M.D.
Medical Oncologist
2012, Recertified, American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
2001, Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
1997, Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine
1994, M.D., University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY
1989, B.A., Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI
1999-2002, Medical Oncology Fellow, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
1998-1999, Neuro-Oncology Fellow, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
1997-1998, Chief Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
1994-1997, Resident, Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
2021-present, Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2021-present, Co-Director, Brain Tumor Program, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2012-2021, Associate Director, Brain Tumor Program, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2004-present, Member, City of Hope Patient Rights and Organizational Ethics Committee
2012-2021, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2010-2012, Chair, City of Hope Data and Safety Monitoring Board
2010-2012, Member, Clinical Research Governance Board
2008-2010, Associate Chair, City of Hope Data & Safety Monitoring Committee
Renowned neuro-oncologist Jana Portnow, M.D., is a professor of medical oncology and co-director of the Brain Tumor Program at City of Hope® Cancer Center Duarte, where she specializes in pioneering early-phase clinical trials for patients with brain tumors. A dedicated physician-scientist, she has played a key role in shaping novel treatments through innovative clinical research.
Dr. Portnow has secured substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance her work, most notably as co-principal investigator on a major grant that made City of Hope a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network – a collaboration between leading cancer institutions focused on developing new therapies for glioma. She has also contributed to national research strategy by serving on the NIH Clinical Oncology Study Section and currently holds the role of vice chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s guidelines panel for central nervous system cancers.
Dr. Portnow’s research portfolio includes groundbreaking work on neural stem cells that can deliver therapeutic agents directly to brain tumors. This includes first-in-human studies of therapies such as oncolytic viruses – which are engineered to selectively destroy cancer cells – and CAR T cell therapies delivered into the brain to target aggressive gliomas and metastatic disease.
Inspired daily by the strength and determination of her patients, Dr. Portnow is deeply committed to improving outcomes for individuals facing brain cancers, recognizing the profound personal and emotional impact of such illnesses. Dr. Portnow earned her medical degree from the University of Rochester in New York state and completed an internal medicine residency at Temple University in Philadelphia, where she also served as chief resident. She completed two fellowships in medical oncology and neuro-oncology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute in Baltimore.