Chen discovered that Todd Hankinson, MD, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Neurosciences Institute, is an international expert in the field of pediatric craniopharyngioma research, having studied these tumors for more than 15 years. Although Mira isn’t a patient of Dr. Hankinson’s, she is participating in a national clinical trial being led by Dr. Hankinson to discover less invasive treatment options for kids with these tumors.

Craniopharyngioma tumors don’t typically spread to other parts of the body but often injure structures of the brain located near the tumor. Debilitating symptoms, such as impaired vision, stunted growth, memory problems, excessive thirst, and many others, can significantly affect kids’ quality of life.

Chen launched an online fundraising campaign and in just two days, donors contributed more than $230,000 for Dr. Hankinson’s tumor research.

What Happened Next Was a Complete Surprise

An anonymous person heard about Chen’s online fundraiser, created a memecoin called $MIRA, and gave Chen half the supply. Chen donated $1 million from the cryptocurrency on behalf of the $MIRA Community to support Dr. Hankinson’s research in the quest for a cure for Mira. It is the largest donation the lab has ever received, and this philanthropic support will accelerate Dr. Hankinson and his team’s ability to drive their research efforts forward.

Thanks to the generosity of Siqi’s network and the crypto community, Dr. Hankinson has been able to build and sustain a world-class research team — experts whose work is not possible without philanthropic funding. Dr. Hankinson was able to:        

Hire Dr. Aaron Knox, a senior scientist with more than two decades of experience in basic science research. Dr. Knox brings exceptional skill in developing advanced human-based and 3D models that help the team understand how craniopharyngiomas form and progress. His deep technical knowledge, paired with his mentorship of younger researchers, keeps the lab running efficiently and discoveries moving forward without pause.
Invest in the research of Dr. Eric Prince, a computational bioscientist whose rare blend of biology and data science expertise bridges basic research and clinical application. With a Ph.D. in Computational Bioscience from CU Anschutz, Dr. Prince uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze complex genomic and imaging data, uncovering new insights into rare brain tumors like craniopharyngioma. His unique ability to connect computational modeling with biological understanding adds a powerful new dimension to the lab’s work — accelerating discoveries that can directly impact patient care.

Together, Dr. Knox and Dr. Prince represent the kind of innovation and collaboration that philanthropy makes possible. Without support from the $MIRA Community, assembling and sustaining a team like this simply wouldn’t have been possible, and the pace of discovery would be much slower.