Fellows

For more than two decades, CURE has funded the training of pediatric oncology fellows at Emory University School of Medicine. Providing funding to further their education helps ensure that those future oncologists become clinicians and researchers we need in order to eradicate childhood cancer.

Catherine Blackburn, MD, MPH

Connolly Family Fellow

Dr. Catherine Blackburn earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences, with a minor in public health, at the University of South Florida (USF), where she also completed her master of Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health and her Doctor of Medicine degree. During her time at USF, Dr. Blackburn conducted research at Moffitt Cancer Center, collaborating with multiple investigators on a range of studies. She was also significantly involved as a student director at USF’s student-run free clinic, which provides primary care services to medically underserved patients in the community. As a reflection of her dedication to her community and strong interpersonal connections with colleagues and patients alike, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

After medical school, Dr. Blackburn moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, to complete her pediatrics residency at the University of Virginia. There, she developed a strong clinical and research interest in pediatric solid tumors, particularly Ewing sarcoma, which is a type of aggressive bone cancer among children and adolescents. During her Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship, Dr. Blackburn is planning to focus her research on advancing the treatment and outcomes for pediatric patients with solid tumors.

Catherine Blackburn, MD, MPH

Connolly Family Fellow

Peter Carlson, MD, PhD

Dr. Carlson brings a very strong oncology research background with the promise of a fruitful career as a physician-scientist. Dr. Carlson earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Washington, where he majored in bioengineering with a minor in chemistry. As an undergraduate, he developed a strong basic science background with accomplishments in two academic labs. Upon graduation, he spent an additional year carrying out cutting-edge immunotherapy research in a biotech-pharmaceutical lab in Seattle. He attained his PhD at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the field of cellular and molecular biology. He specifically studied the role of combining low-dose radiation with cancer vaccines. He even developed several new laboratory methods for the evaluation of radio-immunotherapy in order to complete this work.

Despite his vast research experience, Dr. Carlson also values clinical care. His residency attendings report that his ability to manage the clinical care team and to lead difficult family conversations are great strengths.

Peter Carlson, MD, PhD

Zuri Hudson, DO/MBA

Sam Robb Fellow

Dr. Zuri Hudson obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology at Georgia Institute of Technology. She then completed an additional year of graduate work at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee before matriculating into their combined DO/MBA program. During medical school, Dr. Hudson received numerous awards, including being named Student Doctor of the Year for several consecutive years and being highly honored for her outstanding commitment to community service. Following medical school, Dr. Hudson was matched at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, for her pediatrics training. There, she excelled in residency across all areas.

Dr. Hudson has now developed a research interest in the care of children with solid tumors. Her studies lie in neuroblastoma, the most common pediatric solid tumor outside of the brain and one that contributes to a large number of pediatric cancer-related mortalities. Specifically, Dr. Hudson will study a type of immunotherapy—gamma delta T cells—and attempt to discern how they kill neuroblastoma cells and how neuroblastoma cells can develop resistance to them.

Zuri Hudson, DO/MBA

Sam Robb Fellow

Past Fellows

Through the generous support of our donors, CURE Childhood Cancer has funded 24 research fellowships in the effort to fight pediatric cancer. Twenty-three past CURE Fellows are now practicing medicine in top institutions around the country, treating patients and pursuing research for cures. Roll over an image below to see where they are now.

Becker Hewes, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Blueprint Medicines

Roland Chu, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Michigan

Karen Wasilewski, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Mary Abraham, MD

Medical Director of Medical Subspecialties, Samaritan Health Services, Corvallis, OR

Hal Crosswell, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Bon Secours Health Systems, Greenville, SC

Keith August, MD, MS

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Director, Leukemia and Lymphoma Program, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City

Tanya Watt, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Health, Dallas

Weston Miller, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Epicrispr Biotechnologies

Nicole Schlesinger McKinney, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Memorial Hospital, Aurora, CO

Himalee Sabnis, MD, MSc

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Jennifer Andrews, MD, MSc

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology and Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Haneen Yasin Abdella, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL

Jonathan Metts, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

David Siegel, MD, MPH

Medical Officer, Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service/CDC

James Felker, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA

Ryan Summers, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Jenny Shim, MD

Senior Research Associate, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Rafi Kazi, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center

Juhi Jain, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC

Sanyu Janardan, MD

Survivorship, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Frank Chien, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Robert Lisac, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, BMT Faculty Member, Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Toni Chanroo, MD, MPH

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Jason Stevenson, MD

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta