Frits van Rhee, MD, PhD, MRCP (UK), FRCPath
Professor of Medicine, Director of Clinical Research,
Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy,
University of Arkansas Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Frits van Rhee, MD, PhD., MRCP (UK), FRCPath, is Professor of Medicine and Director of Clinical Research with the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. van Rhee obtained his medical degree from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He trained in Internal Medicine and Hematology in the UK. He is board certified in the UK in both specialties. He trained in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) at Oxford and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London. His PhD from the University in London is focused on the molecular biology and immunotherapy of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Prior to joining the Myeloma Institute, Dr. van Rhee was at the BMT unit at the National Institutes of Health and the haploidentical transplant unit in Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. van Rhee’s research interests have included the treatment of relapsed chronic leukemia with immunotherapy, the immunology of graft rejection, the immunotherapy of cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus induced lymphoma.
Dr. van Rhee’s current research focuses on immunotherapy for myeloma. He is the leader of “Developmental Therapeutics,” a major project in the Myeloma Institute’s P01 grant from the NCI entitled “Growth Control in Multiple Myeloma.” A primary aim of the project is to evaluate in clinical trial the antimyeloma activity of haploidentical natural ki ller cell expansion.
Dr. van Rhee is an expert in Castleman’s Disease, and as such has established the Myeloma Institute as one of the country’s leading referral centers. Dr. van Rhee’s Castleman’s research includes examining genetic differences that predispose patients to the disease and determining whether those potential differences affect response to treatment. Dr. van Rhee is principal investigator on an R01 grant from the NCI, “Potentiating Natural Killer Cell Anti-Myeloma Effects.”
Dr. van Rhee is also conducting funded research on the effects of Elotuzumab (HuLuc63), a humanized CS1 antibody, on myeloma bone disease.
Dr. van Rhee is a member of the International Society for Experimental Hematology, the International Society for Cellular Therapy, and the European Group for Bone and Marrow Transplantation. He serves on the editorial review boards for Annals of Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplantation, and Cytotherapy.
Video Interview with Dr. van Rhee, recorded at the ICDO Summit 2009:
Audio Interview with Dr. van Rhee, recorded at the ICDO Summit 2009: