Our Mission

Serve the global neuro-oncology community as a conduit to promising novel, frontline therapies for children with brain tumors.

Science & Research

CONNECT is an international collaborative network of pediatric cancer centers with the objective to improve outcomes for children with newly-diagnosed, and recurrent/progressive, high-risk brain tumors (including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma [DIPG], high-grade gliomas, embryonal tumors such as atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors, medulloblastoma, and craniopharyngioma). We conduct small, scientifically-rational, pilot studies to assess feasibility and early efficacy of incorporating promising new therapies into established frontline therapeutic regimens. CONNECT works alongside phase I consortia and large clinical trial groups to target high-risk pediatric and young adult tumors. Large pediatric cancer consortia have helped to ensure that novel agents undergo rigorous phase I testing to define toxicities in children with recurrent tumors. However, these studies evaluate new agents alone and in isolation, without combining them with traditional therapies. Similarly, large national consortia (such as COG and SIOPE), have played a critical role in conducting large phase II/III trials that test the current therapeutic standards. However, phase II/III trials require enormous amounts of time and extensive resources. Understanding whether the combination of a new therapy with an established frontline therapy regimen is tolerable in children would help guide these large studies as they are designed. Furthermore, we are committed to the investigation of novel molecularly-targeted agents and innovative treatment modalities, while embedding critical longitudinal biology, genomics, immunology, neuro-radiology, and quality of life correlative studies.

Our Goal

CONNECT’s goal is to fill this critical gap by conducting nimble, scientifically-rational, international trials to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of incorporating novel agents into the most effective current regimens for children with newly-diagnosed and recurrent/progressive high-risk brain tumors.

The Studies

Studies will be conducted in small groups of pediatric patients to establish that combination therapy is safe and tolerable in children, as well as to detect early signs that combined therapy may be more effective than traditional therapy regimens. Once combinations are shown to be safe and effective, CONNECT works collaboratively with larger consortia to help move these discoveries into larger trials.

Operations

CONNECT is a network of 24 pediatric cancer centers strategically located internationally. CONNECT operations reside at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH.
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Maryam Fouladi, MD, MSc
Chair
Dr. Fouladi is Professor co-executive director of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She served as Chair of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC) and currently chairs the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Central Nervous System Committee. Dr. Fouladi has extensive experience with the development and conducting of phase I/II trials and preclinical development and pharmacology of new drugs in children with brain tumors. She also serves on the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Best Pharmaceuticals for Children (BPCA) Advisory Board. Dr. Fouladi has a strong vision and passion to find cures for children with brain tumors.
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Darren Hargrave, MB, ChB (Hons), MD
Co-Chair
Dr. Hargrave is an associate professor and consultant pediatric neuro-oncologist at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and University College London. Dr. Hargrave’s research focuses on developing ‘better and kinder’ therapies for children with central nervous system tumors. He is one of the most active clinical trial researchers in Europe in the field of pediatric neuro-oncology, and he chairs the UK New agents Group for Childhood Cancer and is a member of the clinical trial committees of both the Innovative therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) and the European Society for Pediatric Oncology (SIOPE) Brain groups.
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Ralph Salloum, MD
Vice-Chair
Dr. Salloum is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics and has a particular interest in adolescent and young adult patients who are undergoing treatment for a brain tumor or who have survived one. He is originally from Lebanon where he attended medical school at the American University of Beirut. His area of expertise is pediatric neuro-oncology with a focus on developmental therapeutics, survivorship and young adult oncology.
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Chris Jones, PhD, FRCPath
Pre-Clinical Lead
Dr. Jones is Professor and Leader of the Glioma Team at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. His lab has a long-standing interest in the biology of high grade (HGG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), with a focus on genomics/epigenomics, development of novel tumour models, and pre-clinical therapeutic testing. He was formerly the Chair of the HGG/DIPG Biology Subcommittee of the SIOP Europe Brain Tumour Working Group, and is a Steering Committee member for ITCC-Brain.