I am a pediatric oncologist with extensive experience in transplantation with marrow, cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cells. I treat hematologic malignancies (such as leukemia) and immunologic disorders in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. I also serve as Assistant Chief of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Service.
The unrelated donor program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering was one of the first in the country and I have participated in it from its inception, working on many committees of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and serving as the Chair of its Board of Directors. I have directed clinical trials of blood stem cell transplants from unrelated volunteer or cord blood donors and have also conducted studies of transplants from HLA-matched or HLA-mismatched family members.
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I am attracted to the field of bone marrow transplantation because of its translational nature: We have been able to take findings from laboratory research and translate them into tools to cure immunological diseases in patients. Bone marrow transplantation is a lengthy process, and I enjoy getting to know my patients and their families as we go on this journey together.
In addition, I chair the Research Council here at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. The Research Council is responsible for the scientific review of all clinical protocols (new research studies). All departments, not just the Department of Pediatrics, submit protocols for review. Once a protocol is approved by the Research Council it is submitted to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for ethical review.
Education is one of the missions of Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Throughout the year I have the opportunity to teach medical students, residents and fellows while attending on the inpatient service and seeing patients in the Pediatric Day Hospital. I particularly like one-on-one teaching with focus on a patient who presents a challenging diagnostic or management problem. I am particularly proud to have received the Willet E. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence from Memorial Sloan-Kettering in 2004.
I feel enormously gratified when I hear from patients who have graduated from college, married, and had children, and are living healthy and productive lives. Many of them go on to be participants in Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Program for Adult Survivors of Pediatric Cancer.
