Pediatric hematology-oncology and stem cell transplantation

Medical Advisory Board Coordinator

Born August 3, 1958

Education

Medical Doctor Degree: University of Florence, Italy , 1983 (110/110 cum laude).

Pediatric Residency: Long Island College Hospital , Brooklyn NY, 1986-89.

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - New York Hospital, New York NY , Cornell University Medical School combined program, 1989-92.

International Memberships

International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP)

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

American Society of Hematology (ASH)

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Relevant work experience

1990-1992 As Pediatric Fellow in the laboratory of Developmental Hematology directed by Malcolm A. S. Moore Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY, studied the effect of different hematopoietic growth factors on congenital cytopenias acquiring experience with in-vitro hematopoiesis analysis. As Pediatric Fellow in collaboration with Jonathan Finlay MD, Vice Director Department of Pediatrics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, studied the effects of prior chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy on hematopoietic recovery after autologous transplantation for high-risk brain tumors. In collaboration with Norma Wollner MD, Director Outpatient Service, Department of Pediatrics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer, performed a retrospective analysis of the largest available series of low-grade fibrosarcomas in the pediatric age group, this research work is currently cited by the National Cancer Institute information website (www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/child-soft-tissue-sarcoma/HealthProfessional/page5).

1992-1993 As Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Attending at the Catholic University Medical Center (Policlinico Gemelli) in Rome, managed pediatric patients in a 18-bed hematology-oncology unit, initiated and was responsible for the stem cell transplantation program.

1994-2005. As Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Attending at the Children's Hospital of Florence (Ospedale Meyer), managed pediatric patients in a 20-bed hematology-oncology unit with 2 sterile rooms, developed and was responsible for the stem cell transplantation program. Since April 1996, almost 200 stem cell transplantation were performed in pediatric patients with high-risk malignancies and hematological diseases. Allogeneic transplant activity was primarily focused on T-cell depleted partially matched family donor transplantation. Gave a critical contribution to the design and development of the GMP-grade cell-processing facility at the Children's Hospital of Florence.

During 2004-2005 collaborated with the Mediterranean Institute of Hematology directed by professor Guido Lucarelli, and was responsible for the management of children with thalassemia major coming from different developing areas (Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, Kroatia, etc...) to undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation from either matched or mismatched family donors.

January-September 2006. Director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Transplantation at Ospedale Silvestrini, Perugia, Italy. This is a 12 bed unit that acts as the referal center for the Region of Umbria.

October 2006-July 2007. Has taken a sabbatical period to concentrate on the development of the medical center of the Italian Dynamo Camp for children with onco-hematological conditions and other svere diseases as well as on support projects for professionals caring for children with leukemia and cancer in developing countries.

August 2007-present. Works as attending physician at the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Service of the Children's Hospital of Florence (Ospedale Meyer).

Research Grants and Awards

1995 Principal investigator of a three-year "Seed Grant" by the Italian Cancer Research Association on a project entitled "Tumor cell and stem cell mobilization analysis during subsequent induction chemotherapy cycles in high-risk pediatric solid tumors". Total funds: 90,000 Euros.

1997 Principal investigator of a four-year research project by the Italian Neuroblastoma Research Association on minimal residual disease analysis of neuroblastoma. During this time he run the reference laboratory in Italy for minimal disease evaluation in neuroblastoma. Total funds: 80,000 Euros.

2001 Principal investigator of a four-year research support by the Tommasino Bacciotti Foundation on the use of stem cell transplantation for the cure of high-risk brain tumors and other pediatric malignancies. Total funds: 200,000 Euros.

2002 Coordinator of the Marrow Disease Evaluation Subcommittee of the Neuroblastoma Group of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).

2006 Medical Coordinator, Hole in the Wall Camp in Italy (Dynamo camp).

2007 Founder and Advisory Board Coordinator of the Cure2Children Foundation

Publications

Sodani P, Isgrò A, Gaziev J, Polchi P, Paciaroni K, Marziali M, Simone MD, Roveda A, Montuoro A, Alfieri C, De Angelis G, Gallucci C, Erer B, Isacchi G, Zinno F, Adorno G, Lanti A, Faulkner L, Testi M, Andreani M, and Lucarelli G: Purified T-depleted, CD34+ peripheral blood and bone marrow cell transplantation from haploidentical mother to child with thalassemia. Blood 115 (6):1296-1302, 2010 (Impact Factor: 10.120).

