Dr. Ashish Jain is the bioinformatician for MyPART. He supports and executes different statistical and bioinformatics analyses for MyPART. Before joining the MyPART team, Dr. Jain completed his undergraduate studies from Delhi College of Engineering in Biotechnology in India. He then worked for a software company before moving to the US to pursue his graduate studies at Iowa State University. He earned his PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology studying the molecular mechanisms regulating placental development using next-generation sequencing datasets.

Throughout his graduate work, he also developed statistical methods and bioinformatics tools. He brings this expertise to MyPART, where he is currently analyzing next-generation sequencing data from patients with rare cancers to identify potential biomarkers and pathways. He explains, “these studies help us to know more about the underlying dysregulation of molecular pathways in rare cancers. In addition, the [analysis of next-generation sequencing] data will help us identify the potential marker genes that can be used for the treatment of rare cancers.” When asked what his favorite part about working with MyPART is, Dr. Jain says, “the diversity of people; [as a part of] MyPART, I interact with people working in different domains. This helps me to understand things from a different perspective that further helps me in my research.”

Learn more about the members of the MyPART team here.

One of the challenges of studying rare tumors is the fact that they’re rare – there are few patients for physicians and scientists to study and patients are located throughout the country (and the globe), not centered near one institution. From the patient’s perspective, it’s difficult to visit the variety of specialists that are often required to manage the medical care of a patient with a rare tumor. Tumor boards serve to alleviate these challenges. They can help advance rare tumor research and provide an opportunity for better patient care.

What are tumor boards? Tumor boards are panels of expert physicians and specialists who meet to review patient medical records, share expertise, explore potential treatment options, and learn more about a particular type of tumor. MyPART physician Dr. Mary Frances Wedekind explains that tumor boards are important because “[they] bring together multiple disciplines of medicine (i.e. radiology, pathology, oncology, radiation oncology) to have comprehensive discussions about a patient’s diagnosis and their treatment to ensure the best plan moving forward.”

In this digital age, tumor boards can also be virtual! This is a powerful tool for physicians caring for patients with rare tumors, because it can allow physicians, specialists, and researchers, to connect from all over the world with one phone call to review medical records and share expertise. Dr. Wedekind adds, “In some cases, tumor boards include physicians from all across the country or world to share knowledge and make the best decision for the next step in therapy,” which benefits patients and physicians.

Dr. Wedekind says, “Tumor boards are especially important for rare tumors as there are rarely standardized guidelines for treatment [like there are for] more common tumors.  Utilizing tumor boards to discuss patients with rare tumors will help physicians make the correct diagnosis and [determine] therapy options, and in return will help patients with rare tumors.” Tumor boards also allow physicians to see more patients with a rare tumor than they might be able to see at their single institution, which helps advance physicians’ knowledge about rare tumors and may help researchers focus in on important research questions.

MyPART participates in tumor boards through our rare tumor clinics for chordoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and medullary thyroid cancer. Patients are invited to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to meet with a panel of experts and receive recommendations for their medical care. When possible, MyPART collaborates with advocacy organizations to reach patients who would benefit from tumor boards. Since 2008, the NIH has collaborated with The Life Raft Group to host the annual GIST Clinic (with the exception of 2020). In 2019, MyPART worked closely with The Chordoma Foundation to host the first Pediatric Chordoma Clinic. Advocacy organizations are important partners in organizing rare tumor clinics and tumor boards because they know best about the needs of their communities and can identify patients who would best benefit from tumor boards. MyPART looks forward to hosting in person clinics and tumor boards as the pandemic improves. Learn more about our rare tumor clinics here.

• July is Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month
• July 13^th: GIST Awareness Day – The Life Raft Group advocates for awareness of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. GAD events are held on July 13^th across the world. This year, The Life Raft Group is hosting a TikTok challenge for GAD 2021! Learn more about GIST Awareness Day and activities here.
• July 15^th: National Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) Awareness Day – The National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation (NLMSF) established National LMS Awareness Day in 2016 to raise awareness about this rare sarcoma that develops in smooth muscle in the body. Learn more about LMS here.
• July 23^rd – 25^th: RASopathies Symposium – RASopathies Network hosts the 7^th international (virtual) RASopathies Symposium, “Pathways to Understanding – Expanding Knowledge, Enhancing Research and Therapeutic Discovery.”
• July 29^th: National Intern Day – MyPART thanks our trainees and fellows for their commitment to training in the laboratory and in the clinic as future leaders in research and patient care!