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John Ligon, MD, Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Gainesville, FL, Shands at The University of Florida Cancer Hospital

JohnLigonMD

Pediatric Hematology & Oncology • Gainesville, FL

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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Summary

  • 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.

Education & Training

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

Certifications & Licensure

  • FL State Medical License
    FL State Medical License 2021 - 2026
  • MD State Medical License
    MD State Medical License 2016 - 2022
  • TX State Medical License
    TX State Medical License 2020 - 2022
  • American Board of Pediatrics Pediatrics
  • American Board of Pediatrics Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • 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
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

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

Press Mentions

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

Grant Support

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

Committees

  • 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

Research History

  • 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

Professional Memberships

Hospital Affiliations

Dr. John Ligon, Dr. John Ligon, MD, Dr. J Ligon