John M. Cunningham, MD, is an internationally known expert in the treatment and research of childhood cancers and blood diseases. He has particular expertise in treating leukemia, lymphoma, immunodeficiencies, sickle cell disease and thalassemia. He is a recognized leader in the field of pediatric stem cell transplantation and has developed novel uses for this life-saving treatment.

An active researcher, Dr. Cunningham is studying the biology and therapy of hemoglobinopathies, hematopoiesis and the leukemia stem cell, transcriptional mechanisms operative during the development of vertebrate organisms, and the development of clinical trials for the treatment of leukemia and genetic diseases. Over his distinguished career, Dr. Cunningham's research has received support from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Society of Hematology, and other prominent scientific organizations. He is a member of the scientific council of the American Cancer Society, and a member of the editorial board of The Oncologist.

Dr. Cunningham is an accomplished author and has published more than 100 scientific articles, as well as several book chapters and invited reviews. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, and is a reviewer for Blood, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cancer Research, and Genomics. A popular speaker, Dr. Cunningham has lectured at universities and scientific meetings around the world. Dr. Cunningham has also been selected as a top doctor by Chicago magazine and is an American Top Doctor.

Before joining the University of Chicago Medicine, Dr. Cunningham was a leader in the Division of Experimental Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.