On January 31, 2026, at the Stand Up To Cancer Innovation Summit, I presented three recommendations intended not as incremental adjustments, but as structural corrections to a system that has tolerated delay for far too long  .

Individually, each recommendation addresses a material weakness in the pediatric brain tumor ecosystem. Together, they form an integrated operating framework—aligning biology, data, and capital around accountability, speed, and measurable patient impact.

This is not a call for refinement. It is a call for reset.

1. Replace Escalating Cytotoxicity with Tumor Behavior Modulation

Glioblastoma is not a simple malignancy. It is defined by molecular heterogeneity, intratumoral plasticity, adaptive resistance, immune evasion, and rapid recurrence.

Conventional approaches—dependent on blood–brain barrier–penetrant alkylating agents—deliver modest tumor exposure while imposing profound systemic and neurocognitive toxicity. After four decades of limited durability, continued reliance on highly toxic, low-yield regimens is biologically mismatched to the disease and increasingly difficult to defend.

A more rational strategy is to modulate tumor behavior rather than escalate cytotoxicity.

That includes:

• Immune-based strategies that overcome GBM’s immunosuppressive microenvironment
• Pathway-specific induction of apoptosis targeting dysregulated survival signaling
• Anti-angiogenic approaches disrupting aberrant vascular networks that enable proliferation and invasion

These strategies prioritize specificity, durability, and reduced collateral damage.

Accordingly, Summit RFAs and associated funding eligibility should explicitly require prioritization of nontoxic, behavior-modulating strategies, replacing continued investment in highly toxic legacy regimens.

Scientific rigor demands it. Ethical responsibility requires it.

2. Elevate Research Data to Financial-Grade Standards

Breakthrough discovery is increasingly dependent on high-quality, interoperable, and governed data. Yet cancer research data remains fragmented, inconsistently structured, and insufficiently governed.

In financial markets, decisions involving billions of dollars rely on standardized, auditable, board-level-governed data. Cancer research—where the stakes are measured in children’s lives—demands no less.

Research data should meet financial-grade standards across four dimensions:

Completeness & Standardization

Clinical, molecular, imaging, outcome, and longitudinal data must be comprehensive, harmonized, and structured for cross-institutional analysis.

Accuracy & Auditability

Clear provenance, version control, and validation processes must allow independent verification, mirroring financial audit requirements.

Governance & Accountability

Data stewardship must be elevated to board-level oversight with named executive accountability and enforceable controls.

Transparency & Timely Disclosure

Data should be shared responsibly and promptly; delayed or incomplete disclosure distorts decision-making and slows discovery.

Until research data is treated with the same seriousness as financial reporting, the ecosystem will continue to tolerate fragmentation, bias, and preventable delay.

Lives depend on data quality. Governance must reflect that reality.

3. Establish Community-Wide Governance of Fundraising and Reserves

Rare diseases operate under constraints of time, patient population, and data scarcity. In that environment, capital efficiency becomes a determinant of survival.

Uncoordinated fundraising and excessive reserve accumulation represent systemic friction—slowing discovery, fragmenting effort, and diluting impact.

To accelerate progress, the pediatric research community should adopt formal governance standards for fundraising and reserve practices, including:

• Transparent fundraising principles aligned with near-term, mission-critical research objectives
• Reasonable, disclosed limits on reserve accumulation
• Regular public reporting on reserves, fundraising efficiency, and deployment toward measurable patient impact
• Incentives that reward rapid and responsible conversion of philanthropic dollars into shared data and therapeutic advancement

Strong governance of fundraising is not restriction—it is discipline. It ensures that every dollar raised moves toward cure, not institutional comfort.

In a field where patients cannot wait and no single institution has sufficient scale to succeed alone; capital must move with urgency.

An Integrated Framework for Cure

Individually, these recommendations address science, data, and capital.

Collectively, they align the system.

• Biology drives therapeutic strategy.
• Data fuels discovery and AI-enabled insight.
• Capital accelerates execution and collaboration.

When one pillar is weak, progress stalls. When all three are governed with rigor and aligned around outcomes, acceleration becomes possible.

