Charles, Lillian, and Betty Neuwirth Clinical Scholar in Pediatric Oncology
Kaplan, Rosandra
(212) 746-3400
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical Center. I received my undergraduate degree (BA) from Connecticut College in New London, CT, and my medical degree (MD) from Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH. After completing my Pediatric residency training at Children?s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center, I pursued a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center, where I was also Chief Fellow and did my research work in the laboratory of Dr David Lyden.
The focus of my research is detailing the earliest microenvironmental events in the metastatic cascade and translating these findings into the clinical setting. This work lead to the development of a novel paradigm demonstrating that even localized tumors have systemic effects to prepare distant tissue sites for metastases based on our discoveries that bone marrow-derived cells are recruited to future sites of metastasis and establish a receptive microenvironment for incoming circulating tumor cells. We have determined that these specialized bone marrow-derived cells are present in the circulation as well as in metastatic tissue of patients with newly diagnosed pediatric and adult cancers. These cells may serve, not only as a useful biomarker for metastatic propensity, but also are fundamental mediators of the metastatic process and therefore will likely be useful target for the prevention of metastatic spread in the neo-adjuvant setting. I am a Charles, Lillian and Betty Neuwirth Scholar in Clinical Oncology.
I am actively conducting several clinical research projects for both pediatric and adult patients with cancer and other disease such as hemophilia and metabolic syndrome.
(212) 746-3400 
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