Tulio Rodriguez, MD

Tulio Rodriguez, MD, joined City of Hope^® Cancer Center Chicago in September 2023 as a Hematologic Oncologist specializing in the treatment of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma, caring for patients at the City of Hope Cancer Care Downtown Chicago location as well as the Chicago-area hospital, located in Zion, Illinois.

Board certified in hematology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and bilingual in English and Spanish, Dr. Rodriguez brings with him over 20 years of experience in hematologic malignancies and bone marrow transplantation. He is particularly focused on treating multiple myeloma, dedicating much of his professional life to better understanding the disease. He’s also developed deep expertise in stem cell and bone marrow transplantation, having over 2,500 procedures during his career.

Given his expertise in the area, Dr. Rodriguez was drawn to City of Hope because of its world-class bone marrow transplant program—one of the largest and most successful of its kind in the United States and known for producing superior survival rates.

Dr. Rodriguez, who serves City of Hope Chicago as Director of Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program, is passionate about helping his patients and their loved ones return to health and go back to the activities they love.

“The environments in which people live play such a huge role in their health,” Dr. Rodriguez says. “It’s very important to me to make sure that any threats to their well-being, such as access to nutritious foods, the safety of their neighborhood and their language and literacy skills, are taken care of—that’s just as important as delivering rest of their treatment plan.”

After earning his medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra School of Medicine in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Dr. Rodriguez did his internal medicine residency at San Juan Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico, then completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.

In addition to practicing at City of Hope, Dr. Rodriguez serves as a Professor of Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago. He previously taught medical students at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois, Rush University College of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, and Texas A & M University Health Science Center College of Medicine in Temple, Texas.

Dr. Rodriguez has an extensive research background, regularly serving as a guest lecturer on innovations in hematology, earning numerous awards for his research, including the Leukemia Research Foundation’s Hero of Hope Award and the American Cancer Society’s Clinical Oncology Fellowship Award.

Hematologic malignancies can be challenging to treat using traditional methods such as chemotherapy. Cellular therapies offer a promising avenue by harnessing the power of the immune system to specifically recognize and eliminate cancer cells. Dr. Rodriguez's research interest in pursuing innovative ways of treating hematologic malignancies through cellular therapy indicates a focus on advancing treatment options for blood cancers using leading-edge techniques.

Outside of City of Hope, Dr. Rodriguez enjoys reading, traveling and visiting Chicago jazz clubs with his wife and three adult children.

Location
City of Hope Chicago
250 Elisha Avenue
Zion, IL 60099

City of Hope Downtown Chicago Outpatient Care Center
160 Upper E. Illinois St.
Chicago, IL 60611

Specialties
Hematologic Oncology

Education
Medical school: Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra School of Medicine, Santiago, DR
Residency: Internal Medicine - San Juan Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Juan, PR
Fellowship: Hematology/Oncology - University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX

Certifications
Hematology – American Board of Internal Medicine