Meet Our People

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Program leaders and administrators 2023
From left to right: George Lindsay, Dr. Danielle Pastor, Elizabeth Hedstrom, Dr. Jennifer Kanakry, Dr. Kamil Rechache, Dr. Kathyrn Lurain, Dr. Christopher Pleyer, and Kellyn Betts. (Not shown: Saleema Osman)

NIH Hematology Oncology fellows can work with more than 100 laboratories and clinical research groups at the NIH, many led by principal investigators who have achieved international recognition. Our leadership and faculty include inspiring and award-winning instructors

Program Leadership

NamePositionSpecialty
Jennifer Kanakry, M.D.Program DirectorHematology
Kathryn Lurain, M.D., M.P.H.Associate Program Director for Hematologic Malignancies & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion InitiativesHematology/Oncology
Christopher Pleyer, M.D.Associate Program Director for HematologyHematology/Oncology
Danielle Pastor, D.O., Ph.D.Associate Program Director for Medical Oncology & Chief of Medical Oncology Consult ServiceMedical Oncology
Kamil Rechache, M.D.Associate Program Director for Cellular TherapiesHematology/Oncology
Emily Bryer, D.O.Co-chief FellowHematology/Oncology
Krithika Shanmugasundaram, M.D.Co-chief FellowHematology/Oncology
Kellyn BettsProgram Coordinator, NCI 
Elizabeth HedstromProgram Coordinator, NCI  
George LindsayProgram Coordinator, NHLBI 
Saleema OsmanFellowship Clinic Coordinator, NCI 

Program Faculty

NCI Faculty

NHLBI Faculty

Hematology Branch
Hematopoiesis and Bone Marrow Failure
Neal Young, M.D.
Emma Groarke, M.D.
Bhavisha Patel, M.D.

Lymphoid Malignancies
Adrian Wiestner, M.D., Ph.D.* 
Christopher Pleyer, M.D.*
Andy Itsara, M.D.*
Clare Sun, M.D.*

Myeloid Malignancies
Christopher Hourigan, M.D., D.Phil*

Regenerative Therapies for Inherited Blood Disorders
Andre Larochelle, M.D., Ph.D.*
Daisuke Araki, M.D.*

Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch
John Tisdale, M.D.*
Courtney Fitzhugh, M.D.*
Emily Limerick, M.D.
Matthew Hsieh, M.D.*
Richard Childs, M.D.*
Georg Aue, M.D., Ph.D.*
Rosa Nadal Rios, M.D.*
Joseph Clara, M.D.*

Sickle Cell Branch
Swee Lay Thein, M.B., B.S., D.Sc 
Arun Shet, M.D.

Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch
Cynthia Dunbar, M.D. 
David Young, M.D.
Stephan Cordes, M.D., Ph.D.*

Hematology Consults & Graduate Medical Education Section
Charles Bolan, M.D.
Shelley Kalsi, M.D.
Christopher Pleyer, M.D.

*Alumna/alumnus of the NIH Hematology Oncology Fellowship program, the Medical Oncology Fellowship Program or the Hematology Fellowship Program.