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Srdan Verstovsek, M.D., Ph.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1994 PhD Faculty for Natural Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, -, Natural Sciences
1992 MD School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, -, Medicine

Board Certifications

2002 Oncology Board Certification
1998 Internal Medicine Board Certification

Experience/Service

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Chief, Section for Myeloprolyferative Neoplasms, Leukemia Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012-present
Director, Clinical Research Center for MPNs, Leukemia Dept., The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012-present
Medical Advisory Board Member, American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, N/A, 2009-present
Medical Advisory Board Member, The Mastocytosis Society, N/A, 2005-present
Medical Advisory Board Member, The Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders Education Foundation, N/A, 2005-present
Executive Committee Member, International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Treatment and Research (IWG-MTR), N/A, 2005-present
Graduate Faculty, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Univ of Texas, Houston, TX, 2003-2008

Consultantships

Ziopharm, Inc, Boston, 4/2005-12/2008

Institutional Committee Activities

Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 8/2006-12/2006
Member, Faculty Senate for the Department of Leukemia, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 9/2005-9/2008
Member, Institutional Review Board, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 9/2005-9/2008
Member, Clinical Research Committee I, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 9/2003-9/2006

Honors and Awards

2011 Distingquished Alumnus Award, Division of Cancer Medicine Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center
2010 Celgene 2010 Young Investigator Award for Clinical Research in Hematology
2009 Marshall Heritage Foundation
2007 North Star Charitable Foundation
2006 Cancer Treatment and Research Award
2005 Chambers Medical Foundation Award, 2005
2005 The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation Award
2002 Ronald Cates Memorial Fund for Leukemia
2001 Achievement in Cancer Research Award, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Medicine, Fellowship Program
1989-1991 Travel Award for Scientific Training, Croatian Ministry of Science

