ChristianaCare and The Wistar Institute advance partnership with new cancer research strategies

Mar 16, 2022

4 min

ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute is advancing its historic partnership with the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia with three new research projects under way.


The new research projects consist of a population health study targeting triple negative breast cancer. Other projects focus on a new therapeutic target for epithelial ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecologic cancer in the developed world, and the development of “mini organs” derived from stem cells.


Targeting triple negative breast cancer

Delaware has one of the highest incidence rates of triple-negative breast cancer in the United States. This highly aggressive cancer has few treatment options, because the cells test negative for three known treatment targets – estrogen, progesterone and HER2 protein receptors.


Working with patient data from the Graham Cancer Center, researchers are investigating potential contributing factors such as diet, alcohol use and genetic variants among women, and the effects of these on cancer metabolism. The team will also examine spatial relationships between cancer “hot spots”—geographic areas with a higher-than-expected prevalence—and modifiable risk factors.


Key resources for the study are blood and tissue samples from the Graham Cancer Center’s Tissue Procurement Center and its statewide High-Risk Family Cancer Registry.


The research team will be led by Director of Population Health Research at ChristianaCare Scott Siegel, Ph.D., and Lead Research Scientist Jennifer Sims Mourtada, Ph.D., at the Graham Cancer Center’s Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR). They will join Zachary Schug, Ph.D., at Wistar’s Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program.


Researching novel therapy for ovarian cancer

The latest study supported by the Graham Cancer Center’s Tissue Procurement Program targets KAT6A expression as a novel therapy for ovarian cancer caused by a specific genetic mutation, called PP2R1A.


Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common form of ovarian cancer and the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths in the United States. Chemoresistance to currently available platinum-based drugs like cisplatin represents a major treatment challenge, as more than 50 percent of affected women ultimately relapse and die from this disease.


Wistar’s Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., leader of the Immunology, Microenvironment and Metastases Program, is focused on developing novel therapeutics for subtypes of ovarian cancer that currently have no effective therapies and on improving the current standard of care. Dr. Zhang’s previous work suggests that KAT6A signaling plays a critical role in ovarian cancer progression. Targeting this signaling pathway could be an effective strategy for treating ovarian cancer.


Working with Dr. Zhang on this project are Graham Cancer Center gynecologic oncologists Mark Cadungog, M.D., director of Robotic Surgery, and Sudeshna Chatterjee-Paer, M.D., and Cawley CTCR’s Stephanie Jean, M.D., director of Gynecologic Oncology Research. Also collaborating with the team is Wistar’s Alessandro Gardini, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Gene Expression & Regulation Program.


‘Mini organs’ offer hope for therapeutics

Dr. Sims-Mourtada at the Cawley CTCR will lead a new program to culture organ-specific tissue from stem cells that could change the way diseases are studied and treated.


These so called “mini organs” or “organoids” are three-dimensional tissue cultures grown in the lab that replicate the complexity and functions of a specific tissue or organ found in the body. Organoids offer scientists a better model for how drugs and other therapeutics might interact with a patient’s particular type of tumor, opening new avenues for precision medicine.


“The ability to grow each patient’s tumor in a three-dimensional organoid along with our capability to create patient-derived xenograft or animal models as part of our PDX core, will allow us to fully capture the effects of genetic as well as gene altering behavioral and environmental influences that are lacking in current research models,” said Dr. Sims-Mourtada. “Our collaboration with Wistar to build these programs raises our clinical platform to the next level for studying new cancer biomarkers and treatments.”


Advancing a Pioneering Partnership

The Graham Cancer Center made history when it signed a first-of-its-kind agreement in 2011 with The Wistar Institute, pairing a National Cancer Institute, NCI-designated basic research institution with a community cancer center that is also an NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).


“Our partnership with Wistar has attracted national recognition as a model of collaboration that leverages cutting-edge research to benefit cancer prevention and therapy statewide,” says Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D., Bank of America endowed medical director of ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute. “With Wistar, our productive collaborations over the last decade continue to drive discovery research toward clinical trials to benefit patients here at the Graham Cancer Center and in communities everywhere.”


