Mission

The mission of the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators' Consortium (POETIC) is to promote and accelerate with equity the early clinical development of promising therapies for the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults with cancer and related disorders.

POETIC envisions:
  • Early clinical trials with an emphasis on drug development specifically for children
  • Expedited translation of scientific advancements into clinical research—and, eventually, into novel treatments and an improved standard of care
  • Increased availability of new, precise, or tailored therapies for pediatric cancer patients

History

The Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators' Consortium (POETIC) was founded in February 2003 by Dr. Tanya Trippett at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Dr. Lia Gore at the University of Colorado Cancer Center to address the challenges of access of new therapies for children with cancer that has recurred. Using a think tank model to encourage innovative collaboration among physicians, scientists and other health care providers, a network specializing in treatment for children in North America whose cancer has failed to respond or recurred after standard treatment was created.

The consortium has evolved over 20 years from a clinical trials network to a research business enterprise with a strong research infrastructure that drives the development of innovative therapeutic strategies based upon the biology of the patient’s cancer.

Our partners are hard at work

Members of POETIC are motivated to help cure cancers in children and young adults. Each member brings their expertise, vast knowledge, and commitment to the POETIC network.

Meet our Partners

Strengths of POETIC

Experienced in executing varied studies nimbly

Our patient population is:

  • Large
  • Geographically diverse
  • Ethnically diverse

We have advanced resources in:

  • Science
  • Clinical research
  • Data management

We have a streamlined:

  • Protocol review and management system
  • Budgeting and contracting process

We're working towards

better treatment options by evaluating new drugs and identifying their most appropriate applications

Leadership

Dr. Norman Lacayo

Director

The POETIC consortium was formed in 2003 to provide wider access to early phase studies to children in the United States.  After 16 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) the POETIC Data and Coordination Center has transferred to Stanford University effective in 2020.

The transfer to Stanford provides an opportunity to renew the consortium mission and vision to leverage academic expertise to develop new diagnostic platforms and clinical trials infrastructure to enhance collaboration of pediatric oncology clinical centers, other Consortia and POETIC sites, with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries to benefit children.

In addition to state-of-the-art phase I trials at POETIC sites, we seek to develop networks, aligned with POETIC institutions, for innovative processes and mechanisms to bring safe and efficacious unique phase II therapies to children at their medical home; and to improve fair and equitable access to novel treatments with less psychosocial and financial toxicity.

Norman Lacayo, MD received his BA in Biochemistry from UC Berkeley, and his MD from UC San Francisco School of Medicine (UCSF). He completed his residency in Pediatrics at UCSF and fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation at Stanford University. Dr. Lacayo is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford (LPCHS). At LPCHS he is the Co-Director of the Leukemia Program and Interim Oncology Section Leader. Dr. Lacayo's research focuses on the discovery and evaluation of new biomarkers in childhood acute leukemia. He actively collaborates with the Children's Oncology Group, led the ADVL0114 study using Decitabine for relapse and refractory leukemia, and is currently a member of the COG Myeloid Committee. Also participated in the St. Jude AML Consortium Trials AML02, AML08 and AML16. Dr. Lacayo became the first institutional PI for the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapies Investigational Consortium (POETIC) group in October 2015.

Ativ Zomet, PhD

Research Program Manager

Ativ Zomet, PhD received her PhD in Neuroscience from Tel Aviv University.  Dr. Zomet is an experienced researcher leading pioneering interventional and devices clinical research both in academia and industry.  She manages complex interventional investigator-initiated, sponsor-initiated, and NCTN studies (phase I, II & III) cancer clinical trials. She also managed clinical research for neuro-plasticity devices. Working as part of an R&D team, she has developed rehabilitative targeted brain training programs to promote greater cognitive plasticity for individuals suffering from brain injury, visually impairments, and psychiatric disorders.

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email
poeticdcc@stanford.edu

We're working towards

better treatment options by evaluating new drugs and identifying their most appropriate applications