Researchers
Meet the Researchers

These researchers dedicate their careers to finding new treatments and cures for people with cancer. 

Mark Applebaum Headshot
Researchers
Mark Applebaum, MD, Looks to the Future of Cancer Treatment
Mark Applebaum, MD, is a pediatric oncologist and 2016 Young Investigator Award grant recipient with extensive experience researching neuroblastoma. His work is advancing treatments in immunotherapy and personalized medicine.

When Donors Come Through, Breakthroughs Become Possible

Dr. Applebaum dreamed of potential breakthroughs he could make for kids with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that impacts children and is challenging to treat. When he submitted his grant proposal for a Young Investigator Award, he was given the designation “Pay If.” 

Our selection committee supported his idea, but we didn’t have the money to fund it. Dr. Applebaum would receive the grant if we could raise the funds. 

Fortunately, donors stepped up, and the funding came through. Dr. Applebaum got his first project off the ground and laid the foundation for every important discovery he’s made since. 

Today, Dr. Applebaum’s research is leading to more effective, safer, and easier treatments for children with neuroblastoma. He’s using blood samples to identify which genes a tumor is using, and that information allows doctors to determine how aggressive the tumor is and how to treat it. Dr. Applebaum is hopeful that these breakthroughs will lead to more personalized therapies. 

The funding ensured I had the money to get my first research project off the ground, a project that would serve as the foundation upon which every other important discovery I’ve made has been built.
Mark Applebaum, MD