St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Science and Medicine

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Science and Medicine St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a global leader in the research and treatment of pediatric c Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude. Follow St.

Jude Children's Research Hospital is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Jude has been named a top pediatric cancer hospital on U.S. News & World Report’s annual "Best Hospitals" list and named to Fortune magazine’s "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. Research and treatments developed at St. Jude are shared to help impr

ove the survival rate for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases worldwide. Jude is recognized as one of the world’s premier pediatric research and treatment institutions with a focus on acute lymphoblastic leukemia, brain tumors and infectious diseases. With eight affiliate clinics across the country, St. Jude treats about 8,600 children each year. Beyond the United States, the institution’s St. Jude Global initiative seeks to improve health care for children with life-threatening disease worldwide. Follow us to discover the research, scientific discoveries, clinical care and employment opportunities at St. View our career opportunities: www.stjude.org/join-our-mission. Jude across social media at .

When nurses at St. Jude encounter challenges at the bedside, they ask questions, seek evidence and help create new appro...
08/13/2026

When nurses at St. Jude encounter challenges at the bedside, they ask questions, seek evidence and help create new approaches to care.

This is how Brittany Bedard, RN, approached the clinical challenge of esophageal mucositis, a painful side effect of radiation therapy. Bedard is used to going above and beyond to help her patients through cancer treatment while also preserving their quality of life. But, as she looked for ways to address esophageal mucositis, she discovered there was little research to inform care.

Bedard knew that her colleagues at St. Jude regularly used photobiomodulation, commonly referred to as “red light therapy,” to prevent and mitigate oral mucositis in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. So, she partnered with Belinda Mandrell, PhD, RN, and Hannah Clugh, RN, in the Division of Nursing Research to explore whether the therapy could help with esophageal mucositis, too.

“When the type of tumor is so rare and the treatment is so rare, it went from ‘What can I find?’ to ‘If it’s not going to hurt, why not try?’” Bedard said.

Together, they designed a protocol tailored to the needs of Bedard’s patient, adapting existing technology and drawing on years of nursing research expertise. Throughout treatment, the patient maintained their weight, continued eating normally and experienced minimal pain, showcasing that photobiomodulation could help.

The project reflects how research at St. Jude often begins with questions raised during patient care. It also highlights the support available to nurses who want to investigate ways to improve outcomes.

Earlier this summer, St. Jude employees and their families came together for a night of baseball at AutoZone Park as the...
08/11/2026

Earlier this summer, St. Jude employees and their families came together for a night of baseball at AutoZone Park as the Memphis Redbirds welcomed St. Jude Night.

The event was a chance to celebrate the connection between St. Jude and the Memphis community while enjoying an evening with colleagues from across the institution.. Employees and family members participated in on-field experiences, from a pregame parade and player high-five tunnel to performances of the national anthem and "America the Beautiful," a ceremonial first pitch and leading the crowd during the seventh-inning stretch.

It was also an opportunity to see the many talents and interests that make up the St. Jude community beyond the workday. Moments like these help strengthen connections among colleagues, families and the city we call home.

"We loved watching our first baseball game together,” said Ashutosh Mishra, senior scientist in Proteomics and Metabolics. “These unique local experiences remind us that our St. Jude mission unites us across the world and brings us closer as a global community.”

Thank you to everyone who helped make St. Jude Night a memorable celebration of community, teamwork and Memphis spirit.

The newest class of students has officially joined the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. As they begin th...
08/07/2026

The newest class of students has officially joined the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. As they begin their graduate training, they become part of a community dedicated to advancing discovery and improving outcomes for children with catastrophic diseases worldwide.

Welcome to St. Jude!

Our newest cohort of nurse residents reached an exciting milestone during Nursing Match Day at St. Jude. After weeks of ...
08/07/2026

Our newest cohort of nurse residents reached an exciting milestone during Nursing Match Day at St. Jude.

After weeks of rotating through inpatient and outpatient settings, surgical services, critical care and other patient care areas, each resident learned where they will continue their journey as part of the St. Jude Nurse Residency Program. These experiences provide a deeper understanding of the continuum of care while helping residents build relationships across teams and discover where their interests and strengths align.

Now matched with their clinical area, each nurse resident will begin a personalized orientation alongside experienced preceptors, developing the skills, confidence and expertise needed to care for children with catastrophic diseases.

“The nurses here are so invested in being here and the research and the projects and constant improvement to make it a better place,” said Caitlin Boyd, RN, who previously did a nursing externship at St. Jude in 2025 before joining the residency program this year. “That really inspired me. I’d never experienced that culture and I wanted to be a part of this family.”

