UCLA Hematology Doctors: Expertise in Blood Disorders and Cancer Care

Blood, the river of life, plays a crucial role in numerous bodily functions, from regulating temperature to transporting oxygen and immune cells. Hematology, the study of blood and its disorders, is a complex and varied field that touches every other system in the body. At UCLA Health, a team of expert hematologists and hematologist oncologists are dedicated to diagnosing, treating, and researching a wide range of blood conditions, from non-malignant disorders to blood cancers.

Renowned Hematology and Oncology Specialists at UCLA

UCLA Health boasts a distinguished team of hematology specialists. These physicians are not only experts in their field but also actively involved in research, clinical trials, and the development of innovative therapies. Here are some of the prominent figures in UCLA's hematology department:

Dennis J. Slamon, MD, PhD: A professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, and executive vice chair for research for UCLA's Department of Medicine. Dr. Slamon also serves as director of Clinical/Translational Research, and as director of the Revlon/UCLA Women's Cancer Research Program at JCCC. He is renowned for his groundbreaking work in the development of Herceptin (trastuzumab), a breast cancer drug that targets a specific genetic alteration found in about 25 percent of breast cancer patients. Dr. Slamon has been awarded the 2019 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for his work.
H. John Glaspy, MD, MPH: A professor of medicine at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. Dr. Glaspy is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Southwest Oncology Group. He has authored more than 400 articles, abstracts, and book chapters. Currently, Dr. Glaspy is involved in clinical trials of therapies for melanoma and breast cancer as well as supportive care trials. He is also involved in health services research exploring quality of care improvement and financial toxicity for patients.
Sarah M. Larson, MD: An Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Her research focuses on the development of novel therapeutics and engineered cell therapy trials for mature B cell malignancies. During her fellowship at UCLA, Dr. Larson studied the function of chimeric antigen receptors in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells under the mentorship of Dr. Donald B. Kohn.

Read also: UCLA vs. Illinois: Basketball History
Sidharth Anand, MD, MBA: A medical oncologist and hematologist practicing in Santa Monica and Westlake Village. He has a specialized interest in gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and gastric cancers. Dr. Anand is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American College of Physicians.
Amy Cummings, MD: A hematologist and medical oncologist who practices in Westwood and Torrance. In Westwood, she sees lung cancer patients as part of a multidisciplinary team one day a week and runs clinical trials. In Torrance, she sees patients with all types of cancer and offers virtual visits through the telehealth program. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Cummings is a research scientist with a focus in bioengineering, with interest in how informatics and clinical data can be used to improve treatment decisions, access to medical care, and ultimately, patient outcomes. She also studies why immunotherapy works in some cancers but not others.
Alexandra Drakaki, MD, PhD: A board-certified Oncologist/Hematologist. She is the Primary Investigator in several ongoing clinical trials that are testing novel drugs in the field.
Rebecca Nayeri, MD: A medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at the West Los Angeles and Sepulveda VA sites. She serves as the VA fellowship site director for the UCLA hematology/oncology fellowship. She also has a special interest in investigating modern environmental risk factors for the development of cancer.
Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D.: Professor of Medicine, Professor of Surgery, and Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) Center at UCLA. His research laboratory is focused on melanoma and studies mechanism of action of treatments and therapy response and resistance.

Read also: Navigating Tech Breadth at UCLA
Lee S. Rosen, MD, FACP: Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine. He directs the Drug Development Program, the inpatient Solid Oncology service and co-directs the outpatient cancer center in Santa Monica. He has a longstanding interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, specifically in the area of new drug development.
Dr. Shen: Part of the genitourinary program, focusing on cancers of the prostate, kidney, and bladder, as well as improving access to clinical trials for older adults. As part of the fellowship committee, Dr. Shen supports wellness, resiliency, quality improvement and safety initiatives.
Dr. Timmerman: Research focuses on immunologic approaches to treating lymphomas and related cancers. Strategies tested against lymphomas have included the use of immune checkpoint blocking antibodies (anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1), costimulatory antibodies (anti-4-1BB), novel anti-CD20 antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, antibody-interferon fusion proteins, toll-like receptor agonists, cytokines, and tumor antigen vaccines.
Kanwarpal S. Kahlon, MD: A hematologist at UCLA Health. He focuses on the big picture, diagnosing and treating blood conditions.

