JohnLigonMD

Pediatric Hematologic Oncology, Pediatric Sarcoma Oncology, Pediatric Solid Tumor Oncology

Assistant Professor, University of Florida, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology

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Despite advances in immunotherapy for other types of cancer, this approach thus far has been ineffective for many pediatric cancers, especially solid tumors. My research focus lies in understanding the adoptive resistance mechanisms that enable tumor immune evasion in pediatric cancer, and rationally investigating how we can overcome these challenges with targeted immunotherapy. To equip myself to run meaningful translational studies, I have systematically pursued both laboratory and clinical research training which has positioned me to bring forth cutting-edge immune-based therapies from the bench to the clinic. Through the culmination of my laboratory-based training in tumor microenvironment, my experience in enrolling and treating patients on adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) trials, and designing an early phase ACT trial for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, I have steadily worked towards a career pathway as a translational investigator.

National Cancer InstituteFellowship, Senior Fellowship-Pediatric Immunotherapy, 2020 - 2021
Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineFellowship, Senior Fellowship-Pediatric Sarcoma, 2018 - 2020
Johns Hopkins UniversityFellowship, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 2016 - 2019
University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterResidency, Pediatrics, 2014 - 2017
Baylor College of MedicineClass of 2013

ASTCT Clinical Research Training Course Scholar Selection American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, 2021
First Place, Fellow Research Day, Clinical/Translational Research Category Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, 2020
First Place, Research Round up, fellow <2 years post-graduate research category NCI Pediatric Oncology Branch, 2019
Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award American Association for Cancer Research, 2019
Magna cum laude Trinity University, 2009
Phi Beta Kappa Trinity University, 2009
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow University of Texas Southwestern, 2007-2008
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PubMed

66 citations
CD19/22 CAR T cells in children and young adults with B-ALL: phase 1 results and development of a novel bicistronic CAR.
Haneen Shalabi, Haiying Qin, Angela Su, Bonnie Yates, Pamela L Wolters
Blood. 2022-08-04
31 citations
Immuno-transcriptomic profiling of extracranial pediatric solid malignancies.
Andrew S. Brohl, Sivasish Sindiri, Jun Wei, David Milewski, Hsien-Chao Chou
Cell Reports. 2021-11-23
46 citations
Pathways of immune exclusion in metastatic osteosarcoma are associated with inferior patient outcomes
John A. Ligon, Woonyoung Choi, Gady Cojocaru, Wei Fu, Emily Han-Chung Hsiue
Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer. 2021-05-01

Abstracts/Posters

Efficacy and Safety of CD19/CD22 CAR T-cells in Children and Young Adults with Relapsed/Refractory ALL
Shalabi H, Yates B, Shahani S, Ligon J, Qin H, Highfill SL, Panch S, Tran M, Stroncek DF, Little L, Foley T, Epstein M, Stetler-Stevenson M, Yuan C, Wang H, Fry TJ, Sh..., Children’s Cancer Foundation Annual Research Symposium, Presented virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic, 6/2/2021
Metastatic osteosarcoma utilizes multiple inhibitory checkpoint molecules and immunosuppressive myeloid cells to inhibit the cytotoxic effect of tumor-infiltrating lym...
John A. Ligon, MD, Teniola F. Oke, BS, Woonyoung Choi, PhD, Gady Cojocaru, PhD, Ludmila Danilova, PhD, Megan H. Fong, MHS, Adam Levin, MD, Daniel S. Rhee, MD, Carol D...., 6th Annual Immuno-oncology Young Investigators’ Forum (Oral/Podium presentation), Presented virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic, 8/14/2020
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment of metastatic osteosarcoma inhibits the cytotoxic effect of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
John A. Ligon, Teniola F. Oke, Woonyoung Choi, Megan H. Fong, Adam Levin, Daniel S. Rhee, Carol D. Morris, Nicholas Siegel, Emily H. C. Hsieu, Christian F. Meyer, Davi..., Childhood Cancer: Research Challenges and the Future of Therapy (Oral/podium presentation), San Antonio, TX, 3/5/2019

UF Pediatric Oncologist Awarded v Foundation Grant for Pediatric Osteosarcoma StudyAugust 10th, 2022

Laboratory Research Fellowship Training In Pediatric Oncology/HematologyNIH/NCI2017–2020

Member, Diversity Working Group, NCI Pediatric Oncology Branch 2020 - Present
Member, Education committee, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center 2018 - 2019
Fellow, Pediatric onco-fertility team, Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology 2017 - 2020
Member, Intern Retreat Planning Committee, University of Texas Southwestern Pediatrics residency 2014 - 2014

Clinical Fellow, NCI Pediatric Oncology BranchPIs: John Glod, MD, PhD and Nirali Shah, MD Immunotherapy for pediatric malignancies2020 - 2021
Clinical and research fellow, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pediatric OncologyPIs: Drew Pardoll, MD, PhD and Nicolas Llosa, MD Investigating the tumor microenvironment of osteosarcoma to design immune-based therapy2017 - 2020
Resident physician, University of Texas Southwestern, Departments of Pediatric Hematology and Orthopaedic SurgeryPIs: Lawson Copley, MD and Janna Journeycake, MD Deep venous thromboses in association with musculoskeletal infections2014 - 2017
Medical student, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Infectious DiseasePI: Sheldon Kaplan, MD Staphylococcus aureus infections in pediatric populations2012 - 2013
Undergraduate Medical Research Fellow, University of Texas Southwestern, Department of RheumatologyPI: Nancy Olsen, MD Differential expression of IFN-regulated genes in rheumatologic diseases2007 - 2008
Undergraduate student, Trinity University, Department of BiologyPI: Frank Healy, PhD Gamma-butyrolactone signaling in Streptomyces acidiscabies2006 - 2007
Student, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID)PI: Maj. Jeremy L. Goodin, PhD Yersinia pestis outer membrane proteins and immune response2004 - 2004