December 2025

During this holiday season, it is a joy to reflect on the tremendous progress we made over the past year. In particular, our new designation from the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center is a testament to our leadership in cancer research, dedication to outstanding care for all patients, and collective excellence.

Despite funding uncertainties, we have secured impressive grant awards to support innovative research. We have joined colleagues throughout the world in sharing research findings and collaborating on projects that are charting novel treatment strategies.

Construction of the Tisch Cancer Hospital will soon be underway, ensuring our ability to provide the best possible patient experience and remain true to our mission of advancing effective therapies.

I am proud and honored to serve with our amazing Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center team—every member in every capacity.

My heartfelt thanks and best wishes to all for peaceful holidays and a promising new year.

Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD

Congratulations to 2025 Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate:

Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD; Scott Friedman, MD; Josep Llovet, MD, PhD; Avi Ma’ayan, PhD; Miriam Merad, MD, PhD

Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic in recognition of his career-long contribution to the field of thoracic oncology. The award was presented at the December 2 meeting, "Airway Diagnostics and Intervention," held in Prague.

David Dominguez-Sola, MD, PhD, was awarded a St. Baldrick’s Foundation grant to support research in Burkitt lymphoma with the goal of developing more precise, less toxic treatments for children facing this aggressive cancer. Dr. Dominguez-Sola’s lab is exploring how a specific genetic mutation drives Burkitt lymphoma’s growth and how a metabolic pathway that his team discovered may be key to how the cancer spreads. Targeting this pathway could potentially enable therapies that are less toxic than intensive chemotherapy or can treat patients with refractory disease. The two-year grant is specifically funded through Jack’s Pack, a St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund.

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Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD, and Brian Brown, PhD, received a Collaborative Research Development Grant for “Targeting Ovarian Cancer Control of the Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immunity" from the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. Dr. Zamarin and Dr. Brown have developed a novel spatial functional genomics reporter platform (SPARC) that enables detection and measurement of the expression of soluble mediators produced by cancer cells in vivo. The funded research will take advantage of this platform to identify the cancer cell-intrinsic immune regulatory factors produced by ovarian cancer cells, with the goals of establishing their impact on the tumor microenvironment and evaluating therapeutic strategies for targeting the key identified pathways.

Dr. Zamarin

Dr. Brown

A Phase 1b, Two-Part Study of Tolododekin Alfa (ANK-101) in Combination With an Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Antibody in Participants With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, NCT07027514

The ANK-101-004 (LANTERN) trial will evaluate the combination of tolododekin alfa (ANK-101), an anchored IL-12 drug conjugate, with the anti-PD1 agent, cetrelimab, in patients who have progressed after initial treatment of metastatic, non-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. 

Thomas Marron, MD, PhD, is Principal Investigator. The trial is open to patient enrollment.

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Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD, is Principal Investigator/Site Principal Investigator on three new clinical trials that are actively enrolling patients:

• A Phase III Study of Induction Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy Followed by Chemoradiation and Pembrolizumab vs Chemoradiation and Pembrolizumab Both Followed by Pembrolizumab for High Risk Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer (Principal Investigator), NCT07061977

• A Phase 1 First-In-Human, Open-Label, Multicenter Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Preliminary Antitumor Activity of SIM0505 in Adult Participants with Advanced Solid Tumors (Site Principal Investigator), NCT06782552

• A Multicenter, First-in-Human, Dose Escalation and Optimization Phase I/IIa Study to Investigate Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of the NaPi2b Antibody-Drug Conjugate TUB-040 in Patients With Platinum-Resistant High Grade Ovarian Cancer or Relapsed/Refractory Adenocarcinoma Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Site Principal Investigator), NCT06303505

Do you have breaking news/high impact news that might be appropriate for media coverage? Contact Diego Ortiz Quintero in the Press Office.

See recent press releases at https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/tisch under Discover the Latest.

Saghi Ghaffari, MD, PhD, and colleagues

Reversing Lysosomal Dysfunction Restores Youthful State in Aged Hematopoietic Stem Cells. 

Cell Stem Cell. 2025 Nov 24. PMID: 41289991

This study introduces a lysosome-based strategy that reverses aging in blood-forming stem cells. In collaboration with Mickaël Ménager and his team at Institut Imagine in Paris, Dr. Ghaffari and colleagues show that slowing lysosomal degradation is central to reducing inflammation; restoring regenerative capacity; and reestablishing epigenetic integrity, metabolic fitness, and overall stem cell longevity in old hematopoietic stem cells. The work identifies lysosomal dysfunction as a key driver of hematopoietic stem cell aging.

Press Release

Junia Vieira Dos Santos, PhD; Alessandro Lagana, PhD, and colleagues

Long-term Remission After Cilta-Cel in Multiple Myeloma Is Linked to Diverse T Cells and Low Myeloid Suppression

Blood Advances. 2025 Nov 5. PMID: 41191534

Multi-omic findings based on a study of patients who achieved sustained complete response following CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma suggest that durable disease control may depend on a balanced immune recovery characterized by preservation of CD4-memory T cell pools and diverse endogenous and expanded T-cell clonotypes. The findings support strategies to preserve or enhance endogenous T cell function—such as early intervention before extensive T cell depletion, use of immune rejuvenating agents, or integration with checkpoint blockade—to further enhance the efficacy of CAR-T therapy and optimize patient outcomes.

