Cristina Gutierrez, MD
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, and Pain Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Critical Care Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2003 | Universidad de La Sabana, Bogota, CO, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 2009-2011 | Fellow (Chief Fellow), Critical Care Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York |
| 2006-2009 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York |
| 2003-2006 | Post-Doctoral Fellow, Neuro-Immunology, Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2014 | Texas State Board of Medical of Examiners |
| 2013 | United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties |
| 2011 | American Board of Internal Medicine-Critical Care |
| 2011 | New York Medical License |
| 2009 | American Board of Internal Medicine-Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Critical Care Representative, IRB Institutional Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Critical Care Representative, Academic Review Committee for the Division of Education and Training, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Delegate Reviewer, Clinical Research Committee (CRC), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - Present
Critical Care Representative, CARTOX Cell Therapy Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - Present
Critical Care Representative, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2024 - Present | Alan I. Fields Award, SCCM Texas Chapter |
| 2023 | MD Anderson’s Faculty Excellence Award-Research Excellence, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2020 | Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Division’s Top Clinical Publication of the Year Award, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2019 | Excellence in Service Award for Research and Quality Improvement, SCCM Texas Chapter |
| 2018 | Waun Ki Hong Award for Excellence in Team Science, 13th Annual Division of Cancer Medicine Faculty Recognition & Awards Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2012 - 2013 | Teacher of the Year Award, New York Hospital Queens, New York-Presbyterian Queens Weill Cornell Medicine |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2024. Updates on CAR T-cell Toxicity Management. Invited. Pulmonary and Critical Care Oncology ICU Education Day and Grand Rounds. Cleveland, OH, US.
- 2023. Update on Cost and ICU Utilization for Administration of Cellular Therapy: A Review of Current Data. Invited. SCCM. San Francisco, CA, US.
- 2022. The New Horizon of Oncological Critical Care: Immunotherapies and their Toxicities. Invited. Critical Care Grand Rounds. New York, US.
- 2022. The New Horizon of Oncological Critical Care: Immunotherapies and their Toxicities. Invited. Critical Care Grand Rounds. New York, US.
- 2021. Complications of Immunotherapy in the ICU. Invited. SCCM Annual Conference (virtual), US.
- 2021. COVID -19: The MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Invited. AACR Annual Meeting (virtual), US.
- 2021. Where Do CAR T-cell Patients Need to Be Treated?. Invited. SCCM Annual Conference (virtual), US.
- 2020. Immunotherapies: Advances and toxicities encountered in critical care. Invited. ATS Annual Conference (virtual), US.
- 2020. Uncommon Toxicities and Other Considerations of Immune Effector Cell Therapy in the ICU. Invited. SCCM Annual Conference. Orlando, FL, US.
International Presentations
- 2025. CAR T-cell Toxicities an Update. Invited. Third World Symposium in Oncologic Critical Care, US.
- 2023. Critical Care Management of Onco-hematology Patients: Where do we come from and Where Do We Go?. Invited. Moroccan Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care National Congress. Marrakesh, MA.
- 2023. Implications for the ICU of CART Related Toxicities. Invited. 2nd International Course on Management of CART Complications. Barcelona, ES.
- 2023. Cardiac Toxicities from cancer therapy: is it time to change our approach in the ICU?. Invited. Nine-I Research Network. Paris, FR.
- 2021. Inmunoterapia y sus Toxicidades: El Nuevo Horizonte de Cuidado Intensivo Oncológico. Invited. XIII Congreso Nacional De Medicina Crítica Y Cuidado Intensivo. Bogota, CO.
- 2019. The Critically Ill Adult Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy Patient. Invited. The Critically Ill Adult Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy Patient. Naples, IT.
- 2019. Treatment of Toxicities in the Adult Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy Patient. Invited. Treatment of Toxicities in the Adult Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy Patient. Naples, IT.
- 2019. Reanimacion Cardiopulmonar en Pacientes con Cancer. Invited. XII Congreso Nacional De Medicina Crítica Y Cuidado Intensivo. Bogota, CO.
- 2019. Management of neurological complications in patients receiving immunotherapy. Invited. XII Congreso Nacional De Medicina Crítica Y Cuidado Intensivo. Bogota, CO.
- 2019. Management of CRS in patients receiving immunotherapy. Invited. XII Congreso Nacional De Medicina Crítica Y Cuidado Intensivo. Bogota, CO.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - Present |
| Title: | Use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Patients and their Effects on T-cell and Monocyte Exhaustion and Clinical Outcomes During Septic Shock |
| Funding Source: | University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - Present |
| Title: | Use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Patients and their Effects on T-cell and Monocyte Exhaustion and Clinical Outcomes During Septic Shock |
| Funding Source: | SCCM Texas Chapter |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2020 - Present |
| Title: | Recombinant Human InterLeukin-7 (CYT107) to Improve Clinical Outcomes in Lymphopenic Patients with COVID-19 Infection |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Research Institute, RevImmune |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2018 - 2020 |
| Title: | Mindfulness as an Antidote to Burnout for Nursing and Support Staff in an Oncological ICU |
| Funding Source: | University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Rajendram P, Stephens RS, Brown ART, May HP, Nates JL, Pastores SM, Dharshan A, Gallo de Moraes A, Hensley MK, Feng L, McEvoy C, Ibikunle S, Beasley M, Mead E, Westin J, Kostelecky NT, Mucha S, Mian A, Ahmed S, Tharwani A, Hill BT, Herr MM, Lin Y, Gutierrez C. Six-Year Trends in ICU Admission, Management, and Outcomes of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Patients in the ICU. Crit Care Med 54(3):422-434, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41467744.
- Shankar-Hari M, Francois B, Remy KE, Gutierrez C, Pastores S, Daix T, Jeannet R, Blood J, Walton AH, Salomao R, Auzinger G, Striker D, Martin RS, Anand NJ, Bosanquet J, Blood T, Brakenridge S, Moldawer LL, Vachharajani V, Yee C, Dal-Pizzol F, Morre M, Berbille F, van den Brink M, Hotchkiss R. A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of IL-7 in critically ill COVID-19 patients. JCI Insight 10(6):e189150, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39903535.
- Reddy, DS, Cuenca, JA, Botdorf, JS, Muthu, M, Hanmandlu, A, Wegner, RC, Crommett, JW, Gutierrez, C, Rathi, N, Sajith, B, Knafl, M, Abbas, HA, Woodman, SE, Nates, JL, Aaroe, AE, Aloia, TA, Andrews, L, Badami, KK, Baganz, JA, Bajwa, P, Baker, LR, Barbosa, GR, Beird, H, Bourgeois, M, Brock, K, Burton, EM, Cata, JP, Chung, C, Cutherell, M, Dabaja, BS, Draetta, G, French, KE, Futreal, A, Gibbons, C, Godoy, M, Gunther, J, Hutcheson, KA, Jaffray, D, John, TM, Lee, JJ, Litton, J, McEnery, KW, Palaskas, NL, Ravi, V, Scheet, PA, Schmidt, S, Subbiah, IM, Tawbi, H, Wu, J, Yao, JC. Clinical Characteristics and Cause of Death Among Hospitalized Decedents With Cancer and COVID-19. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 98(3):451-457, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36868753.
- Chawla S, Gutierrez C, Rajendram P, Seier K, See Tan K, Stoudt K, Von-Maszewski M, Morales-Estrella JL, Kostelecky NT, Voigt LP. Indicators of Clinical Trajectory in Patients With Cancer Who Receive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. JNCCN 1(1):51-59, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36634611.
- Ragoonanan D, Bhar S, Mohan G, Beltramo F, Khazal SJ, Hurley C, Andersen C, Margossian S, Neelapu SS, Shpall EJ, Gutierrez C, Tewari P, Shoberu B, Talleur A, McCall D, Nunez C, Cuglievan B, Tambaro F, Petropoulos D, Abdel-Azim H, Mahadeo KM. A Multi-Center Study of Resource Utilization of Critically Ill Pediatric and Adolescent and Young Adult Patients Status Post Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therap. Frontiers Oncology 12, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36353531.
- Urso, C, Laserna, A, Feng, L, Agnite, A, Jawe, N, Magoun, C, Layton, LS, Nates, JL, Gutierrez, C. Mindfulness as an Antidote to Burnout for Nursing and Support Staff in an Oncological Intensive Care Unit. Holistic Nursing Practice 36(5):E38-E47, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35981118.
- Steiner RE, Banchs J, Koutroumpakis E, Becnel M, Gutierrez C, Strati P, Pinnix CC, Feng L, Rondon G, Claussen C, Palaskas N, Karimzad K, Ahmed S, Neelapu SS, Shpall E, Wang M, Vega F, Westin J, Nastoupil LJ, Deswal A. Cardiovascular events in patients treated with chimeric antigen receptor t-cell therapy for aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Haematologica 107(7):1555-1566, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34758610.
