Christopher G. Kanakry, M.D.

Dr. Christopher Kanakry pursues basic, translational, and clinical research related to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. His work largely centers on better understanding and developing the use of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide as graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. By deciphering the immunologic mechanisms underlying the clinical efficacy of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide as well as its immunologic impact, he hopes to make this approach a safer and more effective treatment for patients with malignant and non-malignant hematologic disorders.
Contact Info
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
10-CRC, Room 4-3142
Bethesda, MD 20892
Ph: 240-760-6171
christopher.kanakry@nih.gov
Dr. Kanakry’s research has centered upon better understanding the immunologic mechanisms of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide in order to rationally improve transplantation platforms using this approach. He has defined the preferential resistance of regulatory T-cells to post-transplantation cyclophosphamide and showed this to be a key component of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide’s clinical activity in murine models. He also has published multiple clinical studies on the use of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide as single-agent graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis in human leukocyte antigen-matched allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. His current work centers on using a major histocompatibility complex-haploidentical murine transplant model which he has developed toward investigating a number of key immunologic areas related to graft-versus-host disease and allogeneic transplantation generally and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide specifically. He also continues to explore basic mechanisms of T-cell activation and alloreactivity. Lastly, Dr. Kanakry is directly involved in translating his laboratory findings to the clinic in ongoing early phase clinical trials.
Selected Recent Publications
- JCI Insight. 1(5): 2016. [ Journal Article ]
- Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology. 13(1): 10-24, 2016. [ Journal Article ]
- Blood. 124(25): 3817-3827, 2014. [ Journal Article ]
- J. Clin. Oncology. 32(31): 3497-3505, 2014. [ Journal Article ]
- Sci Transl Med. 5: 211ra157, 1-12, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
Dr. Kanakry received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his MD from Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Hematology/Medical Oncology fellowships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also carried out transplantation research under the mentorship of Dr. Leo Luznik. Dr. Kanakry joined the NCI at the end of 2014.
Name | Position |
---|---|
Rochelle Fletcher Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow (Visiting) |
Suresh Mendu Ph.D. | Biologist (Contr.) |
Michael Patterson | Postbaccalaureate Fellow |
Jennifer Sadler R.N. | Research Nurse |
Natalia Schneider Nunes Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow (Visiting) |