AcceleratingDiscovery
Scientific achievements and milestones at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
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Setting the Standard for Research and Discovery stjude.org/research
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Translating Science into Survival stjude.org/scientificreport
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Bringing Science to the Forefront stjude.org/scientific-milestones
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A Magazine about Life in Memphis stjude.org/neighborly
A
Message from James R. Downing, MD
Each day at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, thousands unite in the mission to advance the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. This sense of shared purpose has led to unprecedented gains in how childhood catastrophic diseases are understood and treated.
From its start, St. Jude has been a place of discovery and collaboration. Information flows freely from the lab to the clinic. Insights gained shape new knowledge, forming the basis of the next iteration of improvements in care. Creativity is cultivated and compassion prioritized. The speed of research moves forward irrespective of funding cycles, grants or bureaucracy.
This model has served science and medicine well, but work remains. Childhood cancer continues to be the leading cause of death from disease among U.S. children ages 1 to 14.
Globally, 80% of children with cancer will perish. Cures for sickle cell disease and many pediatric neurological disorders remain elusive. The devastating effect of infectious diseases has been brought into sharp focus with the COVID-19 pandemic.
With considerable investments in talent, programs and resources, we are poised to unearth transformative ideas, push the bounds of exploration, better inform care and make a lifesaving difference for children in Memphis and far beyond.
James R. Downing, MD President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
A History of World-Class Science and Compassionate Care
St. Jude was founded on big dreams and a trailblazing spirit. From the beginning, the premise was daring. In 1962, when the hospital opened, a mere 20% of those with pediatric cancer survived. Children with sickle cell disease lived from pain crisis to pain crisis.
Donald Pinkel, MD, the first medical director of St. Jude, placed doctors, scientists and patients under one roof, allowing discoveries to move quickly from the lab to the clinic.
Pinkel and his colleagues created a culture of extraordinary science and compassionate care that endures to this day.
The hospital has grown exponentially since its opening, but the urgency of the work remains the same.
In this booklet, explore the scientific milestones in our journey to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
The hospital opens in Memphis, Tennessee, before a crowd of 9,000 people.
St. Jude initiates the Total Therapy approach to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment. The four-component approach still forms the backbone of ALL treatments today.
A group of St. Jude patients with ALL are successfully taken off therapy, providing evidence that remission can be sustained.
St. Jude develops the first immunologic method to diagnose solid tumors in children.
The hospital publishes a study that shows a 50% survival rate for ALL using a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. The achievement revolutionizes leukemia therapy worldwide.
St. Jude becomes the first to identify important subtypes of ALL, including T-cell leukemia. The finding leads to better risk classifications, new research directions and improved treatment.
A St. Jude patient with sickle cell disease is the first to be cured with a bone marrow transplant.
St. Jude opens the After Completion of Therapy Clinic, which is now the world’s largest long-term follow-up clinic for pediatric cancer patients.
Researchers pinpoint the first two specific genetic translocations known to cause ALL.
Scientists find evidence that some patients have a mixture of two acute leukemias: myeloid and lymphoid.
Rudolph Jackson, MD one of the first Black doctors at St. Jude — helps establish the sickle cell program at the hospital.
World Health Organization (WHO) designates St. Jude as a Collaborating Center for the study of influenza transmission from animals to humans.
St. Jude partners with Memphis Area Project South (MAP-South) as one of the first sites in the U.S. to participate in a USDA food distribution program, which serves as the prototype for WIC, the federal health and nutrition program for women, infants and children.
The hospital begins participating in the first major effort to understand the lifelong progression of sickle cell disease.
Clinicians develop a treatment that is effective for 55% of patients with neuroblastoma, the second most common solid tumor in children.
1970 1980 1960
The hospital’s brain tumor program, which opened the previous year, begins accepting patients. St. Jude forms a partnership with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, creating one of the largest pediatric surgical brain tumor programs in the country to provide high quality care for patients.
Danny Thomas declares AIDS a catastrophic disease of children, and St. Jude prioritizes HIV/AIDS research with the creation of a new clinical program.
19901990s
St. Jude scientists discover that an antimalarial drug can prevent or effectively treat a life-threatening form of pneumonia in patients with AIDS.
St. Jude forms a Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trial Unit with two other Memphis area hospitals.
St. Jude is the first to use gene marking to follow the course of bone marrow transplantation in children.
Scientists identify and associate mammalian G1 cyclins (types of proteins involved in initiating cell cycles) with the development of certain cancers.
By measuring the number of copies of the N-myc gene in neuroblastoma patients, St. Jude researchers individualize chemotherapy for those children.
Arthur Nienhuis, MD, establishes an experimental hematology program with a focus on developing gene therapy for blood disorders.
The Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group publishes a paper on reduction of maternal-infant transmission of HIV type 1 with zidovudine treatment.