Nursing Match Day represents more than a unit assignment. It marks the beginning of a year focused on mentorship, learning and growth as these new nurses prepare to make a meaningful difference for patients and families.

Congratulations to our newest nurse residents, and welcome to the next chapter of your journey at St. Jude.

Every story begins with an opening chapter. For children with cancer, that chapter is often a diagnosis. Advances in gen...
08/06/2026

Every story begins with an opening chapter. For children with cancer, that chapter is often a diagnosis.

Advances in genomics, molecular profiling and precision medicine are helping physicians uncover clues about how cancer may behave, how a child may respond to treatment and what support survivors may need years into the future.

At St. Jude, investigators are helping turn those clues into actionable insights. Lu Wang, MD, PhD, is advancing molecular diagnosis, while Xin Zhou, PhD, is developing data-driven tools that help clinicians assess risk and personalize care. Their work is helping clinicians make more informed treatment decisions based on the biology of each patient's cancer.

That focus on personalized care extends across the cancer journey. Ching-Hon Pui, MD, helped pioneer the use of minimal residual disease testing to better predict leukemia outcomes. Giles Robinson, MD, is identifying brain tumor patients who may benefit from less intensive treatment, while Matt Ehrhardt, MD, MS, uses risk assessment to guide survivorship care and long-term monitoring.

“Personalized medicine does not only impact treatment choices,” Ehrhardt said. “It starts at diagnosis but impacts the entire survivorship journey.”

A diagnosis may be the first chapter of a patient’s story, but it defines more than one moment. By uncovering clues about treatment response, long-term health and survivorship, St. Jude researchers are helping physicians prepare for the chapters still to come.

Last week, students in the St. Jude High School Research Immersion (HSRI) program marked the conclusion of their summer ...
07/31/2026

Last week, students in the St. Jude High School Research Immersion (HSRI) program marked the conclusion of their summer research experience by presenting their scientific posters at exhibitions on the St. Jude campus and at Rhodes College.

Over the past eight weeks, 51 rising high school seniors from Memphis and surrounding counties worked alongside researchers. These students received mentorship from scientists of varying career levels, across laboratory, clinical and data science programs. Through hands-on research projects, students gained experience conducting investigations, analyzing data and communicating scientific findings.

“Something really valuable has been seeing the amazing minds at St. Jude and how excited they are to nurture the next generation of scientists,” said Hannah Loden, a rising senior at St. Mary’s School in Memphis. “It was really rewarding to get a glimpse of what our future could be and see ourselves in our mentors.”

The poster presentations offer students an opportunity to share what they learned while reflecting on a summer exploring how scientific discovery happens in practice. They also represent an important milestone in the program, highlighting the curiosity, collaboration and growth that define the HSRI experience.

“It is a great learning environment that makes you stronger and more resilient,” said Erik Pope of East High School in Memphis. “I can see that this is a path that I can go down, because I experienced this. It puts so much self-confidence in you that you might not have had before.”

As this year's program comes to a close, the students' research projects demonstrate the value of early exposure to scientific inquiry and the importance of fostering the next generation of researchers.

For National Intern Day, St. Jude recognizes the interns whose time on campus becomes part of a longer professional path...
07/30/2026

For National Intern Day, St. Jude recognizes the interns whose time on campus becomes part of a longer professional path, whether that path leads to a full-time role at St. Jude or helps shape the next step in their careers.​

Former interns Shayla Williamson, RN, Angel Thampy and Maycon Marção each came to St. Jude through different programs and disciplines. Their experiences included quality improvement work in Brazil, healthcare administration projects, patient and family engagement, bioinformatics analysis and cross-functional collaboration. For each, the internship offered more than short-term work experience. It provided exposure to how research, clinical care and operations intersect in support of the St. Jude mission.​

“As a POE student in International Outreach, I was afforded the opportunity to spend 10 weeks conducting research at a St. Jude affiliate in Recife, Brazil. During that time, our team focused on educating staff and analyzing hand hygiene practices to support quality improvement efforts. This experience was transformative, as it provided firsthand exposure to the impact that evidence-based practices and quality initiatives can have on patient safety, outcomes and overall care delivery,” said Williamson, president and administrator of St. Jude Home Care.​

For Thampy, a program specialist in the Office of Strategic Innovation and Design, the internship helped bridge a transition from bedside nursing into administration by providing a broader view of the institution. “The internship gave me a comprehensive understanding of how clinical, research and administrative functions come together in service of advancing our mission,” she said. “Gaining that organizational perspective helped me think beyond individual departments and understand the bigger picture.”​

