Joseph Pidala, MD, MS

Prevention and therapy of acute graft-versus-host disease Chronic graft-versus-host disease Quality of life following hematopoietic cell transplantation Transplantation tolerance Biology of steroid refractoriness in the therapy of acute graft-versus-host disease Hematopoietic cell transplantation outcomes research  

Dr. Pidala’s research includes studying the pathogenic mechanisms of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic GVHD. His work has focused on biomarkers for steroid responsiveness in the treatment of acute GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The goal of the lab is to define biomarkers for glucocorticoid responsiveness in the primary therapy of acute GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Biologic insights into steroid response and refractoriness may allow improved prognostic information, guide therapy, and inform therapies directed at addressing specific mechanisms of glucocorticoid refractoriness.

• Pidala J, Chai X, Martin P, Inamoto Y, Cutler C, Palmer J, Weisdorf D, Pavletic S, Arora M, Jagasia M, Jacobsohn D, Lee SJ. Hand Grip Strength and 2-Minute Walk Test in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Assessment: Analysis from the Chronic GVHD Consortium. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2013 Jun;19(6):967-972. Pubmedid: 23542686.
• Pidala J, Chai X, Kurland BF, Inamoto Y, Flowers ME, Palmer J, Khera N, Jagasia M, Cutler C, Arora M, Vogelsang G, Lee SJ. Analysis of Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Chronic Grant-versus-Host Disease Manifestations on Major Outcomes: A Chronic Grant-versus-Host Disease Consortium Study. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2013 May;19(5):784-791. Pubmedid: 23395601.
• El-Jurdi N, Reljic T, Kumar A, Pidala J, Bazarbachi A, Djulbegovic B, Kharfan-Dabaja MA. Efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy with donor lymphocyte infusion in relapsed lymphoid malignancies. Immunotherapy. 2013 May;5(5):457-466. Pubmedid: 23638742.
• Phillips KM, McGinty HL, Cessna J, Asvat Y, Gonzalez B, Cases MG, Small BJ, Jacobsen PB, Pidala J, Jim HS. A systematic review and meta-analysis of changes in cognitive functioning in adults undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 May. Pubmedid: 23645166.
• Hurley CK, Woolfrey A, Wang T, Haagenson M, Umejiego J, Aljurf M, Askar M, Battiwalla M, Dehn J, Horan J, Oudshoorn M, Pidala J, Saber W, Turner V, Lee SJ, Spellman SR. The impact of HLA unidirectional mismatches on the outcome of myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with unrelated donors. Blood. 2013 May. Pubmedid: 23637130.
• Nishihori T, Ochoa-Bayona JL, Kim J, Pidala J, Shain K, Baz R, Sullivan D, Jim HS, Anasetti C, Alsina M. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for consolidation of VGPR or CR for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Apr. Pubmedid: 23542223.
• 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.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Schell M, Lee SJ, Hillgruber R, Nye V, Ayala E, Alsina M, Betts B, Bookout R, Fernandez HF, Field T, Locke FL, Nishihori T, Ochoa JL, Perez L, Perkins J, Shapiro J, Tate C, Tomblyn M, Anasetti C. Race/ethnicity affects the probability of finding an HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1 allele-matched unrelated donor and likelihood of subsequent transplant utilization. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Mar;48(3):346-350. Pubmedid: 22863723.
• Loren AW, Brazauskas R, Chow EJ, Gilleece M, Halter J, Jacobsohn DA, Joshi S, Pidala J, Quinn GP, Wang Z, Apperley JF, Burns LJ, Hale GA, Hayes-Lattin BM, Kamble R, Lazarus H, McCarthy PL, Reddy V, Warwick AB, Bolwell BJ, Duncan C, Socie G, Sorror ML, Wingard JR, Majhail NS. Physician perceptions and practice patterns regarding fertility preservation in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Feb. Pubmedid: 23419436.
