Yosra M. Aljawai, MD, MS
Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2018 | St. George University School of Medicine, St. George, West Indies, GD, Medical Degree |
| 2009 | Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, US, M.S. in Immunology and Microbiology |
| 2005 | King Saud University, Riyadh, SA, BS in Clinical Laboratory Sciences |
Postgraduate Training
| 2021-2023 | Science of Clinical Investigation Award Program, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland |
| 2020-2023 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology, Johns Hopkins University SOM, Baltimore, Maryland |
| 2018-2020 | Physician Scientist Residency, Internal Medicine, Icahn SOM at The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York |
| 2010-2011 | Post baccalaureate, Bunker Hill College, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2009-2010 | Post-baccalaureate, Foothill College, Los Altos, California |
| 2006-2007 | English as a Second Language, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois |
Board Certifications
| 2022 | The American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Interviewer for Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 2021 - 2023
Social Chair, Class of 2023, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 2020 - 2023
House Staff Representative, Class of 2020, Department of Internal Medicine Residency, Icahn SOM at The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 2018 - 2020
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Nocturnist Admitting Physician, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 2021 - 2023
COVID19 Call Center Support-Triage Physician, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 2020 - 2021
USMLE tutor, STEP 2 United States Medical Licensing Examination, TutorZ, LLC, Baltimore, MD, 2019 - 2020
Clinical Research Coordinator & Laboratory Researcher, Mentor: Irene Ghobrial, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2011 - 2014
English Tutor, Pass the Torch Program Team Leader, Foothill College, Los Altos, CA, 2009 - 2010
Medical Technologist, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, 2005 - 2006
Pathologist Assistant Summer Internship, Kingdom Hospital, Pathology Department, Riyadh, 2004 - 2004
Laboratory Research Assistant, Study on Human Brucellosis, Mentor: Aaron Kwaasi, PhD, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, 2004 - 2005
Honors & Awards
| 2020 | Honor Member, Gold Humanism Honor Society |
| 2019 | Honor Member, Gold Humanism Honor Society |
| 2018 | Cum Laude, St. George University SOM |
| 2018 | Research Designation Award, St. George University SOM |
| 2018 | The Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, St. George University SOM |
| 2018 | Honor Member, Gold Humanism Honor Society |
| 2017 | Honor Member, Gold Humanism Honor Society |
| 2017 | The Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, St. George University SOM |
| 2016 | Pathology Best Lab Group of 2016 Award, St. George University SOM |
| 2016 | The Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, St. George University SOM |
| 2015 | The Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, St. George University SOM |
| 2014 | The Legacy of Excellence Scholarship, St. George University SOM |
| 2013 | Abstract Achievement Award, American Society of Hematology |
| 2011 | Dean’s list, Bunker Hill College |
| 2011 | Study Abroad Scholarship, Annecy, France, Bunker Hill College |
| 2010 | Dean’s list, Foothill College |
| 2010 | Dean’s list, Bunker Hill College |
| 2009 | Dean’s list, Foothill College |
| 2009 | Full scholarship, The Ministry of Higher Education, Master's Degree |
| 2008 | Full scholarship, The Ministry of Higher Education, Master's Degree |
| 2007 | Full scholarship, The Ministry of Higher Education, English as a Second Language Certificate |
| 2007 | Full scholarship, The Ministry of Higher Education, Master's Degree |
| 2006 | Full scholarship, The Ministry of Higher Education, English as a Second Language Certificate |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Pasvolsky, O, Wang, Z, Milton, D, Tanner, MR, Bashir, Q, Srour, S, Saini, N, Lin, P, Ramdial, JL, Nieto, Y, Tang, G, Kebriaei, P, Aljawai, YM, Khan, HN, Lee, HC, Ye, JC, Patel, K, Thomas, SK, Orlowski, R, Shpall, E, Champlin, RE, Qazilbash, MH. Multiple myeloma patients with a long remission after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Blood cancer journal 14(1), 2024. PMID: 38760362.
- Pasvolsky, O, Ghanem, S, Milton, D, Rauf, M, Tanner, MR, Bashir, Q, Srour, S, Saini, N, Lin, P, Ramdial, JL, Nieto, Y, Tang, G, Aljawai, YM, Khan, HN, Kebriaei, P, Lee, HC, Patel, K, Thomas, SK, Weber, DM, Orlowski, R, Shpall, E, Champlin, RE, Qazilbash, MH. Outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma and 1q gain/amplification receiving autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Blood cancer journal 14(1), 2024. PMID: 38199987.
- Aljawai YM, Tsai HL, Varadhan R, Jones RJ, Imus PH. Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation using haploidentical grandchildren donors and post-transplant cyclophosphamide-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. Br J Haematol 205(4):1469-1476, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39099174.
- Pasvolsky O, Marcoux C, Dai J, Milton DR, Tanner MR, Syed N, Bashir Q, Srour S, Saini N, Lin P, Ramdial J, Nieto Y, Tang G, Aljawai Y, Lee HC, Gaballa MR, Patel KK, Kebriaei P, Thomas SK, Orlowski RZ, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Qazilbash MH. Trends in Outcomes After Upfront Autologous Transplant for Multiple Myeloma Over Three Decades. Transplant Cell Ther 30(8):772.e1-772.e11, 2024. PMID: 38852784.
- Pasca S, Tsai HL, Aljawai Y, Cooke KR, Walston JD, Gocke CD, Varadhan R, Jones RJ, Gondek LP. Recipient clonal hematopoiesis in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for lymphoid malignancies. Blood Advances 8(14):3849-3858, 2024. PMID: 38640196.
