Faculty Directory

Biography

Sunil S. Raikar, MD, is a Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. He is a physician-scientist with a research focus in cellular immunotherapy, with a primary interest in developing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) against hematological malignancies.

Dr. Raikar received his MD from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2009, where he also did his pediatric internship and residency. He completed his fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine in 2016. During his fellowship, he created novel chimeric antigen receptors using lamprey-derived variable lymphocyte receptors to target T-cell malignancies under the mentorship of H. Trent Spencer, Ph.D., Director of the Cell and Gene Therapy Program at Emory University. His fellowship research resulted in several peer-reviewed manuscripts as well as extramural funding. In 2017, Dr. Raikar joined the faculty as a member of the Leukemia/Lymphoma Program and Cell and Gene Therapy Program in the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University.

The overall goal of Dr. Raikar’s research is to develop novel therapeutics for children with blood cancers by utilizing and enhancing the inherent anti-tumor properties of our own immune system. His research is centered on adapting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology to T-cell malignancies. He is exploring several different approaches to achieve his aims including the use of unique immune cells such as natural killer cells and gamma delta T cells. As an extension of this work, Dr. Raikar is also exploring the use of cellular therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a more aggressive form of childhood blood cancer with survival around 60-70%. In 2020, he was awarded a prestigious NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) through the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Raikar also serves as a member of the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at the Winship Cancer Institute and is a faculty member in the Cancer Biology Graduate Program at Laney Graduate School of Emory University.

Dr. Raikar’s clinical expertise is in the treatment of children with blood cancers. Through his national involvement with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), where he serves on the T-ALL and MPAL (mixed phenotype acute leukemia) Disease Committees, He also maintains a strong presence in the concept, design and implementation of clinical studies in this high-risk leukemia population.

 

Areas of Interest:

• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy
• Cell and gene therapy
• Immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies
• T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Mixed phenotype acute leukemia

 

Education and Training:

• Undergraduate: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; 2001 - 2005
• Medical School: Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO; 2005 - 2009      
• Pediatric Residency: Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO; 2009 - 2012
• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship: Emory University, Atlanta, GA; 2013 - 2016

 

Certifications:

• American Board of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics
• American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

 

Professional Affiliations:

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology                                                           
• Children’s Oncology Group
• American Society of Hematology
• American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy
• International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy

 

Honors and Awards:

• Student Marshal, College of Arts and Science Commencement, University of Missouri; 2005
• Graduated summa cum laude with an Honors Certificate, University of Missouri; 2005
• Phi Beta Kappa, University of Missouri; 2005
• Certificate of Appreciation for Excellence in Teaching of Medical Students, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; 2011 – 2012
• Dr. Philip A. Riley, Jr., & Mrs. Joane Riley Endowed Medicine Abroad Program Scholarship, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; 2011 – 2012
• American Academy of Pediatrics Program Delegate, Pediatric Residency Program, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; 2011
• Richard C. Barry Memorial Award for Best Graduating Resident, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; 2012
• Meritorious Abstract Travel Award, American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy; 2016
• Research Training Award for Fellows Finalist, American Society of Hematology; 2017
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator Grant; 2017
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Program Award Recipient; 2017 – 2019
• Atlanta Pediatric Scholars Program (APSP) K12 Scholar, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine; 2018 – 2020
• Excellence in Patient Satisfaction, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine; 2018 and 2019
• NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development K08 Award Recipient through National Cancer Institute (NCI); Emory University School of Medicine; 2020 – 2025
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Research Group(s)

• Raikar Laboratory →

Research Center(s)

• Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center (Aflac) →