Category: Weekly post

Greetings on a rainy weekend. Harriet and I made a weekend excursion up to New York and had a marvelous time. We took train up on Friday and had a great meal at a Greek restaurant, Avra, in Rockefeller Center. Our hotel was located in Midtown, so we were able to walk there, and everywhere else we wanted to go, pretty easily.

Longtime readers of this blog may remember that we spent a lot of time in Manhattan when our youngest grandson was born in 2021 and needed repair of a coarctation of the aorta when he was a week old (btw, he is doing incredibly well, and has no limitations of any kind). The contrast in New York between then and now is quite striking. Midtown and the Theater District are bustling; we walked wherever we wanted, and it both felt and was quite safe.

On Saturday we walked to the Museum of Modern Art, where we got wonderful inspiration for some paintings Harriet is working on to complement poems I have written about my mother’s experiences as a “hidden child” in Belgium during the Holocaust. My brother wrote a book chronicling her experiences, built around letters she sent to her parents while hiding as a novice in a convent.

Interestingly, our oldest grandchild, who is in the seventh grade, is doing a class project on the Holocaust, as his class recently visited the Holocaust Museum here in DC. The book he ordered for his project did not arrive in time, so he read my brother’s book and will use it as the basis for his project. The stories and memories are hard, but the lessons are so important, particularly at this moment, when all types of intolerance are on the rise. I hope that all of our grandchildren eventually read the book and carry that piece of their legacy with them, transmitting those lessons to future generations.

So, after the museum, we went to the nearby Lego Store, and bought some things for our youngest grandsons. We walked about and had a pre-theater dinner before seeing Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” at the Hudson Theater. The musical has a star-studded cast that includes Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. He is quite the accomplished stage actor!

The show was simply exceptional. It first opened in 1981, and was a miserable flop, even though the score contains some of Sondheim’s iconic songs. Over the years, various productions have improved the book and unusual organization of the story (it starts at the end and works its way back to the beginning, where one sees the origins of the various conflicts of the story). My brother, a composer who knew Sondheim, thinks it may be his best work in terms of musical theater craft.

We turned off our phones during the show, but when I turned mine back on at intermission, waiting for me was a text from my brother telling me that his daughter, whose stage name is Marla Mindelle, just won a 2024 Obie Award (the off-Broadway equivalent of a Tony Award) for her lead performance in the musical parody “Titanique,” which she also co-wrote.

It is a towering accomplishment for any theater performer, and we simply could not be more thrilled and proud of her. I remember her as a 3-year old at an ice cream parlor in Newtown, Penn., who out of nowhere would jump on top of the table where she was supposed to be sitting to “entertain” the customers with her version of the song ‘Tomorrow,” the iconic anthem of the hit musical “Annie.” Again and again and again, and everywhere we ate… She was born to sing and perform, and her dreams have come true. She is extraordinarily talented, of course, but her talent is only exceeded by her hard work.

If my mother had not survived the Holocaust, there would have been no Marla. Every life is precious.

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

I hope you had a good (though no doubt chilly) weekend!

Last week began with the observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, then was bookended by snowstorms. I had unexpected opportunities to work on a new R01 submission that is shaping up nicely. Although Grand Rounds by Dr. Barbara Burtness had to be done virtually due to Friday’s snowstorm, I was delighted to meet with her and then attend her presentation. I had the privilege of recruiting Barbara from Yale to Fox Chase when I worked there; she actually covered my patients for me a few times. She left Fox Chase a few years after I did and returned to Yale. Her career, which was already ascendant, has really gone into hyperdrive, and her presentation was spectacular. I very much enjoyed catching up with her. She epitomizes the value of the translational physician investigator.

In other news, it’s hard to believe that it’s time to renew our focus on BellRinger! Last October’s ride was an unqualified success and serves as a motivator for BellRinger 2024, which will be held this October.

BellRinger is not a race, it is a ride. It is a ride, and yet it’s more than that — it is the realization of our passionate commitment to end cancer as we know it. Georgetown University’s ambitious Capital Campaign is known as “Called to Be”; we are “Called to Cure.” In 2024, 2 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, and just over 600,000 will lose their battle with the disease. This 70% cure rate represents a remarkable improvement in survival since 1971, when President Nixon declared a war on cancer, and much of that improvement has occurred in the last 25 years.

