Dr. Crees joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor in July 2023. In addition, Dr. Crees serves as the Assistant Clinical Director of the Washington University Center for Gene and Cellular Immunotherapy (CGCI). Dr. Crees provides clinical care for patients with hematologic malignancies including Multiple Myeloma, Lymphoma and Leukemia with a particular interest in cellular based immunotherapies including T-cell engaging therapies, CAR-T cell therapies and stem cell transplantation. His current research focuses on developing novel regimens to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells for use in stem cell transplantation. In addition, Dr. Crees has led the development of multiple ongoing investigator-initiated as well as industry supported clinical trials focused on improving stem cell transplant effectiveness, mitigating treatment-related toxicities and improving the effectiveness of CAR-T cell and T-cell engaging therapies for hematologic malignancies.
In addition to his clinical and research interests, Dr. Crees remains committed to medical education and training the next generation of diverse cancer physicians and scientists. His key interests are Hematologic Malignancies; Gene and Cellular Immunotherapies; Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell (CAR-T) Therapies and Stem Cell Transplantation. His research interests are studying the signaling pathways of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells within the bone marrow microenvironment which govern hematopoietic stem cell maintenance, differentiation and mobilization from the bone marrow niche to the peripheral blood. Elucidating the operative mechanisms which contribute to the efficacy and toxicity of cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies, bispecific immune-effector cell engaging therapies and the graft-versus-leukemia effect of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.