Professional Memberships

American Association for Cancer Research
Member, 2003-present
American Medical Association
Member, 2005-present
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Member, 1999-present
American Society of Hematology
Member, 2004-present
European Hematology Association
Member, 2002-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Wang SA, Hutchinson L, Tang G, Chen SS, Miron PM, Huh YO, Jones DM, Bueso-Ramos C, Verstovsek S, Medeiros LJ, Miranda RN. Systemic mastocytosis with associated clonal hematological non-mast cell lineage disease: Clinical significance and comparison of chomosomal abnormalities in SM and AHNMD components. Am J Hematol 88(3):219-24, 3/2013. PMID: 23440662.
2. Takahashi K, Cortes J, Pierce S, Abruzzo L, Kantarjian H, Verstovsek S. Chromosome 5q deletion is extremely rare in patients with myelofibrosis. Leuk Res. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23391517.
3. Fiskus W, Verstovsek S, Manshouri T, Smith JE, Peth K, Abhyankar S, McGuirk J, Bhalla KN. Dual PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 synergistically enhances the activity of JAK2 inhibitor against cultured and primary human myeloproliferative neoplasm cells. Mol Cancer Ther. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23445613.
4. Mesa RA, Gotlib J, Gupta V, Catalano JV, Deininger MW, Shields AL, Miller CB, Silver RT, Talpaz M, Winton EF, Harvey JH, Hare T, Erickson-Viitanen S, Sun W, Sandor V, Levy RS, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. Effect of Ruxolitinib Therapy on Myelofibrosis-Related Symptoms and Other Patient-Reported Outcomes in COMFORT-I: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Clin Oncol. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23423753.
5. Tam CS, Verstovsek S. Investigational Janus kinase inhibitors. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23432430.
6. Quintás-Cardama A, Kantarjian H, Pierce S, Cortes J, Verstovsek S. Prognostic Model to Identify Patients With Myelofibrosis at the Highest Risk of Transformation to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23391717.
7. Gotlib J, Pardanani A, Akin C, Reiter A, George T, Hermine O, Kluin-Nelemans H, Hartmann K, Sperr WR, Brockow K, Schwartz LB, Orfao A, Deangelo DJ, Arock M, Sotlar K, Horny HP, Metcalfe DD, Escribano L, Verstovsek S, Tefferi A, Valent P. International Working Group-Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment (IWG-MRT) & European Competence Network on Mastocytosis (ECNM) consensus response criteria in advanced systemic mastocytosis. Blood. e-Pub 1/2013. PMID: 23325841.
8. Nazha A, Estrov Z, Cortes J, Bueso-Ramos CE, Kantarjian H, Verstovsek S. Prognostic implications and clinical characteristics associated with bone marrow fibrosis in patients with myelofibrosis. Leuk Lymphoma. e-Pub 1/2013. PMID: 23343175.
9. Wang SA, Hutchinson L, Tang G, Chen SS, Miron PP, Huh YO, Jones DM, Bueso-Ramos C, Verstovsek S, Medeiros LJ, Miranda RN. Systemic mastocytosis with associated clonal hematological non-mast cell lineage disease: Clinical significance and comparison of chomosomal abnormalities in SM and AHNMD components. Am J Hematol. e-Pub 1/2013. PMID: 23335446.
10. Benjamini O, Jain P, Estrov Z, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. Therapeutic effects of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis without clinically significant splenomegaly. Blood 120(13):2768-9, 9/27/2012. PMID: 23019204.
