Maro Ohanian, DO
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Ohanian
As Assistant Professor Clinical Faculty in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center, she is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Hematology and Integrative Medicine. Her focus is clinical care and research of patients with acute and chronic leukemia. She is studying toxic and essential metals in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other hematologic malignancies. She is the PI of an ongoing study (PA15-0302) to analyze results of toxic and essential metals and copper isotopic abundances in leukemia patients and controls in cohorts at MD Anderson and at Hospices Civils de Lyon (Hopital Sud in Lyon France). She has strong collaborations with world-leaders in leukemia, hematopathology, metal toxicology, geochemistry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and isotopic abundance analysis. To solidify her understanding of metal toxicology, she has collaborated with expert-toxicologist Dr. Arch Carson of the School of Public Health and Dr. Francis Albarede, Dr. Philippe Telouk of The Geochemistry Lab at École Normal Supérieure de Lyon, France, and Dr. Cin Ty Lee of Earth Sciences at Rice University. She is initiating a clinical trial of metal monitoring and metal detoxification during AML therapy (AML).
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2006 | University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth, TX, USA, DO, Osteopathic Medicine |
| 2002 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, BA, Honors |
Postgraduate Training
| 2012-2013 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2009-2011 | Clinical Fellowship, Medical Oncology, Texas A & M University Health Science Center, Scott and White Memorial Hospital, Temple, TX |
| 2006-2009 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch - Brackenridge Hospital, Austin, TX |
Board Certifications
| 2013 | American Board of Internal Medicine, Hematology |
| 2011 | American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology |
| 2009 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Ohanian M, Tung C, V Abruzzo L. Orbital extramedullary leukaemia is not a rare entity - response to Paydas. Br J Haematol 186(3):e4-e6, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30873605.
- Jain N, Keating M, Thompson P, Ferrajoli A, Burger J, Borthakur G, Takahashi K, Estrov Z, Fowler N, Kadia T, Konopleva M, Alvarado Y, Yilmaz M, DiNardo C, Bose P, Ohanian M, Pemmaraju N, Jabbour E, Sasaki K, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Patel K, Jorgensen J, Garg N, Wang X, Sondermann K, Cruz N, Wei C, Ayala A, Plunkett W, Kantarjian H, Gandhi V, Wierda W. Ibrutinib and Venetoclax for First-Line Treatment of CLL. N Engl J Med 380(22):2095-2103, 2019. PMID: 31141631.
- Boddu P, Thakral B, Alhuraiji A, Pemmaraju N, Kadia T, Ohanian M, Ravandi F, Jabbour E, Wierda W, Khoury JD, Jain N. Distinguishing thymoma from T-lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma: a case-based evaluation. J Clin Pathol 72(3):251-257, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30467242.
- Burger JA, Sivina M, Jain N, Kim E, Kadia T, Estrov Z, Nogueras-Gonzalez GM, Huang X, Jorgensen J, Li J, Cheng M, Clow F, Ohanian M, Andreeff M, Mathew T, Thompson P, Kantarjian H, O'Brien S, Wierda WG, Ferrajoli A, Keating MJ. Randomized trial of ibrutinib versus ibrutinib plus rituximab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 133(10):1011-1019, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30530801.
- Maiti A, Naqvi K, Kadia TM, Borthakur G, Takahashi K, Bose P, Daver NG, Patel A, Alvarado Y, Ohanian M, DiNardo CD, Cortes JE, Jabbour EJ, Garcia-Manero G, Kantarjian HM, Ravandi F. Phase II Trial of MEK Inhibitor Binimetinib (MEK162) in RAS-mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 19(3):142-148.e1, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30635233.
- Ohanian M, Rozovski U, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Abruzzo LV, Loghavi S, Kadia T, Futreal A, Bhalla K, Zuo Z, Huh YO, Post SM, Ruvolo P, Garcia-Manero G, Andreeff M, Kornblau S, Borthakur G, Hu P, Medeiros LJ, Takahashi K, Hornbaker MJ, Zhang J, Nogueras-González GM, Huang X, Verstovsek S, Estrov Z, Pierce S, Ravandi F, Kantarjian HM, Bueso-Ramos CE, Cortes JE. MYC protein expression is an important prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 60(1):1-12, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29741984.
