Deepa Bhojwani

Dr. Deepa Bhojwani is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), affiliated with Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Her research focuses on pediatric hematology-oncology, particularly acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), pharmacogenomics, and novel therapies such as CAR-T cell treatments. She leads and participates in clinical trials through initiatives like the Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma (TACL) Consortium and Children’s Oncology Group (COG).

Her work emphasizes improving outcomes for children with relapsed or refractory leukemias, optimizing drug dosing via pharmacogenetic testing (e.g., NUDT15 and TPMT genes), and mitigating treatment-related toxicities such as neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric complications. Dr. Bhojwani has also investigated genetic disparities in Hispanic/Latino populations and the molecular mechanisms driving therapy resistance and relapse.

Key recent research trends include advancements in CAR-T cell engineering, genomic characterization of pediatric leukemias, and translational studies bridging pharmacogenomics with clinical care. Her publications highlight innovations in combination therapies, early-phase trial design, and understanding long-term survivorship challenges.

Dr. Bhojwani collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at CHLA and USC to advance precision medicine approaches, including transcriptome sequencing for genomic profiling and targeted drug development. Her work contributes to global efforts to standardize care and reduce health inequities in pediatric oncology.