pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training program
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Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Training Program
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology FellowshipTraining Program
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center
University of Tennessee, Memphis, College of Medicine
Contents
Our Mission .................................................................................................................. 2
The Hospital .................................................................................................................. 3
Memphis ....................................................................................................................... 4
Fellowship Program Goals and Objectives ................................................................... 5
Physician-Scientist Training Program ........................................................................... 5
Clinical Investigator Training Program ......................................................................... 6
Application Process and Selection of Fellows .............................................................. 6
The Subspecialty Training Experience ......................................................................... 7
Educational Meetings .................................................................................................. 11
Evaluations .................................................................................................................. 14
Research Programs ...................................................................................................... 15
Department of Hematology-Oncology Faculty .......................................................... 18
Program Director: Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, MD, PhD
Associate Director: Russell E. Ware, MD, PhD
Associate Director: Stephen X. Skapek, MD
Chair, Department of Hematology-Oncology: Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics: Russell W. Chesney, MD
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Our Mission
To fi nd cures for children with catastrophic illnesses through research and treatment
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is dedicated to providing the highest quality
medical care to children with catastrophic illnesses—primarily pediatric cancer—and
to fi nding cures for those diseases. The institution is committed to research that seeks
to understand the molecular causes of disease, to improve diagnosis and treatment, and
to minimize the immediate and long-term side effects of therapy. Clinical and basic
science investigators work together in the same setting at which children benefi t from
their research. Clinicians work closely with laboratory-based researchers to translate
scientifi c discoveries into improved therapies.
We also recognize the devastating fi nancial, emotional, and psychological effects
of catastrophic disease on the family of a stricken child, and we are committed to
providing support services to the families of our children, regardless of their ability
to pay for treatment or services. Funds generated by the American Lebanese Syrian
Associated Charities (ALSAC) provide the vital foundation that buttresses ongoing
activities in patient care, research, and training within our hospital and, at the same
time, enable active partnerships with affi liates, both in the United States and through
our International Outreach Program.
The success of future biomedical research depends on the availability
of well-trained young investigators. St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital is dedicated to nurturing and supporting
these clinicians and scientists. The education and training
programs at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital refl ect
the institution’s commitment to excellence.
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The Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was founded by the late entertainer Danny
Thomas, a man of boundless energy and optimism, who was driven by the conviction
that “no child should die in the dawn of life.” He dreamed of a haven where sick children
could fi nd treatment, regardless of their race, religion, nationality, or ability to pay. He
envisioned a place where the top scientists in the world could
work together with superb clinicians to fi nd cures for
potentially fatal diseases of childhood. That dream
became a reality when this non-denominational
hospital, named for St. Jude Thaddeus—the
patron saint of hopeless causes—opened its
doors in 1962.
Since then, the institution has become an
international resource for the study and
treatment of catastrophic childhood diseases. St.
Jude Children’s Research Hospital is supported by
the only National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center
Support Grant directed solely toward pediatrics. It is the largest
hospital in the United States dedicated to pediatric cancer and hematologic diseases,
accepting approximately 350 new cancer patients each year. St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital also has the largest pediatric bone marrow transplant program in the
world, currently performing nearly 200 transplants annually.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offers a rich intellectual environment for
education and training. Fellows have the opportunity to work with world-renowned
senior faculty members, including Peter C. Doherty, PhD, winner of the 1996 Nobel
Prize for Physiology or Medicine and member of the National Academy of Sciences;
Robert G. Webster, PhD, member of the National Academy of Sciences; Charles J.
Sherr, MD, PhD, member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the
Landon-AACR Prize for Cancer Research and the General Motors Cancer Research
Foundation Mott Prize; James N. Ihle, PhD, who, like Sherr, is a Howard Hughes
Medical Institute investigator; St. Jude Director William E. Evans, PharmD, recently
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elected to the Institute of Medicine; former St. Jude Director Arthur W. Nienhuis,
MD, member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Cancer Advisory Board;
Hematology-Oncology Chair Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD, Board of Directors,
American Association of Cancer Research; Developmental Neurobiology Chair Tom
Curran, PhD, Former President of the American Association of Cancer Research;
Ching-Hon Pui, MD, American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor; and
Pathology Chair James R. Downing, MD, member of the American Society of Clinical
Investigation.
