Kseniya Petrova-Drus, MD, PhD

As part of the cutting-edge Diagnostic Molecular Pathology Laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, I also work as a molecular genetic pathologist with a focus on detecting genetic changes in malignant tissues. The information that we can get from observing these changes helps to confirm or clarify the cancer type, tailor personalized treatment, determine the disease prognosis and risk of recurrence, and guide disease monitoring once therapy has started. Having expertise in both fields of hematopathology and molecular genetic pathology allows me to easily integrate this information to help elucidate the diagnosis, as well as be familiar with any pitfalls in the methodologies used in these two specialties.

My research efforts are focused on further characterizing rare diseases, such as a rare leukemia harboring a unique genetic aberration. In addition, I am involved in efforts to apply the most advanced molecular techniques to detect well-established features of B-cell malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia. I try to gain additional prognostic information from these new approaches.

I also look at other ways to apply cutting-edge molecular strategies for analyzing cancer tissue. I hope to improve our understanding of hematological malignancies, how they arise, how to accurately diagnose them, and ultimately, how to best treat them. As a physician-scientist, both hematopathology and molecular genetic pathology were especially fascinating fields for me because they rapidly translate advanced scientific discoveries into clinical applications.