Marcelo Ortigao: CDMRP IDEA and IMPACT Funding Opportunities for Pediatric Cancer

Before devoting his efforts to advocacy for pediatric cancer research upon the diagnosis and loss of his daughter Juliana to DIPG, Marcelo Ortigao served as an associate professor of Preventive Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Uniformed Services University (USU), in Bethesda, MD. He is now the Medical and Science Advisor to DIPG Advocacy Group, and also a supporter and advisor to the Marc Jr Foundation in Denver, CO. Dr Ortigao’s work has focused on the epidemiology and immune-biology of vector-borne diseases with specific interests on vector-pathogen-vertebrate host interactions, vector competence and innate immunity, ecology, distribution, and vector control methodologies. Rather than buying into the "rare" excuse for lack of solutions for pediatric diseases, he maintains unequivocally from his experience as a medical researcher that childhood cancers like DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) are neglected diseases, full stop. Today's podcast includes descriptions of certain government funding mechanisms now being more open to pediatric designation. His story has been impactfully presented by the Portrait Project: https://portraitproject.muralhealth.com/stories/marcelo-ortigao-part-ii