Rebecca J Ronsley, MD, FRCPC

Rebecca J Ronsley, MD, FRCPC

Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Brain Tumor Program, Immunotherapy Program

On staff since August 2022

Children's Title: Attending Physician, Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Academic Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine

Research Center: Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research

"It is a privilege to care for children with brain tumors as part of a multidisciplinary team of exemplary, committed care providers here at Seattle Children’s. I continue to be inspired by the strength and resilience of our patients and families."

  • Biography

    Dr. Ronsley is an Attending Physician and pediatric oncologist in the Brain Tumor Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She is the Program Director for the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowship and Education Lead for the Brain Tumor Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She is a Clinician Scholar and is involved with local and national trials to develop novel therapies for difficult-to-treat pediatric brain tumors. She currently serves as the Study Chair of our local Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell trials: BrainChild-01 (targeting HER2), BrainChild-03 (targeting B7-H3), and BrainChild-04(multi-antigen targeting of HER, EGFR, B7-H3, and IL-13ra2). As well, Dr. Ronsley is interested in survivorship/morbidity reduction for pediatric brain tumor patients and collaborates locally and nationally with the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Study and the International CNS Germ Cell Tumor Consortium.

    • Related Pages

    • DIPG Research Program

      DIPG Research Program

      Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and diffuse midline gliomas (DMG) are aggressive childhood cancers. The DIPG Research Program at Seattle Children’s focuses on development of new therapies for aggressive brain and central nervous system tumors through optimization of clinical care.

  • Patient Testimonials

    • Sandra Seattle, WA 07.28.23

      Dr. Ronsley is my daughter's oncologist for craniopharyngioma. She has a complicated brain tumor and many hormone problems, which have been challenging to manage. Dr. Ronsley is very knowledgeable about our child's diagnosis and explained everything very clearly to us right for the beginning. Dr. Ronsley has been so kind and so patient in answering all of our questions. She works together with our endocrinologist to make sure the care is coordinated and we heard from the endocrinologist that Dr. Ronsley is an expert in this particular diagnosis - we feel so lucky to have her caring for our daughter! She is so humble, and never in a rush and is wonderful with our daughter and always prioritizes making her feel comfortable in the appointment.

    • Barbara Seattle, WA 02.06.23

      Dr. Ronsley is our son's oncologist and she is absolutely wonderful. She is highly intelligent and clearly knows the field and we trust her completely. She is patient and makes sure that we understand everything she is saying. I know that she will leave no stone unturned when it comes to our son's care. She is also great with our son - she is kind and thoughtful and really tries to ensure that he is comfortable every visit. He started his oncology journey scared and would scream every time someone came in the room, but Dr. Ronsley worked hard to make visits "fun" and now he smiles and is excited to see her - he absolutely loves her! thank you, Dr. Ronsley, for everything you do!

    Recommend Rebecca J Ronsley, MD, FRCPC

  • Awards and Honors

    Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date
    Seattle Children's Hospital Faculty Teacher of the Year, Division of Hematology, Oncology and BMT 2023
    Department of Pediatrics Best Fellow Research Award University of British Columbia 2021
    Department of Pediatrics Best Fellow Research Award University of British Columbia 2018
    Dr. John Dupre Award Canadian Society for Endocrinology and Metabolism 2017
    Department of Pediatrics Best Resident Research Paper Award University of British Columbia 2017
    David Alexander Clark M.D Award Department of Pediatrics- Best Resident University of British Columbia 2017
    First Place in the 29th Annual National Canadian Paediatric Resident Research Competition 2017
    Child & Family Research Institute Outstanding Achievement by a Resident British Columbia Children’s Hospital 2016
    Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) Award of Excellence 2015
    Department of Paediatrics Best Resident Research Award University of British Columbia 2015
    Best Resident Research Paper Award Department of Paediatrics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital 2015
    First place in the 27th Annual National Canadian Paediatric Resident Research Competition 2015
    Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award University of Toronto 2014
    Delbert S. Hoare Medical Education Award University of Toronto 2014
    Nishant Fozdar Memorial Award University of Toronto 2014
    Citizenship Top Medical Student Award Professional Association of Interns and Residents of Ontario (PAIRO) 2013
    Pilari Scholarship Scholarship awarded to a University of Toronto medical student from any year of medicine for outstanding contributions to medical education. University of Toronto 2012

