Maryam Buni, MD
Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Department of Section of Rheumatology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Assistant Professor, Department of General Internal Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of General Internal Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2007 | College of Medicine/University of Baghdad, Baghdad, IQ, Medicine and Surgery, MB., Ch.B |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2019 | Clinical Fellowship, Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2015-2017 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Institute, Houston, Texas |
| 2014-2015 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Institute, Houston, Texas |
| 2009-2011 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Jordan University Teaching Hospital, Amman |
| 2008-2009 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Jordan Specialty Hospital, Amman |
| 2007-2008 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Jordan Specialty Hospital, Amman |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2024 | Mississippi Medical License |
| 2024 | Arizona Medical License |
| 2024 | Georgia Medical License |
| 2024 | Tennessee Medical License |
| 2024 | Washington Medical License |
| 2024 | Alabama Medical License |
| 2024 | Louisiana Medical License |
| 2024 | Oklahoma Medical License |
| 2021 | Florida Medical License |
| 2020 | American Board of Clinical Rheumatology and Immunology |
| 2019 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
| 2017 | Texas Medical License |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Department of Section of Rheumatology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Voting Member, Institutional Committee of Pharmacy & Therapeutics, 2024 - Present
Member, Division of Internal Medicine Member Wellness Committee, 2023 - Present
Member, Academic Review Committee, 2022 - Present
Voting Member, Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff (CCMS), 2021 - Present
Member, Division of Internal Medicine Research Education Subcommittee, 2021 - Present
Voting Member, Medication-Use Safety Team (MUST) Committee, 2021 - Present
Non-voting Member, Division of IM Education Committee Meeting, 2020 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2025 - Present | Philanthropic Gift, Schwab Charitable Fund - Pat Medlock and Tina Nelson |
| 2022 | Outpatient Faculty Teaching Award, Baylor College of Medicine-MD Anderson Internal Medicine Residency Program |
| 2021 | Outpatient Faculty Teaching Award, Baylor College of Medicine-MD Anderson Internal Residency Program |
| 2014 | 110% Award, Department of Internal Medicine / University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston |
| 2010 | Department of Internal Medicine Excellence Awards Internal Medicine, Jordan University Hospital |
| 2008 | Department of Internal Medicine Excellence Awards Internal Medicine Specialty Hospital |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. Updates on SLE. Invited. A Lupus Educational Event. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Non-Invasive Gout Assessment with multi-energy CT. Invited. Internal Medicine and Cancer Survivorship Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Cancer in Rheumatology. Invited. Rheumatology Core Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Cancer in Rheumatology. Invited. General Internal Medicine Clinical and Research Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Approach to Arthritis. Invited. BCM Chief Medical Residents Lecture. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Paraneoplastic Rheumatology Conditions Excluding Immunotherapy Toxicities. Conference. Houston Methodist Hospital. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Acute Onset of CNS Vasculitis related to Pembrolizumab after Peritoneal shunt Revision. Conference. Institutional IOTOX Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. A Probable Case of Immunotherapy-induced IgG4 Related Disease. Conference. Institutional IOTOX Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. D3CODE Research Project. Conference. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Research Protocol 2021-0948 A Retrospective Chart (EHR) Review to Evaluate the Incidence of Non-hematologic Autoimmune Disease in CLL. Conference. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Improving Telehealth Visits at Mays Internal Medicine Clinic QI Project. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
- 2017. Increasing the Use of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculators in Internal Medicine Clinics. Conference. Edward Randall, III Internal Medicine Quality Fair, US.
- 2016. Quality Poster presented at: Edward Improvement Project to Improve Patient Education on Inhaler Techniques in the Pulmonary Clinic. Conference. Edward Randall, Ill Internal Medicine Quality Fair, US.
- 2015. Increasing the Use of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculators in Internal Medicine Clinics. Conference. Edward Randall, Ill Internal Medicine Quality Fair, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2024. Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Conference. 3rd Annual MH APP Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Paraneoplastic Rheumatology Conditions Excluding Immunotherapy Toxicities. Conference. Houston, Tx, US.
