Portia Smallbone, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA
Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2024 | Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, AU, Hematopathology, Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia |
| 2024 | Royal Australasian College of Physicians, AU, Hematology, Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians |
| 2016 | University of Western Australia, Perth, AU, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) |
Postgraduate Training
| 2023-2024 | Fellow, Bone Marrow Transplantation and Stem Cell Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2020-2023 | Postgraduate Fellow, Laboratory Haematology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth |
| 2020-2023 | Clinical Fellow, Clinical Haematology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth |
| 2016-2020 | Resident, Internal Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2025 | Basic Life Support |
| 2024 | Texas Medical Board Faculty Temporary License |
| 2023 | Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates |
| 2023 | Drug Enforcement Agency Controlled Substance Registration Certificate |
| 2023 | Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Chair, Junior Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2025 - Present
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Chair, Junior Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Member, Academic Career Development Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Member, President's Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Member, Academic Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Committee Member, Medical Practice Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
National Trainee Representative, Committee for Joint College Training in Haematology, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA), 2022 - 2023
Member, Western Australian College Trainees Committee, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2020 - 2022
Education Officer, Western Australian College Trainees Committee, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2020 - 2022
Honors & Awards
| 2025 - Present | EHA Educational Travel Grant, European Hematology Association |
| 2024 | ASTCT Clinical Research Training Course Scholar, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) |
| 2024 | EHA Educational Travel Grant, European Hematology Association (EHA) |
| 2024 | RESILIENT After cGVHD Travel Grant, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) |
| 2014 | Sobotka Scholarship Recipient, The University of Western Australia |
| 2013 | Medical Graduates Association Prize, The University of Western Australia |
| 2013 | Coral Haughie Memorial Prize, The University of Western Australia |
| 2011 - 2014 | John Flynn Scholarship, The University of Western Australia |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2026. Persistent Symptom Burden and Unmet Needs in Long-Term Survivors of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: An Analysis Using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-BMT). Conference. American Society of Transplant Cellular Therapy. Salt Lake City, Utah, US.
- 2025. Clonal dynamics of FLT3-ITD positive acute myeloid leukemia following relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Conference. American Society of Hematology. Washington, District of Columbia, US.
- Fractionated busulfan, fludarabine and thiotepa to improve transplant outcomes for myelofibrosis. Conference. Tandem Meeting. Hawaii, US.
International Presentations
- 2025. Updates in Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Invited. Blood Conference, AU.
- 2024. T Cell Depletion vs Post Transplant Cyclophosphamide. Panelist. International Society of Cell Therapy Conference. Vancouver, CA.
- 2023. Minimal Residual Disease Assessment in Myelofibrosis. Conference. State Haematology Society of Australia & New Zealand (HSANZ) Meeting, AU.
- 2022. Haemorrhagic cystitis: a single centre study. Conference. Western Australian State Transplant Meeting, AU.
- 2021. Chromosome 1 abnormalities in multiple myeloma. Conference. Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) State Conference. Melbourne, AU.
- 2017. Pleural Research in Intensive Care: A Prospective Observational Study of Pleural Effusion Management (PRINCE-1. Conference. Asia Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR).
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2027 |
| Title: | Topical ruxolitinib for the treatment of chronic genital GVHD |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Mehta RS, Aljawai YM, Fingrut W, Smallbone P, Rondon G, Olson A, Oran B, Kebriaei P, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ. Uncoupling toxicity from efficacy in donor selection for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a retrospective cohort study using double machine learning. J Hematol Oncol, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42010448.
- Smallbone P, Cao K, Saliba RM, Carmarzzi Y, Al-Atrash G, Alvarez M, Rondon G, Fingrut WB, Aljawai YM, Olson AL, Alousi AM, Chen GL, Tanner MR, Zou J, Ramdial JL, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Oran B. Reduced relapse in high risk acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic neoplasms with permissive HLA-DPB1 mismatches and post-transplant cyclophosphamide. Leukemia, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41803402.