  • Publications

    Other Publications

    • Tam LT, Cole B, Stasi SM, Paulson VA, Wright JN, Hoeppner C, Holtzclaw S, Crotty EE, Ellenbogen RG, Lee A, Ermoian RP, Lockwood CM, Leary SES, Ronsley R
      Somatic Versus Germline: A Case Series of Three Children With ATM-Mutated Medulloblastoma.
      38207225 JCO precision oncology, 2024 Jan. : 8e2300333
    • Ronsley R, Triscott J, Stanek J, Rassekh SR, Lum A, Cheng S, Goddard K, McConnell D, Strahlendorf C, Singhal A, Finlay JL, Yip S, Dunham C, Hukin J
      Outcomes of a radiation sparing approach in medulloblastoma by subgroup in young children: an institutional review.
      37022464 Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2023 Aug. : 39(8)2095-2104 PMCID:PMC10390609
    • Ronsley R, Lazow M, Henry RK
      Growth hormone after CNS tumor diagnosis: the fundamentals, fears, facts, and future directions.
      36939305 Pediatric hematology and oncology, 2023 Mar 20 : 1-14
    • Ronsley R, Crowell C, Irvine M, Kang M, Goldman RD, Erker C, Cheng S
      Impact of Time to Diagnosis on Morbidity and Survival in Children With Malignant Central Nervous System Tumors.
      35129148 Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology, 2023 Mar 1 : 45(2)e188-e193
    • Vitanza NA, Ronsley R, Choe M, Henson C, Breedt M, Barrios-Anderson A, Wein A, Brown C, Beebe A, Kong A, Kirkey D, Lee BM, Leary SES, Crotty EE, Hoeppner C, Holtzclaw S, Wilson AL, Gustafson JA, Foster JB, Iliff JJ, Goldstein HE, Browd SR, Lee A, Ojemann JG, Pinto N, Gust J, Gardner RA, Jensen MC, Hauptman JS, Park JR
      Locoregional CAR T cells for children with CNS tumors: Clinical procedure and catheter safety.
      36599192 Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.), 2023 Feb. : 36100870 PMCID:PMC9823206
    • L'Ecuyer A, Ronsley R, Lam J, Dix DB
      Complete resolution of alopecia totalis following chemotherapy for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
      35297096 Pediatric dermatology, 2022 July : 39(4)655-656
    • Favel K, Irvine M, Ronsley R, Panagiotopoulos C, Mammen C
      Glomerular Filtration Rate Abnormalities in Children With Type 1 Diabetes.
      35752567 Canadian journal of diabetes, 2022 July : 46(5)457-463.e1
    • Ronsley R, Boué DR, Venkata LPR, Scott S, Shaikhouni A, Jones J, Schieffer KM, Cottrell CE, Mardis ER, Olshefski R, Salloum R, Miller KE
      An unusual case of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, initially diagnosed as atypical pituitary adenoma in a 13-year-old male patient.
      35967098 Neuro-oncology advances, 2022 Jan. : 4(1)vdac121 PMCID:PMC9370375
    • Ronsley R, Bouffet E, Dirks P, Drake J, Kulkarni A, Bartels U
      Successful management of symptomatic hydrocephalus using a temporary external ventricular drain with or without endoscopic third ventriculostomy in pediatric patients with germinoma.
      35238528 Journal of neurosurgery, 2021 Dec 3 : 1-6
    • Ronsley R, Bouffet E
      COVID-19 in pediatric cancer: Where are the brain tumors?
      34415031 Neuro-oncology, 2021 Nov 2 : 23(11)1977-1979 PMCID:PMC8763231
    • Jogendran M, Ronsley R, Goldman RD, Cheng S
      Perceived Barriers to the Time to Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Tumors in Children: Surveying the Perspectives From the Frontline.
      34133384 Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology, 2021 Nov 1 : 43(8)e1262-e1265
    • Graham RT, Abu-Arja MH, Stanek JR, Cappellano A, Coleman C, Chi S, Cooney T, Dhall G, Ellen JG, Finlay JL, Fisher MJ, Friedman GK, Gajjar A, Gauvain K, Hoffman LM, Hukin J, Lucas JT Jr, Mueller S, Navalkele P, Ronsley R, Tinkle C, Villeneuve S, Yeo KK, Su JM, Margol A, Gottardo NG, Allen J, Packer R, Bartels U, Abdelbaki MS
      Multi-institutional analysis of treatment modalities in basal ganglia and thalamic germinoma.
      34125480 Pediatric blood & cancer, 2021 Oct. : 68(10)e29172 PMCID:PMC9639702
    • Ronsley R, Cardarelli-Leite L, Burrill J, Deyell RJ, Heran MKS
      Life-Threatening Intratumoral Hemorrhage in an Infant with Hepatoblastoma Successfully Treated with Hepatic Arterial Embolization.
      33864908 Journal of vascular and interventional radiology : JVIR, 2021 July : 32(7)1094-1096
    • Ronsley R, Hounjet CD, Cheng S, Rassekh SR, Duncan WJ, Dunham C, Gardiner J, Ghag A, Ludemann JP, Wensley D, Rehmus W, Sargent MA, Hukin J
