The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta continues to build a world-class program that includes clinical services at Egleston, Hughes Spalding and Scottish Rite, as well as a close working collaboration with Emory University's Department of Pediatrics and the Emory Winship Cancer Institute. Our 50-plus physicians and researchers at the Aflac Cancer Center hold Emory University faculty appointments. Laboratory-based research, both basic and translational, is performed by our researchers at the Emory campus, in conjunction with vibrant clinical research activities at Children’s.
Innovative Therapy
Howard M. Katzenstein, M.D.
Director, Clinical Research and Innovative Therapy Program
The Carter Samuel Martin Children's Chair for Innovative Therapy
Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: PI of COG heptoblastoma trial; liver tumors, neuroblastoma, solid tumors and innovative therapies
Todd M. Cooper, D.O.
Director, Leukemia/Lymphoma Innovative Therapy Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Clinical trials within COG in myeloid leukemia and development of novel therapies for children with relapsed leukemia
Tobey J. MacDonald, M.D.
Director, Pediatric Neuro-oncology Program
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Basic and translational research of childhood brain tumors with primary research focus on the role of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling in medulloblastoma
Basic and Translational Researchers
Olufolake Adisa, M.D.
Senior Associate of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Research interests: Acute chest syndrome in sickle cell disease patients
David R. Archer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant for genetic disease, particularly sickle cell disease, and use of stem cells in regenerative medicine
Kevin D. Bunting, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Laboratory focused studies on normal cytokine signaling in hematopoiesis and dysregulated signaling associated with leukemogenesis
Robert C. Castellino, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Pediatric neuro-oncology, cell signalling in neuronal development, drug development
Christopher B. Doering, Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Development of modified blood coagulation factors and implementation in gene transfer-based therapies
Amy L. Dunn, M.D.
Research interests: Basic mechanisms of hemophilic arthropathy
Jacques Galipeau, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Tumor immunology and biological and cellular therapies for autoimmune and alloimmune disorders; pediatric biopharmaceutical strategies for catastrophic diseases with unmet medical needs
Kelly Goldsmith, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Clinical trials in neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor and other renal tumors of childhood
Lubing Gu, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in childhood cancer and leukemia
Shawn M. Jobe, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Platelet physiology
Leslie S. Kean, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Transplant immunology with a special interest in immune tolerance-induction after non-myeloablative transplant
Anna Kenney, Ph.D.
Director, Pediatric Neuro-oncology Basic Research Program
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: How Sonic hedgehog and interacting signal transduction pathways control normal and neoplastic development within the cerebellum
Wilbur Lam, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Nanomedical technology and approaches to study blood-endothelial cell interactions in sickle cell disease
Renhao Li Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Cell adhesion receptors detect the extracellular stimulation and help to determine the response of their host cells
John Sherman (Pete) Lollar III, M.D.
Director, Hemostasis Research
Chair, Hemophilia of Georgia Inc.
Research interests: Development of novel recombinant factor VIII (fVIII) molecules for use in preventing and treating hemophilia patients with inhibitors; basic research in biosynthesis and expression of fVIII
Tobey J. MacDonald, M.D.
Director, Pediatric Neuro-oncology Program
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Basic and translational research of childhood brain tumors with primary research focus on the role of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling in medulloblastoma
Shannon L. Meeks, M.D.
Instructor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Factor VIII inhibitors; hemophilia; mild bleeding disorders
Solomon F. Ofori-Acquah, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Endothelial barrier function involving leukocyte recruitment and angiogenesis, particularly as it relates to sickle cell disease; gene regulation in haematopoiesis and sickle cell disease
H. Trent Spencer, Ph.D.
Director, Gene Therapy Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar
Research interests: Gene therapy for treatment of cancer and inherited disease via recombinant retroviral vectors and drug resistance immunotherapy
Zhengqi Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Study of STAT5 and its function in signaling mechanisms in leukemogenesis; hematopoietic stem cell biology and transplant
Muxiang Zhou, M.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Research interests: Signaling pathways and regulators of apoptosis as they relate to drug resistance in ALL