VICTORY Houston, Inc. Awards Over $1.33 Million to Local Cancer Research and Programs

Based on our mission – Fighting Cancer, Funding Local – VICTORY Houston, Inc. has awarded more than $1 million to local programs and research committed to fighting cancer, including:

Texas Children’s Cancer Center – $250,000
Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program: Building a Roadmap to Find Early Group 3 Medulloblastoma – Dr. Michael D. Taylor, M.D., Ph.D.

Michael D. Taylor, MD, PhD, is a pediatric neurosurgeon and brain tumor researcher at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. His research centers on the molecular genetics of medulloblastoma and ependymoma, two of the most common malignant pediatric brain tumors. He has published over 400 peer-reviewed publications, many in high-impact journals such as Nature, Science, Cell, Cancer Cell, and Lancet Oncology.

Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, is a cancer of the brain cells (neurons) in the part of the brain known as the cerebellum. While there are four types of medulloblastoma, this project focuses on Group 3 medulloblastoma, the most aggressive and difficult to treat. In terms of Group 3 medulloblastoma, a cluster of precancerous cells, analogous to a polyp in colon cancer, is present at birth. Dr. Taylor will use single-cell genomic approaches to study Group 3 medulloblastoma stem cells to help identify a biomarker that predicts the presence of the precancerous cell, with the ultimate long-term goal of developing a biomarker that identifies early, precancerous medulloblastoma so we can shift our focus to prevention.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – $250,000
Cellular Therapy for Pediatric Osteosarcoma – Katy Rezvani, M.D., Ph.D.

Each year, osteosarcoma accounts for approximately 1,000 new cancer cases, with about half of these cases in children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20. While initial treatment with surgery and chemotherapy can be curative, 30-50% of patients develop disease recurrence which is resistant to chemo. Safer, more effective therapies must be developed for children and adolescents with recurrent osteosarcoma. Dr. Katy Rezvani’s research focuses on the role of natural killer cells in mediating immunity against cancer. Findings from her lab have led to several clinical trials of NK cell immunotherapy in patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the team led by Rezvani has developed an FDA-approved strategy for the generation of cord blood-derived CAR NK cells for the treatment of patients with cancer. Cord blood is a readily available source of NK cells with clear advantages compared with patient-derived NK cells or T cells, including speed of availability and the fact that more than 100 doses of CAR NK cells can be generated from each frozen cord blood unit — which can be used to treat many patients. Rezvani and her team will build on this work to target recurrent osteosarcoma by engineering NK cells to express a CAR against CD70. The Rezvani Laboratory has completed the preclinical safety studies and received FDA approval for the treatment of adults with osteosarcoma. Now the team is requesting that the minimum age of treatment be lowered to 11 years and expects regulatory approval and treatment of the first pediatric patient in late 2023.

Baylor College of Medicine – $250,000
Teaching the body to fight leukemia — Drs. Bahey Salem and Nabil Ahmed

Drs. Salem and Ahmed are working on a project to teach the body to kill leukemia cells. Our immune system is very good at eliminating harmful cells that make us sick. The problem with cancer cells is that immune cells might not recognize them as dangerous. Drs. Salem and Ahmed are studying how to treat leukemia by taking immune cells out of patients and changing them in the laboratory by adding three homing devices to the immune cells. When the new immune cells are given back to the patient, they use the homing devices to find one of three matching beacons on the leukemia cells and eliminate them. This advancement can have far-reaching effects for treating pediatric leukemia and helping kids survive and thrive.

Baylor College of Medicine – $100,000
Disrupting the chatter of brain cancer — Dr. Ben Deneen

Dr. Deneen is solving some of the mysteries surrounding ependymoma, a type of brain cancer common in children. The Deneen research team has found that brain cancer cells communicate with other cells in the brain called neurons. Dr. Deneen believes these conversations help the brain tumor cells survive as the neurons deliver messages that make nutrients and blood available to the cancer. Your support through VICTORY Houston, Inc. will help his team figure out how to stop the chatter and possibly offer a new way to quiet pediatric brain cancer.

