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The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Research in Fellowship

Fellows in the JHU/NIH combined pediatric-hematology fellowship are eligible to conduct their research at any site within Johns Hopkins University or National Institutes of Health, resulting in an incredible diversity of potential projects and mentors for each fellow, and the ability to personalize the research experience based on each fellow’s individual goals. A formalized process, including an all-day research retreat in the fall of first year, provides guidance for the fellows navigating these many options.
 

Second Year Fellows

Michael Chan, MD
Mentor: Jack Shern, MD (Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI)
Project: Comparative genomics of pediatric and adult rhabdomyosarcoma

James Cronk, MD PhD
Mentor: Rosie Kaplan, MD (Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI)
Project: Origin, function and potential for reprograming of CNS tumor associated macrophages

Victoria Giordani, MD
Mentor: Naomi Taylor, PhD (Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI)
Project: Mapping immunotherapeutic outcomes of CAR-T constructs through CyTOF high dimensional profiling

Senna Munnikhuysen, MD
Mentor: Christine Heske, MD (Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI)
Project: Role of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibition in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma

Sarah Watt, MD
Mentor: Kenneth Cooke, MD (Pediatric Oncology)
Project: Optimizing graft-vs.-tumor activity following allogenic BMT with PT/Cy and anti-PD1 therapy

Abdul Zakieh, MD
Mentor: Evan Bloch
Project: Indications and outcomes for pediatric sickle cell patients receiving chronic transfusion therapy

 

Third Year Fellows

Brynn Duncan, MD
Mentor: Cynthia Dunbar, MD (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, NIH)
Project: Incorporation of NIS reporter gene as a method for real time imaging of CAR T cells in nonhuman primates
 
Connor Hall, MD PhD
Mentor:  Efie Kokkoli, PhD (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, JHU)
Project: Single-stranded DNA nanotubes to optimize drug delivery to treat DIPG
 
Brian Pennarola, MD
Mentor: Lori Weiner, PhD (National Cancer Institute, NIH)
Project: Improving advance care planning conversations with adolescent and young adult cancer patients
 
Ruyan Rahnama, MD
Mentor: Challice Bonifant, MD PhD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU) 
Project: Natural killer cells as adoptive immunotherapy for AML
 
Erin Resch, MD
Mentor:  Brian Ladle, MD PhD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU)
Project: Manipulating CD47/SIRPα signaling pathway in the tumor immune microenvironment of pediatric sarcomas
 
Lindy Zhang, MD
Mentor:  Christine Pratilas, MD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU)
Project: The effects of RAS signaling pathway inhibitors on tumor cells and the tumor immune microenvironment in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

 

Fourth Year Fellows

Michael Barbato, MD
Mentor: Michael Koldobskiy, MD PhD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU)
Project: DNA methylation entropy of differentiation and risk in pediatric neuroblastoma; Epigenetics of stem cell pluripotency
 
Katherine Barnett, MD
Mentor: Eric Raabe, MD PhD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU)
Project: Characterizing hypoxia-induced metabolic changes and vulnerabilities in H3K27M mutant gliomas
 
Dana Furstenau, MD
Mentor: John Tisdale, MD (NHLBI, NIH)
Project: Gene therapy for sickle cell anemia
 
Julie Asare, MD
Mentor: Patrick Brown, MD (Pediatric Oncology, JHU)
Project: Immune response to blinatumomab in patients with relapsed B-ALL
 
John Molina, MD
Mentor: Nirali Shah, MD MSc (POB, NIH)
Project: Factors Impacting Overall and Event Free Survival Following Post-CAR T-cell Consolidative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant