Author Profile

Erin Podolak, MA

Managing Editor

Erin Podolak

Erin Podolak, MA, is Managing Editor, Scientific Communication in the Strategic Communication Education and Outreach Department at St. Jude.

Stories by Erin Podolak

craniopharyngioma brain scan
craniopharyngioma brain scan
Clinical

Studies of rare craniopharyngioma reveal ways to improve long-term outcomes for patients

Erin Podolak, MA

A St. Jude clinical trial launched more than 25 years ago has helped to transform understanding and care for children with the brain tumor craniopharyngioma.

image of cerebral organoids
image of cerebral organoids
Research

CDK6: A well-known kinase commits a new ‘crime’ connecting outer radial glia to microcephaly

Erin Podolak, MA

Microcephaly is a rare neurodevelopmental condition in which a baby’s head is much smaller than expected because the brain did not develop properly or stopped developing during pregnancy. St. Jude researchers identified cells in the outer radial glia in the developing brain that play an important role in microcephaly.

Group of people in lab
Group of people in lab
Research

Environment helps fuel hepatoblastoma in premature infants

Erin Podolak, MA

The incidence of pediatric and adult liver cancer is increasing worldwide. Research suggests how premature birth may influence the risk for children.

Xu Yang and Yizhen Li in a laboratory
Xu Yang and Yizhen Li in a laboratory
Research

T cells are key to maintaining cancer remissions from chemotherapy

Erin Podolak, MA

Stimulating the adaptive immune response can improve outcomes for ALL treated with chemotherapy.

Paul Thomas and Joshua Wolf
Paul Thomas and Joshua Wolf
Research

St. Jude researchers answer COVID questions

Erin Podolak, MA

St. Jude research has advanced understanding of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Here is what the findings mean for you.

Paul Wise giving a lecture
Paul Wise giving a lecture
Clinical

SAFER Ukraine: a framework for responding to global conflicts

Erin Podolak, MA

What lessons can be learned from the remarkable success of SAFER Ukraine?

Fabio Demontis
Fabio Demontis
Research

Research points to a way to reduce cachexia, a cancer-induced muscle wasting disorder

Erin Podolak, MA

Muscle signaling provide clues for treatment of the muscle-wasting disorder cachexia, which affects cancer patients.

Amar Gajjar, MD., with patient Charlotte and her mother
Amar Gajjar, MD., with patient Charlotte and her mother
Clinical

Reflecting on nearly 40 years of progress against pediatric brain tumors

Erin Podolak, MA

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month and a good time to learn more about the diverse group of diseases that make up the most common childhood solid tumor.

Marta Salek, M.D., at work at the Unicorn Marian Wilemski Clinic in Poland.
Marta Salek, M.D., at work at the Unicorn Marian Wilemski Clinic in Poland.
Outreach

Polish roots led Marta Salek, M.D., to a leading role in SAFER Ukraine effort

Erin Podolak, MA

Dr. Marta Salek of St. Jude was in Poland visiting family when Russia invaded Ukraine. She jumped in to help launch the humanitarian effort SAFER Ukraine.

Stephen Mack, MD, PhD
Stephen Mack, MD, PhD
Research

Metabolic processes may yield a new therapeutic window for hard-to-treat brain tumors

Erin Podolak, MA

In his laboratory at St. Jude, Stephen Mack, PhD, is researching how metabolic and epigenetic pathways might be perturbed to help treat DIPG, a lethal childhood brain tumor.