO2401154.

Utility of Indocyanine Green for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Pediatric Sarcoma and Melanoma. Campwala I, Vignali PDA, Seynnaeve BK, Davit AJ 3rd, Weiss K, Malek MM. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jul;59(7): 1326-1333.

Feasibility of a prospective pediatric melanocytic tumor clinical trial: A report of multidisciplinary clinician survey data from the Children's Oncology Group Rare Tumor Committee. Mitchell SG, Christison-Lagay E, Aldrink J, Sargen MR, Laetsch TW, Austin M, Jen M, Gartrell R, Karunamurthy A, Kirkwood JM, Pappo AS, Seynnaeve BKN. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Dec; 71(12): e31312.

Treatment outcomes following partial shave biopsy of atypical and malignant melanocytic tumors in pediatric patients. Arjunan A, Wardrop M, Malek MM, Davit AJ 3rd, Sargen MR, Kirkwood JM, Demanelis K, Seynnaeve BKN. Melanoma Res. 2024 Dec 1; 34(6): 544-548.

JAMA Network Open Health Equity Fellowship Commentary-What We Gained and What We Hope to Give. Fritz CDL, McMillan R, Mateo C, Ruiz J, Yemane L, Jindal M. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9): e2436376. Editorial.

The impact of language discordance on pediatric cancer care outcomes: A systematic review. Robles JM, Ruiz J, Correa R, Dinescu-Munoz N, Patel C, Noyd D, Alvarez M, Frost E, Ledbetter L, LeBlanc TW. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Dec; 71(12): e31338.

Multilevel challenges to equitable inclusion of children in trials when parents use languages other than English: A qualitative report from Children's Oncology Group's Diversity and Health Disparities Committee Language Equity Working Group. Santacroce SJ, Beauchemin MP, Pelletier W, Robles JM, Ruiz J, Blazin LJ, Aristizabal P, Orjuela-Grimm M, Hall AG, Kahn J, Kline C, Seif AE, Velez MC, Winestone LE. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Nov; 71(11): e31321.

ReNeu: A Pivotal, Phase IIb Trial of Mirdametinib in Adults and Children With Symptomatic Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Associated Plexiform Neurofibroma. Moertel CL, Hirbe AC, Shuhaiber HH, Bielamowicz K, Sidhu A, Viskochil D, Weber MD, Lokku A, Smith LM, Foreman NK, Hajjar FM, McNall-Knapp RY, Weintraub L, Antony R, Franson AT, Meade J, Schiff D, Walbert T, Ambady P, Bota DA, Campen CJ, Kaur G, Klesse LJ, Maraka S, Moots PL, Nevel K, Bornhorst M, Aguilar-Bonilla A, Chagnon S, Dalvi N, Gupta P, Khatib Z, Metrock LK, Nghiemphu PL, Roberts RD, Robison NJ, Sadighi Z, Stapleton S, Babovic-Vuksanovic D, Gershon TR; ReNeu Trial Investigators; ReNeu Study Investigators. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Nov 8:JCO2401034. doi: 10.1200/JCO.24.01034. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39514826.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Radiologic and Pathologic Findings Can Identify Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome in Patients With Wilms Tumor. Molina LM, Rao A, Meade J, Squires JH, Yatsenko SA, Salgado CM, Reyes-Múgica M. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2024 Nov 1; 46(8): 424-428.

Update on Recommendations for Cancer Screening and Surveillance in Children with Genomic Instability Disorders. Nakano Y, Kuiper RP, Nichols KE, Porter CC, Lesmana H, Meade J, Kratz CP, Godley LA, Maese LD, Achatz MI, Khincha PP, Savage SA, Doria AS, Greer MC, Chang VY, Wang LL, Plon SE, Walsh MF. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Nov 15; 30(22): 5009-5020.

Multiple Primary Paragangliomas in a Pediatric Patient With von Hippel Lindau: A Diagnostic Dilemma. Magnan K, Wang Q, Meade J. JCEM Case Rep. 2024 Sep 9;2(9): luae160.

Pediatric Cancer Screening in Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk Syndromes: An Update from the AACR Childhood Cancer Predisposition Working Group. MacFarland SP, Becktell K, Schneider KW, Kuiper RP, Lesmana H, Meade J, Nichols KE, Porter CC, Savage SA, Schultz KA, Scott H, States L, Tabori U, Tamura C, Tomlinson G, Zelley K, Durno C, Bauer A, Plon SE. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Oct 15; 30(20): 4566-4571.

Update on Recommendations for Surveillance for Children with Predisposition to Hematopoietic Malignancy. Maese LD, Wlodarski MW, Kim SY, Bertuch AA, Bougeard G, Chang VY, Godley LA, Khincha PP, Kuiper RP, Lesmana H, McGee RB, McReynolds LJ, Meade J, Plon SE, Savage SA, Scollon SR, Scott HS, Walsh MF, Nichols KE, Porter CC. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Oct 1;30(19): 4286-4295. Review.

A Nine-Year-Old Child With Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Magnan K, Williams L, Wang Q, Meade J.C ureus. 2024 May 20;16(5): e60670.

A second hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome in a patient with lynch syndrome and three primary cancers. Taheny A, McSwaney H, Meade J. Hered Cancer Clin Pract. 2024 Jun 12;22(1):8.

Clinical Updates and Surveillance Recommendations for DNA Replication Repair Deficiency Syndromes in Children and Young Adults. Das A, MacFarland SP, Meade J, Hansford JR, Schneider KW, Kuiper RP, Jongmans MCJ, Lesmana H, Schultz KAP, Nichols KE, Durno C, Zelley K, Porter CC, States LJ, Ben-Shachar S, Savage SA, Kalish JM, Walsh MF, Scott HS, Plon SE, Tabori U. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Aug 15; 30(16): 3378-3387. Review.

Faculty News

Kelly Bailey, MD, PhD, Appointed to Pediatric and Adolescent Solid Tumor Steering Committee (PASTSC). Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Dr. Bailey for her recent appointment to the Pediatric and Adolescent Solid Tumor Steering Committee (PASTSC) with the National Cancer Institute.

World-Class Palliative Care for Every Child and Family, at Every Stage of Life. The new Division of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, led by Scott Maurer, MD, aims to build a future where there are no barriers to this life-changing care. Dr. Maurer was also recently accepted as a fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Erika Friehling, MD, Featured on AAPD Podcast. Dr. Friehling was featured on a new webcast called “Career Compass” sponsored by The Professional Development subgroup of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors Faculty and Professional Developmental Learning Community.
Jessica Daley, MD, Receives 2024 Children's Trust Grantmakers Award. Dr. Daley's grant will help support her research on improving survival for patients with Ewing sarcoma.
Patient Story: From Lymphoma to the Research Lab. Read about a UPMC Children's patient who was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and is now pursing studies in molecular biology in a feature article from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation.
Louis Rapkin, MD, named to University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators.
Erika Friehling, MD, Awarded Top Hispanic and Latino Doctor for a Second Time.

Conferences, Meetings, and Symposia

2024 GvHD National Symposium - September 27, 2024. This unique conference focuses solely on Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD), complication that affects more than 60% of bone marrow transplant recipients. The conference will review cutting-edge breakthroughs in GvHD research and treatments to improve the lives of thousands of people living with the disease. Since 2010, the Meredith Cowden Foundation, in partnership with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, National Cancer Institute, and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute has hosted this collaborative event. This event is also co-sponsored by UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

Password Reset

Year in Review: 2024

A Note from the Division

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is Nationally Ranked in all 11 Specialties by U.S. News & World Report

Follow Us