(Photo by Andrew Bernier - KJZZ)

Phoenix Children's Hospital

Photo by Andrew Bernier - KJZZ

Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong introduced the formation of The Chan Soon-Shiong Children's Precision Medicine Institute

Phoenix is rapidly becoming a hub for health and medicine research. That will soon include cancer research for children.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital is establishing a pediatric genomic research institute. Genomics is the study of sequencing, assembling and structuring DNA sets in cells. If something goes wrong in sequencing, mutations can occur in protein and cells, which can lead to cancer.  

“And one of the most painful moments that matter would be for a child to be diagnosed with cancer.”

Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, whom the institute is named after, describes some of the research.

“We now have the opportunity to interrigate in real time, from a patient’s tissue, what’s going on" said Soon-Shiong. "And as the tumor changes through the blood cells and pull out the tumor cell and monitor that continuously, there’s a complete fundamental change in cancer care.” 

Phoenix Children’s was chosen as it will host a supercomputer to process large volumes of biological digital information. 

When sequencing genomes for multiple patients, massive data accumulates. Quick computer processing helps identify mutations in DNA structures faster, saving valuable time for patients and doctors.