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INFORMATION FOR

    Joseph N. Contessa, MD, PhD

    Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and of Pharmacology
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    Additional Titles

    Co-Leader, Radiobiology and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center

    Vice Chair for Basic Science Research, Therapeutic Radiology

    About

    Titles

    Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and of Pharmacology

    Co-Leader, Radiobiology and Genome Integrity, Yale Cancer Center; Vice Chair for Basic Science Research, Therapeutic Radiology

    Biography

    Joseph N. Contessa, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist, is the director of Yale Medicine’s Central Nervous System Radiotherapy Program. He specializes in treating patients with primary tumors of the brain, head and neck, and at the base of the skull.

    “Due to Yale's large referral base, I frequently see relatively rare tumors,” he says, including low-grade and malignant gliomas, ependymomas, high-grade meningiomas, hemangiopericytomas, paragangliomas, and schwannomas. His expertise in treating uncommon cancers benefits patients diagnosed with these tumor types. “I look forward to helping patients have the best possible outcome when they are faced with a challenging diagnosis,” he says.

    Dr. Contessa is a Professor of therapeutic radiology and of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine where he is part of a team of physicians and scientists who are actively researching the cellular mechanisms that tumors use to evade or “outsmart” standard cancer therapies in hopes of identifying new approaches that improve treatment.

    “We are all working together to increase our knowledge, improve our care and beat cancer,” Dr. Contessa says.

    Appointments

    Education & Training

    Resident
    The University of Michigan (2009)
    Intern
    The University of Michigan (2005)
    PhD
    Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth Universit (2004)
    MD
    Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth Universit (2004)

    Research

    Overview

    Therapeutic approaches for the treatment of EGFR and FGFR addicted lung cancer

    Radiosensitization of malignant gliomas

    Novel small molecule inhibitors of N-linked glycosylation

    Molecular Imaging of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

    Drug Discovery and High Throughput Screening

    Targeted therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

    Medical Research Interests

    Chemicals and Drugs; Neoplasms; Radiobiology

    Research at a Glance

    Yale Co-Authors

    Frequent collaborators of Joseph N. Contessa's published research.

    Publications

    2024

    2023

    2021

    2019

    2018

    Clinical Trials

    Current Trials

    Clinical Care

    Overview

    Joseph N. Contessa, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist, is the director of Yale Medicine’s Central Nervous System Radiotherapy Program. He specializes in treating patients with primary tumors of the brain, head and neck, and at the base of the skull.

    “Due to Yale's large referral base, I frequently see relatively rare tumors,” he says, including low-grade and malignant gliomas, ependymomas, high-grade meningiomas, hemangiopericytomas, paragangliomas, and schwannomas. His expertise in treating uncommon cancers benefits patients diagnosed with these tumor types. “I look forward to helping patients have the best possible outcome when they are faced with a challenging diagnosis,” he says.

    Dr. Contessa is also an associate professor of therapeutic radiology and of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine where he is part of a team of physicians and scientists who are actively researching the cellular mechanisms that tumors use to evade or “outsmart” standard cancer therapies in hopes of identifying new approaches that improve treatment.

    “We are all working together to increase our knowledge, improve our care and beat cancer,” Dr. Contessa says.

    Clinical Specialties

    Therapeutic Radiology

    Fact Sheets

    Yale Medicine News

    Get In Touch

    Contacts

    Academic Office Number
    Appointment Number
    Clinic Fax Number
    Mailing Address

    Therapeutic Radiology

    PO Box 208040

    New Haven, CT 06520-8040

    United States

    Locations

    • Yale Therapeutic Radiology

      Academic Office

      Hunter Building

      15 York Street, Ste HRT 139

      New Haven, CT 06510

    • Patient Care Locations

      Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.

    Events