Zsila Sadighi, M.D.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatrics
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Research interests include neurological outcomes in pediatric cancer, targeted therapy in brain tumor treatment for Neurofibromatosis patients and novel therapeutic approaches to treating all brain tumors, including high-grade gliomas, diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), ependymomas, and low-grade gliomas.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2005 | The University of Texas Health Science Center Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 2000 | Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, BA, Chemistry |
Postgraduate Training
| 2010-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Adult and Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2007-2010 | Clinical Fellowship, Child & Adolescent Neurology, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX |
| 2005-2007 | Clinical Residency, Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX |
Board Certifications
| 2013 | United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties Neuro-Oncology Certification, Board-certified |
| 2011 | American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology with Special Qualifications in Child Neurology, Board Certified |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Division of Division of Neurology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 2012 - 2018
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Rotation Program Coordinator, Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, MDACC Department of Pediatrics Neural Team Committee, 2019 - Present
Member, MDACC Department of Pediatrics Clinical Trials Team Committee, 2019 - Present
Member, MDACC Department of Pediatrics Behavioral Science Team Committee, 2019 - Present
Member, MDACC Department of Pediatrics Survivorship Team Committee, 2019 - Present
Member, MDACC Department of Pediatrics Immunotherapy Team Committee, 2019 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2016 | National Women of Achievement Award, Delta Delta Delta |
| 2011 | William James Miller Endowed Fellowship Award |
| 2009 | Memorial Hermann Medical Missions Scholarship, Memorial Hermann |
| 2007 | BMDF Hubert Trust Grant for Medical Missions |
| 2004 | Graduate Scholarship, Delta Delta Delta Houston Alumnae Chapter |
| 2000 | American Chemical Society Achievement Award, Texas A&M University - Chemistry Department |
| 1999 | American Chemical Society Achievement Award, Texas A&M University - Chemistry Department |
| 1999 | Dean’s Honor Roll, Texas A&M University College of Science |
| 1998 | Distinguished Student, Texas A&M University College of Science |
| 1996 | Dean’s Honor Roll, Texas A&M University College of Science |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Sadighi ZS, Curtis E, Zabrowksi J, Billups C, Gajjar A, Khan R, Qaddoumi I. Neurologic impairments from pediatric low-grade glioma by tumor location and timing of diagnosis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 65(8):e27063, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29741274.
- Ghazwani Y, Qaddoumi I, Bass JK, Wu S, Chiang J, Boop F, Gajjar A, Sadighi Z. Profound hearing loss following surgery in pediatric patients with posterior fossa low-grade glioma. Neurooncol Pract 5(2):96-103, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29770223.
- Khan RB, Merchant TE, Sadighi ZS, Bello MS, Lu Z, Sykes A, Wise MS, Crabtree VM, Zabrowski J, Simmons A, Clark ME, Mandrell BN. Prevalence, risk factors, and response to treatment for hypersomnia of central origin in survivors of childhood brain tumors. J Neurooncol 136(2):379-384, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29116485.
- Helton K, Patterson AL, Khan RB, Sadighi ZS. The Complex Diagnostic Challenge in Children With Non-Central Nervous System Cancer and Cerebellar Mutism. J Child Neurol 32(9):823-827, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28497710.
- Sadighi ZS, Zabrowski J, Boop FA, Broniscer A, Gajjar A, Khan RB. Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes of Movement Disorders in Childhood Thalamic Tumors. Pediatr Neurol 65:71-77, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27773422.
- Helton KJ, Maron G, Mamcarz E, Leventaki V, Patay Z, Sadighi Z. Unusual magnetic resonance imaging presentation of post-BMT cerebral toxoplasmosis masquerading as meningoencephalitis and ventriculitis. Bone Marrow Transplant 51(11):1533-1536, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27348541.
- Brinkman TM, Krasin MJ, Liu W, Armstrong GT, Ojha RP, Sadighi ZS, Gupta P, Kimberg C, Srivastava D, Merchant TE, Gajjar A, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Long-Term Neurocognitive Functioning and Social Attainment in Adult Survivors of Pediatric CNS Tumors: Results From the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. J Clin Oncol 34(12):1358-67, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26834063.
- Khan RB, Sadighi ZS, Zabrowski J, Gajjar A, Jeha S. Imaging Patterns and Outcome of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome During Childhood Cancer Treatment. Pediatr Blood Cancer 63(3):523-6, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26469881.
- Sadighi ZS, Sabin ND, Hayden R, Stewart E, Pillai A. Diagnostic Clues to Human Herpesvirus 6 Encephalitis and Wernicke Encephalopathy After Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. J Child Neurol 30(10):1307-14, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25564483.
- Sadighi ZS, Ness KK, Hudson MM, Morris EB, Ledet DS, Pui CH, Howard SC, Krull KR, Browne E, Crom D, Hinds PS, Zhu L, Srivastava D, Khan RB. Headache types, related morbidity, and quality of life in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a prospective cross sectional study. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 18(6):722-9, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25030329.
- Theeler BJ, Ellezam B, Sadighi ZS, Mehta V, Tran MD, Adesina AM, Bruner JM, Puduvalli VK. Adult pilocytic astrocytomas: clinical features and molecular analysis. Neuro Oncol 16(6):841-7, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24470550.
- Sadighi ZS, Slopis J. Pilocytic astrocytoma: a disease with evolving molecular heterogeneity. J Child Neurol 28(5):625-32, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23439714.
- Sadighi ZS, Vats T, Khatua S. Childhood medulloblastoma: the paradigm shift in molecular stratification and treatment profile. J Child Neurol 27(10):1302-7, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22826514.
- Khatua S, Sadighi ZS, Pearlman ML, Bochare S, Vats TS. Brain tumors in children--current therapies and newer directions. Indian J Pediatr 79(7):922-7, 2012. PMID: 22294272.
- Sadighi ZS, Butler IJ, Koenig MK. Adult-onset cerebral folate deficiency. Arch Neurol 69(6):778-9, 2012. PMID: 22371854.