Kojo S.J. Elenitoba-Johnson, MD

Kojo S.J. Elenitoba-Johnson, MD

Pathologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Hematopathology
  • Diagnostic Molecular Pathology
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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Chair, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
  • James Ewing Alumni Chair of Pathology
Get To Know Me

I was inspired to pursue a career as a pathologist during my lectures as a medical student when I learned how foundational accurate diagnosis is to the practice of medicine at all levels and, in particular, in oncology. I have practiced pathology for more than 30 years and have spent a significant part of my career practicing as a molecular pathologist with a concentration in hematopoietic neoplasms, particularly lymphoma.

In addition to serving as Chief of the Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), I am a member of its Diagnostic Molecular Pathology Service. Our service frequently utilizes next-generation sequencing and techniques that interrogate structural alterations that drive lymphomagenesis (the growth and development of lymphoma) and disease progression.

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As a pathologist, I am not directly patient-facing most of the time. However, on occasions when I’ve had the opportunity to meet with patients, they’ve been most interested in understanding the biology of their disease, as well as what the environmental or hereditary implications might be. I endeavor to address any questions unique to an individual patient, who may often come with concerns specific to their own circumstances. It is important to me that patients feel well-informed about their condition and secure in the knowledge that they are free to return with any questions that may emerge later. 

My research is devoted to understanding the molecular events that underlie the pathogenesis (the origination and development) of lymphoma and identifying specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets specific to lymphoma subtypes. 

Outside of my work at MSK, I enjoy reading history, listening to live music — particularly jazz concerts — going to the theater, and playing racquet sports.

My Role at MSK

A pathologist is a doctor who uses a microscope to make a diagnosis from cell and tissue samples. They analyze the samples to learn the cause and effects of a health condition.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Hematopathology
  • Diagnostic Molecular Pathology
Education & Honors

Education

  • MBBS, College of Medicine, University of Lagos and Lagos Teaching Hospital

Residencies

  • Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Brown University

Awards and Honors

  • Elected Member, National Academy of Medicine (2023)
  • James Ewing Alumni Chair, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2022)
  • President, Association for Molecular Pathology (2017-2018)
  • Inaugural Peter C. Nowell, MD, Chair, Founding Director, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, University of Pennsylvania (2015)
  • Outstanding Investigator Award, American Society of Investigative Pathology (former Warner-Lambert/AMGEN, 2012)
  • Elected Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation (2011)
  • Ramzi Cotran Young Investigator US Canadian Academy of Pathology Award (2006)

Fellowships

  • Hematopathology, Lab of Pathology, National Cancer Institute – National Institutes of Health

Board Certifications

  • Combined Anatomic and Clinical Pathology
  • Hematology and Molecular Genetic Pathology

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

Contact and Location

Office Phone

Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

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Clinical Trials

Smiling doctors in the lab
Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

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Research and Publications

View Dr. Elenitoba-Johnson's Lab

Elenitoba-Johnson KS, Bohling SD, Wittwer CT, King TC. Multiplex PCR by multicolor fluorimetry and fluorescence melting curve analysis. Nat Med. 2001 Feb;7(2):249-53. doi: 10.1038/84708. PMID: 11175859.

Elenitoba-Johnson KS, Jenson SD, Abbott RT, Palais RA, Bohling SD, Lin Z, Tripp S, Shami PJ, Wang LY, Coupland RW, Buckstein R, Perez-Ordonez B, Perkins SL, Dube ID, Lim MS. Involvement of multiple signaling pathways in follicular lymphoma transformation: p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase as a target for therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jun 10;100(12):7259-64. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1137463100. Epub 2003 May 19. PMID: 12756297; PMCID: PMC165863.

Elenitoba-Johnson KS, Crockett DK, Schumacher JA, Jenson SD, Coffin CM, Rockwood AL, Lim MS. Proteomic identification of oncogenic chromosomal translocation partners encoding chimeric anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusion proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 May 9;103(19):7402-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0506514103. Epub 2006 May 1. PMID: 16651537; PMCID: PMC1464352.

