Blood & Marrow Transplant (BMT) Clinic
Bone marrow or stem cell transplantation can be lifesaving for children with certain cancers, blood disorders and immune system disorders. But the procedures that must be followed before and after a transplant are complicated and demanding. At the Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant (BMT) Clinic, we are dedicated to preparing kids for a BMT transplant and providing the long-term follow-up care they need afterward.
Our team of transplant specialists evaluates whether your child is a transplant candidate and, if so, works to get your whole family ready for the BMT process. Because transplantation severely compromises immune function, we monitor our pediatric BMT patients closely. After the procedure, we see them at least once a week to check for infections and other complications and to assess their immune system's recovery.
This high-quality follow-up care is one reason our patients' survival rates one year after transplant are among the highest in the nation.
Expanding treatment options
Stem cells for transplant may be taken from the patient's blood or bone marrow (called an autologous transplant) or, more commonly, from a donor (an allogeneic transplant). Ideally, donors are family members who are "matched" to the patient, meaning certain markers in their immune cells are compatible with those of the patient. This reduces the risk that the patient's body will reject the transplant. However, our experts are skilled in using partially matched related donors (called haploidentical donors) when fully matched donors aren't available.
We also offer CAR T-cell therapy, a relatively new option for treating certain types of cancer when traditional approaches fail. In essence, the therapy supercharges the patient's immune system to help it recognize and destroy their cancer cells. We were the first medical center in California to offer CAR T-cell therapy to eligible children.
Our team is continually working to improve BMT care by conducting laboratory research as well as clinical trials. By joining a clinical trial, patients may be able to receive promising experimental treatments before they're available to the general public. If your child is a candidate for a clinical trial, the care team will discuss the potential risks and benefits with you and your family.
Awards & recognition
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Best in Northern California for cancer care
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Ranked among the nation's best in 11 specialties
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Designated an early phase clinical trials core site by the Children's Oncology Group
Our locations (3)
Highlights of our cancer care
Leading-edge treatments
We're among the first to offer new treatment options, as soon as they're proven safe and effective. In addition, patients can access promising experimental therapies by participating in one of our many clinical trials.
Precision medicine
High-risk tumors are analyzed with the UCSF500 Cancer Gene Panel, a state-of-the-art test that identifies mutations in the tumor's DNA. The results can indicate the best treatment course and, in some cases, clarify the exact type of cancer.
Seamless care, near and far
Dedicated patient navigators help families with managing referrals, insurance concerns and appointment planning. We work with patients and referring doctors well beyond the San Francisco Bay Area, thanks to our comprehensive telehealth system.
Thorough follow-up
Our Pediatric Survivorship Program provides expert care to address any medical, psychological or social issues that arise after treatment is complete. The team also ensures smooth transitions to adult care providers as our patients leave childhood behind.
Our team
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Anurag K. Agrawal
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Julia Chu
MD, MPH
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Morton J. Cowan
MD
Pediatric immunologist and bone marrow transplant specialist -
Jasmeen S. Dara
MD, MS
Pediatric immunologist and allergist -
Christopher Dvorak
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Robert E. Goldsby
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Michelle L. Hermiston
MD, PhD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Christine Higham
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
James Huang
MD
Pediatric hematologist -
Sandhya Kharbanda
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Nahal Lalefar
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Alexis Melton
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Gabriel Salinas Cisneros
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist and bone marrow transplant specialist -
Kristin A. Shimano
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Lena Winestone
MD, MS
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Mark Walters
MD
Pediatric hematologist-oncologist -
Matt Zinter
MD
Pediatric critical care specialist -
Mara Bailey-Olson
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Kaila Brereton
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Sophia Chao
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Janelle Facchino
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Jillian Foley
MSW, LCSW
Clinical social worker -
Shannon Gaine
FNP, MSN
Family nurse practitioner -
Brianne Gebhardt
FNP, DNP
Nurse practitioner -
Renita Joseph
RN, BSN
Nurse -
Mary N.R. Lesser
RD, MS, PhD
Dietitian -
Callie LoPresti
NP, MSN
Nurse practitioner -
Janel Long-Boyle
PhD, PharmD
Pediatric pharmacologist -
Jessica Manning
LCSW, MSW
Social worker -
Ariane Man-Willrich
RN, BSN
Nurse coordinator -
Megann Mucks
RN, BSN
Nurse coordinator -
Grace Nelson
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Sara O'Kane
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Makiko Omori
RD
Dietitian -
Stephanie Welty
MSN, PNP
Pediatric nurse practitioner -
Stacy Wolf
PNP, MSN
Pediatric nurse practitioner
Plan your visit
What to Bring
- Photo I.D.
- Health insurance card
- Insurance authorization, if required
- Doctor's referral, if required
- Recent test results related to your child's condition
- List of medications, including dosages, plus any your child is allergic to
- List of questions you may have
- Device or paper for taking notes
Related clinics (6)
Hematology Clinic
Primary Immune Regulatory Disorder (PIRD) Clinic
Support services
Clinical trials
Autologous Gene Therapy for Artemis-Deficient SCID
Patient survival status and (if applicable) cause of death will be recorded to assess overall survival.
Recruiting
More about this studyTRANSPIRE: Lung Injury in a Longitudinal Cohort of Pediatric HSCT Patients
Participants will be assessed for lung injury at 24 months after HSCT
Recruiting
More about this studyA Feasibility Study Using CLINIMACS® for Alpha/Beta T-Cell Depletion in Stem Cell Transplant
The cumulative incidence of Grade III-IV acute GVHD at Day 100 will be summarized by incidence curves. GVHD evaluations will be performed using standard criteria.37 Patients with graft rejection will be censored.
Recruiting
More about this studyCaloric Restriction and Activity to Reduce Chemoresistance in B-ALL
To compare the rate of MRD >=0.01% at end of induction between experimental arm and control arm
Recruiting
More about this studyA Trial Comparing Unrelated Donor BMT with IST for Pediatric and Young Adult Patients with Seve...
The median time to failure or death will be compared on the two arms using the log-rank test. Failure of IST is defined as the date that a second definitive therapy was recommended (BMT, second course of ATG) and failure of BMT de...
Recruiting
More about this studyA Trial Comparing Unrelated Donor BMT with IST for Pediatric and Young Adult Patients with Seve...
The median time to failure or death will be compared on the two arms using the log-rank test. Failure of IST is defined as the date that a second definitive therapy was recommended (BMT, second course of ATG) and failure of BMT de...
Recruiting
More about this studyTransplantation of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Modified Hematopoi...
The adverse event rate will be summarized using descriptive statistics, together with 95% confidence intervals where appropriate. No formal statistical hypothesis testing will be performed. Adverse events defined: failure of engra...
Recruiting
More about this studyJSP191 Antibody Targeting Conditioning in SCID Patients
The number of subjects experiencing dose limiting toxicities including adverse events and serious adverse events will be assessed.
Recruiting
More about this studyMismatched Related Donor Versus Matched Unrelated Donor Stem Cell Transplantation for Children,...
We will estimate the cumulative incidence of severe GVHD at 1-year post-HCT and corresponding 95% confidence interval among enrolled and eligible patients randomly assigned to either HAPLO or MUD arms who actually undergo HCT.
Recruiting
More about this studyMismatched Related Donor Versus Matched Unrelated Donor Stem Cell Transplantation for Children,...
We will estimate the cumulative incidence of severe GVHD at 1-year post-HCT and corresponding 95% confidence interval among enrolled and eligible patients randomly assigned to either HAPLO or MUD arms who actually undergo HCT.
Recruiting
More about this studyOur research initiatives
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