Alex Bataller, MD, PhD
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Alex Bataller Torralba
As an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), my research is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the biology and clinical outcomes of leukemias, with a particular focus on myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). I possess a solid background in hematology, with specialized training in malignant hematologic disorders. During my hematology residency, I investigated genetic prognostic factors in acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, resulting in several peer-reviewed publications and forming the basis of my PhD thesis on AML prognostication. Following my residency, I was awarded two competitive research grants—the Emili Letang Award and the SEHH Investigation Grant—which supported the development and validation of a preclinical model for CAR T-cell therapy targeting AML at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute in Barcelona. In addition to leading this project, I contributed to numerous collaborative studies within the laboratory, resulting in several scientific publications and further strengthening my expertise in basic and translational hematology research. To enhance my scientific and clinical expertise, I completed two master’s degrees in Hematopoietic Transplantation and Molecular Oncology and developed advanced proficiency in statistical analysis and programming using R and Python. In 2022, I joined the Leukemia Fellowship Program at MDACC, where I broadened my clinical knowledge in leukemia care and continued to engage in high-impact research. My commitment to excellence was recognized with the Clinical Resident/Fellow Excellence Award and the Research Fellow of the year Award in 2024. Currently, I am an active member of the MDS research group at MDACC, contributing to both clinical and translational studies aimed at improving outcomes for patients with MDS. As a physician-scientist in Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero’s laboratory, I am pursuing research that bridges basic science and clinical application in the MDS field, furthering my long-term goal of translating scientific discoveries into improved therapeutic strategies for patients with hematologic malignancies.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Research Interests
My research interests focus on understanding the biology underlying myeloid diseases such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). By improving our understanding of these diseases, we aim to develop more effective treatments for patients
Education & Training
Postgraduate Training
| 2019-2020 | Master's Degree, Molecular Oncology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid |
| 2018-2019 | Masters' Degree, Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, University of Valencia, Valencia |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2025 | Faculty Temporary License |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Pre-doctoral Researcher, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research institute (IDIBAPS) and Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Barcelona, 2019 - 2022
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Chief fellow, Department of Leukemia Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2023 - 2024
Chief resident, Department of Hematology Residency Program, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, 2018 - 2019
Elected member of the Education Commission, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, 2017 - 2019
Other Professional Positions
Hematology and Immunology lecturer, Academia de estudios AMIR, Madrid, 2016 - 2022
Student Mentor, Academia de estudios AMIR, Madrid, 2014 - 2015
Editorial Activities
Reviewer, Journal, 2020 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Best Research Fellow, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2024 | Clinical Resident/Fellow Excellence Award for Teamwork, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2020 | MSD Grant for the most outstanding resident of the promotion, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain |
| 2019 | Investigation grant, Spanish Foundation of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Valencia, Spain |
| 2019 | Excellence scholarship, Spanish Association against Cancer (AECC), Madrid, Spain |
| 2018 | Emili Letang Residency Award, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain |
| 2018 | Bolsa de Viaje, Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Madrid, Spain |
Professional Memberships
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
| Title: | Investigation grant FEHH |
| Funding Source: | Spanish Foundation of Hematology and Hemotherapy |
| Role: | Predoctoral researcher |
| Date: | 2019 - 2020 |
| Title: | Emili Letang Residency Award |
| Funding Source: | Hospital Clinic of Barcelona |
| Role: | Predoctoral researcher |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Bazinet A, Loghavi S, Wei Y, Bataller A, Sasaki K, Arani N, Darbaniyan F, Chien K, Hammond D, Bouligny I, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Thongon N, Tang G, Urrutia S, Kadia T, DiNardo C, Daver N, Short N, Issa G, Pemmaraju N, Jabbour E, Wang SA, Wang W, Borthakur G, Bueso-Ramos C, Ravandi F, Medeiros LJ, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G, Montalban-Bravo G. Erythroid-predominant myelodysplastic neoplasms exhibit a distinct genomic landscape with poor outcomes after venetoclax-based therapy. Leukemia 39(9):2256-2265, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40691503.
- Bataller A, Goulart HE, Issa GC, DiNardo CD, Daver N, Kadia T, Bazinet A, Bouligny IM, Senapati J, Haddad FG, Borthakur G, Sasaki K, Short NJ, Yilmaz M, Montalban-Bravo G, Tang G, Loghavi S, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F, Kantarjian H, Jabbour E. Characteristics and outcomes of newly diagnosed acute myeloid Leukemia with KMT2A rearrangements. Leukemia 39(7):1640-1649, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40346311.
- Bataller A, Sasaki K, Urrutia S, Montalban-Bravo G, Bazinet A, Chien K, Hammond D, Bouligny IM, Swaminathan M, Issa G, Short N, Daver N, DiNardo CD, Kadia T, Jabbour E, Ravandi F, Roboz GJ, Savona M, Griffiths EA, McCloskey J, Odenike O, Oganesian A, Keer HN, Azab M, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G. Oral decitabine cedazuridine with and without venetoclax in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: a propensity score-matched study. Blood Cancer J 15(1):50, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40164584.
- Bataller A, Kantarjian H, Bazinet A, Kadia T, Daver N, DiNardo CD, Borthakur G, Loghavi S, Patel K, Tang G, Sasaki K, Short NJ, Yilmaz M, Issa GC, Alvarado Y, Montalban-Bravo G, Maiti A, Abbas HA, Takahashi K, Pierce S, Jabbour E, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F. Outcomes and genetic dynamics of acute myeloid leukemia at first relapse. Haematologica 109(11):3543-3556, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38695144.
- Bazinet A, Garcia-Manero G, Short N, Alvarado Y, Bataller A, Abuasab T, Islam R, Montalbano K, Issa G, Maiti A, Yilmaz M, Jain N, Masarova L, Kornblau S, Jabbour E, Montalban-Bravo G, Rausch CR, Pierce S, DiNardo CD, Kadia T, Daver N, Konopleva M, Huang X, Kantarjian H, Ravandi F. Oral decitabine and cedazuridine plus venetoclax for older or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukaemia: a phase 2 study. Lancet Haematol 11(4):e276-e286, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38452788.
- Bataller A, Bazinet A, DiNardo CD, Maiti A, Borthakur G, Daver NG, Short NJ, Jabbour EJ, Issa GC, Pemmaraju N, Yilmaz M, Montalban-Bravo G, Takahashi K, Loghavi S, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F, Kantarjian HM, Kadia TM. Prognostic risk signature in patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with hypomethylating agents and venetoclax. Blood Adv 8(4):927-935, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38113472.
- Bataller A, Loghavi S, Gerstein Y, Bazinet A, Sasaki K, Chien KS, Hammond D, Montalban-Bravo G, Borthakur G, Short N, Issa GC, Kadia TM, Daver N, Tang G, Quesada A, Patel KP, Ravandi F, Fiskus W, Mill CP, Kantarjian HM, Bhalla K, Garcia-Manero G, Oran B, DiNardo CD. Characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with myeloid malignancies and DDX41 variants. Am J Hematol 98(11):1780-1790, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37665752.
Review Articles
- Bataller A, Short NJ, Daver N, Yilmaz M, Kantarjian H, Ravandi F. Current Treatment Strategies for FLT3-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Patients not Candidates for Intensive Chemotherapy. Curr Oncol Rep 27(9):1097-1105, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40748523.
- Bataller A, Montalban-Bravo G, Soltysiak KA, Garcia-Manero G. The role of TGFbeta in hematopoiesis and myeloid disorders. Leukemia 33(5):1076-1089, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30816330.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified January 15, 2026