Jens Hillengass, MD, PhD

Specialty: Hematologic Oncology
Chief, Department of Medicine - Myeloma and Amyloidosis
Vice Chair for Research

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Locations

Roswell Park Main Campus
1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355)

Cancers Treated:

Specializing In:

  • Diagnostics and treatment of monoclonal plasma cell disorders
  • Autologous stem cell transplantation
  • Hemato-oncological imaging
  • Immunotherapies

Research Interests:

  • Imaging of bone and bone marrow involvement in monoclonal plasma cell diseases
  • Optimizing and individualizing myeloma treatment
  • Early detection and characterization of monoclonal plasma cell disorders
  • High-risk multiple myeloma and plasma cell leukemia
  • Lifestyle interventions in hematological patients

Biography

While in Medical School I focused my research on the investigation of morphological and functional imaging of hematological diseases, especially monoclonal plasma cell disorders. Our group has established magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) as novel standard diagnostic techniques in multiple myeloma and its precursor diseases. The discovery of a heterogeneity in growth patterns in myeloma has led us to focus on the significance of a spatial heterogeneity for genomic assessment and treatment monitoring especially minimal residual disease assessment.

The huge amount of information coming from whole body imaging motivated us to start the development of software tools to support the radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist in evaluating the clinical data and to make this "big imaging data" available for research. Dealing with myeloma patients in advanced stages of the disease and analyzing imaging results of modern imaging techniques has led to a deeper interest in myeloma bone disease, where we have started to investigate the influence of physical activity on pain, quality of life and skeletal related events. Having been responsible for the largest autologous stem cell transplant program in Germany has also motivated me to investigate how treatment with high dose chemotherapy can be improved regarding outcome and tolerability.

Positions

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Professor of Oncology and Internal Medicine
  • Vice Chair for Research
  • Chief – Department of Medicine - Myeloma and Amyloidosis

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo

  • Professor of Medicine
  • Division of Hematology and Oncology

Background

Education and Training

  • MD - University of Heidelberg, Germany
  • PhD - University of Heidelberg, Germany

Residency

  • University of Heidelberg, Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology

Fellowship

  • University of Heidelberg, Hematology and Oncology
  • German Cancer Research Center, Radiology
  • National Cancer Institute, short term visiting researcher

Board Certification

  • Internal Medicine
  • Hematology and Oncology

Professional Memberships

  • American Society of Hematology
  • International Myeloma Working Group
  • Black Swan Research Initiative
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology

Professional Experience

  • Head of the autologous transplant program at the University of Heidelberg
  • Deputy head of the section multiple myeloma of the University of Heidelberg

Honors & Awards

  • 2017 - Familie Kasprzak Forschungspreis
  • 2009 - Young Masters Award der DGHO
  • 2008 - Gerok-Scholarship Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum

Clinical Trials

Featured on CancerTalk

Publications

  Full Publications list on PubMed

Merz M, Merz AMA, Wang J, Wei L, Hu Q, Hutson N, Rondeau C, Celotto K, Belal A, Alberico R, Block AW, Mohammadpour H, Wallace PK, Tario J, Luce J, Glenn ST, Singh P, Herr MM, Hahn T, Samur M, Munshi N, Liu S, McCarthy PL, Hillengass J
Deciphering spatial genomic heterogeneity at a single cell resolution in multiple myeloma
Nat Commun. 2022 Feb 10;13(1):807. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-28266-z.

Hillengass J, Usmani S, Rajkumar SV, Durie BGM, Mateos MV, Lonial S, Joao C, Anderson KC, García-Sanz R, Serra ER, Du J, van de Donk N, Berdeja JG, Terpos E, Zamagni E, Kyle RA, San Miguel J, Goldschmidt H, Giralt S, Kumar S, Raje N, Ludwig H, Ocio E, Schots R, Einsele H, Schjesvold F, Chen WM, Abildgaard N, Lipe BC, Dytfeld D, Wirk BM, Drake M, Cavo M, Lahuerta JJ, Lentzsch S. International myeloma working group consensus recommendations on imaging in monoclonal plasma cell disorders. Lancet Oncol. 2019 Jun;20(6):e302-e312. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(19)30309-2. Review.

Hillengass J, Moulopoulos LA, Delorme S, Koutoulidis V, Mosebach J, Hielscher T, Drake M, Rajkumar SV, Oestergaard B, Abildgaard N, Hinge M, Plesner T, Suehara Y, Matsue K, Withofs N, Caers J, Waage A, Goldschmidt H, Dimopoulos MA, Lentzsch S, Durie B, Terpos E. Whole-body computed tomography versus conventional skeletal survey in patients with multiple myeloma: a study of the International Myeloma Working Group. Blood Cancer J. 2017 Aug 25;7(8):e599. doi: 10.1038/bcj.2017.78.

Hillengass J, Weber MA, Kilk K, Listl K, Wagner-Gund B, Hillengass M, Hielscher T, Farid A, Neben K, Delorme S, Landgren O, Goldschmidt H. Prognostic significance of whole-body MRI in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Leukemia. 2014 Jan;28(1):174-8. doi: 10.1038/leu.2013.244. Epub 2013 Aug 20.

Hillengass J, Fechtner K, Weber MA, Bäuerle T, Ayyaz S, Heiss C, Hielscher T, Moehler TM, Egerer G, Neben K, Ho AD, Kauczor HU, Delorme S, Goldschmidt H. Prognostic significance of focal lesions in whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in patients with asymptomatic multiple myeloma. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Mar 20;28(9):1606-10. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2009.25.5356. Epub 2010 Feb 22.