Norman J. Lacayo

Norman J. Lacayo, MD is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology and Oncology) at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is a member of the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) and the Stanford Cancer Institute. Dr. Lacayo has been a member of the Cancer Center since 2007 and serves on the Myeloid Steering Committee of the Children's Oncology Group. Since 2019, he has directed the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators' Consortium (POETIC).

Dr. Lacayo received his BA in Biochemistry from UC Berkeley in 1985 and his MD from UCSF School of Medicine in 1989. He completed his internship and residency at UCSF Medical Center in 1990 and 1992 respectively, followed by a fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center in 1995. He is board certified in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (2022).

Dr. Lacayo's research focuses on pediatric hematology/oncology with particular expertise in acute leukemias. His scholarly interests include phase I drug studies for refractory and relapsed leukemia, genomic studies and biologic risk-stratification for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), prediction of induction response using phosphoproteomics in childhood AML, and novel minimal residual disease (MRD) techniques in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He has been instrumental in developing precision medicine approaches for pediatric leukemia patients based on genomic features.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on pharmacogenomics in pediatric AML treatment, with particular attention to racial disparities in treatment outcomes and personalized therapeutic approaches. His work spans from basic science investigations of leukemia biology to clinical trials testing novel therapeutic agents and combinations. A significant portion of his research examines how genetic factors influence treatment response and how this knowledge can be used to optimize therapy for individual patients.

• Member, Alpha Omega Alpha (1990)
• New Approaches in Pediatric Myeloid Leukemia, V Foundation (10/09-09/12)
• Banking Acute Leukemia Specimens at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital: Hyundai Infrastructure Grant, Hyundai Foundation (10/11-09/12)
• Molecular and Pharmacologic Correlates of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Down Syndrome, NIH ROI subcontract from Wayne State University (01/09-04/16)

Dr. Lacayo actively mentors students and trainees through various independent study courses including Directed Reading in Pediatrics, Early Clinical Experience, Graduate Research, Medical Scholars Research, and Undergraduate Directed Reading/Research. He has led numerous clinical trials investigating novel therapies for pediatric leukemias, including studies of talazoparib, venetoclax, niclosamide, and CAR T-cell therapies. His work on the Total Therapy XVII protocol represents a comprehensive approach to treating pediatric ALL using precision medicine strategies.

As Director of the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators' Consortium (POETIC), Dr. Lacayo leads a collaborative effort focused on developing and testing novel therapeutic approaches for children with cancer. His laboratory work examines gene and protein expression in leukemia cells to identify biomarkers that can improve diagnosis and treatment selection for individual patients.