Jaishri Blakeley

Dr. JAISHRI BLAKELEY is a clinician scientist and an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of tumors of the nervous system. She is an Associate Professor of Neurology, Oncology and Neurosurgery, director of the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center (JHCNC) and director of the Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP).

NTAP was founded in 2012 to harness intellectual power, essential resources and strategic collaborations to develop effective therapies for the nerve sheath tumors afflicting patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Through NTAP, Dr. Blakeley catalyzes research projects ranging from basic discovery to clinical trials and helps set the global scientific agenda for NF1 peripheral nerve sheath tumors. She is also a co-investigator on the Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium, serves on the executive committee for the Response Endpoints in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis International Consortia and is a co-investigator on the first dedicated Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) award focused on NF1.

Dr. Blakeley has served in leadership roles at the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the Society for Neuro-Oncology, the American Academy of Neurology (chair of the Neuro-Oncology section) and co-chaired the 2015 Children’s Tumor Foundation International Neurofibromatosis Conference. She is deeply invested in mentoring the next generation of physician scientists through the NTAP Francis Collins Scholars Program and as the director of the UCNS Neuro-Oncology Fellowship at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Blakeley’s research expertise is in the development of clinical trials for nervous system tumors. Her specific area of focus is early clinical-translational studies including tumor pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic investigations, imaging biomarkers for rare tumors and incorporation of patient focused, functional endpoints into efficacy studies. She has served as the national chairperson for four multi-center clinical trials and has authored more than 90 manuscripts reflecting her research and clinical work in primary nervous system cancers and rare neurologic disease.

These efforts are all in the service of improving outcomes for the patients for whom Dr. Blakeley provides care. An active clinician with a dedicated neurofibromatosis and neuro-oncology clinic, she serves as Director of the JHCNC and leads a team that provides a medical home for people with neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis. Her commitment to her patients has been recognized with awards such as the Thomas Preziosi Award for Clinical Excellence in Neurology at Johns Hopkins, the Frank Ford Memorial Neurology Teaching Award at Johns Hopkins, the Neurofibromatosis Mid-Atlantic “Make a Difference Award” and the Children’s Tumor Foundation Humanitarian Award.

Dr. Blakeley started her professional journey at Barnard College. She received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine where she graduated with many honors including membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She then completed her neurology residency and neuro-oncology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins. She is proud to call Baltimore home, where she enjoys time with family and friends, watching her children Roan and Asher play soccer and baseball, hike and pursue that elusive handstand on the yoga mat.