Ramya Ramaswami, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.

Ramya Ramaswami, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.
Physician-Scientist Early Investigator
HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch

Dr. Ramaswami is a physician in the HIV/AIDS Malignancy Branch. She is an expert in the management of patients with Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV)-associated diseases, such as Kaposi sarcoma and multicentric Castleman disease, and other HIV-associated cancers. Her clinical and translational research is focused on developing novel diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies for patients with HIV and cancer.

Dr. Ramaswami also investigates ways to reduce cancer care disparities among people living with HIV within the United States and beyond.

Areas of Expertise

1) Kaposi sarcoma, 2) multicentric Castleman disease, 3) HIV-associated malignancy,
4) viral oncology, 5) global oncology, 6) health disparities

Contact Info

Ramya Ramaswami, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Building 10, Room 6N106
Bethesda, MD 20892-1868
Ph: 240-858-3261
ramya.ramaswami@nih.gov

Dr. Ramaswami is a medical oncologist in the HIV/AIDS Malignancy Branch (HAMB). She leads the natural history and treatment study of patients with KSHV-associated multicentric Castleman disease (KSHV-MCD) within the NCI, which includes the largest group of patients treated for this condition within the United States. Clinical and laboratory data from this study will help inform new ways to diagnose and treat this rare and life-threatening condition.

Patients with Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) and HIV often present with more than one malignancy, which may lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Dr. Ramaswami collaborates with her laboratory and clinical colleagues to determine key immunologic, genomic and clinical parameters that distinguish between these conditions, with an aim to improve patient outcomes.

NIH Scientific Focus Areas:
Cancer Biology, Clinical Research, Health Disparities, Immunology, Virology

Selected Key Publications

  1. Tocilizumab in Patients with Symptomatic Kaposi sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV)- associated Multicentric Castleman disease.
    Ramaswami R, Lurain K, Peer CJ, Serquiña A, Wang VY, Widell A, Goncalves P, Steinberg SM, Marshall V, George J, Figg WD, Whitby D, Ziegelbauer J, Uldrick TS, Yarchoan R.
    Blood. [Epub ahead of print], 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  2. Signatures of oral microbiome in HIV-infected individuals with oral Kaposi's sarcoma and cell-associated KSHV DNA.
    Gruffaz M, Zhang T, Marshall V, Gonçalves P, Ramaswami R, Labo N, Whitby D, Uldrick TS, Yarchoan R, Huang Y, Gao SJ.
    PLoS Pathog. 16(1): e1008114, 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  3. A Pilot Study of Liposomal Doxorubicin Combined with Bevacizumab followed by Bevacizumab Monotherapy in Patients with Advanced Kaposi Sarcoma.
    Ramaswami R, Uldrick TS, Polizzotto MN, Wyvill KM, Goncalves P, Widell A, Lurain K, Steinberg SM, Figg WD, Tosato G, Whitby D, Yarchoan R.
    Clin Cancer Res. 25(14): 4238-47, 2019. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Discovery of Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus-encoded circular RNAs and a human antiviral circular RNA.
    Tagawa T, Gao S, Koparde VN, Gonzalez M, Spouge JL, Serquiña AP, Lurain K, Ramaswami R, Uldrick TS, Yarchoan R, Ziegelbauer JM.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 115(50): 12805-10, 2018. [ Journal Article ]
  5. Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy.
    Ramaswami R, Morrow M, Jagsi R.
    New Engl J Med. 377(13): 1288-91, 2017. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Ramaswami received her medical degree from Imperial College London and a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health. She completed her medical and oncology training within the National Health Services of the United Kingdom. During her oncology fellowship, she worked with the National Centre for HIV Malignancy at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, which is Europe's largest research and treatment institute for HIV-associated cancers.

 Dr. Ramaswami was an editorial fellow at the New England Journal of Medicine between 2016-2017. She is a member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP(UK)) and has completed her specialty training examinations in medical oncology (SCE).