Academic history
James Ferrara is the Ward-Coleman Chair of Cancer Medicine and a Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. He received his medical degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and completed his internship and residency in pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital of Boston, Boston, MA. He then subsequently completed a fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and was a Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Speaking on pediatric hematological-oncology
Prof. Ferrara’s recent research includes bone marrow transplantation (BMT), which involves allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as finding novel interactions between the innate and adaptive immune systems. Through his research, Prof. Ferrara has identified biomarkers for skin, gut, and steroid-resistant graft versus host disease (GVHD), which led to first algorithm being developed that predicts response to treatment, making BMT safer and more effective for patients.
Prof. Ferrara is also involved in several clinical trials, including a Phase I/II trial investigating the safety and efficacy of a combination of anti-CD3/CD7 immunotoxins in GVHD, and a Phase II trial investigating the efficacy of sirolimus as a potential alternative to prednisone in treating acute GVHD.