With continued research to find new treatments, earlier detection and better cancer prevention strategies, we are poised to accelerate this progress. But it cannot happen without money. And this is where BellRinger comes in. Funds raised by the ride support cancer research at Georgetown Lombardi, filling in the critical gaps that are not covered by grants, foundations and other forms of philanthropy. BellRinger funds fuel our discoveries.

BellRinger is more than a ride, it is a mission — a mission to support clinical trials, new recruits and early stage investigators. Importantly, it is an absolute blast, a great ride with top-notch organization, great support and wonderful food. It engages our community in new ways as we take action (in the form of both pedaling and raising money!), and together we make a difference. Each one of us can help — as a rider, fundraiser or volunteer. Last year, we had almost a thousand riders, and this year we want to blow past that number and have at least 1,200 riders.

Kickoff activities start this week. Please get ready to sign up, form or join a team and prepare for a great ride in October!

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

Greetings after the long weekend, which included observance of the majestic life, work and lasting impact of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. In musing about King’s impact, I could not help but share with you a remarkable story from this past week.

On Friday, we rededicated the Lombardi Atrium as the Founder’s Atrium in honor of Georgetown Lombardi’s founding director, Dr. John Potter. It was a marvelous tribute to Dr. Potter, whom I have written about extensively, most recently after he passed away at the age of 95 almost two years ago. His painting, which hangs in the Lombardi Atrium, was moved closer to the main entrance, in a place of honor. The Atrium was already a beautiful space, enhanced by the works of Sam Gilliam and William Wegman, thanks to the efforts of Julia Langley and our Arts & Humanities Program. Now it is special because it celebrates our history.

John’s children and grandchildren attended the ceremony, where Dr. Lisa Boyle and I reflected on the lasting impact of a single man who had a great idea that has brought comfort and cure to countless thousands of patients since Georgetown Lombardi was founded in 1970. After the ceremony, we sat down to a luncheon in the Martin Marietta Conference Room, and John’s children offered reflections about their father.

After his sisters, Tanya Potter Adler and Muffie Potter Aston, spoke, John Potter stood up and told us a story, one that began both on that day and also many years ago. None of this was planned, making it all the more remarkable.

After the ceremony, a nice gentleman who works in the lobby area had motioned over to John to speak with him. This is what he told him.

Years ago, his mother had worked at the CIA. In the matter of a few days, she learned that she was pregnant and that she had a breast mass. The doctors she consulted recommended that she terminate her pregnancy so she could get her cancer treatments. She decided to speak with a doctor who was also working at the CIA — Dr. Potter.

He reassured her that she could safely continue her pregnancy while receiving her treatments. She did, and our colleague was born and lived to work at our cancer center. His mother never suffered a relapse of her cancer and lived for another 35 years. The work John did — and that we do — lives on. When that man walked into Martin Marietta to tell us how grateful he was to have life because of John, he was the living personification of high impact! What a great moment.

After the applause died down, I then introduced the last two Potter Award recipients, Drs. Chiranjeev Dash and Chul Kim. While the day’s festivities honored our past and the impact of Dr. Potter’s vision, Dash and Chul embody Georgetown Lombardi’s present accomplishments and bright future.

It all started with a great idea and the determination of a Georgetown bulldog. And it continues.

Have a great week, and remember that what we do has high impact, and we all are part of it.

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a good start. We had a wonderful winter break, filled with family and friends, and even a five-day visit to the beach. I know it is not for everyone, but I love being at our beach house in the winter when the area is quiet but the restaurants are open!

I am fully back in the swing of things at work, energized and looking forward to executing the plans we have for the cancer center. Also, I am finishing off another R01 proposal that focuses on improving NK cell infiltration of pancreatic cancer, as we tee up additional future grants.

It’s amazing to me how much time and head space have cleared up now that the CCSG competitive renewal has receded a bit into my rearview mirror. Beyond the energy I am able to bring to the cancer center and to my lab, I find that I now have both the time and inclination to spend more time reading for pleasure. I feel like I have awakened a nearly forgotten part of my true self. In the past month or so I read “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari, the author of “Sapiens.” His perspective on the challenges and opportunities humankind faces as a result of technology advances is remarkable and enlightening. I also enjoyed “Gangsters of Capitalism,” which chronicled the life of Smedley Butler, a Marine who was a key participant in many American misadventures in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Philippines, all of which led him to denounce imperialism. It makes for a fascinating read.

