Center for Discovery and Innovation

Hai-Hui "Howard" Xue, Ph.D., and colleague Dongmei Zhao, M.D., of Hackensack University Medical Center, have authored a new "News and views" piece accompanying a major study in the journal Nature Immunology . The paper and accompanying commentary suggest that immunologists may achieve a deeper understanding of immune‑checkpoint blockade immunotherapy by focusing on T cells in tumor‑draining lymph nodes (TDLNs), rather than solely on tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) — thus challenging the conventional emphasis on TIL‑mediated responses. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/e-NP_ykk Hackensack Meridian Health #immunology #cancer #oncology #tcells 

This week's Hyundai Hope on Wheels event at the Helena Theurer Pavilion featured a presentation of a $300,000 grant award to Ashley Varkey, D.O., for a Young Investigator Award, and a grant of $100,000 to the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital and its Tackle Kids Cancer program for an Impact Award. Dr. Varkey has quickly advanced from an HUMC Fellow and is now a physician-scientist conducting research at CDI while caring for patients at our Children's Hospital. Catch more of the event via News 12 New Jersey: https://lnkd.in/evWMSKGe

This week we hosted the annual CDI BBQ. The weather and the grill are always hot... and cooling off with colleagues is always a highlight on the calendar. Another example of why we have a great team.

Congratulations to Hackensack Meridian Health's Community Cancer Outreach and Engagement (CCOE) team for its 2nd Annual Community Block Party & Health Fair held at our Nutley CDI/School of Medicine campus. More than 300 community members participated in this free event featuring health education, screenings, and family-friendly fun. Select highlights include: Quest Diagnostics provided on-site prostate cancer (PSA), cholesterol, and diabetes testing with ability to participate in community research. Cancer prevention in action: ScreenNJ’s mobile unit and nurse practitioner offered assessments, and colon-cancer screening. Specialty health services: Community-based audiology service delivered hearing tests, and the Children’s Hospital ambulance gave kids a friendly introduction to emergency care. Community partnership at its best: Goya Foods donated 2,600 pounds of non-perishable goods, ensuring families didn’t just leave healthier, but better nourished. A wealth of health care providers: over 30 stations featuring nutrition, wellness, health information and insurance navigation. Engaging mind and body: Continuous dance classes, a lively DJ, a Kid’s Corner, and a guided painting session with 37 participants kept energy and creativity high. With special thanks to our sponsors including Quest Diagnostics, BD (Becton Dickinson), Eisai Pharmaceuticals, Goya Foods, Ralph Lauren, Bristol Myers Squibb, Proponent and ScreenNJ. Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENER Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Quest DiagnosticsBDEisai USGoya FoodsBristol Myers SquibbRalph LaurenProponet FcuScreenNJ

We were excited to represent the Center for Discovery and Innovation at the American Society for Microbiology Microbe 2025 conference in Los Angeles, CA. With over 5,000 participants, ASM Microbe stands as a vibrant gathering where the global microbiology community comes together to inspire innovation and collaboration. Milena Kordalewska, a Research Assistant Member at the Perlin lab, discussed the diagnostic power of a novel, single-tube, multiplex asymmetric real-time PCR assay enabling simultaneous detection and identification of Candida auris species and FKS1 and ERG11 mutations associated with echinocandin and azole resistance, respectively. Kevin Josue Rome, PhD, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kreiswirth lab, presented research on identifying genetic factors that drive resistance to the last-resort antibiotic cefiderocol in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. His work provides new insights into how the drug is taken up and processed by bacterial cells, helping to better understand and combat drug-resistant infections. Austin Terlecky, a Research Specialist at the Kreiswirth lab, presented work on the genetic diversity, mupirocin resistance, and plasmid content of Staphylococcus aureus isolates in a healthcare context, showing how genetic surveillance can help guide smarter decolonization strategies and antibiotic use. Mia Bucich, a Research Specialist at the Kreiswirth lab, presented two posters exploring the genetic underpinnings of antibiotic resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Her work highlighted how β-lactam exposure masks CTX-M-15–associated toxicity in ST258, and how IncF plasmids functionally contribute to resistance and stress tolerance in ST307. #Candidaauris #Klebsiellapneumoniae #Staphylococcusaureus #Acinetobacterbaumannii #Pseudomonasaeruginosa #drugresistance #antimicrobialresistance #antifungalresistance #ASMMicrobe2025

Dr. Kimura is affiliate faculty at the CDI - and we are thrilled at how her work is making young lives better!

The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 as it spread globally posed unique challenges to modern medicine. The team at the CDI, including Dr. Nadine Alvarez and Dr. David Perlin, tracked Omicron subvariants (and co-infections with flu and RSV) among a patient population. It was work that helped support the work of the Metropolitan Antiviral Drug Accelerator (MAVDA). The results showing this stage of the virus's evolution - and what we have left to discover - are in the latest special issue of the journal Viruses. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e7W5XRni #virus #covid19 #covid #science

Artistic creativity is a vital means of human expression - and a deep form of social communication. Each poem or painting has the potential to inspire new attitudes, or open minds to new possibilities and change. A team of researchers from the CDI and the Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center’s Community Outreach and Engagement Department have developed a way to merge guided art sessions with important health messaging topics, as newly presented in a new paper in The Journal of Cancer Education. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/eDPZ47r8

We proudly celebrate nine years of Hackensack Meridian Health—a journey defined by innovation, compassion and impact. At the Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), we are deeply honored to be part of this transformative health system. From advancing science during the COVID-19 pandemic to driving breakthroughs that shape the future of medicine, we stand on the shoulders of incredible teams across HMH. We’re grateful to be where research meets real-world healthcare—and proud to contribute to a legacy that continues to grow. Here's to many more years of discovery, collaboration, and better health for all. #HMH #HackensackMeridianHealth #CDI #Innovation #MedicalResearch #Healthcare #Teamwork Robert C. Garrett

As part of ongoing work to develop antiviral drugs for coronaviruses and other viruses with pandemic potential, a team of CDI scientists have developed an important advance to accelerate drug discovery: a novel human cell model to accurately test the effectiveness of the drug candidates. The model is presented in the latest paper by Dr. David Perlin and team in the journal Antiviral Research. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gScPrSNm