• Pidala J, Craig BM, Lee SJ, Majhail N, Quinn G, Anasetti C. Practice variation in physician referral for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2013 Jan;48(1):63-67. Pubmedid: 22705801.
• Buchbinder D, Nugent DJ, Brazauskas R, Wang Z, Aljurf MD, Cairo MS, Chow R, Duncan C, Eldjerou LK, Gupta V, Hale GA, Halter J, Hayes-Lattin BM, Hsu JW, Jacobsohn DA, Kamble RT, Kasow KA, Lazarus HM, Mehta P, Myers KC, Parsons SK, Passweg JR, Pidala J, Reddy V, Sales-Bonfim CM, Savani BN, Seber A, Sorror ML, Steinberg A, Wood WA, Wall DA, Winiarski JH, Yu LC, Majhail NS. Late effects in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with acquired severe aplastic anemia: a report from the late effects working committee of the center for international blood and marrow transplant research. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2012 Dec;18(12):1776-1784. Pubmedid: 22863842. Pmcid: PMC3496823.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Jim H, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Nishihori T, Fernandez HF, Tomblyn M, Perez L, Perkins J, Xu M, Janssen WE, Veerapathran A, Betts BC, Locke FL, Ayala E, Field T, Ochoa L, Alsina M, Anasetti C. A randomized phase II study to evaluate tacrolimus in combination with sirolimus or methotrexate after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Haematologica. 2012 Dec;97(12):1882-1889. Pubmedid: 22689677.
• Palmer JM, Lee SJ, Chai X, Storer BE, Flowers ME, Schultz KR, Inamoto Y, Cutler C, Pidala J, Arora M, Jacobsohn DA, Carpenter PA, Pavletic SZ, Martin PJ. Poor Agreement between Clinician Response Ratings and Calculated Response Measures in Patients with Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2012 Nov;18(11):1649-1655. Pubmedid: 22691695. Pmcid: PMC3448865.
• Inamoto Y, Martin PJ, Chai X, Jagasia M, Palmer J, Pidala J, Cutler C, Pavletic SZ, Arora M, Jacobsohn D, Carpenter PA, Flowers ME, Khera N, Vogelsang GB, Weisdorf D, Storer BE, Lee SJ. Clinical Benefit of Response in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2012 Oct;18(10):1517-1524. Pubmedid: 22683612. Pmcid: PMC3443259.
• Jacobsohn DA, Kurland BF, Pidala J, Inamoto Y, Chai X, Palmer JM, Arai S, Arora M, Jagasia M, Cutler C, Weisdorf D, Martin PJ, Pavletic SZ, Vogelsang G, Lee SJ, Flowers ME. Correlation between NIH composite skin score, patient-reported skin score, and outcome: results from the Chronic GVHD Consortium. Blood. 2012 Sep;120(13):2545-2552. Pubmedid: 22773386. Pmcid: PMC3460679.
• Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Pidala J, Kumar A, Terasawa T, Djulbegovic B. Comparing efficacy of reduced-toxicity allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with conventional chemo-(immuno) therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL: a Markov decision analysis. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2012 Sep;47(9):1164-1170. Pubmedid: 22562081.
• Jim HS, Boyd TD, Booth-Jones M, Pidala J, Potter H. Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor Treatment is Associated with Improved Cognition in Cancer Patients. Brain Disord Ther. 2012 Aug;1(1). Pubmedid: 22905341.
• Jim HS, Small B, Hartman S, Franzen J, Millay S, Phillips K, Jacobsen PB, Booth-Jones M, Pidala J. Clinical predictors of cognitive function in adults treated with hematopoietic cell transplantation. Cancer. 2012 Jul;118(13):3407-3416. Pubmedid: 22139882. Pmcid: PMC3297700.
• Perkins JB, Kim J, Anasetti C, Fernandez HF, Perez LE, Ayala E, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Tomblyn MR, Sullivan DM, Pidala JA, Field TL. Maximally Tolerated Busulfan Systemic Exposure in Combination with Fludarabine as Conditioning before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2012 Jul;18(7):1099-1107. Pubmedid: 22198540.