- Smallbone, PI, Mendt Vilchez, MC, Sackstein, R, Tanner, MR, Kaur, I, Basar, R, Rafei, H, Daher, M, Overman, B, Al-Atrash, G, Alousi, AM, Bashir, Q, Hosing, C, Im, JS, Kebriaei, P, Banerjee, PP, Patel, KP, Zou, J, Cao, K, Khouri, IF, Mehta, RS, Molldrem, JJ, Nieto, Y, Oran, B, Popat, UR, Qazilbash, MH, Rondon, G, Saini, N, Srour, S, Champlin, RE, Rezvani, K, Shpall, E, Olson, AL. Ex vivo mesenchymal progenitor cell-based cord blood cell expansion and exofucosylation to enhance transplant engraftment. Cytotherapy 28(3), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41396090.
- Aljawai YM, Ramdial JL, Smallbone P, Chen GL, Kebriaei P, Pasvolsky O, Popat UR, Oran B, Rezvani K, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Mehta RS. Comparative Outcomes of HCT with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide in Older Adults: The Impact of Donor Type. Blood Adv 9(20):5201-5206, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40795211.
- Oran B, Thall P, Alousi A, Al-Atrash G, Mehta R, Marin D, Kebriaei P, Popat U, Bassett R, Bashir Q, Im J, Olson A, Jewell J, Smallbone P, Shpall EJ, Champlin R. Guadecitabine improved relapse-free survival in high-risk acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients after transplant: phase II results from a single center. Haematologica 111(1):149-157, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40702903.
- Kimberly S Q Wong, Arina Martynchyk, Zoe Krisnadi, Fiona Swain, Ahmad Zargari, Luke Cassidy, Georgia Mills, Kenneth Lim, Jeremy Gervasi, Portia Smallbone, Jenny Wang, Chan Cheah, Colm Keane, Gareth Gregory, Allison Barraclough, Tara Cochrane, Denise Lee, Eliza Hawkes. Meeting trial eligibility in follicular lymphoma patients is associated with overall survival but not progression-free survival. J Natl Cancer Inst, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40637697.
- Aljawai YM, Ramdial JL, Rondon G, Smallbone P, Kebriaei P, Popat UR, Oran B, Rezvani K, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Mehta RS. Outcomes of Haploidentical vs Mismatched Unrelated Donor HCT with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Prophylaxis. Blood Adv 9(15):4023-4036, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40517414.
- Lambert N, Forte F, El Moussaoui M, Monseur J, Raus N, Polushin A, Michonneau D, Schultz C, Smallbone P, Maquet P. Central nervous system manifestations in acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease. Brain, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39442000.
- Smallbone P, Shigle TL, Paslovsky O, Hosing C, Alousi A, Bashir Q, Aljawai Y, Ramdial J, Popat U, Champlin R, Shpall EJ, Oran B. Maintenance therapy with oral decitabine plus cedazuridine after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelodysplastic syndrome. Haematologica 110(8):1798-1807, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40013380.
- Smallbone, PI, Sekhar, M, Srour, S, Ramdial, JL, Carmicheal Kusy, CL, Shpall, E, Popat, UR. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients With Myelofibrosis and Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis. Am J Hematol 100(2):305-309, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39651633.
- Marcoux CM, Alousi AM, Im J, Hill LC, Smallbone P, Popat U, Hosing C, Kebriaei P, Olson A, Mehta R, Chen G, Qazilbash M, Shpall E, Champlin RC, Saliba RM. Gastrointestinal involvement refines prognosis in minnesota standard risk acute graft-vs.-host disease. Bone Marrow Transplant 59(11):1594-1600, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39187601.
- Lambert N, Forte F, El Moussaoui M, Monseur J, Raus N, Polushin A, Michonneau D, Shultz C, Hogan WJ, Balaguer-Rosello A, Gil-Perotin S, Brijs J, Chauvet P, Gavriilaki M, Carre M, Dulamea AO, Chalandon Y, Salmenniemi U, Duminuco A, Ram R, Garcia-Cadenas I, Porto G, Nguyen S, Smallbone P, Gonzalez-Vicent M, Santoro JD, Willems E, Baron F, Servais S, Beguin Y, Maquet P. Central nervous system manifestations in acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease. Brain 148(4):1122-1133, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39442000.
