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Dean A. Lee, MD, PHD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Cell Therapy Section, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Tenure track, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Graduate Faculty, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Clinical Focus

Caring for children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation for malignant or non-malignant diseases, with an emphasis in cell therapy for AML and autoimmune disorders.

 

Clinical Trials

* MDACC-2008-0450: ALT-801-activated NK Cells after FLAG Induction for AML

 

Laboratory Focus

 

* Adoptive immunotherapy of pediatric cancers

* Expanded and gene-modified NK cells

* Chimeric antigen receptors

* Platforms and devices for non-integrating gene transfer

* Immunomodulatory drugs to enhance NK cell function

* Plasticity and antigen specificity of regulatory T cells

* Leukemia tumor antigens

* VEGF in T cell homing to tumors

* STAT3 signaling in NK cells

 

UT Graduate School website: http://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu/tutorial/lee_d.html

PubMed publication list: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/collections/public/1F_CsFkIaUGdcSy2889Vmwo/

 

Collaborative Research Program

The Lee Laboratory works closely with the Cooper Laboratory and collaborates with many other investigators in academia and industry. The goals of these collaborations are always to advance the field of cellular immunotherapy and translate those advancements to improved long-term, disease-free survival of patients with pediatric malignancies and hematologic diseases.

 

Lab Meeting

Friday 9 A.M. in SCRB1 Conference Room

 

Current Lab Members

* Cecele Denman, MS

* Shiguo Zhu, MD, PhD

* Romina Sabella-River, MD

* Vladimir Senyukov, PhD

* Lisa Kopp, DO

* Srinivas Somanchi, PhD

 

Lab Alumni: William Choi, Nichole Corless, Santiago De La Garza, MariRene Font, Jeff Friesen, Jennifer Johnson, Stephen Lee, Brian Liu, Bhavisha Patel, Ivan Petrich, Aaron Seo, and Jennifer Williams

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1996 Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, MD, Medicine
1995 Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, PHD, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
1987 Fresno Pacific College, Fresno, CA, BA, Natural Sciences

Postgraduate Training

7/2000-6/2003 Residency, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, David G. Poplack
7/1996-6/1999 Residency, Pediatrics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, Richard E. Chinnock

Board Certifications

11/2004 American Board of Pediatrics: Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
10/1999 American Board of Pediatrics: General Pediatrics

Experience/Service

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Chief Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 7/2002-6/2003
Chief Resident, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA, 7/1999-6/2000

Honors and Awards

2009 Excellent Reviewer Award, Office of Scientific Review, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2008-2011 Physician Scientist Program, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2005-present Young Investigator, Stem Cell Transplant Committee, Children's Oncology Group
2003-2005 ASCO Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
2003-2004 ASH Clinical Research Training Institute, American Society of Hematology
1999 Hertha Ehlers Resident Award of Excellence, Loma Linda University
1998 Junior Resident of the Year Award, Loma Linda University
1995 National Student Research Forum, Galveston, Texas
1992-1993 Selma Andrews Fellowship, Loma Linda University
1992 Student Research Grant, Walter E. MacPherson Society
1987-1989 Graduate Fellowship, California State
1987 Alpha Chi Honor Society, Fresno Pacific College
1983-1987 President's Scholarship, Fresno Pacific College