At St. Jude, fellows are encouraged to attend regularly scheduled seminars, workshops,
journal clubs, and lectures given by faculty members and by internationally known
invited speakers. This rich academic environment is complemented by state-of-the-art
facilities, equipment, and research support services.
Memphis
Situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis, Tennessee, is the
metropolitan hub of a fi ve-state region known as the Mid-South. Home to nearly a
million residents, the greater Memphis area offers something for everyone. Memphians
enjoy a relatively low cost of living, a temperate climate, four distinct
seasons and good old-fashioned Southern hospitality. Memphis is
also home to one of the largest medical centers in the United
States.
The city is called the home of the blues, birthplace of
Rock’n’Roll, and is truly a music lover’s Mecca. From
the legendary Sun Studio where Elvis Presley, Ike Turner,
Carl Perkins, Rufus Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny
Cash recorded, to the Stax Museum of American Soul
Music where Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, and Isaac
Hayes made music history, to the pulsating night life of blues
clubs on historic Beale street, the Memphis beat never sleeps. Local
symphony orchestra, ballet, live theatre performances, several museums,
more than 150 diverse festivals, and special events are available to those seeking cultural
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activities. Nature lovers enjoy hiking, biking, hunting, fi shing and boating at a variety
of lakes, parks and nature preserves in and around the Memphis area. The city hosts
major sporting events, including the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the AutoZone Liberty
Bowl, the Kroger St. Jude Tennis Tournament, and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon.
Memphis is also the home of the Pacifi c Coast AAA Memphis Redbirds and the NBA
Memphis Grizzlies.
Fellowship Program Goals and Objectives
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides a
comprehensive program for training subspecialty
fellows in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. The
program is certifi ed by the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and
leads to subspecialty certifi cation. The training
program is an integrated part of the University of
Tennessee, Memphis, Pediatric Residency Program
(Program 3274731034). The goal of the program is to
train the future leaders in academic pediatric hematology-
oncology in the United States. Upon successful completion of our training program,
fellows will have a comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology of pediatric
hematologic and oncologic disorders, will be competent in the clinical diagnosis and
management of these disorders, will understand clinical trials methodology, and will
have competence in a selected research interest. Our program seeks to nurture and
develop laboratory researchers and clinical investigators.
Physician-Scientist Training Program
We have devoted special resources to a training program for physicians seeking
careers in laboratory-based academic pediatric hematology-oncology. As an
internationally recognized research center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is in
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an ideal position to provide training in molecular medicine, particularly as it relates
to cancer and blood disorders. Our ultimate goal is to enable qualifi ed physicians to
become independent investigators at major academic institutions.
After completing a one-year clinical training period in hematology and oncology,
successful applicants for the laboratory research track will receive support for three
years of laboratory research training at St. Jude, the minimum time needed to prepare
researchers for productive careers in academic medicine. St. Jude is in a unique position
to offer special resources for laboratory training for the entire fellowship period and
for extended periods of laboratory research time if required. Because the training
period may exceed the three-year requirement for subspecialty board certifi cation
in pediatric hematology-oncology, St. Jude provides generous stipends to qualifi ed
applicants, depending on their prior training and experience. This program should
therefore provide the fi nancial security and protected time needed to develop superior
research skills and a comprehensive conceptual background in the molecular aspects
of hematology-oncology.
Clinical Investigator Training Program
In addition to the laboratory-based research track, we offer a clinical research track
for fellows interested in careers as clinical investigators. Formal training in clinical
research can be obtained through early involvement in several ongoing clinical trials
within the institution. Fellows may participate in the development of new institutional
protocols and may conduct retrospective hypothesis-driven studies. In addition, fellows
interested in pursing advanced degrees in clinical research or epidemiology can do so
through our partnership with the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Application Process and Selection of Fellows
St. Jude participates in the National Residency Matching Program and accepts six
fellows each year for training in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Prospective fellows
are encouraged to apply early in their second year of pediatric residency. The Fellowship
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Director, with the aid of the departmental Fellowship Committee, selects the applicants
who will be offered interviews. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital pays the costs of
the interview, including lodging and travel.
The following criteria must be met for acceptance into the training program:
1. Successful completion of an ACGME-accredited pediatric residency program.
2. A commitment to pursue a career in academic pediatric hematology-oncology.
3. Excellence in the clinical care of children.
4. Proven research ability or the strong potential for success in clinical or laboratory
research.
