Richard J. O'Reilly, MD -- Chair, Department of Pediatrics; Chief, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Service; Claire L. Tow Chair in Pediatric Oncology Research

Richard J. O'Reilly, MD

Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Allogeneic and Autologous Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Congenital and Acquired Diseases of Hematopoiesis and Immunity

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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Claire L. Tow Chair in Pediatric Oncology Research
Get To Know Me

As former Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, I oversaw all aspects of the clinical, medical education, and research endeavors the department is privileged to provide. My clinical expertise is in bone marrow transplantation and the treatment of children with congenital and acquired immunological deficiencies. I have particular expertise in treating genetic diseases that impair hematopoiesis — the formation of blood cells — as well as pediatric leukemias. I am also an authority on transplantation immunology and cellular therapies.

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I’ve always been fascinated by the immunology of transplantation and our ability to use this approach to cure diseases. I was involved in the first transplant of bone marrow from an unrelated donor to a patient in 1973. This opened the possibility of a transplant to the majority of patients who lack a matched brother or sister. Since then, we have greatly refined this approach. In fact most of the transplants we perform are now from unrelated donors.

I also conduct laboratory and clinical research, and have led national studies of new therapies for children with genetic immunodeficiencies and both adults and children with leukemia and other life-threatening blood diseases. I and my colleagues developed and introduced methods for removing T cells from the donor’s transplant. (T cells are the white blood cells that can attack the tissues of the patient and cause a complication called graft-versus-host disease [GvHD]). This approach has proven to be an effective way to prevent GvHD, and has allowed us to transplant marrow from genetically half-matched donors, such as a mother or father, without causing severe or fatal GvHD. We’ve also developed and introduced in clinical trial, new immune cell therapies to manage other potential complications of transplantation, such as Epstein-Barr-virus lymphomas and cytomegalovirus infections. Today there is no more “boy in the bubble,” thanks to the advances we’ve made in bone marrow transplantation.

My fellow scientists and I are now developing cellular therapies that could be used to enhance the resistance of bone marrow transplant recipients to not only serious infections but also their underlying cancers. We’re aiming to create novel systems to elicit an immune response in the patient against infectious organisms or residual cancer cells.

I am privileged to work with a dedicated and experienced team of professionals who have the capacity to assess clinical challenges and develop innovative solutions. We share a passion for delivering good medicine. We’ve also developed support systems for patients and their families that are second to none.

I have shared my experience and knowledge with fellows and residents, many of whom have gone on to establish bone marrow transplant programs at institutions around the world. I am past-President and currently a member of the Board of the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Fund, and on the Board of the Children’s Oncology Society of New York, which runs the local Ronald McDonald House. I have won several awards for my work, including honors from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Society of Translational Oncology, the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and Leiden University in The Netherlands.

My Role at MSK

A bone marrow transplant specialist is a doctor with special training in bone marrow transplants.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Allogeneic and Autologous Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Congenital and Acquired Diseases of Hematopoiesis and Immunity
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine

Residencies

  • Pediatrics - Children's Hospital Medical Center

Awards and Honors

  • Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2002-2016)

Fellowships

  • Infectious Disease - Children's Hospital Medical Center/Beth Israel Hospital

Board Certifications

  • Pediatrics

Insurance Information

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Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage (Medicare Choice PPO Network and VIP Prime Network Only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. O'Reilly sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065

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Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

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Clinical Trials

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Research and Publications

Dinsmore R, Kirkpatrick D, Flomenberg N, et al. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 1983; 62 :381

Shank B, Chu FC, Dinsmore R, et al. Hyperfractionated total body irradiation for bone marrow transplantation. Results in seventy leukemia patients with allogeneic transplants. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1983; 9 :1607

Brochstein JA, Kernan NA, Groshen S, et al. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation after hyperfractionated total-body irradiation and cyclophosphamide in children with acute leukemia. N Engl J Med 1987; 317 :1618

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Papadopoulos EB, Carabasi MH, Castro-Malaspina H, et al. T-cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation as postremission therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia: freedom from relapse in the absence of graft-versus-host disease. Blood 1998 Feb 1;91(3):1083-90 1998; 91 :1083

Boulad F, Steinherz P, Reyes B, et al. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation versus chemotherapy for the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second remission: a single-institution study. J Clin Oncol 1999; 17 :197

Walters MC, Sullivan KM, O’Reilly RJ, et al. Bone marrow transplantation for thalassemia. The USA experience.. Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 1994; 16 :11

Boulad F, Giardina P, Gillio A, et al. Bone marrow transplantation for homozygous beta-thalassemia. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experience. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998; 850 :498

Gillio AP, Boulad F, Small TN, et al. Comparison of long-term outcome of children with severe aplastic anemia treated with immunosuppression versus bone marrow transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 1997; 3 :18

O’Reilly RJ, Dupont B, Pahwa S, et al. Reconstitution in severe combined immunodeficiency by transplantation of marrow from an unrelated donor. N Engl J Med 1977; 297 :1311

O’Reilly RJ, Kapoor N, Pollack M, et al. Reconstitution of immunologic function in a patient with severe combined immunodeficiency following transplantation of marrow from an HLA-A,B,C nonidentical but MLC-compatible paternal donor. Transplant Proc 1979; 11 :1934

Reisner Y, Kapoor N, Kirkpatrick D, et al. Transplantation for severe combined immunodeficiency with HLA-A,B,D,DR incompatible parental marrow cells fractionated by soybean agglutinin and sheep red blood cells. Blood 1983; 61 :341

O’Reilly RJ, Keever CA, Small TN, et al. The use of HLA-non-identical T-cell-depleted marrow transplants for correction of severe combined immunodeficiency disease. Immunodefic Rev 1989; 1 :273

Brochstein JA, Gillio AP, Ruggiero M, et al. Marrow transplantation from human leukocyte antigen-identical or haploidentical donors for correction of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. J Pediatr 1991; 119 :907

Castro-Malaspina H, Childs B, Laver J, et al. Hyperfractionated total lymphoid irradiation and cyclophosphamide for preparation of previously transfused patients undergoing HLA-identical marrow transplantation for severe aplastic anemia. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1994; 29 :847

 

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. O'Reilly’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed