Laura Johnston

Clinical Focus

• Cancer > Bone Marrow Transplant
• Cancer > Hematology
• BMT
• Blood and Marrow Transplantation
• Hematology

Professional Education

Research Interests

I conduct and develop clinical research trials in allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for hematologic malignancies: acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), myeloproliferative disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin disease, myelodysplasia and aplastic anemia.


A specific interest is graft versus host disease (GVHD), exploring prevention and treatment of acute and chronic GVHD via clinical trials. The objectives of the GVHD trials are to reduce the incidence of GVHD, successfully treat acute and chronic GVHD, identify modalities or agents with more tolerable toxicity profiles and ultimately improve morbidity and mortality of affected patients. To this end, I have established a chronic GVHD clinic within the Stanford BMT division which aids in prospectively identifiing appropriate patients for clinical trials. The chronic GVHD clinic allows comprehensive evaluation and treatment for allogeneic BMT patients with new or progressive CGVHD. Through a multidisciplinary approach with my interested colleagues, I hope to impact the formidable effects GVHD has on the quality of life of the post-allogeneic transplant patient.


Other interests include unrelated donor HCT exploring alternate preparative regimens or graft sources as well as HLA typing.

Clinical Trials

• Cyclosporine Eye Drops in Preventing Graft-Versus-Host Disease of the Eye in Patients Who Have Undergone Donor Stem Cell Transplant for Hematologic Cancer or Bone Marrow Failure Disorder Recruiting
• Imatinib Mesylate and Nilotinib After Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Recruiting
• Sirolimus/Tacrolimus Versus Tacrolimus/Methotrexate for Preventing Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) Recruiting
• A Phase II Trial of Rituximab and Corticosteroid Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Chronic Graft versus Host Disease Recruiting
• Allogeneic HCT using Nonmyeloablative Host Conditioning with TLI & ATG vs SOC in AML Recruiting

Publications

• Long-term follow-up of patients with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma receiving purged autografts after induction failure. Benjamin JE, Chen GL, Cao TM, Cao PD, Wong RM, Sheehan K, Shizuru JA, Johnston LJ, Negrin RS, Lowksy R, Laport GG. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2009
• TLI and ATG conditioning with low risk of graft-versus-host disease retains antitumor reactions after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors. Kohrt HE, Turnbull BB, Heydari K, Shizuru JA, Laport GG, Miklos DB, Johnston LJ, Arai S, Weng WK, Hoppe RT, Lavori PW, Blume KG, Negrin RS, Strober S, Lowsky R. Blood. 2009; 114 (5): 1099-109
• High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell rescue for high-risk germ cell tumors: the Stanford experience. Agarwal R, Dvorak CC, Stockerl-Goldstein KE, Johnston L, Srinivas S. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2009; 43 (7): 547-52
• Acute graft-versus-host disease: differing risk with differing graft sources and conditioning intensity. Johnston L, Best Pract Res Clin Haematol. 2008; 21 (2): 177-92
• High-dose carmustine, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide followed by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Law LY, Horning SJ, Wong RM, Johnston LJ, Laport GG, Lowsky R, Shizuru JA, Blume KG, Negrin RS, Stockerl-Goldstein KE. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2006; 12 (7): 703-11