Javier Pinilla-Ibarz, MD, PhD

Our laboratory is interested in implementing new immunotherapeutic strategies in the field of malignant hematology. The major focus of the lab has been on developing immunotherapeutic approaches for acute and chronic leukemias as well as MDS.Basic research ongoing projects include: 1) epigenetic modulation to increase the immunogenicity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 2) serological identification of cancer testis antigen in hematological malignancies. 3) Effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on the immune system of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 4) Mechanisms of immune resistance mediated by stroma interactions in CML. 5) NOG humanized mice models to study the immune system and therapeutics of hematological malignant disorders.Clinical translational ongoing and future projects includes: 1) A WT1 peptide vaccine study in patients with MDS and AML after remission. 2) A combination of a bystander vaccine (K562/GM/CD40L) in combination with lenalidomide for patients with high risk MDS as well for CLL and CML.

• Mishra A, Corrales-Yepez M, Ali NA, Kharfan-Dabaja M, Padron E, Zhang L, Epling-Burnette PK, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Lancet JE, List AF, Komrokji RS. Validation of the revised international prognostic scoring system in treated patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Am J Hematol. 2013 Apr. Pubmedid: 23605934.
• Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Anasetti C, Fernandez HF, Perkins J, Ochoa-Bayona JL, Pidala J, Perez LE, Ayala E, Field T, Alsina M, Nishihori T, Locke F, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Tomblyn M. Phase II study of CD4+guided pentostatin lymphodepletion and pharmacokinetically-targeted busulfan as conditioning for hematopoietic cell allografting. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2013 Apr. Pubmedid: 23632090.
• Phillips KM, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Sotomayor E, Lee MR, Jim HS, Small BJ, Sokol L, Lancet J, Tinsley S, Sweet K, Komrokji R, Jacobsen PB. Quality of life outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a controlled comparison. Support Care Cancer. 2013 Apr;21(4):1097-1103. Pubmedid: 23179489.
• Brayer JB, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Developing strategies in the immunotherapy of leukemias. Cancer Control. 2013 Jan;20(1):49-59. Pubmedid: 23302907.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, Flinn I. The expanding options for front-line treatment in patients with newly diagnosed CML. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2012 Nov;84(2):287-299. Pubmedid: 22487423.
• Komrokji RS, Corrales-Yepez M, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Al Ali NH, Padron E, Rollison DE, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Zhang L, Epling-Burnette PK, Lancet JE, List AF. Hypoalbuminemia is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in myelodysplastic syndromes. Am J Hematol. 2012 Nov;87(11):1006-1009. Pubmedid: 23090887.
• Cheng F, Wang H, Horna P, Wang Z, Shah B, Sahakian E, Woan KV, Villagra A, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Sebti S, Smith M, Tao J, Sotomayor EM. Stat3 Inhibition Augments the Immunogenicity of B-cell Lymphoma Cells, Leading to Effective Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Res. 2012 Sep;72(17):4440-4448. Pubmedid: 22728650.
• Kriss CL, Pinilla-Ibarz JA, Mailloux AW, Powers JJ, Tang CH, Kang CW, Zanesi N, Epling-Burnette PK, Sotomayor EM, Croce CM, Del Valle JR, Hu CC. Overexpression of TCL1 activates the endoplasmic reticulum stress response: a novel mechanism of leukemic progression in mice. Blood. 2012 Aug;120(5):1027-1038. Pubmedid: 22692508.
• Tombleson RL, Ho V, Sokol L, Pinilla J, Wetzstein GA. Optimizing premedications in the prevention of bendamustine infusion-related reactions. Cancer Control. 2012 Jul;19(3):245-247. Pubmedid: 22710900.
• Nair RR, Tolentino JH, Argilagos RF, Zhang L, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Hazlehurst LA. Potentiation of Nilotinib-mediated cell death in the context of the bone marrow microenvironment requires a promiscuous JAK inhibitor in CML. Leuk Res. 2012 Jun;36(6):756-763. Pubmedid: 22209738. Pmcid: PMC3331955.
