Sally Arai

Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

Bio

Dr. Arai has formal training in clinical research with a Masters in Epidemiology from Stanford University. She has a clinical practice seeing all diseases in hematopoietic cell transplantation, with a clinical research focus on the prevention and treatment of post-transplant complications.

Clinical Focus

Cancer > Blood and Marrow Transplant
Cancer > Hematology
Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Hematology

Academic Appointments

Professor - University Medical Line, Medicine - Blood & Marrow Transplantation
Member, Stanford Cancer Institute

Honors & Awards

A phase I/II study of post-transplant autologous CIK cells for high-risk hematologic malignancies, Cancer Treatment Research Foundation (2005-2009)
K23-Reduce GVHD and Relapse using Ex-Vivo Expanded Allogeneic Cell Therapy, NIH (2003-2008)

Professional Education

Medical Education: Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine (1991) NH
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Hematology (2019)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Hospital (1999) MD
Residency: Strong Memorial Hospital (1995) NY
Fellowship: Mount Sinai Medical Center (1998) NY
Internship: Strong Memorial Hospital (1993) NY
MS, Stanford University, Epidemiology (2006)
MD, Dartmouth Medical School

Contact

Academic sarai1@stanford.edu

Clinical (Primary)

This is the primary clinic for this clinical provider. For additional clinical locations and information, please visit the link(s) listed below in the 'Additional Clinical Info' section.

Blood and Marrow Transplant Program 300 Pasteur Dr Rm H0101 MC 5623 Stanford CA 94305 Tel: (650) 723-0822 Fax: (650) 725-8950

Additional Clinical Info

Stanford Health Care

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Research interest in utilizing post-transplant adoptive cellular immunotherapy to reduce GVHD and relapse in patients with high risk hematologic malignancies.

Clinical Trials

Allogeneic Transplantation Using Total Lymphoid Irradiation (TLI) and Anti-Thymocyte Globulin (ATG) for Older Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Not Recruiting
More
To measure how frequently and to what degree a complication of transplant cell acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) occurs.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Physician Referrals, 650-723-0822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
View full details
Transplantation for Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Not Recruiting
More
To evaluate the role of high dose therapy and autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact BMT Referrals, 6507230822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
View full details
TLI & ATG for Non-Myeloablative Allogeneic Transplantation for MDS and MPD Not Recruiting
More
To evaluate the feasibility and safety of TLI/ATG conditioning for allogeneic HCT for elderly patients with advanced stage MDS and MPD.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Physician Referrals, 650-723-0822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
View full details
CD8+ Memory T-Cells as Consolidative Therapy After Donor Non-myeloablative Hematopoietic Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Leukemia or Lymphoma Not Recruiting
More
This phase 2 trial studies how well cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8)+ memory T-cells work as a consolidative therapy following a donor non-myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplant in treating patients with leukemia or lymphoma. Giving total lymphoid irradiation and anti-thymocyte globulin before a donor hematopoietic cell transplant helps stop the growth of cells in the bone marrow, including normal blood-forming cells (stem cells) and cancer cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells (called graft-versus-host disease). Giving cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil after the transplant may stop this from happening. Once the donated stem cells begin working, the patient's immune system may see the remaining cancer cells as not belonging in the patient's body and destroy them. Giving an infusion of the donor's white blood cells, such as CD8+ memory T-cells, may boost this effect and may be an effective treatment to kill any cancer cells that may be left in the body (consolidative therapy).

