Kelly S. Chien, M.D.
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2013 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US, MD |
| 2008 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, SB in Chemical Engineering |
| 2008 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, SB in Biology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2019-2020 | Hematology Chief Fellow, Hematology/Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2019 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology/Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2014-2016 | Clinical Residency, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas |
| 2013-2014 | Clinical Internship, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2020 | Hematology |
| 2020 | Medical Oncology |
| 2019 | Texas State Medical License |
| 2016 | American Board of Internal Medicine Certification |
| 2016 | New York State Medical License |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Instructor, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, 2016 - 2017
Institutional Committee Activities
Vice Chair, Institutional Review Board, 2024 - Present
Member, Joint Steering Committee for the Rigel/MDACC Alliance, 2023 - Present
Member, Institutional Review Board, 2023 - Present
Member, Utilization Review Committee, 2022 - Present
Member, Academic Review Committee, 2022 - Present
Leukemia MD Champion, PROSPECT Trial, 2021 - Present
Committee Member, Clinic to ACCC Handoff Team, 2021 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Travel Grant, European Hematology Association |
| 2022 | Waun Ki Hong Award for Excellence in Team Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2020 | Kimberly Patterson Fellowship in Leukemia Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2020 | Waun Ki Hong Award for Achievement in Clinical Investigation, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2019 | Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2019 | Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting |
| 2019 | Oncology Fellows Program Participant, National Comprehensive Cancer Network Annual Meeting |
| 2018 | Abstract Achievement Award, American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting |
| 2016 | Internal Medicine Resident Teaching Award Honorable Mention, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
| 2014 | Internal Medicine Intern Teaching Award Honorable Mention, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
| 2008 | Top 5, MIT 6.270 Autonomous Robot Competition |
| 2004 | National Merit Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Program |
| 2004 | Semi-Finalist, Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. ASH 2024: Clinical Updates in CHIP/CCUS. Invited. Leukemia Research Meeting, US.
- 2024. Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Introduction and Treatment Options. Invited. MDS Patient Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Patterns of Hypomethylating Agent Failure in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Invited. Leukemia Research Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Risk Stratification of Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Invited. Practical Approach of AML and MDS Treatment. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Malignant Hematology Q&A Session. Invited. MD Anderson Hematology/Medical Oncology Board Review. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Clonal Hematopoiesis of Emerging Significance: An Introduction to the MD Anderson CHIP & Leukemia Prevention Clinic. Invited. Leukemia Research Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Clonal Hematopoiesis of Emerging Significance: An Introduction to the MD Anderson CHIP & Leukemia Prevention Clinic. Invited. Division of Cancer Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Malignant Hematology Q&A Session. Invited. MD Anderson Hematology/Medical Oncology Board Review. Houston, TX, US.
- 2020. Prevention of Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms with CHIP. Invited. T32 Research Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2019. Prevention of Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms with CHIP. Invited. Leukemia Research Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2008. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of the Met Signaling Network. Conference. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Environmental Health Sciences Annual Poster Session. Cambridge, MA, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2016. Mysterious Abdominal Pain and Inadvertent latrogenesis. Conference. 2016 Society of General Internal Medicine Southern Regional Meeting. Atlanta, GA, US.
- 2012. Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in HIV: Not the Usual Suspect. Conference. 2012 Texas Chapter of the American College of Physicians Annual Meeting. Fort Worth, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. YES: Pre-Emptive Treatment of Pre-MDS in the Future. Invited. 2025 MPN-MDS US Focus Meeting. Austin, TX, US.
- 2024. Performance of the Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) in Myelodysplastic Syndromes Treated with Hypomethylating Agent-Based Therapy: A Multicenter Analysis. Conference. 2024 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA, US.