11. Verstovsek S, Kantarjian HM, Estrov Z, Cortes JE, Thomas DA, Kadia T, Pierce S, Jabbour E, Borthakur G, Rumi E, Pungolino E, Morra E, Caramazza D, Cazzola M, Passamonti F. Long term outcomes of 107 patients with myelofibrosis receiving JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib: survival advantage in comparison to matched historical controls. Blood 120(6):1202-9, 8/2012. e-Pub 6/2012. PMID: 22718840.
12. Cheng X, Quintás-Cardama A, Golemovic M, Zingaro R, Gao MZ, Freireich EJ, Andreeff M, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. The Organic Arsenic Derivative GMZ27 Induces PML-RARα-Independent Apoptosis in Myeloid Leukemia Cells. Anticancer Res 32(7):2871-80, 7/2012. PMID: 22753750.
13. Zhang SJ, Rampal R, Manshouri T, Patel J, Mensah N, Kayserian A, Hricik T, Heguy A, Hedvat C, Gönen M, Kantarjian H, Levine RL, Abdel-Wahab O, Verstovsek S. Genetic analysis of patients with leukemic transformation of myeloproliferative neoplasms reveals recurrent SRSF2 mutations which are associated with adverse outcome. Blood 119(19):4480-5, 5/2012. PMCID: PMC3362363.
14. Eghtedar A, Verstovsek S, Estrov Z, Burger J, Cortes J, Bivins C, Faderl S, Ferrajoli A, Borthakur G, George S, Scherle PA, Newton RC, Kantarjian HM, Ravandi F. Phase 2 study of the JAK kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib in patients with refractory leukemias, including postmyeloproliferative neoplasm acute myeloid leukemia. Blood 119(20):4614-8, 5/2012. e-Pub 3/2012. PMID: 22422826.
15. Verstovsek S, Mesa RA, Gotlib J, Levy RS, Gupta V, DiPersio JF, Catalano JV, Deininger M, Miller C, Silver RT, Talpaz M, Winton EF, Harvey JH, Arcasoy MO, Hexner E, Lyons RM, Paquette R, Raza A, Vaddi K, Erickson-Viitanen S, Koumenis IL, Sun W, Sandor V, Kantarjian HM. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ruxolitinib for myelofibrosis. N Engl J Med 366(9):799-807, 3/2012. PMID: 22375971.
16. Cortes J, Quintas-Cardama A, Jabbour E, O'Brien S, Verstovsek S, Borthakur G, Ravandi F, Garcia-Manero G, Burton E, Shan J, Kantarjian H. The Clinical Significance of Achieving Different Levels of Cytogenetic Response in Patients With Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia After Failure to Front-Line Therapy: Is Complete Cytogenetic Response the Only Desirable Endpoint? Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 11(5):421-6, 10/2011. e-Pub 8/2011. PMCID: PMC3215673.
17. Jabbour E, Thomas D, Kantarjian H, Zhou L, Pierce S, Cortes J, Verstovsek S. Comparison of thalidomide and lenalidomide as therapy for myelofibrosis. Blood 118(4):899-902, 7/28/2011. e-Pub 5/26/2011. PMID: 21622644.
18. Manshouri T, Estrov Z, Quintás-Cardama A, Burger J, Zhang Y, Livun A, Knez L, Harris D, Creighton CJ, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. Bone Marrow Stroma Secreted Cytokines Protect JAK2V617F-Mutated Cells From the Effects of a JAK2 Inhibitor. Cancer Res 71(11):3831-40, 6/2011. e-Pub 4/2011. PMID: 21512135.
19. Gale RP, Barosi G, Barbui T, Cervantes F, Dohner K, Dupriez B, Gupta V, Harrison C, Hoffman R, Kiladjian JJ, Mesa R, Mc Mullin MF, Passamonti F, Ribrag V, Roboz G, Saglio G, Vannucchi A, Verstovsek S. What are RBC-transfusion-dependence and -independence? Leuk Res 35(1):8-11, 1/2011. e-Pub 8/2010. PMID: 20692036.
20. Al-Kali A, Verstovsek S, Kantarjian H, Luthra R, Cortes J. Competing cell clones in myeloproliferative neoplasm. Blood 116(23):5074-5, 12/2010. PMID: 21127188.
21. Verstovsek S, Kantarjian H, Mesa RA, Pardanani AD, Cortes-Franco J, Thomas DA, Estrov Z, Fridman JS, Bradley EC, Erickson-Viitanen S, Vaddi K, Levy R, Tefferi A. Safety and Efficacy of INCB018424, a JAK1 and JAK2 Inhibitor, in Myelofibrosis. N Engl J Med 363(12):1117-27, 9/16/2010. PMID: 20843246.

