Jan Philipp Bewersdorf, MD, specializes in hematology with a focus on the treatment of myeloid malignancies, including myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes, and acute myeloid leukemia.
These conditions involve the abnormal development of blood cells and can present with symptoms such as fatigue, recurrent infections, and easy bruising.
“Leukemia unfortunately remains a life-threatening disease. However, not all forms of leukemia are equal, and I seek to empower my patients with information that is tailored to their individual situation and needs,” he says. “We have many effective therapies already available that can prolong life and improve quality of life. I remain optimistic that soon there will be additional therapies available that are even more potent than what we have today.”
Building relationships with his patients and their families is one of the most rewarding parts of his job, Dr. Bewersdorf says.
"It is a great privilege to take care of patients with leukemia and to support them and their families on this journey,” herf says. “Getting to know them as individual patients is very important to me and motivates me to work harder every day as I strive to treat every patient as I would like my family member. Knowing that I can make a positive impact on my patient's lives makes me most excited about my work.”
In his research, Dr. Bewersdorf collaborates with laboratory-based colleagues to integrate basic research with clinical applications, aiming to uncover new therapeutic strategies for diseases of the blood and bone marrow. "While we still cannot cure all patients with leukemia, we do have effective therapies available thanks to ongoing research efforts,” he says.
An assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Bewersdorf completed his medical education at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and his internal medicine residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. He further specialized through a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
