Lab News
The Body’s Most Mysterious Organ May Play a Key Role in Longevity and Cancer
By Carolyn Y. Johnson
The Washington Post | May 3, 2026
We are pleased to share that Andri Lemarquis, M.D., Ph.D., was featured in The Washington Post article, “The Body’s Most Mysterious Organ May Play a Key Role in Longevity and Cancer.” The article highlights growing scientific interest in the thymus and its role in immune health, aging, cancer, and autoimmune disease. Dr. Lemarquis shared insight into how the thymus helps educate T cells and supports the immune system’s ability to recognize threats while avoiding attacks on healthy tissue.he thymus helps educate T cells and supports the immune system’s ability to recognize threats while avoiding attacks on healthy tissue.
IMS and Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation Translational Research Award
van den Brink Lab News | April 21, 2026
We are pleased to share that Scott James, M.D., Ph.D., has received the International Myeloma Society (IMS) and Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation Translational Research Award.This award supports translational research in myeloma and recognizes promising work with the potential to advance scientific understanding and improve patient care.
Madeline Lauener Ph.D. Selected as 2026 President of the Postdoctoral Association | January 2026
We are pleased to announce that Madeline Lauener, Ph.D. has been selected as the 2026 President of the Postdoctoral Association. As President, Madeline leads and facilitates monthly and quarterly PDA meetings, coordinates the Postdoctoral Association leadership team, and represents the collective voice and interests of postdoctoral fellows to institutional leadership. She contributes to strategic planning efforts and oversees postdoc-focused initiatives and events that support community building, professional development, and advocacy for postdoctoral trainees across the institution.
2025 ASH Annual Meeting | December 2025
We are pleased to share that Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., Madeline Lauener, Ph.D., and Natalie Smith have been selected to receive an ASH Abstract Achievement Award. This award is in recognition of their research submitted to the 67th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition that will take place from December 6-9, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.
2025 City of Hope Annual Poster Session | October 20,2025
We are pleased to announce that Liqing Wang, Ph.D., was selected for first place in the Elevator Pitch Contest. The 2025 City of Hope Poster Session brought together 58 presenters from across the institution. This event provided an outstanding opportunity for scientific trainees and researchers to gain valuable experience in organizing and presenting their scientific accomplishments to their peers.
2025 Steven Gordon & Briskin Family Innovation Grant
van den Brink Lab News | July 18, 2025
We are pleased to share that Scott James, M.D., Ph.D., has been selected as a recipient of the FY25 Briskin Family Innovation Grant through The Judy and Bernard Briskin Center Multiple Myeloma Research Program. This competitive award supports promising translational research in myeloma with the goal of advancing novel approaches to treatment.
Researchers develop test using machine learning to help predict immunotherapy response in lymphoma patients
City of Hope | 04/01/2025
Researchers with City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, with its National Medical Center in Los Angeles ranked among the nation’s top 5 cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, and MSK have created a tool that uses machine learning to assess a non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patient’s likely response to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy before starting the treatment, according to study results published today in Nature Medicine.
2025 ISCT Abstract Awards
ISCT | 04/01/2025
These awards serve to highlight outstanding research and technological developments across the United States, host country for ISCT 2025.
Madeline Lauener, Ph.D. | City of Hope National Medical Center, United States - West
Abstract 952: Thymic Regulatory NK Cells: A Therapeutic Target for Restoring Immune Balance in Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD).
Targeting the Thymus to Restart the Immune Engine
City of Hope | 03/10/2025
Andri Lemarquis, M.D., Ph.D., is working to help the body maintain optimal immune function for a lifetime, especially in cancer patients.
Mechanism for Self-Repair of the Thymus Identified
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) | 01/31/2025
“Our discovery—the regulatory T cell recirculation back to the thymus—promotes repair through a process that hasn’t been described before and represents a novel pathway to regeneration in the gland,” said lead author Andri Lemarquis, MD, PhD, staff scientist and group leader of the thymus research program in the laboratory of Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD, president of City of Hope Los Angeles and National Medical Center, Deana and Steve Campbell Chief Physician Executive Distinguished Chair and senior author of the paper. “The findings open up a new translational angle for addressing thymic fatigue and damage.”