- Di Ciaccio PR, Mills G, Shipton MJ, Campbell B, Gregory G, Langfield J, Greenwood M, McKeague S, Shanavas M, Eslick R, Kidson-Gerber G, Smallbone P, Tang C, Morris K, Bilmon I, Yannakou CK, Badoux X, Berkahn L, Farina S, Mason KD, Motum P, Goss K, Hamad N. The clinical features, management and outcomes of lymphoma in pregnancy: A multicentre study by the Australasian Lymphoma Alliance. Br J Haematol 201(5):887-896, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36880558.
- Smallbone P, Amanuel B, Robbins PD, Passage J, Grove CS. EBV-associated diffuse large B cell lymphoma arising within atrial myxoma in an immunocompetent patient can be treated successfully with surgery alone. Pathology 52(3):379-382, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32107076.
- Fysh ETH, Smallbone P, Mattock N, McCloskey C, Litton E, Wibrow B, Ho KM, Lee YCG. Clinically Significant Pleural Effusion in Intensive Care: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study. Crit Care Explor 2(1):e0070, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32166290.
- Kuzich JA, Hutchison AP, Lim KJC, Smallbone P, Denning K, Wright MP, Cull G, Leahy MF, Joske DJL, Radeski D, Purtill D. Prognostic factors and the impact of frontline therapy in peripheral T-cell lymphoma: 10 years of 'real-world' experience from Western Australia. Leuk Lymphoma 60(14):3417-3425, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31304820.
Review Articles
- Smallbone, PI, Mehta, RS, Alousi, AM. Steroid Refractory Acute GVHD. American Journal of Hematology 100(S3):14-29, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40123554.
- Smallbone, PI, Kebriaei, P, Mendt Vilchez, MC, Shpall, E, Olson, AL, Fingrut, WB. Mesenchymal stem cells in hematology. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Haematology 38(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40274341.
- Smallbone P, Louw A, Purtill D. Laboratory methods of monitoring disease response after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis. Pathology 56(1):24-32, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38071159.
Other Articles
- Mehta RS, Aljawai YM, Kebriaei P, Rondon G, Fingrut W, Smallbone P, Oran B, Olson A, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ Modeling donor age and type trade-offs for personalized selection in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide prophylaxis, 2026. PMID: 41526616.
Abstracts
- Fysh E, Smallbone P, Mccloskey C, Roberts B, Litton E, Ho KM, Wibrow B, Lee YCG. Pleural Research In Intensive Care (PRINCE-1) A Prospective Observational Study Of Pleural Effusion Management. Respirology 22:60-61, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Smallbone P, Mazouzi K, Ahmed S, Saliba R, Srour SA, Chen J, Kusy CC, Aljawai Y, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Popat U. Splenomegaly and low CD34+ cell dose are associated with poor graft function following allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis. European Hematology Association.
- Lombard M, Smallbone P, Cooney J, Cannell P, Wright M, Purtill D, Lam S. Viral morbidity in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients receiving ATG for GvHD prophylaxis. Blood (Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand) Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Smallbone P, Copeland T, Lombard M, Cooney J, Cannell P, Wright M, Purtill D. Haemorrhagic cystitis post allogeneic stem cell transplant: a review of recent outcomes at a single centre. Blood - Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Smallbone P, Robbins P, Kuok Y, Purtill D. Ruxolitinib use in chronic graft-versus-host disease affecting the central nervous system: a case report. Blood - Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Smallbone P, Sekhar M, Srour S, Shpall EJ, Popat U. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with myelofibrosis and splanchnic vein thrombosis. TANDEM 2024.
- Smallbone P, Shpall EJ, Champlin R, Qazilbash M, Srour S. Impact of hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) on AL Amyloidosis outcomes. TANDEM 2024.