Baylor College of Medicine – $100,000
A less toxic approach to treating pediatric sarcoma — Dr. Sujith Joseph

The immune system is a powerful ally in keeping our bodies healthy. Unfortunately, sometimes it can get confused and attack healthy cells, like in lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Sujith Joseph is using the immune system to attack pediatric sarcoma, a cancer of the bones and soft tissues. But he wants to make sure that the immune cells don’t get mixed up and go after healthy cells in young bodies while they’re also fighting cancer.

Dr. Joseph’s work is striving to train immune cells to find and kill sarcoma cells, while ignoring normal cells. His work can be a crucial step in developing a new type of immunotherapy that is more effective and less toxic to our young patients.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital & Memorial Hermann Foundation – $102,000
Facility dog to work alongside a human child-life specialist, with Pediatric Oncology patients at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

We have long known that dogs are valuable in providing emotional and physical support. Canine assisted therapy has demonstrated numerous benefits including reduction of stress, anxiety, pain, and discomfort as well as providing an added support for achievement of physical, cognitive, psychological and emotional advances for both children and adults recovering in hospital settings. They also help reduce the emotional distress of family members accompanying patients during the medical stay or treatment.

A facility dog is a medical assistance canine that undergoes a two-year, comprehensive training program. In a health care environment, activities such as grooming, feeding, and playing fetch with a facility dog can aid patients in medical rehabilitation and psychosocial wellbeing. At Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, facility dogs are important members of the medical team – enhancing the wellbeing and health of patients. Together, with the child-life specialist, this unique medical team works with patients to meet specific, individualized goals. Facility dogs work 40-hour work weeks, and alongside their child-life specialist, help pediatric patients normalize the hospital environment or stay, motivate them to meet goals, distract patients during procedures or episodes of pain and offer a sense of unconditional love and acceptance.

Additional Dollars Awarded

In addition to the dollars raised from the 2023 VICTORY Rally Ball, VICTORY Houston, Inc. has also awarded the following grants as a result of memorial gifts and bequests:

Baylor College of Medicine – $30,000
Immune mechanisms in response to cigarette smoke exposure and the pathobiology underlying the onset and progression of COPD and lung cancer” Teaching the body to fight leukemia — Dr. Francesca Polverino

Baylor College of Medicine – $30,000
Identifying novel variants associated with lung cancer that cannot be revealed through regular association studies, clarifying the underlying molecular mechanisms of lung cancer by integrating both genetic association and functional studies and translating the genetic findings into disease prevention and precision medicine – Dr. Yafang Li.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – $48,000
Do Cervical Cancer-Specific Lactobacillus iners Hold the Key to Improving Treatment Response in Cervical Cancer? – Lauren E. Colbert, MD MSCR

Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center – $50,000
Impact of cohesin mutations across pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia subtypes –
Dr. Shannon Conneely

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry – $40,000
Complex 3-D Hydrogel Cultures of Head-and-Neck Cancer in a Perfused Microfluidic System – Daniel Harrington, PhD

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation – $17,415.70
A highly sensitive, non-invasive marker for cancer immunotherapy – Zejuan Li, MD, PhD, FACMG

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – $5,100
Understanding resistance to immune checkpoint therapy for pancreatic cancer – Dr. Padmanee Sharma

About VICTORY Houston, Inc.
In 1987, the Founding Members of VICTORY had a vision to help find a cure for cancer. Over the first 36 years, the women of VICTORY raised more than $60 million dollars for cancer research and initiatives across the United States. In 2023, VICTORY reorganized as a 501(c) (3) and hosted its inaugural VICTORY Rally Ball which raised over $1.65 million for pediatric cancer. VICTORY Houston, Inc. is committed to keeping all proceeds of our fundraising in the Greater Houston area for cancer research and initiatives. Our great achievements could not be accomplished without our generous underwriters and sponsors, and the dedication and steadfast support of our VICTORY family.