Ronit Elhasid, MD
Project Title
Targeting neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) – A novel treatment strategy in Ewing sarcoma.
About the Investigator
Prof. Ronit Elhasid is a Director of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Department at Dana Children’s Hospital (Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center) and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. Prof. Elhasid received her medical degree from the Technion and completed advanced clinical training in pediatric hemato-oncology in Israel, followed by a fellowship in pediatric bone marrow transplantation at City of Hope in Los Angeles.
She established and directs a research laboratory focused on understanding how the immune system influences cancer behavior, with the goal of translating scientific discoveries into better therapies for young patients.
About the Research
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is the second most common primary bone cancer in children and young adults. It is an aggressive disease, with survival rates of 70–80% for patients with localized disease, but less than 30% for those with metastatic disease. Despite extensive research, little progress has been made in recent years to improve outcomes or personalize treatment.
Recent studies have shown that cancer growth is strongly influenced by the tumor microenvironment. This environment consists of normal cells that interact with cancer cells and can affect how tumors grow and respond to therapy. However, the role of the tumor microenvironment in Ewing sarcoma remains poorly understood. One specific component of this environment is neutrophils. These cells can release web-like structures made of DNA, known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). While NETs help fight infections, they have also been shown to promote tumor growth and cause resistance to cancer treatment.
Our recent research suggests that NETs may also play a role in Ewing sarcoma and could serve as a marker for identifying patients at higher risk of poor outcomes. Next, we would like to explore whether targeting NETs can improve outcomes in patients with EWS.
In this project, we aim to investigate NETs in Ewing sarcoma and how they interact with cancer cells. Using laboratory and animal models, we will explore whether blocking NETs formation can slow tumor growth and improve treatment responses. We believe targeting NETs could offer a promising new therapeutic strategy for children and young adults with EWS.
