Biography
- Attending Physician, Hematology, Oncology, Neuro-Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
See Lurie Children's Provider Profile
Kevin McNerney, MD, specializes in blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) and cancer immunotherapy with a clinical focus on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for patients with relapsed and refractory leukemia. Dr. McNerney’s research has focused on understanding the severe toxicities of CAR T-cell therapy and exploring mechanisms to improve outcomes for patients at the greatest risk of relapse. Dr. McNerney wishes to reduce toxicities and improve long-term disease-free survival for patients with high-risk malignancies.
Education and Background
- Fellowship in Bone Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 2021
- Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 2020
- MS, University of Pennsylvania 2020
- Residency in Pediatrics, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital 2017
- MD, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine 2014
- BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2010
Research Highlights
PREDICTION OF SEVERE CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME WITH HEMOPHAGOCYTIC LYMPHOHISTIOCYTOSIS (HLH)-LIKE TOXICITIES FOLLOWING CAR T-CELL THERAPY
We and others have previously shown that HLH-like toxicities following CAR T-cell therapy are associated with poor outcomes. The purpose of this research is to identify clinical factors that predict HLH-like toxicities following CAR T-cell therapy. In pediatric B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, several features have been associated with HLH-like toxicities in patients with relapsed and refractory leukemia, including high disease burden, elevated inflammatory markers, and pre-existing neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. We have developed a predictive model to identify patients at greatest risk of these toxicities which must now be validated. This work involves collaborations with several other pediatric and adult institutions that use CAR T-cell therapy for leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma. The next steps of this project are to delineate these toxicities in patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, and then to investigate preemptive measures to reduce severe toxicities of CAR T-cell recipients in patients at highest risk on a clinical trial.
HEMATOTOXICITY AFTER CAR T-CELL THERAPY: OUTCOMES AND RISK FACTORS
Prolonged and severe neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia after CAR T-cell therapy (or hematotoxicity) is the most common severe toxicity following CAR T-cell therapy and increases the risk of infection, bleeding, blood product transfusions, and health care resource utilization following CAR T-cell therapy. Through work with the Pediatric Real World CAR Consortium (PRWCC), a multi-institutional working group focused on real-world use of CAR T-cell therapy based at Stanford University, we are investigating the outcomes of patients with prolonged cytopenias and identifying risk factors for this presently poorly understood but common complication of CAR T-cell therapy. Understanding risk factors will allow for more informed use and study of anti-infective prophylaxis and methods to reduce duration of severe cytopenias.
