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Dr. Laughlin is a nationally recognized expert in marrow and stem transplants whose work in umbilical cord blood stem cell biology has helped create new therapeutic applications in hematology and cardiology. The UVA School of Medicine recruited her in July 2010 to join the faculty and establish a new clinical and laboratory research program in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. 

Dr. Laughlin’s distinguished career has been built on both research and clinical practice. During her time as an assistant professor of medicine at Duke University, she and her collaborators pursued laboratory and translational clinical research focused on the first series of unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cell transplant procedures performed in the world. After she was recruited to Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Laughlin produced papers examining stem cell outcomes in adult leukemia patients and comparing the use of UCB as a new stem cell source with conventional bone marrow grafts in adult leukemia patients. She received her medical degree cum laude at SUNY Buffalo as an accelerated student, completing medical school in three years and attaining Alpha Omega Alpha membership. 

She completed an Internal Medicine residency and Hematology/Oncology fellowship training at Duke along with a 24-month fellowship rotation studying allogeneic stem cell transplantation at Roswell Park Cancer Institute under G. Herzig, MD, and C. Bloomfield, MD, trailblazers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in leukemia patients. 

Throughout her career, Dr. Laughlin has championed the concept of “from bench to bedside and back.” She brings this pioneering spirit to UVA’s new Stem Cell Transplant Program, ensuring an emphasis on both groundbreaking research and exceptional patient care.