What Does a Hematologist Do?

Hematologists are medical detectives, tracing a patient’s symptoms to their causes. They diagnose and treat a wide range of blood disorders, acting as internists at heart. A hematologist's work changes from day to day. They spend most of their time at the clinic with patients or at the hospital, consulting on numerous issues that require their expertise. When they’re not interfacing with patients, they might be analyzing their blood under a microscope. Hematologists diagnose and treat blood conditions which encompasses a range of specific functions and treatment areas. Thanks to burgeoning knowledge about genetics and the genetic causes of disorders, hematologists can explain a majority of symptoms.

Read also: Understanding UCLA Counselors

Common Blood Disorders Treated by UCLA Hematologists

UCLA hematologists diagnose and treat a wide array of blood conditions, including both non-cancerous and cancerous disorders.

Non-Malignant Hematologic Conditions

Anemia: A condition characterized by a low red blood cell count, leading to fatigue and weakness.
Bleeding Disorders: Conditions that impair the blood's ability to clot properly, resulting in excessive bleeding.
Blood Clots: Abnormal formations of blood clots within blood vessels, potentially leading to serious complications.
Clotting Disorders: Conditions that cause the blood to clot too easily, increasing the risk of blood clots.
Hemophilia: A genetic bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in clotting factors.
Leukocytosis: An abnormally high white blood cell count, often indicating infection or inflammation.
Leukopenia: An abnormally low white blood cell count, increasing the risk of infection.
Thrombocythemia: An elevated platelet count, potentially leading to blood clots.
Thrombocytopenia: A reduced platelet count, increasing the risk of bleeding.

Malignant Hematologic Conditions (Blood Cancers)

Hematologist oncologists at UCLA specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of blood cancers, including:

Leukemia: A cancer of the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.
Lymphoma: A cancer of the lymphatic system, affecting the lymph nodes and other lymphatic tissues.
Myeloma: A cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell responsible for producing antibodies.

When Should You See a Hematologist?

Practitioners may refer a patient exhibiting symptoms associated with blood conditions to a hematologist. Common symptoms that may warrant a referral to a hematologist include:

Abnormal bleeding or bruising
Unexplained fatigue or weakness
Shortness of breath
Recurrent fevers or infections

A hematologist will evaluate the symptoms, make a diagnosis, and begin treatment if necessary. Hematologists-like autoimmune specialists and immunologists-collaborate with other members of a patient’s care team to figure out these challenging cases.

The Path to Becoming a Hematologist

Aspiring hematologists should expect to complete medical school, residency training in internal medicine or pediatrics, and additional subspecialty fellowship training in hematology, hematology oncology, pediatric hematology, or hematopathology.

Specialization within Hematology

Trainees have many options for further specializing within hematology. After completing residency training in internal medicine or pediatrics, they may pursue fellowship training in general adult hematology and/or in a specialization, such as:

Hematology oncology
Pediatric hematology
Hematopathology

Physicians may also pursue training opportunities beyond their initial fellowship, further specifying their practice or research. They might become specialists in many areas, including:

Transfusion medicine
Blood banking
Transplantation
Bone marrow transplantation
Stem cell transplantation
Lymphoma
Leukemia
Myeloma
Sickle cell anemia

Hematologist Oncologists vs. Hematologists vs. Hematopathologists

Hematologist Oncologists: Focus specifically on diagnosing, treating, and researching blood cancers.
Hematologists: May handle some blood cancers but mostly focuses on non-malignant blood conditions.
Hematopathologists: Investigate blood conditions on the cellular level, using advanced diagnostic techniques, such as cytogenetics and DNA sequencing, to pinpoint root causes of disorders affecting the blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes.

Comprehensive Cancer Care at UCLA Health

When you visit UCLA Health for your cancer care, you can feel confident knowing you’re being treated by expert doctors, nurses and other providers who are innovative leaders in their chosen disciplines. Patients benefit from a full range of care and support services for all types of cancer. Clinical trials help us discover new treatments for cancer. Patients who come to UCLA Health also have access to a full range of integrative cancer care services in addition to clinical care, including early detection, prevention, and wellness education, nutritional guidance, survivorship and psychological support and more.

tags: #ucla #hematology #doctors