FOR IAN FOUNDATION

PAST PROJECTS

The following partial list of projects were under taken by various listed researchers-scientists and institutions as part of the "For Ian GIST Project" during Ian Rahimi's battle with his disease in 2014 and 2015.  These projects contributed to a much better understanding of SDH disease and perhaps more importantly introduced a number of cancer researchers who were not previously involved with SDH mutations and related diseases. 

1. Immunotherapy for Pediatric GIST. 
   DeMatteo Lab, MSKCC
2. Determine the effects of anti-PD-1 therapy in GIST. 
   DeMatteo Lab, MSKCC
3. Establish genetically engineered in vitro model of SDHB-deficient GIST. 
   Dr. Ping Chi, MSKCC
4. In vitro drug screening and functional assay of SDHB deficient GIST cells. 
   Dr. Christina Antonescu, MSKCC
5. Create panel of SDHB-deficient and KRAS activated GIST lines. 
   Dr. George Demetri and Dr. Jonathan Fletcher, DFCI-Brigham (Harvard)
6. Genomic, Proteomic and Diagnostic approaches related to improved characterization of Molecular alterations in SDH deficient tumors.
   Dr. Victor Velculescu, and Dr. Akhilesh Pandey, Johns Hopkins
7. Develop diagnostic approaches to identify circulating tumor DNA for monitoring or early detection of SDH deficient tumors. 
   Dr. Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins