• Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Dr. Damon studies new treatments for acute myeloid and acute lymphoblastic leukemias. Damon studies new treatments for acute myeloid and acute lymphoblastic leukemias. In 1995, he was an early investigator of rituximab, the first monoclonal antibody approved to treat human cancer, specifically lymphoma. (Monoclonal antibodies are cancer-fighting molecules produced in the lab and then infused to work with the patient's immune system against cancer.) In 1998, Damon developed a high-dose regimen for mantle cell lymphoma involving autologous stem cell transplants – which use the patient's own stem cells. When studying cytarabine, an important leukemia drug, he discovered the risk factors for an uncommon toxic effect it can have on the brain and then developed a method for modifying the dose that reduces this side effect significantly.