Kristen M. Williams, MD

Research Program

Cancer Immunology
Phone Number

404-785-1112
Email Address

kirsten.marie.williams@emory.edu

Biography

Kirsten M. Williams, MD, is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and a professor of pediatrics in the Emory University School of Medicine. As part of the multidisciplinary team at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Dr. Williams' clinical interest is in pediatric bone marrow transplantation and immunocompromised host.

Dr. Williams is a member of the Cancer Immunology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

Education

Dr. Williams earned her medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. She completed her pediatric residency training at Case Western Reserve University, and her pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

Titles & Roles

Professor, Department of Pediatrics

Emory University School of Medicine

Professional Memberships

Dr. Williams holds professional memberships with American Society of Hematology, American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Oncology Group, and Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Research

Dr. Williams' research uses a bedside-to-bench-to-bedside approach to translate novel immunotherapies for high risk leukemias and to understand and influence complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation, such as graft versus host disease and graft failure.

View Current Clinical Trials


Vorinostat for Graft vs Host Disease Prevention in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Undergoing Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Phase I Conditions Hematologic Diseases, Acute Leukemia in Remission, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia - Chronic Phase, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Accelerated Phase, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Blastic Phase, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Mantle Cell Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, Graft Vs Host Disease, Graft-versus-host-disease Location Winship Cancer Institute
REVEAL Biomarkers of Engraftment After Alternative Donor HSCT Phase Early Phase I Conditions Primary Graft Failure Location Winship Cancer Institute

Vorinostat for Graft vs Host Disease Prevention in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Undergoing Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation
- Phase
  
  I
- Conditions
  
  Hematologic Diseases, Acute Leukemia in Remission, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia - Chronic Phase, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Accelerated Phase, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Blastic Phase, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Mantle Cell Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, Graft Vs Host Disease, Graft-versus-host-disease
- Location
  
  Winship Cancer Institute

REVEAL Biomarkers of Engraftment After Alternative Donor HSCT
- Phase
  
  Early Phase I
- Conditions
  
  Primary Graft Failure
- Location
  
  Winship Cancer Institute

Publications

Dr. Williams has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, and serves on the editorial board of the journal, Blood.