Maycon’s experience as a visiting researcher helped him build both technical and professional skills while learning how collaboration works across research teams. “I learned how to collaborate on multiple projects while still working on my own thesis. And, of course, improving my English during my internship made a huge difference when I applied here,” said Marção, a bioinfomatics analyst in Developmental Neurobiology.​

Whether they lead to a role at St. Jude or elsewhere, internships can provide valuable experience, mentorship and insight that lasts well beyond the program.​

On National Intern Day, we celebrate the current and former interns who contribute to St. Jude and carry what they learn into medicine, research, administration and beyond.

Creativity can be a powerful outlet for children and families facing serious illness. At St. Jude, the Creative Writing ...
07/28/2026

Creativity can be a powerful outlet for children and families facing serious illness. At St. Jude, the Creative Writing Club gives patients and siblings a place to tell stories, write poems, create comics and share ideas in ways that reflect their unique experiences and interests.

Held in Family Commons, the program brings together professionals from nursing, the School Program and Rehabilitation Services to create an encouraging environment where every participant can express themselves. The club was first imagined by oncology nurse Jenna Miller, RN, who saw an opportunity to connect with patients beyond medical care. It is designed to meet children where they are, whether they prefer writing, drawing, storytelling or a combination of all three.

“Not everyone wants to write, and that’s OK,” said Alli Leslie, head of the School Program. “Some draw pictures, others tell their stories aloud, and someone, whether it’s one of us or a sibling, writes it down for them. The real purpose is to give them a way to share the stories they want to tell.”

The collaboration also helps ensure that creativity remains accessible. The Rehabilitation Services team provides adaptive tools and support that help children with motor skill challenges participate more independently and comfortably.

For patients and siblings, the Creative Writing Club provides an opportunity to build confidence, connect with others and explore new ways to share their voices in ways that reflect their interests, experiences and imagination.

Retirement gave Ray and Kathy Bunker the opportunity to spend more time together, but it also opened the door to a new w...
07/24/2026

Retirement gave Ray and Kathy Bunker the opportunity to spend more time together, but it also opened the door to a new way to support the mission of St. Jude. Today, the Memphis couple spends every Thursday volunteering through the Helping Hands program, welcoming patients and families and helping create meaningful moments for children receiving care.

Before retiring in 2023, Ray worked at St. Jude, where he helped oversee construction projects across the campus, including Family Commons. The space remains especially meaningful to him because he now sees firsthand how patients and families use it. “To hear the patient say and the parents say that Family Commons is amazing. It’s a place where we can get away from the hospital environment. That gives me a very good feeling to know that I was a small part of that project,” he said.

Kathy retired the following year and was looking for a way to give back. Volunteering quickly became something they could share together. “Ray was contagious with his excitement and his passion for St. Jude, and it gave us a chance to do something together in our retirement,” she said.

Their Thursdays begin at the hospital's front doors, where they greet patients and families as they arrive. Later, they head to the Makerspace in Family Commons, helping children create everything from bracelets to 3D-printed dinosaurs. For Kathy, watching children explore their creativity is one of the best parts of the day.

For Ray, the experience is a reminder of the impact small acts of service can have. “It warms my heart and makes me feel humbled by the fact that I can spend some time with them and hopefully put a smile on their face,” he said.

The Helping Hands volunteer program gives local retirees an opportunity to support patients and families through consistent weekly service. Learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference at St. Jude. https://bit.ly/4hkZGtT

Each summer, the St. Jude High School Research Immersion (HSRI) program matches rising seniors with research labs across...
07/16/2026

Each summer, the St. Jude High School Research Immersion (HSRI) program matches rising seniors with research labs across campus based on their interests and participating departments in basic science and clinical research. Working alongside St. Jude scientists and undergraduate mentors, students attend lab meetings and scientific talks, and they execute a research project that they present at the end of the program.

This year, Memphis University School student Advay Adapa and Houston High School student Ashton Carter joined the Velasquez Lab in the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy. They are studying CAR T-cells and the factors that may influence how long certain cell populations persist while targeting cancer cells.

“It's given me a much better understanding of how much collaboration, problem-solving and careful experimentation go into scientific discovery,” Adapa said.

“I think getting to participate in a real science lab has truly piqued my interest and has given me insight that I know will guide me through undergrad and beyond,” added Carter.

Through HSRI, students gain hands-on experience while exploring what a future in scientific research and medicine can look like.

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