St. Jude Researchers Find New Genetic Markers to Guide AMKL Treatment

In his current role as vice president of wealth management for UBS Financial Services in Boca Raton, Florida, Ralph Vartanian leads a team known as The Vartanian Group that specializes in fixed-income asset management. Outside of his professional life, Ralph Vartanian is a lifelong philanthropist and supports numerous charitable organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A research team spearheaded by St. Jude says it has discovered certain genetic markers that can help determine treatment and predict success in children suffering from acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL). The study was published in a recent issue of Nature Genetics. 

AMKL is a type of cancer that affects cells called megakaryocytes. These cells develop into platelets, which are the drivers of clotting in the blood. The genetic link between AMKL and Down syndrome in children has been known, but St. Jude researcher Tanja Gruber, MD, PhD, said that her team found three distinct genetic alterations that can help them determine to what extent patients without Down syndrome experience this condition, and whether or not allogenic stem cell therapy will be effective in treating it. These new tests are already becoming the standard of care at the hospital.

Correct Posture for a Golf Swing

Ralph Vartanian leads as vice president of wealth management at UBS Financial Services, where he oversees client portfolio development and investment selection. An avid golfer in his free time, Ralph Vartanian has played the majority of highly rated courses across the United States, Europe, and the Bahamas and Virgin Islands.

The success of a golfer's swing, as well as the health of his or her back, hips, and shoulders, depends on correct posture. The most important element of correct golf posture is a flat back and a slight bend forward at the hip joint. 

Many golfers incorrectly bend at the waist, which creates a curve in the upper spine and interferes with full rotation of the spine. If the golfer instead shifts the weight back and bends at the waist, this allows the golfer access to the full spinal column, which then becomes a stable axis around which the torso can spiral.

The neck should remain straight and the head down, as to minimize excess force on the lumbar spine. This also allows for a better sight on the ball in relation to its surroundings, which in turn improves accuracy. Toes, hips, and shoulders align along the same axis, and knees bend for stability.