- Cuenca JA, Manjappachar NK, Ramírez CM, Hernandez M, Martin P, Gutierrez C, Rathi N, Sprung CL, Price KJ, Nates JL. Outcomes and predictors of 28-day mortality in patients with solid tumors and septic shock defined by Sepsis-3 criteria. CHEST 162(5):1063-1073, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35644244.
- Manjappachar NK, Cuenca JA, Ramírez CM, Hernandez M, Martin P, Reyes MP, Heatter AJ, Gutierrez C, Rathi N, Sprung CL, Price KJ, Nates JL. Outcomes and Predictors of 28-Day Mortality in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies and Septic Shock Defined by Sepsis-3 Criteria. Natl Compr Canc Netw 20(1):45-53, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34991066.
- Rajendram P, Torbic H, Duggal A, Campbell J, Hovden M, Dhawan V, Pastores SM, Gutierrez C. Critically ill patients with severe immune checkpoint inhibitor related neurotoxicity: A multi-center case series. J Crit Care 65:126-132, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34139658.
- Warren ML, Schneider VV, Qing Y, Feng L, Campbell JY, Myers JW, Von-Maszewski M, Gutierrez C. Short and Long Term Outcomes of Hematological Malignancy Patients after CPR: Experience of a Large Oncological Center. J Adv Pract Oncol 12(7):705-714, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34671500.
- Ragoonanan D, Khazal SJ, Abdel-Azim H, McCall D, Cuglievan B, Tambaro FP, Ahmad AH, Rowan CM, Gutierrez C, Schadler K, Li S, Di Nardo M, Chi L, Gulbis AM, Shoberu B, Mireles ME, McArthur J, Kapoor N, Miller J, Fitzgerald JC, Tewari P, Petropoulos D, Gill JB, Duncan CN, Lehmann LE, Hingorani S, Angelo JR, Swinford RD, Steiner ME, Hernandez Tejada FN, Martin PL, Auletta J, Choi SW, Bajwa R, Dailey Garnes N, Kebriaei P, Rezvani K, Wierda WG, Neelapu SS, Shpall EJ, Corbacioglu S, Mahadeo KM. Diagnosis, Grading and Management of Toxicities associated with Cancer Immunotherapies in Paediatric and AYA Patients. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 8(7):435-453, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33608690.
- Gutierrez C, Brown ART, May HP, Beitinjaneh A, Stephens RS, Rajendram P, Nates JL, Pastores SM, Dharshan A, Gallo de Moraes A, HensleyMK, Feng L, Brudno JN, Athale J, Ghosh M, Kochenderfer JN, Arias AS, LinY, McEvoyC, MeadE, Westin J, Kostelecky N, Mian A, Herr MM. Critically Ill Patients Treated for Chimeric Antigen Receptor Related Toxicity: A Multicenter Study. Critical Care Medicine 50(1):81-92, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34259446.
- Brown ART, Jindani I, Melancon J, Erfe R, Westin J, Feng L, Gutierrez C. ICU Resource Utilization in Critically Ill Patients Following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 202(8):1184-1185, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32530704.
- Gutierrez C, Brown ART, Herr MM, Kadri SS, Hill B, Rajendram P, Duggal A, Turtle CJ, Patel K, Lin Y, May HP, Gallo de Moraes A, Maus MV, Frigault MJ, Brudno JN, Athale J, Shah NN, Kochenderfer JN, Dharshan A, Beitinjaneh A, Arias AS, McEvoy C, Mead E, Stephens RS, Nates JL, Neelapu SS, Pastores SM. The Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Intensive Care Unit (CAR-ICU) Initiative: Surveying Intensive Care Unit Practices in the Management of CAR T-Cell Associated Toxicities. J Crit Care 58:58-64, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32361219.
- Giza DE, Graham J, Donisan T, Balanescu DV, Crommet J, Botz G, Gutierrez C, Vidal M, Mejia R, Iliescu C. Impact of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on Survival in Cancer Patients: Do-Not-Resuscitate before or after CPR?. JACC: CardioOncology 2(2):359-362, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Gutierrez C, Cárdenas YR, Bratcher K, Melancon J, Myers J, Campbell JY, Feng L, Price KJ, Nates JL. Out-of-Hospital ICU Transfers to an Oncological Referral Center: Characteristics, Resource Utilization and Patient Outcomes. J Intensive Care Med 34(1):55-61, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 28030995.
- Gutierrez C, Chen M, Feng L, Tummala S. Non-Convulsive Seizures in the Encephalopathic Critically Ill Cancer Patient Does Not Necessarily Portend a Poor Prognosis. J Intensive Care 7(62):62, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31890224.