Following the Summit, SU2C will issue an RFA and assemble a dedicated Dream Team with the potential to cure malignant gliomas. That effort must be anchored not only in exceptional scientists, but in exceptional standards.

The pediatric brain tumor community does not lack intelligence.

It does not lack commitment.

It does not lack funding.

What it has lacked is structural alignment.

That alignment is achievable.

And now, it is non-negotiable.

Childhood cancer is a life-altering diagnosis for families. Facing it requires a multi-pronged approach, and thankfully, new technologies are emerging to offer glimmers of hope. One such innovation is the concept of digital twins, virtual replicas of a patient’s biology used to personalize treatment plans and potentially revolutionize pediatric oncology.

What are Digital Twins in Healthcare?

Imagine a virtual version of yourself, a computer model incorporating your unique genetic makeup, tumor characteristics, and treatment response. This is the essence of a digital twin in healthcare. These models create a dynamic representation of a patient’s health by integrating various data sources like medical imaging, genetic analysis, and real-time biometrics collected from wearable devices.

In the context of childhood cancers, digital twins hold immense potential. These “virtual patients” can be used to:

• Simulate Treatment Responses: Doctors can run simulations on the digital twin, testing different treatment options and predicting their effectiveness. This allows personalized therapy plans tailored to the specific cancer and the child’s unique biology.
• Predict Treatment Side Effects: Digital twins can forecast potential side effects of various treatments, enabling doctors to choose the most efficacious option with minimal adverse effects, improving a child’s quality of life during treatment.
• Develop New Therapies: Researchers can utilize digital twins to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs in a virtual environment before clinical trials. This reduces risks and accelerates the development of more effective treatments.

New Technologies Propelling the Digital Twin Revolution

The power of digital twins lies in their ability to leverage a confluence of cutting-edge technologies:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of patient data, identifying patterns and more accurately predicting treatment outcomes.
• Machine Learning (ML): ML models learn from existing data on childhood cancers and treatment responses, continuously improving the predictive power of digital twins.
• Big Data Analytics: The ability to collect, store, and analyze vast datasets, including genomic information, medical imaging, and treatment response data, is crucial for building robust digital twins.
• High-Performance Computing: Simulating complex biological processes within digital twins requires immense computational power, which high-performance computing provides.

The Impact on Childhood Cancer Treatment

The potential benefits of digital twins for childhood cancers are multifaceted:

• More Targeted Therapies: Digital twins pave the way for precision medicine, where treatments are customized based on a child’s needs. This can lead to higher cure rates and improved long-term outcomes.
• Reduced Treatment Burden: Doctors can choose gentler therapies by predicting side effects, minimizing the child’s physical and emotional toll.
• Faster Drug Development: Simulating new drugs in a virtual environment allows researchers to identify promising candidates faster, ultimately leading to more effective therapies reaching children in need sooner.
• Improved Patient Care: Digital twins empower doctors to make more informed decisions, improving patient care and family communication.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

While digital twins hold immense promise, there are hurdles to overcome:

• Data Security and Privacy: Safeguarding sensitive patient data used to create digital twins is paramount. Robust data security protocols are essential to earn patient trust.
• Model Development and Validation: Building accurate and reliable digital twins requires extensive data and ongoing validation to ensure their efficacy.
• Infrastructure and Accessibility: Not all healthcare institutions might have the resources and infrastructure needed to implement digital twin technology. Ensuring equitable access will be crucial.

Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of digital twins in treating childhood cancers are undeniable.

As research progresses and technology advances, Bridge To A Cure Foundation expects digital twins to become a cornerstone of childhood cancer treatment, offering a brighter future for children battling this disease.

The Future of Digital Twins in Healthcare

The impact of digital twins extends beyond childhood cancers. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the entire healthcare landscape, and Bridge To A Cure is helping to foster its use. Imagine a future where digital twins are used to manage chronic diseases, predict health risks, and even prevent illnesses. While this vision might seem distant, the strides in digital twin technology in pediatric oncology offer a glimpse into a future where personalized medicine empowers doctors to fight diseases more effectively, leading to a healthier future for all.

