Dr. John Maris, MD
Hospital: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
In layman’s terms, what is the purpose of the research project funded by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer:
We aimed to develop new therapies for a specific subset of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma based on the tumor’s genetic profile.
What message would you like to share with our donors:
Thanks to Cookies’ funding, we discovered drugs that work well against “RAS” mutations, which led to Novartis supporting a clinical trial that is ongoing.
Tell us about yourself — where are you from?
Pittsburgh, PA
Why did you want to get into pediatric cancer research?
It was based on early interactions with Drs. Evans and D’Angio while working as a research technician prior to medical school.
Do you have kids?
Yes, 30 and 28.
Are you a cat or a dog person?
Love em, but life is too crazy to have a pet.
What do you like to do when you’re not in the lab?
Bike, hike, work in garden.
What’s your favorite piece of lab equipment and why?
My computer – it is the only thing the focus in the lab allows me to touch.
What is your favorite cookie?
Chocolate chip