      Trametinib therapy for children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and life-threatening plexiform neurofibroma or treatment-refractory low-grade glioma.
      33939292 Cancer medicine, 2021 June : 10(11)3556-3564 PMCID:PMC8178485
    • Ronsley R, Jacques L, Potts JE, Clement K, Dix DB, Mahon P
      Association between in-line filtration and Type I hypersensitivity reactions in pediatric oncology patients receiving intravenous etoposide.
      33150845 Pediatric hematology and oncology, 2021 April : 38(3)208-215
    • Ronsley R, Dunham C, Yip S, Brown L, Zuccato JA, Karimi S, Zadeh G, Goddard K, Singhal A, Hukin J, Cheng S
      A case series of pediatric survivors of anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma.
      33543147 Neuro-oncology advances, 2021 Jan. : 3(1)vdaa176 PMCID:PMC7849951
    • Ronsley R, Rassekh SR, Fleming A, Empringham B, Jennings W, Portwine C, Burrow S, Zelcer S, Johnston DL, Thabane L, Samaan MC
      High molecular weight adiponectin levels are inversely associated with adiposity in pediatric brain tumor survivors.
      33122755 Scientific reports, 2020 Oct 29 : 10(1)18606 PMCID:PMC7596561
    • Fox DA, Ronsley R, Khowaja AR, Haim A, Vallance H, Sinclair G, Amed S
      Clinical Impact and Cost Efficacy of Newborn Screening for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.
      32044100 The Journal of pediatrics, 2020 May : 220101-108.e2
    • Marr K, Ronsley R, Nadel H, Douglas K, Gershony S, Strahlendorf C, Davis JH, Deyell RJ
      Ifosfamide, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine is an effective salvage regimen with excellent stem cell mobilization in relapsed or refractory pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma.
      31925920 Pediatric blood & cancer, 2020 April : 67(4)e28167
    • Ronsley R, Islam N, Kang M, Nadel H, Reilly C, Metzger D, Selby K, Panagiotopoulos C
      Effects of Bisphosphonate Therapy on Bone Mineral Density in Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
      33335437 Clinical medicine insights. Endocrinology and diabetes, 2020 : 131179551420972400 PMCID:PMC7724415
    • Ronsley R, Kariminia A, Ng B, Mostafavi S, Reid G, Subrt P, Hijiya N, Schultz KR
      The TLR9 agonist (GNKG168) induces a unique immune activation pattern in vivo in children with minimal residual disease positive acute leukemia: Results of the TACL T2009-008 phase I study.
      31530240 Pediatric hematology and oncology, 2019 Nov. : 36(8)468-481
    • Ronsley R, Ling F, Rehmus W, Dmytryshyn A
      Lice infestation causing severe anemia in a 4-year-old child.
      31300428 Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 2019 July : 65(7)473-475 PMCID:PMC6738469
    • Coupal KE, Heeney ND, Hockin BCD, Ronsley R, Armstrong K, Sanatani S, Claydon VE
      Pubertal Hormonal Changes and the Autonomic Nervous System: Potential Role in Pediatric Orthostatic Intolerance.
      31798399 Frontiers in neuroscience, 2019 : 131197 PMCID:PMC6861527
    • Ronsley R, Rassekh SR, Shen Y, Lee AF, Jantzen C, Halparin J, Albert C, Hawkins DS, Amed S, Rothstein R, Mungall AJ, Dix D, Blair G, Nadel H, Jones SJM, Laskin J, Marra MA, J Deyell R
      Application of genomics to identify therapeutic targets in recurrent pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma.
      29610391 Cold Spring Harbor molecular case studies, 2018 April : 4(2) PMCID:PMC5880264
    • Ronsley R, Islam N, Ronsley C, Metzger DL, Panagiotopoulos C
      Adherence to a pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis protocol in children presenting to a tertiary care hospital.
      28664545 Pediatric diabetes, 2018 March : 19(2)333-338
    • Hursh BE, Ronsley R, Islam N, Mammen C, Panagiotopoulos C
      Acute Kidney Injury in Children With Type 1 Diabetes Hospitalized for Diabetic Ketoacidosis.
      28288246 JAMA pediatrics, 2017 May 1 : 171(5)e170020
    • Ronsley R, Nguyen D, Davidson J, Panagiotopoulos C
      Increased Risk of Obesity and Metabolic Dysregulation Following 12 Months of Second-Generation Antipsychotic Treatment in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study.
      26720191 Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2015 Oct. : 60(10)441-50 PMCID:PMC4679120
    • Ronsley R, Lee AS, Kuzeljevic B, Panagiotopoulos C
