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
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