Darcy Krueger, MD, PhD, and Francesco Mangano, DO, Are Honored with Endowed Chairs
Pediatric neurologist Darcy Krueger, MD, PhD, and pediatric neurosurgeon Francesco Mangano, DO, have been named endowed chairs. Both chairs were established by families whose loved ones received care at Cincinnati Children’s.
Krueger Named Clack Endowed Professor in Tuberous Sclerosis
Krueger, director of the Tuberous Sclerosis Clinic (TSC) and Center of Excellence, is the Clack Endowed Professor in Tuberous Sclerosis. Richard and Susan Clack’s adult daughter, Courtney, has been a patient of Krueger’s since 2011.
The Clacks’ foundation has supported TSC research at Cincinnati Children’s for more than a decade, including several projects that led to therapies later approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). The first such project generated data that convinced Novartis Pharmaceuticals to develop the medication everolimus for treating seizures in TSC. The FDA approved its use for seizures in TSC in 2018.
“Our longstanding relationship with the Clacks provides exciting opportunities to build on our success and give more stability to TSC research at Cincinnati Children’s,” Krueger says. “Thanks to their generous support, we can be more nimble and responsive to what patients need and pursue areas of study that may not initially attract the attention of pharmaceutical companies.”
Under Krueger’s leadership, the Tuberous Sclerosis Translational and Clinical Research Program at Cincinnati Children’s has continuously maintained funding support from the National Institutes of Health since 2012, with additional research funding coming from other public, private and industry sources.
His lab is currently leading a new clinical research study called TSC-STEPS. The $5 million study grew out of an earlier project supported by the Clacks and is funded by the FDA’s Office of Orphan Products Development. TSC-STEPS is a prospective clinical trial focusing on infants who have been diagnosed with TSC but have not yet experienced seizures. The study explores whether using sirolimus may prevent seizures and seizure-related impacts on learning and development, including autism. Krueger says his lab is also increasingly interested in learning more about adult-related disease complications of TSC and how to treat them effectively.
Mangano Named Janszen Scholar of Neurosurgery
Mangano, chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Cincinnati Children’s, is the Janszen Scholar of Neurosurgery. The endowed research chair is made possible through the generosity of Brandon and Kelly Janszen, long-time supporters of Mangano’s work.
The Janszens met Mangano several years ago when their niece was born with a rare form of spina bifida called lipomyelomeningocele, a closed neural tube defect in which neural elements are incorporated into a spinal lipoma. The Janszens’ gift is an expression of gratitude for Mangano, who has been caring for their niece since she was 6 years old. The Janszens funded an additional endowed research chair for Pramod Reddy, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Urology, who also is involved with their niece’s care.
“Our division will use the interest from this fund to support spina bifida-related research projects,” Mangano says. “The endowment provides a critical and transformational boost to the research we’re doing to improve health outcomes for children with all forms of this disease.”
Basic research in the Mangano lab focuses on understanding the pathogenesis of pediatric hydrocephalus, a condition strongly associated with spina bifida. He recently co-authored a retrospective clinical study, published in August 2022 in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, highlighting the division’s development of a novel composite index that could help prevent unnecessary shunting for children who have had prenatal myelomeningocele repair.
In addition to being the Janszen Scholar, Mangano is the Mary Jane and Bob Tritsch Family Endowed Chair in Neurosurgery. Kenneth Campbell, PhD, holds the division’s third endowed chair, the Robert and Sarah McLaurin Chair in Pediatric Neurosurgery.
The Janszens’ support for the division extends beyond research. In August they sponsored the hospital’s inaugural Epilepsy Surgery Family and Patient Conference, which took place at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The event included educational presentations and activities for kids, including animal encounters.
