#United States #Los Angeles #CAR T-cell Therapy #Stand Up To Cancer #Caitlin Zebley

Announcing the Recipient of the Maverick Early Career Scientist Award

On August 6, 2026, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) made a significant announcement regarding its Maverick Early Career Scientist Award. The award for this year has been awarded to Dr. Caitlin Zebley, MD, PhD, who is affiliated with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The Maverick Award is a prestigious recognition given to early-stage researchers whose work shows promise of having a substantial impact on cancer patients. Along with the accolade, Dr. Zebley will receive a grant of $100,000 to facilitate her research over the next year.

Focus of Dr. Zebley’s Research

Dr. Zebley's current scholarly work revolves around the development of CAR T-cell therapies aimed specifically at treating children impacted by acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). This form of leukemia constitutes around 20% of all childhood leukemia cases diagnosed annually in the United States. Although overall outcomes for AML have improved over the decades, the prognosis remains poor for children whose leukemia relapses after treatment.

In her position, Dr. Zebley collaborates closely with Dr. Benjamin Youngblood and other scientists at St. Jude, combining their expertise to tackle the challenges faced by young cancer patients. “Winning the Maverick Award is incredibly exciting,” stated Dr. Zebley, emphasizing how such grants substantially propel a researcher’s career forward.

Challenges in AML Treatment

Management of AML in pediatric patients often comes with extensive treatment histories, including multiple therapies and even bone marrow transplants. In many cases, this creates a scenario where treatment options become increasingly complicated and less effective. Thus, the need for innovative solutions becomes ever more critical.

Currently, CAR T-cell therapy is a well-established and standard treatment for children who suffer from B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), manifested when the leukemia returns after initial therapy. However, its application in AML cases has not yielded successful outcomes so far. It's within this context that Dr. Zebley's research is poised to make a difference.

Dr. Zebley has contributed to the understanding of a phenomenon known as T-cell exhaustion, which can inhibit the effectiveness of CAR T cells against tumors. Her collaborative research has revealed epigenetic changes in T cells from pediatric AML patients that may lead to exhaustion, explaining the lack of success of CAR T-cell therapies in these cases. Recent laboratory-based experiments suggest that DNMT1 inhibitors, an experimental drug class, may offer a solution to reverse this exhaustion.

Future Directions of Research

The funding from the Maverick Award will allow Dr. Zebley to extend her research focus on these promising avenues. She intends to explore how DNMT1 inhibitors can be utilized to revitalize the exhausted T cells, potentially paving the way for more effective CAR T-cell therapies for AML patients. “The end goal,” Dr. Zebley remarked, “is to provide treatment solutions that rejuvenate patients’ T cells, enhancing their efficacy in combating cancer.”

About the Maverick Award

The Maverick Early Career Scientist Award is a unique initiative where early career researchers attending the SU2C Scientific Summit compete for this significant funding opportunity. The selection process is thorough, involving abstract presentations and real-time voting by attendees to determine the winner from a pool of qualified candidates.

This award not only acknowledges the individual achievements of young scientists but also aims to foster an environment of support and innovation in cancer research.

A Commitment to Advancing Cancer Research

Since its establishment in 2008, Stand Up To Cancer has been committed to funding groundbreaking cancer research, raising awareness, and promoting collaborative efforts across the scientific community. SU2C functions as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, harnessing the collective resources of the media and entertainment sectors to raise funds while increasing public knowledge about cancer.

For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, its programs, and initiatives, please visit their official website.