St. Jude Research
Department of Oncology

Division of Solid Tumor

Director: Sara Federico, MD

Divisional focus

The mission of the Solid Tumor Division is to provide excellent clinical care by developing and testing novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of pediatric solid tumors, specifically for those at high risk of treatment failure. A highly skilled multidisciplinary team of compassionate clinicians, researchers and support staff engage in basic and translational research, which advances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to tumor formation, progression and resistance.

The Solid Tumor Division is also committed to improving cure rates for all pediatric solid tumors, as evidenced by its development of treatment programs for many common solid tumors through extramural collaborations with organizations such as the Children’s Oncology Group. The breadth and depth of our research program, clinical experience and fruitful collaborations have led to the development and validation of new therapies that have advanced to clinical trials and positioned our group as leaders in education and the treatment of solid tumors.  

Research and Treatment Team

Director

  1. Sara Federico, MD

    Sara Federico

    Sara M. Federico, MD
    Director, Solid Tumor Division
    Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Drug development, Ewing sarcoma, neuroblastoma. 

    Faculty Bio

Faculty

  1. Mark E. Hatley, MD, PhD

    Mark Hatley

    Mark E. Hatley, MD, PhD
    Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Director, Division of Molecular Oncology
    Focus: Cellular and molecular origins of rhabdomyosarcoma.

    Faculty Bio
    Hatley Lab

  2. Adam D. Durbin, MD, PhD

    Adam Durbin

    Adam D. Durbin, MD, PhD 
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Targeting epigenomics and transcriptional regulation in pediatric solid tumors.

    Faculty Bio
    Durbin Lab

  3. Lillian Guenther, MD

    Lily Guenther

    Lillian Guenther, MD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Studying novel genomic targets in osteosarcoma. 

    Faculty Bio
    Guenther Lab

  4. Jessica Gartrell, MD

    Jessica Gartrell

    Jessica Gartrell, MD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Early-phase clinical trial development, sarcomas, liver tumors

    Faculty Bio
    Clinical Research Profile

  5. Elizabeth Stewart, MD

    Elizabeth A. Stewart, MD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty

    Faculty Bio
    Elizabeth Stewart Lab

  6. Michael Bishop, MD

    Michael Bishop

    Michael W. Bishop, MD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Osteosarcoma, bone and soft tissue sarcomas. 

    Faculty Bio

  7. Sara Helmig, MD

    Sara Helmig

    Sara Helmig, MD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Focus: Sarcomas, quality improvement. 

    Faculty Bio

  8. Paola Friedrich, MD, MPH

    Paola Friedrich

    Paola Friedrich, MD, MPH
    Assistant Member
    Director, Mexico Region, St. Jude Global

    Faculty Bio

  9. Dylan Graetz, MD, MPH

    Dylan Graetz

    Dylan Graetz, MD, MPH
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Director, Culture and Communication

    Faculty Bio
    Clinical Research Profile

  10. Catherine G. Lam, MD, MPH

    Catherine Lam

    Catherine G. Lam, MD, MPH
    Associate Member
    Director, Asia Pacific Region, St. Jude Global
    Director, Health Systems Unit
    Co-Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer

    Faculty Bio

  11. Victor M. Santana, MD

    Victor Santana

    Victor M. Santana, MD
    Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Charles B. Pratt Chair in Solid Tumor Research
    Focus: Novel therapeutics, neuroblastoma, research ethics. 

    Faculty Bio

  12. Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MD

    Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo

    Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MD
    Member, St. Jude Faculty
    Executive Vice President
    Chair, Department of Global Pediatric Medicine
    Director, St. Jude Global
    Co-Associate Director, Outreach, Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Faculty Bio

  13. Alberto Pappo, MD

    Alberto Pappo, MD
    Member, St. Jude Faculty 
    Co-Leader, Developmental Biology & Solid Tumor Program
    Alvin Mauer Endowed Chair
    Focus: New therapies for sarcomas and rare pediatric cancers. 

    Faculty Bio
    Progress Blog
    Clinical Research Profile

  14. Anand G. Patel, MD, PhD

    Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo

    Anand G. Patel, MD, PhD
    Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty

    Faculty Bio
    Patel Lab

Staff

  1. Advanced Practice Providers

    Meagan DuLaney, DNP, FNP-C
    Manger, Advanced Practice Provider

    Ashley McTyre, DNP, FNP-C
    Nurse practitioner

    Nour McCaffrey, MSN, FNP
    Nurse practitioner

    Sara Meehan, PNP
    Nurse practitioner

    Carly Meredith, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC
    Manager, Advanced Practice Operations

    Patti Pease, MSN, FNP-BC, RN
    APP Professional Development Educator

    Patience Whitten, DNP, FNP-C
    Nurse practitioner

    Dana Zimmerman, DNP, CPNP-AC
    Nurse practitioner

Related topics

Studies and Clinical Trials

Join Us

Discover career opportunities in Oncology at St. Jude

Featured openings

Posted July 30, 2025
Administrative Coordinator- Oncology
  • Memphis, TN
  • Oncology
Posted July 30, 2025
Sr Administrative Specialist
  • Memphis, TN
  • Oncology
Posted July 29, 2025
Bereavement Program Manager OR Bereavement Program Manager NP ( Quality of Life and Palliative Care)
  • Memphis, TN
  • Oncology
Posted June 25, 2025
Director Computational Research
  • Memphis, TN
  • Oncology

Contact us

Division of Solid Tumor
MS 260, Room C6016
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678

Email: sara.federico@stjude.org
Phone: (901) 595-2220
Fax: (901) 595-4011

Preferred contact method: email