Our Experts

2023 Pediatric Oncology Faculty

The Pediatric Oncology Division at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins includes a wide array of medical professionals and laboratory scientists. Many of our experts are nationally and internationally recognized as leaders in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer.

As a leader in pediatric cancer research, we are dedicated to making new discoveries to improve the lives of children with cancer in Maryland, the nation, and around the world. We are at the forefront of developing new treatments and designing clinical trials for better outcomes for our patients.

Pediatric Oncology Director

Donald Small, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Director, Division of Pediatric Oncology
  • Kyle Haydock Professor of Oncology
  • Professor of Oncology
  • Professor of Pediatrics

Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hodgkin's Disease, Leukemia

Neuro-Oncology Director

Kenneth Jay Cohen, M.D., M.B.A.

  • Clinical Director Pediatric Oncology
  • Director, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
  • Director, Strategic Planning, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
  • Professor of Oncology
  • Professor of Pediatrics

Expertise: Pediatric Brain Cancer, Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Spinal Cord Tumors

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Kenneth R Cooke, M.D.

  • Herman and Walter Samuelson Professor of Oncology
  • Director, Pediatic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program
  • Professor of Oncology

Expertise: Bone Marrow Failure, Bone Marrow Transplant, Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant, Medical Oncology, Pediatric Cancer

Sarcoma

Christine Anne Pratilas, M.D.

  • Associate Professor of Oncology
  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Expertise: Bone Cancer, Clinical Trials, Ewing's Sarcoma, Medical Oncology, Melanoma

Leukemia Experts

  • Stacy Lorine Cooper, M.D.

    • Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
    • Co-Director, Pediatric Hematologic Malignancy Program
    • Clinical Director, Pediatric Oncology Inpatient Program
    • Assistant Professor of Oncology
    • Instructor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Cancer, Leukemia, Pediatric Lymphomas, Pediatrics

  • Alan David Friedman, M.D.

    • King Fahd Professor of Pediatric Oncology
    • Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), General Pediatrics, Germ Cell Tumors

  • Lei Peng, M.D.

    • Instructor of Oncology

    Expertise: Oncology, Pediatric Oncology

  • Kristen E. Schratz, M.D.

    • Assistant Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Oncology, Pediatrics

  • Donald Small, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Director, Division of Pediatric Oncology
    • Kyle Haydock Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hodgkin's Disease, Leukemia

  • Amy Elizabeth DeZern, M.D., M.H.S.

    • Director, Bone Marrow Failure and MDS Program
    • Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Medicine

    Expertise: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Aplastic Anemia, Bone Marrow Failure, Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Bone Marrow Transplant Experts

  • Challice Bonifant, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Assistant Professor of Oncology
    • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

  • Allen Ray Sing Chen, M.D., Ph.D., M.H.S.

    • Associate Professor of Oncology
    • Associate Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Medical Oncology, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant, Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplant

  • Kenneth R Cooke, M.D.

    • Herman and Walter Samuelson Professor of Oncology
    • Director, Pediatic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program
    • Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Bone Marrow Failure, Bone Marrow Transplant, Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant, Medical Oncology, Pediatric Cancer

  • Christopher Jordan Gamper, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
    • Assistant Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Bone Marrow Transplant, Medical Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatrics

  • Yiouli Panayiota Ktena, M.D.

    • Assistant Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Bone Marrow Transplant, Oncology, Pediatric Oncology

  • Heather Jill Symons, M.D., M.H.S.

    • Clinical Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant
    • Associate Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Aplastic Anemia, Bone Marrow Transplant, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

  • Elias Thomas Zambidis, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Bone Marrow Failure, Bone Marrow Transplant, General Pediatrics, Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant, Histiocytosis

  • Javier Bolanos Meade, M.D.

    • Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Bone Marrow Transplant, Graft-versus-Host Disease, Hematologic Malignancies, Medical Oncology

  • Nina Delaney Wagner-Johnston, M.D.

    • Director of Lymphoma Drug Development, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
    • Co-Director of Clinical Research for Hematologic Malignancies
    • Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Hodgkin's Disease, Medical Oncology, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), Palliative Care

Sarcoma Experts

Brain Tumor/Neuro-Oncology Experts

  • Kenneth Jay Cohen, M.D., M.B.A.

    • Clinical Director Pediatric Oncology
    • Director, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
    • Director, Strategic Planning, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
    • Professor of Oncology
    • Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: Pediatric Brain Cancer, Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Spinal Cord Tumors

  • Michael A. Koldobskiy, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

    • Assistant Professor of Oncology
    • Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
    • Joint Appointment in Medicine

    Expertise: Pediatric Brain Cancer, Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Spinal Cord Tumors

  • Eric Hutton Raabe, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Associate Professor of Oncology
    • Associate Professor of Pathology

    Expertise: Brain Cancer, Medical Oncology, Pediatric Oncology

Pediatric Radiation Oncology

  • Sahaja Acharya, M.D.

    • Director, Pediatric Radiation Oncology
    • Associate Director, Radiation Oncology Residency Program
    • Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences
    • Assistant Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Sarcoma, Sarcoma

  • Matthew Michael Ladra, M.D., M.P.H.

    • Director, Pediatric Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital
    • Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences

    Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Head and Neck Cancers, Leukemia, Pediatric Radiation Oncology, Primary Central Nervous System (CNS) lymphoma

Pediatric Surgical Oncology

  • Daniel Sangkyu Rhee, M.D., M.P.H.

    • Director, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Program
    • Associate Professor of Surgery
    • Associate Professor of Oncology

    Expertise: Chest Wall Tumors, General Surgery, Germ Cell Tumors, Kidney Tumors, Minimally Invasive Surgery

  • Jonathan Walsh, M.D.

    • Associate Residency Program Director
    • Associate Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

    Expertise: Aerodigestive Disorders, Cholesteatoma, Diseases of the Ear and Nose, Diseases of the Throat in Children, Ear infections

Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Program

Kathryn Ruble, Ph.D., M.S.

  • Director, Life Clinic and Leukemia Survivorship Program
  • Associate Professor of Oncology

Expertise: Cancer Survivorship, Pediatric Cancer

Read more about Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology milestones in pediatric cancer Research and Clinical Trials.