• Carballido E, Veliz M, Komrokji R, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Immunomodulatory drugs and active immunotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer Control. 2012 Jan;19(1):54-67. Pubmedid: 22143062.
• O'Brien S, Abboud CN, Akhtari M, Altman J, Berman E, DeAngelo DJ, Devine S, Fathi AT, Gotlib J, Jagasia M, Moore JO, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Radich JP, Reddy VV, Shah NP, Shami PJ, Smith BD, Snyder DS, Wetzler M, Yunus F. Chronic myelogenous leukemia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2012 Jan;10(1):64-110. Pubmedid: 22223870.
• Veliz M, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer Control. 2012 Jan;19(1):37-53. Pubmedid: 22143061.
• Desai S, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Front-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer Control. 2012 Jan;19(1):26-36. Pubmedid: 22143060.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: new choices for an old condition. Cancer Control. 2012 Jan;19(1):4-5. Pubmedid: 22143057.
• McDaniel JM, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Epling-Burnette PK. Molecular action of lenalidomide in lymphocytes and hematologic malignancies. Adv Hematol. 2012;2012:513702. Pubmedid: 22888354. Pmcid: PMC3409527.
• Dubovsky JA, Powers JJ, Gao Y, Mariusso LF, Sotomayor EM, Pinilla-Ibarz JA. Epigenetic repolarization of T lymphocytes from chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Leuk Res. 2011 Sep;35(9):1193-1199. Pubmedid: 21377729.
• Remily-Wood ER, Liu RZ, Xiang Y, Chen Y, Thomas CE, Rajyaguru N, Kaufman LM, Ochoa JE, Hazlehurst L, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Lancet J, Zhang G, Haura E, Shibata D, Yeatman T, Smalley KS, Dalton WS, Huang E, Scott E, Bloom GC, Eschrich SA, Koomen JM. A database of reaction monitoring mass spectrometry assays for elucidating therapeutic response in cancer. Proteomics Clin Appl. 2011 Aug;5(7-8):383-396. Pubmedid: 21656910. Pmcid: PMC3530891.
• Komrokji RS, Al Ali NH, Beg MS, Safa MM, Rollison D, Kharfan-Dabaja M, Bello C, Cultrera J, Sokol L, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Sotomayor EM. Outcome of diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma in the United States has improved over time but racial disparities remain: review of SEER data. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2011 Jun;11(3):257-260. Pubmedid: 21658652.
• Bello C, Veliz M, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Ofatumumab in the treatment of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2011 May;7(3):295-300. Pubmedid: 21595596.
• Zhang L, Bennett JM, Zhang X, Moscinski L, Ibarz-Pinilla J, List AF, Komrokji R. Uncommon of the uncommon: low-grade myelodysplastic syndrome evolving into chronic myelogenous leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2011 May;29(15):e434-e436. Pubmedid: 21149648.
• Cortes JE, Hochhaus A, le Coutre PD, Rosti G, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Jabbour E, Gillis K, Woodman RC, Blakesley RE, Giles FJ, Kantarjian HM, Baccarani M. Minimal cross-intolerance with nilotinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic or accelerated phase who are intolerant to imatinib. Blood. 2011 May;117(21):5600-5606. Pubmedid: 21467546.
• Wang H, Cheng F, Woan K, Sahakian E, Merino O, Rock-Klotz J, Vicente-Suarez I, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Wright KL, Seto E, Bhalla K, Villagra A, Sotomayor EM. Histone deacetylase inhibitor LAQ824 augments inflammatory responses in macrophages through transcriptional regulation of IL-10. J Immunol. 2011 Apr;186(7):3986-3996. Pubmedid: 21368229.
• Powers JJ, Dubovsky JA, Epling-Burnette PK, Moscinski L, Zhang L, Mustjoki S, Sotomayor EM, Pinilla-Ibarz JA. A molecular and functional analysis of large granular lymphocyte expansions in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Leuk Lymphoma. 2011 Apr;52(4):668-679. Pubmedid: 21271862.