How Tissue Donation Saves Lives in Childhood Cancer and Rare Diseases

For families facing the life-altering news that their child is diagnosed with cancer or a rare disease, hope can feel scarce. Traditional treatments often have limitations, and finding effective therapies for these complex conditions can be a long and arduous journey.

This is where tissue donation steps in, offering a beam of light in a seemingly dark tunnel. Among the many ways that Bridge To A Cure works towards accomplishing its mission is by strongly supporting this practice. Donated tissue samples become invaluable tools for researchers, allowing them to unlock the secrets of these illnesses and develop life-saving treatments.

Why Tissue Donation Matters for Childhood Cancers and Rare Diseases

Childhood cancers and rare diseases are different compared to adult cancers. They are often more aggressive, have unique genetic mutations, and respond differently to treatments. Due to their relative rarity, research funding and readily available tissue samples can be scarce, further hindering progress.

Donated tissue plays a critical role in this fight

Understanding the Disease: Tissue samples allow researchers to study the disease at a cellular and molecular level. This helps them identify the genetic mutations causing the illness and understand how it progresses.

Developing New Therapies: With a deeper understanding of the disease, researchers can develop targeted therapies. These therapies can be more effective for specific types of childhood cancers and rare diseases, with fewer side effects for young patients.

Testing Existing Treatments: Tissue samples allow scientists to test the efficacy of existing treatments and identify which ones work best for specific patients. This personalized approach to medicine can significantly improve treatment outcomes.

Developing Diagnostics: Tissue analysis can help develop new diagnostic tools to identify these diseases earlier and more accurately. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates in children with cancer and rare diseases.

The Gift of a Lifetime

Without the unwavering support from organizations like Bridge To A Cure, the Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) couldn’t display the transformative power of tissue donation. Established in 2011, CBTN is the world’s largest biobank dedicated to childhood brain tumors, and Bridge To A Cure plays a vital role in its success.

With over 5,500 patients and 2,500 family members enrolled, CBTN provides a rich resource of tissue samples for researchers worldwide. This network, supported by Bridge To A Cure and other powerful organizations, operates through hospitals and research institutions across the globe. When a child undergoes surgery or a biopsy for a brain tumor, families have the option to donate a small portion of the removed tissue to CBTN.

Bridge To A Cure’s contribution to childhood brain tumor research is far-reaching through this collaborative effort. Thanks to CBTN’s vast collection of tissue samples, generously donated by families and facilitated by advocacy, researchers have made significant strides in understanding the biology of these tumors, leading to the development of new and more effective treatment strategies. This collaboration between organizations like Bridge To A Cure and CBTN is among the reasons the goal of reducing the childhood cancer death rate by 50% by 2030 is even remotely possible.

The Future of Tissue Donation

The story of the power of tissue donation is being told daily, as evidenced by the pace of advancing research for childhood cancer and rare diseases. As tissue donation programs grow and expand, we can expect even greater breakthroughs in the fight against these devastating illnesses.

Ways You Can Contribute to the Cause

Spread Awareness: Talk to your family and friends about the importance of tissue donation. You can also share information and resources from organizations like Bridge To A Cure on social media and engage with posts about these important topics.

Consider Tissue Donation: If you or someone you know has a child facing a diagnosis of cancer or a rare disease, inquire about tissue donation options at your hospital.

Give to Support Enrolled Families: Tissue donation requires the cooperation of families, doctors, coordinators, labs, and biobanks. This complex but critical web is needed to successfully make use of this fragile tissue. When you give to Bridge To A Cure, proceeds support this worldwide network and the amazing children who make this research possible.

By working together, we can ensure that tissue donation remains a beacon of hope for children facing cancer and rare diseases, offering them brighter futures and a chance to thrive.

In this, the third of our three-part series on leading-edge research in childhood cancer, Bridge To A Cure informs of a novel approach to research in which we are investing. We’ve taken a look at scientific approaches in the areas of immunotherapy and angiogenesis. Now, let’s explore what else researchers are uncovering within kids’ own bodies to combat challenging and often aggressive childhood brain tumors, apoptosis.

Apoptosis: Programming Cancer Cell Death To Save A Life

Often called “programmed cell death,” apoptosis is a crucial process in developing and maintaining healthy tissues in the body. It allows the body to remove cells that are no longer needed or that could potentially become harmful, such as damaged, diseased, or cancerous cells. In the context of childhood brain tumors, leveraging apoptosis has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy.

Childhood brain tumors represent a diverse group of diseases that vary significantly in their prognosis and treatment options. Traditional treatments, such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, often referred to as “standard of care,” has been devastating to the children with brain tumors and their parents:

The Journey is Horrific

• Frightful, excessive, and severe chronic pain
• Excruciating and harmful emotional strain
• Work disruption/Financial devastation
• Ongoing deep psychological damage

Those that Survive, Suffer

• 95% who survive have significant health-related issues later in life
• The emotional strain continues
• Occupational/Financial recovery is a serious challenge

The strategy of inducing apoptosis in cancer cells offers a targeted approach to therapy, aiming to minimize harm to healthy tissues while effectively eliminating cancer cells.

Cancer cells often evade apoptosis, which is one of the reasons they can grow uncontrollably. By understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie this evasion, researchers will be able to develop drugs and therapies that can specifically trigger apoptosis in cancer cells.

One approach to induce apoptosis in childhood brain tumors is with targeted therapies that home in on specific genetic mutations or pathways that are active in cancer cells but not in healthy cells. For example, some drugs can target the proteins involved in the pathways that regulate cell survival and death, effectively reactivating the apoptosis process in cancer cells.

Another promising strategy involves immunotherapy, which enhances the body’s immune response against cancer cells. Certain types of immunotherapies can help recognize and destroy cancer cells by triggering apoptosis, offering a more personalized and effective treatment option for pediatric brain tumor patients.

Gene therapy is also being explored to correct the genetic mutations that prevent apoptosis in cancer cells. By repairing or replacing the defective genes, this approach seeks to restore the natural process of programmed cell death, thereby reducing tumor growth and potentially leading to a cure.

The use of apoptosis in treating childhood brain tumors represents a significant shift towards more targeted and less toxic treatments. While research in this area is ongoing, early clinical trials and studies have shown promising results, offering hope for more effective and safer treatments for young patients with brain tumors. Bridge To A Cure wants to accelerate progress in this area via a research initiative that draws on the databases now available and the analytical/diagnostic capabilities of artificial intelligence. The goal is to replace the horrific standard of care approach used today with an approach that is nontoxic and that cures.

Bridge To A Cure Foundation continues our ambitious mission to unite and transform the childhood cancer research community to reduce childhood cancer deaths 50% by 2030. We have discovered and worked to remove the barriers that, for so long, have held back progress toward cures. We have identified like-minded experts to form partnerships that push the entire research community forward. And now, we have identified three key areas of research that we at Bridge To A Cure believe hold the promise of finding cures. This is the first of three articles introducing groundbreaking research initiatives in our foundation investing: immunotherapy, angiogenesis, and apoptosis.

Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Body’s Ability to Fight Disease

Immunotherapy represents a groundbreaking shift in cancer treatment, offering new hope for curing childhood brain tumors. Unlike traditional treatments that broadly target rapidly dividing cells, immunotherapy works by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer more precisely and effectively.

Patients with a pediatric brain tumor — among the most challenging cancers to treat due to their delicate location — have seen significant advancements in treatment options with the advent of immunotherapy. This treatment approach includes a variety of modes such as checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines, each designed to boost the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking the proteins that cancer cells use to hide from the immune system, essentially “unmasking” the cancer cells and allowing the immune system to detect and eliminate them. CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting the patient’s immune cells, genetically modifying them in a lab to better recognize cancer cells, and then infusing these enhanced cells back into the patient to seek out and destroy cancer. Cancer vaccines, on the other hand, are designed to provoke the immune system to attack specific cancer cells.

One of the key advantages of immunotherapy in treating childhood brain tumors is its potential for specificity.

By targeting the tumor cells while sparing healthy brain tissue, immunotherapy can reduce the side effects associated with conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, which are particularly concerning in growing children due to the risk of long-term cognitive and developmental issues.

Moreover, immunotherapy offers the promise of durable responses, meaning that some patients may achieve long-term control over their cancer, turning it into a manageable chronic condition. This is a significant step forward in improving the quality of life and survival rates for children with brain tumors.