Jenny Paredes, PhD, on How Increased Fiber Intake Results in Better Overall Survival and Lower GI-aGVHD in Allo-HCT Recipients and Pre-Clinical GVHD Models
The ASCO Post | 2024 ASH Annual Meeting
Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., of City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses a study investigating the effects of dietary fiber on acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The researchers evaluated a preclinical mouse model of GVHD with defined diet fiber concentrations and analyzed the dietary patterns of 173 allo-HCT patients (Abstract 259).
Helping Patients Overcome Resistance to CAR T Cell Therapy
Inside Hope | 12/26/2024
Scott James, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, and his physician-researcher team have developed a way to add features to T cells to help them overcome mechanisms of CAR T cell therapy resistance. Dr. James is the lead author of a paper on their new system, published this week in the scientific journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, which is now available here.
American Society of Hematology annual meeting was held Dec. 7 to 10
By Meeta Shah
HealthDay | 12/16/2024
The annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology was held from Dec. 7 to 10. The conference featured presentations focusing on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow and the immunologic, hemostatic and vascular systems. City of Hope's Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., and colleagues found that increasing dietary fiber intake is beneficial for the intestinal microbiome of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation patients and could lead to an increase in overall survival and a reduction in acute graft-versus-host disease.
Fiber-Rich Diet May Help Prevent Complications After Stem Cell Transplant
By The ASCO Post Staff |12/11/2024
Consuming a high-fiber diet after undergoing stem cell transplantation may help to reduce the risk of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) by cultivating a healthy gut microbiome, according to research presented by Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., et al at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition (Abstract 259).
High-Fiber Diets May Reduce Risk of GVHD after Bone Marrow, Stem Cell Transplants
By Chris Anderson
Inside Precision Medicine | 12/09/2024
A new study from City of Hope researchers suggests that a high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and myeloma in patients who undergo bone marrow or stem cell transplants for blood cancer. “We’ve known that dietary fiber plays a beneficial role regulating the immune system via the gut in healthy populations,” said lead author Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., a staff scientist at City of Hope. “Our work now shows this may be true for transplant patients, too, and that dietary restrictions post-procedure that might result in low fiber intake could be counterproductive.”
High-Fiber Diet Linked to Improved Stem Cell Transplant, GvHD Outcomes
By Nancy A. Melville
Medscape | 12/08/2024
Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) for blood disorders who maintain diets high in fiber show significant improvements in overall survival and a reduced risk of developing the potentially life-threatening complication of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), new research shows. "Significant decrease of fiber intake during transplantation is detrimental. It's a lost opportunity to promote a healthy gut microbiome, recover from treatment-related microbiota injury, and protect against GVHD," said first author Jenny Paredes, Ph.D., a staff scientist at City of Hope.
Dietary Intervention Shows Promise in Blood Cancers
By Charles Bankhead
MedPage Today | 12/08/2024
Increased dietary fiber had a significant association with improved outcomes in blood cancers. Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) had significantly better survival and a lower rate of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) with higher levels of fiber intake. The makeup of gut microbiota can influence outcomes in allo-HCT. Previous studies have shown that high microbial diversity, high butyrate production and a low abundance of Enterococci are associated with improved overall survival (OS) after allo-HCT, said City of Hope's Jenny Paredes, Ph.D.
Higher fiber intake improves survival, reduces GVHD after HSCT
By Mark Leiser, Mindy Valcarcel
HemOnce Today | 12/07/2024
Increased fiber intake after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation appeared linked to improved outcomes, according to study results presented at American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. Transplant recipients who had higher fiber intake survived longer and appeared less likely to develop acute graft-versus-host disease in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The findings suggest dietary fiber could be a potential strategy to prevent GVHD, said City of Hope's Jenny Paredes, Ph.D.
Childhood Leukemia Survivor Dedicated to Microbiome Research
By Samantha Bonar
City of Hope | 12/02/24
After her experience with acute myeloid leukemia, Natalie Smith has committed her career to studying diet, the microbiome and blood cancers. She was selected for an award for young researchers at this year's ASH conference