- 2023. Updates on Systemic Sclerosis. Conference. Baylor College of Medicine Chief Medical Residents Grand Rounds, US.
- 2023. Rheumatologic Complications of Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy. Conference. UT Rheumatology Department. Houston, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2024. Management of Immunotherapy-Related Adverse Events. Conference. Georgia Society of Rheumatology. Ponte Vedra, FL, US.
- 2024. Paraneoplastic Rheumatologic Syndrome. Conference. Georgia Society of Rheumatology. Ponte Vedra, FL, US.
- 2023. Study Evaluates Prevalence of Rheumatologic autoimmune Diseases in Patients with CLL. Conference. Study Evaluates Prevalence of Rheumatologic autoimmune Diseases in Patients with CLL. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2023. The Incidence and Prevalence of Rheumatologic Autoimmune Diseases in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Pilot Study. Conference. JADPRO Live - Annual APSHO Meeting. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2016. Acquired Hydrothorax After a Laparoscopic Surgery in a Patient on Peritoneal. Conference. American Thoracic Society. San Francisco, CA, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Enhancing Gout Diagnosis in Cancer Patients through Dual-energy CT (DECT): A Quality Improvement Initiative at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Conference. MASCC/AFSOS/ISOO Annual Meeting. Lille, FR.
- 2023. Identification of Biomarkers Predicting Steroid Resistance in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Arthritis. Conference. American College of Rheumatology. San Diego, US.
- 2022. Sclerodermoid Reaction Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Case Series from MD Anderson Cancer Center. Conference. American College of Rheumatology Conference 2022 (ACR). Philadelphia, US.
- 2022. Safety and Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Combination versus Single Agent Therapy in Patients with Pre-existing Autoimmune Diseases. Conference. American College of Rheumatology Conference 2022 (ACR). Philadelphia, US.
- 2022. Learning Needs Assessment for Patients with Cancer and a Pre-Existing Autoimmune Disease Who Are Candidates to Receive Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Conference. American College of Rheumatology Conference 2022 (ACR). Philadelphia, US.
- 2021. Selective Immune Suppression using Interleukin-6 blockade in Immune Related Adverse Events. Conference. SITC 2021 Annual Meeting. Washington DC, US.
- 2020. Interleukin-6 receptor blockade for management of immune checkpoint inhibitor related adverse events in patients with melanoma. Conference. SITC 2020 Annual Meeting. Virtual, US.
- 2020. Toxicities of single agent and combination immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases. Conference. SITC 2020 Annual Meeting. Virtual, US.
- 2020. Updates on the treatment for vasculitis. Conference. The 6th Annual International Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department Conference. Virtual, EG.
- 2020. Predictors of Perceived Functional Status in Early Systemic Sclerosis: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study of the GENISOS Cohort. Conference. 2020 6th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress. Virtual, US.
- 2020. Checkpoint inhibitor-related renal vasculitis and use of rituximab. Conference. ASCO Annual Meeting. Virtual, US.
- 2017. Trabecular Bone Score Is a Valuable Addition to Bone Mineral Density for Bone Quality Assessment in Older Mexican American Women With Type 2 Diabetes. Conference. ASMBR. Denver, US.
- 2016. A Rare Case Of Idiopathic Hypersomnia Caused By Neurosarcoidosis. Conference. American Thoracic Society. San Francisco, US.