• Nishihori T, Alekshun TJ, Shain K, Sullivan DM, Baz R, Perez L, Pidala J, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Ochoa-Bayona JL, Fernandez HF, Yarde DN, Oliveira V, Fulp W, Han G, Kim J, Chen DT, Raychaudhuri J, Dalton W, Anasetti C, Alsina M. Bortezomib salvage followed by a Phase I/II study of bortezomib plus high-dose melphalan and tandem autologous transplantation for patients with primary resistant myeloma. Br J Haematol. 2012 Jun;157(5):553-563. Pubmedid: 22449149.
• Warlick E, Ahn KW, Pedersen TL, Artz A, de Lima M, Pulsipher M, Akpek G, Aljurf M, Cahn JY, Cairo M, Chen YB, Cooper B, Deol A, Giralt S, Gupta V, Khoury HJ, Kohrt H, Lazarus HM, Lewis I, Olsson R, Pidala J, Savani BN, Seftel M, Socié G, Tallman M, Ustun C, Vij R, Vindeløv L, Weisdorf D. Reduced intensity conditioning is superior to nonmyeloablative conditioning for older chronic myelogenous leukemia patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant during the tyrosine kinase inhibitor era. Blood. 2012 Apr;119(17):4083-4090. Pubmedid: 22408257. Pmcid: PMC3350369.
• Pidala J, Vogelsang G, Martin P, Chai X, Storer B, Pavletic S, Weisdorf DJ, Jagasia M, Cutler C, Palmer J, Jacobsohn D, Arai S, Lee SJ. Overlap subtype of chronic graft-versus-host disease is associated with an adverse prognosis, functional impairment, and inferior patient-reported outcomes: a Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Consortium study. Haematologica. 2012 Mar;97(3):451-458. Pubmedid: 22058206.
• Inamoto Y, Chai X, Kurland BF, Cutler C, Flowers ME, Palmer JM, Carpenter PA, Heffernan MJ, Jacobsohn D, Jagasia MH, Pidala J, Khera N, Vogelsang GB, Weisdorf D, Martin PJ, Pavletic SZ, Lee SJ. Validation of measurement scales in ocular graft-versus-host disease. Ophthalmology. 2012 Mar;119(3):487-493. Pubmedid: 22153706. Pmcid: PMC3294118.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Anasetti C, Nishihori T, Betts B, Field T, Perkins J. The global severity of chronic graft-versus-host disease, determined by National Institutes of Health consensus criteria, is associated with overall survival and non-relapse mortality. Haematologica. 2011 Nov;96(11):1678-1684. Pubmedid: 21791465.
• Perez L, Anasetti C, Pidala J. Have we improved in preventing and treating acute graft-versus-host disease?. Curr Opin Hematol. 2011 Nov;18(6):408-413. Pubmedid: 21912253. Pmcid: PMC3432261.
• Veerapathran A, Pidala J, Beato F, Yu XZ, Anasetti C. Ex vivo expansion of human Tregs specific for alloantigens presented directly or indirectly. Blood. 2011 Nov;118(20):5671-5680. Pubmedid: 21948174. Pmcid: PMC3217366.
• Pidala J. Graft-vs-Host Disease Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Cancer Control. 2011 Oct;18(4):268-276. Pubmedid: 21976245.
• Pidala J, Lee SJ, Quinn G, Jim H, Kim J, Anasetti C. Variation in management of immune suppression after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2011 Oct;17(10):1528-1536. Pubmedid: 21440079.
• Santarone S, Pidala J, Di Nicola M, Field T, Alsina M, Ayala E, Janssen W, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Ochoa L, Perez L, Perkins J, Raychaudhuri J, Fernandez H, Anasetti C. Fludarabine and pharmacokinetic-targeted busulfan before allografting for adults with acute lymphoid leukemia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2011 Oct;17(10):1505-1511. Pubmedid: 21385623.
