Past Hematology Oncology Fellows

Jong “Jo” Chung, MD
Fellow Years: 2009-2012
Fellowship Project: A Pilot Study to Assess Alterations in Trace Element Status in Patients with Pediatric Malignancies
Current Position: Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, University of California, Davis

James Jacobs, MD, MPH
Fellow Years: 2009-2012
Fellowship Project: Piwi-Interacting RNAs (piRNAs); a Potential Role in Hematopoiesis. I used my research years to study the epigenetic effects of the mouse protein MIWI2 on the hematopoietic system. I was able to secure funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and have now transitioned into a post-fellowship research position at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute with a continued focus on epigenetics and red blood cell development.
CHRCO Experience: I chose to train at CHRCO because of the diverse clinical learning opportunities the program offers to its fellows. At CHRCO, top notch oncology training is combined with opportunities in sickle cell care, thalassemia, thrombosis and hemostasis.
Current Position: Associate Hematologist/Oncologist, Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland. I split my time between laboratory work clinical responsibilities.

Anurag Agrawal, MD
Fellow Years: 2008-2011
Fellowship Project: Correlating immune reconstitution of memory CD27+ B lymphocytes of Toll-like receptors with vaccine antibody response after intensive chemotherapeutic regimens and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric patients. For my fellowship research project I worked in an immunology lab where we were looking at the rate of immune reconstitution after chemotherapeutic and transplant regimens by analyzing B cell subsets over time to help define when would be an appropriate time to (re)vaccinate children. I additionally completed and published multiple clinical projects and participated in writing of both textbook chapters and the second edition of the Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Pediatric Hematology Oncology Handbook.
CHRCO Experience: I chose to train at CHRCO because it has an urban and diverse population which allows for an expansive training in both hematology and oncology, with large sickle cell and thalassemia populations not available to many fellowship programs. In addition, the hematology/oncology attending staff are all easily accessible throughout training and one is able to get to know all of the patients in the treatment pool which allows for better learning and continuity of care.
Current Position: Clinical Director of Pediatric hematology/oncology at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana through Texas Children's Hospital Global Health Service Corps and Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers. I am now transitioning from a job with the International Network of Cancer Treatment and Research (INCTR-USA) in which we are working towards setting up a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship program at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to a job back in the States.

Shannon Wahl, MD
Fellow Years: 2007-2010
Fellowship Project: Acute transfusion for vaso-occlusive crisis in Sickle Cell disease. I performed a randomized trial to test the efficacy of acute red blood cell transfusion to treat vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease patients hospitalized with pain.
CHRCO Experience: I knew I had a strong interest in hematology in general and sickle cell disease in particular, therefore sought a fellowship with a strong hematology program. While many pediatric hematology/oncology fellowships have strong oncology training, it is less common to have excellence in both oncology and hematology, and CHRCO achieves this balance.
Current Position: Assistant Clinical investigator, Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, with a focus on transfusion outcomes research for patients with sickle cell disease.

Jennifer Michlitsch, MD
Fellow Years: 2006-2009
Fellowship Project: Screening for compounds that disrupt epigenetic silencing in erythroid cells.
Current Position: Clinical Oncologist, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Myra Mizokami, MD, PhD
Fellows Years: 2006-2009 (transfer from CHLA)
Fellowship Project: Co-transplantation of immunomodulatory cell populations to augment engraftment and decrease transplant related mortality associated with umbilical cord blood transplantation.
Current Position: Staff physician, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA

Andrea Dimond, MD
Fellow Years: 2005-2008
Fellowship Project: Decreased microvascular perfusion in children with sickle cell disease using orthogonal polarization spectral imaging.
Current Position: Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist, Baton Rouge, LA

Bindu Kanathezhath, MD
Fellow Years: 2005-2008
Fellowship Project: Overcoming the barrier to major histocompatibility complex mismatched umbilical cord blood transplantation in murine thalassemia by “add-back” of phytochemically treated donor T lymphocytes.
Current Position: Bone Marrow Transplant and CIRM scholar, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Robert Raphael, MD
Fellow Years: 2004-2007
Fellowship Project: Detection of hMLH1 somatic hypermethylation by quantitative methylation-specific PCR (Q-MSP).
Current Position: Associate Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist; Associate Fellowship Director, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Patrick Chang, MD
Fellow Years: 2003-2006
Fellowship Project: Molecular epidemiology: FLT3 status of leukemia patients in Northern California; "Backtracked" positive mutations - assessed newborn screen blood samples to see if FLT3 mutation was present at birth.
CHRCO Experience: I chose CHRCO because of the well balanced hematology and oncology training and a clinical focus.
Current Position: Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Attending physician, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara, CA

Naveen Qureshi, MD
Fellow Years: 2004-2005 (transfer from CHLA)
Fellowship Project: Zinc finger protein mediates correction of the murine sickle genotype. (in association with Sangamo Biosciences).
Current Position: Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist, Kaiser Permanente

Ashutosh Lal, MD
Fellow Years: 2002-2005
Fellowship Project: Reversal of oxidative damage from iron overload with alpha-lipoic acid.
Current Position: Director, Thalassemia, Hematology, Children’s Hospital Oakland