While the application of immunotherapy in childhood brain tumors is still an area of active research, early clinical trials have shown promising results, offering hope to families facing these daunting diagnoses. As researchers continue to understand how best to harness the immune system against these brain tumors, immunotherapy stands poised to transform the landscape of cancer treatment, potentially offering a cure for some of the most challenging cancers affecting children. Bridge To A Cure wants to accelerate progress in this area via a research initiative that draws on the databases now available and the analytical/diagnostic capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI).

Our goal for a childhood brain tumor cancer cure by 2030 continues to progress. Our enthusiasm and optimism about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing the search for a cure for childhood brain tumor cancer is why. The intersection of advanced technology and medical research holds immense promise, and AI stands out as a powerful tool in this endeavor.

AI algorithms can significantly enhance the analysis of vast and complex datasets related to childhood brain tumors. The ability of AI to process and identify patterns in large sets of genetic, clinical, and imaging data allows researchers to unravel intricate connections that may contribute to the development and progression of these cancers. This, in turn, accelerates the identification of potential therapeutic targets. Thanks to our alliance partner at the Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN), these data sets are now available to researchers worldwide.

Indeed, AI-driven image analysis plays a crucial role in the field of medical imaging, aiding in the early detection and precise monitoring of brain tumors.

By leveraging machine learning algorithms, medical professionals can obtain more accurate and efficient results from imaging studies. This expedites the diagnosis and facilitates timely interventions, thereby improving the prognosis for young patients.

In one promising study by CBTN, 250 brain tumor subject scans were used to generate an AI algorithm. This algorithm generated 3-dimensional segmentations automatically, making note of any tumor progression. This model effectively captured tumor progression earlier than the traditional method in more than half of the cases.

Additionally, the application of AI in drug discovery is a game-changer for developing targeted therapies. By simulating and predicting the interactions between various drug compounds and specific cancer biomarkers, AI expedites the identification of potential drugs that could effectively combat childhood brain tumors. This approach not only reduces the time and resources required for drug development but also increases the likelihood of finding treatments tailored to the unique characteristics of each patient’s cancer. In fact, time has been reduced from 12 years to 4 years. Truly a game-changer.

AI enables the personalization of treatment plans through the analysis of individual patient data. This tailoring of therapies based on a patient’s genetic makeup, response to treatment, and other relevant factors enhances treatment efficacy while minimizing potential side effects. The era of precision medicine, powered by AI, offers a more targeted and less invasive approach to treating childhood brain tumors.

The integration of artificial intelligence into the realm of childhood brain tumor cancer research holds immense promise. From deciphering complex datasets to improving diagnostic accuracy, streamlining drug discovery, and enabling personalized treatment strategies, AI stands as a catalyst for innovation in the quest for a cure. As we continue to explore the vast potential of AI in healthcare, we at Bridge To A Cure Foundation are hopeful that these advancements will bring us closer to a future where childhood brain tumors are not only treatable, but ultimately curable.

How Scientists See the Field Moving Forward and Addressing the Underrepresentation of Childhood Cancer Research

The annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) member meeting welcomed more than 20,000 cancer experts April 14th-19th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The meeting provided ways to explore the latest breakthroughs and advancements in cancer treatment, including childhood cancer. With large-scale keynote sessions that involve dozens of brilliant minds from across the world to educational breakout sessions and poster presentations, attendees learned about the latest research findings, shared ideas, discussed cutting-edge advancements, and connected with others in the field. This meeting is crucial for moving the field of cancer research forward and paving the way for future treatments. And Bridge To A Cure Foundation was there.

Advancements in Cancer Research

One major area of focus at this year’s AACR meeting was precision medicine, which offers personalized cancer treatments that target the specific genetic mutations feeding an individual patient’s cancer. This approach has shown tremendous promise in treating certain types of cancer, giving hope to patients and families who previously had limited treatment options.

Another exciting area of research that was discussed entailed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze vast amounts of data and develop new cancer treatments. This innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize cancer research and improve patient outcomes by identifying new patterns and insights that would be difficult to detect using traditional research methods. — and would take exponentially longer to detect without the use of machine learning.

