Melissa L. Johnson, MD

Melissa Johnson, M.D., is a board-certified medical oncologist and the director of lung cancer research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute. As director of lung cancer research, Dr. Johnson leads the lung cancer clinical trial portfolio across the Sarah Cannon research network. In her role, Dr. Johnson focuses on early phase drug development and leads the solid tumor immune effector cellular therapy program at Sarah Cannon. She also currently serves as the chair of the Cancer Committee at TriStar

My care philosophy is to treat each patient as if they were a member of my family. I believe each person is unique and no two tumors are the same, which is why I provide personalized, individualized care. I always seek to understand my patients’ stories and goals for cancer treatment. Knowing their “why” helps me provide better care.

I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge of lung cancer with patients, helping them find the right clinical trial and treatment, and helping them improve their quality of life and longevity to be with their loved ones.

Research plays a significant role in improving cancer care and patient outcomes. At Sarah Cannon, we’re heavily invested in research and clinical trials. In many cases, I believe clinical trials should be the first step in care because they offer the standard of care or even better treatment options.