KACF Fellow Check-in: Spring 2026

Groundbreaking research is key to transforming cancer care and improving outcomes for patients and their families. Now more than ever, support for this work is critical. Here’s an update on what the 2025–2026 KACF Fellows at Memorial Sloan Kettering are currently working on:

Dr. Ace St. John, Surgical Oncology Fellow
Dr. St. John has made significant progress across multiple areas of sarcoma research. He has developed a Phase I clinical trial for patients with dedifferentiated liposarcoma, investigating a novel combination therapy of palbociclib and doxycycline for recurrent or locally advanced disease. His work also spans gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), exploring how genomic differences vary by age and disease severity, and myxofibrosarcoma, where he is identifying factors that influence survival and recurrence.

Dr. Adel Shahnam, Adult Medical Oncology Fellow
Dr. Shahnam continues to lead impactful research aimed at improving sarcoma care. He will present findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting on how concomitant medications may affect immunotherapy outcomes. He has also completed a study on real-world outcomes in metastatic clear cell sarcoma, with a manuscript forthcoming. Additional projects nearing completion include research on TP53 genomic alterations and a study examining the risk factors for central nervous system metastases in sarcoma patients.

Dr. Jennifer Schloss, Pediatric Medical Oncology Fellow
Dr. Schloss has advanced her research on desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), identifying two distinct immune patterns within tumors—both of which may occur within a single patient. Her findings were presented at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society meeting in November 2025 and are being incorporated into a young investigator grant currently in development.