Skip to main content
Scheduling

Virtual visit appointments available 7 days a week from 9:00am to 11:00pm. Learn More

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Updates: Get the latest on vaccine information, in-person appointments, virtual visits and more. Learn More

Notice: Street Closure

Street Closure: Texas Medical Center Campus road closures, September 29 - October 1, that will impact patients and visitors. Learn More | En Español

Location

Texas Medical Center

Specialty
Cancer and Hematology
Phone: 832-824-4693
Fax: 832-825-4732
Email

cmrooney@texaschildrens.org

Address

1102 Bates Street, Suite 1570
Houston, TX 77030

Research Laboratory

Cliona Rooney, PhD

Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine
Professor, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine
Professor, Department of Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine
Thomas J. Rosenbalm, M.D., Presidential Endowed Chair, Baylor College of Medicine

Education

School Education Degree Year
University of Birmingham, England Post-doctoral Fellow
University of Bristol, England Post-doctoral Fellow
University of Cambridge, England University Doctor of Philosophy
Yale University Post-doctoral Fellow

About

Dr. Cliona Rooney’s research interests are immunotherapies for virus and non-virus-associated malignancies and diseases. In protocols developed with Dr. Helen Heslop, Dr. Malcolm Brenner, Dr. Stephen Gottschalk and Dr. Catherine Bollard, about 150 patients have received EBV or antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells. These have prevented and cured EBV-associated lymphoma in BMT recipients produced mixed tumor responses, including complete remissions in patients with relapsed EBV-positive Hodgkin’s disease and nasopharyngeal carcinoma and have produced clinical remission in chronic-active EBV infections. In the research laboratory, she is developing methods for the activation and expansion of antigen-specific CTLs for the treatment of non-viral cancers, investigating ways to render CTL resistant to immune evasion strategies used by tumor cells to grow in an immunocompetent host and developing means to induce antigen-specific tolerance.

Dr. Cliona Rooney is a member of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT).

Her research interests include:

  • Immunotherapies for virus and non-virus-associated malignancies
  • EBV, antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells
  • Treatment of non-viral cancers
  • Induction of antigen-specific tolerance

Organizations

Organization Name Role
American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT) Member
American Society of Virology (ASV) Member
International Association for EBV and Associated Malignant Diseases Member
New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) Member

Research Statement

Dr. Cliona Rooney’s research interests are immunotherapies for virus and non-virus-associated malignancies and diseases. In protocols developed with Dr. Helen Heslop, Dr. Malcolm Brenner, Dr. Stephen Gottschalk and Dr. Catherine Bollard, about 150 patients have received EBV or antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells. These have prevented and cured Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoma in bone marrow transplant recipients produced mixed tumor responses, including complete remissions in patients with relapsed EBV-positive Hodgkin’s disease and nasopharyngeal carcinoma and have produced clinical remission in chronic-active EBV infections. In the research laboratory, she is developing methods for the activation and expansion of antigen-specific CTLs for the treatment of non-viral cancers, investigating ways to render CTL resistant to immune evasion strategies used by tumor cells to grow in an immunocompetent host and developing means to induce antigen-specific tolerance.

Dr. Cliona Rooney is a member of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT) and Bone Marrow Transplant / Stem Cell Transplant Program at Texas Children's Cancer Center.

Awards & Honors

2022     Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine (TBMM) Mentorship Award, Baylor College of Medicine

Language

English



* Texas Children's Hospital physicians' licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician's office and were not verified by Texas Children's Hospital.