Editorials
1. Cortés JE, Freireich EJ, Kantarjian H, Verstovsek S. Retrospect of hematologic malignancies 2010. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 11 Suppl 1:S1, 6/2011. e-Pub 5/2011. PMID: 22035736.
2. Verstovsek S. Janus-Activated Kinase 2 Inhibitors: A New Era of Targeted Therapies Providing Significant Clinical Benefit for Philadelphia Chromosome-Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. J Clin Oncol 29(7):781-3, 3/2011. e-Pub 1/2011. PMID: 21220594.
Other Articles
1. Santos FP, Verstovsek S. What is next beyond janus kinase 2 inhibitors for primary myelofibrosis? Curr Opin Hematol 20(2):123-9, 3/2013. PMID: 23385614.
2. Quintas-Cardama A, Verstovsek S. Molecular Pathways: JAK/STAT PATHWAY: MUTATIONS, INHIBITORS, AND RESISTANCE. Clin Cancer Res. e-Pub 2/2013. PMID: 23406773.
3. Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib: an oral Janus kinase 1 and Janus kinase 2 inhibitor in the management of myelofibrosis. Postgrad Med 125(1):128-35, 1/2013. PMID: 23391678.
4. Lee HJ, Daver N, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S, Ravandi F. The Role of JAK Pathway Dysregulation in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res. e-Pub 1/2013. PMID: 23209034.
5. Komrokji R, Verstovsek S. Assessing efficacy in myelofibrosis treatment: a focus on JAK inhibition. Expert Rev Hematol 5(6):631-41, 12/2012. PMID: 23216593.
6. Atallah E, Verstovsek S. Emerging drugs for myelofibrosis. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 17(4):555-70, 12/2012. PMID: 23186315.
7. Verstovsek S. Advanced systemic mastocytosis: the impact of KIT mutations in diagnosis, treatment, and progression. Eur J Haematol. e-Pub 11/2012. PMID: 23181448.
8. Komrokji RS, Verstovsek S, Padron E, List AF. Advances in the management of myelofibrosis. Cancer Control 19(4 Suppl):4-15, 10/2012. PMID: 23042420.
9. Santos FP, Verstovsek S. Therapy with JAK2 Inhibitors for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 26(5):1083-99, 10/2012. e-Pub 8/2012. PMID: 23009939.
10. Randhawa J, Ostojic A, Vrhovac R, Atallah E, Verstovsek S. Splenomegaly in myelofibrosis--new options for therapy and the therapeutic potential of Janus kinase 2 inhibitors. J Hematol Oncol 5(1). e-Pub 8/2012. PMID: 22852872.
11. Santos FP, Verstovsek S. Breakthroughs in myeloproliferative neoplasms. Hematology 17 Suppl 1:55-8, 4/2012. PMID: 22507780.
12. Quintás-Cardama A, Verstovsek S. Spleen deflation and beyond: The pros and cons of Janus kinase 2 inhibitor therapy for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms. Cancer 118(4):870-7, 2/2012. e-Pub 7/2011. PMID: 21766300.
13. Ostojic A, Vrhovac R, Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis: its clinical potential. Ther Clin Risk Manag 8:95-103, 2012. e-Pub 3/2012. PMCID: PMC3295626.
14. Quintás-Cardama A, Jain N, Verstovsek S. Advances and controversies in the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of systemic mastocytosis. Cancer 117(24):5439-49, 12/2011. e-Pub 6/2011. PMID: 21692073.
15. Ostojic A, Vrhovac R, Verstovsek S. Ruxolitinib: a new JAK1/2 inhibitor that offers promising options for treatment of myelofibrosis. Future Oncol 7(9):1035-43, 9/2011. PMID: 21919691.
16. Naqvi K, Verstovsek S, Kantarjian H, Ravandi F. A potential role of ruxolitinib in leukemia. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 20(8):1159-66, 8/2011. e-Pub 6/2011. PMID: 21635221.
17. Quintás-Cardama A, Verstovsek S. New JAK2 inhibitors for myeloproliferative neoplasms. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 20(7):961-72, 7/2011. e-Pub 4/2011. PMID: 21521147.
18. Santos FP, Verstovsek S. JAK2 Inhibitors: Are They the Solution? Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 11 Suppl 1:S28-36, 6/2011. e-Pub 5/4/2011. PMID: 22035745.
19. Santos FP, Verstovsek S. JAK2 inhibitors: What's the true therapeutic potential? Blood Rev 25(2):53-63, 3/2011. e-Pub 11/2010. PMID: 21095048.
20. Agrawal M, Garg RJ, Cortes J, Kantarjian H, Verstovsek S, Quintas-Cardama A. Experimental therapeutics for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasias. Cancer 117(4):662-76, 2/2011. e-Pub 10/2010. PMID: 20922795.
21. Verstovsek S. Therapeutic Potential of Janus-activated Kinase-2 Inhibitors for the Management of Myelofibrosis. Clin Cancer Res 16(7):1988-96, 4/2010. e-Pub 3/2010. PMID: 20215535.
22. Apostolidou E, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. JAK2 Inhibitors: A Reality? A Hope? Clin Lymphoma Myeloma 9:S340-S345, 9/2009. PMID: 19778862.
23. Verstovsek S. Preclinical and clinical experience with dasatinib in Philadelphia chromosome-negative leukemias and myeloid disorders. Leuk Res 33(5):617-23, 5/2009. e-Pub 11/2008. PMID: 19013641.
24. Atallah E, Verstovsek S. Prospect of JAK2 inhibitor therapy in myeloproliferative neoplasms. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 9(5):663-70, 5/2009. PMID: 19445582.