“The Graham Center has been an ideal partner in our mission,” said Dario C. Altieri, M.D., Wistar president and CEO and director of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center. “Our scientists at Wistar have access to clinically-annotated primary patient specimens of the highest quality. As the majority of patients at the Graham Cancer Center are treatment naïve, this collaboration affords an opportunity to conduct unique, high impact mechanistic and correlative studies that will ultimately advance important scientific discoveries that hopefully will lead to better cancer therapies.”

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from ChristianaCare

3 min

Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Complete Biomedical Research Projects at ChristianaCare

Eight undergraduate scholars recently completed a 10-week immersion in biomedical research through the Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Scholars Program at ChristianaCare. Their projects, spanning oncology, emergency medicine and community health, culminated in a capstone presentation and celebration on August 13 at Christiana Hospital. This year’s cohort included students from University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Delaware Technical Community College, as well as Delaware residents attending college out of state. Each student was paired with expert mentors from across ChristianaCare, contributing to research designed to improve patient care and outcomes. In addition to their primary projects, the scholars explored ChristianaCare’s advanced facilities such as the Gene Editing Institute Learning Lab, gaining hands-on exposure to cutting-edge methods in biomedical research. “This year’s DE-INBRE program at ChristianaCare was a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Susan Smith, Ph.D., RN, program director of Technology Research & Education at ChristianaCare and the INBRE site principal investigator. “We brought together undergraduates from various academic backgrounds and immersed them in real, hands-on biomedical research with some of our most accomplished investigators. “Watching these students go from a little unsure on day one to confidently presenting their own findings by the end of the summer was inspiring, and proof that programs like this are building the next generation of biomedical researchers in Delaware.” Delaware INBRE is a statewide initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health to strengthen Delaware’s biomedical research infrastructure. It supports undergraduate research training, faculty development and core facility investments across partner institutions. At ChristianaCare, the program offers students immersive, hands-on research experiences guided by seasoned investigators, equipping them with the skills, mentorship and exposure essential for careers in science and medicine. Madeline Rowland, a Delaware resident and rising senior at Williams College in Massachusetts, collaborated with Hank Chen, senior medical physicist at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, to evaluate tattoo-free, surface-guided radiation therapy for breast cancer patients. She also worked with leaders of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health to explore how different patient populations experience virtual primary care. Rowland praised the program for the research skills and knowledge she gained as well as the meaningful relationships she built with mentors, health care professionals and fellow scholars she might not have otherwise met. “Dr. Chen and the whole Radiation team really adopted me into the department,” Rowland said. “From sitting on the CT simulation table in my first week to working on my project, I felt fully welcomed. I’ve learned so much, and the people I’ve met made this summer unforgettable.” Chen was recognized as the program’s inaugural “Mentor of the Summer” for his exceptional dedication and thoughtful approach to teaching. Having now mentored INBRE scholars for three years, Chen has a personal connection to the program. His own daughter participated as an undergraduate and recently began her general surgery residency after graduating from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. For Chen, mentoring represents an investment in health care’s future. “The greatest asset of any institution is its talent,” he explained. “When you welcome students into your environment, you draw good people to your field, and patients ultimately benefit from that.” Naana Twusami, a rising senior at Delaware State University, spent her summer with the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry Department. She examined social determinants of health in facial trauma patients, analyzing how factors like income, education, transportation and insurance status influence recovery. “Being here showed me that things like income or transportation can matter just as much as the medical care itself,” she said. “The INBRE Summer Scholars Program gave me a real look at how health care works, and how places like ChristianaCare are helping shape where it’s headed.” Amy Minsker, continuing medical education manager, Academic Affairs, served as manager of the summer scholars program. Read more on news.christianacare.org.