Professional Memberships

American Society for Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, VA
Member, 2002-present
American Society of Hematology, Washington, DC
Member, 2003-present
American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Glenview, IL
Member, 2004-present
Children's Oncology Group, Arcadia, CA
Member, 2003-present
International Society for Cell Therapy, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Member, 2007-present
JMML Foundation International Working Group, Geneva, Switzerland
Member, 2008-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Meyer C, Kowarz E, Hofmann J, Renneville A, Zuna J, Trka J, Ben Abdelali R, Macintyre E, De Braekeleer E, De Braekeleer M, Delabesse E, de Oliveira MP, Cavé H, Clappier E, van Dongen JJ, Balgobind BV, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, Beverloo HB, Panzer-Grümayer R, Teigler-Schlegel A, Harbott J, Kjeldsen E, Schnittger S, Koehl U, Gruhn B, Heidenreich O, Chan LC, Yip SF, Krzywinski M, Eckert C, Möricke A, Schrappe M, Alonso CN, Schäfer BW, Krauter J, Lee DA, Zur Stadt U, Te Kronnie G, Sutton R, Izraeli S, Trakhtenbrot L, Lo Nigro L, Tsaur G, Fechina L, Szczepanski T, Strehl S, Ilencikova D, Molkentin M, Burmeister T, Dingermann T, Klingebiel T, Marschalek R. New insights to the MLL recombinome of acute leukemias. Leukemia. e-Pub 3/2009. PMID: 19262598.
2. Singh H, Najjar AM, Olivares S, et al. PET imaging of T cells derived from umbilical cord blood. Leukemia 23(3):620-2, 2009. e-Pub 10/2008. PMID: 18830258.
3. Lee DA, Tatevian N, Herring RA, McClain KL. EBV+ lymphoproliferative disease following prolonged chemotherapy for refractory LCH. Pediatr Blood Cancer 50(3):728-730, 2008.
4. Choi WT, Folsom MR, Azim MF, Meyer C, Kowarz E, Marschalek R, Timchenko NA, Naeem RC, Lee DA. C/EBPbeta suppression by interruption of CUGBP1 resulting from a complex rearrangement of MLL. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 177(2):108-14, 9/2007. PMID: 17854664.
5. Grupp SA, Frangoul H, Wall D, Pulsipher MA, Levine JE, Schultz KR, Lee DA. Use of G-CSF in matched sibling donor pediatric allogeneic transplantation: a consensus statement from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Transplant Discipline Committee and Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (PBMTC) Executive Committee. Pediatr Blood Cancer 46(4):414-421 (Cited as COG Transplant Discipline Committee member), 2006.
6. Barshes NR, Myers GD, Lee DA, Karpen SJ, Lee TC, Patel AJ, Finegold M, Goss JA. Liver transplantation for severe hepatic graft-versus-host disease: An analysis of aggregate survival data. Liver Transpl 11(5):525-531, 2005.
7. Lee DA, Harris CP, Gresik VM, Rao P, Lau CC. Granulocytic sarcoma presenting as pneumonia in a child with t(8;21) acute myelogenous leukemia: diagnosis by fluorescent in situ hybridization. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 26(7):431-4, 7/2004. PMID: 15218417.
8. *Wang HY, *Lee DA, Peng G, Guo Z, Li Y, Kiniwa Y, Shevach EM, Wang RF. Tumor-specific human CD4+ regulatory T cells and their ligands: Implications for immunotherapy. Immunity 20(1):107-118 (*co-first authors), 2004. PMID: 14738769.
9. Lee DA, Molinaro GA. Activated peripheral T lymphocytes undergo apoptosis when cultured with monocytes activated by HLA class II ligation. Cell Immunol 225(2):101-112, 2003. PMID: 14698144.
10. Lee DA, Eby WC, Molinaro GA. HIV false positivity after hepatitis B vaccination. Lancet 339(8800):1060, 1992. PMID: 1349089.

