Dr. Tasian's translational research program aims to develop targeted therapeutic strategies for high-risk childhood leukemias. To accomplish this, her research program focuses on the characterization of intracellular signal transduction networks and preclinical testing of kinase inhibitors in genetic subtypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She conducts preclinical testing of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapies for AML and ALL, as well as early-phase clinical testing of molecularly-targeted therapies for children with leukemia through the Children’s Oncology Group and other consortia.

Dr. Tasian has substantial expertise in investigation of kinase inhibitors and CAR T-cell immunotherapies in specialized patient-derived xenograft models of childhood and adult ALL and AML, as well as in phosphosignaling analyses and measurement of patients' molecular responses to kinase inhibitors. Successful integration of her bench-based and clinical studies has led to several early-phase clinical trials testing new therapies in children with high-risk leukemias.

BS and BA, University of Notre Dame (Biological Sciences and Psychology), 1999

MD, Baylor College of Medicine, 2004

Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco (Pediatric Hematology-Oncology), 2010

Attending Physician

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

American Society of Hematology, 2007-

Children's Oncology Group, 2008-

American Association for Cancer Research, 2008-

American Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, 2009-

American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2010-

International Society of Paediatric Oncology, 2014-

European Hematology Association, 2016-

ASCO Trainee Travel Award, 2010

ASH Travel Award, 2010

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Young Investigator Award, 2012

CCCR Canuso Foundation Innovation Award, 2013

ALSF Scholar in Developmental Therapeutics, 2013