Corrias MV, Parodi S, Haupt R, Lacitignola L, Negri F, Sementa AR, Dau D, Scuderi F, Carlini B, Bianchi M, Casale F, Faulkner L, Garaventa A. Detection of GD2 positive cells in bone marrow samples and survival of patients with localized neuroblastoma. Br J Cancer. 98 (2): 263-269, 2008. (Impact factor: 4.115)

Iannalfi A, Bambi F, Tintori V, Lacitignola L, Bernini G, Mariani MP, Sanvito MC, Pagliai F, Brandigi F, Muscarella E, Tapinassi F, and Faulkner L. Peripheral blood progenitor uncontrolled-rate freezing: a single pediatric center experience. Transfusion. 47 (12):2202-2206, 2007. (Impact factor: 3.160)

Corrias MV, Faulkner LB, Pistorio A, Rosanda C, Callea F, Piccolo MS, Scaruffi P, Marchi C, Lacitignola L, Occhino M, Gambini C, Tonini GP, Haupt R, De Bernardi B, Pistoia V, and Garaventa A. Detection of neuroblastoma cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood by different techniques: accuracy and relationship with clinical features of patients. Clin.Cancer Res. 10 (23):7978-7985, 2004. (Impact factor: 5,715)

Bambi F, Fontanazza S, Messeri A, Lippi A, Tucci F, Tamburini A, Tintori V, Casini T, Lacitignola L, Tondo A, Veltroni M, BerniniG , and Faulkner LB. Use of percutaneous radial artery catheter for peripheral blood progenitor cell collection in pediatric patients. Transfusion 43 (2):254-258, 2003. (Impact factor: 3.160)

Jayne D, Passweg J, Marmont A, Farge d, Khao X, Arnold R, Hiepe F, Lisukov I, Musso M, Ou-Yang J, Marsh J, Wulffraat N, Besalduch J, Bingham SJ, Emery P, Brune M, Fassas A, Faulkner L, Ferster A, Fiehn C, Fouillard l, Geromin A, Greinix H, Rabusin M, Saccardi R, Scheneider P, Zintl F, Gratwohl A, and Tyndall A. Autologous stem cell transplantation for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Lupus 13 (3):168-176, 2003. (Impact factor: 2.400)

Pagani A, Macri L, Faulkner LB, Tintori V, Paoli A, Garaventa A, and bussolanti G. Detection procedures for neuroblastoma cells metastatic to blood and bone marrow: blinded comparison of chromogranin A heminested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to tyrosine hydroxylase nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and to anti-GD2 immunocytology. Diagn.Mol.Pathol. 11 (2):98-106, 2002. (Impact factor: 2.104)

Sardi I, Tintori V, Marchi C, Veltroni M, Lippi A, Tucci F, Tamburini A, Bernini G, and Faulkner L. Molecular profiling of high-risk neuroblastoma by cDNA array. Int.J Mol.Med 9 (5):541-545, 2002. (Impact factor: 2.090)

Faulkner LB, Garaventa A, Paoli A, Tintori V, Tamburini A, Lacitignola L, Veltroni M, Lo Piccolo MS, Viscardi E, Milanaccio C, Tondo A, Spinelli S, Bernini G, and De Bernardi B. In vivo cytoreduction studies and cell-sorting enhanced tumor cell detection in high-risk neuroblastoma patients: implications for leukapheresis strategies.J Clin Oncol 18(22):3829-3836, 2000. (Impact factor: 11.810)

Pession A, Rondelli R, Paolucci P, Pastore G, Dini G, Bonetti F, Madon E, Mandelli F, Zanesco L, Uderzo C, Prete A, Rabusin M, Ugazio A, Di Bartolomeo P, Favre C, Faulkner L, Poggi V, Luksch R, Donfrancesco A, Argiolu F, La Nasa G, Amici A, and Locatelli F. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in childhood: report from the bone marrow transplantation group of the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP).Haematologica 85(6):638-646, 2000. (Impact factor: 4.575)

van den Oudenrijn S, Bruin M, Folman CC, Peters M, Faulkner LB, de Haas M, and von dem Borne AE. Mutations in the thrombopoietin receptor, Mpl, in children with congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia. Br J Hematol 110(2):441-448, 2000. (Impact factor: 3.267)