Abstracts
1. de Lima M, McNiece I, McMannis J, Hosing C, Kebraei P, Komanduri K, Worth L, Staba S, Cooper L, Petropolous D. Double Cord Blood Transplantation (COT) with Ex-Vivo Expansion (EXP) of One Unit Utilizing a Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Platform. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 15:47-48, 2009.
2. Choi Y, Maiti S, Yuen C, Huls H, Biswal LS, Raphael RD, Killian TC, Stark DJ, Lee DA, Shpall EJ, Kebriaei P, Champlin RE, Cooper LJN. High throughput non-viral gene transfer of T cells by micro-electroporators to generate CD19-specific cells for immediate infusion. Biol Blood and Marrow Transplantation 15:24, 2009.
3. Shah N, Xing D, Decker W, Giralt S, Champlin R, Hosing C, de Lima M, Ramsey A, Gribben J, Yang H, et al. Natural killer cells expanded from umbilical cord blood lyse multiple myeloma tumor cells. Presented at the ASBMT/CIBMTR 2009 BMT Tandem Meetings, 2009.
4. Singh H, Huls MH, Dawson MJ, Mi T, Lee DA, Kebriaei P, Shpall EJ, Hackett PB, June CH, Champlin RE, Cooper LJN. Selective outgrowth of CD 19-specific T cells with IL-21 for adoptive immunotherapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 15:61-62, 2009.
5. Ang SO, Olivares S, Shpall E, Lee DA, Champlin RE, Yotnda P, Gottschalk SMG, Cooper LJN. Selective T cell immunotherapy for B cell lymphoma under hypoxia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 15:70, 2009.
6. Kakarla S, Shaffer D, Ahmed N, Wang LL, Lee DA, Sentman CL, Gottschalk S. T cells redirected against NKG2D ligands for the immunotherapy of osteosarcoma. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 15:82-83, 2009.
7. Prokopiou C, Koontz SE, Worth LL, Petropoulos D, Lee DA, Kelly SS, Cooper LJN. Utility of insuflon (TM) catheters in pediatric stem cell transplant patients: Taking the pain out of subcutaneous injections. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 15:152-153, 2009.
8. Zhu S, Lee DA. Modulation of both NK receptors and their corresponding ligands with histone deacetylase inhibitors and proteasome inhibitors. American Association for Cancer Research-Tumor Immunology: New Perspectives, 12/2008.
9. Fruge E, Mahoney D, Airewele G, Leung KS, Myers GD, Lee DA, Lau CC, Horowitz ME. Reflective Practice & Leadership: An Approach to Education for the "New" Core Competencies. Advances in Teaching & Learning Regional Conference, UT School of Health Information Sciences at Houston, 10/2008.
10. Fruge E, Mahoney D, Airewele G, Leung K, Myers GD, Lee D, Lau C, Horowitz M. Reflective Practice and Leadership: An approach to education for the "New Core Competencies". Advances in Teaching & Learning Regional Conference, UTMDACC, 10/2008.
11. Zhu S, Denman CJ, Lee DA. Modulation of both NK receptors and their corresponding ligands with histone deacetylase inhibitors and proteasome inhibitors. NCI Immunotherapy in Pediatric Oncology: Progress and Challenges, Bethesda, MD, 9/2008.
12. Fruge E, Mahoney D, Margolin, Muller B, Horton T, Venkateswaran L, Yee D, Lee D, Blaney S. Defining and managing career challenges for Middle- and Senior-Level Pediatric Hematologists/Oncologists: A Preliminary Report. The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology eNews, 8/2008.
13. Manuri PR, Olivares S, Dara N, Dawson MJ, Huls H, Lee DA, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Cooper LJN. A Fully-Human Chimeric Antigen Receptor for Redirecting Specificity of T Cells to B-Lineage Tumors. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 14:13-14, 2008.
14. Zhu S, Cooper LJN, Lee DA. Chemosensitization of pediatric cancers to NK cell lysis by upregulation of NKG2D and its ligands using HDAC and proteasome inhibitors. Presented at The American Society of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology 22nd Annual Meeting, 2008.
15. Ang SO, Olivares S, Shpall EJ, Lee DA, et al. Conditional T-Cell Activation for Tumor Under Hypoxia. Blood 112:1331-1332, 2008.
16. Singh H, Huls H, Dawson MJ, Mi T, Dotti G, Lee DA, et al. Conditional T-Cell Activation for Tumor Under Hypoxia. T Cells Demonstrate Enhanced Specificity for CD19+ Malignancies when Stimulated with IL-21. Blood 112:547, 2008.
17. Carstens KA, Ortiz JM, Koontz SE, Worth LL, Petropoulos D, Lee DA, de Lima MJ, Shpall E, Cooper LJN. Cord Blood Transplants in Pediatric Patients: Implications for Nurses-What is All the Hype About? Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 14:161, 2008.
18. De Lima M, McMannis JD, Saliba R, Worth L, Kebriaei P, et al. Double Cord Blood Transplantation (CBT) with and without Ex-Vivo Expansion (EXP): A Randomized, Controlled Study. Blood 112:63, 2008.
19. Jacobs J, Rooney CM, Lee D, Li KC, Shi ZZ. Evaluation of In-oxine labeling as a method for tracking adoptive immunotherapy. 2008 World Molecular Imaging Conference, Nice, France, 2008.
20. Stark D, Choi Y, Timmerman L, Lee D, Raphael R, Killian T, Cooper LJN, Biswal LS. High-throughput Microelectroporator for Efficient Gene Delivery. Hilton Head 2008: A Solid-State Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems Workshop, 2008.
21. Lee DA, Wang HY, Ngyuen H, Wang RF. Identification of LAGE1 as an HLA-DR13-restricted tumor antigen recognized by CD4+ T cells. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 99th Annual Meeting, 2008.
