Dan Douer, MD

My clinical expertise is in treating patients with acute leukemia, as well as those with chronic leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. Over the years I have gained much experience in managing rare forms of adult leukemia, such as acute promyelocytic leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In my new position I lead the clinical and research programs in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Leukemia Service. My patient-care approach is to comprehend each patient from his or her own viewpoint, being sensitive to physical, emotional, and unique life-style needs, so I can make the best decisions to treat and support each individual patient.

My main research interest is in developing new treatments for acure leukemia, recognizing that acute leukemia is not one disease; using new drugs that target unique molecular genetic abnormalities specific to the leukemia with fewer side effects; applying old drugs in new and improved ways; and approaching leukemia in older adults with effective but less-toxic treatments. I work together with physician-scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering who investigate in the laboratory new molecules that are involved in leukemia development, with the goal of better targeting our therapies. We have developed a large number of clinical trials to evaluate these treatments, which we offer to our patients. Over my many years of service as a leukemia expert, I have been an investigator on several clinical trials that have brought new drugs into day-to-day clinical practice.