Bambi F, Faulkner LB, Azzari C, Gelli AMG, Tamburini A, Tintori V, Lippi AA, Tucci F, Bernini G, Genovese F. Pediatric peripheral blood progenitor collection: Haemonetics MCS 3p vs COBE Spectra vs Fresenius AS 104. Transfusion 1998;38:70-74. (Impact factor: 4.575)

Faulkner LB, Tucci F, Tamburini A, Tintori V, Lippi A, Bambi F, Malentacca F, Azzari C, Gelli AMG, Genovese F, Bernini G. G-CSF serum pharmacokinetics during peripheral blood progenitor cell mobilization: neutrophil count-adjusted dosage might potentially improve mobilization and be more cost-effective. Bone Marrow Transplant 1998;21:1091-1095. (Impact Factor: 2.643)

Faulkner LB, Tintori V, Tamburini A, Paoli A, Garaventa A, Viscardi E, Tucci F, Lippi A, De Bernardi B, Bernini G. High-sensitivity immunocytological analysis of concomitant blood and marrow tumor cell distribution in neuroblastoma. J Hematother 1998;7:361-366. (Impact Factor: 2.537)

Faulkner LB, Tamburini A, Tintori V, Paoli A, Tondo A, Bernini G, Medicina D, Brisigotti M, Corrias MV, Scaruffi P, Rosanda C, Lo Piccolo MS, Viscardi E, Milanaccio C, Garaventa A, De Bernardi B. Detection of minimal residual disease in bone marrow and peripheral blood in neuroblastoma. Prognostic and therapeutic implications. Med Surg Ped 1998;20:175-178.

Faulkner LB, Lindsley KL, Kher U, Heller G, Black P, Finlay JL. High-dose chemotherapy with autologous marrow rescue for malignant brain tumors: analysis of the impact of prior chemotherapy and cranio-spinal radiation on hematopoietic recovery. Bone Marrow Transplant 1996;17:389-394. (Impact Factor: 2.643)

Faulkner LB, Hajdu SI, Kher U, La Quaglia M, Exelby PR, Heller G, Wollner N. Pediatric desmoid tumor: retrospective analysis of 63 cases. J Clin Oncol 1995;13:2813-2818. (Impact Factor: 11.810)

Pini G, Faulkner LB. Cerebellar involvement in hypomelanosis of Ito. Neuropediatrics 1995;26:208-210. (Impact Factor: 1.377)

Faulkner LB, Finlay JL. Towards a better definition of risk-group-tailored treatment in medulloblastoma. A review of seven reports on data obtained in the computerized tomographic imaging era. Crit Rev Neurosurg 1994;4:13-23.

Gillio AP, Faulkner LB, Alter BP, Reilly L, Klafter R, Heller G, Young D, Lipton JM, Moore MAS, O'Reilly RJ. Succesful treatment of Diamond-Blackfan anemia with interleukin 3. Stem Cells 1993;11 (suppl 2):123-130. (Impact Factor: 5.802)

Gillio AP, Faulkner LB, Alter BP, Reilly L, Klafter R, Heller G, Young DC, Lipton JM, Moore MAS, O'Reilly RJ. Treatment of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia with recombinant human interleukin-3. Blood 1993;82:744-751. (Impact Factor: 10.120)

Lasorella A, Riccardi R, Valente A, Di Rocco C, Tornesello A, Faulkner L, Colosimo C, Ausili Cefaro G, Mastrangelo R. Treatment of medulloblastome/PNET in children: an in vivo sensitivity test with high-dose carboplatin. Acta Medica Romana 1992;30:369-371.

Presti S, Faulkner LB, Borkowsky W, Danilowicz D. Pericardial effusion leading to cardiac tamponade in an infant with HIV infection. Treatment with pericardiocentesis and steroids. Int Pediatr 1991;6:295-298.

Pubblications as part of the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation Group (EBMT)

Gratwohl A, Baldomero H, Demirer T, Rosti G, Dini G, Ladenstein R, Urbano-Ispizua A. Hematopoetic stem cell transplantation for solid tumors in Europe. Ann.Oncol. 2004;15:653-660. (Impact factor: 4.319)

Gratwohl A. Overview of transplant activity in Europe. Hematol. J. 2004;5 Suppl 3:S29-33.:S29-S33.

Gratwohl A, Baldomero H, Passweg J, Frassoni F, Niederwieser D, Schmitz N, Urbano-Ispizua A. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies in Europe. Leukemia 2003;17:941-959. (Impact factor: 6.612)

Gratwohl A, Baldomero H, Horisberger B, Schmid C, Passweg J, Urbano-Ispizua A. Current trends in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Europe. Blood 2002;100:2374-2386. (Impact factor: 10.131)

Gratwohl A, Baldomero H, Schwendener A, Gratwohl M, Urbano-Ispizua A, and Frauendorfer K. Hematopoietic stem cell transplants for chronic myeloid leukemia in Europe--impact of cost considerations. Leukemia. 21 (3):383-386, 2007. (Impact factor: 6.612)

Gratwohl A, Baldomero H, Frauendorfer K, Urbano-Ispizua A, and Niederwieser D. Results of the EBMT activity survey 2005 on haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: focus on increasing use of unrelated donors. Bone Marrow Transplant. 39 (2):71-87, 2007. (Impact Factor: 2.643)

Abstracts 2006-2009

Faulkner LB, Khalid S, Yaqub N, Zafar T, Rashid K, Iqbal Y, Ansari S and Shamsi T: Establishing myeloablative chemotherapy protocols in low-resource countries: the Pakistan experience of the Cure2Children Foundation. Oral presentation (O103) at the 3rd quadriennal meeting of the World Federation of Neuro-Oncology, Yokohama, Japan 2009.

Erer B, Sodani P, Isgrò A, Gaziev J, Polchi P, Roveda A, Pagliai F, Andreani M, Faulkner L, Tintori V, Adorno G, Lanti A, and Lucarelli G. Purified T-depleted peripheral blood and bone marrow CD34 transplantation from haploidentical mother to child with thalassemia. 11th Congress of the European Hematology Association, Amsterdam , 1017. 2006.

Sodani P, Faulkner L, Gaziev J, Polchi P, Roveda A, Spitaleri L, Montuoro A, Lucarelli G, Erer B, and Isgrò A Purified T depieted peripherai blood and bone marrow CD34 transplantation from haploidentical mother to child with thalassaemia. 32nd Meeting of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation 37, suppl.1, S20, n.O162. 2006.

Sodani P, Polchi P, Gaziev J, Erer B, Isgrò A, Faulkner L, and Lucarelli G. Stem cell transplantation in thalassemia: advances and future directions. 10th International Conference on Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathies, 32. 2006.

Erer B, Sodani P, Isgrò A, Gaziev J, Polchi P, Roveda A, Spitaleri L, Pagliai F, Paciaroni K, Andreani M, Testi E, Faulkner L, Lacitignola L, Tintori V, Adorno G, Lanti A, Del Proposto G, Isacchi G, Zinno F, and Lucarelli G. Purified T-depleted peripheral blood and bone marrow CD34 transplantation from haploidentical mother to child with thalassemia. European Haematology Association Annual Meeting, 2006.

Personal statement

After being in pediatric hematology-oncology and transplantation for almost 20 years, I decided to take a sabbatical year starting October 2006. My objective is to concentrate on a highly motivating and fulfilling project, i.e. collaborating with professionals and institutions in developing countries committed to the cure of children with cancer and severe hematological diseases.

As most of my professional life has focused on development of pediatric stem cell transplant programs, this is the field I would be most interested to pursue.

In collaboration with Professor Guido Lucarelli, I was responsible for the management of children with thalassemia major coming from different developing areas (Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, Croatia, etc...) to undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation from either matched or mismatched family donors. As a result of this experience, I realized how important is to ensure that children with severe diseases are cared for in their home countries. Children transplanted abroad eventually have to go back and relay on their own health care systems for follow up care, not considering the financial and personal burden on their families.

Another very important experience was my interaction with the Hematology-Oncology Department of the Beijing Children's Hospital, possibly the largest pediatric leukemia and cancer center in the world in terms of patient load. These visits gave me the opportunity to realize the enormous potential that global cooperation has for the cure of children with severe and complex disorders.