ÈÕ±¾avÉ«ÇéƬ

Sandra Demaria, M.D.

Pathology - Anatomic & Clinical

Locations and Appointments

Insurances Accepted

Please contact the doctor's office to verify that your insurance is accepted.

*Indicates this doctor is no longer accepting new patients with this insurance plan.

  • HMO
  • Medicare
  • PPO
  • EPO/POS
  • CHP
  • Blue Access
  • Blue Connection
  • EPO
  • HMO
  • Mediblue (Senior)
  • PPO
  • CBP
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
  • Freedom
  • Liberty
  • Medicare Advantage
  • Metro/Core/Charter
  • Community Plan
  • Medicare
  • HMO
  • Medicare
Personal Statement

Since my early years in medical school I have been fascinated by the immune system's role in cancer.  I am passionate about furthering our understanding of the cross-talk between immune cells and cancer cells, and I devoted my reserach career to identifying new ways to leverage the power of the immune system against cancer.

Biographical Info

Sandra Demaria, M.D., is Professor of Radiation Oncology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at ÈÕ±¾avÉ«ÇéƬ. She obtained her M.D. from the University of Turin, Italy, and then moved to New York City for her post-doctoral training in immunology, followed by a residency in anatomic pathology at NYU School of Medicine (1997-2001). Dr. Demaria is internationally known for her pioneering studies demonstrating the synergy of radiation with immunotherapy. She was the first to show that focal radiation therapy can overcome the resistance of poorly immunogenic tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors, a finding later translated in clinical trials. Seminal findings from her lab include the demonstration that radiation upregulates the expression of chemokines that attract effector T cells to the tumor, activates canonical pathways of viral defense eliciting interferon production, and enhances the presentation of mutational neoantigens. In addition, she has tested in preclinical models several immune modulators in combination with radiation, providing the rationale for clinical testing. She has served as the Chair of the AACR Cancer Immunology Working Group and as a member of the board of the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) and the Radiation Research Society (RRS). She currently serves as senior editor for Cancer Immunology Research and the Journal for the Immunotherapy of Cancer and is Vice-President Elect of SITC. 

As a breast cancr pathologist, Dr. Demaria played a fundamental role in establishing the original guidelines for the evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer (Ann Oncol 2015, 26(2):259-71) and was a founding member of the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group on Breast Cancer (https://www.tilsinbreastcancer.org/) that developed a consensus for the evaluation of TILs in breast cancer. She has continued to work with the group to validate the evaluation of TILs as a predictive and prognostic marker in breast cancer.

Dr. Demaria’s responsibilities lie in the performance of diagnostic breast pathology, including support of the clinical, research, and educational missions of the Breast Pathology Service through resident and fellow education, tumor board participation, consensus conference attendance, and translational research initiatives. This includes the coverage of clinical activities related to affiliated sites among the New York-Presbyterian/ Cornell enterprise.

Honors and Awards

2024  Vice-President Elect, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)

2023    ESTRO (European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology) Society’s Honorary Membership

2021    Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2021 Team Science Award

2019    John M. Yuhas Award, selected by the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania for impactful contributions to the field of Radiation Oncology/Biology.

2016   European Academy for Tumor Immunology (EATI), Honorary Member

2015   Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology, Honorary Member

2015    Excellence in Mentoring Award, Radiation Research Society, Scholar in Training Committee

2005    American Cancer Society Scholar award (ACS RSG-05-145-01-LIB)

2005    Travel scholarship to 2005 ASCI/AAP Joint Meeting. 

2003    Breast Cancer Research Award from The Chemotherapy Foundation made possible by The Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation

2001    Clinical Investigator Award (NIH/NCI K08 CA89336) 

2000   Clinical Oncology Faculty Award (New York University School of Medicine).

1996    Lucille P. Markey Charitable Trust Developmental Award

1995    NYU Medical Center CFAR Developmental Award, 1995

1989    The Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund Award

 

Board Certifications
American Board of Pathology
Clinical Expertise
Breast Pathology
Languages
English
Italian
Research
Education 
  • M.D.
    University of Turin Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (Italy)
    1988
Appointments 
  • Attending Pathologist
    NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • Professor of Radiation Oncology
    ÈÕ±¾avÉ«ÇéƬ Medical College, Cornell University
  • Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
    ÈÕ±¾avÉ«ÇéƬ Medical College, Cornell University

Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.

Advisory/Scientific Board Member: 
Lytix Biopharma AS
Other Interest: 
Johnson & Johnson