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Leah Galvez, 650-725-7951.
Lead Sponsor
Stanford Investigators
View full details
Chronic GVHD Response Measures Validation Not Recruiting
More
The purpose of this study is to develop and validate endpoint measures that can accurately determine whether patients are responding to treatment for chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD). Hopefully, this will also lead to being better able to predict which patients will respond to what therapies.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Physician Referrals, 650-723-0822.
Lead Sponsor
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
A Phase 2 Trial of Rituximab and Corticosteroid Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease Not Recruiting
More
The addition of rituximab to prednisone for the initial treatment of chronic GVHD will increase the overall response rate, enable a more rapid and effective steroid taper.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact BMT Referrals, 6507230822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
High-Dose Sequential Therapy and Single Autologous Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma Not Recruiting
More
This study uses a sequence of high-dose chemotherapy drugs and a stem cell transplant to treat multiple myeloma. The study is being performed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of treatment. Specifically, the study is designed to reduce the risk of interstitial pneumonitis.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact BMT Referrals, 6507230822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
Post-transplant Autologous Cytokine-induced Killer (CIK) Cells for Treatment of High Risk Hematologic Malignancies Not Recruiting
More
The purpose of the study is to conduct a phase I study of adoptive immunotherapy with autologous, ex-vivo expanded cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells to reduce the relapse rate in autologous stem cell transplant patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Sherry Moore, 6507257951.
Lead Sponsor
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
Bone Marrow Grafting for Leukemia and Lymphoma Not Recruiting
More
The purpose of this study is to obtain tissue samples for ongoing studies regarding transplant outcomes and complications.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Physician Referrals, 650-723-0822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
View full details
Study of the Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in Subjects With Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease Not Recruiting
More
The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and clinical efficacy of ibrutinib in subjects with steroid dependent or refractory Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Janet McDowell, 650-725-1647.
Lead Sponsor
Stanford Investigators
View full details
High Dose Sequential Therapy and Autologous Stem Cell Rescue for Multiple Myeloma Not Recruiting
More
To assess the role of autologous hematopoietic cell rescue in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact BMT Referrals, 6507230822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
Autologous Stem Cell Rescue for Primary Amyloidosis Not Recruiting
More
To evaluate the role of high dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant for amyloidosis.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact BMT Referrals, 6507230822.

Lead Sponsor
- Stanford University
Stanford Investigators
- Sally Arai
View full details
Donor Regulatory T Cells in Treating Patients With Visceral Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease After Stem Cell Transplant Not Recruiting
More
This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of donor regulatory T cells in treating patients with graft-versus-host disease affecting the liver or gastrointestinal organs (visceral) within 100 days (acute) after undergoing a stem cell transplant. Graft-versus-host disease occurs when donor immune cells infused in a stem cell transplant attack the gut, skin, liver, or other organ systems of the patient. Regulatory T cells are a type of immune cell that may be able to reduce the attack of the donor's immune cells on the patient's normal cells and help treat graft-vs-host disease.

Stanford is currently not accepting patients for this trial. For more information, please contact Joanne Otani, 650-721-2372.
Lead Sponsor
Stanford Investigators
View full details

2025-26 Courses

Independent Studies
- Directed Reading in Medicine
  MED 299 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)
- Early Clinical Experience in Medicine
  MED 280 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)
- Graduate Research
  MED 399 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)
- Medical Scholars Research
  MED 370 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)
- Undergraduate Research
  MED 199 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)

Graduate and Fellowship Programs

Medicine (Masters Program)

All Publications

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Sally Arai

Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

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2025-26 Courses

Graduate and Fellowship Programs

Sally Arai

Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

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Stanford Investigators

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Ranjana Advani

Saul A. Rosenberg, MD, Professor of Lymphoma

Rajni Agarwal

Professor of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation)

Michael Amylon

Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology) at the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Emeritus

Alice Bertaina MD, PhD

Lorry I. Lokey Professor

Saurabh Dahiya, MD, FACP

Associate Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

Hany Elmariah

Associate Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

Bita Fakhri, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology)

Marcelo Fernandez Vina

Professor of Pathology

Matthew Frank

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

Richard Hoppe

Henry S. Kaplan-Harry Lebeson Professor of Cancer Biology, Emeritus

Vanna Nga Hovanky

Cancer Clinical Research Project Manager - Data Quality, Cancer Clinical Trials Office - BMT

Neeraja Kambham

Professor of Pathology