Researcher Regina M. Graham at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine led a study exploring the potential of carbon dots (CDs) in treating pediatric brain tumors. These highly adaptable nanoparticles can be modified to target cancer cells more effectively while reducing toxicity, addressing key challenges such as the blood-brain barrier and tumor heterogeneity. With promising pre-clinical results, CDs represent an innovative approach in the ongoing search for safer and more effective pediatric brain tumor treatments.

We are proud to partner with the University of Miami and some truly amazing and talented individuals to make these research trials possible. We invite you to explore this page to learn about all the incredible, groundbreaking research funded by the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative that will help make pediatric cancer a treatable and curable disease.

2018

David Robbins

  Novel Regulators of SHH-driven Medulloblastoma.

2019

Claudia Rodrigues

  Novel Mechanisms of Anthracycline-Induced   Cardiomyopath.

Brian Marples

  Maintaining Renal Function After Total Body Irradiation. 

David Robbins 

  Designing New Strategies for Most Lethal Forms of     Medulloblastoma.

Matteo Trucco

 Enhancing Immunotherapy Through Inhibition of CAIX to Treat Osteosarcoma.

2020

Julio Barredo, MD

 Targeting Compensatory Survival Responses at the Intersection of Energy Metabolism and   Epigenetics in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

2021

 Claes Wahlestedt

 Development of an IDE Submission for Drug Sensitivity Testing Platform for Pediatric Sarcoma Treatment Stratification. 

 Paulo Pinheiro

 The role of prenatal exposures and specific ethnicity on childhood cancer disparities in Florida.

 Regina Graham

  Carbon Dot derivative for bimodal imaging and     targeted drug delivery to pediatric high-grade   gliomas. 

2023

 Anis Ahmad

  Preventing treatment-induced nephrotoxicity in     pediatrics cancer survivors.   

Warren Alperstein 

  Investigating the impact of demographic factors on      the development of GVHD.

2024

Julio Barredo, MD

   AMP Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) Regulates   Survival Responses at the Convergence of Energy   Metabolism and Epigenetics in Acute Lymphoblastic   Leukemia.

Surinder Kumar, PhD

  SIRT7 as a novel therapeutic target in Ewing Sarcoma.