22. Stark D, Choi Y, Maiti S, Lee D, Raphael R, Killian T, Cooper LJN, Biswal LS. Modification of Cells Using a High-Throughput Microelectroporator. The 2008 AIChE Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2008.
23. Bertin HD, Koontz SE, Petropoulos D, Worth LL, Lee DA, Cooper LJN. Plasma B-Type Natriuretic Peptide: Its Role in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Implications for Nurses. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2008.
24. Dutour A, Lee D, Napier S, Yvon E, Finney H, Brenner M, Rousseau R. Successful anti-leukemia activity of CD33-specific chimeric cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo is impaired by addition of the CD28 costimulatory endodomain. Keystone Symposia Potent New Anti-tumor Immunotherapies, poster #143, 3/2007.
25. Dutour A, Lee DA, Napier S, Yvon E, Finney H, Brenner M, Rousseau R. Anti-leukemia activity of CD33-specific chimeric cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo is impaired by addition of the CD28 costimulatory endodomain. J Clin Oncol 25(18s):130s, 2007.
26. Dutour A, Lee DA, Napier S, Yvon E, Finney H, Brenner M, Rousseau R. Anti-leukemia activity of CD33-specific chimeric cytotoxic T lymphocytes is impaired by addition of the CD28 costimulatory endodomains. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 98th Annual Meeting, Abstract #4904, 2007.
27. Singh H, Manuri PR, Olivares S, Data N, Dawson MJ, Huls H, Lee DA, Hackett PB, Kohn DB, Kebriaei P, Shpall EJ, Champlin R, Cooper L. CD19-specific T cells for treatment of pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia using Sleeping Beauty transposition. Blood 110:830A, 2007.
28. Hurton L, Siddik RI, Singh H, Olivares S, Rabinovich B, Hildebrand W, Lee D, Champlin R, Shpall E, Fernandez-Vina M, Cooper L. Identifying NK-cell donors for cell therapy based on functional phenotype. Blood 110:960A, 2007.
29. Dutour A, Lee D, Finney H, Brenner M, Rousseau R. Leukemia targeting via cytotoxic T cells expressing a CD33 specific chimeric receptor. Bulletin Du Cancer 94:547, 2007.
30. Yuen CH, Andersson H, Olivares S, Biswal L, Raphael R, Killian T, Shpall EJ, Lee DA, Champlin R, Cooper L. Non-integrating gene transfer to redirect specificity of lymphocytes towards pediatric CD19(+) malignancies. Blood 110:1091A, 2007.
31. Fruge E, Mahoney D, Lee D, Airewele G, Leung K, Lau C, Myers GD, Horowitz M. Reflective Practice and Leadership: An Effective Approach to Education for the New Core Competencies. The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Workshop, Pediatric Academic Societies' Annual Meeting, 2007.
32. Choi TA, Folsom MR, Azim MF, Meyer C, Kowarz E, Marschalek R, Timchenko NA, Naeem RC, Lee DA. C/EBP Suppression by Interruption of CUGBP1 Resulting from a Complex Rearrangement of MLL. Blood 108(11):589A, 2006.
33. Dutour A, Lee D, Napier S, Finney H, Pule M, Cho W, Brenner M, Rousseau R. Leukemia targeting via cytotoxic T cells expressing a CD33 specific chimeric receptor. Blood 108(11):138A, 2006.
34. Kennedy-Nasser AA, Leung K, Gottschalk S, Lee DA, Carum G, Heslop HE, Brenner MK, Bollard CM, Krance RA. Outcome of alternative donor transplantation for severe aplastic anemia can be comparable to outcome with matched related donors. Biol Blood Marrow Transplantation 12:26-27, 2006.
35. Fruge E, Mahoney D, Lee D, Airewele G, Leung K, Lau C, Myers GD, Horowitz M. Reflective Practice and Leadership: An Approach to Educating Fellows in the New Core Competencies. Pediatric Academic Societies' Annual Meeting, 2006.
36. Lee DA. Identification of tumor antigens in AML. 1st Texas Children's Cancer Center Research Retreat, 2/2005.
37. Lee DA, Choi WC. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells enhance extramedullary engraftment and proliferation of human AML blasts in NOD-SCID mice. Blood 106:650A-651A, 2005.
38. Kennedy-Nasser AA, Leung K, Gottschalk S, et al. Outcome of alternative donor transplantation for severe aplastic anemia can be comparable to outcome with matched related donors. Blood 106:580A-581A, 2005.
39. Leung KS, Kuehnle I, Gottschalk S, et a. Transplantation from matched unrelated donors (MUD) for Thalassemia and other congenital red cell disorders. Blood 106:770A-771A, 2005.
40. Lee DA, Foster A. Neuropilin-1 expression in tumor-specific regulatory T cell clones. 6th Annual Retreat, Shell Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, 11/2004.
41. Lee DA, Airewele, GE. Simultaneous biclonal presentation of myeloid and lymphoid acute leukemias. Texas Cancer Center Symposium, 2004.
42. Lee DA, Wang HY, Nguyen H, Wang RF. Identification of LAGE1 as an HLA-DR13-restricted tumor antigen recognized by CD4+ T cells. Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 94th Annual Meeting, 2003.
43. Lee DA, Molinaro GA. Antigen presenting cells may inactivate mature T lymphocytes by apoptosis. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) 9(3):A524, 1995.
44. Lee DA, Bakhiet N, Molinaro GA. A faster, cleaner and simpler method for purifying apoptotic DNA from apoptotic cells. J Immunol 150 (8, part II):325A, 1993.

