The International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) has taken a significant step forward in combating Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) by awarding four Dana-Farber scientists more than $1.1 million in grants. This generous funding is intended to fuel groundbreaking studies that aim to uncover the mechanisms behind WM development, pinpoint vulnerabilities, and identify novel drug targets.
WM is a rare, slow-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that typically forms in bone marrow. While it can be treated, the disease remains incurable and treatment resistant. Additionally, given its rarity, testing new therapies can be difficult due to the relatively small patient population. The generosity of IWMF will support the work of these Dana-Farber researchers in advancing scientific breakthroughs in WM.
Yoshinobu “Yoshi” Konishi, PhD, is an instructor in the Ghobrial Lab at Dana-Farber and a recipient of the Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award from IWMF. His research focuses on clarifying cell-cell interactions within the bone marrow microenvironment of patients with plasma cell malignancies with a special focus on early precursor stages. Konishi’s work is essential to understanding how these interactions contribute to the progression of WM and other related diseases.
Filip Garbicz, MD, is a researcher and postdoctoral research fellow at Dana-Farber’s Carrasco Lab in the Department of Pathology and is also a recipient of the Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award. He is focused on studying cancer cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental roles of MYD88 mutations and chromosome 6q deletion in mature B-cell malignancies, with special focus on WM.
His research aims to unravel the genetic complexities that drive WM, potentially leading to targeted therapies that address these specific mutations.
Maria Luisa Guerrera, MD, is a hematologist in Dana-Farber’s Division of Hematologic Neoplasia. She is studying the genomic events that are responsible for WM disease progression following the acquisition of the MYD88 mutation and investigating ways to halt or reverse WM advancement.
Zachary Hunter, PhD, is the Bliss Family Investigator at the Bing Center for Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia where he oversees genomic and bioinformatic efforts. Hunter’s current work concentrates on integrating clinical observations with computational biology to discover new drug targets and to start the processes of bringing personalized medicine to patients with WM.
“Since the beginning, the IWMF has sought to raise awareness about Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and find better treatments for this complex disease,” said IWMF Board Chair Paul Kitchen. “We are excited to support Dana-Farber’s innovative research, which aims to deepen our understanding of WM and pave the way for new treatment strategies and better outcomes for patients.”