Kalen L. Jacobson, M.D.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
About Dr. Kalen L. Jacobson
Dr. Kalen Jacobson is a provider in the MD Anderson Emergency Center and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She has a double board-certification in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases and joined MD Anderson in 2010.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1987 | University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, US, MD |
| 1983 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, US, Zoology, BS |
| 1981 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, US, Plan II (Honors Program in Liberal Arts), BA |
Postgraduate Training
| 1990-1992 | Fellowship in Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious and Immunologic Diseases, Dr. George Jordan, University of California, Davis, Davis, California |
| 1987-1990 | Residency in Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2024 | PALS Certification |
| 2024 | ACLS Certification |
| 2021 | DEA Certification |
| 1996 | Not specified |
| 1992 | Infectious Diseases, Diplomate |
| 1992 | ABIM Infectious Diseases |
| 1991 | Not specified |
| 1990 | American Board of Internal Medicine, Diplomate |
| 1987 | FLEX |
| 1982 | National Boards Part 1 |
| 1981 | National Boards Part 2 |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2012
Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2018
Clinical Specialist, Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - 2010
Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2002 - 2008
Assistant Professor, Section of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1996 - 2002
Chief, Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente Medical Facility, Stockton, CA, 1994 - 1996
Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Infectious and Immunologic Diseases, University of California, Davis, CA, 1992 - 1996
Staff Physician, Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service, Sacramento, CA, 1991 - 1994
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Team Leader, Clinical Safety and Improvement Project: Improvement of Pain Management in the Emergency Center, Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - Present
Associate Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2006 - 2008
Associate Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, TX, 2002 - 2005
Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, TX, 1999 - 2002
Participation in Office of Clinical Research Quality Assurance Audits, Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1997 - 2008
Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1997 - 2006
Chairperson, Core Curricula Conferences, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1997 - 2006
Coordinator, City Wide Infectious Disease Rounds, Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1996 - 2005
Other Professional Positions
Team Leader, Clinical Safety & Improvement Project: Improvement of Pain Management in the EC, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2013
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2010 - Present
Member, Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2001 - 2008
Member, Bioterrorism Task Force Subcommittee of the Bioterrorism/Chemical Terrorism Task Force, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2001 - 2008
Member, Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2001 - 2003
Member, Budget Subcommittee, Graduate Medical Education Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2000 - 2008
Member, Antibiotic Task Force Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2000 - 2008
Member, Graduate Medical Education Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1998 - 2008
Honors & Awards
| 2001 | Teaching Award, UT Health Science Center at Houston Medical School |
| 1992 | Academic Scholarship, Society of Hospital Epidemiology of America |
| 1990 | Pew-Rockefeller Scholarship to study Social Medicine in Peru, Johns Hopkins University |
| 1981 | Degree in Plan II: Honors Program in Liberal Arts, University of Texas |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2026. Dyspnea in Dying Patients. Invited. Emergency Medicine Education Series. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Tumor Lysis Syndrome. Invited. Emergency Medicine Education Series. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2013. Intriguing Cases in the Emergency Center_Case 1. Conference. Internal Medicine and Cancer Survivorship Grand Rounds. Houston, TX, US.
- 2001. Tuberculosis in the New Millenium. Conference. 2001 Annual Infectious Diseases Pharmaco-Therapy Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2003. Mycobacteria: From the Lab to the Patient. Conference. Texas Infectious Diseases Society Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 1997. Invited Speaker, Mycobacterium avium-complex (MAC) Infection in Cancer Patients. Invited. 35th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. San Francisco, CA, US.
- 1997. Invited Speaker, Mycobacterium kansasii Infections in Cancer Patients. Invited. 35th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. San Francisco, CA, US.
- 1996. Invited Speaker, Clinical and Radiological Features of Rapidly Growing Mycobacteria Pneumonia in Cancer Patients. Invited. 34th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society. Unknown, US.
International Presentations
- 1997. Invited Speaker, Susceptibility Surveillance Among Gram-Negative Bacilli at a Cancer Center. Invited. Third International Symposium on Febrile Neutropenia. Brussels, BE.
Formal Peers
- 2005. Nurse Practitioner Program Preceptor. Visiting. San Francisco, CA, US.
- 1999. New Strategies in the Management of Fever and Neutropenia. Visiting. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 1998. Update on Febrile Neutropenia in the Immunocompromised Host. Visiting. Baton Rouge, LA, US.
- 1998. Management of Febrile Neutropenia. Visiting. Oklahoma City, OK, US.
- 1998. Management of Febrile Neutropenia. Visiting. Oklahoma City, OK, US.
- 1998. Seminars in Infectious Diseases, Update on Febrile Neutropenia in the Immunocompromised Host. Invited. Alexandria, LA, US.
- 1995. Emerging New Pathogens in Infectious Disease. Visiting. Stockton, CA, US.
- 1995. Emerging New Pathogens in Infectious Disease. Visiting. Stockton, CA, US.
- 1995. Primary Care of the HIV Infected Patient. Visiting. Stockton, CA, US.
- 1994. Nurse Practitioner Program Preceptor. Visiting. San Francisco, CA, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2001 - 2012 |
| Title: | Education Grant |
| Funding Source: | Astellas Pharma US, Inc |
| Role: | Administrator |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Qdaisat A, Wu W, Lin JZ, Al Soud R, Yang Z, Hu Z, Gao S, Wu CC, Liu X, Silvestre J, Hita AG, Viets-Upchurch J, Al Adwan S, Al Haj Qasem N, Cruz Carreras MT, Jacobson KL, Chaftari PS, Abdel-Razeq H, Reyes-Gibby CC, Jim Yeung SC. Clinical and Cancer-Related Predictors for Venous Thromboembolism in Cancer Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department. J Emerg Med 58(6):932-941, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32376060.
- Chaftari AM, Hachem R, Mulanovich V, Chemaly RF, Adachi J, Jacobson K, Jiang Y, Raad I. Efficacy and safety of daptomycin in the treatment of Gram-Positive catheter-related bloodstream infections in cancer patients. Int J Antimicrob Agents 36(2):182-6, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20452752.
- Jacobson KL, Miceli MH, Tarrand JJ, Kontoyiannis DP. Legionella pneumonia in cancer patients. Medicine (Baltimore) 87(3):152-9, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18520324.
- Han XY, Dé I, Jacobson KL. Rapidly growing mycobacteria: clinical and microbiologic studies of 115 cases. Am J Clin Pathol 128(4):612-21, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17875513.
- Aisenberg GM, Jacobson K, Chemaly RF, Rolston KV, Raad II, Safdar A. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis active infection misdiagnosed as cancer: Mycobacterium tuberculosis disease in patients at a Comprehensive Cancer Center (2001-2005). Cancer 104(12):2882-7, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 16245341.
- Han XY, Tarrand JJ, Infante R, Jacobson KL, Truong M. Clinical significance and epidemiologic analyses of Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare among patients without AIDS. J Clin Microbiol 43(9):4407-12, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 16145084.
- De La Rosa GR, Jacobson KL, Rolston KV, Raad, II, Kontoyiannis DP, Safdar A. Mycobacterium tuberculosis at a comprehensive cancer centre: active disease in patients with underlying malignancy during 1990-2000. Clin Microbiol Infect 10(8):749-52, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15301678.
- Raad II, Escalante C, Hachem RY, Hanna HA, Husni R, Afif C, Boktour MR, Whimbey EE, Kontoyiannis D, Jacobson K, Kantarjian H, Levett LM, Rolston KV. Treatment of febrile neutropenic patients with cancer who require hospitalization: a prospective randomized study comparing imipenem and cefepime. Cancer 98(5):1039-47, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12942573.
- Han XY, Pham AS, Nguyen KU, Smythe WR, Ordonez NG, Jacobson KL, Tarrand JJ. Pulmonary granuloma caused by Pseudomonas andersonii sp nov. Am J Clin Pathol 116(3):347-53, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11554162.
- Ghosh S, Champlin RE, Ueno NT, Anderlini P, Rolston K, Raad I, Kontoyiannis D, Jacobson K, Luna M, Tarrand J, Whimbey E. Respiratory syncytial virus infections in autologous blood and marrow transplant recipients with breast cancer: combination therapy with aerosolized ribavirin and parenteral immunoglobulins. Bone Marrow Transplant 28(3):271-5, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11535995.