• Arai S, Jagasia M, Storer B, Chai X, Pidala J, Cutler C, Arora M, Weisdorf DJ, Flowers ME, Martin PJ, Palmer J, Jacobsohn D, Pavletic SZ, Vogelsang GB, Lee SJ. Global and organ-specific chronic graft-versus-host disease severity according to the 2005 NIH Consensus Criteria. Blood. 2011 Oct;118(15):4242-4249. Pubmedid: 21791424. Pmcid: PMC3204740.
• Pidala J. Progress in hematopoietic cell transplantation. Cancer Control. 2011 Oct;18(4):212-213. Pubmedid: 21976239.
• Pidala J, Kurland BF, Chai X, Vogelsang G, Weisdorf DJ, Pavletic S, Cutler C, Majhail N, Lee SJ. Sensitivity of changes in chronic graft-versus-host disease activity to changes in patient-reported quality of life: results from the Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Consortium. Haematologica. 2011 Oct;96(10):1528-1535. Pubmedid: 21685473.
• Pidala J, Tomblyn M, Nishihori T, Field T, Ayala E, Perkins J, Fernandez H, Locke F, Perez L, Ochoa JL, Alsina M, Anasetti C. Sirolimus demonstrates activity in the primary therapy of acute graft-versus-host disease without systemic glucocorticoids. Haematologica. 2011 Sep;96(9):1351-1356. Pubmedid: 21565902. Pmcid: PMC3166106.
• Pidala J, Tomblyn M, Nishihori T, Ayala E, Field T, Fernandez H, Perez L, Locke F, Alsina M, Ochoa JL, Perkins J, Tate C, Shapiro J, Conwell M, Bookout R, Anasetti C. ATG Prevents Severe Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease in Mismatched Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2011 Aug;17(8):1237-1244. Pubmedid: 21215811.
• Singh H, Werner LL, Asali S, DeAngelo DJ, Ballen KK, Amrein PC, Wadleigh M, Galinsky I, Wolpin B, Pidala J, Neuberg DS, Fox EA, Stone RM, Attar EC. Comparison of autologous stem cell transplantation versus consolidation chemotherapy for patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) and FLT3ITD. Am J Hematol. 2011 Jul;86(7):625-627. Pubmedid: 21681787. Pmcid: PMC3495174.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Field T, Perkins J, Ayala E, Perez L, Fernandez H. Targeted i.v. BU and fludarabine (t-i.v. BU/Flu) provides effective control of AML in adults with reduced toxicity. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2011 May;46(5):641-649. Pubmedid: 20711242.
• Pidala J, Kurland B, Chai X, Majhail N, Weisdorf DJ, Pavletic S, Cutler C, Jacobsohn D, Palmer J, Arai S, Jagasia M, Lee SJ. Patient-reported quality of life is associated with severity of chronic graft-versus-host disease as measured by NIH criteria: report on baseline data from the Chronic GVHD Consortium. Blood. 2011 Apr;117(17):4651-4657. Pubmedid: 21355084. Pmcid: PMC3099579.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Nishihori T, Field T, Perkins J, Perez L, Fernandez H, Anasetti C. Dysglycemia Following Glucocorticoid Therapy for Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease Adversely Affects Transplantation Outcomes. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2011 Feb;17(2):239-248. Pubmedid: 20637884.
• Pidala J, Roman-Diaz J, Kim J, Nishihori T, Perkins J, Tate C, Ochoa-Bayona JL, Field T, Fernandez HF, Tomblyn M, Ayala E, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA. Targeted IV busulfan and fludarabine followed by post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation rituximab demonstrate encouraging activity in CD20+ lymphoid malignancies without increased risk of infectious complications. Int J Hematol. 2011 Feb;93(2):206-212. Pubmedid: 21246311.
• Pidala J, Djulbegovic B, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja M, Kumar A. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete remission. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(10):CD008818. Pubmedid: 21975786.
