Jan Drappatz, MD

  • Associate Professor
  • Associate Director, Neuro-Oncology, UPMC
  • Director, Neuro-Oncology Fellowship, UPMC

Dr. Drappatz has a special interest in the design and implementation of clinical trials for neuro-oncology and the preclinical evaluation of promising therapeutics for central nervous system tumors. His work includes using innovative clinical therapeutic agents to improve outcomes in patients with CNS tumors including immunotherapy as well as molecular-targeted agents, anti-angiogenic agents, and other biologically-based therapies and the study of neurologic complications of cancer and cancer therapeutics. Dr. Drappatz has published over 200  peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters and abstracts. 

Education & Training

  • MD, Johannes Gutenberg University, School of Medicine, Mainz, Germany, Medicine
  • Resident. Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, Internal Medicine
  • Resident, Massachusetts General Hospital/ Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Neurology
  • Fellow, Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ Brigham and Women’s Hospital/ Massachusetts General Hospital, Neuro-Oncology

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests 

  • Research:  Novel Therapies for Brain and Spine Tumors, Neurologic Complications of Cancer
  • Education: Fellowship Director, Neuro-Oncology

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, Neuro-Oncology

Professional Organization Membership

  • Society for Neuro-Oncology

Honors & Awards

  • Best Doctors of Pittsburgh
  • Castle Connolly, Top Doctor
  • Above and Beyond Award, UPMC

Selected Recent Publications

Drappatz J, Lieberman F. Chemotherapy of Oligodendrogliomas. Prog Neurol Surg. 2018;31:152-161. doi: 10.1159/000467376. Epub 2018 Jan 25. PMID: 29393183

Ellingson BM, Aftab DT, Schwab GM, Hessel C, Harris RJ, Woodworth DC, Leu K, Chakhoyan A, Raymond C, Drappatz J, de Groot J, Prados MD, Reardon DA, Schiff D, Chamberlain M, Mikkelsen T, Desjardins A, Holland J, Ping J, Weitzman R, Wen PY, Cloughesy TF. Volumetric response quantified using T1 subtraction predicts long-term survival benefit from cabozantinib monotherapy in recurrent glioblastoma. Neuro Oncol. 2018 Sep 3;20(10):1411-1418. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noy054.PMID: 29660005

Mantica M, Pritchard A, Lieberman F, Drappatz J. Retrospective study of nivolumab for patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas. J Neurooncol. 2018 Sep;139(3):625-631. doi: 10.1007/s11060-018-2907-4. Epub 2018 May 19. PMID: 29779086       

Garcia CA, El-Ali A, Rath TJ, Contis LC, Gorantla V, Drappatz J, Davar D. Neurologic immune-related adverse events associated with adjuvant ipilimumab: report of two cases. J Immunotherapy Cancer. 2018 Aug 31;6(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s40425-018-0393-z. PMID: 3170622

Boele FW, Terhorst L, Prince J, Donovan HS, Weimer J, Sherwood PR, Lieberman FS, Drappatz J. Psychometric Evaluation of the Caregiver Needs Screen in Neuro-Oncology Family Caregivers. J Nurs Meas. 2019 Aug 1;27(2):162-176. doi: 10.1891/1061-3749.27.2.162.