- Konoplev S, Champlin RE, Giralt S, Ueno NT, Khouri I, Raad I, Rolston K, Jacobson K, Tarrand J, Luna M, Nguyen Q, Whimbey E. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia in adult autologous blood and marrow transplant recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant 27(8):877-81, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11477447.
- La Rosa AM, Champlin RE, Mirza N, Gajewski J, Giralt S, Rolston KV, Raad I, Jacobson K, Kontoyiannis D, Elting L, Whimbey E. Adenovirus infections in adult recipients of blood and marrow transplants. Clin Infect Dis 32(6):871-6, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11247710.
- Nguyen Q, Estey E, Raad I, Rolston K, Kantarjian H, Jacobson K, Konoplev S, Ghosh S, Luna M, Tarrand J, Whimbey E. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia in adults with leukemia: an emerging problem. Clin Infect Dis 32(4):539-45, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11181115.
- Jacobson KL, Teira R, Libshitz HI, Raad I, Rolston KV, Tarrand J, Whimbey E. Mycobacterium kansasii infections in patients with cancer. Clin Infect Dis 31:965-9, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10880318.
- Ghosh S, Champlin RE, Englund J, Giralt SA, Rolston K, Raad I, Jacobson K, Neumann J, Ippoliti C, Mallik S, Whimbey E. Respiratory syncytial virus upper respiratory tract illnesses in adult blood and marrow transplant recipients: combination therapy with aerosolized ribavirin and intravenous immunoglobulin. Bone Marrow Transplant 25:751-5, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10745261.
- Jacobson K, Rolston K, Elting L, LeBlanc B, Whimbey E, Ho DH. Susceptibility surveillance among gram-negative bacilli at a cancer center. Chemotherapy 45(5):325-34, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10473920.
- Nguyen Q, Champlin R, Giralt S, Rolston K, Raad I, Jacobson K, Ippoliti C, Hecht D, Tarrand J, Luna M, Whimbey E. Late cytomegalovirus pneumonia in adult allogeneic blood and marrow transplant recipients. Clin Infect Dis 28(3):618-23, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10194088.
- Jacobson K, Garcia R, Libshitz H, Whimbey E, Rolston K, Abi-Said D, Raad I. Clinical and radiological features of pulmonary disease caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria in cancer patients. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 17(9):615-21, 1998. e-Pub 1998. PMID: 9832262.
- Jacobson KL, Cohen SH, Inciardi JF, King JH, Lippert WE, Iglesias T, VanCouwenberghe CJ. The relationship between antecedent antibiotic use and resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins in group I beta-lactamase-producing organisms. Clin Infect Dis 21:1107-13, 1995. e-Pub 1995. PMID: 8589129.
Invited Articles
- El Majzoub I, Qdaisat A, Thein KZ, Win MA, Han MM, Jacobson K, Chaftari PS, Prejean M, Reyes-Gibby C, Yeung SJ. Adverse Effects of Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Cancer Patients Visiting the Emergency Department of a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Ann Emerg Med 73(1):79-87, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 29880440.
- Jacobson K Jordan GW. Primary HIV Infections: Will you miss the diagnosis? . Western Journal of Medicine 156:68-69, 1991. e-Pub 1991.
Review Articles
- Hong DS, Jacobson KL, Raad II, de Lima M, Anderlini P, Fuller GN, Ippoliti C, Cool RM, Leeds NE, Narvios A, Han XY, Padula A, Champlin RE, Hosing C. West Nile encephalitis in 2 hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: case series and literature review. Clin Infect Dis 37(8):1044-9, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 14523768.
- Kontoyiannis DP, Jacobson KL, Whimbey EE, Rolston KV, Raad, II. Central venous catheter-associated Nocardia bacteremia: an unusual manifestation of nocardiosis. Clin Infect Dis 31(2):617-8, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10987735.
Other Articles
- Aisenberg G, Skoracki R, Han XY, Jacobson KL Tuberculous dactylitis in a patient on etanercept therapy. Submitted , 2000.
