History of the Division of Hematology
In the Beginning
The modern Division of Hematology was established in July 1959, when Stanford University moved from San Francisco to its Palo Alto campus. The founding team included Bill Creger, who provided strong clinical leadership; Stan Schrier, who joined that same month; and two pioneering PhD scientists whose discoveries helped shape modern hematology.
Judy Pool advanced the understanding and treatment of hemophilia. She developed the first quantitative test to measure defective clotting factors and demonstrated that deficiency levels correlated with bleeding severity. Her landmark discovery of the cryoprecipitate treatment enabled targeted, effective therapy—transforming care for patients with hemophilia.
Rose Payne investigated febrile transfusion reactions and identified antibodies to donor white blood cells as the cause. Working with Walter Bodmer in Genetics, she revealed that these antibodies defined the HLA system, laying the foundation for the field of transplantation immunology.
Growth and Innovation
The division expanded rapidly through the 1960s and 1970s. Saul Rosenberg joined and later founded the Division of Medical Oncology. Under Dr. Stanley Schrier’s leadership, starting in 1968, programs in hemostasis, thrombosis, and variant anemias flourished, along with a new specialized hematology laboratory.
Dr. Peter Greenberg brought innovative research in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, while Lee Levitt advanced understanding of immune control in blood formation and later led Hematology/Oncology at Valley Medical Center.
In the following decades, Dr. Lawrence Leung strengthened programs in hemostasis and clinical education, becoming Division Chief in 1995. Dr. Linda Boxer, who joined in 1990 and became Chief in 2004, expanded the division’s focus in molecular biology and hematologic malignancies, guiding a period of major scientific growth.
A New Era
From 2017 to 2022, Dr. Ravi Majeti led a period of significant expansion in both classical and malignant hematology. The division recruited new faculty, launched innovative laboratory and clinical research programs, and achieved major discoveries—from microbiome studies in blood cancers to insights into pre-leukemic stem cells and RNA biology.
Clinically, the division developed a robust acute myeloid leukemia trials program and expanded studies in myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the opening of the new Stanford Hospital, the division continued to deliver exceptional patient care while adapting to meet the needs of a growing population.