Abstracts
1. Shastri A, Cortes JE, Jabbour EJ, Zhou L, Schroeder K, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. A Phase II Study of Low-Dose Pomalidomide (0.5mg/day) and Prednisone Combination Therapy in Patients with Myelofibrosis and Significant Anemia. Blood 120(21) (#1728), 11/2012.
2. Verstovsek S, Kiladjian J, Mesa RA, Vannucchi AM, Gotlib J, Barosi G, Kantarjian HM, Sirulnik A, Peng W, Sandor VA, Harrison CN. Effect of Ruxolitinib On the Incidence of Splenectomy in Patients with Myelofibrosis: A Retrospective Analysis of Data From Ruxolitinib Clinical Trials. Blood 120(21) (#2847), 11/2012.
3. Talpaz M, Paquette R, Afrin L, Hamburg S, Jamieson K, Terebelo H, Ortega G, Lyons R, Tiu RV, Winton EF, Natrajan K, Odenike O, Peng W, SandorVA, O'Neill P, Erickson-Viitanen S, Leopold L, Levy RS, Kantarjian HM, Verstovsek S. Efficacy, Hematologic Effects, and Dose of Ruxolitinib in Myelofibrosis Patients with Low Starting Platelet Counts (50–100 x 109/L): A Comparison to Patients with Normal or High Starting Platelet Counts. Blood 120(21) (#176), 11/2012.
4. Mesa RA, Verstovsek S, Gupta V, Mascarenhas J, Atallah E, Sun W, Sandor VA, Gotlib J. Improvement in Weight and Total Cholesterol and Their Association with Survival in Ruxolitinib-Treated Patients with Myelofibrosis From COMFORT-I. Blood 120(21) (#1733), 11/2012.
5. Pemmaraju N, Kantarjian HM, Cortes JE, Quintas-Cardama A, Pierce SA, Verstovsek S. Incidence and Outcomes of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) in Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs). Blood 120(21) (#2845), 11/2012.
6. Verstovsek S, Passamonti F, Rambaldi A, Barosi G, Rosen P, He S, Contel N, Mookerjee B, Rumi E, Gattoni E, Pieri L, Cazzola M, Kantarjian H, Barbui T, Vannucchi A. Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Results From a Phase II Study of Ruxolitinib in Patients with Polycythemia Vera. Blood 120(21) (#804), 11/2012.
7. Verstovsek S, Mesa RA, Gotlib J, Levy RS, Gupta V, DiPersio JF, Catalano JV, Deininger MWN, Miller CB, Silver RT, Talpaz M, Winton EF, Harvey, Jr. JH, Arcasoy MO, Hexner EO, Lyons R, Paquette R, Raza A, Vaddi K, Erickson-Viitanen S, Sun W, Sandor VA, Kantarjian HM. Long-Term Outcome of Ruxolitinib Treatment in Patients with Myelofibrosis: Durable Reductions in Spleen Volume, Improvements in Quality of Life, and Overall Survival Advantage in COMFORT-I. Blood 120(21) (#800), 11/2012.
8. Pemmaraju N, Kantarjian HM, O'Brien S, Kadia TM, Cortes JE, Borthakur G, Faderl S, Garcia-Manero G, Estrov Z, Ravandi F, Quintas-Cardama A, Jabbour EJ, Koller CA, Dellasala SE, Pierce SA, Burton EM, Verstovsek S. Results of A Phase I Study of Ruxolitinib in Patients (pts) with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Leukemia. Blood 120(21) (#3617), 11/2012.
9. Santos FPS, Tam CS, Kantarjian HM, Cortes JE, Thomas DA, Pollock RE, Verstovsek S. Splenectomy in Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs): Efficacy, Complications and Impact On Survival and Transformation. Blood 120(21) (#2853), 11/2012.

Book Chapters
1. Santos FPS, Verstovsek S. Myelofibrosis. In: Emerging Cancer Therapeutics: Leukemia. 2, 2. Ed(s) Popat U. Demos Medical Publishing: New York, 307-328, 2011.
2. Verstovsek S. Therapeutic potential of JAK2 inhibitors. In: Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program, 636-42, 2009. ISBN: 20008249.

Last updated: 3/12/2013