Title/Journal	Authors	Publication Date
Choosing between HLA-Mismatched Unrelated and Haploidentical donors: Donor age considerations. Transplantation and cellular therapy	RS Mehta, G Schmidt, K Williams, SA Patel, J Schetelig, B Savani, M Askar, E Petersdorf, O Ringden, CG Kanakry, JA Kanakry, H Stefanski, E Arrieta-Bolaños, B Betts, C Benjamin, S Gadalla, T Wang, J Saultz, S Spellman, NE Jurdi, YT Bolon, SJ Lee	05/24/2025
NIH Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Consensus Conference 2025 Update. Transplantation and cellular therapy	SJ Lee, KM Williams, S Sarantopoulos, CL Kitko, C Cutler, J Pidala, GR Hill, Z DeFilipp, HT Greinix, D Wolff, S Paczesny, GDE Cuvelier, KR Schultz, SZ Pavletic	05/21/2025
Interpretation of Response in BOS-the Definitions Remain Key. Blood advances	KM Williams, VN Lama, KR Cooke, GA Yanik	05/01/2025
Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Consortium RESILIENT Conference on Pediatric Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Survivorship after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Part III. Long-Term Impact of Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease on Endocrinologic, Cardiovascular, and Metabolic Outcomes in Survivors of Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Transplantation and cellular therapy	P Khandelwal, JD Fish, L Gorfinkel, GMT Guilcher, J Howell, M Nishitani, B Nuechterlein, E Obeng, AJ Shah, GDE Cuvelier, S Rotz, KM Williams, CN Duncan	05/01/2025
Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Consortium RESILIENT Conference on Pediatric Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Survivorship After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Part IV. Patient Important Outcomes. Transplantation and cellular therapy	SJ Rotz, L Wiener, KS Baker, SW Choi, R Phelan, GDE Cuvelier, C Duncan, KM Williams, M Qayed	04/01/2025
Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Consortium RESILIENT Conference on Pediatric Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Survivorship After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Part I. Phases of Chronic GVHD, Supportive Care, and Systemic Therapy Discontinuation. Transplantation and cellular therapy	NS Bhatt, AC Harris, L Gorfinkel, K Ibanez, ER Tkaczyk, SA Mitchell, S Albuquerque, T Schechter, S Pavletic, CN Duncan, SJ Rotz, K Williams, PA Carpenter, GDE Cuvelier	02/01/2025
Incidence of bacterial blood stream infections in patients with acute GVHD. Bone marrow transplantation	W Wallis, AM Gulbis, T Wang, CJ Lee, A Sharma, KM Williams, T Nishihori, T Prestidge, L Gowda, M Byrne, MM Krem, ML MacMillan, CL Kitko, J Pidala, SR Spellman, SJ Lee, AM Alousi	01/01/2025
Fatal thrombotic microangiopathy during induction for acute myeloid leukemia: A case report and review of vascular complications in germline GATA2 haploinsufficiency. British journal of haematology	EL Frost, S Chonat, KM Williams, W Aumann, J Stevenson, J Yin, M Schniederjan, S Arnold, ML Schoettler	01/01/2025
¹⁸F-FLT PET and Blood-based Biomarkers for Identifying Gastrointestinal Graft versus Host Disease after Allogeneic Cell Transplantation. Radiology. Imaging cancer	J Holter-Chakrabarty, L McNally, J Levine, J Ferrara, SK Vesely, CG Kanakry, T Garwe, Z Han, M Pandey, J Glover, Y Wen, R Gress, KM Williams	01/01/2025
Late effects after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation in children and adolescents with non-malignant disorders: a retrospective cohort study. The Lancet. Child & adolescent health	J Kahn, R Brazauskas, S Bo-Subait, D Buchbinder, BK Hamilton, H Schoemans, AA Abraham, V Agrawal, JJ Auletta, SM Badawy, A Beitinjaneh, NS Bhatt, L Broglie, MA Diaz Perez, N Farhadfar, CO Freytes, RP Gale, S Ganguly, RJ Hayashi, P Hematti, GC Hildebrandt, Y Inamoto, RT Kamble, J Koo, HM Lazarus, SJ Mayo, PA Mehta, KC Myers, T Nishihori, T Prestidge, SJ Rotz, BN Savani, RM Schears, A Sharma, E Stenger, C Ustun, KM Williams, LM Vrooman, P Satwani, R Phelan	10/01/2024
Real-World Application of Recently Proposed ASTCT/CIBMTR/EBMT/APBMT Consensus Risk Stratification for Transplantation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Children. Transplantation and cellular therapy	ML Schoettler, J Ofori, E Bryson, K Spencer, M Qayed, E Stenger, A Bidgoli, S Chonat, A Westbrook, KM Williams	09/01/2024
Application of the Consensus Definition of Transplant Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TA-TMA) Requires a More Expansive Lens to Accurately Diagnose and Risk Stratify Patients-Beware Reliance on Schistocytes Alone. Transplantation and cellular therapy	ML Schoettler, KM Williams	08/01/2024