- Smallbone P, Oran B, Popat U, Champlin R, Shpall EJ. Maintenance therapy with oral decitabine plus cedazuridine after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelodysplastic syndrome. European Hematology Association (EHA).
- Smallbone P, Champlin R, Shpall EJ, Oran B. HLA-DPB1 mismatches and the impact on unrelated donor transplant outcomes with the use of post-transplant cyclophosphamide. American Society of Hematology (ASH).
- Smallbone P, Cao K, Saliba RM, Alvarez M, Fingrut WB, Aljawai YM, Olson AL, Alousi AM, Chen GL, Ramdial JL, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Oran B. HLA-DBP1 Mismatches and the Impact on Unrelated Donor Transplant Outcomes with the Use of Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Popat UR, Alousi AM, Bassett RL, Alatrash G, Aljawai YM, Bashir Q, Chen GL, Fingrut WB, Hosing CM, Im JS, Kebriaei P, Khouri IF, Marin D, Mehta RS, Nieto Y, Olson AL, Oran B, Qazilbash MH, Ramdial JL, Saini NY, Shigle TL, Smallbone P, Srour SA, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ. Jak Inhibitor Itacitinib with Ptcy and Tacrolimus to Prevent Gvhd in a Myeloablative Fractionated Busulfan Regimen: A Phase 2 Trial. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Popat UR, Bassett RL, Alousi AM, Alatrash G, Aljawai YM, Bashir Q, Chen GL, Fingrut WB, Gulbis AM, Hosing CM, Im JS, Kebriaei P, Marin D, Mehta RS, Nieto Y, Olson AL, Oran B, Qazilbash MH, Ramdial JL, Saini NY, Smallbone P, Srour SA, Valdez BC, Champlin RE, Andersson BS, Shpall EJ. Myeloablative Fractionated Busulfan, Fludarabine, Cladribine, Thiotepa and Venetoclax (Cladillac) Conditioning Regimen for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Very High-Risk AML/MDS: A Phase 2 Trial. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Aljawai YM, Smallbone P, Alousi AM, Bashir Q, Chen GL, Fingrut WB, Hosing CM, Kebriaei P, Marin D, Oran B, Popat UR, Qazilbash MH, Ramdial JL, Rezvani K, Champlin RE, Shpall EJ, Mehta RS. Impact of Donor Age and Donor-Recipient Sex Mismatch on Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Outcomes. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Hosing C M, Saliba R M, Alousi A M, Alatrash G, Aljawai Y M, Bashir Q, Chen G L, Fingrut W B, Im J S, Kebriaei P, Marin D, Nieto Y, Olson A L, Oran B, Qazilbash M H, Ramdial J L, Saini N Y, Smallbone P, Srour S A, Bazinet A, GarciaManero G, Champlin R E, Andersson B S, Shpall E J, Popat U R. Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant with Myeloablative Fractionated Busulfan, Fludarabine and Thiotepa Conditioning Regimen in Older Patients with High Risk MDS. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Cervoni-Curet FN, Milton DR, Garcia R, Hunter L, Ledesma C, Martinez CS, Rondon G, Carmazzi Y, Cao K, Al-Atrash G, Aljawai YM, Alousi AM, Bashir Q, Chen GL, Hosing CM, Im JS, Kebriaei P, Khouri IF, Marin D, Mehta RS, Nieto Y, Olson AL, Oran B, Popat UR, Qazilbash MH, Ramdial JL, Smallbone P, Saini NY, Srour SA, Champlin RE, Flowers C, Shpall EJ, Fingrut WB. Disparities in Allograft Access in the Era of Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-Based Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
- Srour SA, Saliba RM, Ramdial JL, Smallbone P, Im JS, Olson AL, Kusy CC, Oran B, Chen GL, Qazilbash MH, Kebriaei P, Hosing CM, Khouri IF, Alousi AM, Bashir Q, Marin D, Nieto Y, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Popat UR. Fractionated Busulfan, Fludarabine and Thiotepa Myeloablative Conditioning to Improve Transplant Outcomes for Myelofibrosis. TANDEM Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR 2025.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026