• Dubovsky JA, Wang D, Powers JJ, Berchmans E, Smith MA, Wright KL, Sotomayor EM, Pinilla-Ibarz JA. Restoring the functional immunogenicity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia using epigenetic modifiers. Leuk Res. 2011 Mar;35(3):394-404. Pubmedid: 20863567.
• Price SL, Lancet JE, George TJ, Wetzstein GA, List AF, Ho VQ, Fernandez HF, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Komrokji RS. Salvage chemotherapy regimens for acute myeloid leukemia: Is one better? Efficacy comparison between CLAG and MEC regimens. Leuk Res. 2011 Mar;35(3):301-304. Pubmedid: 21109304.
• O'Brien S, Berman E, Moore JO, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Radich JP, Shami PJ, Smith BD, Snyder DS, Sundar HM, Talpaz M, Wetzler M. NCCN Task Force report: tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy selection in the management of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2011 Feb;9 Suppl 2:S1-25. Pubmedid: 21335443.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, Cortes J, Mauro MJ. Intolerance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia: Definitions and clinical implications. Cancer. 2011 Feb;117(4):688-697. Pubmedid: 20922786.
• Kantarjian HM, Giles FJ, Bhalla KN, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Larson RA, Gattermann N, Ottmann OG, Hochhaus A, Radich JP, Saglio G, Hughes TP, Martinelli G, Kim DW, Shou Y, Gallagher NJ, Blakesley R, Baccarani M, Cortes J, le Coutre PD. Nilotinib is effective in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase after imatinib resistance or intolerance: 24-month follow-up results. Blood. 2011 Jan;117(4):1141-1145. Pubmedid: 21098399.
• Veliz M, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Role of ofatumumab in treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. J Blood Med. 2011;2:71-77. Pubmedid: 22287865.
• Padron E, Hazlehurst LE, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Molecular Pathogenesis of BCR-ABL in CML. Adv Malig Hematol. 2011;(62):71.
• Brayer J, Cheng F, Wang H, Horna P, Vicente-Suarez I, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Sotomayor EM. Enhanced CD8 T cell cross-presentation by macrophages with targeted disruption of STAT3. Immunol Lett. 2010 Jul;131(2):126-130. Pubmedid: 20346983. Pmcid: PMC2906450.
• Maslak PG, Dao T, Krug LM, Chanel S, Korontsvit T, Zakhaleva V, Zhang R, Wolchok JD, Yuan J, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Berman E, Weiss M, Jurcic J, Frattini MG, Scheinberg DA. Vaccination with synthetic analog peptides derived from WT1 oncoprotein induces T-cell responses in patients with complete remission from acute myeloid leukemia. Blood. 2010 Jul;116(2):171-179. Pubmedid: 20400682. Pmcid: PMC2910606.
• Kantarjian H, le Coutre P, Cortes J, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Nagler A, Hochhaus A, Kimura S, Ottmann O. Phase 1 study of INNO-406, a dual Abl/Lyn kinase inhibitor, in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias after imatinib resistance or intolerance. Cancer. 2010 Jun;116(11):2665-2672. Pubmedid: 20310049. Pmcid: PMC2876208.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, McQuary A. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: putting new treatment options into perspective. Cancer Control. 2010 Apr;17(2 Suppl):4-15. Pubmedid: 20404796.
• Dubovsky JA, Villagra A, Powers JJ, Wang HW, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Sotomayor EM. Circumventing immune tolerance through epigenetic modification. Curr Pharm Des. 2010 Jan;16(3):268-276. Pubmedid: 20109136.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, Quintas-Cardama A. New agents in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2009 Oct;7(9):1028-1037. Pubmedid: 19878642.