Age, GVHD prophylaxis, and timing matter in thrombotic microangiopathy after haematopoietic cell transplantation-A secondary CIBMTR analysis. British journal of haematology	ML Schoettler, A Westbrook, B Watkins, E Stenger, M Qayed, S Chonat, KM Williams	07/01/2024
Pediatric transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy health care utilization and implications of eculizumab therapy. Blood advances	ML Schoettler, L Lehmann, PC Kao, N Chen, S Jodele, S Chonat, KM Williams, WB London, C Duncan, C Dandoy	03/12/2024
D-dimer and sinusoidal obstructive syndrome-novel poor prognostic features of thrombotic microangiopathy in children after hematopoietic cellular therapy in a single institution prospective cohort study. American journal of hematology	ML Schoettler, K French, A Harris, E Bryson, L Deeb, Z Hudson, J Obordo, S Chandrakasan, S Parikh, B Watkins, E Stenger, M Qayed, S Chonat, A Westbrook, J Switchenko, KM Williams	03/01/2024
Compassionate Use Narsoplimab for Severe Refractory Transplantation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Children. Transplantation and cellular therapy	ML Schoettler, S Patel, E Bryson, L Deeb, B Watkins, M Qayed, S Chandrakasan, T Fitch, K Silvis, J Jones, S Chonat, KM Williams	03/01/2024
Donor-Derived Malignancy and Transplantation Morbidity: Risks of Patient and Donor Genetics in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Transplantation and cellular therapy	LS Williams, KM Williams, N Gillis, K Bolton, F Damm, NT Deuitch, N Farhadfar, U Gergis, SB Keel, FV Michelis, SR Panch, CC Porter, L Sucheston-Campbell, R Tamari, HE Stefanski, LA Godley, C Lai	03/01/2024
OXIDATIVE study: A pilot prospective observational cohort study protocol examining the influence of peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and immune dysregulation on early allograft dysfunction after orthotopic liver transplantation. PloS one	EA Wilson, A Woodbury, KM Williams, CM Coopersmith	01/01/2024
Short-Course Empiric Antibiotics in Children Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Transplantation and cellular therapy	PA Patel, MF Teherani, Y Xiang, V Bernardo, S Chandrakasan, KP Goggin, A Haight, E Horwitz, WH Liang, SH Parikh, ML Schoettler, K Spencer, E Stenger, B Watkins, KM Williams, K Leung, P Jaggi, M Qayed	12/01/2023
Abatacept for the prevention of graft versus host disease in pediatric patients receiving 7/8 HLA-mismatched unrelated transplant for hematologic malignancies: a real-world analysis. Bone marrow transplantation	S Raghunandan, L Gorfinkel, B Bratrude, Y Suessmuth, K Hebert, D Neuberg, KM Williams, ML Schoettler, AA Langston, LS Kean, M Qayed, J Horan, BK Watkins	11/01/2023
Severe refractory hemorrhagic cystitis after hematopoietic cell transplantation responds to recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor-Case report and review of the literature. Pediatric blood & cancer	C Hughes, A Harris, B Watkins, M Qayed, S Parikh, E Horwitz, E Stenger, KM Williams, ML Schoettler	10/01/2023
Abatacept for the prevention of GVHD in patients receiving mismatched unrelated transplants: a real-world analysis. Blood advances	S Raghunandan, L Gorfinkel, M Graiser, B Bratrude, Y Suessmuth, S Gillespie, AL Westbrook, KM Williams, ML Schoettler, LS Kean, J Horan, AA Langston, M Qayed, B Watkins	08/22/2023
Effect of Autograft CD34⁺ Dose on Outcome in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for Central Nervous System Tumors. Transplantation and cellular therapy	TE Knight, KW Ahn, KM Hebert, R Atshan, DA Wall, K Chiengthong, SJ Rotz, E Fraint, HG Rangarajan, JJ Auletta, A Sharma, CL Kitko, H Hashem, KM Williams, B Wirk, CC Dvorak, KC Myers, MA Pulsipher, AB Warwick, NR Lalefar, KR Schultz, M Qayed, L Broglie, M Eapen, GA Yanik	06/01/2023
Sickle cell disease is a risk factor for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in children. Blood advances	M Schoettler, E Stenger, K Spencer, D Lutterman, S Rumbika, J Jones, A Haight, S Parikh, M Qayed, B Watkins, L Krishnamurti, KM Williams, S Chonat	05/09/2023
BCMA CAR-T induces complete and durable remission in refractory plasmablastic lymphoma. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer	S Raghunandan, M Pauly, WG Blum, M Qayed, MV Dhodapkar, M Elkhalifa, B Watkins, M Schoettler, E Horwitz, S Parikh, S Chandrakasan, K Leung, E Bryson, L Deeb, JL Kaufman, D Worthington-White, A Alazraki, JM Schecter, D Madduri, CC Jackson, E Zudaire, A Taraseviciute-Morris, A Babich, T Nesheiwat, M Vogel, N Lendvai, L Pacaud, KM Williams	05/01/2023
