Texas Children's Welcomes Dr. Alexander Ngwube

Texas Children’s Welcomes Dr. Alexander Ngwube, Who Brings Leading Hematology and Transplant Expertise for the Care of Pediatric Blood Disorders

Texas Children’s Hospital is pleased to announce that Alexander (Alex) Ngwube, MD, has joined Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center’s Cell Therapy and Bone Marrow Transplant Program as Director, Hemoglobinopathy Service.

Dr. Ngwube brings extensive experience and expertise in bone marrow transplant (BMT) for children and young adults with hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

He comes to Texas Children’s from Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he was the Director of the Hemoglobinopathy Stem Cell Transplant Program and served as a pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) staff physician. In Phoenix, he advanced care for pediatric patients with severe blood disorders through innovative transplant therapies and rigorous research.

Dr. Ngwube earned his bachelor’s degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University College of Health Sciences in Nigeria and completed his pediatric residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He went on to complete a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. His commitment to improving care for pediatric hematology patients led him to pursue further specialization, completing a fellowship in pediatric HSCT at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s.

Improving outcomes for BMT

With a keen focus on improving outcomes for children undergoing BMT, Dr. Ngwube has made significant contributions to the field of hematology and oncology. His early research fellowship at Washington University, funded through a National Institutes of Health T32 training grant, focused on donor HSCT engraftment and laid the foundation for subsequent research aimed at optimizing transplant protocols and minimizing adverse effects in pediatric patients.

Dr. Ngwube continued to expand his research portfolio after joining the faculty at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix in 2015. During his tenure, he earned a Master of Science in Clinical Translational Sciences from the University of Arizona and successfully secured funding as a principal investigator for several research projects. His work has contributed to our understanding of how to enhance patient responses to bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants, and his clinical efforts have provided life-changing treatments for children with severe blood disorders.

Dr. Ngwube’s scholarly contributions have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Blood Advances, British Journal of Haematology, JCO Precision Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplantation and Pediatric Blood and Cancer. His work includes a notable book chapter on unrelated donor HSCT for sickle cell disease, further solidifying his role as a thought leader in the field.

In addition to his research and clinical work, Dr. Ngwube has been an active member of several national committees. He has served on the Scientific Executive Committee for the Sickle Cell Transplant Advocacy & Research Alliance (STAR) since 2018 and joined the NMDP Institutional Review Board in 2022. His contributions as a peer reviewer for numerous scientific journals, including Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and Leukemia & Lymphoma, underscore his commitment to advancing the field through critical evaluation of new research.

“Dr. Ngwube’s arrival at Texas Children’s underscores our continued commitment pushing the boundaries and providing our patients with leading edge and innovative cell and bone marrow transplant therapies,” said Susan Blaney, MD, Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. “His dedication to improving outcomes for patients undergoing bone marrow transplants aligns perfectly with our goal of providing the most family-centered, advanced care available.”

Life-changing care

As leader of Texas Children’s Hemoglobinopathy Service, Dr. Ngwube’s expertise in treating patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia is highly aligned with the vision and goals of the Cell Therapy and Bone Marrow Transplant Program. Texas Children’s inpatient transplant unit is among the largest of its kind in the southwestern United States and focuses exclusively on transplantation and cell therapy, performing more than 120 transplants annually.

“I’m honored to join Texas Children’s and to continue my work in advancing care for children with hemoglobinopathies,” said Dr. Ngwube. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to advance the research, care and education that is vital to helping patients, improving outcomes and enhancing quality of life.”

For physicians interested in collaborating with Dr. Ngwube or learning more about the Hemoglobinopathy Service at Texas Children’s, contact the Cell Therapy and Bone Marrow Transplant Program or call 1-800-226-2379 to explore opportunities for research and patient care partnerships.