Elizabeth was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to her medical training in New York, she completed a master’s degree in Nutritional Biology at the University of California, Davis, where she also completed research investigating nutrition and chronic metabolic disease. She has multiple publications, including reviews in nutritional aspects of pediatric care and for survivors of childhood cancer. She completed her pediatrics residency at Cohen Children’s Medical Center at LIJ/Northwell. During residency she served as the Executive Coordinator of Learning and Growth within the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Pediatric Trainees. Elizabeth is also involved in legislative advocacy and published an opinion editorial on the topic of sugary beverage consumption in kids. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the city with her husband and one-year-old daughter, trying new cafes, staying active, and cooking.
Maria is originally from Argentina, where she graduated from medical school at Universidad Austral. She then completed her residency at Garrahan Hospital in Argentina, where she developed a passion for Hematology and Oncology. She later moved to the US to complete a second pediatric residency at BronxCare Health System. Her research interests include high-risk leukemia and CAR-T therapy. Maria is passionate about advocating for vulnerable populations and hopes to participate in global outreach programs during her fellowship. She also enjoys hiking and traveling.
Paige is from New Jersey where she attended Rutgers New Jersey Medical School before completing pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx. It was there that her interest in the field was solidified, namely in hematologic malignancies and myelodysplastic syndromes. She is also passionate about medical education and systems practices aimed at optimizing patient care, spearheading institutional programs and research projects throughout residency. In her free time, she enjoys running, exploring the city, and creative endeavors.
Richard completed his MD and PhD degrees at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and his residency training at New York Presbyterian - Weill Cornell Medicine as part of the physician scientist program. As a clinician, Richard is passionate about providing compassionate and comprehensive care to children and families affected by pediatric cancer. Richard's research focus revolves around the molecular mechanisms of pediatric cancer initiation and progression, and identifying novel markers for the diagnosis and prognosis of pediatric cancers. He enjoys spending time in NYC with his partner and daughter.
Emma grew up in Cambridge, MA before moving to the Philadelphia area to attend Bryn Mawr College. She then completed a Master of Bioethics degree at the University of Pennsylvania and medical school at the Boston University School of Medicine. While a pediatrics resident at NYU, she developed a passion for hematology-oncology with a particular interest in leukemia and lymphoma. Building on her ethics background, Emma hopes to pursue clinical ethics research in fellowship. Outside of work, she loves traveling to national parks, cooking and eating vegetarian food, attending Broadway shows, knitting, reading fantasy novels, and hanging out with her two cats, Attie and Pippa.
George was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and grew up in Canada, China, and the United States. He completed medical school at Thomas Jefferson University/Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia, followed by pediatric residency at Rutgers/Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He fell in love with pediatric hem-onc care starting in medical school because of the incredible bond formed with patients and families as well as the synergy between outpatient, inpatient, and research roles. His research interests include BMT, CAR-T, cost effectiveness analysis and developing global health partnerships. In his free time, George’s favorite pursuits include backpacking around the world, hiking through high mountain passes, playing the piano and cello, baking and cooking, long bike trips, and watching live sports with friends (go Knicks, Giants and Yankees!)
Teresa is originally from the Dominican Republic where she went to medical school and graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo. She then completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit where she fell in love with Hematology and Oncology. Her research interests include high risk leukemia and Cancer Population Science. She would like to create a medical mission to aid Dominican Republic’s oncology and sickle cell anemia patients and bridge this underserved population to better health care. She is very passionate about advocating for vulnerable populations and she hopes to continue to advocate and educate these populations during her fellowship.
Anne was born in Manhattan, Kansas and lived abroad in Taiwan and China as a child. Her interest in pediatric oncology was sparked in college at the University of Southern California where she worked with Dr. Jonathan Finlay at CHLA investigating late effects in pediatric brain tumor patients. During medical school at the University of Cincinnati, she worked with Dr. Maryam Fouladi and conducted research with the International DIPG/DMG registry. She completed her pediatrics residency at Washington University in St. Louis, where she worked with Dr. Mohamed Abdelbaki and conducted research on irradiation-delaying strategies for patients with medulloblastoma. Anne has a particular interest in tumor genomics, experimental therapeutics and targeted molecular therapies within the field of neuro-oncology. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, biking, running, piano and yoga.
Stelios obtained his medical degree from the University of Patras, School of Health Sciences, Greece. He relocated to New York City and joined the team of Drs. Ferrara & Levine as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai. His research focused on the use of serum biomarkers to predict outcomes in children with steroid refractory GVHD. His work's contribution has been pivotal in the ongoing review of the application seeking FDA approval for mesenchymal stem cells as a treatment option for children with steroid-refractory GVHD - a population grappling with limited treatment options. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. Beyond the realm of medicine, Stelios enjoys running in Central Park, playing chess, immersing himself in the theatre scene, and exploring what the city has to offer.
