Get to Know ... Amy DeZern, MD

Dr. DeZern, a Professor of Oncology and Medicine and recently appointed Vice-Chair of Hematologic Malignancies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discusses how medicine has changed, particularly in diagnostics and genetics, and shares some advice for early-career clinicians.

What is your current appointment?

My primary appointment is at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. I conduct clinical research in bone marrow failure disorders, specifically aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). My work involves novel therapeutics, as well as bone marrow transplantation for these diseases.

Where did you grow up, and when did you know you wanted to be a hematologist?

I’m originally from Texas. When I was 13, my mom was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and had a fabulous doctor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She participated in a clinical trial herself. From that point on, I really wanted to be a doctor.

Can you walk us down your career path? What was your first job?

My very first job was as a hostess at a Don Pablo’s Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, when I was 15. It was a fantastic job, actually! During college, I had several neat summer opportunities. I took part in the SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) program through Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and then I participated in a similar program at the University of Virginia after my sophomore year. My first true job as a physician was as an intern on the Osler medical service at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

When did you know you wanted to be a hematologist? Did you have any mentors who helped shape your career?

My interest has a lot to do with the type of patients I find interesting, as well as the training structure when I was a fellow. Hematology was part of the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, whereas oncology is a separate and stand-alone department. At the time, the hematology fellowship was also freestanding and separate from the oncology fellowship, which was unusual and enticing. I had the opportunity to pursue either or both, and I chose to do both. I was particularly drawn to cases at the intersection of classical hematology and malignant disease.

Bone marrow failure, such as severe aplastic anemia, combines features of both high-acuity and noncancer conditions. It requires deep, intense, and timely patient relationships to gather data and make a therapeutic plan together, which I found rewarding, both in patient care and scientific investigation.

As for mentors, Robert Brodsky, MD, has been the most prominent. He was my mentor during fellowship and my early career as a faculty member. Even now, as a full professor, we collaborate and share patient cases.

What are your thoughts on the recent advancements in anemia treatments and the approval of new therapies?

The population is aging, and MDS becomes more prevalent with age. We urgently need more drugs to treat MDS. Acute myeloid leukemia, which unfortunately develops from MDS in some patients, has several therapeutic options. However, MDS still lacks sufficient treatments. There are more in 2024, mainly for lower-risk disease, but we eagerly await further options in higher-risk disease.

How has medicine changed since you started your career?

Medicine has changed in many exciting ways, particularly in diagnostics and genetics. Turnaround time and access for patients, both financially and generally, have improved. However, there have been fewer ideal changes as well, such as the increase of required documentation and regulatory paperwork. Now, much more time is spent at the computer, which can detract from the patient experience. We need to try to minimize that impact.

What advancements do you hope to see for your patients in the next 10 years, particularly for rare blood disorders like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and aplastic anemia and MDS?

It’s interesting that for such a rare disease, there are quite a number of therapeutic options for PNH, with another one likely coming in 2024. Despite the availability of treatments, the cost of these drugs needs to decrease over the next decade. Access for those who are underinsured is also an ongoing issue.

In aplastic anemia, I anticipate more frequent use of transplants and less reliance on immunosuppressive therapy. However, immunosuppressive therapy will still be used thoughtfully when appropriate. As diagnostics improve, we will likely uncover a larger inherited component in aplastic anemia than previously known.

For MDS, I expect the development of more drugs and better transplant platforms to treat the disease. I think we may see patients treated earlier and later in the disease spectrum to extend time with a chronic disease.

Do you have any advice for early-career clinicians?

Medicine can be incredibly rewarding. It’s about finding what interests you scientifically and clinically and merging those interests with a career that makes sense, whether in academics, the community, or even in policy-making or in the pharmaceutical industry. It’s important to feel that you are contributing and that the career is giving something positive back to you.

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy in your free time?

I have four kids who are all actively involved in sports, and most of my hobbies involve taking them to their various activities. That is great fun. We also have a dog who I walk daily with my physician husband. It’s an excellent time together.