Press Release

Elvin Wagenblast, PhD, and colleagues



Ontogeny Dictates Oncogenic Potential, Lineage Hierarchy, and Therapy Response in Pediatric Leukemia

Cancer Discovery. 2025 Dec 6. PMID: 41351880

This investigation focused on how hematopoietic stem cell developmental stages affect leukemic transformation, disease progression, and therapy response using a novel, humanized model of NUP98∷NSD1-driven pediatric acute myeloid leukemia that is particularly aggressive with WT1 co-mutations. Studies revealed that the temporal origin of leukemia profoundly influences cancer biology, therapeutic vulnerabilities, and clinical outcomes, even in cases with identical driver mutations. Results suggest that leveraging ontogeny-specific features can enhance risk stratification and facilitate the development of tailored therapies for pediatric cancer patients.

Gary Joseph, PhD; Maaike van Gerwen, MD, PhD; Lauren Petrick, PhD, and colleagues



Inflammatory Proteins in Pre-Diagnosis Versus At-Diagnosis Samples Associated With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

International Journal of Cancer. 2025 Nov 7. PMID: 41203588

This study highlights the dynamic role of inflammatory proteins in thyroid cancer as both a contributor and a response. Analyses show that several inflammatory proteins appear to play a protective role at the early pre-diagnosis stage of the disease and one protein at the later at-diagnosis stage. Three inflammatory proteins—one at the pre-diagnosis stage and two at the at-diagnosis stage—showed positive associations with thyroid cancer, suggesting they may be relevant to progression or early immune changes. These results support the need for larger-scale prospective studies to better understand the inflammatory proteins' contribution to thyroid cancer development and their use as early biomarkers for screening.

Myvizhi Esai Selvan, PhD; John Mascarenhas, MD; Robert Klein, PhD; Zeynep Gümüş, PhD, and colleagues

Distinct Characteristics of Lymphoid and Myeloid Clonal Hematopoiesis in World Trade Center First Responders

American Journal of Hematology. 2025 Oct. PMID: 40728202

This is the first comprehensive characterization of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) mutation patterns across occupational groups in World Trade Center responders, based on ultra-deep Whole Exome Sequencing on 350 blood samples from 345 participants in the World Trade Center Health Program General Responders Cohort without prior history of hematologic malignancy. Findings will inform future research aiming to refine cancer risk prediction models that include CHIP status, blood counts, and demographic factors to guide early detection strategies.

Amir Horowitz, PhD, and colleague

Natural Killer Cells in Kidney Immune Surveillance, Injury and Fibrosis

Nature Reviews Nephrology. 2025 Nov 28. PMID: 41315742

In this review, Dr. Horowitz and colleague integrate insights from basic and translational research to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the multifaceted roles of human NK cells in kidney disease and kidney transplantation. They also discuss selected studies in murine models that illustrate specific mechanistic insights relevant to human disease.

Fionnuala Crowley, MB, BCh, BAO, and colleagues

Advance Care Planning Impact on Caregivers and End-of-Life Care in Advanced Cancer

Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2025 Nov 13. PMID: 41233979

In this randomized trial (with 400 enrolled patients) comparing facilitated versus patient-directed advance care planning, a facilitated approach was associated with lower post-traumatic stress symptoms among bereaved caregivers and higher rates of goal-concordant end-of-life care. The findings support future research focused on developing implementation strategies to make facilitated advance care planning more widely accessible in oncology care settings.

Sarah Ann King, PhD; Goutam Chakraborty, PhD, and colleagues



Y-chromosome Alteration and its OImpact on Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Cellular and Molecular Biology Letters. 2025 Nov 10. PMID: 41214505

In this review, Dr. Chakraborty and colleagues analyze scientific literature evaluating the clinical loss of chromosome Y (ChrY) trends seen in male exclusive/predominant cancers and explore mechanisms of ChrY alteration in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. They also discuss recent studies which have uncovered novel mechanisms through which loss of ChrY may induce the physiological and molecular changes in the tumor microenvironment associated with malignant transformation and evasion of innate immunity. 

Eight new Hematology/Medical Oncology fellows will come on board in July 2026:

• Ann Ayzman, MD - Washington University Medicine
• Aishee Bag, MD - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Rutgers Health
• Thomas Chen, MD - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/The Mount Sinai Hospital
• Antoine Jeri Yaber, MD - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside
• Candice Kaminski, MD - Yale University School of Medicine
• Rodrigo Parades de la Fuente, MD - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside
• Caitlin Sarubbi, MD - Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Einstein
• Lisa Chan, MD (Integrated Hematology/Oncology and Hospice & Palliative Medicine) - Yale University School of Medicine

Colette Smith is a Community Scientist with the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center.

In this video, Colette shares her personal experience with lung cancer and her commitment to education about cancers that disporoporionately impact her community.

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2025/11/24/new-yorker-of-the-week--colette-smith

Tuesdays at noon, Davis Auditorium

December 16

Yuzhuo Wang, PhD

Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia

"Toward a Cancer Fear-Free World"

Hosted by Natasha Kyprianou, MBBS, PhD

Cancer Biology Retreat

Department of Oncological Sciences

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 8 am – 6:30 pm

The Bohemian National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street

Questions? Contact Evelyn Markov or Alana Coleman 

Myeloid Malignancy Workshop

Friday, March 6, 2026

New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue

Course Directors:

• John Mascarenhas, MD
• Marina Kremyanskaya, MD, PhD
• Ruben A. Mesa, MD, FACP

Program Brochure

  Cancer Connections  is a monthly publication of the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center

Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, Director

Janet Aronson , Editor

Past issues of  Cancer Connections  are available on the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center website