James LaBelle, MD, PhD

2019 Associate Junior Faculty Scholars

Dr. James LaBelle is an Associate Professor Pediatrics in the Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation. Dr. LaBelle received his undergraduate degree from Lawrence University and completed a combined MD/PhD program at the Medical College of Wisconsin where his graduate work centered on anti-tumor immunology and stem cell transplantation. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the Boston Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center combined residency program followed by pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship and post-doctoral training in cancer chemical biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dr. LaBelle’s research focuses on manipulating the immune system using peptide-based therapeutics against T cell-intrinsic proteins and small molecules targeting the BCL-2 family of apoptotic proteins with a particular focus on reactivating anti-tumor immune responses. He also works closely with nanotechnologists and chemical engineers at the Institute of Molecular Engineering to overcome physiological barriers to efficient and clinically effective intracellular delivery of peptide therapeutics. In addition to his efforts in the laboratory, Dr. LaBelle is the Director of the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program at Comer Children’s Hospital where he focuses on the treatment of graft-versus-host disease and works collaboratively with scientists, clinicians, and patients to make inroads in treating children suffering from refractory malignancies.