Acceptance is granted on the basis of the applicant’s potential to become a successful
academic subspecialist.
The Subspecialty Training Experience
Overview of training
ACGME-accredited subspecialty training in pediatric hematology-oncology requires
a minimum of three years. The fi rst year of training provides comprehensive clinical
training in hematology, oncology, and stem cell transplantation, with initial
exposure to ongoing clinical investigations and research methods.
All inpatient rotations involve teams that include an attending
faculty member, one fi rst-year fellow, one or two pediatrics or
medicine-pediatrics residents, medical students, one or more
nurse practitioners or physician assistants, a social worker,
a pharmacist, and a nutritionist. All admitted patients are
treated by these care teams. The fellow learns to function
as a member of this multidisciplinary team and to call on
the skills and experience of team members. Two or more
subsequent years are devoted to active, direct involvement in
clinical or laboratory-based research.
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Clinical Rotations
Inpatient Leukemia-Lymphoma Service (2 months at St. Jude): In 2004, 139 new
patients with leukemia or lymphoma were seen at St. Jude. The fellow on service is
responsible for the supervision of all inpatients on the Leukemia-Lymphoma service
and becomes profi cient at diagnosing leukemia and lymphoma, enrolling patients on
treatment protocols, ordering chemotherapy, and providing supportive care. The fellow
learns how to manage complications of therapy, including infectious complications
in the immunocompromised host and complications of chemotherapy. He also
develops expertise at performing bone marrow aspirates and administering intrathecal
chemotherapy.
Inpatient Solid Tumor/Neuro-Oncology Service (2 months at St. Jude): In 2004, 131
patients with solid tumors other than brain tumors were seen at St. Jude. The fellow on
service is responsible for the supervision of all inpatients on the Solid Tumor service
and becomes profi cient at diagnosing malignant solid tumors, including neuroblastoma,
Wilms tumor, Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and other soft tissue
sarcomas, hepatic tumors, retinoblastoma, germ cell tumors, colon cancer, melanoma,
and other tumors, enrolling patients on treatment protocols, ordering chemotherapy, and
providing supportive care. A major thrust of the clinical research is the development of
new agents. Fellows are thus exposed to the details of Phase I protocols, methodologies
and ethical considerations.
Inpatient Stem Cell Transplant Service (2 months at St. Jude):
Approximately 180 stem cell transplantation procedures are
performed each year (90 autologous and 90 allogeneic). Patients
are admitted to a specialized 14-bed BMT unit. During this
rotation, the fellow cares for children and adolescents who
are undergoing transplantation and gains experience with
hematopoietic and solid malignancies, bone marrow failure
syndromes, immunodefi ciency disorders, inherited metabolic
disorders, and complications of stem cell transplantation,
including graft failure, infectious complications, and graft-
versus-host disease.
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Hematology: 2 1/2 months at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center and St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital. Care for all children and adolescents with nonmalignant
hematologic disorders is provided at both Le Bonheur and St. Jude. Patients with
hemoglobinopathies and bleeding disorders are admitted to
the inpatient hematology service at Le Bonheur, while
patients with bone marrow failure syndromes are
admitted to St. Jude. The fellow also participates
in an active Hematology Consultation service at
Le Bonheur and occasionally in the Newborn
Nursery. During the Hematology rotation, the
fellow attends the weekly outpatient hematology
clinics (half day on Mondays at St. Jude and a
full day on Thursdays at Le Bonheur) and the
comprehensive hemophilia and thrombosis clinics
(half day on Wednesdays), and a general hematology
clinic (half day on Tuesdays). Through these clinical
experiences, the fellow participates in the diagnosis and
treatment of the entire range of common and rare hematologic disorders in children,
including bone marrow failure syndromes, hemoglobinopathies, red cell membrane
and metabolism disorders, hemolytic and nutritional anemias, white cell disorders,
platelet and coagulation disorders, and immunodefi ciencies. The fellow presents
one hematology case of interest with didactic discussion each month at the St. Jude
Leukemia-Lymphoma-Hematology conference and one or two cases at the combined
pediatric and adult hematology conference held with the University of Tennessee every
other week.
After Completion of Therapy Clinic (two weeks at St. Jude): During this rotation, the
fellow gains experience with the long-term effects of treatment. Fellows participate in
ongoing studies of late effects of therapy on the skeleton; in evaluations of neurotoxic
and cardiotoxic effects of therapy; and in investigations of risk factors for second
malignancies.
