Avis Harden, MD
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatrics
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics - Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2009 | George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, US, BA in Pre-Health English Major; Cultural Studies |
Postgraduate Training
| 2021-2022 | Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2020-2021 | Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2020 | Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2014-2017 | Clinical Residency, Pediatric Residency, Holtz Children’s Hospital/University of Miami, Miami, Florida |
| 2010-2014 | Medical School Training, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC, Maryland |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2024 | General Pediatrics |
| 2017 | Texas State Medical License |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Supportive Care Council Faculty Chair, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2022 - Present
Chief Fellow, Department of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2020
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Board Member, PRS Retirement Board, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Faculty Chair, Supportive Care Council, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Member, Patient Experience Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Member, Pediatric Clinical Practice Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Champion, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - 2022
Member, GME Diversity and Disparities Subcommittee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2022
Member, Pediatric Patient Safety and Quality Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - Present
Member, Fellowship Application Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2021
Representative, Fellowship Program Evaluation Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2022
Representative, Fellowship Program Education Committee Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - 2022
Representative, GME Wellness Committee Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2019
Representative, Fellowship Program Evaluation Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - 2020
Representative, Ethics Committee Resident Representative, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - 2016
Representative, Professionalism Committee Class Representative, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2014 - 2016
Honors & Awards
| 2019 | Pediatric Fellows Best Abstract Presentation, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2008 | Member, Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2019. Vascular Permeability in ICANS. Conference. Vascular Permeability in ICANS, US.
- 2018. Vascular Permeability & CRES: Early Concept Update. Conference. Vascular Permeability & CRES: Early Concept Update, US.
International Presentations
- 2020. Education for the Clinical Implementation of CAR-T Cell Therapy using Simulation Based Education for Evidence Based Management of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Related Cytokine Release Syndrome and Encephalopathy Syndrome. Conference. Education for the Clinical Implementation of CAR-T Cell Therapy using Simulation Based Education for Evidence Based Management of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Related Cytokine Release Syndrome and Encephalopathy Syndrome. Barcelona, ES.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Nash, A, Harden, A, Sheth, RK. The Ethical Complexity of Medical Decision Making in the Adolescent Oncology Patient. Current Oncology 31(8):4158-4164, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39195293.
- Gardner MK, Amado PJ, Baig MU, Mohiuddin S, Harden A, Ewing LJ, Razvi S, Cortes JA, Mejia R, Petropoulos D, Tewari P, Ahmad AH. Implementing Rounding Checklists in a Pediatric Oncologic Intensive Care Unit. Children (Basel) 9(4), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35455624.
- Ragoonanan D, Khazal SJ, Wang J, Payne A, Kohorst M, Harden A, Tewari P, Petropoulos D, Shoberu B, Kebriaei P, Mahadeo KM, Tambaro FP. Improved detection of sinusoidal obstructive syndrome using pediatric-AYA diagnostic criteria and severity grading. Bone Marrow Transplant 56(1):175-184, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32665674.
- Marmonti E, Savage H, Zhang A, Bedoya CAF, Morrell MG, Harden A, Buzbee M, Schadler K. Modulating sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors to improve chemotherapy efficacy against Ewing sarcoma. Int J Cancer 147(4):1206-1214, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31922252.
- Harden A, Ragoonanan D, Anildes-Gubman D, McCall D, Faltus K, Featherston S, Shoberu B, Moffet JR, Petropoulos D, Khazal SJ, Razvi S, Mahadeo KM, Tewari P. Chimeric Antigen Receptor, Teamwork, Education, Assessment, and Management (CAR-TEAM): A Simulation-Based Inter-professional Education (IPE) Intervention for Management of CAR Toxicities. Front Oncol 10:1227, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32850365.
- Ortiz D, Harden A, Corrales-Medina FF, Saigal G, Tekin A, Garcia J. Pediatric patient with end-stage kidney disease secondary to Eagle-Barrett syndrome and metastatic unresectable hepatoblastoma treated successfully with chemotherapy and liver-kidney transplant. Pediatr Transplant 22(2), 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29356335.
Review Articles
- Harden A, Kresta K, Itzep N. Addressing Common Pain Syndromes in Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant: A Review. Children (Basel) 9(2), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35204860.
- Mahadeo KM, Bajwa R, Abdel-Azim H, Lehmann LE, Duncan C, Zantek N, Vittorio J, Angelo J, McArthur J, Schadler K, Chan S, Tewari P, Khazal S, Auletta JJ, Choi SW, Shoberu B, Kalwak K, Harden A, Kebriaei P, Abe JI, Li S, Moffet JR, Abraham S, Tambaro FP, Kleinschmidt K, Richardson PG, Corbacioglu S, Marrow Transplantation PALIASI(NATPDWPOTESFBA. Diagnosis, grading, and treatment recommendations for children, adolescents, and young adults with sinusoidal obstructive syndrome: an international expert position statement. Lancet Haematol 7(1):e61-e72, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31818728.
Abstracts
- K Butler, M Lindsay, S Kocinsky, M Balossi, D Coral, D Garrett-Thomas, H Farner, A Jeyte, N Mali, I Martinez, R Tefera, Harden A, L Sedig, M Taylor, E Kaye, J Snaman, K Brock, J Bogetz, E Johnston, P Ananth. Exploring Associations Between Household Material Hardship, Parent/Caregiver Health Literacy, and Family-Reported Experience of Advanced Childhood Cancer Care. ASCO Quality Care Symposium. e-Pub 2025.
- Harden A, K Bardon, M Schneider, A Heaton, A Rajan, J Wang, C Andersen, P Tewari, S Lugo, R Crowder, S Razvi, K Moody. The Root of Nutrition: Investigating Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of an Enteral Nutrition Route Versus a Parenteral Nutrition Route in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients. Pediatric Palliative Oncology Academic Leadership Collaborative & Symposium. e-Pub 2025.
- Harden A, Ragoonanan D, Featherston SK McCall D, Faltus K, Daryl Anildes-Gumban D, Khazal S, Shoberu B, Mahadeo KM, Razvi S, Tewari P. Simulation Based Education For The Evidence Based Management of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Related Encephalopathy Syndrome and Cytokine Release Syndrome. Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Consortium at The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Meeting, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Harden A, Puebla-Osorio N, Najjar A, Strati P, Westin J, Nastoupil L, Mahadeo K, Neelapu S, Schadler K. Modifiers of Endothelial Permeability in the Setting of CAR-T Therapy Related Immune Cell Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome. Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Harden A, Fernandez P, Defeo D, Shoberu B, Gill J, Gorlick R, Mahadeo KM, Khazal S. High Dose Chemotherapy Followed By Autologous Stem Cell Rescue For High Risk Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Retrospective Review. Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Consortium at The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Meeting, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Ortiz D, Harden A, Corrales-Medina FF, Saigal G, Tekin A, Garcia J. Pediatric patient with end-stage kidney disease secondary to Eagle-Barrett Syndrome and metastatic unresectable hepatoblastoma treated successfully with chemotherapy and liver-kidney transplant. The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Meeting, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
Book Chapters
- Harden A, Madden K, Goldstein R. Chapter 12: Pediatric Pain and Symptom Management. In: Berkowitz's Pediatrics: A Primary Care Approach. 7th.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 29, 2025