Sabarish Ram Ayyappan,MD

Sabarish Ram Ayyappan, MD, joined City of Hope Atlanta in May 2023 as Medical Director of Hematologic Malignancies, leading the hematologic malignancies program after coming to City of Hope to help establish the bone marrow transplant program at our Atlanta hospital.

“I was ready for the next step in my career, and the compassionate, patient-centered care model at City of Hope really resonated with me,” says Dr. Ayyappan. “I’m so excited to be a part of building and leading the hematologic malignancies program.”

Dr. Ayyappan earned his medical degree from Madras Medical College in Chennai, India, then completed an internal medicine residency at the Unity hospital in Rochester, New York. After his residency, Dr. Ayyappan served as Chief Fellow for his Hematology and Oncology fellowship at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Nearly two decades later, Dr. Ayyappan amassed of experience and accolades, having won numerous awards for his research studies, including the 2021 Developmental Research Program Award from the Lymphoma Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) and the 2013 and 2016 American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Awards.

This interest in research was important in leading Dr. Ayyappan to the field of oncology. He’s long had a passion for science and knew he wanted to become a doctor from a young age. He chose to specialize in oncology, in particular, since it allowed him to work as both a clinician and researcher.

“While oncology does include the largest research component,” Dr. Ayyappan says, “I was most compelled to work in this area because of the opportunities to communicate and build relationships with patients over the course of their cancer journeys.”

In addition to his own research, Dr. Ayyappan has served as a reviewer for a number of medical publications, such as the American Journal of Hematology and the Journal of Hematology and Oncology. He’s also a member of the American Society of Hematology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Medical Association, Society of Hospital Medicine and the American College of Physicians.

Prior to joining City of Hope, Dr. Ayyappan served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa, working in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Outside of his work in hematology, Dr. Ayyappan is an avid soccer fan and loves staying active. He particularly enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and children.