Valerie Brown, M.D., Ph.D.

Research Focus

Dr. Valerie Brown leads pioneering early-phase clinical trials in pediatric cancer, directing Penn State’s Clinical Experimental Therapeutics Program. Her focus includes developing targeted therapies for relapsed and refractory acute leukemia and solid tumors. She serves as the national clinical study chair for a multicenter Phase II trial testing a novel drug combination in high-risk neuroblastoma—supported in part by Four Diamonds.

Most Recent Publications

• Velasco, C. M., Inoue, Y., Cioccio, J., Rakszawski, K., Songdej, N., Nickolich, M., Zheng, H., Naik, S., Ehmann, C., Mierski, J., Silar, B., Vajdic, C., Greiner, R., Brown, V., Mineishi, S., Shike, H., & Minagawa, K. (2025). Prior status of graft-versus-host disease affects donor lymphocyte infusion outcomes in patients with relapsed haematological malignancies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. British Journal of Haematology, 207(2), 515-524. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.20215
• Oesterheld, J., Ferguson, W., Kraveka, J. M., Bergendahl, G., Clinch, T., Lorenzi, E., Berry, D., Wada, R. K., Isakoff, M. S., Eslin, D. E., Brown, V. I., Roberts, W., Zage, P., Harrod, V. L., Mitchell, D. S., Hanson, D., & Saulnier Sholler, G. L. (2024). Eflornithine as Postimmunotherapy Maintenance in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Externally Controlled, Propensity Score-Matched Survival Outcome Comparisons. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 42(1), 90-102. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.22.02875
• Zulch, E., Inoue, Y., Cioccio, J., Rakszawski, K., Songdej, N., Nickolich, M., Zheng, H., Naik, S., Rybka, W., Ehmann, C., Sivik, J., Mierski, J., Silar, B., Vajdic, C., Greiner, R., Brown, V., Hohl, R., Claxton, D., Shike, H., … Minagawa, K. (2024). Impact of post-transplant cyclophosphamide and splenomegaly on primary graft failure and multi-lineage cytopenia after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Leukemia Research, 143, Article 107530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leukres.2024.107530
• Sholler, G. L. S., Bergendahl, G., Lewis, E. C., Kraveka, J., Ferguson, W., Nagulapally, A. B., Dykema, K., Brown, V. I., Isakoff, M. S., Junewick, J., Mitchell, D., Rawwas, J., Roberts, W., Eslin, D., Oesterheld, J., Wada, R. K., Pastakia, D., Harrod, V., Ginn, K., … Trent, J. M. (2024). Molecular-guided therapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory childhood cancers: a Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium trial. Genome Medicine, 16(1), Article 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13073-024-01297-5

Impact Statement

Dr. Brown’s leadership transforms preclinical discoveries into cutting-edge treatments, offering hope to children with otherwise limited options. Through Four Diamonds’ support, she advances the frontier of precision medicine in pediatric oncology—creating real-world impact for families and the field.