Kristen VanHeyst, DO
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, CWRU SOM
Dr. Kristen VanHeyst completed her medical training at New York Institute of Technology School of Osteopathic Medicine, formally known as New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. She followed this with a pediatric residency at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Stony Brook, NY, which she completed in 2015. She subsequently remained at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital for an additional year to serve as a Chief Resident and Pediatric Hospitalist. Dr. VanHeyst completed her Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship training in 2019 at UH Hospitals/Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. As a fellow, Dr. VanHeyst joined Dr. Alex Huang’s laboratory in 2017 with a primary interest in metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma. She was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2019. Dr. VanHeyst continues her research efforts in understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma. Based on pre-clinical data, she designed and authored a Phase I/II clinical trial using an anti-α4 monoclonal antibody as immunotherapy for pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with relapsed, progressive and refractory disease. She hopes that continued efforts in understanding the mechanism by which metastatic osteosarcoma creates a pulmonary niche will lead to more therapeutic options for patients with this disease in the near future.
Dr. VanHeyst is a recent recipient of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator Award and a K12 Clinical Oncology Research Program Paul Calabresi Scholar.
Education:
08/2004-05/2008 Bachelor of Arts: English; Minor: Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton
08/2008-05/2012 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
07/2012-06/2015 Pediatric Resident, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital
07/2015-06/2016 Chief Resident/Pediatric Hospitalist, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital
07/2016-06/2019 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow, UH Hospitals/Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
Publications:
1. Keller J, Nimnual AS, Varghese MS, , Hayman MJ, Chan EL. “A Novel EGFR Extracellular Domain Mutant, EGFRΔ768, Possesses Distinct Biological and Biochemical Properties in Neuroblastoma.” 14.8 (2016): 740–752. (READ)
2013 Excellence in Teaching Pediatric Medical Students Award, Stony Brook, NY
2015 Stony Brook Children’s Nurses Choice Resident of the Year, Stony Brook, NY
2015 Outstanding Resident Poster Presentation, Pediatric Research Day, Stony Brook, NY
2015 Resident Research Award for Platform Presentation, Pediatric Research Day, Stony Brook, NY 2018 Best Basic Science Award, Department of Pediatrics 12th Annual Science Day, Cleveland, OH
2019 Best Overall Research Award, Department of Pediatrics, 13th Annual Science Day, Cleveland, OH
Funding History:
2018: Fellowship Research Award Program in Pediatrics (FRAP): $ 9,750 (2018-2019; PI)
2018: Keira Kilbane Foundation $5,000 (2018-2019; PI)
2019: Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator Award $200,000 (2019-2021; PI)
2019: NCI K12 Paul Calabresi Scholar Program $80,000 (2019-2020; PI)
