Ronald Levy, MD

Clinical Focus

• Cancer > Lymphoma
• Lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Medical Oncology
• Burkitt's Lymphoma

Honors and Awards

• King Faisal International Prize, King Faisal Foundation (2009)
• Member, National Academy of Sciences (2008)
• Member, Institute of Medicine (2007)
• Damashek Prize, American Society of Hematology (2004)
• Jeffrey A. Gottlieb Memorial Award, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (2003)

Professional Education

• Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital/Joslin Diabetes Center, MA (1970)
• Internship: Massachusetts General Hospital/Joslin Diabetes Center, MA (1969)
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine (1973)
• Fellowship: SUMC - Graduate Medical Education, CA (1973)
• Medical Education: Stanford University School of Medicine, CA (1968)

Postdoctoral Advisees

Stacey Adam, Lauren Harshman, Roch Houot, Jerry Hsu, Eric Humke, Itai Kela, Atul Kumar, Mia Levy, Yulin Li, Neta Madar, June Helen Myklebust, Patrick Ng, Yael Sagi, Bindu Varghese

Web Site Links

• http://med.stanford.edu/labs/ronald_levy/

Research Interests

Our research concentrates on the study of malignant lymphoma and tumors of the immune system using the tools of immunology and molecular biology to develop a better understanding of the initiation and progression of the malignant process. Receptor molecules present on the surface of tumor cells transmit signals for regulation of cell growth. These receptors include the immunoglobulin molecule on B cell tumors and the T cell receptor on T cell tumors. Questions the lab is currently addressing include:
1. Can a clue to the pathogenesis of lymphoma be derived from a study of their antigen receptors?
2. Can new treatments for lymphoma be developed by targeting receptors with monoclonal antibodies?
3. Can vaccines be developed which can induce an immune response in the host against the receptors on their own tumor?

Publications

• LMO2 protein expression predicts survival in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy with and without rituximab. Natkunam Y, Farinha P, Hsi ED, Hans CP, Tibshirani R, Sehn LH, Connors JM, Gratzinger D, Rosado M, Zhao S, Pohlman B, Wongchaowart N, Bast M, Avigdor A, Schiby G, Nagler A, Byrne GE, Levy R, Gascoyne RD, Lossos IS "J Clin Oncol" 2008 ; 3 (26) : 447-54
• Expression of the human germinal center-associated lymphoma (HGAL) protein identifies a subset of classic Hodgkin lymphoma of germinal center derivation and improved survival. Natkunam Y, Hsi ED, Aoun P, Zhao S, Elson P, Pohlman B, Naushad H, Bast M, Levy R, Lossos IS "Blood" 2007 ; 1 (109) : 298-305
• ''Minor'' BCL2 breakpoints in follicular lymphoma: frequency and correlation with grade and disease presentation in 236 cases. Weinberg OK, Ai WZ, Mariappan MR, Shum C, Levy R, Arber DA "J Mol Diagn" 2007 ; 4 (9) : 530-7
• The oncoprotein LMO2 is expressed in normal germinal-center B cells and in human B-cell lymphomas. Natkunam Y, Zhao S, Mason DY, Chen J, Taidi B, Jones M, Hammer AS, Hamilton Dutoit S, Lossos IS, Levy R "Blood" 2007 ; 4 (109) : 1636-42
• Therapeutic vaccination against murine lymphoma by intratumoral injection of recombinant fowlpox virus encoding CD40 ligand. Liu A, Guardino A, Chinsangaram L, Goldstein MJ, Panicali D, Levy R "Cancer Res" 2007 ; 14 (67) : 7037-44