St. Jude is among the first to incorporate a computer-based, 3-D radiation therapy technique into pediatric brain tumor treatment.
Peter Doherty, PhD, St. Jude Immunology chair, is awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He and Rolf M. Zinkernage, MD, PhD, of the University of Zurich, share the prize for their earlier pioneering work on identifying the role of T-Cells in fighting virus-infected cells.
By opening vector production labs, St. Jude becomes one of the few centers in the world with a comprehensive cell and gene therapy program.
By individualizing chemotherapy dosage, scientists discover they can increase survival rates for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) without causing excessive toxicity.
In a landmark study, pharmacists at St. Jude demonstrate the importance of pharmacogenetics and drug interactions.
Scientists identify a genetic defect that can predispose pediatric leukemia patients to secondary brain tumors.
2000s
Scientists at St. Jude conduct the first measurements of radiation’s impact on the pediatric brain.
Researchers find that cranial artery damage in patients with sickle cell disease may be reversed by bone marrow transplantation.
Scientists unveil a genetic screening technique that uses microarray chips to diagnose and treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) while improving diagnostic accuracy and identifying new prognostic details.
Investigators develop a laboratory model that closely mimics the human eye cancer retinoblastoma, providing scientists a way to test new therapies in the lab.
St. Jude becomes the nation’s first pediatric cancer research center to open a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility to produce vaccines, proteins, gene-based molecules and other biopharmaceuticals.
A St. Jude study that compares long-term outcomes of children treated for ALL shows Black children do as well as white children if given equal access to the latest treatments.
Researchers find certain traits inherited from parents can reduce the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs in children with ALL.
Investigators discover a specific pattern of gene expression in leukemic cells that links to their resistance to anti-leukemic drugs. The discovery helps explain why standard therapies fail to cure about 20% of children with ALL.
St. Jude reports a 94% survival rate for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using therapy that does not include radiation.
The multi-institutional Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) publishes a seminal report describing the magnitude of therapy-related chronic health conditions experienced by long-term survivors of childhood cancer. Learn more: stjude.org/ccss
Subtypes of medulloblastoma, which was previously thought to be one disease, are defined.
The hospital initiates the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE) to evaluate long-term survivors of childhood cancer via comprehensive health assessments. Learn more: stjude.org/sjlife
Scientists identify the specific cell that causes retinoblastoma, disproving a long-held theory.
St. Jude physicians demonstrate children with bilateral Wilms tumor can retain normal function in both kidneys by undergoing bilateral nephron-sparing surgery, even when scans suggest the tumors are inoperable.
St. Jude is designated as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center, making St. Jude the first and only pediatric cancer center to receive this distinction.
An initial study from St. Jude researchers demonstrates preventative antibiotics can reduce the potential for infection in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
St. Jude announces that with effective personalized chemotherapy, cranial irradiation can be eliminated from the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
A comprehensive genomic analysis of childhood AML finds remarkably few gene alterations, distinguishing it from other cancers.
2010s
2010
St. Jude and Washington University launch the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project to uncover why childhood cancer arises, spreads and resists treatment. Learn more: stjude.org/pcgp
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survival rates rise to 71% for children treated on a St. Jude protocol.
2012
Work at St. Jude identifies genetic factors that make Hispanic children more likely to receive fatal acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) diagnoses.
The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project announces the largest-ever release of comprehensive human cancer genome data for free access.
2014 2013
St. Jude creates the Cancer Predisposition Program to evaluate and care for children at increased genetic risk for cancer.
St. Jude creates the Sickle Cell Clinical Research and Intervention Program to study a large group of patients with sickle cell disease over time.
The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project offers new leads for improved outcomes in children with high-grade glioma brain tumors.
2010
The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project identifies drugs that enhance oxidative stress as a possible treatment against rhabdomyosarcoma, the most common pediatric soft-tissue tumor.
St. Jude and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute create the Childhood Solid Tumor Network, which provides preclinical research and fuels research worldwide.
2015
St. Jude opens the world’s first proton therapy center for children with cancer.
A study from the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project suggests that comprehensive genomic screening may be warranted for all pediatric cancer patients, not just those with family histories of cancer.
To train the next generation of scientists in a one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary setting, St. Jude establishes the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
2016
2017
St. Jude researchers and clinicians show the use of a preventative antibiotic treatment during the initial phase of chemotherapy lowers infection risk, broadens protection and reduces Clostridium difficile infection in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
St. Jude is named a trial site for an HIV Prevention Trials Network study that compares methods of preexposure prevention of HIV in young men.
2018
St. Jude-led research offers the most comprehensive analysis yet of the genomic alterations that lead to cancer in children and affirms the need for pediatric-specific precision therapies.
