Melissa Johnson

Academic History

Melissa Johnson, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and Director of Lung Cancer Research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN. She also serves as Chair of the Cancer Committee at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, Nashville. Dr Johnson earned her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. She completed her residency in internal medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, where she served as chief fellow. She subsequently joined the faculty at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, where she was a founding member of the Northwestern Medical Developmental Therapeutics Institute. She is also a member of the Scientific Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Speaking on clinical trials and drug development in lung cancer

Dr Johnson specializes in early-phase drug development with a focus on lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other advanced solid tumors. At Sarah Cannon, she leads a comprehensive clinical trial portfolio and directs the solid tumor immune effector cellular therapy program. Her work centers on advancing targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and novel combination strategies to improve outcomes in lung cancer.