Book Chapters
1. Lee DA, Verneris M, and Compana D. NK Cell Immunotherapy. In: Immunotherapy of Cancer: Methods and Protocols. Humana Press. In Press.
2. Lee DA, Mahoney D. Oncologic emergencies in children. In: UpToDate, Rose, BD (Ed): Wellesley, MA, 2006.
3. Lee DA, Mahoney D. What pediatricians should know about children with cancer. In: UpToDate, Rose, BD (Ed): Wellesley, MA, 2006.
4. Hurwitz RL, Lee DA. Childhood lead poisoning: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis. In: UpToDate, Rose, BD (Ed): Wellesley, MA, 2002.
5. Lee DA, Hurwitz RL. Childhood lead poisoning: Exposure and prevention. In: UpToDate, Rose, BD (Ed): Wellesley, MA, 2002.
6. Hurwitz RL, Lee DA. Childhood lead poisoning: Treatment. In: UpToDate, Rose, BD (Ed): Wellesley, MA, 2002.

Books (edited and written)
1. Baker DW, Elwin-Jasionowski SC, Lee DA. Talking and Listening. In: N/A. LLU Office of Diversity: Loma Linda, CA, 1994.

Letters to the Editor
1. Molinaro GA, Lee DA, Parashar UD. Rotavirus vaccines. N Engl J Med 354(16):1747-1751, 2006.
2. Lee DA, Mueller BU. Long-term use of hydroxyurea for sickle cell anemia. JAMA 290(6):753-754 (2003 ISI IF 21.455), 2003.
3. Lee DA. Home Delivery. The New Physician 12:3, 1993.

Grant & Contract Support

Funding Source: Legends of Friendswood
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 6/1/2009 - 5/30/2010
 
Title: Optimized immunogene therapy for AML
Funding Source: The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 3/1/2008 - 2/28/2011
 
Title: Immunotherapeutic approaches to treating acute myeloid leukemia
Funding Source: Brenda and Howard Johnson Fund
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 1/1/2008 - 12/31/2009
 
Title: MHC Restricted Immunotherapeutic Targets in AML
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 7/1/2005 - 6/30/2009
 
Title: Pediatric Oncology Clinical Research Training Program
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Trainee
Principal Investigator: David Poplack
Duration: 7/1/2003 - 6/30/2006

Last updated: 9/25/2009