- Gutierrez C, McEvoy C, Mead E, Stephens RS, Munshi L, Detsky ME, Pastores SM, Nates JL. Management of the Critically Ill Adult Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell Therapy Patient: A Critical Care Perspective. Crit Care Med 46(9):1402-1410, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29939878.
- Neelapu SS, Tummala S, Kebriaei P, Wierda W, | Gutierrez C, Locke FL, etal. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy Assessment and Management of Toxicities. Nat Rev Clin Oncology 15(1):47-62, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 28925994.
- Cata JP, Gutierrez C, Mehran RJ, Rice D, Nates J, Feng L, Rodriguez-Restrepo A, Martinez, F, Mena G, Gottumukkala V. Preoperative Anemia, Blood Transfusion, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Stage I Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Cell Microen. Cancer Cell Microen 3(1):1116, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26949721.
Invited Articles
- Gutierrez C, Rajendram P, Idowu O. Novel Cancer Therapeutics: Perioperative Implications and Challenges. Anesth Analg 140(4):753-766, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39453847.
- Gutierrez C, Neilan TG, Grover NS. How I approach optimization of patients at risk of cardiac and pulmonary complications after CAR T-cell therapy. Blood 141(20):2452-2459, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36827628.
- Di Nardo M, MacLaren G, Schellongowski P, Azoulay E, DeZern AE, Gutierrez C, Antonelli M, Antonini MV, Beutel G, Combes A, Diaz R, Fawzy Hassan I, Fowles JA, Jeong IS, Kochanek M, Liebregts T, Lueck C, Moody K, Moore JA, Munshi L, Paden M, Pène F, Puxty K, Schmidt M, Staudacher D, Staudinger T, Stemmler J, Stephens RS, Vande Vusse L, Wohlfarth P, Lorusso R, Amodeo A, Mahadeo KM, Brodie D. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adults receiving haematopoietic cell transplantation: an international expert statement. Lancet Resp Med 11(5):477-492, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36924784.
- Gutierrez, C, McEvoy, C, Reynolds, D, Nates, JL. Toxicity of Immunotherapeutic Agents. Critical Care Clinics 37(3):605-624, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34053709.
- Gutierrez C, McEvoy C, Munshi L, Stephens RS, Detsky ME, Nates JL, Pastores SM. Critical Care Management of Toxicities Associated with Targeted Agents and Immunotherapies for Cancer. Crit Care Med 48(1):10-21, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31725440.
- Gutierrez C, Pastores SM. When should the cancer patient get an ICU bed?. Critical Care Connections 16, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Review Articles
- Azoulay E, Zafrani L, Nates J, Maillard A, Chean D, Ferreyro B, Nelson JE, Bauer PR, Puxty K, Gutierrez C, Bigé N, Mariotte E, Valade S, Boell B, Puntillo K, Lafarge A, Soares M, Schellongowski P, Canet E, Castro P, Demoule A, Pène F, Munshi L, Shimabukuro-Vornhagen A, Staudinger T, Russell L, Fernandez S, Kochanek M, Lemiale V, Bergwelt-Baildon MV, Darmon M, Martin-Loeches I. Advances in the critical care management for patients with hematological malignancies. Blood Rev 74, 2025. PMID: 40603200.
- Munshi L, Dumas G, Ferreryro B, Gutierrez C, Böll B, Castro P, Chawla S, Nardo MD, Lafarge A, McEvoy C, Mokart D, Nassar AP, Nelson J, Pène F, Schellongowski P, Azoulay E. Contemporary Review of Critical Illness Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Adults. Intensive Care Med 51(4):742-755, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40237805.
- Ragoonanan D, Khazal SJ, Mejia R, Ewing L, Durand JB, Bashoura L, Tayar J, Dailey Garnes N, Petropoulos D, Tewari P, Bhatti M, Ahmad AH, Cortes J, Razvi S, McBeth K, Swinford R, Shoberu B, Waseemuddin W, Chi L, Gill JB, Zaky W, Daw N, Gutierrez C, Tereffe W, Kebriaei P, Rezvani K, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Mahadeo KM. Case Discussion and Literature Review: Cancer Immunotherapy, Severe Immune-Related Adverse Events, Multi-Inflammatory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Front Oncol 4(11):625707, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33614514.
- Gutierrez, C, Rajendram, P, Pastores, SM. Toxicities Associated with Immunotherapy and Approach to Cardiotoxicity with Novel Cancer Therapies. Critical Care Clinics 37(1):47-67, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33190775.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026