3 min

Jennifer Oldham of ChristianaCare Champions Life-Saving CPR Care

“Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother/ You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.” Nearly 50 years since this song’s debut, the faint symphony of the Bees Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” can be still heard around the world, though not only through an ordinary radio or Bluetooth speaker. Some people, like Jennifer Oldham, MSN, RN, CEN, AACC, play the tune in their thoughts when giving and demonstrating rhythmic CPR compressions. The song’s tempo serves as guidance to match the timing of CPR chest compressions. Oldham, a cardiovascular quality and innovation nurse program manager at ChristianaCare’s Center for Heart & Vascular Health, has dedicated the last three decades to teaching others about harnessing the power of CPR to save patients and loved ones. She knows firsthand the miracles CPR can produce. Knowledge is power Community members, health care professionals and students have the ability to save a life thanks to Oldham. She’s conducted dozens of classes and lectures to give nurses and bystanders the tools and confidence to perform CPR in an emergency. Her profound work recently earned her an honor at the American Heart Association’s Delaware Heart Ball. The Heart Association recognized four individuals representing four key tenets or “chambers” — “discovery, advocacy, equity, and knowledge.” Oldham was chosen as the honoree for the Knowledge Chamber for her dedication to empowering others with life-saving education and tools. “Jen Oldham’s work is the heartbeat of our Knowledge Chamber. Her dedication to CPR education reflects the very mission of the American Heart Association – to ensure more lives are saved through awareness and action,” said Ellen Vild, director of the Delaware Heart Ball. “Jen’s story reminds us that knowledge is power, but more importantly, it’s compassion in action. We are honored to recognize her as someone who lives that mission every single day.” Oldham’s colleague Neil Wimmer, M.D., MS, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, was delighted to see her recognized. “Jen is an amazing colleague and friend who is driven by compassion and empathy. She makes everyone in our state safer, whether they know it or not,” Wimmer said. The gift of life To Oldham, teaching others about CPR is rewarding. She makes a meaningful impact on patients’ lives every day through care, education, emotional support and community connection. CPR is more than just a technique, she said: It’s a lifechanging bond. “In my opinion, performing CPR is one of the most kind and loving acts one person can do for another. It is incredibly intimate … laying hands on someone’s chest and pushing, circulating their blood to save their life,” Oldham said. “What a beautiful gift to give someone — the gift of life, the gift of more time with their loved one.” Walking to save lives The ChristianaCare team and Oldham support heart health as part of the annual Wilmington Heart Walk. Last year they raised over $42,000 for the American Heart Association to fund research and education to help Americans live longer, healthier lives. Oldham has been a co-chair of the event since 2017 and is a strong advocate of the AHA’s mission. Valerie Dechant, M.D., MBA, FACP, chief medical officer of Christiana Hospital, knows the value of Oldham’s efforts in the community. “Jen’s passion for educating the public about acute cardiac emergencies is unmatched,” she said. “With decades of experience and a remarkable ability to translate clinical expertise into clear actionable knowledge, she empowers others to learn to feel confident and prepared in a crisis.”

1 min

ChristianaCare Hospital, West Grove Grand Opening Draws Over 1,500 Guests for a Day of Celebration and Community

In a landmark moment for ChristianaCare, more than 1,500 guests gathered on Saturday, July 26, to celebrate the grand opening of ChristianaCare Hospital, West Grove, the organization’s first neighborhood hospital in its 188-year history. The event was a vibrant showcase of community spirit, heartfelt connection and ChristianaCare’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional care. “This day was about more than opening our doors. It was about opening our hearts to the community,” said Pauline Corso, president of Ambulatory Network Continuity and Growth at ChristianaCare. “We are here to serve, to listen and to grow with the people of West Grove,” Corso said. “Today’s celebration was a joyful reflection of that commitment.” The West Grove campus was full of energy and excitement, with activities for all ages. Kids enjoyed face painting and bounce houses, while families took guided tours of the new hospital, sampled tasty treats and checked out emergency vehicles during the popular Touch-a-Truck experience. The ChristianaCare LifeNet helicopter was a crowd favorite. Guests were among the first to step inside the state-of-the-art facility and meet the caregivers who will soon deliver health care with excellence and love, right in the heart of southern Chester County. Set to open in mid-August, ChristianaCare Hospital, West Grove introduces a new model of emergency and acute care designed to meet the needs of the community. The exact opening date will be confirmed following final inspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, scheduled for the first week of August.

View all posts