When most medical students are focused on anatomy exams and clinical rotations, Connor Centner is also tackling a challenge that could change how childhood cancer is treated.  

For Centner, a third-year medical student, the classroom and research lab share one common goal: improving lives through innovation. With support from a Kosair for Kids Pediatric Oncology Research Grant, Centner is leading pioneering work on “Next-Generation Histotripsy for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma” an emerging therapy that could reshape the future of pediatric cancer care.  

Histotripsy is a cutting-edge therapy that uses focused ultrasound waves to mechanically break down tumors. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on heat, radiation or chemotherapy, histotripsy precisely targets cancerous tissue while sparing healthy tissue. Early evidence suggests it may do even more than just destroy tumors – it may also trigger the immune system, making existing treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy more effective. 

For children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that often affects very young patients and can be difficult to treat, the promise of safer, more effective therapies is significant. Centner explained that his medical training has shaped the way he approaches research: every decision is guided by the question of how new therapies will affect not only survival rates, but the overall well-being of children and their families. His patient-centered perspective pushes him to prioritize treatments that improve both outcomes and quality of life.  

Centner’s path to discovery began with a fascination for the intersection of engineering and medicine, along with a belief that innovation should serve patients first. “Pursuing this research during medical training allows me to see firsthand how lab innovations might one day transform care at the bedside,” explained Centner. 

Receiving the Kosair for Kids grant is more than a milestone;it’s an opportunity. The support provides the resources necessary to generate early data that could accelerate this research towards clinical application. It also reflects the confidence of a community that has long championed children’s health. “This grant is both an honor and a responsibility to move science forward in a way that directly benefits patients,” he said. 

Centner is not doing this work alone. His project brings together faculty mentors and collaborators in engineering, cancer biology, immunology and pediatric oncology, supported by programs like Kosair for Kids and KYNETIC, which help translate promising discoveries into real-world therapies. By taking a transdisciplinary approach, he and his team are tackling neuroblastoma from multiple angles with the shared goal of delivering new hope to patients and families. 

Looking ahead, Centner envisions a career that bridges medicine, research and innovation. His aim is to continue advancing therapies that are not only more effective, but also kinder to the children who endure them. “The ultimate goal is to develop safer, smarter cancer treatments that improve lives everywhere,” said Centner. 

Connor Centner’s work demonstrates that the next wave of breakthroughs in medicine is already being shaped by our students: physician-scientists in training, who refuse to wait until graduation to make an impact. 

To learn more about how UofL researchers and students are driving medical innovations that change lives, visit louisville.edu/medicine/research.