Alexandra Miller, MD, PhD, a neurologist and neuro-oncologist specializing in treating primary brain tumors, has been named as the chief of the Neuro-Oncology Program and a co-director of the Brain and Spine Tumor Center at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, effective January 29. She comes to NYU Langone from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

As chief of the Neuro-Oncology Program, Dr. Miller will continue to build out its already-robust team of researchers and clinicians, as well as lead and mentor junior faculty to improve outcomes and access for patients being treated for brain tumors. The program’s goals are to optimize the accurate molecular and imaging diagnosis of brain tumors, discover novel therapies and improve clinical trial design for malignant gliomas, and develop computer-aided technologies to resect brain tumors with the least amount of risk.

As a co-director of the Brain and Spine Tumor Center, Dr. Miller will work with its other co-directors, John G. Golfinos, MD, and Erik P. Sulman, MD, PhD, as well as the wider team of neuro-oncologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and radiation oncologists, to expand their multidisciplinary clinical program, which covers primary and metastatic brain tumors. This team will develop integrated pathways for patients that include a wide variety of services, including neuropsychology, psychiatry, imaging, and rehabilitative care.

NYU Langone’s Brain and Spine Tumor Center, part of Perlmutter Cancer Center, has a long-standing reputation as a national and international leader in the treatment of brain tumors, spinal cord tumors, and skull base tumors in adults and children. For more than 50 years, its doctors have been leaders in neuro-oncology, using the latest diagnostic and imaging technologies to provide expert treatment for brain and spinal cord tumors.

“I’m honored to join NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, which is at the forefront of cancer care and research,” says Dr. Miller. “I am looking forward to working with the extensive network of diagnostic, surgical, and rehabilitative specialists to develop our programs even further.”

In addition to her leadership roles, Dr. Miller is also an associate professor in the Departments of Neurology, Medicine, and Neurosurgery, as well as a member of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Miller, who is a renowned expert in brain tumor research,” says Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. “Her leadership and experience in both the clinical and research missions will allow us to deliver comprehensive care and offer the latest treatment advances to our patients.”

About Dr. Miller

An alumna of Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Miller completed her internship and residency at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill-Cornell Medical Center and MSK. Her fellowship was at MSK, where she was also the chief neurology resident and chief neuro-oncology fellow.

Dr. Miller is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Neurology, the Society for Neuro-Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She has also authored and co-authored research in top-tier publications, including Nature, Neuro-Oncology, Neurology, and The Journal of Neuroscience.

Her primary research focuses on diffuse glioma and unraveling the molecular changes underlying progression to lethality. In 2019, she led a study that explored the use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a liquid biopsy in diffuse glioma for diagnosis, disease monitoring, and tracking tumor evolution. The researchers were able to detect tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA) in the CSF of patients who had had a lumbar puncture for clinical indications. The detection of CSF ctDNA was correlated with tumor burden, progression of disease, and an increased rate of death.

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Ryan Dziuba
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