Dr. Sun “Coco” Yang and her collaborators have been awarded a $150,000 Opportunity Pool Grant by the Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Hub, supported by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The study, “Impact of Vitamin D on Gut Microbiome and Metabolome Among Pediatric Oncology Patients”, aims to explore the crucial and largely understudied role of vitamin D in influencing gut microbiome in children diagnosed with cancer.

Vitamin D is crucial for early childhood development and affects bone growth and immune system function. Children with cancer are especially vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency due to factors such as their illness, younger age, extensive chemotherapy, reduced outdoor activities, and decreased oral intake. Research suggests vitamin D supports a healthy gut microbiome and immune function, yet there’s limited study on its role in pediatric oncology patients, particularly during their chemotherapy.

The funded study aims to address this knowledge gap by investigating how vitamin D affects the gut microbiome in children undergoing induction chemotherapy, and how this interaction impacts their treatment outcomes. This study will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Rishikesh Chavan, Medical Director of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapies at the Hyundai Cancer Institute of Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).

By gaining a deeper understanding of the interaction between vitamin D and the gut microbiome, this research seeks to develop new strategies to enhance clinical care and optimize treatment outcomes for pediatric oncology patients.