- Short NJ, Kantarjian HM, Loghavi S, Huang X, Qiao W, Borthakur G, Kadia TM, Daver N, Ohanian M, Dinardo CD, Estrov Z, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Maiti A, Benton CB, Bose P, Alvarado Y, Jabbour E, Kornblau SM, Pemmaraju N, Jain N, Gasior Y, Richie MA, Pierce S, Cortes J, Konopleva M, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F. Treatment with a 5-day versus a 10-day schedule of decitabine in older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia: a randomised phase 2 trial. Lancet Haematol 6(1):e29-e37, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30545576.
- Yalniz FF, Daver N, Rezvani K, Kornblau S, Ohanian M, Borthakur G, DiNardo CD, Konopleva M, Burger J, Gasior Y, Pierce S, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G. A Pilot Trial of Lirilumab With or Without Azacitidine for Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 18(10):658-663.e2, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30001986.
- Masarova L, Verstovsek S, Hidalgo-Lopez JE, Pemmaraju N, Bose P, Estrov Z, Jabbour EJ, Ravandi-Kashani F, Takahashi K, Cortes JE, Ning J, Ohanian M, Alvarado Y, Zhou L, Pierce S, Gergis R, Patel KP, Luthra R, Kadia TM, DiNardo CD, Borthakur G, Bhalla K, Garcia-Manero G, Bueso-Ramos CE, Kantarjian HM, Daver N. A phase II study of ruxolitinib in combination with azacytidine in patients with myelofibrosis. Blood 132(16):1664-1674, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30185431.
- Ohanian M, Garcia-Manero G, Levis M, Jabbour E, Daver N, Borthakur G, Kadia T, Pierce S, Burger J, Richie MA, Patel K, Andreeff M, Estrov Z, Cortes J, Kantarjian H, Ravandi F. Sorafenib Combined with 5-azacytidine (AZA) in Older Patients with Untreated FLT3-ITD Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Am J Hematol 93(9):1136-1141, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30028037.
- Lacourt TE, Kavelaars A, Ohanian M, Shah ND, Shelburne SA, Futreal A, Kontoyiannis DP, Heijnen CJ. Patient-reported fatigue prior to treatment is prognostic of survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Oncotarget 9(58):31244-31252, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30131851.
- Ohanian M, Tari Ashizawa A, Garcia-Manero G, Pemmaraju N, Kadia T, Jabbour E, Ravandi F, Borthakur G, Andreeff M, Konopleva M, Lim M, Pierce S, O'Brien S, Alvarado Y, Verstovsek S, Wierda W, Kantarjian H, Cortes J. Liposomal Grb2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (BP1001) in patients with refractory or relapsed haematological malignancies: a single-centre, open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1/1b trial. Lancet Haematol 5(4):e136-e146, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29550383.
- Ohanian M, Pemmaraju N, Rozovski U, Alattar ML, Estrov Z, Kundra V, Tung C, Ravandi F, Manning J, Abruzzo LV. Ocular extramedullary myeloid leukaemia. Br J Haematol 180(5):738-740, 2018. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27879987.
- Ragon BK, Daver N, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F, Cortes J, Kadia T, Oran B, Ohanian M, Ferrajoli A, Pemmaraju N, Kantarjian HM, Borthakur G. Minimal residual disease eradication with epigenetic therapy in core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia. Am J Hematol 92(9):845-850, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28494506.
- Boddu PC, Kantarjian HM, Ravandi F, Garcia-Manero G, Verstovsek S, Jabbour EJ, Takahashi K, Bhalla K, Konopleva M, DiNardo CD, Ohanian M, Pemmaraju N, Jain N, Pierce S, Wierda WG, Cortes JE, Kadia TM. Characteristics and outcomes of older patients with secondary acute myeloid leukemia according to treatment approach. Cancer 123(16):3050-3060, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28387922.