Correction to: Impact of pre-transplant induction and consolidation cycles on AML allogeneic transplant outcomes: a CIBMTR analysis in 3113AML patients. Leukemia	M Boyiadzis, MJ Zhang, K Chen, H Abdel-Azim, MB Abid, M Aljurf, U Bacher, T Badar, SM Badawy, M Battiwalla, N Bejanyan, VR Bhatt, VI Brown, P Castillo, J Cerny, EA Copelan, C Craddock, B Dholaria, MAD Perez, CL Ebens, RP Gale, S Ganguly, L Gowda, MR Grunwald, S Hashmi, GC Hildebrandt, M Iqbal, O Jamy, MA Kharfan-Dabaja, N Khera, HM Lazarus, R Lin, D Modi, S Nathan, T Nishihori, SS Patel, A Pawarode, W Saber, A Sharma, M Solh, JL Wagner, T Wang, KM Williams, LE Winestone, B Wirk, A Zeidan, CS Hourigan, M Litzow, P Kebriaei, M de Lima, K Page, DJ Weisdorf	05/01/2023
Impact of pre-transplant induction and consolidation cycles on AML allogeneic transplant outcomes: a CIBMTR analysis in 3113 AML patients. Leukemia	M Boyiadzis, MJ Zhang, K Chen, H Abdel-Azim, MB Abid, M Aljurf, U Bacher, T Badar, SM Badawy, M Battiwalla, N Bejanyan, VR Bhatt, VI Brown, P Castillo, J Cerny, EA Copelan, C Craddock, B Dholaria, MAD Perez, CL Ebens, RP Gale, S Ganguly, L Gowda, MR Grunwald, S Hashmi, GC Hildebrandt, M Iqbal, O Jamy, MA Kharfan-Dabaja, N Khera, HM Lazarus, R Lin, D Modi, S Nathan, T Nishihori, SS Patel, A Pawarode, W Saber, A Sharma, M Solh, JL Wagner, T Wang, KM Williams, LE Winestone, B Wirk, A Zeidan, CS Hourigan, M Litzow, P Kebriaei, M de Lima, K Page, DJ Weisdorf	05/01/2023
The incidence and impact of clostridioides difficile infection on transplant outcomes in acute leukemia and MDS after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant-a CIBMTR study. Bone marrow transplantation	M Ramanathan, S Kim, N He, M Chen, P Hematti, MB Abid, SJ Rotz, KM Williams, HM Lazarus, B Wirk, DE Yin, CG Kanakry, MA Perales, RF Chemaly, CE Dandoy, M Riches, C Ustun	04/01/2023
Fluorothymidine PET/CT Identifies a Case of Herpes Simplex Virus Esophagitis. Radiology. Imaging cancer	J Glover, A Nadig, S Vesely, D Neelakantan, KM Williams, J Holter-Chakrabarty	03/01/2023
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage after hematopoietic cell transplantation- response to treatments and risk factors for mortality. Frontiers in oncology	ML Schoettler, CE Dandoy, A Harris, M Chan, KM Tarquinio, S Jodele, M Qayed, B Watkins, P Kamat, T Petrillo, J Obordo, CS Higham, CC Dvorak, A Westbrook, MS Zinter, KM Williams	01/01/2023
Mismatched Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Rescues Marrow Failure From Acute Leukemia Therapy in a Patient With Previously Undiagnosed Ligase IV Syndrome. Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology	DM Fridlyand, S Chandrakasan, A Aljudi, WK Aumann, E Westfall, B Kirwan, EW Bryson, FG Keller, SD Arnold, AL Hong, M Pauly, KM Williams	01/01/2023
Pulmonary Manifestations and Vascular Changes in Pediatric Transplantation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy. Transplantation and cellular therapy	ML Schoettler, BD Saldana, L Berkenkamp, S Chonat, B Watkins, SJ Rotz, D Simons, E Graf, C Rossi, J Cheng, YA Hammers, H Rytting, KM Williams	01/01/2023
Advances in Imaging of Inflammation, Fibrosis, and Cancer in the Gastrointestinal Tract. International journal of molecular sciences	KM Harold, WM MacCuaig, J Holter-Charkabarty, K Williams, K Hill, AX Arreola, M Sekhri, S Carter, J Gomez-Gutierrez, G Salem, G Mishra, LR McNally	12/17/2022
Incidence and risk factors for graft failure in the modern era of cord blood transplantation. Vox sanguinis	JH Chakrabarty, J Glover, S Schmidt, M Phan, M Bycko, Q Duong, SK Vesely, C O'Neal, C Robertson, C Davis, K Kratochvil, C Yuen, M Khawandanah, G Selby, R Jassim, KM Williams	12/01/2022
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19 in Pediatric and Early Adolescent and Young Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: A Cohort Study. Transplantation and cellular therapy	NS Bhatt, A Sharma, A St Martin, MB Abid, VI Brown, MA Diaz Perez, H Frangoul, SM Gadalla, MM Herr, MM Krem, HM Lazarus, MJ Martens, PA Mehta, T Nishihori, T Prestidge, MA Pulsipher, HG Rangarajan, KM Williams, LE Winestone, DE Yin, ML Riches, CE Dandoy, JJ Auletta	10/01/2022
Abnormal liver tests are not sufficient for diagnosis of hepatic graft-versus-host disease in critically ill patients. Hepatology communications	AH Yang, MAT Han, N Samala, BS Rizvi, R Marchalik, O Etzion, EC Wright, R Patel, V Khan, D Kapuria, V Samala Venkat, DE Kleiner, C Koh, JA Kanakry, CG Kanakry, S Pavletic, KM Williams, T Heller	08/01/2022