However, despite these promising developments, cancer research still faces numerous challenges. One of the most pressing is the need for increased funding to support research and development. Without adequate resources, progress in cancer research will continue to be slow and limited, and patients and families will continue to suffer. Additionally, collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates is crucial to advancing cancer research and improving patient outcomes.

At the AACR meeting, researchers highlighted the importance of working together to share knowledge and resources and to ensure that patients remain at the center of research and treatment decisions.

It’s important to recognize that behind each research presentation and statistic at the prestigious AACR gathering are real people who have been affected by cancer. Patients and their families are living with the devastating impact of this disease every day, and they rely on the efforts of researchers and experts to find new and better treatments. The advances in precision medicine and AI are not just scientific breakthroughs, they offer hope and better outcomes for individuals and families affected by cancer.

Overall, the AACR meeting is a reminder that progress is happening in cancer research, but there is still much work to be done. By prioritizing funding and collaboration, and by keeping patients at the forefront of research and treatment decisions, we can continue to make significant strides in the fight against cancer.

The Underrepresentation of Childhood Cancer Research

The underrepresentation of childhood cancer research is a devastating reality made apparent at the AACR meeting. Just a small fraction ofthe hundreds of presentations, booths, white papers, and research discussions touched upon childhood forms of the disease.

Despite the tremendous progress that has been made in adult cancer research, childhood cancer remains an area that is significantly underrepresented. With such a small fraction of cancer research focusing on children with cancer, our youngest patients face more limited treatment options and a lower chance of survival than adults with some of the deadliest forms of cancer. It also means that families are left to navigate a complex and confusing healthcare system, often with limited resources and support.

The underrepresentation of childhood cancer research is a human tragedy that affects real people and families every day. At the Children’s Brain Tumor Network booth, Bridge To A Cure leaders helped CBTN share the great news that researchers can freely access one of the largest data collections of its kind in the world.

This call to action invited researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to access shared data and collaborate to prioritize the needs of children with cancer and to dedicate the necessary resources to finding better treatments and cures.

Childhood cancer is an area of research that has historically received less funding and attention than adult cancers, despite being the leading cause of death from disease in children. While it is important to recognize the progress that has been made in childhood cancer research, there is still much work to be done. We cannot let another day go by without taking action to end the suffering of children with cancer and their families.

Consider supporting our mission by learning more about our efforts to empower discovery through collaboration, and the unique need for personalized medicine for every child with cancer.

New studies show that machine learning will forever change the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors.

After decades of humankind accomplishing amazing feats, the children’s cancer space has continued to fall short. In the last forty-plus years, just four treatments have been developed—and nothing is close to a cure. That’s why, when we founded Bridge To A Cure Foundation, we exclaimed, “We’ve had enough.” We set out on a mission to collaborate with those who unleash discovery and accelerate breakthroughs. And, we’ve partnered with those willing with us to lead the charge: including the Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) and St. Baldrick’s Foundation. You can learn more about these partnerships here.

Our judgment to build these collaborative relationships has not been misplaced.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is something we hear about frequently these days. Essentially, AI enables the completion of complicated tasks using powerful, advanced computing technology. AI has demonstrated it can be assigned a task that may take humans months or years to complete and complete it in just days or even minutes. In the children’s cancer research space, it’s become potentially the biggest buzzword of the year—and for good reason. Because of the tremendous efforts of many in the Bridge To A Cure network, when it comes to AI applications in childhood cancer, big things are happening.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas gives researchers access to large and comprehensive enough data that AI is now being introduced to make better diagnoses and treatment protocols for children with brain tumors. This, in turn, means researchers are better informed—which translates to a better chance at a bright future for our most at-risk cancer fighters.

Some ways AI can advance progress for sick kids is by:

• Near-automatic detection of brain tumors on MRI scans
• Providing subtype predictions that can lead to quicker, more accurate diagnosis
• Help doctors identify the most appropriate treatment options for each individual child
• Assist in detecting disease progression

Without the CBTN Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas, these monumental efforts simply wouldn’t be possible. Efforts such as:

Predicting underlying tumor subtypes

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of childhood brain tumor subtypes. This is one of the many reasons that research in this area is so complex. Led by Benjamin Kaan from the Harvard Medical School and using the CBTN data, researchers are developing methods that allow quicker and more accurate identification of tumor subtypes. These new technologies can help bridge the knowledge gap between researchers’ limited understanding of the characteristics of certain types of tumors. AI insights will allow researchers to better help children by matching each individual’s tumor to a specific therapy that can best help them.

Advancing imaging diagnostics

Dr. Nabavizadeh and his team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) are focused on impact rather than popularity. This doesn’t mean that their work should go unnoticed, however. As the Director of Imaging at CHOP and an important research partner for CBTN, his focus now turns to improve MRI imaging procedures. Such procedures that will allow not just the quicker identification of tumor subtypes, but also better detect how tumor progression responds to treatments, allowing a quicker understanding of what is working and what isn’t.

In the overwhelming majority of studies performed so far, the implementation of AI technologies in imaging demonstrates superiority in areas from tumor diagnosis to dosage calculation for radiotherapies. In many cases, AI performs with more accuracy than clinical experts alone. Artificial intelligence capabilities for children’s brain cancer have grown exponentially in recent years — and although this progress is paramount, the fight isn’t over yet. Projects like the one led by Dr. Nabavizadeh face an endangering lack of resources that stymie technological advancement. Learn more about how you can support these efforts at the Bridge To A Cure website.

The Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) is one of the largest childhood cancer research initiatives to date—and will change outcomes for children for the better — forever.

A key Bridge To A Cure commitment continues to be in service to other initiatives, foundations, and organizations that prioritize progress toward cures over the siloed approach traditionally found in children’s medical research. Some of our dedicated, tireless partners such as the Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) and St. Baldrick’s Foundation continue to set examples for how researchers, clinicians, and foundations in the pediatric brain tumor space should work and engage. But, even with the efforts of these extraordinary organizations, we need all hands on deck to finally reach the major breakthroughs that can save kids’ lives.

An ambitious effort called the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) established by the National Cancer Institute has brought focus to the nation’s childhood cancer realm. This initiative has received $50 million per year in federal investment since its creation in 2020 and will be funded at that level for a decade. To improve treatments, build a strong database, and bring the childhood cancer community together, the CCDI breaks the mold of ego-driven research by incentivizing collaboration among everyone in the childhood cancer realm. And Bridge To A Cure coalition member CBTN is helping by providing expertise and infrastructure to this massive undertaking.

Two Years of Tremendous Strides

Although the work is far from over, the CCDI has made great progress in its goal of gathering and sharing data to allow for faster progress in childhood cancer treatments.

The initiative focuses on three main goals that align with Bridge To A Cure Foundation’s key imperatives. We applaud CCDI program focus and prioritization.

CCDI goals include:

• Gathering data. Every child receives a diagnosis, no matter where they are from or where they receive care.
• Speed diagnosis. Use clinical and molecular characterization to help inform treatments for our most vulnerable cancer patients.
• Bring clinical care and research data together. This will speed up improvements in preventative care, treatment, and quality of life for children suffering from cancer.

These are honorable goals. Let’s look at what the CCDI has accomplished recently because of these goals.

The CCDI Data Ecosystem

The first phase in the CCDI timeline focuses on developing a data ecosystem that includes a registry that can link patient data, which leads to tracking and informing current treatment options. Furthermore, systems could be put in place to simplify and automate data collection. With this foundation in place, technological tools can be developed which would make possible the interpretation of diagnostics imaging and prior patient reports. 

One of the major tasks pediatric cancer researchers has to harmonize medical terminology and jargon. As it stands, disparate systems use their own acronyms and terminology, making it difficult for different data houses to communicate effectively. This is a barrier to effective research. With the work of CCDI, the possibility of a more universal model for a harmonized language becomes possible.

Generation of Childhood Cancer Data

Further expanding on the inherent goals of the CCDI, the initiative isn’t siloed or closed off. In fact, CCDI encourages participation from any health institution that is conducting childhood cancer research. On top of that, the organization supports funding organizations that also share data and contribute to the overall data ecosystem. 

