Cancer and Blood Disorders Research
Children’s Minnesota is a leader in providing care to children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders. But we don’t just care for our patients – we also study how to make our treatments better. We do collaborative research to improve outcomes in the treatment of cancer and blood disorders, and we have a strong focus on supportive care research – research that can make daily life better for children and teens in our care. Our research is completely kid-and family-focused.
We are part of several research groups that perform clinical trials aimed not only at treating cancer and blood disorders but also at early detection and limiting side effects. These research groups include:
- Children’s Oncology Group (COG)
- Pediatric Neurooncology Consortium (PNOC)
- Beat Childhood Cancer (BCC)
- Early Detection in Syndromic Cancers (EDISYN)
- American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (ATHN)
- Sickle Treatment and Outcomes Research in the Midwest (STORM)
- Pediatric ITP Consortium of North America (ICON)
We also have a strong internal research program where we perform our own studies and share that knowledge through publications. This program includes the International PPB/DICER1 Registry, which has enrolled more than 700 individuals with pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) and other DICER1-related conditions, and the International Ovarian and Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry, which includes more than 200 children, adolescents, and young adults with these rare tumors.
Current clinical trials
Children’s Minnesota’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Clinic is active in many research trials and is continually adding more. For a complete list, click here. If you or your child is eligible, you could be part of one of these ongoing studies.
International Ovarian & Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry (OTST)
Primary Investigator: Kris Ann Schultz.
Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Diffuse Midline Gliomas
Primary Site: Children’s Minnesota
Primary Investigators: Anne Bendel and Maggie Skrypek.
International PPB/DICER1 Registry
Primary Site: Children’s Minnesota
Primary Investigators: Kris Ann Schultz.
A Clinical and Molecular Risk-Directed Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Medulloblastoma
Primary Investigators: Anne Bendel and Maggie Skrypek.
Ongoing focus areas
- Central nervous system tumors
- Fertility preservation
- Inherited cancer predisposition
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Personalized medicine
- Post-mortem tumor tissue donation
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Solid tumors including PPB and other DICER1-related conditions
- Benign blood disorders including:
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassemia
- Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Cancer and blood disorder research staff
Anne Bendel, MD
Anne Bendel, MD, is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Children’s Minnesota where she is the director of the Neuro-oncology Program and the inaugural recipient of the Harper Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Cancer Research and Novel Therapies. She has spent her entire 29-year career at Children’s Minnesota. Anne’s specialty is pediatric neuro-oncology. She has a true love for patient care and collaborates with neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, neurology, endocrinology, genetics, rehabilitation therapy, neuropsychology and other disciplines to provide comprehensive care for our neuro-oncology patients. She also has a strong passion for clinical research and believes research is the only way to continue to advance our knowledge and improve the cure rate in pediatric oncology. Anne actively collaborates with multiple national and international clinical research groups, including the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), Pacific Pediatric Neuro-oncology Consortium (PNOC), St. Jude’s, Next Consortium and others, allowing our patients access to multiple clinical trials using novel therapies. Outside of work, Anne enjoys spending time with her husband and their four children traveling, hiking, cooking and dining together.
Nathan Gossai
Nathan is a Pediatric Oncologist with Children’s Minnesota and the Director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Program. He attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and medical school at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He completed both his residency training in pediatrics and fellowship training in Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood/Marrow Transplant at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on leukemia in the central nervous system, and he is an active member in consortia to bring novel therapeutics to Children’s Minnesota. He is a lifelong Minnesota Twins fan and loves traveling with his wife and daughters.
Susan Kearney, MD
Sue Kearney, MD, is the medical director of the Children’s Minnesota Cancer and Blood Disorders Program and the Children’s Minnesota Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders. She was born in Canada and obtained her Bachelor of Science at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She received her Medical Doctorate degree from the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, MN, USA. She then moved to Boston for her Pediatric Residency and her Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Her academic interest is in Pediatric Bleeding and Clotting disorders. Sue enjoys time with family, walks with her dog, yoga and traveling. In her younger life, she was a competitive diver.
Stephanie Fritch Lilla, MD
Stephanie Fritch Lilla, MD, attended medical school and residency at the University of Minnesota. She completed her pediatric hematology oncology fellowship at Duke University in Durham, NC. Dr. Fritch Lilla joined the hematology-oncology program at Children’s Minnesota in 2014 with a focus on non-malignant hematology. Her interests include red blood cell disorders including but not limited to thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and the management of iron overload, as well as immune mediate cytopenias, such as immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). While passionate about caring for kids with blood disorders, she also conducts research to improve treatment options. She is a sub-awardee in both the HRSA STORM Sickle Cell Collaborative and HRSA Central Region Thalassemia Collaborative. She is the site Principal Investigator for several ITP, sickle cell, and thalassemia clinical trials. When not at work, Dr. Fritch Lilla loves running with her dog and coaching and cheering her kids on at their activities.
Pauline Mitby, MPH
Pauline Mitby, MPH, grew up in Minneapolis, MN and attended the University of Minnesota where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Education followed by a Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology. She began her research career at the U of MN where she was the Project Coordinator for several pediatric cancer-related research studies before moving to Children’s Minnesota in 2008. Ms. Mitby has been the Clinical Research Manager for the Cancer and Blood Disorders Program for the past fourteen years. Outside of research, Pauline enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with family and friends at her cabin near Longville, MN.
Michael Richards,MD, Ph.D.
Michael Richards, MD, PhD, received his medical degree and PhD in biological chemistry at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Richards completed his pediatric residency and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the hematology/oncology program at Children’s Minnesota in 2003. Dr. Richards is the Primary Investigator for the Children’s Oncology Group clinical trials open at Children’s Minnesota. He primarily sees patients with leukemia or lymphoma, his main clinical interest. He has two grown children, Matt, who lives in the Chicago area, and Megan, who is currently studying psychology in college.
Sam Roiko, Ph.D.
Sam Roiko, Ph.D., grew up in Minnesota and obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota. He completed his post-doctoral training in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, New York. He then returned to Minnesota, where he works in pediatric clinical research focusing on precision medicine and pharmacogenomics. Sam enjoys skiing, mountain biking, camping, and hiking with his wife and children.
Kris Ann Schultz, MD
Kris Ann P. Schultz, MD, is a pediatric oncologist and Pine Tree Endowed Chair in Cancer and Blood Disorders Research. She received her medical degree from Loyola University. She completed her pediatric residency and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of Minnesota and also received a Master of Science degree in clinical research. Dr. Schultz joined the Hematology Oncology program at Children’s Minnesota in 2008 and has particular interest and expertise in the care of children with pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), ovarian tumors, and other rare childhood cancers. Dr. Schultz is principal investigator for the International PPB/DICER1 Registry and principal investigator and founder of the International Ovarian and Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry. Her current research focuses on the development of novel treatments for DICER1-related tumors. Her favorite thing about the field of pediatric oncology is seeing love in action.