- 2008. High prevalence of vitamin 12 deficiency among patients in Jordan University Hospital and best method of early detection of the deficiency. I conducted clinical research that identified high prevalence of Vitamin B12 deficiency and recommended a protocol for early identification including measurement of serum methymalonic acid (MMA) and of Holotranscobalamin (holoTC). Mentor: Dr. Nather Obaidat. Conference. Jordan University Hospital, JO.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Maryam B, Naveen P, Guillermo MB, Effrosyni A, Courtney D, Himachandana A, Guillory Bryan K, Horak Jean V. Management of Hemolytic Transfusion Reactions in a Patient with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia and Rare Antibodies: A Case Report. Leukemia Research Reports Article no. 100485, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Reid P, Sandigursky S, Song J, Lopez-Olivio MA, Safa H, Cytryn S, Efuni E, Buni M, Pavlick A, Krogsgaard M, Abu-Shawer O, Altan M, Weber JS, Suarez-Almazor M, Diab A, Abdel-Wahab N. Safety and effectiveness of combination versus monotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases. Oncoimmunology 12(1), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38126033.
- Lopez-Olivo MA, Kachira JJ, Buni M, Kim ST, Lu H, Tayar JH, Duhon GF, Ruiz JI, Bingham CO, Calabrese C, Volk RJ, Suarez-Almazor ME. Learning Needs of Patients with Cancer and a Preexisting Autoimmune Disease Who Are Candidates to Receive Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 15(15), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37568819.
- Fa'ak F, Buni M, Falohun A, Lu H, Song J, Johnson DH, Zobniw CM, Trinh VA, Awiwi MO, Tahon NH, Elsayes KM, Ludford K, Montazari EJ, Chernis J, Dimitrova M, Sandigursky S, Sparks JA, Abu-Shawer O, Rahma O, Thanarajasingam U, Zeman AM, Talukder R, Singh N, Chung SH, Grivas P, Daher M, Abudayyeh A, Osman I, Weber J, Tayar JH, Suarez-Almazor ME, Abdel-Wahab N, Diab A. Selective immune suppression using interleukin-6 receptor inhibitors for management of immune-related adverse events. J Immunother Cancer 11(6), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37328287.
- Chernis J, Buni M, Kazzaz S, Ying J, Lyons M, Assassi S, Mayes M. Predictors of Perceived Functional Status in Early Systemic Sclerosis: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of the GENISOS Cohort. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 75(5):1066-1070, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 34738736.
- Kim ST, Chu Y, Misoi M, Suarez-Almazor ME, Tayar JH, Lu H, Buni M, Kramer J, Rodriguez E, Hussain Z, Neelapu SS, Wang J, Shah AY, Tannir NM, Campbell MT, Gibbons DL, Cascone T, Lu C, Blumenschein GR, Altan M, Lim B, Valero V, Loghin ME, Tu J, Westin SN, Naing A, Garcia-Manero G, Abdel-Wahab N, Tawbi HA, Hwu P, Oliva ICG, Davies MA, Patel SP, Zou J, Futreal A, Diab A, Wang L, Nurieva R. Distinct molecular and immune hallmarks of inflammatory arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy. Nat Commun 13(1):1970, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35413951.
- Mamlouk O, Lin JS, Abdelrahim M, Tchakarov AS, Glass WF, Selamet U, Buni M, Abdel-Wahab N, Abudayyeh A. Checkpoint inhibitor-related renal vasculitis and use of rituximab. J Immunother Cancer 8(2), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32718987.
- Buni M, Joseph J, Pedroza C, Theodore S, Nair D, McNearney TA, Draeger HT, Reveille JD, Assassi S, Mayes MD. Predictors of Hand Contracture in Early Systemic Sclerosis and the Effect on Function: A Prospective Study of the GENISOS Cohort. J Rheumatol 46(12):1597-1604, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30709959.
- Rianon N, Ambrose CG, Buni M, Watt G, Reyes-Ortiz C, Lee M, McCormick J, Fisher-Hoch S. Trabecular Bone Score Is a Valuable Addition to Bone Mineral Density for Bone Quality Assessment in Older Mexican American Women With Type 2 Diabetes. J Clin Densitom 21(3):355-359, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29685494.
- Bakri FG, Wahbeh A, Abu Sneina A, Al Khader A, Obeidat F, AlAwwa I, Buni M, Ki CS, Masri A. Congenital Insensitivity to Pain and Anhydrosis Due to a Rare Mutation and That is Complicated by Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Amyloidosis: A Case Report. Clin Case Rep 4(10):997-1000, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27761255.
Review Articles
- Walder JR, Faiz SA, Tummala S, Weathers SP, Palaskas NL, Buni M, Sheshadri A, Bashoura L. Diaphragmatic Myopathy Associated with Dual Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in a Patient with Renal Cell Carcinoma. Journal of Immunotherapy and Precision Oncology, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
Professional Educational Materials
- Ellen Snyder, Christina Downey, Yousef Ali, Rebecca Pietro, Sarah Bayefsky, S. Banks, Vicky Nahra, Maryam Buni, James Miceli, Betulsozeri, B. Shastin. Rheum2Learn 2.0. American College of Rheumatology, 2025.
Abstracts
- Thimmapuram R, Buni M. Miscellaneous Rheumatic & Inflammatory Diseases III, 2024.
- He, L, Torres-Cabala, CA, Buni M, Huen,Auris, Fayad,Luis E, DiLeo,McKenzie Mae, Weeks,Brittany L, Nagarajan,Priyadharsini, Aung,Phyu P, Curry,Jonathan L. A Case of Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis with Unusual Histopathological Presentation, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Buni M. Enhancing Gout Diagnosis in Cancer Patients through Dual-energy CT (DECT): A Quality Improvement Initiative at MD Anderson Cancer Center. MASCC/AFSOS/ISOO Annual Meeting, Lille, France, 2024.
- Buni M. Acquired Hydrothorax After a Laparoscopic Surgery in a Patient on Peritoneal. American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 2024.
- Buni M. Trabecular Bone Score Is a Valuable Addition to Bone Mineral Density for Bone Quality Assessment in Older Mexican American Women With Type 2 Diabetes. ASBMR Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 2024.
- Buni M. CLL Autoimmune Studies. JADPRO Live 2023, The Annual APSHO Meeting, Orlando, Florida, 2023.
- Thimmapuram R, Buni M, Lu H, Tayar J, Li J, Suarez-Almazor M, Rico R, Turner N, Nurieva R. Identification of Biomarkers Predicting Steroid Resistance in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Arthritis. American College of Rheumatology, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Buni M. Safety and Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Combination versus Single Agent Therapy in Patients with Pre-existing Autoimmune Diseases. American College of Rheumatology Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2022.
- Buni M. Learning Needs Assessment for Patients with Cancer and a Pre-Existing Autoimmune Disease Who Are Candidates to Receive Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. American College of Rheumatology Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2022.
- Buni M. Sclerodermoid Reaction Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Case Series from MD Anderson Cancer Center. American College of Rheumatology Conference, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 2022.
- Buni M. Selective Immune Suppression using Interleukin-6 blockade in Immune Related Adverse Events. SITC Annual Meeting Washington DC, 2021.
- Saberian C, Fa'ak F, Tayar J, Buni M, Kim ST, Lu L, Suarez-Almazor ME, Gruschkus SK, Daher M, Ludford K, Johnson D, Abdel-Wahab N, Diab A. Interleukin-6 receptor blockade for management of immune checkpoint inhibitor related adverse events in patients with melanoma. J Immunother Cancer (Suppl) 8(3), 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Buni M. Checkpoint inhibitors related renal vasculitis and use of rituximab. American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, 2020, 2020.
- Sandigursky S, Safa H, Cytryn S, Efuni E, Pundole X, Buni M, Xia Y, Zhong H, Krogsgaard M, Pavlick A, Saberian C, Altan M, Suarez-Almazor ME, Weber JS, Diab A, Abdel-Wahab N. Toxicities of single agent and combination immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases. J Immunother Cancer (Suppl) 8(3), 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Buni M. A Rare Case Of Idiopathic Hypersomnia Caused By Neurosarcoidosis, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 04, 2025