Kenneth Lucas, M.D., a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, has joined Albany Medical Center’s Department of Pediatrics, as the director of the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital.

He was also appointed chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and the John and Anna Landis Endowed Chair for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology; and professor of pediatrics at Albany Medical College.

Lucas has more than 20 years of experience in pediatric hematology/oncology, specializing in bone-marrow transplantation, leukemia, immunotherapy and infections in immune-compromised patients. Most recently, he practiced pediatric hematology/oncology and general pediatrics at Lourdes Hospital Pediatrics in Binghamton, New York. Prior to that, he served as professor of pediatrics, and chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

In addition, his research focusing on cancer, immunotherapy and immunotherapy for infections after transplant has been published in “Pediatrics, Journal of Immunology Research and Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy.” He has also made numerous presentations on immunotherapy at national conferences.

Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and its Sub-board of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and General Pediatrics, Lucas received his medical degree from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse. He completed his residency at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and his fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

He lives in Schenectady with his wife and their two children.

His predecessor, Vikramjit S Kanwar, M.D., has accepted a position as head of the department for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Care Institute of Medical Sciences in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in western India.