Dr. Steven Ambrusko joined the staff of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in 2007 as Staff Attending Physician, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. He is the Director of the Sickle Cell & Hemoglobinopathy Center at Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.

Dr. Ambrusko earned his degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, NY in 2000; completed residency in Pediatrics at SUNY at Buffalo in 2003; and a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Health System, Pittsburgh, PA in 2007.

Dr. Ambrusko is licensed by New York State and is certified by American Board of Pediatrics. He also is Professor of Pediatrics at SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Science. His research interest focus on the study of hyperhermolytic complications of sickle cell disease.

Martin Brecher, MD
Hematologic Oncology
Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
The Waldemar J. Kaminski Chair in Pediatrics
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Chief, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Director, Hematology Clinic
Attending Physician, Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences University at Buffalo

Dr. Martin L. Brecher joined the staff of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in 1977, and was appointed Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics in 1990. He earned his medical degree at the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1972. He completed residency training in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo (CHOB) in 1975, and fellowship training in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at RPCI and CHOB in 1977.

Dr. Brecher is licensed by New York State and certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners (1973), and American Board of Pediatrics (1977; Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Subspecialty Boards, 1978). He also is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Brecher’s research interests focus on coordinating clinical studies on childhood cancers for the national Pediatric Oncology Group (POG); developing innovative treatments for brain tumors in children; clinical and laboratory studies in lymphoproliferative diseases, specifically lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease; prenatal and early childhood exposures as factors in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia; and the long-term effects on cognitive development of children treated for acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Dr. Brecher is a member of many professional organizations, including, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Society of Hematology. He currently serves on a number of committees at RPCI, CHOB, UB and POG. Dr. Brecher has authored or co-authored more than 100 journal publications, book chapters and abstracts.

Barbara Bambach, MD

Barbara J. Bambach, MD, joined the faculty at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in 1995 as an Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics. She also serves as Associate Professor of Pediatrics, State University of New York at Buffalo.

Dr. Bambach earned her Medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1989. She served as a resident at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC between 1989-1992 working in pediatrics. She also completed a fellowship at John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland in 1995 focusing on Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Dr. Bambach is certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Subspecialty Boards.

Dr. Bambach’s research interests include hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children.

Dr. Bambach is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Children’s Oncology Group, American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Consortium. She also serves as the Medical Director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York.

Dr. Bambach authored or co-authored over 30 journal articles, abstracts and book chapters.


Theresa Carbone, MS, CPNP, CFNP
Hematologic Oncology

Julie Comella-Higgins, RN
Hematologic Oncology

Lorna Fitzpatrick, MD
Hematologic Oncology

Linda Harm, NP
Sickle Cell


Meghan Higman, MD, PhD
Hematologic Oncology
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Department of Pediatrics
Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Dr. Higman joined the staff of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in 2006, as a Senior Staff Attending Physician, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Dr. Higman earned her degree MD/PhD degree from State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY in 1995; and completed residency in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1998, and a fellowship in Oncology and Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, in 2001.

Dr. Higman is licensed by New York State and is certified by American Board of Pediatrics, Subspecialty: Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. She also is Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Higman's research interests focus on the study of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantations and The Biology of Hodgkin’s Disease.

Dr. Higman is a member of the Children’s Oncology Group, American Academy of Pediatrics (member), American Society of Hematology (associate member 2000-present), American Society of Clinical Oncology (associate member 2000-present), American Association of Clinical Research (associate member 2000-2001), American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (member) and ASBMT member (2004-present)


Lynn Menza, NP
Hemophilia

Brian McGrath, MD
Orthopedic Oncology

Mary Jane Petruzzi, MD
Hematologic Oncology

Barbara Benz, BSN, MS
Nurse Adminstrator, Pediatric Oncology
Department of Nursing, RPCI

Barbara Benz joined Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in 1981 as a Registered Nurse for the Department of Nursing. She is currently the nurse administrator for both the Pediatric in-patient unit and the Pediatric Center.

Ms. Benz received her Bachelors in Nursing from D'Youville College and her Masters of Science in Nursing from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She holds licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of New York. She has received certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support.

Ms. Benz's research interests include Pediatric Oncology and the use of Phase I clinical