Rambam's Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital Joins Prestigious Pediatric Oncology Consortium

Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital's Joan and Sanford Weill Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) has been invited to join a prestigious North American pediatric oncology research consortium.

Led by Dr. Nira Arad-Cohen, the Joan and Sanford Weill Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation (the Division), Northern Israel's only pediatric hematology-oncology department, has been invited to Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators’ Consortium (POETIC) — becoming the first institution outside North America to be welcomed into this elite network of pediatric oncology research institutions.

Founded in 2003, POETIC was established to overcome the challenge of accessing novel therapies for children whose cancers have recurred or failed standard treatment. Member institutions across the United States and Canada conduct Phase I and II pediatric trials with specialized teams of physicians, scientists, clinicians, and research staff dedicated to accelerating discovery and improving outcomes.

As part of its ongoing work, the Division leads multiple research initiatives and collaborations with the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology's Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, including a series of clinical trials exploring targeted therapies. This milestone appointment reflects Rambam’s growing international leadership in pediatric oncology and signals a major step forward for cancer research and care in Israel.

By joining POETIC, Rambam stands alongside the world’s leading cancer centers advancing early-phase clinical trials for children, adolescents, and young, including the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University, MD Anderson Cancer Institute, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, among others.

For Rambam, this invitation represents expanded access to cutting-edge therapies for young patients, collaboration in global research initiatives, and new opportunities to strengthen its scientific infrastructure and regional impact.

The Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital at Rambam Health Care Campus - Photography: Rambam HCC

“We are deeply honored by this invitation,” says Rambam Director General, Dr. Michal Mekel. She continues, “Being the first non-North American member reflects the dedication and vision of our clinicians and researchers, who work tirelessly to deliver world-class care. Rambam is proud to represent Israel in such an exceptional consortium devoted to advancing hope for pediatric oncology patients.”