Another initiative—the Molecular Characterization Initiative (MCI)—is the national collaboration of the childhood cancer research community that assists in speeding up a diagnosis of cancer in children. That means patients are able to get the best treatments more quickly. Through MCI and the CCDI, the standard of care we all hope to see improve, can—by creating a comprehensive way to characterize rare and hard-to-treat variants for every single child suffering from a cancer diagnosis.

What We Are Learning

To develop better treatments for the thousands of children and their families who battle for their lives against an often deadly disease, a robust and complete data system is necessary. Bridge To A Cure Foundation honors those who are breaking the norms of the ineffective traditional approach to childhood brain cancer research. It is through initiatives like the CCDI that we will see improved outcomes for children in our lifetimes. 

The CCDI is slated to grow and evolve its programs over time, remaining committed to the goals it holds. To learn more about CCDI progress, see their presentation from the recent joint meeting of the NCI National Cancer Advisory Board and the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors.

The Promise of Project Accelerate

Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) houses the largest childhood brain tumor biorepository in the world: 2,000 data sets for rare but deadly forms of pediatric brain tumors – of which there are more than 30 types and hundreds of subtypes.

Bridge To A Cure Foundation has partnered with CBTN to make more people aware that the more data available, the more breakthroughs will be made. And, we have some exciting news to share! Beginning in late September, researchers will be able to access 8,400 new data sets collected from 31 institutional sites worldwide and processed at the Broad Institute, a partnership between Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Project Accelerate researchers are focusing on the most aggressive types of childhood brain tumors, while also looking for discoveries for the rarest forms of the disease. CBTN will be making this flood of new information freely available to researchers all over the world, and the impact promises to be huge. Researchers will have access to so much more information to get one step closer to a cure for childhood brain tumors!

Childhood Brain Tumor Discovery

Discoveries in the area of brain tumors can’t be made by just one person. The Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) is a great resource for scientists since it is made up of 31 member institutions across the world that are working for the same goal: No child dies or suffers from a brain tumor. This network of researchers, clinicians, patients, and foundations are unified around this mission. They share data, resources, and expertise to make discoveries. Because of internet cloud storage, CBTN information can be easily accessed by researchers and scientists all over the world. This improves collaboration and takes away the barriers that were once a big part of the research.

The Role of the Young Investigator

Young investigators are essential in research, and they are the next generation of principal researchers. We need to make sure they feel supported and have access to the necessary help to guide them towards the cure of brain tumors. Bridge To A Cure Foundation believes that the secret to better treatments and cures for childhood brain tumors will be found in the CBTN data. By collaborating with young investigators and others who use this data, we can accelerate the pace of finding a cure.

A young investigator is someone who has just finished their Ph.D. degree and would like to work on a research project independently. They can also be young scientists who might have post-doctoral experience and want to explore a specific topic to learn more about it, or search for a discovery they are hoping to make.

The beauty of a young investigator is the drive and the desire to find out the answers to the questions they are passionate about. Research can be tedious and even discouraging. It is challenging, but if there is mentoring, collaborating, and talking to people who may disagree with the young investigator, the research can take an exciting turn and areas may open up that were never thought about before. In the end, this can lead to a new discovery that was never an option or thought previously.

The young investigator uses CBTN data in their own individual projects and this helps them get even closer to understanding how to treat childhood brain tumors brain tumors. Additionally, there are specimen data along with biosamples that can provide the young investigator with more of an understanding of a brain tumor subtype and possibly a breakthrough in treatment. Some of the data come from patient visits, MRI scans, data from stained slides of tissue, and genomic data. Since there is not enough data collected from any single research center, collaboration between many researchers is important. CBTN encourages young investigators and other researchers around the world to share their findings to help inform future research projects, no matter where that research is being conducted.

CBTN’s Project Accelerate will greatly advance the work of young investigators by flooding the new data into what is already the world’s largest repository of childhood brain tumor samples for pediatric cancer research projects. It is important to CBTN to make sure that the help is there for the critical research and development of more effective treatments for tumors of the brain and central nervous system.

Please give today to help fund Project Accelerate.

NOTE: Exciting announcement about Bridge To A Cure Foundation and the Children’s Brain Tumor Network to follow soon. Keep an eye out for news about an important development.