UTSW and Children’s Health recognized for excellence in pediatric cancer care

Children’s Medical Center Dallas has once again been named among the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, reflecting the exceptional care that Children’s Health and UT Southwestern provide together through our longstanding partnership.

The hospital’s No. 15 national ranking in Cancer highlights the strength of our multidisciplinary approach and commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to children and families.

Children’s Medical Center Dallas is the only hospital in North Texas ranked in all 11 pediatric specialties evaluated by U.S. News – and one of only a select few nationwide to achieve this distinction for the eighth consecutive year and 14th time since 2008.

From the trenches: Words of wisdom to postdocs from UTSW trailblazers

Four distinguished UT Southwestern scientists who are members of the National Academies and SCCC inspired postdoctoral researchers by sharing their own experiences as postdocs, offering words of encouragement for working through challenging times and providing insight for paths toward breakthrough discoveries.

The panelists are also members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) or the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), or both.

• Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D., SCCC Cellular Networks in Cancer (CNC) Research Program Co-leader
• Lora Hooper, Ph.D., SCCC CNC member
• Sean J. Morrison, Ph.D., SCCC Development and Cancer Research Program member
• Kim Orth, Ph.D., SCCC CNC member

Study examines biological causes of cancer deaths

The ultimate cause of death from cancer isn’t metastatic disease, as researchers have long surmised, but an infiltration of tumors into major blood vessels that cause blood clots and multiorgan failure, a one-of-a-kind clinical study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center suggests. These findings, published in Nature Medicine, could spur interventions that extend the lives of patients with advanced cancers.

Matteo Ligorio, M.D., Ph.D., SCCC Experimental Therapeutics Research Program member, co-led the study.

Kidney cancer drug shows promise against dangerous calcium imbalance caused by tumors

Elevated calcium levels in the blood – a complication of kidney cancers known as hypercalcemia – may be successfully treated with a class of medications called HIF-2α inhibitors developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center, a new study shows. The findings, published in Cancer Discovery by a team at UTSW, offer hope to patients who develop this condition.

James Brugarolas, M.D., Ph.D., SCCC Cellular Networks in Cancer Research Program member and Director of the Kidney Cancer Program, was the senior investigator.

Core Showcase Series: Get to know the engines of innovation

Curious about the cutting-edge tools driving research across campus? The new Core Showcase Series offers an inside look at the technologies and services available through campus core facilities. 

Marcel Mettlen, Ph.D., Director of the SCCC Quantitative Light Microscopy Shared Resource, will be among the core facility directors presenting. Each session will highlight the capabilities that support scientific discovery and include opportunities to ask questions and network with colleagues across departments. 

The first event in the series is Monday, Oct. 27, from noon to 1 p.m. at the T. Boone Pickens Medical Education & Conference Center.

Neurons in brain’s timekeeper might control nighttime hunger

Activating specific neurons in a part of the brain that serves as the body’s master circadian pacemaker caused mice to eat significantly more during a time of day when they would normally be at rest, a UT Southwestern Medical Center study shows. The findings, published in Cell Reports, could lead to new strategies to help people lose weight, including night shift workers who have a higher prevalence of obesity.

Jeffrey Zigman, M.D., Ph.D., SCCC Cellular Networks in Cancer Research Program member, co-led the study.

AI can identify stroke types using clinical notes, study shows

Using only text from doctors’ notes and radiology reports, an artificial intelligence (AI) program known as GPT-4o reliably identified patients’ types of strokes, UTSW researchers found. Their study, published in Stroke, could eventually lead to new ways to help guide doctors’ medical decisions in real time and reduce the heavy workload necessary to report data to patient registries.

Michael Dohopolski, M.D., SCCC Experimental Therapeutics Research Program member, contributed to the study.

Khosama named 2025 APP Most Valuable Professional

Congratulations to Leticia Khosama, M.S., APRN, NP-C, AOCNP, on receiving the 2025 APP Most Valuable Professional (APPMVP) award at the Dallas Advance Practice Provider Oncology Summit. The APPMVP award recognizes APPs who lead by example, mentor their peers, and drive positive change. Honorees embody compassion, integrity, and dedication while advocating for their patients every day.  

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Leticia’s success and the incredible impact she makes!

Integrative Oncology Program now open at Cancer Care Outpatient Building

As of September, a new Integrative Oncology Program is now operating at the Cancer Care Outpatient Building. The program provides standard care with evidence-based complementary therapies, such as yoga, acupuncture, and massage therapy.

Thanks to donor support, these therapies are available at no cost to patients.

Walk the walks with Simmons

SCCC is hitting the road as a proud sponsor of several meaningful North Texas walk/run events that help raise money for lifesaving research and vital patient support. Check your calendars and join the UTSW team to walk alongside patients and colleagues.

• October 18: Komen Race for the Cure, Dallas
• November 1: Blood Cancer United (formerly Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) Light the Night Walk, Dallas
• November 9: Blood Cancer United Light the Night Walk, Fort Worth