Program Overview

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, in collaboration with Emory University School of Medicine, offers a three-year fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology. This program is among the largest pediatric hematology/oncology training programs in the country and the premier program in the Southeast.

Program Details

• The program offers robust clinical training in pediatric oncology (leukemia/lymphoma, solid tumor, and neuro-oncology), hematology (general hematology, sickle cell disease, hemostasis/thrombosis, immunohematology), and bone marrow transplant.
• Second- and third-year fellows are offered a variety of opportunities in clinical, translational, and basic research.
• In addition to research opportunities within the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, fellows may collaborate with faculty at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Laney Graduate School, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory National Primate Research Center, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Fellows interested in clinical research have the opportunity to earn a Master of Clinical Research (MSCR).

Fellowship Program Leaders

• Katie Sutton, MD, Director
• Dan Wechsler, MD, PhD, Co-Director
• Megan Brown, MD, Associate Director
• Gary Woods, MD, Associate Director
• Gary Lindsay, Program Coordinator

Fellowship Testimonials

• "I chose Emory because of the balance between the hematology and oncology training. Most programs tend to place focus on one or the other, but Emory trains world-class hematologists AND oncologists. Our unique position in the region means we see a tremendous breadth of pathology, and our research infrastructure fosters early academic success." - Will Mitchell, MD MS (Class of 2025)
• "I chose Emory because of its dedication to support diverse career paths that fellows pursue. The program has clear track records of advocating various trajectories of the fellows, including but not limited to bench research, clinical trials, bioinformatics, and survivorship. In addition, its clinical abundance in both hematology and oncology build a solid foundation for the growth of fellows. The program leadership listens with open ears and follows up diligently. They are always willing to make good changes, resulting in key changes in the program structure such as night calls." - Sukjoo Cho, MD, Class of 2026

T32 Hematology Training Program

The T32 Hematology Training Program addresses the crucial need for programs to train physician scientists and clinical investigators in pediatric nonmalignant hematology. Research in hematology—particularly in pediatrics—has elucidated many of the genetic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms underlying disease processes, as well as fundamental cellular functions such as cell differentiation and gene regulation.

Program Details

• Embedded in the largest clinical pediatric hematology program in the country, the T32 training program provides huge patient volumes for clinical and translational research within Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
• The T32 Hematology Training Program will offer rigorous training in basic and translational research to postdoctoral MD, MD/PhD, and PhD fellows under the mentorship of 28 faculty mentors supported by more than $25 million in extramural funding (more than $17 million from federal sources).
• Integrated into the highly successful Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant Fellowship Program, the T32 Hematology Training Program will admit two trainees for two years of support, training five to seven MD fellows and three to five PhD postdoctoral fellows over five years.

T32 Program Leaders

• Shannon Meeks, MD, Program Director
• Executive committee:
  • Shannon Meeks, MD, Program Director
  • Clinton Joiner, MD, PhD, Associate Director
  • Pete Lollar, MD, Associate Director
  • Douglas Graham, MD, PhD
  • Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD
  • Kathryn Sutton, MD
  • Dan Wechsler, MD, PhD
  • Ricardo Forts
• Research mentors:
  • David Archer, PhD
  • Edward Botchwey, PhD
  • Kevin Bunting, PhD
  • Chris Doering, PhD
  • Mandy Ford, PhD
  • Douglas Graham, MD, PhD
  • Clinton Joiner, MD, PhD
  • Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD
  • Pete Lollar, MD
  • Shannon Meeks, MD
  • Manu Platt, PhD
  • C.K. Qu, MD, PhD
  • John Roback, MD, PhD
  • Krishnendu Roy, PhD
  • Trent Spencer, PhD
  • Jonathan Stiles, PhD
  • Edmund Waller, MD, PhD
• Clinical co-mentors:
  • Carlton Dampier, MD
  • Beatrice Gee, MD
  • Edwin Horwitz, MD, PhD
  • Christine Kempton, MD, MSCR
  • Claudia Morris, MD
  • Robert Sidonio, MD, MSCR
  • Daniel Wechsler, MD, PhD

Combined Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship and PhD Program

In conjunction with the Emory University Laney Graduate School, the program offers a unique pathway for pediatric hematology/oncology fellows with exceptional research interest to pursue a PhD during the research portion of their fellowship. Opportunities for pursuing doctorate-level research exist within the Cancer Biology Program of the Laney Graduate School, the Rollins School of Public Health, or the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology.

Program Leader

• Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD, Combined PhD Program Leader

Additional Fellowship Programs

The program also offers:

• Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) and Cell Therapy Fellowship Program
• Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program
• Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Fellowship Program
• Combined Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship and PhD track

These programs are designed to train academically oriented hematologists and oncologists who will be involved in a lifetime of excellence in pediatric patient care, teaching, and research.