- Pinnix CC, Chi L, Jabbour EJ, Milgrom SA, Smith GL, Daver N, Garg N, Cykowski MD, Fuller G, Cachia D, Kamiya-Matsuoka C, Woodman K, Dinardo C, Jain N, Kadia TM, Pemmaraju N, Ohanian M, Konopleva M, Kantarjian HM, Dabaja BS. Dorsal column myelopathy after intrathecal chemotherapy for leukemia. Am J Hematol 92(2):155-160, 2017. PMID: 27874212.
- Tamamyan G, Kadia T, Ravandi F, Borthakur G, Cortes J, Jabbour E, Daver N, Ohanian M, Kantarjian H, Konopleva M. Frontline treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in adults. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 110:20-34, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28109402.
- Huh YO, Tang G, Talwalkar SS, Khoury JD, Ohanian M, Bueso-Ramos CE, Abruzzo LV. Double minute chromosomes in acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia are associated with micronuclei, MYC or MLL amplification, and complex karyotype. Cancer Genet 209(7-8):313-20, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27318442.
- Ohanian M, Bueso-Ramos C, Ok CY, Lin P, Patel K, Alattar ML, Khoury JD, Rozovski U, Estrov Z, Huh YO, Cortes J, Abruzzo LV. Acute Myeloid Leukemia with MYC Rearrangement and JAK2 V617F Mutation. Cancer Genet 208(11):571-4, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26382622.
- Rozovski U, Ohanian M, Ravandi F, Garcia-Manero G, Faderl S, Pierce S, Cortes J, Estrov Z. Incidence of and risk factors for involvement of the central nervous system in acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 56(5):1-6, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25110819.
- Ohanian M, Rozovski U, Ravandi F, Garcia-Manero G, Jabbour E, Kantarjian HM, Estrov Z. Very high levels of lactate dehydrogenase at diagnosis predict central nervous system relapse in acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Br J Haematol 169(4):595-7, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25413673.
- Ohanian M, Kantarjian H, Guy D, Thomas D, Jabbour E, O'Brien S. Inotuzumab ozogamicin in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Expert Opin Biol Ther 15(4):601-11, 2015. PMID: 25775418.
- Ohanian M, Huang RS, Yakoushina TV, Estrov Z, Juneja H, Chen L, Idowu M, Abruzzo LV. Isolated Mesenteric CD20-positive Myeloid Sarcoma. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 14(6):e217-20, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25131853.
- Rozovski U, Li P, Harris D, Ohanian M, Kantarjian H, Estrov Z. Interleukin-7 receptor-α gene mutations are not detected in adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Med 3(3):550-554, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24678068.
- Ohanian M, Kantarjian HM, Quintas-Cardama A, Jabbour E, Abruzzo L, Verstovsek S, Borthakur G, Ravandi F, Garcia-Manero G, Champlin R, Pierce S, Alattar ML, Trinh LX, Luthra R, Ferrajoli A, Kadia T, O'Brien S, Cortes JE. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as Initial Therapy for Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Accelerated Phase. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 14(2):155-162.e1, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24332214.
- Ikoma N, Anderson CL, Ohanian M, Juneja HS, MacFadyen BV, Shah SK, Bajwa KS. Portal vein thrombosis after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. JSLS 18(1):125-7, 2014. PMID: 24680155.
- Ohanian M, Idowu M, Castillo B, Liu H, Nedelcu E. Diagnosis with Hemoglobin SC Disease at Age 52 After Acute Stroke and Cardiac Arrest. J Hematol 2(1), 2014.
- Ohanian M, Faderl S, Ravandi F, Pemmaraju N, Garcia-Manero G, Cortes J, Estrov Z. Is acute myeloid leukemia a liquid tumor?. Int J Cancer 133(3):534-43, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23280377.
- Ghanem H, Kantarjian H, Ohanian M, Jabbour E. The role of clofarabine in acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 54(4):688-98, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22957815.
- Ohanian M, Borthakur G, Quintas-Cardama A, Mathisen M, Cortés JE, Estrov Z, Pemmaraju N. Ocular granulocytic sarcoma: a case report and literature review of ocular extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 13(1):93-6, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23017332.