St. Jude Cloud, the world’s largest public repository of pediatric cancer genomics data, launches in collaboration with Microsoft and DNAnexus. Learn more: stjude.cloud
St. Jude is designated as the first World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Childhood Cancer. The collaboration is a worldwide effort to advance cure rates to at least 60% in children with six of the most common cancers by 2030.
2019
St. Jude announces a cure for SCID-XI, commonly known as bubble boy disease. Investigators at St. Jude and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco use novel treatment that combines gene therapy developed at St. Jude and low-dose chemotherapy with busulfan to restore complete immune function in infants newly diagnosed with SCID-X1.
St. Jude acquires the nation’s largest and most powerful nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer to visualize protein structures that cannot be detected with other technology.
20202020s
2021
2020
St. Jude launches the Pediatric Translational Neuroscience Initiative to bring promising treatments to children with neurological diseases. Learn more: stjude.org/ptni
An international collaboration led by St. Jude shows therapy-induced mutations can drive about 25% of relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemias.
Scientists develop the Childhood Solid Tumor Network (CSTN) data portal on St. Jude Cloud. The CSTN includes wide-ranging data on 170 patient-derived samples that represents 21 types of childhood solid tumors.
St. Jude launches the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and joins the effort to eliminate human papillomavirus (HPV)related cancers.
St. Jude scientists identify how the SARS-CoV-2 virus activates inflammatory cell death pathways. They find that drugs already used to treat some inflammatory diseases could be repurposed for COVID-19.
By October 2021, the Global COVID-19 Observatory and Resource Center for Childhood Cancer has tracked 1,775 COVID-19 positive cases from 51 countries. This project provides an unparalleled resource for understanding how the SARSCoV-2 virus affects children undergoing cancer treatment around the world.
2022
Researchers at St. Jude find the cellular response to low oxygen also increases fetal hemoglobin expression in adults, which could lead to novel treatments for some common genetic anemias, such as sickle cell disease.
Scientists at St. Jude develop a method that may be able to improve chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies by identifying the early cells that become the most effective cancer killers.
The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and St. Jude announce the largest academic collaboration of its kind to transform and accelerate the identification of vulnerabilities in pediatric cancers and translate them into better treatments. Learn more: stjude.org/pediatriccancer-dependencies-announce
2023
In a report published from the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Study (CCSS), researchers at St. Jude demonstrate the importance of a healthy lifestyle for childhood cancer survivors, showing that it can lower earlymortality risk.
Scientists from St. Jude perform the largest study yet examining drug sensitivity in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) across genomic subtypes and its association with treatment response.
By adding a molecular anchor to chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), investigators at St. Jude increase the anti-cancer activity of cellular immunotherapies in cancer models.
In a collaboration between St. Jude and Rockefeller University, scientists reveal how the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) functions and how disease mutations and potentiators affect CFTR function, providing insights into potential new therapies for cystic fibrosis.
2024
St. Jude researchers capture microscopic images of cytonemes — cellular projections that transfer signals across vast distances in the developing mammalian nervous system — becoming the first to visualize how cells communicate during neural development.
St. Jude investigators reverse the cancer cell state in aggressive rhabdoid tumors by deleting or degrading the quality control protein DCAF5, marking a new paradigm in treatment possibilities.
In collaboration with University of Houston, Tufts University School of Medicine and Fox Chase Cancer Center, scientists at St. Jude develop a drug to prevent lethal lung injury from the influenza virus.
Research from St. Jude shows that in cases of chemotherapyresistant bilateral Wilms tumors, there is a correlative favorable response to surgery, narrowing treatment scope and reducing the need for additional therapy.
2020
Vision for the Future
In the 60 years since its opening, St. Jude has been at the forefront of discoveries that have transformed how the world treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We freely share our discoveries so that more children can be saved. But we don’t stop there.
Approximately 400,000 children develop cancer each year. More than 90% of those live in low- and middle-income countries where they have little or no access to adequate diagnosis and treatment. Most of those children will die from their diseases. Launched in 2018, St. Jude Global focuses on raising pediatric cancer survival rates around the world. The program unites health care providers through a global alliance, with the goal of one day ensuring children everywhere have access to quality care.
At St. Jude, we continue to look toward the future. But how can we leverage decades of incredible achievements to further accelerate progress and maximize impact?
27 St. Jude Strategic Plan answers this lofty call with a bold vision: a $12.9 billion committment aimed at accelerating progress globally.
Our plan concentrates on five areas: fundamental science, childhood cancer, pediatric catastrophic diseases, global impact, and workforce and environment. This ambitious plan will allow us to significantly influence the way the world understands and treats childhood cancer, sickle cell disease, neurological disorders and infectious diseases.
At its heart, our plan for the future is a call to accelerate progress for children with catastrophic diseases on a
Learn more at stjude.org/strategic-plan.
SCEO 236005 8/24 ©2024. St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.