Louis Chesler, MD
Fellow Years: 2000-2003
Fellowship Project: Mouse models of human cancer – role of the MYCN oncogene in human neuroblastoma cell lines.
CHRCO Experience: I liked the hematology and broad mix of patients”
Current Position: Associate Professor, Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, England

Louise Lo, MD
Fellow Years: 1999-2002
Fellowship Project: Multidentate oral iron chelators for the treatment of Cooley’s anemia.
Current Position: Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA

Jason Fixler, MD
Fellow Years: 1999-2002
Fellowship Project: The role of RPS19 is involved in the pathogenesis of Diamond Blackfan Anemia
CHRCO Experience: What was helpful about the Hematology Oncology Fellowship program at Children's Oakland was the approachability of all of the attendings. Hematology was stressed and not ignored like most programs. That exposure has allowed me to participate in national trials for sickle cell disease. It has also allowed me to make changes in our own program.
Current Position: Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai; Baltimore, MD

Ulricke Reiss, MD
Fellow Years: 1998-2001
Fellowship Project: Sphingosine-1-lyase (S-1-P) in cancer biology and treatment.
Current position: Associate hematologist, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

Carolyn Hoppe, MD
Fellow Years: 1997-2000
Fellowship Project: Genetic predictors of stroke in children with Sickle Cell anemia.
Current Position: Director, Hemoglobin Reference Lab, Hematology, Sickle Cell Disease, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Michael Jeng, MD
Fellow Years: 1996-1999
Fellowship Project: Genetic damage in bone marrow stem cells – a model system for testing candidate leukemogens. I worked at UC Berkeley in the laboratory of Martyn Smith, PhD. I was an environmental toxicology fellow, and I worked on exposure of cord blood stem cells to a variety of known toxins, and evaluated these for mutagenesis using a variety of established assays.
CHRCO Experience: I chose CHRCO] for the hematology program, and mentorship of Dr. Elliott Vichinsky. I was interested in sickle cell disease.
Current Position: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Lucille Packard Childrens Hospital, Stanford, CA

William Reed, MD, MHS
Fellow Years: 1995-1998
Fellowship Project: Fate of donor leukocytes following transfusion in patients with Sickle Cell disease.
Current Position: Director, Clinical Research and Medical Affairs, Cerus Corporation, CA

Carla Golden, MD, MS
Fellow Years: 1995-1998
Fellowship Project: Stem cell involvement in disease progression and therapeutic outcome in childhood acute myelogenous leukemia.
Current Position: Principal Investigator for Children’s Oncology Group studies, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Patrick Kelly, MD
Fellow years: 1994-1997
Fellowship Project: Umbilical cord blood stem cells: Application for the treatment of patients with hemoglobinopathies.
Current Position: Director, Hematology; Wyeth Research, Cambridge, MA

Lori Styles, MD
Fellow Years: 1993-1996
Fellowship Project: Phospholipase A2 and correlation with acute chest syndrome in Sickle Cell disease.
Current Position: Staff scientist, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute

Alison Matsunaga, MD
Fellow Years: 1991-1994
Fellowship Project: Investigation of sequence motifs necessary for full enhancer activity of beta-globin 5’ DNase I hypersensitive aite-2 in transgenic mice.
Current Position: Director, General Hematology, Hemophilia and Thrombosis Program, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Ewa Carrier, MD
Fellow Years: 1991-1994
Fellowship Project: Developed a model for in utero transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells in non-defective allogenic mouse and studied correlation of engraftment in this model with tolerance induction.
Current Position: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Bone Marrow Transplant, University of California, San Diego

Sylvia Titi Singer, MD
Fellow Years: 1990-1993
Fellowship Project: Factor VII specific T lymphocytes
Current Position: Hematologist, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Caroline Hastings, MD
Fellow Years: 1989-1992
Fellowship Project: Trained in the laboratory diagnosis of beta-thalassemias; made constructs to study the expression of delta globin with variations in beta and delta promoters and coding sequences, with a goal to alleviate the defect in large deletional beta thalassemias.
Current Position: Director, Fellowship Program and Satellite Clinics, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland

 

 

Jason Fixler, MD
Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai

Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago

Fellowship Research: How RPS19 is involved in the pathogenesis of Diamond Blackfan Anemia

“I am currently Divisional Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai in Baltimore, Maryland. I am one of the investigators for the Baby Hug and SITT trial as well as a future investigator on the Proactive study.”

"What was helpful [about the Hematology Oncology Fellowship program at Children's Oakland was] the approachability of all of the attendings. Hematology was stressed and not ignored like most programs. That exposure has allowed me to participate in national trials for sickle cell disease. It has also allowed me to make changes in our own program."

Michael Jeng, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Stanford University Medical School

Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Residency: Children’s Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University

Fellowship Research: Cytogenetic and Leukemogenesis in Cord Blood Stem Cells

“I came to the Oakland Children’s Hem/Onc Fellowship Program knowing that I wanted to pursue a career in Pediatric Hematology. The program really prepared me both clinically and from a research perspective for an academic career. My lab work was at the University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health, which really enabled me to be part of a large research institute, and I maintain my close ties with colleagues there and at CHO. I don’t think there is a much stronger program in hematology in the country.”

Anurag Agrawal, MD

Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine
Additional: Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI), Lesotho, Africa (2007-08)

Pediatric Residency: Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland

Fellowship Research: “My research interest focuses on supportive care in and late effects of pediatric cancers.”