Joanna Phillips, MD, PhD
Director, Brain Tumor Center Tissue Bank
Principal Investigator, Brain Tumor Center
Specialties: Brain and spinal cord tumors
Dr. Phillips is a neuropathologist who specializes in the diagnosis of neurologic disease through the examination of central nervous system tissue. As an academic neuropathologist, her goal is to improve the treatment of brain tumors through both research and patient care.
Dr. Phillips’ research focuses on understanding how invading tumor cells interact with the components of the brain tumor microenvironment, and how these key interactions influence glioma development and response to therapy. As Director of the BTC Tissue Bank, she oversees the acquisition and study of tumor samples collected and studied at UCSF and worldwide.
2002: MD/PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
2002–2004: Resident, Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Washington
2004–2006: Clinical Fellow, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco
2006-2008: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco
2008–2010: Clinical Instructor, Department of Pathology, UCSF
2009-Present: Neuropathologist, UCSF Brain Tumor Center Tissue Bank
2010-2016: Assistant Professor Neurological Surgery and Pathology, UCSF
2010-Present: Co-Director UCSF Brain Tumor SPORE Biorepository
2016-Present: Associate Professor Neurological Surgery and Pathology, UCSF
2015: Excellence in Teaching Award in medical education, Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators
2013: Nominated UCSF School of Medicine Essential Teaching Award
2012: Second place, Best paper on Clinico-Pathological Correlation, American Association of Neuropathologists
2010: Aspen Cancer Conference Fellow
2008: Rubinstein Award, American Association of Neuropathologists
2006: Young Pathologist Fellowship, American Society for Investigative Pathology, Experimental Biology
2006-08: American Brain Tumor Association: Susan Resnick Fisher/American Brain Tumor Association Fellowship
2005: Moore Award, American Association of Neuropathologists
2001: Stuart Mudd Award in Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
1993-94: Hughes Scholars Program, Cornell University