Division of Leukemia / Lymphoma

The overall mission of the Leukemia/Lymphoma division is to advance cure rates for children with leukemia and lymphoma, while minimizing acute and late sequelae of therapy.

Members of the division continue a long tradition of treatment and research of leukemia and lymphoma at the institution. We strive to provide the best possible treatment to our patients and to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations in clinical, basic and translational research related to the pathogenesis and treatment of childhood leukemia and lymphoma.

Because leukemia and lymphoma represent a heterogeneous group of diseases, clinical faculty are further sub-specialized in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute and chronic myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma based on their interest and expertise. To enhance patient care and research, we have established a cohesive team of clinicians and researchers, including nine physicians, two laboratory scientists, eight nurse practitioners, three research nurses, and seven data managers. Our efforts are further supported by a group of dedicated pharmacists, nurses, dietitians and social workers.

In collaboration with many other laboratory investigators, our research is focused in optimizing treatment using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics principles, in determining the prognostic importance of clinical features and genetic abnormalities of leukemia and lymphoma cells, in utilizing immunologic and molecular methods to detect minimal residual disease, in elucidating host genetic determinants (i.e. pharmacogenomics) of treatment response and late effects, and in unraveling molecular mechanisms of leukemogenesis. These findings have been consistently translated into clinical trials to evaluate treatment innovations and to improve outcome. Despite the impressive progress in the treatment of many types of leukemia and lymphoma, members of the division will continue our efforts in increasing the cure rates and improving the quality of life of our patients.