Sarah E S Leary

Sarah Leary, MD, MS is an Attending Physician and Medical Director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Seattle Children's Hospital. She serves as a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and is an associate of the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center. Dr. Leary holds the position of Medical Director of Clinical Research at the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Research and leads the Seattle Children's Tumor Banking and Biology study. She also serves as the Seattle Children's site Principal Investigator for the Children's Oncology Group and CONNECT Clinical trials consortia.

Dr. Leary completed her MD at University of Tennessee College of Medicine, followed by a Pediatric Residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She further enhanced her research capabilities by earning an MS in Epidemiology from the University of Washington between 2010 and 2014.

Dr. Leary's research focuses on clinical trials and novel therapy development for childhood, adolescent and young adult brain tumors. Her recent work emphasizes precision medicine, big data projects, and international collaborations to generate, collect and share molecular and clinical data to support research. She has particular expertise in translational research with a focus on improving outcomes for pediatric brain tumor patients. Her work spans molecular characterization of brain tumors, development of targeted therapies, and innovative immunotherapeutic approaches.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on innovative treatments for pediatric brain tumors, particularly low-grade gliomas and medulloblastoma. Her work spans targeted therapies like RAF inhibitors (tovorafenib), immunotherapies including CAR T-cell approaches, and novel chemotherapy regimens. Much of her research involves leading or participating in major clinical trials through the Children's Oncology Group and other consortia, with an emphasis on molecularly guided treatments that represent the cutting edge of pediatric neuro-oncology.

Dr. Leary serves in multiple leadership roles including clinical Vice-Chair of the Central Nervous System Committee of the Children's Oncology Group, chair of the Data Safety Monitoring Committee of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, and member of the Brain Malignancy Steering Committee of the National Cancer Institute. She leads international data sharing efforts as the lead of the clinical data operations group of the Children's Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) and Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the INSPiRE consortium, demonstrating her commitment to collaborative research that accelerates progress in the field.

Dr. Leary leads the Seattle Children's Tumor Banking and Biology study and is deeply involved with the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Research. Her clinical interests focus specifically on pediatric brain tumors and precision medicine approaches. She is particularly passionate about providing the best care for patients today while working to find cures for every child in the future, as reflected in her statement: 'It is a privilege to work with children, adolescents and young adults as part of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers who are so dedicated to providing the best care for our patients today while at the same time working to find a cure for every child in the future.'