- 2024. A Phase I Study of the Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 (MCL1) Inhibitor Tapotoclax (AMG 176) in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes After Hypomethylating Agent (HMA) Failure. Conference. 2024 Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2024. Risk Stratification in Hypomethylating Agent-Treated Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Multivariate Model. Conference. 2024 Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2024. A Phase I Study of the Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 (MCL1) Inhibitor Tapotoclax (AMG 176) in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome After Hypomethylating Agent Failure. Conference. 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2023. Performance of the Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) in Hypomethylating Agent-Treated Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Conference. 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA, US.
- 2023. Clinicopathologic Predictors of Hypomethylating Agent Failure in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Conference. 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA, US.
- 2023. Outcomes of Individuals with Clonal Hematopoiesis Evaluated at a Cancer Center. Conference. 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Genomic Evolution of Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome after Hypomethylating Agent Failure. Conference. 2022 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2022. Outcomes of Breakthrough COVID-19 Infections in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies. Conference. 2022 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Disease Characteristics and Outcomes of Hypomethylating Agent Failure in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Conference. 2022 Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2020. Final Results from a Phase II Study of Azacitidine and Pembrolizumab in Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome after Hypomethylating Agent Failure. Conference. 2020 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, US.
- 2020. Updated Results from a Phase II Study of Azacitidine and Pembrolizumab in Higher-Risk Untreated Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Conference. 2020 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, US.
- 2019. The Impact of PHF6 Mutations in Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Conference. 2019 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2019. Updated Preliminary Results from a Phase II Study Combining Azacitidine and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Conference. 2019 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2019. Early Intervention with Hypomethylating Agents in Transfusion-Independent Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Conference. 2019 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2019. LILRB4 Expression in CMML and MDS Based on Response to Hypomethylating Agents. Conference. 2019 Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2019. Patterns of Leukemic Transformation in Patients with TP53-Mutant Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Conference. 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2018. Preliminary Results from a Phase II Study of the Combination of Azacitidine and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Conference. 2018 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA, US.
- 2018. Safety and Tolerability of Lurbinectedine (PM01183) in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Conference. 2018 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA, US.
- 2008. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of the Met Signaling Network. Conference. American Association of Cancer Research Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Meeting. Cold Harbor Springs, NY, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes: New Therapeutic Strategies. Invited. Dasa Hematology Symposium. Sao Paulo, BR.
- 2024. Genomic Evolution of Patients with Myeloid Neoplasms and Known Antecedent Clonal Hematopoiesis. Conference. 2024 European Hematology Association Annual Congress. Madrid, ES.
- 2024. Risk Stratification in Hypomethylating Agent-Treated Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Multivariate Model. Conference. 2024 European Hematology Association Annual Congress. Madrid, ES.
- 2024. A Phase I Study of the Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 (MCL1) Inhibitor Tapotoclax (AMG 176) in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome After Hypomethylating Agent Failure. Conference. 2024 European Hematology Association Annual Congress. Madrid, ES.
- 2023. Evolution of IPSS-M Risk Categories in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes from Diagnosis to Hypomethylating Agent Failure. Conference. 2023 European Hematology Association Annual Congress. Frankfurt, DE.
- 2022. Patterns of Hypomethylating Agent Failure in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Conference. 2022 European Hematology Association Annual Congress. Vienna, AT.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
| Title: | Improving Clinical Trial Accessibility for Leukemia Prevention and Treatment |
| Funding Source: | Robert A. Winn |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2030 |
| Title: | A phase 2 study investigating olutasidenib monotherapy in patients with IDH1-mutated clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance or lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes/chronic myelomonocytic leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Rigel Pharmaceuticals |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2030 |
| Title: | A phase 2 study investigating the combination of olutasidenib and azacitidine in patients with IDH1-mutated higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes/chronic myelomonocytic leukemia or advanced myeloproliferative neoplasms |
| Funding Source: | Rigel Pharmaceuticals |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Targeting Clonal Hematopoiesis to Prevent AML |
| Funding Source: | Break Through Cancer |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | 2021-0276: A Phase 1 Study of AMG 176 as Monotherapy and in Combination with Azacitidine in Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Amgen |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | An Integrated Approach Towards Improving Outcomes in Higher Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center IRG/MRP |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2021 - 2024 |
| Title: | 2021-0497: A Phase 1/2 Open-Label Study of the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of the Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) Compound Eltanexor (KPT-8602) in Patients with Newly Diagnosed and Relapsed/Refractory Cancer Indications |
| Funding Source: | Karyopharm |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2019 - 2020 |
| Title: | Prevention of Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms with Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential |
| Funding Source: | American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2018 - 2020 |
| Title: | NIH/NCI Research Training in Academic Medical Oncology |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Trainee |
| ID: | T32 CA009666-24 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2023 |
| Title: | MDS/AML Moon Shot |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Co-I |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Urrutia S, Chien KS, Li Z, Bazinet A, Tang G, Garcia-Manero G. Cytogenetic annotation automation in myelodysplastic syndrome research databases. Blood Adv 9(10):2428-2430, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39983082.
