Zainul S. Hasanali, MD, PhD

Dr. Zainul S. Hasanali, MD, PhD, is a plasma cell malignancies oncologist who specializes in the treatment and care of patients with MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma, multiple myeloma, plasma cell leukemia and AL amyloidosis. He also oversees the care of patients receiving allogeneic/autologous stem cell transplants, bispecific antibody treatment and CART therapy at IU Health's main downtown Indianapolis campus.

Dr. Hasanali graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He went on to join the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) at the Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine, from which he graduated AOA with an MD and PhD in Molecular Medicine in 2017. He pursued the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Research Track for Internal Medicine Residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, completing the program in 2019 and joining the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Hematology Oncology Fellowship program thereafter. He subspecialized in plasma cell malignancies clinically and began post-doctoral research in basic plasma cell biology in the laboratory of David Allman, PhD. He achieved ABIM internal medicine board certification in 2020. He completed his fellowship and post-doctoral training in 2023 and joined the division of Hematology Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania as an Instructor of Medicine. He used his 2 years of instructor time to build clinical expertise in the administration of advanced therapies for hematologic malignancies (CART and bispecific therapies) and to further develop his laboratory-based research program. Throughout fellowship and instructorship, Dr. Hasanali was supported by prestigious NIH T32 and KL2 grants. He received his board certification in Hematology from the ABIM in 2024 and after a broad application cycle, decided to accept an offer as a tenure-track investigator and physician at Indiana University and Indiana University Health in the Fall of 2025.

Dr. Hasanali oversees laboratory research into survival mechanisms of normal and cancerous plasma cells with the goal of discovering new drug targets and subsequently new drugs to cure plasma cell diseases such as multiple myeloma. He is currently funded through a K08 grant from the NCI. He plans to utilize and partner with Indiana University Health's large patient footprint in multiple myeloma to study cancer cells from patients to achieve these goals. He has already been involved in several high-profile studies published in high-impact journals and presented at international meetings.

Dr. Hasanali was born and raised in Houston, TX, ventured north for school, and has made his way to Indiana and the Midwest with fervor. He has a family of his own, enjoys the outdoors, loves football and plays video games vicariously through his children. He is dedicated to bringing the best care to patients by looking for new treatments in the lab, helping them traverse their disease in the clinic and encouraging them to use their time to enjoy their lives, leaving cancer in the rear-view mirror.