Roland B. Walter

Appointments and Affiliations
 
 
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Clinical Research Division
Assistant Member, Appointed: 2010
University of Washington
School of Medicine
Medicine
Hematology
Assistant Professor, Appointed: 2010
 Professional Headshot of Roland B. Walter

Mailing Address

1100 Fairview Ave N
D2-190
Seattle, Washington 98109-1024
United States

Contact

Phone: (206) 667-3599
Fax: (206) 667-6519
rwalter@fhcrc.org

Degrees

M.S., University of Washington, Epidemiology (Clinical Research), 2011.
Ph.D., University of Washington, Experimental Pathology, 2006.
M.D., University of Zurich, Medicine, 1997.

Research Interests

Dr. Walter's laboratory research is focused on human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in particular on the delineation of the clonal origin of AML, the molecular and phenotypic characterization of AML stem and progenitor cells, and the interaction between AML cells in their environment. A long-term goal of his preclinical studies is the development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed to eradicate AML stem and progenitor cells. Findings from such studies are then translated into the clinic and tested in early phase human trials.

A second research interest of Dr. Walter is the development and conduct of clinical trials in AML. Dr. Walter is currently the Principal Investigator of several early phase clinical trials that test new drugs and drug combinations in AML; he also leads a phase 2 study that explores a strategy of outpatient management of selected AML/MDS patients following intensive induction chemotherapy.

Languages

(Reading, Writing, Speaking)

English: (Fluent, Fluent, Fluent)
German: (Fluent, Fluent, Fluent)
Schwyzerdutsch: (Fluent, Fluent, Fluent)

Memberships

American Society of Hematology

Honors and Awards

2009-2012, Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23), National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Health (NIH)
2006-2009, Special Fellow Career Development Award, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
2005, SIAK/ESSEX Award in Applied Cancer Research Switzerland
2005, Dr. Ernst Th. Jucker Price for Cancer Research Switzerland
2005-2007, Clinical/Translational Research Scholar Award, American Society of Hematology
2005-2005, Career Development Award, Janggen-Pohn Foundation, Switzerland
2004-2004, Interdisciplinary Dual Mentor Fellowship, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
2002-2004, Fellowship for Advanced Researchers, Swiss Foundation for Medical-Biological Grants

Previous Positions

2008-2010, Research Associate, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Research Division
2008-2010, Acting Instructor in Medicine, University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
2005-2007, Fellow, University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
2002-2008, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Research Division
1999-2002, Resident, University of Zurich, Department of Medicine
1997-1999, Resident, Kantonsspital Chur, Department of Medicine
1996-1997, Research Fellow, University of Zurich, Department of Medicine

Funding

  • National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (K23 CA137161): "AML stem cell heterogeneity: implications for gemtuzumab ozogamicin-based therapy", 2009 to 2010.
  • Institute of Translational Health Science (Small Pilot Grant): "Pilot study of early discharge and outpatient management following induction chemotherapy for MDS and non-APL AML", 2009 to 2010.
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California and Couples Against Leukemia: "Heterogeneity of stem cell involvement in AML: therapeutic implications for gemtuzumab ozogamicin", 2009 to 2010.
  • National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute: "ARRA: a phase 1/2 study of vorinostat in combination with gemtuzumab ozogamicin and azacitidine in patients 50 years of age and older with relapsed/refractory non-APL AML", 2009 to 2011.
  • National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (Cancer Center Support Grant): "Clinical significance of adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins in pediatric AML", 2009 to 2010.
  • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Special Fellow Award): "Regulation of cell surface expression and ITIM-dependent internalization/trafficking of CD33, the target for the ant-leukemia immunoconjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin", 2006 to 2009.
  • American Society of Hematology (Clinical/Translational Research Scholar Award): "Regulation of ITIM-dependent internalization of CD33, the target for the anti-leukemia immunoconjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg)", 2005 to 2007.
  • Janggen-Pohn Foundation, Switzerland: Career Development Award, 2005 to 2005.
  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Interdisciplinary Dual Mentor Fellowship): "Internalization of anti-CD33 antibodies", 2004 to 2004.
  • Swiss Foundation for Medical-Biological Grants: "Role of multidrug resistance genes and drug transporter proteins in gemtuzumab ozogamicin resistance in CD33+ hematopoietic malignancies", 2002 to 2004.

