Joshua Brandstadter MD PhD

Congratulations to @paralkarlab.bsky.social (@penncancer.bsky.social) on his election to @the-asci.org! Learn more about Dr. Paralkar & his work here➡️ tinyurl.com/5xbwrhf9

Also: CXCR4-modification enhances CAR-T efficacy by improving tumor tracking and bone marrow homing in B-cell malignancies @sigtrans-sttt.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

GlycoRNA complexed with heparan sulfate regulates VEGF-A signalling - Nature Heparan sulfate proteoglycans facilitate the assembly of clusters of glycoRNAs and cell surface RNA-binding proteins, which negatively modulate VEGF-A signalling and angiogenesis.

A new function for GlycoRNAs!! The GlycoRNA-Heparan sulfate complex on the cell surface controls VEGF-A signaling and angiogenesis. Superexciting findings from Ryan Flynn's lab. Congratulations to all authors!! @raflynn5.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

HOMEWORK MACHINE The Homework Machine, oh the Homework Machine Most perfect contraption that's ever been seen. Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime, Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds' time, Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be. Here it is — "nine plus four?" and the answer is "three." Three? Oh me ... I guess it's not as perfect As I thought it would be.

shel silverstein on the LLM, 1981

Dr. Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas

In a landmark scientific feat published in NEJM, a CHOP & Penn Medicine team treated the first patient with personalized #genetherapy, designed uniquely for newborn KJ, who was diagnosed with a rare #ureacycledisorder at birth. Learn more: http://ms.spr.ly/63327Sw92F

Today "a milestone in the evolution of personalized therapies for rare & ultra-rare inborn errors of metabolism"
—the 1st human to undergo custom genome editing
—from decades of NIH funded research
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
@nejm.org
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/h...

A major breakthrough from @pennmedicine.bsky.social: @davidfajgenbaum.bsky.social and team have identified a new subtype—Oligocentric Castleman Disease (OligoCD)—marking the first Castleman discovery in 45 years. This could transform diagnosis and care for thousands. Published in Blood Advances.

For the first time in 45 years, a new subtype of Castleman disease has been identified, allowing patients to receive the right treatment for their condition ft. @davidfajgenbaum.bsky.social (@pennmedicine.bsky.social) & @jbrandmdphd.bsky.social (@penncancer.bsky.social) tinyurl.com/52mjd9az

TIME100 Health: David Fajgenbaum Find out why David Fajgenbaum is on the TIME100 Health 2025 list.

Congrats @davidfajgenbaum.bsky.social on being named to the TIME100 Health 2025 list! After being diagnosed with Castleman disease, he found an existing drug that saved his life. Now he’s using AI to repurpose FDA-approved drugs—offering hope to others with hard-to-treat conditions. bit.ly/4kdkgdX

Oligocentric CD is an intermediate phenotype distinctly characterized from unicentric and iMCD. buff.ly/zOHYxKF #hemesky #clinicaltrialsandobservations

At yesterday's opening ceremony, we asked the cancer community to stand together to make their voices heard in support of innovative cancer science and medicine. #CancerResearchSavesLives® #AACR25

@pennmedicine.bsky.social

First new subtype of Castleman disease discovered in 45 years The spectrum of the rare disorder is expanded with discovery, highlighting the importance of collaboration with patient advocates.

There is an OLIGOcentric subtype of Castleman Disease.

CSF reversibly attenuates the efficacy of antifolate drugs, including methotrexate, against leukemia cells. buff.ly/oep9bdx #hemesky #lymphoidneoplasia

Just a few weeks ago, researchers and educators connected to immunology lost a wonderful friend and colleague: Michael Cancro, professor of pathology and lab medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
www.cell.com/immunity/ful...
@cp-immunity.bsky.social

Our current issue's special collection of Physician-Scientist Development articles includes an editorial by Editor in chief @eickelbergmd.bsky.social & is paired with a cover collage of children's drawings illustrating what a 'physician-scientist' means to them: buff.ly/kQ4fmrg

Thank you to Vince Young for this beautiful highlight of our early work developing an mRNA vaccine for C. difficile (Original paper here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)

Great advice

The Chaos of NIH Cuts Has Left Early-Career Scientists Scrambling As graduate programs lose spots and labs face shutdowns following Trump administration cuts to science funding, the path to a science career for students and researchers just got a whole lot harder.

Who thought this was a good idea?

Yes, mine too!

Cancer research, long protected, feels ‘devastating’ effects under Trump Cancer research has had bipartisan support. But Trump administration budget cuts and delays threaten to reverse progress of recent years, experts say.

An insightful and troubling investigative report by @anguschen.bsky.social on how gov't cuts are impacting cancer centers, researchers, and patients. As a cancer researcher, I can attest that these cuts are indeed devastating and will set back decades of progress.

www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...

‘Chaos and Confusion’ at the N.I.H., the Crown Jewel of American Science Senior scientists at the National Institutes of Health fear that research on conditions like obesity, heart disease and cancer will be undermined by President Trump’s policies.

"The Clinical Center got a last-minute reprieve after the researchers panicked and protested. DOGE stopped the firing of the intensive care doctors and allowed the N.I.H. to rehire the fired laboratory technicians and blood bank workers."

The Bridge Grant is a unique program that can be a lifeline to mid-career hematologists who are between funding. This grant supports well-established and promising projects.”

ASH understands it's a tough time for #hematology research due to #NIH funding cuts.

To support #researchers during this time, ASH's Bridge Grant now offers $150K funding, with waived critiques and no match needed. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4kBeGmR



#ASHAwards #MedSky #Hemesky

Very nice review!

Hand with rare disease bracelets

It’s Rare Disease Day!

Rare diseases are those that affect <200k in the US.

Altogether, they affect 30 million in the US & 300 million globally.

All pediatric cancers are rare.

And >90% of rare diseases have no FDA approved treatment.
#MedSky

Thank you for your invaluable reporting. Where does this image come from? Any insight into when Advisory Councils might be resumed and who I might appeal to for help?

Today is the AACR Early-Career Hill Day, and we're calling on early-career scientists, trainees, students, and supporters to contact Congress and ask them to prioritize NIH funding. Now more than ever, it's important to take action: AACR.org/NIH #AACRontheHill #FundNIH

Some NIH study sections will resume reviewing grants, but final funding decisions are still in limbo While some NIH study sections will resume, advisory council meetings, which make final funding decisions, seem to still be held up.

STAT story is up about study section restart.

www.statnews.com/2025/02/24/s...

Trump Administration Stalls Scientific Research Despite Court Ruling Using an arcane law, officials have effectively delayed funding from the National Institutes of Health, leaving medical studies in jeopardy.

This! We need help to keep medical research going!! Anyone?

Yes! Is anyone able to help?