Neuro-oncology (one month at St. Jude): In 2004, 137 patients with newly diagnosed
brain tumors were seen at St. Jude. This rotation provides education in the diagnosis
and management of CNS tumors. Fellows also attend the weekly multidisciplinary
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brain tumor clinical conference where new patients and consults are presented and
discussed.
Hematopathology (one month at St. Jude): During this rotation, the fellow develops
expertise in reading peripheral blood and bone marrow smears, and becomes familiar
with modern ancillary diagnostic techniques such as cytogenetics, fl ow cytometry,
and molecular diagnostics. In addition, the rotation offers exposure to
essential aspects of specimen handling in Surgical Pathology and in
Microbiology (the latter including conventional and molecular
methodology).
Electives (six weeks): Available electives include blood
banking, radiation oncology, coagulation disorders, general
hematology, sickle cell disease, infectious diseases, pediatric
oncologic surgery, and intensive care.
Continuity clinic (weekly at St. Jude): During the fi rst year,
fellows are assigned 25-30 new patients for whom they become
the primary caregivers. For one-half day per week throughout
the fellowship experience, fellows attend a continuity clinic at which
they provide direct patient care to these patients under the supervision of the
primary attending or clinic attending.
Scope of the inpatient experience: The fellows have direct supervisory responsibility
for care provided by residents, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants on all
inpatient rotations. They review patient assessments and management plans and are
responsible for assuring that protocol requirements are completed. They assume
primary care responsibility for a minority of patients on the Leukemia, Solid Tumor,
and Hematology services. They assume primary care responsibility for as many as
half of the patients on the Bone Marrow Transplant service. The inpatient attending
physician directly supervises the fellow on each rotation.
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Educational Meetings
The training program offers fellows a comprehensive series of didactic sessions and
teaching rounds, including the following:
Hodgkin’s staging conference: This working conference provides a weekly update of
all patients with Hodgkin’s disease who have undergone initial staging or re-staging.
The Hematology-Oncology, Surgery, Diagnostic Imaging, and Radiation Oncology
departments participate. Fellows are encouraged to attend
when their patients are discussed.
Hematology-Oncology Fellows Rounds: This
weekly meeting is organized by the fellows and
attended by fellows and faculty. Each fellow is
expected to present a topic or journal article
about two times per year.
Hematology conference: This is a combined
conference for pediatric and adult hematologists
at the University of Tennessee. At each meeting, one
pediatric and one adult hematology case is presented.
The St. Jude fellow on the Hematology service is expected to
give the case presentation and discussion.
Leukemia/Lymphoma/Hematology conference: This is a formal conference held each
week at St. Jude. Fellows are expected to present the case each week and may also
be asked to present the discussion. This conference is attended by faculty from the
Hematology-Oncology, Pathology, Diagnostic Imaging, and Infectious Diseases
Departments. Attendance is required for fi rst-year fellows and encouraged for all
others.
Pediatric Grand Rounds: This weekly conference on diverse topics in General Pediatrics
is organized by the Department of Pediatrics and is held at Le Bonheur Children’s
Medical Center. Attendance is optional.
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Solid tumor staging conference: At this weekly conference, management of specifi c
solid tumor patients is discussed by the Hematology-Oncology, Surgery, Diagnostic
Imaging, and Radiation Oncology faculty. Fellows are encouraged to attend when their
patients are discussed.
Solid Tumor, Leukemia, and BMT Division Rounds: In addition to daily ward rounds,
each division holds weekly rounds at which the inpatient team presents the current
inpatients to the entire division. The inpatient fellow is
required to attend.
St. Jude Grand Rounds: This is a weekly formal
presentation of a clinical or basic science topic
related to pediatric hematology-oncology.
Attendance is required for all fellows.
Tumor Board: This is a formal weekly conference
in which a solid tumor case is presented and
discussed. Attendance is required for fi rst-year
fellows and encouraged for other fellows. Fellows
are also expected to present several cases throughout the
year.
Danny Thomas Lecture Series: This series consists of weekly lectures presented to the
entire St. Jude community by distinguished visiting scientists and clinical researchers.
