Angela Dispenzieri, MD

Mayo Clinic

Nominated by: Amyloidosis Support Groups

Dr. Angela Dispenzieri serves on the Medical Advisory Board to the Amyloidosis Support Groups. Morie A. Gertz, MD, Chief of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, recently noted the following about Dr. Dispenzieri: "She is committed to patient care, she described the role of biomarkers in amyloid, she's internationally known for her work with POEMS syndrome, and she is a leader in gene therapy research to treat myeloma."

Dr. Dispenzieri's main research interest involves plasma cell disorders like primary systemic amyloidosis, POEMS syndrome, multiple myeloma, and cryoglobulinemia. She also does research involving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and oncolytic viral therapy.

Dr. Dispenzieri is a clinical researcher who spends most of her research time performing clinical trials and collaborating with basic scientists who are doing translational research. She holds a B.S. degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and her medical degree is from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed a residency and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. She is Professor of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.

Amyloidosis occurs when substances known as amyloid proteins build up in various organs of the body. The disease can affect different organs in different people but is most often associated with the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract.