Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation Fellowship
UT MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital's Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Fellowship Program offers specialized training for physicians interested in offering this treatment option to pediatric, teen and young adult patients. This intensive one-year clinical fellowship is designed to prepare physicians for academic medicine careers. The Texas Medical Board certified the program in 2020. We accept one clinical fellow each year.
Fellows will develop the clinical skills and understanding necessary to become outstanding providers of care for patients with diseases requiring high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy. Fellows should additionally develop research skills that will allow them to perform independently in an academic, clinical or laboratory setting.
Core rotations for trainees will include inpatient and outpatient patient care, apheresis unit, core stem cell and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Laboratory, radiation oncology and immunotherapy. Supervising stem cell transplantation specialists within the division will work with trainees as they learn to provide care.
A Letter from our Program Director
I am pleased to welcome you on behalf of the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Fellowship Program at UT MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital. As Program Director, it is my privilege to introduce you to our one-year clinical fellowship, certified by the Texas Medical Board in 2020. This program is designed to prepare physicians for careers in academic medicine, specializing in the treatment of pediatric, teen and young adult patients requiring high-dose chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Our fellowship emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, offering hands-on experience with a diverse patient population under the guidance of world-renowned experts. Each year, we select one clinical fellow who will gain comprehensive training in both patient care and research, developing the skills necessary to excel in clinical, academic and laboratory settings.
In addition to clinical training, our program supports fellows in pursuing cutting-edge research projects. With access to state-of-the-art facilities and expert mentorship, fellows are encouraged to engage in meaningful research that contributes to advancements in pediatric stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.
At UT MD Anderson, we are committed to fostering both professional and personal growth. Our fellowship program offers a collaborative environment and unparalleled resources, ensuring that our fellows are well-prepared to become leaders in the field.
Thank you for considering our fellowship program. We look forward to welcoming you and supporting your journey in this transformative field.
Meet Our Current Fellow
Maria Teresa Peralta Espejo, M.D.
Medical School: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru
Pediatrics Residency: University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT
Fellowship: Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Hempstead, New York
Alumni
2025-2026
Olayinka Okeleji, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
2024-2025
Andrés Wilson Samaniego Vásconez, M.D.
Faculty, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders Phoenix Children’s Hospital and joint appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Child Health at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic AZ
2020-2021
Dristhi Ragoonanan, M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Roseman University of Health Sciences, Henderson, Nevada
Specialist, Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, Las Veagas, Nevada
Demetrios Petropoulos, M.D.
Professor
Program Director
Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program
Email: dpetro@mdanderson.org
Irtiza Sheikh, D.O.
Associate Professor
Associate Program Director
Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program
Email: isheikh1@mdanderson.org
Giesel Arnold, M.B.A.
Program Manager
Email: gmarnold@mdanderson.org
Phone: 713-563-0183
MD Anderson Cancer Center is committed to encouraging good health and staying true to our mission to end cancer. If you are applying for a GME fellowship or residency program starting on or after July 1, 2016, please be advised that MD Anderson will have instituted a tobacco-free hiring process as part of its efforts to achieve these goals. If you are offered an appointment, you will be subject to a Pre-Employment Drug Screen for tobacco compounds in compliance with applicable state laws. If you do not pass the urine drug screening which includes testing for tobacco compounds, you CANNOT be appointed at MD Anderson. Should you fail to meet this contingency, MD Anderson will withdraw your offer of appointment for the academic year. You may reapply for the following academic year, but there are no guarantees that you will be offered a position as many of our programs are already filled for several years out.
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