Cancer Biology Forum: This lecture series for postdoctoral fellows and graduate
students focuses on the major areas of cancer biology studied at St. Jude. It is held
every other week and is presented by faculty members of the institution.
Oncology-Biostatistics Journal Club: Held monthly, this is a combined journal club
attended by members of the Hematology-Oncology and Biostatistics Departments. At
each meeting, a Hematology-Oncology fellow presents a journal article and a member
of the Biostatistics Departments discusses the design and analysis of the study.
Hematology Journal Club: At this monthly meeting, fellows present recent articles
focusing on nonmalignant hematology.
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Psychosocial aspects of subspecialty care
Inpatient rounds on all services include members of the multidisciplinary team.
Therefore, patient care decisions that affect the allocation of resources or that have
social, cultural, and economic impact are routinely discussed and planned in the
context of appropriate psychosocial input. End-of-life decisions and allocation of
limited resources are reviewed with the primary physician and the inpatient attending
physician. St. Jude’s commitment to International Outreach assures the presence of a
signifi cant population of patients from other countries. This clinical exposure provides
a very wide spectrum of social, cultural, and economic considerations, which is not
available in many training programs.
Service Duties
The fi rst year fellow is required to make daily inpatient rounds during each inpatient
rotation and provide weekend coverage for rounds on an every other weekend schedule.
Thus, every other weekend (two of each fourteen day block) is free of all clinical care
responsibilities. During outpatient and elective rotations, the fi rst year fellow provides
coverage for weekend rounds on the alternate weekend not covered by the inpatient
fellow. Weekend coverage is provided primarily by the fi rst year fellows, although
fellows in subsequent years are asked to provide weekend coverage for 4-8 weekends
per year.
Although we do not require fellows to do in-house call, fellows at
all levels of training may choose to take optional in-hospital
night call, up to 6 nights per month. The institution
provides a generous stipend for fellows and junior
faculty to provide this coverage. Therefore, usual
demand for these night call slots is suffi ciently
high that no more that 4 nights per month are
available to any fellow. This in-hospital night
call (3 physicians assigned each night) provides
complete coverage for all inpatient care,
walk-ins, emergency admissions, and telephone
coverage for the hospital. Consequently, once the
inpatient fellow has signed out to the on-call team, his
inpatient clinical care responsibilities are suspended until
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the following morning, but he is required to be on call from home to provide backup
to the in-house physicians. All phone consultation from Le Bonheur for Hematology
patients is handled by the hematology inpatient fellow. Routine admissions to the
Hematology service are admitted by the on call resident team at Le Bonheur. Emergent
situations and critical changes in clinical status requiring presence of the Hematologist
are triaged to the Hematology fellow on call at home.
Since July 1, 2003, fellow work hours has been limited to 80 hours per week and no
more than 30 continuous hours of patient care. Fellows continue to have 2 weekends
free of all clinical duties every month.
Evaluations
Evaluation of fellows
Written yearly progress reports and written evaluations for all
clinical rotations are required. The inpatient attending
physician is responsible for completing the written
evaluation form at the end of each rotation on that
inpatient service. Evaluations should be discussed
with the fellow. Forms are reviewed by the
Fellowship Committee and become a permanent
part of the fellow’s fi le. The inpatient attending
physician is also responsible for assurance that
the fellow acquires necessary skills in performing
the procedures used by pediatric hematologists
and oncologists. If fellows encounter problems in
acquiring these skills, the inpatient attending physician
notifi es the Fellowship Directors. Additional supervised
training will then be made available to the fellow.
Supervision of the research training is the direct responsibility of the laboratory
research mentor. Written yearly progress reports, including descriptions of abstracts
and manuscripts, are required. The Fellowship Committee monitors progress during
the research portion of the training program.
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Evaluation of faculty members
At the end of each inpatient rotation, fellows are required to provide written evaluations
of the attending faculty members. These evaluations assess each attending physician’s
knowledge of pediatrics, pediatric hematology-oncology, and the literature relevant to
these areas; conduct of rounds; teaching ability; availability; encouragement of the
fellow; and overall performance. Signifi cant problems are discussed with the inpatient
attending physician. Teaching ability is one criterion established by the institution for
yearly evaluations of faculty members and for academic promotion.
Evaluation of program
Once each year, the fellows are required to provide written evaluations of the fellowship
program. These evaluations are reviewed by the Fellowship Committee and discussed
at the Hematology-Oncology faculty meetings as needed.
