Khara Simpson, MD

Dr. Jaishri Blakeley is the Marjorie Bloomberg Tiven Professor of Neurofibromatosis in Neurology, Oncology, and Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, director of the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center and director of the Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP). She is an active clinician-scientist specializing in the care of people with NF1, NF2, LZTR1, SMARC1 schwannomatoses, and primary brain tumors. Her research expertise in the development of clinical trials for nervous system tumors and specifically, early clinical-translational studies including tumor pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic investigations, imaging biomarkers for rare nervous system tumors, and incorporation of patient-focused, functional endpoints into efficacy studies. She has been the national or international leader of 7 clinical trials focused on therapies for glioblastoma, NF1 and NF2. In 2012 she cofounded the NTAP to dramatically shift the landscape of NF1 via necessary, efficient, and expert discovery, translational and clinical research. NTAP focuses on therapeutics, fosters collaboration, facilitates open and timely sharing of results, and streamlines the research process to accelerate therapies for plexiform and cutaneous neurofibromas. Through NTAP, Dr. Blakeley has supported and collaborated with more than 80 laboratories and research teams across the globe enabling meaningful therapeutic development for NF1-associated neoplasms and supporting the development of an exceptional community of clinician scientists focused on NF1 via the Francis S. Collins Scholars Program in Neurofibromatosis Clinical and Translational Research. Her research and programmatic efforts are all in the service of improving outcomes for the patients with NF1, NF2, schwannomatosis, and primary brain cancer for whom she is honored to provide care.

Dr. Youngjee Choi is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise include internal medicine, cancer survivorship, and primary care.Dr. Choi completed her undergraduate degrees in psychology and philosophy-neuroscience-psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. She received her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine and completed internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Choi was selected as a chief resident and was a faculty member at Washington University School of Medicine before joining the Division of General Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins in 2015.She is an active member of the Society of General Internal Medicine. Her academic and clinical interests include medical education, high value care, and improving the delivery of care for cancer survivors. She is currently the director of the Johns Hopkins Primary Care for Cancer Survivors program.This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida.

Karin Blakemore, M.D., is the director of prenatal genetics at the prenatal diagnostic center in the Johns Hopkins Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and she is a member of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise include fetal imaging and fetal genetic disorders. Dr. Blakemore also serves as a professor of oncology and of gynecology and obstetrics in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Blakemore earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. She completed her residency at New York University Medical Center and performed fellowships in genetics at Yale University School of Medicine and in maternal and fetal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Her research interests include Fetal Genetic Disorders; Prenatal Diagnosis and Fetal Treatment; In Utero Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Hemoglobinopathies; Red cell and platelet alloimmunization; Intrapartum physiology and outcomes; Placental development and abnormalities.