Benjamin Lerman, MD

Dr. Benjamin Lerman is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist who cares for children, adolescents and young adults with a variety of cancers. He has a special interest in neuroblastoma, a cancer that begins in immature nerve cells and is one of the most common solid tumors affecting children. As a member of UCSF's early-phase clinical trials team, he cares for patients enrolled in studies evaluating new treatments for tumors that recurred after the initial therapy.

In two different settings, Lerman conducts research focused on neuroblastoma: In the clinic, he focuses on identifying which patients with difficult-to-treat tumors are most likely to respond to specific therapies. In the lab, he applies genomics (information about a patient's entire set of genes and how they interact with their environment) to look for new ways to attack cancer cells and new combinations of medicines that can make existing treatments more effective.

Lerman earned his medical degree at Stanford University, where he also earned a master's degree in epidemiology and clinical research. He completed a residency in general pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at UCSF.