As the Head of the Hematologic Malignancies Section in Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute and a tenure-track investigator since 2019, my research program focuses on the implementation and conduct of early phase clinical trials and translation of bench to bedside efforts utilizing immunotherapy in the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults with high-risk hematologic malignancies. In this role, I have developed expertise in the translation, development, and implementation of early phase clinical trials involving antibody-based targeting, CAR-T cell therapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). My portfolio has included several phase I CAR T-cell trials, including those targeting CD19, CD22, and CD19/22  for B-cell malignancies and CD33 for AML. Collectively I have been directly involved with over 200 unique CAR T-cell infusions in pediatric and adult patients across the NIH Clinical Center. Efforts from my work with CD22 CAR and outcomes thereof have led to FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease designation for this construct. More recently, though an ongoing collaboration with TATA Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India—a novel CD19 CAR T-cell construct received the local regulatory approval for commercialization. I am particularly focused on optimizing strategies utilizing CAR T-cell therapies to achieve their maximal potential—by improving durable remissions and reducing toxicity. I have specifically led efforts in optimizing management to cytokine release syndrome and helped define the manifestations of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in CAR T-cell therapy while exploring mechanisms of resistance. Based on my dual training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, combined with an established clinical trials experience in the implementation of bench to bedside efforts and expertise in the management of novel immunotherapy associated toxicities, the research conducted within our group is multifaceted and has led to many novel insights informing future directions of CAR T-cell therapy