Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

From the day Shakima Grant, M.A. Grant was hired as a care coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in 2007 she says she knew she had found her purpose. “It always felt like I was meant to be here,” says Shakima. Today, Shakima is Senior Community Programs Manager, and her mission is forging a strong relationship between MSK and the people in its community to improve access to world-class cancer care. “Being part of the community team at this time in MSK’s history is an incredible honor and responsibility,” says Shakima. “We are spreading the word and opening the doors for more patients than ever before to receive the best cancer care in the world, right in their backyard.” Read more about Shakima: https://bit.ly/3UHTXSo

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Cycle for Survival 2026 dates are here. We couldn’t be more excited to be back on the bikes with you for our 20th anniversary. Find your 2026 ride: https://lnkd.in/ervJ2cU8

After life-saving brain surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Maggie picked up a paintbrush and uncovered a talent no one saw coming. Maggie spent years suffering from painful headaches and muscle weakness that baffled her doctors in New Jersey. One day, unable to lift her head, she ended up in the emergency room. Testing by local doctors revealed a brain tumor with an initially grim prognosis by the neurologist. Maggie quickly sought help at MSK, where she met with MSK neurosurgeon Dr. Cameron Brennan. He diagnosed her with NF2, a rare genetic condition. Shortly after, he successfully removed two tumors from her brain. A year later, she had a spine tumor removed by Dr. Mark Bilsky. MSK rehabilitation medicine specialist Dr. Julia Reilly worked closely with Maggie to help her regain strength, manage symptoms, and get back to daily life. But then something unexpected happened: Maggie announced to her family that she wanted to start painting. Her family was stunned. She had never taken an art class and had no history of interest in painting. As her sister put it, Maggie couldn’t even be trusted to paint a wall. Yet, almost overnight, she began creating vibrant, emotional abstract paintings that captured the attention of local galleries and collectors. What is the link between brain surgery and artistic skill? Dr. Reilly notes that Maggie’s surgery was performed on the right side of her brain. “The right side of the brain is often thought to contribute to creativity and art,” she says. “In the process of healing from that surgery, some rewiring occurs." While Maggie discovered her inner artist on her own, MSK's Rehabilitation Services helped her recovery in other ways — the surgery left Maggie with minor physical impairments, including tingling in her leg, which is why she was first referred to Dr. Reilly. Maggie’s artwork is beautiful, but it’s also a powerful inspiration to other rehab patients: “It helps them know,” says Dr. Reilly, “that they have no idea how much they may be able to improve, or what they can return to.” Maggie, who now paints every day, says that while the success and accolades are nice, it’s the act of painting that matters above all else. It brings her joy and a sense of calm. Swipe ➡️ to view some of Maggie's amazing artwork and visit the link to learn more about her incredible story: https://bit.ly/4fbhk08.

🎉 We have some wonderful news to share! Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has been ranked the #2 cancer center in the nation, and #1 in the nation for urology care by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Hospitals listing. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ocpg5s

More and more patients are not just talking about the physical toll a cancer diagnosis can have on their bodies, but also about the impact on their mental health. The Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality (PFACQ) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) recently hosted a panel discussion on the emotional impact of cancer. 🎥 Watch to learn more about coping strategies, available resources, and common challenges related to mental health both during and after treatment. https://bit.ly/4l4bleW

New in Nature Biotechnology: a team led by scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and University of Toronto have developed a new platform to facilitate the study of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) across hundreds of species of plants, insects, and animals. MSK computational biologist Quaid Morris, co-senior author of the study, says their cutting-edge computational method — called Joint Protein-Ligand Embedding — will provide insights into evolutionary history as well as allow scientists to predict how changes or mutations in RNA or these proteins might influence disease and help to develop new therapies. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e2GZa9J3

Staff Spotlight | “I’m really excited to be working at a place like MSK that does such a great job caring for its patients. I'm seeing how much cancer touches people who I care about and it feels like I’m in the right place, professionally and personally.” Andre Lewis, a Video Production Manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), was first drawn to storytelling in junior high. “My aunt gave me my first video camera when I was 12 years old, and I continued to pursue this creative hobby through high school," Andre shares. Andre attended SUNY New Paltz where he majored in video and radio production and affirmed his desire to pursue a creative career. After graduating, he began his career working in broadcast journalism before moving on to nonprofit video production. When Andre saw a position open up at MSK, he quickly applied. At MSK, Andre works on videos for Development initiatives like Cycle for Survival, Fred's Team, and Comedy vs. Cancer. His role allows him the opportunity to work with different teams, as well as patients, and see the many things that make MSK so special. Andre truly enjoys creating videos that have a heart, are emotional, and that tell stories. “My work connects me with many other MSK colleagues, as well as some of the most amazing patients who have been treated at MSK." Leave a 🎥 in the comments for Andre!

A team led by Christopher A. Klebanoff, M.D., a physician-scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), has discovered that immune cells are the unexpected source of a protein called FAS-ligand (FAS-L), which has undermined the cancer-fighting ability of engineered cell therapies. This new discovery, which was reported in Nature Cancer, sheds light on the tendency of these modified cells to lose power or even self-destruct before fully destroying a tumor. Based on these findings, MSK researchers developed a genetic engineering technology to block the signal between FAS-L and FAS. They created a decoy receptor called FAS-DNR, which binds to FAS-L but does not trigger the self-destruction process. When this decoy receptor was added to human CAR-T and CAR-NK cells, the cells lasted longer and had more potency against tumors. “This allows us to fix the challenge of persistence with engineered cells before they are put back into the patient,” Dr. Klebanoff says. Learn more: https://bit.ly/40A8a7y

Congratulations to Dr. Nai-Kong Cheung, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), on receiving a 2025 lifetime achievement award from the Advances in Neuroblastoma Research Association (ANRA). Dr. Cheung leads a laboratory at MSK, which is focused on engineering antibodies and immune cells to treat both solid tumors and liquid tumors in children. The ANRA award recognizes Dr. Cheung’s invention of the monoclonal antibody 3F8 and the development of a humanized version called naxitamab (hu3F8) among his other achievements. Learn more about the award and Dr. Cheung: https://bit.ly/4lRAsTz

After losing her father to cancer, Margaret Bediones, a clinical nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), decided to dedicate her life to nursing at the age of 12. For Margaret, taking care of people extends far beyond the walls of the MSK Ralph Lauren Center (RLC) in Harlem, where she has worked for 14 years. She is committed to improving the health of people from underserved areas across New York City. “I love talking to people to educate them about the importance of cancer prevention and screening,” Margaret says. “It’s a rewarding feeling when I see the people that I talk to in the field come to the clinic. We have all these resources at MSK RLC, and I want people to know about the great medical care that’s in their own neighborhood.” Read more about Margaret: https://bit.ly/3IESzgT