 

Recent Publications

2013
Chen, TL, Estey EH, Othus M, Gardner KM, Markle LJ, Walter RB.  2013.  Cyclosporine modulation of multidrug resistance in combination with pravastatin, mitoxantrone and etoposide for adult patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia: a phase 1/2 study.. Leukemia & lymphoma.
Mortland, L, Alonzo TA, Walter RB, Gerbing RB, Mitra AK, Pollard JA, Loken MR, Hirsch B, Raimondi S, Franklin J et al..  2013.  Clinical Significance of CD33 Nonsynonymous Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Pediatric Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treated with Gemtuzumab-Ozogamicin-Containing Chemotherapy.. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. 19(6):1620-1627. Abstract
Walter, RB, Othus M, Burnett AK, Löwenberg B, Kantarjian HM, Ossenkoppele GJ, Hills RK, van Montfort KGM, Ravandi F, Evans A et al..  2013.  Significance of FAB subclassification of "Acute Myeloid Leukemia, NOS" in the 2008 WHO classification: analysis of 5,848 newly diagnosed patients.. Blood. Abstract
Gudgeon, CJ, Harrington KH, Laszlo GS, Alonzo TA, Gerbing RB, Gamis AS, Raimondi SC, Hirsch BA, Meshinchi S, Walter RB.  2013.  High expression of neutrophil elastase predicts improved survival in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.. Leukemia & lymphoma. 54(1):202-204.
McCormick, KA, Chen X, Walter RB.  2013.  Mott cells.. European journal of haematology. 90(1):83.
Petersdorf, SH, Kopecky KJ, Slovak M, Willman C, Nevill T, Brandwein J, Larson RA, Erba HP, Stiff PJ, Stuart RK et al..  2013.  A phase III study of gemtuzumab ozogamicin during induction and post-consolidation therapy in younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia.. Blood. Abstract
Rosen, DB, Harrington KH, Cordeiro JA, Leung LY, Putta S, Lacayo N, Laszlo GS, Gudgeon CJ, Hogge DE, Hawtin RE et al..  2013.  AKT signaling as a novel factor associated with in vitro resistance of human AML to gemtuzumab ozogamicin.. PloS one. 8(1):e53518. Abstract
2012
Mawad, R, Wu D, Abkowitz JL, Walter RB.  2012.  Myeloid sarcoma of the heart.. Leukemia & lymphoma.
Walter, RB, Medeiros BC, Powell BL, Schiffer CA, Appelbaum FR, Estey EH.  2012.  Phase 2 trial of vorinostat and gemtuzumab ozogamicin as induction and post-remission therapy in older adults with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia.. Haematologica. 97(5):739-742. Abstract
Pollard, JA, Alonzo TA, Loken M, Gerbing RB, Ho PA, Bernstein ID, Raimondi SC, Hirsch B, Franklin J, Walter RB et al..  2012.  Correlation of CD33 expression level with disease characteristics and response to gemtuzumab ozogamicin containing chemotherapy in childhood AML.. Blood. Abstract
2011
Walter, RB, Brasky TM, Milano F, White E.  2011.  Vitamin, Mineral, and Specialty Supplements and Risk of Hematologic Malignancies in the Prospective VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Study.. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. 20(10):2298-308. Abstract
Walter, RB, Othus M, Borthakur G, Ravandi F, Cortes JE, Pierce SA, Appelbaum FR, Kantarjian HA, Estey EH.  2011.  Prediction of early death after induction therapy for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia with pretreatment risk scores: a novel paradigm for treatment assignment.. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 29(33):4417-24. Abstract
Walter, RB, Gooley TA, Wood BL, Milano F, Fang M, Sorror ML, Estey EH, Salter AI, Lansverk E, Chien JW et al..  2011.  Impact of pretransplantation minimal residual disease, as detected by multiparametric flow cytometry, on outcome of myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia.. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 29(9):1190-7. Abstract
