Closing gaps in treatment for pediatric cancers
Crystal Mackall, M.D. (’84), Ernest and Amelia Gallo Family Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Stanford University, joined VITALS | Visionary Health Leadership in Action on March 7 via Zoom. VITALS is NEOMED’s health leadership speaker series in collaboration with University Hospitals.
Dr. Mackall, who is also founding director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, began her presentation by sharing photos from her days as a NEOMED student, as well as a clip from her first scientific publication, “O2 reserved of left ventricle of isolated, saline-perfused rabbit heart.”
Upon graduating from NEOMED, she chose to pursue a career in oncology. “I always liked challenges and for me, oncology was the most challenging of all the fields,” she shared. She completed a dual residency in internal medicine at Akron General and pediatrics at Akron Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Mackall went on to have a 27-year career with the National Cancer Institute, before joining Stanford University to, she says, “develop a next generation engineered immune cells program to search and destroy cancer.”
While she is hopeful that immunotherapy will change the course of cancer medicine, she is also concerned about the lack of development in drug therapies in pediatric disease compared to adult disease.
“There has been immense progress in treating adult cancer as a result of bio-pharma investment,” Dr. Mackall said, comparing that to the lack of progress with no bio-pharma investment in cell and gene therapies for pediatric cancer.
She suggested a new model to address that commercial failure through public funds and philanthropy. Pediatric Advanced Medicines Bioitech would move therapies from academia through clinical trials through FDA approval through commercialization and ultimately to pediatric patients.
Watch VITALS with Crystal Mackall, M.D.
Special thanks to Q&A moderator David Vitatoe, senior director of alumni relations at NEOMED. Vitatoe filled in for WKYC senior health reporter Monica Robins, who had a case of laryngitis.
Up Next on VITALS
Sara Whittingham, M.D. is a Cleveland Clinic Anesthesiologist, NEOMED Clinical Faculty member, Air Force veteran and Ironman finisher. She is also living with Parkinson's Disease.
Dr. Whittingham will share her story on the next VITALS | Visionary Health Leadership in Action, NEOMED’s monthly health leadership speaker series in collaboration with University Hospitals. The program will be held in person and via Zoom at noon on April 4. The program will be moderated by Monica Robins, WKYC-TV's senior health correspondent.