Our CAR T-cell therapy team is made up of experts in leukemia, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and stem cell transplantation who are experienced in administering genetically modified therapies and are well-equipped to anticipate and handle any potential side effects of CAR T-cell therapy. This team is supported by Boston Children's Hospital, the #1-ranked children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report and builds upon Dana-Farber/Boston Children's immunotherapy expertise, a world-leading gene therapy program, and one of the country's largest pediatric stem cell transplant programs.
Our CAR T-cell therapy team includes:
Lewis B. Silverman, MD
Director of Clinical Research and Clinical Care, Department of Pediatric Oncology
Dr. Silverman's major research focus is in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He is the principal investigator of the DFCI ALL Consortium, a multi-institutional group conducting clinical trials in children with newly diagnosed and relapsed ALL. Dr. Silverman designs and oversees these studies, which have yielded high cure rates for children with newly diagnosed ALL. His research is also focused on reducing short- and long-term effects of treatment in pediatric ALL patients, as well as testing novel therapies in patients with relapsed disease.
Andrew E. Place, MD, PhD
Clinical Director, Childhood Hematologic Malignancy Center
Dr. Place is a physician-scientist in the Childhood Hematologic Malignancy Center. His clinical expertise focuses on the treatment of children and adolescents with high-risk leukemias and lymphomas. With an intent to improve outcomes for these patients, Dr. Place is pioneering new and effective treatments through high-impact clinical trials.
Kimberly J. Davies, MD
Medical Director, Jimmy Fund Clinic, and Program Leader for Pediatric Oncology Clinical Services, Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Davies is an institute physician at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's and a member of the Hematologic Malignancy Center in the department of pediatric oncology. She has a clinical specialty interest in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Davies is also the panel chair for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's (NCCN) guidelines committee for Pediatric Aggressive Mature B-Cell Lymphomas. Her professional interests include ambulatory oncology, clinical operations, and pediatric hematologic malignancies treatment.
Susanne Baumeister, MD
Physician, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program
Dr. Baumeister is a physician-scientist in our Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program. She has comprehensive clinical expertise in pediatric stem cell transplantation and the management of immune effector therapies. Dr. Baumeister's clinical-translational research focuses on the development of novel cell-based immunotherapies and stem cell transplant approaches. She leads innovative CAR T-cell clinical trials to improve outcomes for patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies.
Colleen Dansereau, RN, MSN, CPN
Director of Clinical Operations, Gene Therapy Program
As operations director of the Gene Therapy Program, Colleen administratively manages the Pediatric CAR T-Cell Therapy Program. She also has administrative responsibility for all gene therapy clinical trials that take place at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's for conditions including sickle cell disease, Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS), and chronic granulomatous disease (CGD).
Robyn Blacken, BSN, RN, CPHON, BMTCN
Brenda MacKinnon, BSN, RN
Nurse Navigators
Robyn and Brenda are the two nurse navigators that will guide you and your child through the CAR T-cell therapy treatment process. They specialize in treating children with cancer and blood disorders. From collecting your child's T cells through apheresis, to infusing the modified cells, they will be with you each step of the way.
Pediatric psychosocial support team
Our care team includes physicians, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Each member of this team has special expertise in the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of caring for children with cancer. We know that the whole family is affected by a cancer diagnosis, and so we provide care and support for each family member throughout each stage of the treatment journey.