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Lim MS, Carlson ML, Crockett DK, Fillmore GC, Abbott DR, Elenitoba-Johnson OF, Tripp SR, Rassidakis GZ, Medeiros LJ, Szankasi P, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. The proteomic signature of NPM/ALK reveals deregulation of multiple cellular pathways. Blood. 2009 Aug 20;114(8):1585-95. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-02-204735. Epub 2009 Jun 16. PMID: 19531656.

Velusamy T, Kiel MJ, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Rolland D, Dixon CA, Bailey NG, Betz BL, Brown NA, Hristov AC, Wilcox RA, Miranda RN, Medeiros LJ, Jeon YK, Inamdar KV, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. A novel recurrent NPM1-TYK2 gene fusion in cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders. Blood. 2014 Dec 11;124(25):3768-71. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-07-588434. Epub 2014 Oct 27. PMID: 25349176.

Kiel MJ, Velusamy T, Betz BL, Zhao L, Weigelin HG, Chiang MY, Huebner-Chan DR, Bailey NG, Yang DT, Bhagat G, Miranda RN, Bahler DW, Medeiros LJ, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. Whole-genome sequencing identifies recurrent somatic NOTCH2 mutations in splenic marginal zone lymphoma. J Exp Med. 2012 Aug 27;209(9):1553-65. doi: 10.1084/jem.20120910. Epub 2012 Aug 13. PMID: 22891276; PMCID: PMC3428949.

Velusamy T, Palanisamy N, Kalyana-Sundaram S, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Maher CA, Robinson DR, Bahler DW, Cornell TT, Wilson TE, Lim MS, Chinnaiyan AM, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. Recurrent reciprocal RNA chimera involving YPEL5 and PPP1CB in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 19;110(8):3035-40. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1214326110. Epub 2013 Feb 4. PMID: 23382248; PMCID: PMC3581970.

Kiel MJ, Velusamy T, Rolland D, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Chung F, Bailey NG, Schrader A, Li B, Li JZ, Ozel AB, Betz BL, Miranda RN, Medeiros LJ, Zhao L, Herling M, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. Integrated genomic sequencing reveals mutational landscape of T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. Blood. 2014 Aug 28;124(9):1460-72. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-03-559542. Epub 2014 May 13. PMID: 24825865; PMCID: PMC4148768.

Nie Z, Du MQ, McAllister-Lucas LM, Lucas PC, Bailey NG, Hogaboam CM, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KS. Conversion of the LIMA1 tumour suppressor into an oncogenic LMO-like protein by API2-MALT1 in MALT lymphoma. Nat Commun. 2015 Jan 8;6:5908. doi: 10.1038/ncomms6908. PMID: 25569716.

Kiel MJ, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Rolland DCM, Velusamy T, Chung F, Schaller M, Bailey NG, Betz BL, Miranda RN, Porcu P, Byrd JC, Medeiros LJ, Kunkel SL, Bahler DW, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KSJ. Genomic analyses reveal recurrent mutations in epigenetic modifiers and the JAK-STAT pathway in Sézary syndrome. Nat Commun. 2015 Sep 29;6:8470. doi: 10.1038/ncomms9470. PMID: 26415585; PMCID: PMC4598843.

Sande CM, Wu R, Yang G, Sussman RT, Bigdeli A, Rushton C, Chitturi A, Patel J, Szankasi P, Morrissette JJD, Lim MS, Elenitoba-Johnson KSJ. Rapid and Automated Semiconductor-Based Next-Generation Sequencing for Simultaneous Detection of Somatic DNA and RNA Aberrations in Myeloid Neoplasms. J Mol Diagn. 2023 Feb;25(2):87-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2022.11.005. Epub 2022 Dec 8. PMID: 36503148.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Elenitoba-Johnson’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Kojo S.J. Elenitoba-Johnson discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Genomenon, Inc.
    Equity; Intellectual Property Rights

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.


This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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