- Bouyssou JM, Liu CJ, Bustoros M, Sklavenitis-Pistofidis R, Aljawai Y, Manier S, Yosef A, Sacco A, Kokubun K, Tsukamoto S, Perilla Glen A, Huynh D, Castillo JJ, Treon SP, Leblond V, Hermine O, Roccaro AM, Ghobrial IM, Capelletti M. Profiling of circulating exosomal miRNAs in patients with Waldenström Macroglobulinemia. PLoS One 13(10):e0204589, 2018. PMID: 30286096.
- Mishima Y, Paiva B, Shi J, Park J, Manier S, Takagi S, Massoud M, Perilla-Glen A, Aljawai Y, Huynh D, Roccaro AM, Sacco A, Capelletti M, Detappe A, Alignani D, Anderson KC, Munshi NC, Prosper F, Lohr JG, Ha G, Freeman SS, Van Allen EM, Adalsteinsson VA, Michor F, San Miguel JF, Ghobrial IM. The Mutational Landscape of Circulating Tumor Cells in Multiple Myeloma. Cell Rep 19(1):218-224, 2017. PMID: 28380360.
- Roccaro AM, Sacco A, Shi J, Chiarini M, Perilla-Glen A, Manier S, Glavey S, Aljawai Y, Mishima Y, Kawano Y, Moschetta M, Correll M, Improgo MR, Brown JR, Imberti L, Rossi G, Castillo JJ, Treon SP, Freedman ML, Van Allen EM, Hide W, Hiller E, Rainville I, Ghobrial IM. Exome sequencing reveals recurrent germ line variants in patients with familial Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Blood 127(21):2598-606, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26903547.
- Moschetta M, Mishima Y, Kawano Y, Manier S, Paiva B, Palomera L, Aljawai Y, Calcinotto A, Unitt C, Sahin I, Sacco A, Glavey S, Shi J, Reagan MR, Prosper F, Bellone M, Chesi M, Bergsagel LP, Vacca A, Roccaro AM, Ghobrial IM. Targeting vasculogenesis to prevent progression in multiple myeloma. Leukemia 30(5):1103-1115, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26859080.
- Roccaro AM, Mishima Y, Sacco A, Moschetta M, Tai YT, Shi J, Zhang Y, Reagan MR, Huynh D, Kawano Y, Sahin I, Chiarini M, Manier S, Cea M, Aljawai Y, Glavey S, Morgan E, Pan C, Michor F, Cardarelli P, Kuhne M, Ghobrial IM. CXCR4 Regulates Extra-Medullary Myeloma through Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition-like Transcriptional Activation. Cell Rep 12(4):622-635, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26190113.
- Weinstock M, Aljawai Y, Morgan EA, Laubach J, Gannon M, Roccaro AM, Varga C, Mitsiades CS, Paba-Prada C, Schlossman R, Munshi N, Anderson KC, Richardson PP, Weller E, Ghobrial IM. Incidence and clinical features of extramedullary multiple myeloma in patients who underwent stem cell transplantation. Br J Haematol 169(6):851-858, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25833301.
- Maiso P, Huynh D, Moschetta M, Sacco A, Aljawai Y, Mishima Y, Asara JM, Roccaro AM, Kimmelman AC, Ghobrial IM. Metabolic signature identifies novel targets for drug resistance in multiple myeloma. Cancer Res 75(10):2071-2082, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25769724.
- Banwait R, Aljawai Y, Cappuccio J, McDiarmid S, Morgan EA, Leblebjian H, Roccaro AM, Laubach J, Castillo JJ, Paba-Prada C, Treon S, Redd R, Weller E, Ghobrial IM. Extramedullary Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Am J Hematol 90(2):100-104, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25349134.
- Reagan MR, Mishima Y, Glavey SV, Zhang Y, Manier S, Lu ZN, Memarzadeh M, Zhang Y, Sacco A, Aljawai Y, Shi J, Tai YT, Ready JE, Kaplan DL, Roccaro AM, Ghobrial IM. Investigating osteogenic differentiation in multiple myeloma using a novel 3D bone marrow niche model. Blood 124(22):3250-3259, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25205118.
- Zhang Y, Moschetta M, Huynh D, Tai YT, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Mishima Y, Ring JE, Tam WF, Xu Q, Maiso P, Reagan M, Sahin I, Sacco A, Manier S, Aljawai Y, Glavey S, Munshi NC, Anderson KC, Pachter J, Roccaro AM, Ghobrial IM. Pyk2 promotes tumor progression in multiple myeloma. Blood 124(17):2675-2686, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25217697.
- Roccaro AM, Sacco A, Jimenez C, Maiso P, Moschetta M, Mishima Y, Aljawai Y, Sahin I, Kuhne M, Cardarelli P, Cohen L, San Miguel JF, Garcia-Sanz R, Ghobrial IM. C1013G/CXCR4 acts as a driver mutation of tumor progression and modulator of drug resistance in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Blood 123(26):4120-4131, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24711662.
- Aljawai Y, Richards MH, Seaton MS, Narasipura SD, Al-Harthi L. β-Catenin/TCF-4 signaling regulates susceptibility of macrophages and resistance of monocytes to HIV-1 productive infection. Curr HIV Res 12(3):164-173, 2014. PMID: 24862328.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Minimal Residual Disease Guided Maintenance Therapy with Belantamab and Lenalidomide After Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma |
| Funding Source: | GlaxoSmithKline |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Title: | Training Program in Hematology, Director: Robert Brodsky, MD |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
| Role: | PI |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified October 21, 2024