The Medical Advisory Board is an integral part of our organization, providing guidance and support in our efforts to improve the lives of those affected by Ewing’s Sarcoma. Comprised of experts in the field of pediatric oncology, this esteemed group helps us allocate research dollars to treatments and studies that have the greatest potential to positively impact sarcoma patients.
Through their knowledge and expertise, they ensure that our organization stays at the forefront of research and treatment developments, while also providing valuable insights into the needs and experiences of patients and families affected by Ewing’s Sarcoma.
Our medical advisors are internationally recognized for their groundbreaking research, clinical expertise, contributions and dedication to improving the lives of pediatric cancer patients.
Each advisor is a leading expert in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of Ewing's Sarcoma, offering invaluable knowledge and support to our organization and the families we serve.
Paul Meyers is a pediatric oncologist focusing his career on studying and treating pediatric and adolescent patients with various sarcomas. He currently is the chief of the pediatric sarcoma clinic and vice chairman of clinical affairs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He has authored and co-authored over 200 publications about sarcomas, served as president of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society and is an active member of the National Cancer Institute’s Physician Data Query Pediatric Board.
In addition he is the founding medical director for Happiness Is Camping, a summer camp for children with Cancer. Dr. Meyers has been listed in New York Magazine’s Top Doctors from (2002-2018). He received his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Michael Kinnaman earned his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine and completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. He furthered his specialization with a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology through the collaborative program between Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSKCC) and Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Previously, he was an integral part of the Pediatric Sarcoma Service at MSKCC, dedicating his efforts to treating children, adolescents, and young adults with pediatric sarcomas. His research, particularly with the Iacobuzio-Donahue Lab Group, aimed at unraveling the clonal evolution of cancer cells in pediatric sarcomas, marking significant contributions to the field.
During his tenure at MSKCC, Dr. Kinnaman was honored with several young investigator awards, receiving generous support from Hyundai Hope on Wheels, the Rally Foundation, the ASCO/Conquer Cancer Foundation, and the QuadW Foundation. Additionally, he was a recipient of the prestigious NIH/MSKCC K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology, further cementing his reputation in clinical research.
In 2023, Dr. Kinnaman transitioned to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, assuming the role of Medical Director within their Clinical Sciences/Oncology group. At Regeneron, he applies his vast experience in academic research and clinical trials to spearhead the development and oversight of clinical studies focused on novel therapeutic agents. His dedication to advancing patient care and his enthusiasm for innovative drug development underscore his commitment to impacting patient outcomes on a global level in his new capacity.
Damon Reed, MD has joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) as the inaugural Head of the Division of Pediatric Solid Tumors and as Chief of the Pediatric Sarcoma Service. Dr. Reed is a distinguished oncologist who has dedicated his career to cancer care for children, adolescents, and young adults. A gifted clinician-investigator, he is known for his work in advancing sarcoma clinical research.
Dr. Reed comes to MSK from Moffitt Cancer Center, where he previously served as the Chair of the Department of Individualized Cancer Management and the Director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Program. He also held an appointment as a senior member at the center and was in the Sarcoma Department and Cancer Biology and Evolution Program. Dr. Reed will hold joint appointments and will see patients in MSK Kids and the institution’s Department of Medicine.
Dr. Reed’s research is focused on characterizing the mechanisms of therapeutic resistance. His work drives the development of therapies with better capacities to overcome resistance and reduce disease relapse. Currently, Dr. Reed is studying optimal approaches to therapeutic combination and sequencing. This effort could introduce more dynamic strategies to pediatric sarcoma and solid tumor care. His other areas of focus include biomarker establishment and testing for targeted therapies. He also is exploring the use of predictive testing to support personalized medicine in sarcoma and other rare cancers.
Dr. Reed founded the Sunshine Project, the Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s pediatric phase 1 clinical trial consortium. This collaborative venture unites the nation’s top doctors and researchers to find a faster cure for pediatric cancer. In addition, he holds leadership roles in multiple collaborative groups, including Vice Chair of the Bone Tumor Committee for the Children’s Oncology Group and Vice President of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society. In 2024, he will assume the position of President for the latter organization.
Dr. Reed received his MD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed a combined pediatric residency program at Boston Children’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School and Boston Medical Center-Boston University School of Medicine. This training was followed by a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Dr. Grohar received his BS in chemistry at Villanova University. He subsequently earned both a PhD in chemistry and a MD at Wayne State University. He completed residency training in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University and fellowship training in pediatric hematology-oncology in the joint program of Johns Hopkins and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he was chief fellow.
He joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University as an assistant professor of pediatrics before being recruited to the Van Andel Research Institute as an associate professor. He was subsequently recruited to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as the Director of Translational Research in the Center for Childhood Cancer Research.
He holds the Kelly and Chad Punchard Endowed Chair for Translational Sarcoma Research. Dr. Grohar is internationally recognized for his work on Ewing sarcoma. His lab has primarily focused on the therapeutic targeting of the EWS-FLI1 transcription factor for Ewing sarcoma. His work is truly bench to bedside and he is currently the PI of a clinical trial targeting EWS-FLI1 that is open and recruiting patients. He has received numerous grant awards including federal and foundation support. In addition, he has been generously supported by philanthropy.
He holds national leadership positions in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), specifically as the vice-chair for biology for bone tumors, chair of the Ewing sarcoma biology committee and co-chair of combined sarcoma biology. He serves on a number of advisory boards and is an ad hoc reviewer for numerous journals and funding agencies. Dr. Grohar has had the honor of being invited to give lectures across the United States and in Europe.
Dr. Ian Davis, MD, PhD, is the G. Denman Hammond Professor of Childhood Cancer and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at UNC-Chapel Hill.Following undergraduate studies in biochemistry and molecular biology atNorthwestern University, Dr. Davis received his PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago and MD from Northwestern University Medical School. He then completed pediatric residency and chief residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and pediatric hematology oncology training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Childrens. Dr. Davis’s lab has had a primary focus on Ewing sarcoma and other solid tumors employing cutting-edge genomic and proteomic techniques in human and animal models. He had had a longstanding interest in the biological mechanisms that underlie the central oncogene of Ewing sarcoma, EWSR1-FLI1.
In addition to his role as a leading researcher, Dr. Davis is the Co-leader of theCancer Genetics Program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and is the UNC director for the Unified Program for Therapeutic Discovery in Children fellow training program. His work has earned him recognition, including the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund All-Start award from The V Foundation in2023, the Martin D. Abeloff V Scholar Award, and the Rita Allen Foundation Scholar award. Dr. Davis's dedication and groundbreaking contributions to childhood cancer research and patient care exemplify his commitment to improving the lives of young patients and their families.
Jessie Hennessy is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner who received her bachelors degree in arts from University of Wisconsin – Madison.
She went on to receive a bachelors of science in nursing and masters of science in nursing at New York University, focusing her studies on pediatrics. She began work in 2014 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on the Pediatric Sarcoma Service where she continues to work today.
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Our success is ultimately measured by our ability to empower patients to strike out Ewing’s Sarcoma. In our first year we allocated over $350k to four high impact grants in the ongoing search of a cure. Our next fundraising target is to raise $400,000 for our 2024 grant cycle.
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