The Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Barrow Neurological Institute are pleased to announce the addition of Yoshie Umemura, MD, as the new Chief Medical Officer of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Division Chief of Neuro-Oncology and the William and Joan Shapiro Chair of Neuro-Oncology at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Umemura plans to build on the Ivy Center’s robust clinical trials program and translate those findings directly into patient care.
“I’m looking forward to combining clinical care and research care and making that bridge more seamless, because that is what’s going to expedite clinical research that translates to improving the standard of care for brain tumor patients,” she says.
As a leading neuro-oncologist with research interests in experimental therapies for brain cancer patients, Dr. Umemura is uniquely suited for the Ivy Center’s cutting-edge clinical trials program. In addition to her research endeavors, Dr. Umemura is dedicated to personalized, precision medicine that advances the care of patients with brain tumors.
“Dr. Umemura is an expert in Phase 0 clinical trials,” says Nader Sanai, MD, Director of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Director of Neurosurgical Oncology at Barrow Neurological Institute. “She comes to us as one of the few neuro-oncologists with prior experience undertaking the full scope of these protocols, and she is part of a new generation of neuro-oncologists focused on drug development using the operating room as an accelerator.”
In the clinic, Dr. Umemura sees patients with brain tumors, cancers of the central nervous system and neurological complications of cancer. Dr. Umemura comes to the Ivy Center from Michigan Medicine, where she served as the Director of Neuro-Oncology.
“Our neuro-oncology program and the Ivy Brain Tumor Center are important parts of what make Barrow so special, and I am delighted to welcome a luminary in the field to our team,” says Michael T. Lawton, MD, President and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute. “We have been eagerly anticipating Dr. Umemura’s arrival because we think she will be an important part of finding that elusive cure for glioblastoma and brain cancer. She will bring energy, smarts and tremendous care to our clinicians and patients alike.”
Dr. Umemura is the author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed journal publications and textbook chapters. She has also delivered many national and international lectures at leading neuro-oncology and neuroscience conferences. She is board certified in neurology and neuro-oncology.
Dr. Umemura completed her clinical fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from St. George’s University, a master’s degree in clinical research design and statistical analysis from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside.
About Ivy Brain Tumor Center
Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ, is a tertiary care and nonprofit translational research program that employs bold, early-phase clinical trial strategies to identify new treatments for aggressive brain tumors, including glioblastoma. Our leading experts in neurosurgical oncology, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, neuropathology and neuroscience nursing treat more patients annually than any other brain tumor center in the United States. The Ivy Center’s Phase 0 clinical trials program is the largest in the world and enables personalized care in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional drug development. In addition, unlike conventional clinical trials focusing on single drugs, the Ivy Center’s accelerated program tests therapeutic combinations matched to individual patients. We leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of hope and healing. Learn more at IvyBrainTumorCenter.org. Follow the Ivy Brain Tumor Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
About Barrow Neurological Institute
Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix is internationally recognized as a leader in neurosurgery, neurology, neurological research and patient care. Consistently voted among the top facilities in the United States for neurological and neurosurgical care, Barrow treats patients with a wide range of neurological conditions, including brain and spinal tumors, cerebrovascular conditions, and neuromuscular disorders. Its surgeons perform more neurosurgeries annually than any hospital in the nation. For more information, please visit BarrowNeuro.org.