Research Program
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the only
National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer
Center solely devoted to pediatrics (Cancer
Center Support Grant, P30 CA21765, Michael
B. Kastan, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator).
Dr. Kastan, Chair of Hematology-Oncology, is
also the Principal Investigator of the NCI training
grant (T32 CA70089) for laboratory training of
clinical oncologists. This grant provides support for
up to three years of research training beyond the fi rst year
of clinical training. To qualify for support on this grant, fellows
must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Research at St. Jude is also supported by National Institutes of Health funding to
individual investigators and by several multi-project grants, including the Pediatric Brain
Tumor Consortium, UO1 CA081457, (James Boyett, PhD, Program Director), the Solid
Tumor Program Project, PO1 CA23099, (Studies of Childhood Solid Tumors, Peter J.
Houghton, PhD, Program Director), the Childhood Cancer Gene Program Project, PO1
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CA071907, (James R. Downing, MD, Program Director), the Gene Therapy for Sickle
Cell Disease Program Project, PO1 HL053749, (Arthur W. Nienhuis, MD, Program
Director), the Development of a Novel AIDS Vaccine Program Project, PO1 AI45142,
(Julia L. Hurwitz, PhD, Program Director), and the Brain Tumor Program Project,
PO1 CA096832, (Normal & Neoplastic Growth Regulation in the Brain, Thomas
Curran, PhD, Program Director). St. Jude researchers are active participants in the
Children’s Oncology Group (Institutional Principal Investigator, Wayne Furman, MD).
In addition, St. Jude is one of 10 comprehensive sickle cell centers to receive a grant
from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, U54 HL070590, (The St. Jude
Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Winfred Wang , MD, Principal Investigator).
The Cancer Center has been supported by consecutive Cancer Center Support Grants
from the National Cancer Institute since 1977. Members of the center are committed
to laboratory-based research integrated with a broad program of clinical investigation,
currently supported by approximately $50 million in extramural funding. The center is
structured to emphasize interdisciplinary research programs with applicability to the
understanding, prevention, and treatment of childhood cancer. The 7 programs around
which the center is organized are targeted toward specifi c diseases (Hematological
Malignancies and Neurobiology & Brain Tumor), conceptual themes (Signal
Transduction, Molecular Oncology, and Infection & Host Defense), or novel therapeutic
approaches (Developmental Therapeutics for Solid Malignancies and Transplantation
& Gene Therapy). Each program supports cross-disciplinary, multi-departmental
collaborations that foster innovative translational research. The success
of such research is due in part to the use of crucial Cancer Center-
supported Shared Resources, which include the Hartwell Center
for Bioinformatics & Biotechnology.
The Cancer Center also includes the International Outreach
Program. Based on a humanitarian mission, the International
Outreach Program aims to improve the survival rates of
children with cancer worldwide by assisting partner countries
in establishing effective treatment protocols, facilities,
educational opportunities, and collaborative research projects.
Many research opportunities for fellows are available within the
International Outreach Program.
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The Cancer Center is currently expanding its Cancer Prevention & Control Program.
Dr. Les Robison, Principal Investigator of the Childhood Cancer Survivors Study, has
recently been recruited to St. Jude as the fi rst Chair of the Department of Epidemiology
and Cancer Control. He will also serve as Co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control
Program. Under Dr. Robison’s leadership, we anticipate that St. Jude will become the
leader in childhood cancer prevention and cancer control and the premier program for
the conduct of etiologic and outcomes-based research in childhood cancer.
Key areas of research in the Molecular Oncology Program include oncogenes and
tumor suppressors, cell cycle regulators, chimeric transcription factors, and molecules
governing stress responses, apoptosis, and checkpoint control. The program encourages
the application of emerging laboratory fi ndings in a practical clinical setting while
attempting to pinpoint clinical problems for which understanding and treatment
may be advanced through laboratory-based discovery. The Transplantation & Gene
Therapy Program is focused mainly on diseases that may be treated by manipulation
of hematopoietic stem cells and their progeny. A primary interest is the development
of haploidentical transplantation in which the parent serves as the stem cell donor for
his or her child. Additional research is devoted to the development of gene therapy for
hematopoietic disorders. The goals of this research are the effective transfer of genes
into repopulating stem cells, the selective growth of genetically modifi ed stem cells in
vivo, and the lineage-specifi c expression of a transgene at appropriate levels.
