Ruthee-Lu Bayer, MD

Ruthee-Lu Bayer, MD, is the system head for stem cell transplant/cellular therapy at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, where she also directs the stem cell transplant/cellular therapy lab.

She is also the clinical director of the Don Monti Adult Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant (BMT) Program at North Shore University Hospital. Under her direction, the BMT program received the prestigious Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) accreditation.

Dr. Bayer was drawn to medicine because she was born with a condition that affected one of her legs, which is significantly shorter than the other. “I had 20 corrective surgeries as a child to help establish a more functional limb,” she says. “That is part of my reasoning behind pursuing a career in medicine.”

Dr. Bayer received her medical degree from New York Medical College and did her residency and fellowship with Northwell Health. “At that point, I really found great fulfilment in cellular therapy and stem cell transplantation,” she says. Dr. Bayer has led the Northwell Health stem cell transplant/cellular therapy program since 2001.

“It’s a highly specialized, complex process, and we’re a small team of highly competent, committed people that have continued to succeed,” she says. “The team members function seamlessly, and every day make one plus one equal three. We perform magic tricks, and we get the job done.”

An associate professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Dr. Bayer has published extensively and speaks internationally about stem cell transplants and cellular therapy. She is an active member of the American Society of Transplant and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and has presented at its meetings.

Dr. Bayer is a clinician in addition to being a researcher. “I can’t tell you how happy our patients are given the care that my team provides,” she says. “It is an honor and a privilege to care for these patients at such a critical time in their lives.”