• O'Brien S, Berman E, Borghaei H, Deangelo DJ, Devetten MP, Devine S, Erba HP, Gotlib J, Jagasia M, Moore JO, Mughal T, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Radich JP, Shah Md NP, Shami PJ, Smith BD, Snyder DS, Tallman MS, Talpaz M, Wetzler M. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: chronic myelogenous leukemia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2009 Oct;7(9):984-1023. Pubmedid: 19878641.
• Dubovsky JA, McNeel DG, Powers JJ, Gordon J, Sotomayor EM, Pinilla-Ibarz JA. Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia with a Hypomethylating Agent Induces Expression of NXF2, an Immunogenic Cancer Testis Antigen. Clin Cancer Res. 2009 May;15(10):3406-3415. Pubmedid: 19401350.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, Shah B, Dubovsky JA. The biological basis for immunotherapy in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Cancer Control. 2009 Apr;16(2):141-152. Pubmedid: 19337200.
• Hazlehurst LA, Bewry NN, Nair RR, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Signaling networks associated with BCR-ABL-dependent transformation. Cancer Control. 2009 Apr;16(2):100-107. Pubmedid: 19337196.
• Villagra A, Cheng F, Wang HW, Suarez I, Glozak M, Maurin M, Nguyen D, Wright KL, Atadja PW, Bhalla K, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Seto E, Sotomayor EM. The histone deacetylase HDAC11 regulates the expression of interleukin 10 and immune tolerance. Nat Immunol. 2009 Jan;10(1):92-100. Pubmedid: 19011628.
• Bewry NN, Nair RR, Emmons MF, Boulware D, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Hazlehurst LA. Stat3 contributes to resistance toward BCR-ABL inhibitors in a bone marrow microenvironment model of drug resistance. Mol Cancer Ther. 2008 Oct;7(10):3169-3175. Pubmedid: 18852120. Pmcid: PMC2676735.
• Kharfan-Dabaja M, Chavez J, Khorfan K, Pinilla-Ibarz J. Clinical and therapeutic implications of the mutational status of IgVH inpatients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer. 2008 Sep;113(5):897-906. Pubmedid: 18618518.
• Pinilla-Ibarz J, Bello C. Modern approaches to treating chronic myelogenous leukemia. Curr Oncol Rep. 2008 Sep;10(5):365-371. Pubmedid: 18706263.
• May RJ, Dao T, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Korontsvit T, Zakhaleva V, Zhang RH, Maslak P, Scheinberg DA. Peptide epitopes from the Wilms' tumor 1 oncoprotein stimulate CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that recognize and kill human malignant mesothelioma tumor cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Aug;13(15 Pt 1):4547-4555. Pubmedid: 17671141.
• Gomez-Nunez M, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Dao T, May RJ, Pao M, Jaggi JS, Scheinberg DA. Peptide binding motif predictive algorithms correspond with experimental binding of leukemia vaccine candidate peptides to HLA-A*0201 molecules. Leuk Res. 2006 Oct;30(10):1293-1298. Pubmedid: 16533527.
• Kappel BJ, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Kochman AA, Eng JM, Hubbard VM, Leiner I, Pamer EG, Heller G, van den Brink MR, Scheinberg DA. Remodeling specific immunity by use of MHC tetramers: demonstration in a graft-versus-host disease model. Blood. 2006 Mar;107(5):2045-2051. Pubmedid: 16269613. Pmcid: PMC1895712.
• Moldenhauer A, Frank RC, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Holland G, Boccuni P, Scheinberg DA, Salama A, Seeger K, Moore MA, Nimer SD. Histone deacetylase inhibition improves dendritic cell differentiation of leukemic blasts with AML1-containing fusion proteins. J Leukoc Biol. 2004 Sep;76(3):623-633. Pubmedid: 15197237.
• Pidala J, Pinilla-Ibarz J, Cualing HD. A case of acute basophilic leukemia arising from chronic myelogenous leukemia with development of t(7;8)(q32;q13). Cancer Genet Cytogenet. 2008 Apr;182(1):46-49. Pubmedid: 18328951.