Blog
Under the Microscope: Dr. Oussama Abla
Dr. Oussama Abla is the director of the Pediatric Histiocytosis Program at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SICK KIDS). He is also on the Association’s Medical and Scientific Committee.
Getting into the histiocytosis field: I got interested in treating children with LCH when I saw a child in 2006 with LCH and a history of neuroblastoma. I got intrigued by this rare association, and since 2007 I have been involved in the field of pediatric Histiocytosis.
Mentors in the field: Dr Sheila Weitzman was my first wonderful mentor when she told me there weren’t many young physicians involved in Histiocytosis. Therefore, I attended my first histiocyte Society meeting in Cambridge in 2007 and she introduced me to the LCH-IV working group; this led me to be involved in the design of this important trial, and in 2009 we opened the First pediatric Histiocytosis clinic in Canada. Dr Jim Whitlock has also been a great mentor of mine when he proposed my name as the leader of the Rare Histiocytic Disorders working group in 2009, and has been the Co-PI on the International Registry of Rare histiocytic disorders since 2015. Dr Stephan Ladisch has also been one of my amazing Histiocytosis mentors, who helped me through a lot of critical thinking in LCH since 2018.
Hobbies/favorite activities outside of work: Cooking, walking, swimming and travelling
To learn more about Dr. Abla’s research and SICKKIDS, click here.
Huge thanks to Dr. Abla for participating in this highlight of a histio doctor.