• Pidala J, Anasetti C. Glucocorticoid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2010 Nov;16(11):1504-1518. Pubmedid: 20096359.
• Nishihori T, Perkins J, Kim J, Field T, Pidala J, Roman-Diaz J, Komrokji RS, Fernandez HF, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for myelofibrosis: a 10-year experience at single institution. Am J Hematol. 2010 Nov;85(11):904-907. Pubmedid: 20890908.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Roman-Diaz J, Shapiro J, Nishihori T, Bookout R, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA. Pentostatin as rescue therapy for glucocorticoid-refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease. Ann Transplant. 2010 Oct-Dec;15(4):21-29. Pubmedid: 21183872.
• Hoda D, Pidala J, Salgado-Vila N, Kim J, Perkins J, Bookout R, Field T, Perez L, Ayala E, Ochoa-Bayona JL, Raychaudhuri J, Alsina M, Greene J, Janssen W, Fernandez HF, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA. Sirolimus for treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2010 Aug;45(8):1347-1351. Pubmedid: 19966849.
• Pidala J, Bloom GC, Enkemann S, Eschrich S, Lancaster J, Anasetti C. Biomarkers to discern transplantation tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2010 Jun;16(6):729-738. Pubmedid: 19922809.
• Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Pidala J, Anasetti C. Thrombotic microangiopathy after GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus/sirolimus: a call for use of consensus definition in reporting. Blood. 2010 May;115(21):4316-4317. Pubmedid: 20508174.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Perkins J, Field T, Fernandez H, Perez L, Ayala E, Kharfan-Dabaja M, Anasetti C. Mycophenolate mofetil for the management of steroid-refractory acute graft vs host disease. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2010 May;45(5):919-924. Pubmedid: 19767783.
• Pidala J, Anasetti C. Can antigen-specific regulatory T cells protect against graft versus host disease and spare anti-malignancy alloresponse?. Haematologica. 2010 Apr;95(4):660-665. Pubmedid: 20015881. Pmcid: PMC2857197.
• Pidala J, Anasetti C, Jim H. Health-related quality of life following haematopoietic cell transplantation: patient education, evaluation and intervention. Br J Haematol. 2010 Feb;148(3):373-385. Pubmedid: 19919651. Pmcid: PMC2810350.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Nishihori T, Field T, Perkins J, Perez L, Fernandez HF. Pharmacokinetic targeting of intravenous busulfan reduces conditioning regimen related toxicity following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia. J Hematol Oncol. 2010;3:36. Pubmedid: 20925957. Pmcid: PMC2958877.
• Pidala J, Anasetti C, Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Cutler C, Sheldon A, Djulbegovic B. Decision analysis of peripheral blood versus bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2009 Nov;15(11):1415-1421. Pubmedid: 19822301.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Field T, McBride A, Kharfan-Dabaja M, Perkins J, Fernandez H, Perez L, Ayala E, Anasetti C. Infliximab for managing steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2009 Sep;15(9):1116-1121. Pubmedid: 19660725.
• Pidala J, Anasetti C, Jim H. Quality of life after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood. 2009 Jul;114(1):7-19. Pubmedid: 19336756. Pmcid: PMC2710956.
• Pidala J, Kim J, Anasetti C. Sirolimus as Primary Treatment of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2009 Jul;15(7):881-885. Pubmedid: 19539221.
• Gallardo-Williams MT, Geiger CL, Pidala JA, Martin DF. Essential fatty acids and phenolic acids from extracts and leachates of southern cattail (Typha domingensis P.). Phytochemistry. 2002 Feb;59(3):305-308. Pubmedid: 11830138.
• Slawson C, Pidala J, Potter R. Increased N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity in primary breast carcinomas corresponds to a decrease in N-acetylglucosamine containing proteins. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2001 Sep;1537(2):147-157. Pubmedid: 11566258.
• 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.