Dr. Maria I. Castellanos is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist who cares for children and adolescents with various types of cancer and blood disorders. She is a native Spanish speaker.
In her research, Castellanos is interested in why different populations of children with cancer have different survival rates. She aims to elucidate the causes of cancer health disparities, reduce the survival gap and ensure equal access to treatment for all patients. In particular, she studies how geography and social determinants of health (nonmedical factors that affect wellness, such as housing and exposure to racism) impact childhood cancer survival.
Castellanos earned her medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine. She completed a residency in pediatrics at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at Texas Children's Hospital, an affiliate of Baylor College of Medicine.