Abstracts
- Jacobson K, Lee L, McMahon L, Sappington J, Johnson T, Gopnzalez C, Todd K. Improvement of Pain Management in Cancer Patients in the Emergency Center. University of Texas Annual Symposium on Clinical Safety and Effectiveness, San Antonio, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Jacobson K, Lee L, McMahon L, Sappington J, Johnson T, Gonzalez C, Todd K. Improvement of Pain Management in Cancer Patients in the Emergency Center. International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Paris, France, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
- Ghide SG, Jiang Y, Safdar A, Mulanovich VE, Han XY, Raad II, Jacobson KL. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease in cancer patients: Hematologic versus solid tumor. 45th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America, San Diego, CA, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
- Souad Y, Hachem R, Chemaly R, Adachi J, Jacobson K, Jiang Y, Rolston R, Safdar A, Kontoyiannis D, Raad II. Vitamin B6 was not affective for the prevention of hematologic toxicities of linezolid (LNZ) in cancer patients (Pts). 44th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of American, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
- Aisenberg G, Sims C, Jacobson K, Chemaly RF, Rolston K, Raad II, Safdar A. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection: Clinical spectrum of active disease in patients at a comprehensive cancer center (2001-2005). 43rd Annual Meeting of The Infectious Diseases Society of American (IDSA), San Francisco, CA,:Abstract #731, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
- Jacobson KL, Miceli MH, Tarrand JT, Kontoyiannis DP. Legionella Pneumonia in a tertiary care cancer center. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #663, 2004. e-Pub 2004.
- Infante R, Jacobson KL, Han HY. Mycobacterium intracellulare is a significant pathogen in cancer patients. 40th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #683, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
- Chagua MR, Jacobson KL, Tarrand J, Han XY. Mycobacterium mucogenicum infections in cancer patients. 40th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #684, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
- Raad II, Escalante C, Hachem RY, Hanna H, Afif C, Boktour M, Whimbey EE, Kontoyiannis DP, Jacobson K, Bodey GP, Rolston KV. Comparison between imipenem/cilastatin and cefepime as initial therapy for febrile neutropenic cancer patients requiring hospitalization. 39th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #106, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
- Teira R, Jacobson KL, Whimbey EE. Rhinovirus infections in leukemia patients. 39th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #399, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
- Kontoyiannis DP, Reddy BT, Bodey GP, Luna M, Tarrand J, Lewis RE, Rolston K, Whimbey E, Jacobson K, Nguyen M, Raad II. Pulmonary candidiasis in cancer patients: an autopsy study. 41st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC):Abstract #677, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
- Reddy BT, Torres HA, Raad II, Rolston KV, Whimbey EE, Jacobson K, Tarrand JJ, Bodey GP, Kontoyiannis DP. Nocardiosis in cancer patients . 39th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #67, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
- Ghosh S, Champlin R, Ueno N, Rolston K, Raad I, Jacobson K, Kontoyiannis DP, Whimbey E. RSV infections in autologous blood and marrow transplant (BMT) recipients with breast cancer: combination therapy with aerosolized ribavirin and immunotherapy. 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #612, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
- LaRosa A, Champlin R, Gajewski J, Giralt S, Rolston K, Raad I, Jacobson K, Kontoyiannis DP, Whimbey E. Therapy of invasive Adenovirus infections in adult blood and marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. Is intravenous (iv) ribavirin efficacious?. 40th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC):Abstract #73, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
- Jacobson KL, Miceli MM, Kontoyiannis DP, Tarrand JJ, Whimbey EE. Legionella pneumonia in the 1990s in a tertiary care cancer center. 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #139, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
- Ghosh S, Koller C, Kantarjian H, Keating M, Raad I, Rolston K, Kontoyiannis DP, Jacobson K, Whimbey E. Therapy of RSV pneumonia in myelosuppressed adults with leukemia: combination aerosolized ribavirin and immunotherapy. 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #613, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
- Jacobson KL, Whimbey EE, Kontoyiannis DP. Fungal osteomyelitis in a normal host due to Curvularia species, successfully treated with itraconazole alone. 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #226, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
- De La Rosa G, Jacobson K, Whimbey E, Kontoyiannis DP. Tuberculosis in the 90s in a tertiary care cancer center. 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA):Abstract #552, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
Book Chapters
- Gonzalez C, Jacobson K. Infectious Diseases In Oncologic Emergencies. In: Infectious Diseases In Oncologic Emergencies. Springer Science.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 27, 2026