Ramasubramanian Kalpatthi, MD

Administative Assistant: Ashley Kosarich

Dr. Ramasubramanian (“Ram”) Kalpatthi serves as the Clinical Research Director of Pediatric Sickle Cell program and Director of PHO Medical Student and Resident Education. He is nationally recognized for his excellence in the clinical care, clinical research, program development and leadership in the field of pediatric hematology oncology with special emphasis on sickle cell disease (SCD) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Also, he is a favorite among medical students, residents, and fellows due to his passion for teaching, guiding and mentoring future generation of physicians.

SCD affects primarily the African-American population, an underserved and socio-economically disadvantaged population in the United States. Though this disease has been recognized for more than 100 years, there have been very few treatment options developed, until recently. Several multi-center clinical trials in SCD have been conducted in the last two decades which have revolutionized the care of SCD, improving the opportunities for survival into adulthood for the majority of pediatric SCD patients in the USA. Dr. Kalpatthi’s other area of clinical expertise, ITP, is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia in children, affecting all races. Though most children with ITP go into spontaneous remission, about 10-15% of children and adolescents develop chronic refractory ITP with significant bleeding complications, limiting their participation in sports and contributing to poor quality of life. Management of these patients is complex and requires an individualized approach. Dr. Kalpatthi served as a co-investigator in several key multicenter clinical trials in both areas notably in the landmark hydroxyurea trial in young children with SCD (BABY HUG) and has made multiple other significant scholarly contributions in these areas.

Dr. Kalpatthi has mentored medical students, residents, and fellows in completing clinical research projects that have been published and/or presented at national conferences such as the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) and Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting. Several of his mentees received outstanding abstract achievement awards for their work and most of his mentees have published their research in leading medical journals.

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships 

• American Academy of Pediatrics, 1999-2016 
• Children’s Oncology Group, 2006-2017 
• American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 2006-Present 
• American Society of Hematology, 2006-Present