Update on Clinical Trial Development Targeting Tumor Microenvironment in Refractory and Metastatic Osteosarcoma

Dr. Huang is the Director of Center for Pediatric Immunotherapy in the Angie Fowler AYA Cancer Institute at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and co-leader of Immune Oncology Program at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also directs the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at UH Rainbow. Dr. VanHeyst is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Angie Fowler AYA Cancer Institute at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. VanHeyst has worked closely with Dr. Huang to bring a myriad of clinical trial options as direct translations from bench research to the bedside, including newly opened Phase I clinical trial using Natalizumab for treating unresectable pulmonary osteosarcoma (NCT03811886). Dr. Kristen VanHeyst completed her medical training at New York Institute of Technology School of Osteopathic Medicine, formally known as New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. She followed this with a pediatric residency at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Stony Brook, NY, which she completed in 2015. She subsequently remained at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital for an additional year to serve as a Chief Resident and Pediatric Hospitalist. Dr. VanHeyst completed her Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship training in 2019 at UH Hospitals/Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. As a fellow, Dr. VanHeyst joined Dr. Alex Huang’s laboratory in 2017 with a primary interest in metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma. She was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2019. Dr. VanHeyst continues her research efforts in understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma. Based on pre-clinical data, she designed and authored a Phase I/II clinical trial using an anti-α4 monoclonal antibody as immunotherapy for pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with relapsed, progressive and refractory disease. She hopes that continued efforts in understanding the mechanism by which metastatic osteosarcoma creates a pulmonary niche will lead to more therapeutic options for patients with this disease in the near future. Dr. VanHeyst is a recent recipient of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator Award and a K12 Clinical Oncology Research Program Paul Calabresi Scholar