Nimisha graduated from Rural Medical College, India in 2018 and completed my residency in Pediatrics from Flushing Hospital Medical Center, NY in 2024. She has lived in NY for three years and is very excited to continue staying in this wonderful city while pursuing fellowship in Pediatric Hematology Oncology. Having some lab based research experience before residency, I see my research interests rooted in the same. I have a keen interest in BMT and see myself doing research in GVHD.My future goals revolve around working in BMT/gene therapy and solid tumors.
Sana is originally from Pakistan and was raised in the United Arab Emirates. She went to medical school at Shifa College of Medicine in Pakistan and did her Pediatric residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. She is interested in BMT and cancer genomics. Sana is fascinated by the basis of oncogenesis and cancer predisposition which is an avenue she hopes she can do more research in.
Kanayo attended Ebonyi State University Medical School in Nigeria. He did his residency One Brooklyn Health - Brookdale University Hospital. Nwankwo has a profound research interest in sickle cell anemia, gene and cellular therapies, and bone marrow transplant. His dedication to advancing treatment options for pediatric hematologic disorders reflects his deep commitment to improving children's health outcomes. As he progresses in his medical career, he aspires to be at the forefront of pediatric hematology-oncology, innovating in treatment and care for young patients.
Sal completed his medical school training at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School with a Distinction in Research. While in medical school, he conducted immunotherapy research in the Zloza Lab at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey using flow cytometry to better understand the immune mechanisms underlying successful pre-clinical and clinical trials as well as research on gut microbiota. Sal completed his pediatric residency at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell and developed an interest in exploring supportive care adjuvants and improving the quality of life in hematology and oncology patients. He is currently exploring the perceptions held by pediatric hematologist and oncologists regarding the integration of medical cannabis and cannabinoid products into patient care. His goal is to balance patient care with clinical research and medical education, developing the skills necessary to providing effective and compassionate care for this patient population at the beside while also performing research that can directly impact their lives.
Lauren was born and raised in Merrick, Long Island and received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. She completed her pediatric residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her interests lie in leukemia and lymphoma, specifically research into new targeted therapies and deintensification protocols. She is also passionate about survivorship and patient/ family empowerment and education.
Christine grew up in Chicago, enduring many harsh winters while daydreaming about warmer climates. She attended University of Chicago undergrad and Chicago Medical School, but eventually relocated to New York City for residency at Jacobi Medical Center of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In addition to her clinical work, Christine has dedicated several years to conducting research in the fields of structural biology, DNA repair, and sarcoma studies and is eager to continue her lab adventures in search of novel targets in Dr. Ladanyi’s Lab at MSKCC. Outside of medicine she loves to lace up her running shoes and go on culinary quests through NYC's vibrant neighborhoods. Racing from one foodie hotspot to another, she indulges her taste buds guilt-free, knowing that she has earned every delicious bite.
Surabhi was raised in New Jersey and attended college at the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in Neuroscience and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She then attended medical school at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her pediatric residency at NYP Weill Cornell where she conducted research on the reproductive and sexual health of oncology patients. She also has a passion for education and mentoring and throughout residency worked as a tutor for medical students preparing for the USMLE step exams and was a mentor for underrepresented college students with an interest in medicine. After her residency, Surabhi worked as a Pediatric Hospitalist on the Inpatient Oncology Unit at NYP Columbia. Her role focused on resident education, direct patient care and optimizing inpatient workflow while working closely with interdisciplinary healthcare professionals. She envisions a career working in the world of Leukemia/Lymphoma. Research she finds interesting surrounds targeted therapies and minimizing toxic side effects during treatment in hopes to focus not just on cure but also on optimizing quality of life for patients where we can.
Alex was born and raised in North Jersey. As a senior in high school, he was accepted into a joint program with Monmouth University and Drexel University School of Medicine. After graduating college early, he worked in industry at Ethicon, Inc. In June 2020, he moved to Boston for his pediatric residency where he met his fiancée and his two cats. He trained at Tufts Children’s Hospital for two years before moving to Boston Children's Hospital for his last year. During his training he has worked on resident curriculum development, a clinical case series and projects within bench-top and QI research. His research interests are still quite broad within translational/clinical research. He is leaning towards the solid tumor population but is open-minded and interested in exploring the field further. Outside of medicine, he is a huge sports fan, including the Yankees, Nets and Giants with a goal of trying to visit every MLB stadium.
Sonika graduated from New York Medical College and completed her residency at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at NYP-Columbia. She is interested in the overlap between our immune system and oncologic processes. During her residency, her research project focused on post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside with her dog and yoga.
Han-Wei is interested in clinical and health outcomes research in Pediatric Oncology and his research interests include survivorship in children and adolescents with oncologic conditions undergoing BMT vs. immunotherapies, transition-of-care, and late effects of therapeutic regimens. His goal is to become a productive pediatrician scientist in hematology/oncology who can influence policies and treatment guidelines that positively impact patients and their families. Fun fact: He attended the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division (piano major) and performed at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. Outside of medicine, his interests include staying active (volleyball, swimming, soccer, working out), exploring new restaurants, appreciating music (attending concerts, playing violin/piano), and spending time with family and friends.