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Phone:617-632-3685 (Monday-Friday 8a-5p; for non-urgent items only. For medical emergencies, please have Dr. Castillo paged through the pager operator at 617-632-3352)

I am the nurse practitioner (NP) at the Bing Center for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (BCWM). I joined the team in September 2019, and I am very proud to work with this driven and caring group of colleagues (and patients).

As the BCWM team NP, I personally see patients in the BCWM clinic and I work closely with our physician team in delivering care to our patient population. I enjoy working with individuals across the spectrum of their disease (spanning from watchful waiting to active treatment), and offering my skills in listening, health assessment, patient education, problem solving, and symptom management.

I am a sub-investigator on BCWM-led clinical trials which explore use of investigational treatment regimens for WM. I contribute to the overall conduct of these clinical trials, especially in regards to direct care management and evaluation of trial participants. I have been a sub-investigator on studies exploring treatments including zanubrutinib (subsequently FDA approved for WM), venetoclax (subsequently recommended for WM use per NCCN guidelines), pirtobrutinib, CLR-131, loncastuximab tesirine, novel combination therapies, ulocuplumab, umbralisib, mavorixafor, and more to come.

Outside of clinical trials, I am also involved in the care of patients treated with standard of care regimens such as BTK inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, BCL2 inhibitors, and chemotherapies.

I have co-authored peer-reviewed publications, and contributed to work presented by fellow BCWM team colleagues and collaborators at meetings including ASH, IWWM, and IMW.
I look forward to continuing my work with colleagues and patients with the shared goal of improving patient experiences and outcomes. I strive to continue learning and growing in the oncology world.

For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to science, health, and humanities. I find healthcare’s blend between science and art to be very compelling. I really enjoy working with people, hearing their stories, and appreciating them for who they are.

I was born and raised in Queens, New York. My NY roots eventually grew northeast into MA when I attended undergrad at the College of the Holy Cross (HC) in Worcester, MA. I graduated from HC with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, with a Biochemistry concentration and a member of the College Honors Program as well as the Pre-Health Program.

From there, I joined the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber, where I worked as a clinical research coordinator on MM trials. This role introduced me to the caring and innovative culture at DFCI, and it is where my interest in hematologic malignancies took root.

In this role, it became obvious to me that clinical trials and research are critical to expanding treatment options and improving outcomes for cancer patients. I supported the research and clinical teams on clinical trials for a drug which would ultimately gain FDA approval for MM treatment (ixazomib).

During my tenure as a research coordinator, the nursing role resonated with me, and I enrolled in nursing studies at Simmons University. After obtaining my registered nurse (RN) license and while working towards my advanced degree (Master of Science in Nursing) and Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certification, I enjoyed fascinating work as a bedside nurse at the Spaulding Hospital Cambridge. At SHC, I worked with a medically complex inpatient population, oftentimes individuals with organ transplant, neurologic, or chronic kidney disease medical histories.

My experiences showed me that it takes a village – an interdisciplinary and deep roster of individuals is needed to relentlessly push towards advancing health care. I am glad to be part of the BCWM roster!