Walter, RB, Milano F, Brasky TM, White E.  2011.  Long-term use of acetaminophen, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of hematologic malignancies: results from the prospective Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study.. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 29(17):2424-31. Abstract
Walter, RB, Lee SJ, Gardner KM, Chai X, Shannon-Dorcy K, Appelbaum FR, Estey EH.  2011.  Outpatient management following intensive induction chemotherapy for myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia: a pilot study.. Haematologica. 96(6):914-7. Abstract
Walter, RB, Brasky TM, White E.  2011.  Cancer Risk Associated with Long-term Use of Acetaminophen in the Prospective VITamins and Lifestyle Study.. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. 20(12):2637-2641. Abstract
Jager, E, van der Velden VHJ, te Marvelde JG, Walter RB, Agur Z, Vainstein V.  2011.  Targeted drug delivery by gemtuzumab ozogamicin: mechanism-based mathematical model for treatment strategy improvement and therapy individualization.. PloS one. 6(9):e24265. Abstract
2010
Walter, RB, Appelbaum FR, Tallman MS, Weiss NS, Larson RA, Estey EH.  2010.  Shortcomings in the clinical evaluation of new drugs: acute myeloid leukemia as paradigm.. Blood. 116(14):2420-8. Abstract
Walter, RB, Alonzo TA, Gerbing RB, Ho PA, Smith FO, Raimondi SC, Hirsch BA, Gamis AS, Franklin JL, Hurwitz CA et al..  2010.  High expression of the very late antigen-4 integrin independently predicts reduced risk of relapse and improved outcome in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the children's oncology group.. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 28(17):2831-8. Abstract
Walter, RB, Pagel JM, Gooley TA, Petersdorf EW, Sorror ML, Woolfrey AE, Hansen JA, Salter AI, Lansverk E, Stewart FM et al..  2010.  Comparison of matched unrelated and matched related donor myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation for adults with acute myeloid leukemia in first remission.. Leukemia : official journal of the Leukemia Society of America, Leukemia Research Fund, U.K. 24(7):1276-82. Abstract
Walter, RB, Kantarjian HM, Huang X, Pierce SA, Sun Z, Gundacker HM, Ravandi F, Faderl SH, Tallman MS, Appelbaum FR et al..  2010.  Effect of complete remission and responses less than complete remission on survival in acute myeloid leukemia: a combined Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, Southwest Oncology Group, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Study.. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 28(10):1766-71. Abstract
Walter, RB, Press OW, Pagel JM.  2010.  Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy for hematologic and other malignancies.. Cancer biotherapy & radiopharmaceuticals. 25(2):125-42. Abstract
2008
Walter, RB, Boyle KM, Appelbaum FR, Bernstein ID, Pagel JM.  2008.  Simultaneously targeting CD45 significantly increases cytotoxicity of the anti-CD33 immunoconjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and improves survival of mice bearing human AML xenografts.. Blood. 111(9):4813-6. Abstract
Walter, RB, Raden BW, Zeng R, Häusermann P, Bernstein ID, Cooper JA.  2008.  ITIM-dependent endocytosis of CD33-related Siglecs: role of intracellular domain, tyrosine phosphorylation, and the tyrosine phosphatases, Shp1 and Shp2.. Journal of leukocyte biology. 83(1):200-11. Abstract
Walter, RB, Häusermann P, Raden BW, Teckchandani AM, Kamikura DM, Bernstein ID, Cooper JA.  2008.  Phosphorylated ITIMs enable ubiquitylation of an inhibitory cell surface receptor.. Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark). 9(2):267-79. Abstract