- Ohanian M, Leventaki V, Verstovsek S, Estrov Z, Lin P, Yin C, Kantarjian H, Huh Y, Ravandi F. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia arising in post-polycythemic myelofibrosis: a rare entity. Leuk Lymphoma 53(9):1839-41, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22303899.
- Ohanian M, Cortes J, Kantarjian H, Jabbour E. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors in acute and chronic leukemias. Expert Opin Pharmacother 13(7):927-38, 2012. PMID: 22519766.
- Tanaka MF, Kantarjian H, Cortes J, Ohanian M, Jabbour E. Treatment options for chronic myeloid leukemia. Expert Opin Pharmacother 13(6):815-28, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22429140.
- Ohanian M, Alaly J, Samuel S, Cable C, Halka K. Leptomeningeal myelomatosis in previously treated high-risk kappa light chain multiple myeloma. Blood and Lymphatic Cancer: Targets and Therapy 1(1):9-18, 2011.
- Ohanian M, Cable C, Halka K. Eculizumab safely reverses neurologic impairment and eliminates need for dialysis in severe atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Clin Pharmacol 3:5-12, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22287852.
- Ohanian M, Cable C, Halka K. Reduced dose maintenance eculizumab in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS): an update on a previous case report. Clin Pharmacol 3:45-50, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22287856.
- Bennett DD, Ohanian M, Cable CT. Rituximab in severe skin diseases: target, disease, and dose. Clin Pharmacol 2:135-41, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 22291497.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Metal Detoxification to Prevent Acute Myeloid Leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Duncan Family Funding |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Detoxifying the Bone Marrow Microenvironment of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Leukemia Texas |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Toxic Metals in Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies |
| Funding Source: | Gillson Longenbaugh Foundation |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | The Metallomics and Genomics of Acute Leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Sister Institution Network Fund (SINF) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase I, Multi-Center, Open-Label, Dose Escalation Study of Thrombosomes in Bleeding Thrombocytopenic Patients in Three Cohorts |
| Funding Source: | Cellphire, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | PA15-0302. Toxic and Essential Metals and Isotopic Abundance Analysis in Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies |
| Funding Source: | UT MDACC Donor Funds (VD 114199) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase IIa Single-arm, Open-label, Two-stage Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Efficacy of BP1001 (a Liposomal Grb2 Antisense Oligonucleotide) in Combination with Low-dose Cytarabine (LDAC) in Patients with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Who Are Ineligible for Intensive Induction Therapy |
| Funding Source: | Bio-Path, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Toxic Metals and Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Louisiana |
| Funding Source: | Leukemia Ladies League |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Clinical Innovator Award "Extramedullary myeloid leukemia (EML) in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia is underreported" |
| Funding Source: | UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase Ib/IIa Single-arm, Open-label Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of BP1001 (a Liposomal Grb2 Antisense Oligonucleotide) in Combination with Dasatinib (Das) in Patients with Philadelphia Chromosome Positive (Ph+) Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) in Accelerated or Blast Phase |
| Funding Source: | Bio-Path Holdings, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Cardioprotection with Dexrazoxane in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), Myeloid Blast Phase of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Ph+ AML, and Myeloid Blast Phase of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms |
| Funding Source: | Donor Funds |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase I Dose Escalation with Two Disease Specific Expansions, Multicenter, Open-Label, Safety, Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Study of LOR-253 in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Hematologic Malignancies |
| Funding Source: | Aptose Therapeutics, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Lead-in and Phase II Study of Clorarabine, Etoposide, Cyclophosphamide (CEC), Liposomal Vincristine (VCR), Dexamethasone and Bortezomib in Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (LL) |
| Funding Source: | Spectrum Pharmaceuticals |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Extramedullary Myeloid Leukemia (EML) in AML |
| Funding Source: | UT MD Anderson Cancer Center IRG |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Title: | Targeted Metal Detoxification to Prevent AML |
| Funding Source: | UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Khalifa Foundation gift |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |