BY PAM MCGRATH

In the past two decades or so, minimally invasive surgery has become widely used for many operations: gallbladder removal, appendix removal and hernia repair, just to name a few. The benefits of several small incisions versus a large, single one are well documented: reduced pain, faster recovery, fewer complications. Some heart surgeries, too, have gone the way of minimally invasive surgery, making standard open-heart surgery one option among several instead of the only option available.

John DiPersio, MD, PhD, is deputy director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and chief of the School of Medicine’s Division of Oncology. Beloved by patients, DiPersio is a highly regarded oncologist and researcher, who also is known for his interest in making art. He and his colleagues have been at the forefront of breakthroughs in cancer research, developing new drugs that have moved from the laboratory to patient care. He has led efforts to create personalized cancer immunotherapies that trigger a person’s own immune system to fight a specific type of cancer. Recently, Curiosus writer Stephanie Stemmler visited with DiPersio to talk about his research and his art.

Tina Briggs-Ahring made this quilt for the Heart Transplant Association. The heart she had received in her first transplant, in 2002, was failing; she was hoping for another. To make the quilt, Tina first traced one hand of every person on her care team at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center. Next, she cut blue hands, red hearts and blue squares out of fabric and stitched the pieces together to make a whole. Ms. Briggs-Ahring died on June 10, 2017. She left behind a testimony to the strength it takes to offer—and to receive—compassion.

BY JULIA EVANGELOU STRAIT

In recent years, cancer immunotherapy drugs have revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers, such as lymphoma, lung cancer and melanoma. This kind of treatment works by triggering the body’s immune system to attack tumors. Some people respond well to immunotherapy drugs, while others don’t respond at all. Cancer immunologists want to change that.

A triple-drug cocktail, called Trikafta, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in late 2019 and is the first therapy shown to dramatically improve lung function in most people with cystic fibrosis, a condition that often can be fatal.