Along with her clinical expertise, Dr. Desai is also using pharmacology and biomarker data to explore new therapies for solid tumors.. Through this research, she is examining how the body reacts to drug treatments in order to reduce toxicity, improve patient response to medication and enhance overall health and outcomes. Dr. Desai has served as the lead investigator in multiple research studies and her work has been published in peer-review journals such as: Pediatric Blood and Cancer, Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology and the Bone Marrow Transplantation.
Areas of Expertise
- Cancer Risk and Prevention
- Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Care
- Neuroblastoma
- Developmental Therapeutics
- Sarcomas
- Solid Tumors
- Solid Tumors in Children
Board Certifications
- General Pediatrics
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Memberships & Medical Societies
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- American Association for Cancer Research
- Children’s Oncology Group
- American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Connective Tissue Oncology Society
Practicing Since
- 2013
Languages Spoken
- English
Medical Education
- Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Internship
- Yale New Haven Children's Hospital
Residency
- Yale New Haven Children's Hospital
Fellowship
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Other Grad Education
- MSCE, University of Pennsylvania
News & Research
View Published Papers- Treatment With Dinutuximab, Sargramostim (GM-CSF), and Isotretinoin in Combination With Irinotecan and Temozolomide After Intensive Therapy for People With High-Risk Neuroblastoma (NBL)
- Neuroblastoma Biology Study
- MIBG With Dinutuximab +/- Vorinostat
- CLINICAL TRIAL / IRB20-0855
- Immunotherapy of Relapsed Refractory Neuroblastoma With Expanded NK Cells
- Cisplatin and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Children and Young Adults With Hepatoblastoma or Liver Cancer After Surgery
- A Study of Therapeutic Iobenguane (131-I) and Vorinostat for Recurrent or Progressive High-Risk Neuroblastoma Subjects
- A Study of LY3295668 Erbumine in Participants With Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma
- NANT 2015-02: A Phase 1 Study of Lorlatinib (PF-06463922)
- CLINICAL TRIAL / IRB20-0726
- Study Of Entrectinib (Rxdx-101) in Children and Adolescents With Locally Advanced Or Metastatic Solid Or Primary CNS Tumors And/Or Who Have No Satisfactory Treatment Options
- A Study of a New Drug, Nirogacestat, for Treating Desmoid Tumors That Cannot be Removed by Surgery
- Master Protocol to Assess the Safety and Antitumor Activity of Genetically Engineered T Cells in NY-ESO-1 and/or LAGE-1a Positive Solid Tumors
- Cabozantinib-S-Malate in Treating Younger Patients With Recurrent, Refractory, or Newly Diagnosed Sarcomas, Wilms Tumor, or Other Rare Tumors
- A Study to Compare Treatments for a Type of Kidney Cancer Called TFE/Translocation Renal Cell Carcinoma (tRCC)
- A Study of Combination Chemotherapy for Patients With Newly Diagnosed DAWT and Relapsed FHWT
- Aetna HMO (specialists only)
- Aetna POS
- Aetna PPO
- BCBS Blue Precision HMO (specialists only)
- BCBS HMO (HMOI) (specialists only)
- BCBS PPO
- Cigna HMO
- Cigna POS
- Cigna PPO
- CountyCare *see insurance page
- Aetna Better Health *see insurance page
- Medicare
- Multiplan PPO
- PHCS PPO
- United Choice Plus POS/PPO
- United Options (PPO)
- United Select (HMO & EPO) (specialists only)
- United W500 Emergent Wrap
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO
- BCBS Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage Choice PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage Gold Choice PFFS
- Humana Medicare Advantage Gold Plus HMO
- United Choice HMO (specialists only)
- University of Chicago Health Plan (UCHP)
Our list of accepted insurance providers is subject to change at any time. You should contact your insurance company to confirm UChicago Medicine participates in their network before scheduling your appointment. If your insurance company is not listed here, or if you have any other questions, please contact Managed.Care@uchospitals.edu.
Comer Children's Hospital - Hyde Park
Request an Appointment at Comer Children's Hospital - Hyde Park
To Refer a Patient
Refer a Patient