Perhaps as a counterpoint, I then read the autobiography of Antonio Mendez, “Master of Disguise,” which chronicles his life and career with the CIA. Mendez was the architect of the Argo operation that freed six American hostages from the Canadian Embassy in Iran. His book reminded me of the courage and patriotism that inspires risky public service. Then, I finally got around to “Chesapeake” by James Michener; it is a huge, sprawling historical novel that I have always meant to read. I have long enjoyed Michener’s books, and it is an especially wonderful book to read while living in DC and having a vacation home at the Delaware beaches. I have gotten through the first 400 pages — only 600 more to go! What I find astonishing is how this book, written nearly 50 years ago, is so evocative of themes that persist to this day, such as the legacy of slavery, women’s rights and class distinctions. Plus, I am learning a lot about the history of the region! It’s a marvelous read. The coming week promises to be very busy, but now that I am back in the habit of reading, I plan to set a little time aside every day to read and see the world though different eyes.

Meanwhile, the new year has brought with it a highly infectious COVID strain. Please remember to take reasonable precautions, and as always, stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

December. Hard to believe. Each passing year whizzes by, seemingly faster than the one that preceded it. So much of the year was dominated by the renewal of our CCSG, which was submitted in May and then defended at our Site Visit on September 12. This past week we got some encouraging news, though the final determinations will be made by NCI over the next couple of months. Our cancer center has never been better, and our future is bright.

I am really excited about the progress in my lab. We now have a paper in review in Nature Immunology describing our findings that fibroblast activation protein (FAP) promotes the migration of human natural killer (NK) cells, and that forced overexpression of FAP by NK cells further promotes their invasion into tumors. This work was initiated by former MD/PhD student Allison Fitzgerald and advanced by current MD/PhD student Rachael Maynard. I’ll submit an R01 on the topic in February. Another paper, led by Zoe Malchiodi, a PhD student in my lab, will be submitted soon, describing the ways pancreatic cancer defeats NK cell invasion. Finally, a clinical trial of a novel combination immunotherapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, based on work initiated by Allison and now continued by Alex Lekan, an MD/PhD student in the lab, is being led by Ben Weinberg and is accruing patients.

Overall, work, while always challenging, is going well. And life on the home front could not be better. We celebrated Hanukkah with two of our kids and their families, and my soul was filled to the brim watching our grandchildren playing with their cousins as they explored their new gifts. My family is the true source of my happiness. I am very, very lucky. The only tinge of sadness was the passing in September of my son-in-law’s father, who was my age — a sobering reminder that life does not come with guarantees. But of course, I have always known that, for I am an oncologist.

So, things are going well. Why, then, do I feel such foreboding, discomfiture, and a sense that the world is going mad? Perhaps because it is. The very foundations of liberal democracy are under attack. While I remain hopeful that it will prevail, I am not so sure.

I just finished reading a very thought-provoking book, “Gangsters of Capitalism,” by Jonathan Katz, exposing the flaws of Americans’ perceptions about the goodness of our country through the life journey of Gen. Smedley Butler, a Quaker Marine (let that contradiction sink in for a second) who participated in many episodes of unsavory American conquest, beginning in 1898 until his conscience led to his emergence as an anti-war activist in the 1930s, fueled by revulsion of what he had seen and done. It seems that some of my liberal democracy conceits were built on literal trails of tears. However, I still believe that liberal democracy, despite its seamy underside, is far more desirable than fascism, which is the current fashionable alternative. 2024.will tell the tale. It starts with an end to intolerance.

I find intolerance to be intolerable. Terrorism is never justified — especially when it leads to the loss of innocents. I don’t believe that hate speech should be protected free speech. I don’t believe that physical intimidation by people or countries is defensible, or that violence or threats of violence are justified except in true self-defense. Intolerance is both the cause and byproduct of extremism, which can lead to senseless injustice and violence. I abhor extremism in all forms .

I guess I am out of step with the times. I find it unimaginable that here, in the 21st century, people face serious consequences for being who they are, rather than for their actions. This country has always had its challenges, but the fabled American “melting pot” has always been more of a bouillabaisse, with each component remaining distinct, yet inspired by the alchemy of our Constitution, yielding a delicious, textured broth. Identity is important, but not if it overpowers the soup. I yearn for a sensible middle, aiming for the common good, leavened by modern sensibilities of inclusivity.

