The Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital is a pioneer in the care and treatment of childhood cancers and blood disorders.
The mission of the division is to treat and cure children and adolescents with cancer and blood diseases who live in Iowa by delivering personalized multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art care, through participation both in nationally and locally designed protocols.
It is part of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a national consortium of pediatric cancer centers. The COG is well known for its new and innovative ways of treating childhood cancer. The division has a long history of success in bringing hope to patients with programs such as our blood and bone marrow transplant, comprehensive sickle cell program, and comprehensive hemophilia center.
Education
Our division provides teaches undergraduates, medical students, residents, and fellow physicians. Our division also provides education and assistance to practicing physicians and allied health care providers throughout the state of Iowa and beyond to help with proper management and referral of patients with childhood cancers and blood disorders.
Fellowship Program
Our Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship educates the next generation of academic pediatric hematology-oncologists. Fellows learn clinical pediatric practice as well as basic and/or clinical research projects. Most recently, our program has recruited faculty and expanded programs to levels never seen at the University of Iowa.
A Faculty-focused Academic Medical Center
UI Health Care faculty enjoy defined academic time, plus benefits like doubling your retirement contribution. With a short commute and low cost of home ownership, it's no surprise we attract the best academically trained providers.
Research
Research in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology is conducted by internationally renowned physician-scientists. Research projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health and various philanthropic organizations.
Areas of research interest include identification of novel therapeutic targets in Ewing's sarcoma, maintaining a patient database at a centralized server through American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (ATHN), and more.
Some of our faculty participate in the Neuroendocrine SPORE Grant Program, which tries to understand the molecular biology of NETs so that it is possible to diagnose cancers earlier and create new treatments.
Division Investigators
Investigators
- David Gordon, MD, PhD: Developing innovative approaches to creating genetically defined, as well as biologically relevant, models of cancer in human cells by combining genomic data from the sequencing of cancer genomes with the pluripotent nature of human embryonic stem cells.
- David Dickens, MD: Improving care and outcomes for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. Co-chair of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium AYA Clinical Trial Working Group.
- Anjali Sharathkumar, MBBS, MD, MS: Evaluating patient needs with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Evaluating phenotype of bleeding and thrombosis using thrombin generation parameters.
- Janice Staber, MD: Discovering mechanisms leading to decreased brain volumes, executive dysfunction/ behavior changes, and neuroinflammation in people with hemophilia A and biologically relevant models. We investigate the effect of cerebral microbleeds and neuroinflammation on brain structure and function and use gene therapy techniques to correct deficits.
- Jessica Zimmerman, MD: Long-term goal to identify mechanisms, both genomic and non-genomic, by which glucocorticoid activity can be specifically enhanced for the treatment of B-lymphblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and to use this knowledge to develop effective, less toxic glucocorticoid-based chemotherapy regimens for patients with B-ALL.
Recent Division Publications
Our research supports the rapid translation of laboratory discoveries into new treatments.
Clinical Care
We provide state-of-the-art comprehensive medical treatments for blood disorders, disorders of iron metabolism, coagulation and bleeding, as well as childhood leukemias and cancers such as lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease, Wilm's tumor, neuroblastoma, and osteogenic sarcoma.
The division features the only program in the state of Iowa that performs pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and we are the Iowa Comprehensive Hemophilia Center.
We specialize in multidisciplinary support for patients and their families. Services include psychosocial support with on-site social work and genetic counseling services. Nursing services, including that of a thalassemia, sickle cell and oncology nurse practitioner and infusion nurses, assist in the care and administration of medications, blood products, infusions and chemotherapy. Learn about our services and request an appointment.
Conditions we see include, but are not limited to:
- Anemia
- Bleeding disorders
- Childhood cancers
- Clotting disorders
- Leukemias
- Neonatal hematological problems
- Sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and other hemoglobinopathies
- Vascular malformations
Latest Division News
UI Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital joins the Children's Brain Tumor Network
David Gordon, MD, PhD
Division Contact Information
University of Iowa Stead Family Department of Pediatrics
Division of Hematology-Oncology
200 Hawkins Drive
2857 John Pappajohn Pavilion (JPP)
Iowa City, IA 52242
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