      Healthy Buddies™ reduces body mass index z-score and waist circumference in Aboriginal children living in remote coastal communities.
      23879779 The Journal of school health, 2013 Sept. : 83(9)605-13
    • Ronsley R, Scott D, Warburton WP, Hamdi RD, Louie DC, Davidson J, Panagiotopoulos C
      A population-based study of antipsychotic prescription trends in children and adolescents in British Columbia, from 1996 to 2011.
      23768264 Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2013 June : 58(6)361-9
    • Ronsley R, Rayter M, Smith D, Davidson J, Panagiotopoulos C
      Metabolic monitoring training program implementation in the community setting was associated with improved monitoring in second-generation antipsychotic-treated children.
      22546061 Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2012 May : 57(5)292-9
    • Panagiotopoulos C, Ronsley R, Kuzeljevic B, Davidson J
      Waist circumference is a sensitive screening tool for assessment of metabolic syndrome risk in children treated with second-generation antipsychotics.
      22296966 Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2012 Jan. : 57(1)34-44
    • Panagiotopoulos C, Ronsley R, Al-Dubayee M, Brant R, Kuzeljevic B, Rurak E, Cristall A, Marks G, Sneddon P, Hinchliffe M, Chanoine JP, Mâsse LC
      The centre for healthy weights--shapedown BC: a family-centered, multidisciplinary program that reduces weight gain in obese children over the short-term.
      22408595 International journal of environmental research and public health, 2011 Dec. : 8(12)4662-78 PMCID:PMC3290977
    • Ronsley R, Raghuram K, Davidson J, Panagiotopoulos C
      Barriers and facilitators to implementation of a metabolic monitoring protocol in hospital and community settings for second-generation antipsychotic-treated youth.
      21541103 Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry = Journal de l'Academie canadienne de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, 2011 May : 20(2)134-41 PMCID:PMC3085673
    • Ronsley R, Elbe D, Smith DH, Garland EJ
      Do Hospital and Community SSRI Usage Patterns in Children and Adolescents Match the Evidence?
      20842278 Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry = Journal de l'Academie canadienne de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, 2010 Aug. : 19(3)218-26 PMCID:PMC2938756
    • Panagiotopoulos C, Ronsley R, Elbe D, Davidson J, Smith DH
      First do no harm: promoting an evidence-based approach to atypical antipsychotic use in children and adolescents.
      20467549 Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry = Journal de l'Academie canadienne de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, 2010 May : 19(2)124-37 PMCID:PMC2868560
    • Panagiotopoulos C, Ronsley R, Davidson J
      Increased prevalence of obesity and glucose intolerance in youth treated with second-generation antipsychotic medications.
      19961662 Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2009 Nov. : 54(11)743-9

  • Research Funding

    Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date
    2023 CRSP Award SCRI-BTCCCR
    National Cancer Institute (U24 CA55727)
    Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Junior Faculty Award
    St. Jude CCSS Career Development Award St Jude Research

Overview

Medical/Professional School

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, ON

Residency

British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC

Fellowship

British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH

Clinical Interests

Care of children with central nervous system tumors, early phase clinical trials including CAR-T cell patient care, survivorship and late effects. 

 

Research Description

Research interests including using tumor biology to develop novel therapeutic strategies for difficult-to-treat pediatric brain tumors. This includes local and national collaboration on early phase clinical trials for pediatric high-grade glioma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, including the SCH BrainChild CAR-T cell studies. Additional interests include survivorship/morbidity reduction for pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Research Focus Area

Early phase trials for CNS Tumors, survivorship and morbidity reduction, medical education