Katharine Halligan, MD

Dr. Katharine Halligan is a physician specializing in pediatric hematology and oncology, currently practicing at Albany Medical Center. She is a valued member of the Melody Center for Childhood Blood and Cancer Disorders, where she provides expert care to children with complex blood disorders and cancers. Her clinical focus includes the management of sarcomas as well as hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, combining evidence-based treatment with a patient-centered approach. Inspired to pursue pediatric hematology/oncology after meeting Dr. Jennifer Pierce during medical school, Dr. Halligan describes herself as “homegrown” and does not imagine leaving Albany Med in the near term.

Dr. Halligan earned her MD from Albany Medical College in 2015 and completed her internship and residency at Albany Medical Center in 2018. She subsequently pursued fellowship training at UPMC Pittsburgh Children’s, completing it in 2021. She is board certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, demonstrating her commitment to the highest standards of clinical excellence and lifelong learning.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Halligan contributes to advancing pediatric cancer research and hematology knowledge. She has co-authored studies on metabolic vulnerabilities in diffuse midline glioma, therapeutic approaches for patients with complex conditions, and most recently published an article on inherited platelet disorders in Pediatrics in Review (2025). She is an active member of the Children’s Oncology Group, the American Society for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO), and the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Through a combination of clinical expertise, research contributions, and professional engagement, Dr. Halligan remains dedicated to improving outcomes for children facing serious hematologic and oncologic conditions.

• Albany Medical College

• NY State Medical License
• PA State Medical License
• American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics
• American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

• Children's Oncology Group
• American Society for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO)
• American Society of Hematology (ASH)

Dr. Halligan has contributed to research advancing our understanding and treatment of pediatric cancers, including studies on metabolic vulnerabilities in diffuse midline glioma and therapeutic approaches for patients with complex conditions. Her publications include 'An ERK5-PFKFB3 axis regulates glycolysis and represents a therapeutic vulnerability in pediatric diffuse midline glioma' (Cell Reports, 2024), 'Successful Treatment of Patient With Ewing Sarcoma in the Setting of Inherited Cholestatic Liver Disease' (Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 2023), and a co-authored correction study on MAT2A loss and methionine metabolism in H3K27M mutant glioma (Nature Cancer, 2022).