The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital is further cementing UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's national reputation as a leader in hematology/oncology programs. A new team of specialists is in place, elevating the standard of care for pediatric cancer patients.

Duncan Stearns, MD, is a pediatric neuro-oncologist recruit who will lead a growing team focused on meeting the needs of pediatric patients affected by brain tumors. Dr. Stearns has established a recognized research program investigating the basic biology of medulloblastoma, the most common childhood brain tumor. He has devoted his career to developing new approaches to treat brain tumors and will oversee efforts to expand translational research and clinical programs in the Jennifer Ferchill Brain Tumor Center at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital.

The expansion of clinical programs and services will be facilitated by the recent recruitment of Joseph Matloub, MD. Dr. Matloub has held several leadership positions within the Children's Oncology Group (COG) pediatric leukemia program and chaired the largest worldwide clinical study for the treatment of children with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dr. Matloub is the lead author on manuscripts that will soon report on recently completed clinical trials that demonstrate a greater than 95 percent cure rate for pediatric ALL patients. Dr. Matloub is the first holder of the Angie Fowler Chair in Adolescent & Young Adult Oncology at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. In this role Dr. Matloub will work with the University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center now University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and community members to expand services devoted to the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer community. Dr. Matloub aims to develop the nation's first fellowship program to train physicians who will devote their careers to meeting the special needs of the AYA cancer patient.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's commitment to the AYA cancer initiative has also benefited from the recent recruitment of Rachel Egler, MD, who is recognized as a member of the COG committee on germ cell tumors, the most common form of cancer in the AYA demographic. Dr. Egler will be working with the UH Seidman Cancer Center to enhance programmatic efforts devoted to patients with solid tumors and will focus on enhancing opportunities for clinical trials participation and research. Dr. Egler will serve as the Director of Hematology/Oncology outpatient services and as Director of Community Oncology. She will facilitate the division's efforts to regionalize our hematology and cancer services, improve access and enhance UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's relationship with community physicians.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital also has a significant commitment to expand hematology services devoted to children with coagulation disorders, anemia, hemoglobinopathies and other nonmalignant blood disorders. In 2008, the division recruited Sanjay Ahuja, MD, a nationally recognized expert in hemophilia and thrombosis. Under his leadership, the Hemophilia Treatment Center of University Hospitals of Cleveland is developing improved standards for the pre- and post-operative care of patients with bleeding disorders and establishing outreach clinics to enhance access for patients with hemophilia and other benign hematologic conditions. The Center staff provides education and consultation to medical professionals to enhance the coordination and quality of services provided to patients. The goal is to expand the opportunities for patients to participate in research studies and clinical trials designed to improve the understanding and approach to the treatment of the diseases.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital is also recognized by the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology as a program devoted to training clinicians, physician-scientists and researchers. The division has significantly strengthened and expanded research efforts through its recruits, including Alex Huang, MD, who arrived in 2006 as Fellowship Director. Dr. Huang came to UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital from the National Institutes of Health, where he conducted pioneering research focused on the development of a powerful imaging technology that allows for the direct visualization of immune cells in a living system. He captured $800,000 in grant support to support cutting-edge research on the dynamic visualization of immune cell recruitment and activation at sites of inflammation and cancer. The technology promises to revolutionize the development of vaccines and immunotherapy for these diseases. Under Dr. Huang's leadership, the fellowship program now supports the training of six current fellows, with another two beginning in the 2010 academic year.

UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital also is recognized as a center of excellence in pediatric bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's Pediatric Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program is led by Kenneth R. Cooke, MD, an internationally recognized researcher in graft versus host disease, the major complication in transplants. Dr. Cooke was recently appointed to serve on the American Society of Hematology's Scientific Subcommittee on Stem Cell Biology, and he was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation as the Director of Laboratory Science. Dr. Cooke also was just inducted into the American Society of Clinical Investigation, a prestigious honor society of physician-scientists who translate findings in the laboratory to the advancement of clinical practice. Under Dr. Cooke's leadership, the BMT program has more than doubled the number of transplants performed in 2008 and 2009. The transplant program serves as a major referral center for northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania and is a destination center for international patients.