Fellows begin participation in the research activities of the
institution through patient care activities, by enrolling
patients on protocols, ensuring their eligibility
for protocol enrollment, following protocol
guidelines, and carefully documenting protocol
events. Preparation for important institutional
presentations often requires reviews of patient
materials, and these reviews occasionally lead
to publishable results. During the fi rst year, the
fellows learn about the research opportunities
available at the institution and select research
mentors. Research mentors may be selected from any
ongoing clinical or laboratory-based research program at
St. Jude. During their second and subsequent years of training,
1818
fellows are given generous resources and about 90% protected research time to allow
them to be productive and become fully prepared for careers as independent clinical,
translational, or basic science investigators.
Fellows interested in formal training in clinical investigation may enroll in the Master
of Science in Epidemiology Program at the University of Tennessee. Fellows on the
clinical investigator track have the opportunity to participate in the development of
clinical protocols in hematology, oncology, or stem cell transplant. Fellows are also
expected to participate in the analysis, interpretation, and publication of retrospective
studies. St. Jude has a substantial infrastructure dedicated to clinical research, including
data managers, research nurses, statisticians, and database developers. Fellows can
take advantage of these resources to develop their own ideas for studies and ask
original research questions. In summary, our fellowship program offers a wide variety
of research options that span all areas of pediatric hematology-oncology and that will
prepare fellows for careers as clinical or laboratory-based investigators.
A more complete coverage of research activities may be found in the St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital Scientifi c Report and on our Web site (http://www.stjude.org).
Department of Hematology-Oncology Faculty
After Completion of Therapy DivisionMelissa M. Hudson, MDMemberDirector, After Completion of TherapyLate effects of cancer therapy; health education and promotion in childhood cancer survivors
Scott Howard, MDAssistant MemberDirector of Clinical Trials, International Outreach ProgramImproving treatment in countries with limited resources
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Experimental Hematology DivisionBrian P. Sorrentino, MDMemberDirector, Experimental Hematology DivisionCo-Director, Transplantation and Gene Therapy ProgramHematopoietic stem cell biology, gene therapy
John M. Cunningham, MDAssociate MemberMedical Director, Cell and Gene Therapy LaboratoriesStem cell biology
Edwin M. Horwitz, MD, PhDAssociate MemberStem cell biology
Carl W. Jackson, PhDMemberAssociate Director of Academic ProgramsPlatelet development and function, thrombopoietin
Arthur W. Nienhuis, MDMemberGene therapy
Derek Persons, MD, PhDAssistant MemberGene therapy for beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia
Hematology DivisionRussell E. Ware, MD, PhDMemberDirector, Hematology DivisionSickle cell disease; genetic modifi ers of disease expression
John M. Cunningham, MDAssociate MemberMedical Director, Cell and Gene Therapy LaboratoriesDevelopmental erythropoiesis; fetal globin induction
Pedro A. De Alarcon, MDMemberDeputy Chief Medical Offi cerHemophilia, thrombophilia, thrombosis
Jane Hankins, MDAssistant MemberSickle cell disease
2020
Joseph Mirro, Jr., MDMemberChief Medical Offi cer/Physician in ChiefAML; stem cell transplantation
Ulrike M. Reiss, MDAssistant MemberNonmalignant hematology
Winfred C. Wang, MDMemberDirector, Pediatric Hematology Center of MemphisSickle cell disease; bone marrow failure
Leukemia/Lymphoma DivisionChing-Hon Pui, MDMemberVice-Chair, Hematology-OncologyDirector, Leukemia/Lymphoma DivisionProgram Director, Hematological MalignanciesFahad Nassar Al-Rashid Chair of Leukemia ResearchAmerican Cancer Society FM Kirby Clinical Research ProfessorBiology and treatment of childhood leukemia and lymphoma
Dario Campana, MD, PhDMemberMonitoring of minimal residual disease in leukemia and lymphoma; treatment of B-cell malignancies with receptor-modifi ed immune cells; identifi cation of factors that support leukemia cell growth
Nobuko Hijiya, MDAssistant MemberTreatment and biology of leukemia and lymphoma
Scott Howard, MDAssistant MemberHodgkin lymphoma, supportive care
Melissa M. Hudson, MDMemberHodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Sima Jeha, MDAssociate MemberDirector, Leukemia/Lymphoma Developmental TherapeuticsDevelopmental therapeutics
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Monika Metzger, MDAssistant MemberHodgkin lymphoma
Bassem I. Razzouk, MDAssociate MemberMedical Director, Middle East and Telemedicine Programs, International Outreach ProgramBiology and treatment of AML; developmental therapeutics
Raul C. Ribeiro, MDMemberDirector, International Outreach ProgramBiology and treatment of AML; international pediatric oncology
Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, MD, PhDAssociate MemberDirector, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Training ProgramBiology and treatment of AML
John T. Sandlund, MDMemberBiology and therapy of NHL and ALL
Molecular Therapeutics DivisionMichael B. Kastan, MD, PhDMemberChair, Hematology-OncologyDirector, Molecular Therapeutics DivisionCo-Director, Molecular Oncology Program Cellular stress responses; molecular signaling pathways
Jeffrey Dome, MDAssociate MemberBiology and treatment of renal tumors; telomeres and telomerase
Stephen X. Skapek, MDAssociate MemberCell-cycle regulation and differentiation in skeletal muscle; sarcoma biology
Neuro-Oncology DivisionAmar Gajjar, MDMemberDirector, Neuro-Oncology DivisionBrain tumors; late effects
Alberto Broniscer, MDAssistant MemberNeuro-oncology; biology and therapy of gliomas
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Maryam Fouladi, MDAssistant MemberBrain tumors; developmental therapeutics; late effects
Richard J. Gilbertson, MD, PhDAssociate MemberErbB receptor signaling in brain tumors
Solid Tumor DivisionVictor M. Santana, MDMemberCharles B. Pratt Chair in Solid Tumor ResearchDirector, Solid Tumor DivisionCo-Leader, Solid Malignancies Program Biology and treatment of neuroblastoma; research ethics in children
Najat C. Daw, MDAssociate MemberOsteosarcoma; developmental therapeutics
Wayne L. Furman, MDMemberDevelopmental therapeutics
Lisa M. McGregor, MD, PhDAssistant MemberNeuroblastoma; developmental therapeutics
Fariba Navid, MDAssistant MemberBiology and therapy of sarcomas
Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MDAssociate MemberBiology and treatment of retinoblastoma, bone tumors, and histiocytoses
Sheri L. Spunt, MDAssociate MemberChildhood soft-tissue sarcomas
Stem Cell Transplantation DivisionRupert Handgretinger, MD, PhDMemberDirector, Stem Cell TransplantationCo-Director, Transplantation and Gene Therapy ProgramHaplo-identical stem cell transplantation; immunotherapy
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Raymond C. Barfi eld, MD, PhDAssistant MemberStem cell transplantation; immune reconstitution; immune therapy; bioethics
Gregory Hale, MDAssociate MemberClinical Director, Stem Cell TransplantationStem cell transplantation
Edwin M. Horwitz, MD, PhDAssociate MemberStem cell transplantation
Kimberly Kasow, DOAssistant MemberStem cell transplantation for nonmalignant disorders
Wing H. Leung, MD, PhDAssociate MemberStem cell transplantation; late effects of cancer treatment; molecular epidemiology; natural killer cells
Janice Riberdy, PhDAssistant MemberT cell development and regulation
Paul Woodard, MDAssistant MemberAllogeneic stem cell transplantation for non-malignant diseases, with emphasis on sickle cell disease, severe aplastic anemia, and inborn errors of metabolism
Usman Yusuf, MDAssistant MemberStem cell transplantation with emphasis on graft versus host disease
International Outreach ProgramRaul C. Ribeiro, MDDirector, International Outreach Program
Bassem I. Razzouk, MDMedical Director, Middle East and Telemedicine Programs, International Outreach Program
Judith A. Wilimas, MDMedical Director, Central America
Gaston K. Rivera, MDMedical Director, Chile
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For more information, contact:
Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, MD, PhDDepartment of Hematology-OncologySt. Jude Children’s Research HospitalMail Stop 260332 N. Lauderdale St.Memphis, TN 38105-2794t 901.495.2388 f [email protected]
Photography credits: Seth Dixon, Lajar Hajar, and Ann-Margaret Hedges
Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MDMedical Director, Mexico
Scott Howard, MDDirector of Protocol Development and Clinical Trials
07/05—Biomedical Communications