Yoanna S Pumpalova, MD

Dr. Yoanna Pumpalova is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and medical oncologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center where she specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, with a focus on colorectal and anal cancers. She received her MD from Weill Cornell Medical College and completed internship and residency training in Internal Medicine and Global Health at Stanford University. She then completed fellowship training in Medical Oncology at Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Pumpalova works as part of a multidisciplinary team with the mission of delivering compassionate and state-of-the-art oncologic care to each patient, using a precision medicine approach to provide innovative and promising treatments.

Dr. Pumpalova is actively involved in translational research to understand the biological mechanisms driving early onset colorectal cancer. She collaborates with Dr. Joel Gabre, a gastroenterologist and clinician scientist and Dr. Beatrice Dionigi, colorectal surgeon, on research to understand how early onset colorectal cancer differs from average onset colorectal cancer, with the goal of uncovering novel ways to treat all patients with colorectal cancer. Dr. Pumpalova is also the site principal investigator of industry-sponsored clinical trials investigating novel therapies for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Further, Dr. Pumpalova conducts studies in low- and middle-income countries focused on early detection and screening for colorectal cancer. She has active studies in South Africa and Dominican Republic. Her research goal is to improve outcomes for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, regardless of where they reside. Her work has been recognized by several awards including an ASCO Young Investigator Award and ASCO Career Development Award.

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