So what do I hope for in 2024? Let’s get the final approval of our CCSG competitive renewal and continued progress in the fight against cancer. Then, how about a reaffirmation of the principles of liberal democracy, just ends to the wars in the Ukraine and Middle East, an embrace of governing for the common good, and the re-emergence of a sensible middle based on tolerance for our fellow humans. Is that too much to ask? It probably is, I am sorry to say. But I am an optimist; at least some of my dreams will come true. I hope yours do, too.

This is my last blog of 2023. Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year. And, as always, stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving break. We had a wonderful long family weekend, starting with Thanksgiving at Dave and Kelly’s house (they have more space than we do), with 20 total guests. Then, on Saturday, we celebrated our oldest grandchild’s bar mitzvah (now called a brit mitzvah).

Irrespective of what it is called, it was wonderful in every respect. It is an ancient Jewish coming-of-age ritual that requires a 13-year-old to learn to read and speak a complicated and difficult language, and to prepare a learned commentary (for a 7th grader) on the meaning and modern context of a portion of the sacred text of the Torah. It’s a struggle for anybody who goes through it, but I see it as a wonderful preparation for living a life of the mind with an ethical point of view.

Last week was primarily devoted to working on a new grant. It was initially conceived of as an R21, but I think it has enough meat to qualify as an R01, so I’ll be working on that in the coming weeks.

We snuck away for a quiet weekend in St. Michaels and had a wonderful time, despite the dreary weather. The coming week has a bunch of meetings that can’t wait until after the Christmas break, so I’ll be pretty busy!

For those celebrating Chanukah, Chag Sameach. I wish you light and peace.

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

Like most of you, I feel like I am living in a washing machine — tumbling, twisting, hit by unexpected items as the many events of the day, some of them ominous, swirl about. However, I have much to be thankful for as we head into Thanksgiving week.

It goes without saying that I am supremely grateful to my wife and family, each of whom makes my life worth living. I remain thankful for my continued good health and energy, particularly as many of my near-contemporaries have had their struggles. For example, one of our friends succumbed just this week to ALS. Her courageous example reminds me that every day of life is a profound gift that I do not intend to waste

I am thankful to live in a country which, while hugely imperfect, remains the world’s greatest hope and beacon of light.

I am thankful for my wonderful colleagues and friends, whose work inspires me and shines its own beacon of light on the world. I cannot begin to state how grateful I am to the many wonderful people who worked tirelessly to support our NCI CCSG competitive renewal. You will always have a special place in my heart.

I am thankful to have the rare opportunity to contribute to advancing knowledge and patient care through my research. My laboratory remains my happy place, and I cherish my current and many former colleagues who have contributed to that work. I am especially grateful to Sandy Jablonski, who is retiring on December 7. She has been the true constant and foundation of the lab since I moved to Georgetown. Everything we have accomplished has her mark on it. I am looking for Sandy’s successor, but she will never, ever be replaced. Please join me in wishing Sandy happiness and contentment as she enters this new chapter of her life.

There will be no blog next week. Have a happy Thanksgiving, and as always, stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

Greetings on a cool autumn afternoon. Given all the tumult in the world around us, it has been a deceptively peaceful weekend, following a busy, productive week of work. But, I worry.

Mostly, I worry about the increasingly endangered concept of respectful discourse, even when people, principled or otherwise, disagree passionately about important topics. I see degradation of that respect in our government, which no longer is capable of even generating a yearly budget, in our universities, where disagreements have rapidly degenerated into hate speech, and on our streets, where hateful acts based on race, religion and nation of origin are increasingly common.

This is not a new phenomenon to anybody who has studied 19th century American history or has lived through Jim Crow, the Civil Rights era, the far-right movements of the 1930s, the McCarthy hearings and so much more. However, this time it feels different, because in many ways these previous challenges (with the exception of the American Nazi movement before World War II) were home-grown, distinctively American problems.

Today’s challenges certainly retain some of those all-American characteristics, but now that we live in an ever more deeply connected world, we have imported new types of unrest that feel more unstable, angrier and more ominous.

