M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College – Belgaum, India
Internal Medicine – Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
Post-doctoral Research Fellowship – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Hematology and Oncology – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Internal Medicine – American Board of Internal Medicine
Medical Oncology – American Board of Internal Medicine
Amit Kulkarni, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology and a thoracic cancer specialist at City of Hope® Cancer Center Phoenix. Dr. Kulkarni primarily focuses on diagnosing and treating lung cancer and takes a personalized approach to cancer care.
“My goal is to provide access to leading-edge treatment options, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy and clinical trials. I incorporate precision oncology into my practice by using comprehensive genomic tumor testing to match the most appropriate treatments to treating patients' cancer,” Dr. Kulkarni says.
Dr. Kulkarni chose to pursue a career in medicine because he wanted to help others—but also credits his fascination with cancer genetics and the potential for offering personalized approaches to cancer care.
“I wanted an opportunity to be a part of patients' lives throughout their cancer journeys, but I was also drawn to the science of cancer evolution and the exciting opportunity to develop novel treatment strategies and individualized care for patients,” he says.
After earning his medical degree at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in India, Dr. Kulkarni pursued a post-doctoral fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He then completed an internal medicine residency at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Maryland, followed by additional fellowship training in hematology and oncology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Dr. Kulkarni believes in educating and empowering his patients, taking a multidisciplinary approach to providing quality care founded on access to state-of-the-art treatments and clinical trials while incorporating each patient's unique treatment goals, needs and expectations into his or her care plan.
A member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the International Association for Study in Lung Cancer, Dr. Kulkarni is also a physician-scholar who has co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed articles to date. He has been recognized as a rising star in oncology and won awards and grants for his research work. His research agenda includes studying new immunotherapy and targeted therapy options for patients, developing biomarkers for treatment response and investigating the role of the gut microbiome on treatment outcomes in immunotherapy patients. In the latter area, he has led the development of two clinical trials testing whether manipulating the gut microbiome by fecal microbiota transplant can improve immunotherapy outcomes for lung cancer patients.
In his free time, Dr. Kulkarni enjoys traveling, exploring new cultures and outdoor activities like hiking, running and biking. In addition to English, he speaks Hindi and Kannada.