HICCC Hosts Annual Edward P. Evans Foundation MDS Centers Symposium
The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center jointly hosted the Edward P. Evans Foundation MDS Centers Symposium on June 17th, welcoming over a dozen basic, translational and clinical researchers dedicated to discovering molecular, cellular genetic and epigenetic insights to develop and test innovative therapies for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Distinguished speakers presented cutting-edge research from institutions including Columbia University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York University, Weill Cornell College of Medicine and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and topics ranged from molecular taxonomy in MDS to targeting the stromal and the immune microenvironment in MDS.
“We are proud to host this year’s symposium,” says Stavroula Kousteni, PhD, director of the Edward P. Evans Center for MDS, Edward P. Evans Endowed chair for MDS, and professor and vice-chair of physiology and cellular biophysics. “The research presented demonstrates the incredible work from the MDS Centers at Columbia and MSK and works in progress in institutions across New York, further accentuating our commitment to advancing discoveries in MDS and transforming care for our patients. We are thankful to the Edward P. Evans Foundation for supporting this research.”
The annual symposium highlights novel mechanisms of MDS pathogenesis and transformation and emphasizes the commitment to innovative approaches in understanding and treating MDS. Our focus reflects a shared dedication to improving patient outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.
“We are so thankful to the Edward P. Evans MDS Foundation for their support of MDS research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University,” says Omar Abdel-Wahab, chair of Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI) Molecular Pharmacology Program, director of the Edward P. Evans Center for MDS at MSKCC and attending physician on the leukemia service in the department of medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “This annual symposium is very special and has already resulted in numerous collaborations across the New York City area centered on MDS.”
MDS refers to a group of rare precancerous disorders that occur when blood forming cells in a patient's bone marrow begin to act abnormally. More than 40,000 individuals are diagnosed with MDS each year, and roughly one-third of those patients will develop acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of blood cancer. In 2021, with the support of the Edward P. Evans Foundation, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center established the Evans Center with the goal of advancing novel treatments to prevent MDS and its progression to AML.
“At the Evans MDS Center, we celebrate the collaborative spirit driving transformative research, along with capitalizing on the wealth of multidisciplinary expertise of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) faculty and technical innovation developed by members of our team.” says Azra Raza, MD, clinical director of the Edward P. Evans Center for MDS and CUIMC professor of medicine. “We strive to foster an all-encompassing approach in studying MDS and are ideally equipped to bring a new era of hope to our patients.”