Many of us hope this is a temporary spasm of societal insanity, and that as political turmoil settles down in the United States and issues in the Middle East move toward some form of resolution (probably placing a temporary lid on boiling passions in that region of the world), things will return to “normal,” whatever that is. I am not so sure. The genie has escaped from its bottle and cannot be shoved back in all that easily.

These larger worries carry with them important implications for the work we all do. In times of chaos and turmoil, society invariably takes its eyes off science (except when it serves military objectives). For example, if/when the Congress fails to keep the government open, we will not know the score of our CCSG competitive renewal. We thus will not know what we can expect moving forward until the impasse is resolved. More importantly, what will happen to federal funding of cancer research over the next few years?

I hope my fretting is no more than that, but I imagine that many of you share my angst. More than ever, I feel that my words should be measured and infused with the type of respect that is founded in my personal values and those of Georgetown University. We all have a right to speak our minds and to be true to our ideas and beliefs, but I am determined to avoid contributing to the hate that, like an inferno, destroys everything in its path.

Stay safe, be well and make the world a better place.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

I usually write my blogs on Sundays, but will be busy, so I am writing on Saturday evening.

I just returned from San Diego, which is hosting the annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer. On Friday evening, SITC held a black-tie reception and dinner at the iconic Hotel del Coronado to introduce and celebrate its third class of members of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology. The Academy now has 33 members, with six new inductees, including our own Mike Atkins. He was honored for his innumerable contributions in translating immunology into immunotherapy advances, starting with the development of high-dose IL-2 therapy in the 1980s, continuing to the present day, where he has led the charge to identify the proper way to combine immunotherapy with signaling inhibitors in advanced melanoma.

Mike is in very good company, attesting to the way in which immunotherapy has transformed cancer research and cancer care. Fellows of the Academy include luminaries such as Jim Allison and Tasuku Honjo (immune checkpoints; 2018 Nobel laureates), Mark Davis (T cell receptor structure and function), Lisa Coussens (tumor microenvironment and immune function), Olivera Finn (cancer immunoprevention), Zelig Eshhar (concept of CAR-T cells),Gordon Freeman and Arlene Sharpe (PD-L1 and immune checkpoints), Steve Rosenberg (IL-2, TIL, CAR-T therapies), Carl June (CAR-T therapy for leukemias and lymphomas), Ron Levy (monoclonal antibody therapy) and Bob Schreiber (immune editing), among others. I was honored to be elected to the second class of Fellows last year for my work in monoclonal antibody therapeutics — one of the greatest honors of my career.

Mike accepted his very well-deserved award with grace and humility. I am so lucky to have access to his talent, expertise and perspective on a daily basis, even though he roots for the Boston sports teams! I am better for having him as a colleague and dear friend for more than 30 years, and I know that he makes our cancer center a better place. Congratulations, Mike, for what you have done, for what you do, and for how you will continue to shape a better future for cancer patients.

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

World and national events are truly overwhelming, but the sun rises every morning and sets in the evening. I am fully back into the swing of things at work post-CCSG site visit. We’ll get our score shortly after December 1.

The workweek was very busy. One highlight was the 13th annual Dickson Lecture, in fond remembrance and honor of Bob Dixon, who passed away unexpectedly shortly before I moved to Georgetown. Mary Beth Martin was the featured speaker this year, and she did a lovely job. A luncheon followed, but I had to scoot early because I had been exposed to someone with COVID, was developing symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, and did not want to endanger anyone (I later tested negative for COVID, thankfully).

Our son David also was exposed, and as a result we were not able to go to the Eagles-Commanders game at FedExField on Sunday, as we had planned. Following the Eagles’ victory, we decided to overcompensate by going up to Philly this coming weekend to attend the Eagles-Dallas game, which should be a barnburner. Sunday’s win compensated (alas, only a tiny bit) for the Phillies’ epic collapse in the National League Championship Series earlier in the week. I think that, given the options, I would have preferred a Phillies win over an Eagles win, but one does not get to choose.

Our cancer center is doing great, and we are about to submit a couple of important papers from our lab. I genuinely believe that harmless diversions have helped me stay on course. It sounds silly to care about sports when it feels like the world is on fire, and when cancer continues to kill. But it brings me temporary diversion, fellowship, joy (and temporary anguish) in the face of so much sobering reality, and recharges my batteries so I am ready for the challenges of the day.

Stay safe and be well.

Lou

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.