Co-Director, ACH Leukemia and Lymphoma Program
Associate Professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Undergraduate: Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, 1991-1995
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 1996-2000
Residency: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 2000-2003
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes, Baltimore, MD and Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 2003-2006
Certification: American Board of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (2009)
Track: Clinician Scientist
Interests:
Dr. Farrar joined UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in July of 2012. His clinical interests focus on hematologic malignancies, the genetic basis of hematopoiesis, and bone marrow failure. Since 2020, he has taken over primary responsibility for the treatment of SOT-associated PTLD, served as the designated “backup” for the developing stem cell transplant and cellular therapies group and began co-development of the leukemia and lymphoma program (in 2022). He is active in many areas of institutional mission including education and research. He has mentored over 25 individuals including junior faculty, fellows, graduate and medical students and undergraduates in research and scholarly project activities. He teaches within the clinical environment, in the first-year medical school hematology module, and is active in PHO fellow educational activities, having previously served as chair of the PEC until 2022.
Research:
Dr. Farrar’s research interests focus on the genetic underpinnings of inherited bone marrow failure and myeloid malignancies. His research has been supported since 2008 as PI on K08, project and core leader of the Center for Pediatric Translational Research (P20), PI of an R01 and recently funded DOD proposal, co-I on 2 R01s and several private foundation awards. A focus of his research has been in defining the genetic basis for and pathophysiology of Diamond Blackfan anemia, which is the primary wet-lab activity in his laboratory. Since 2008, he has been a member of a COG-centered myeloid genomics working group, using bioinformatic and large-data approaches to define the genetic and epigenetic features that underlie treatment failure in pediatric AML. Additionally, he serves as the director of the genomics core laboratory at ACRI, providing NGS and other research sequencing data and analytic services to the CTPR, ACRI and ACNC.
Leadership Roles:
Quaternary Research Program Leader (H/O), ACRI
Director, ACRI Genomic Core Laboratory, ACRI
Co-Director, Leukemia and Lymphoma Program, ACH
CHC-Research Committee
DOP Research Council
Steering Committee & Publications Committee, North American Pediatric Aplastic Anemia Consortium
Myeloid Diseases Committee, Children’s Oncology Group
Scientific Advisory Board, Diamond Blackfan Anemia Registry