- Chien KS, Braish JS, Li Z, Loghavi S, Bataller A, Montalban-Bravo G, Sasaki K, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Takahashi K, DiNardo CD, Swaminathan M, Kantarjian HM, Garcia-Manero G. Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of patients with clonal hematopoiesis who progress to myeloid neoplasms. Leukemia 39(5):1269-1272, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40175627.
- Chien KS, Curry JL, Pemmaraju N, Jain N. Leukemia Cutis in the Setting of Indolent Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Am J Hematol 100(7):1240-1241, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40062658.
- Chien KS, Ong F, Kim K, Li Z, Kanagal-Shamanna R, DiNardo CD, Takahashi K, Montalban-Bravo G, Hammond D, Sasaki K, Pierce SA, Kantarjian HM, Garcia-Manero G. Cancer patients with clonal hematopoiesis die from primary malignancy or comorbidities despite higher rates of transformation to myeloid neoplasms. Cancer Med 13(5):e7093, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38497538.
- Chien KS, Peterson CB, Young E, Chihara D, Manasanch EE, Ramdial JL, Thompson PA. Outcomes of breakthrough COVID-19 infections in patients with hematologic malignancies. Blood Adv 7(19):5691-5697, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36696472.
- Chien, KS, Kim, K, Li, Z, Kanagal Shamanna, R, Ong, F, Montalban Bravo, G, Kadia, TM, Jabbour, EJ, Pemmaraju, N, Hammond, DE, Short, NJ, Ravandi-Kashani, F, Alvarado, Y, Pierce, S, Dong, XQ, Kantarjian, HM, Garcia-Manero, G. MDS-407 Disease Characteristics and Outcomes of Hypomethylating Agent Failure in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia 22:S311, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36163957.
- Kim, K, Ong, F, Li, Z, Kanagal Shamanna, R, Montalban Bravo, G, Kadia, TM, Jabbour, EJ, Pemmaraju, N, Hammond, DE, Short, NJ, Ravandi-Kashani, F, Alvarado, Y, Pierce, S, Dong, XQ, Kantarjian, HM, Garcia-Manero, G, Chien, KS. MDS-431 Outcomes of Transformation to Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Hypomethylating Agent Therapy in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia 22:S313-S314, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36163960.
- Ong, F, Kim, K, Kanagal Shamanna, R, DiNardo, C, Takahashi, K, Kadia, TM, Jabbour, EJ, Short, NJ, Hammond, DE, Pemmaraju, N, Pierce, S, Montalban Bravo, G, Kantarjian, HM, Garcia-Manero, G, Chien, KS. MDS-508 Contemporary Evaluation of a Cohort of Patients With Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH). Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia 22:S319, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36163972.
- Chien, KS, Kim, K, Nogueras Gonzalez, G, Borthakur, G, Naqvi, K, Daver, N, Montalban Bravo, G, Cortes, JE, DiNardo, C, Jabbour, EJ, Alvarado, Y, Andreeff, M, Bose, P, Jain, N, Kadia, TM, Huang, X, Sheppard, KB, Klingner-Winton, C, Pierce, S, Dong, XQ, Soltysiak, KA, Kantarjian, HM, Garcia-Manero, G. Phase II study of azacitidine with pembrolizumab in patients with intermediate-1 or higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. British Journal of Haematology 195(3):378-387, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34340254.
- Garcia-Manero, G, Chien, KS, Montalban Bravo, G. Myelodysplastic syndromes. American journal of hematology 95(11):1399-1420, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32744763.
- Chien, KS, Class, CA, Montalban Bravo, G, Wei, Y, Sasaki, K, Naqvi, K, Ganan Gomez, I, Yang, H, Soltysiak, KA, Kanagal Shamanna, R, Do, K, Kantarjian, HM, Garcia-Manero, G. LILRB4 expression in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome based on response to hypomethylating agents. Leukemia and Lymphoma 61(6):1493-1499, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32036728.
- Benton, CB, Chien, KS, Tefferi, A, Rodriguez, J, Ravandi-Kashani, F, Daver, N, Jabbour, EJ, Jain, N, Alvarado, Y, Kwari, M, Pierce, S, Maiti, A, Hornbaker, MJ, Albuquerque Almeida Santos, M, Martinez, S, Siguero, M, Zblewski, D, Al-Kali, A, Hogan, WJ, Kantarjian, HM, Pardanani, A, Garcia-Manero, G. Safety and tolerability of lurbinectedin (PM01183) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Hematological Oncology 37(1):96-102, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30153704.
Review Articles
- Chien KS, DiNardo CD, Garcia-Manero G. Clonal hematopoiesis: malignant implications, extrahematologic manifestations, and management. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 22(7):320-327, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39110659.
Other Articles
- Farmakiotis, D, Chien, KS, Shum, TT, Rodriguez-Barradas, MC, Musher, DM Photo quiz. Clinical Infectious Diseases 56(7):1003+1052-1053, 2013. PMID: 23463794.
Abstracts
- Chien KS, Ong F, Kim K, Li Z, Kanagal-Shamanna R, DiNardo CD, Takahashi K, Montalban-Bravo G, Hammond D, Sasaki K, Pierce SA, Kantarjian HM, Garcia-Manero G. Outcomes of Individuals with Clonal Hematopoiesis Evaluated at a Cancer Center. 2023 European Hematology Association Annual Congress, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Book Chapters
- Chien KS, Bueso-Ramos C, Garcia-Manero G. Chapter 5: Myelodysplastic Syndromes: The MD Anderson Cancer Center Approach. In: The MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology, Fourth Edition, 2022.
Letters to the Editor
- Chien KS, Rodriguez-Sevilla JJ, Alvarado Y, Montalban-Bravo G, Hammond DE, Swaminathan M, Bazinet A, Kimberley J, Bodden K, Schneider H, Dong XQ, Pierce SA, Huang X, Jabbour EJ, Kantarjian HM, Garcia-Manero G. A phase I study of the myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1) inhibitor tapotoclax (AMG 176) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes after hypomethylating agent failure. Leuk Res 147: 107602, 2024.
- Urrutia S, Chien KS, Li Z, Bataller A, Almanza E, Sasaki K, Montalban-Bravo G, Short NJ, Jabbour E, Kadia TM, Ravandi F, Borthakur G, Alvarado Y, Daver N, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Bueso-Ramos C, Pierce SA, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G. Performance of IPSS-M in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome after hypomethylating agent failure. Am J Hematol 98: E281-E284, 2023.
- Bataller, A, Chien, KS, Sasaki, K, Montalban Bravo, G, Kanagal Shamanna, R, Urrutia, S, Almanza-Huante, E, Gener-Ricos, G, Ravandi-Kashani, F, Jabbour, EJ, Kadia, TM, Borthakur, G, Garcia-Manero, G. PHF6 mutations in myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia Research 127, 2023.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 18, 2025