Toward a Better Understanding of the Atypical Features of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease: A Report from the 2020 National Institutes of Health Consensus Project Task Force. Transplantation and cellular therapy	GDE Cuvelier, M Schoettler, NP Buxbaum, I Pinal-Fernandez, M Schmalzing, JHW Distler, O Penack, BD Santomasso, R Zeiser, K Angstwurm, KPA MacDonald, WT Kimberly, N Taylor, E Bilic, B Banas, M Buettner-Herold, N Sinha, HT Greinix, J Pidala, KR Schultz, KM Williams, Y Inamoto, C Cutler, LM Griffith, SJ Lee, S Sarantopoulos, SZ Pavletic, D Wolff	08/01/2022
Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: current management and future directions. ERJ open research	AR Glanville, C Benden, A Bergeron, GS Cheng, J Gottlieb, ED Lease, M Perch, JL Todd, KM Williams, GM Verleden	07/01/2022
Blinatumomab induces complete response in refractory PTLD after hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood advances	S Janardan, E Horwitz, B Watkins, K Williams, S Chandrakasan, M Qayed, S Parikh, S Arnold, F Keller, A Alazraki, M Schoettler, K Leung	05/24/2022
Prospective Phase II Trial of Montelukast to Treat Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Investigation into Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome Pathogenesis. Transplantation and cellular therapy	KM Williams, SZ Pavletic, SJ Lee, PJ Martin, DE Farthing, FT Hakim, J Rose, BL Manning-Geist, JC Gea-Banacloche, LE Comis, EW Cowen, DG Justus, K Baird, GS Cheng, D Avila, SM Steinberg, SA Mitchell, RE Gress	05/01/2022
Outcome of donor-derived TAA-T cell therapy in patients with high-risk or relapsed acute leukemia post allogeneic BMT. Blood advances	H Kinoshita, KR Cooke, M Grant, M Stanojevic, CR Cruz, M Keller, MF Fortiz, F Hoq, H Lang, AJ Barrett, H Liang, J Tanna, N Zhang, A Shibli, A Datar, K Fulton, D Kukadiya, A Zhang, KM Williams, H Dave, JS Dome, D Jacobsohn, PJ Hanley, RJ Jones, CM Bollard	04/26/2022
Controversies and expectations for the prevention of GVHD: A biological and clinical perspective. Frontiers in immunology	B Watkins, KM Williams	01/01/2022
Peripheral blood marker of residual acute leukemia after hematopoietic cell transplantation using multi-plex digital droplet PCR. Frontiers in immunology	M Stanojevic, M Grant, SK Vesely, S Knoblach, CG Kanakry, J Nazarian, E Panditharatna, K Panchapakesan, RE Gress, J Holter-Chakrabarty, KM Williams	01/01/2022
Noninfectious complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation. Hematology. American Society of Hematology. Education Program	KM Williams	12/10/2021
Emerging therapeutic and preventive approaches to transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy. Current opinion in hematology	M Schoettler, S Chonat, K Williams, L Lehmann	11/01/2021
National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Project on Criteria for Clinical Trials in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease: IV. The 2020 Highly morbid forms report. Transplantation and cellular therapy	D Wolff, V Radojcic, R Lafyatis, R Cinar, RK Rosenstein, EW Cowen, GS Cheng, A Sheshadri, A Bergeron, KM Williams, JL Todd, T Teshima, GDE Cuvelier, E Holler, SR McCurdy, RR Jenq, AM Hanash, D Jacobsohn, BD Santomasso, S Jain, Y Ogawa, P Steven, ZK Luo, T Dietrich-Ntoukas, D Saban, E Bilic, O Penack, LM Griffith, M Cowden, PJ Martin, HT Greinix, S Sarantopoulos, G Socie, BR Blazar, J Pidala, CL Kitko, DR Couriel, C Cutler, KR Schultz, SZ Pavletic, SJ Lee, S Paczesny	10/01/2021
Checkpoint-blocked T cells checkmate AML. Blood	KM Williams	06/10/2021
COVID-19 Cliff Notes: A COVID-19 Multidisciplinary Care Compendium. Transplantation and cellular therapy	KM Williams, PT Wilson, F Silva-Palacios, J Kebbe, AD LaBeaud, H Agudelo, RF Sidonio, SR Stowell, CD Josephson, BA Tarini, JL Holter Chakrabarty, AL Agwu	06/01/2021
National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Project on Criteria for Clinical Trials in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease: I. The 2020 Etiology and Prevention Working Group Report. Transplantation and cellular therapy	KM Williams, Y Inamoto, A Im, B Hamilton, J Koreth, M Arora, I Pusic, JW Mays, PA Carpenter, L Luznik, P Reddy, J Ritz, H Greinix, S Paczesny, BR Blazar, J Pidala, C Cutler, D Wolff, KR Schultz, SZ Pavletic, SJ Lee, PJ Martin, G Socie, S Sarantopoulos	06/01/2021