Ashley S Plant

Ashley S Plant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, and an attending physician in neuro-oncology at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Her clinical and research work focuses on improving outcomes for children with brain tumors through translational research and early-phase clinical trials, addressing the leading cause of cancer-related death in pediatric populations.

Dr. Plant's educational background includes:

• MD from Stanford University School of Medicine (2010)
• Pediatrics internship and residency at UCLA (2011-2013)
• Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Boston Children's Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute (2016)
• Additional training: Program for Clinical Effectiveness at Harvard School of Public Health and Markers in Cancer Course (2016)

Her research centers on pediatric neuro-oncology with emphasis on immunotherapy development for malignant brain tumors, particularly diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). She leads an investigator-initiated phase 1/2 trial combining a neo-antigen heat shock protein vaccine (rHSC-DIPGVax) with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 checkpoint blockade, building on prior work in immunophenotyping during fellowship training with Drs. Dranoff and Ritz at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Her approach integrates laboratory discoveries with clinical applications to overcome the dismal prognosis of pediatric brain tumors.

Dr. Plant's scholarly output demonstrates consistent leadership in clinical guideline development and innovative therapeutic strategies, with recent publications spanning NCCN practice guidelines, cancer vaccine trials, and international epidemiological studies. This portfolio reflects a strategic focus on translating mechanistic insights into actionable clinical protocols for high-mortality pediatric cancers.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• K12 NCI grant for translational research in nervous system tumors
• Stahl Family Foundation grant for early phase immunotherapy trials
• Inaugural A.M. Khokhar Research Scholar award (2020)
• Inaugural Will Irwin Memorial Fund Research Scholar award (2020)
• Spirit of Care Award from Maddi's Closet Foundation (2018)

Dr. Plant actively shapes the field through principal investigator roles in multiple clinical trials and leadership positions across national consortia. She serves as Site Principal Investigator for the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium, Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, and CONNECT Consortium, while contributing to the NCCN guidelines committee and Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium Scientific Advisory Board. Her grant portfolio and trial leadership demonstrate sustained funding for high-impact translational research.

Her collaborative ecosystem spans the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium networks, Children's Brain Tumor Network working groups, and editorial roles at Frontiers in Oncology and EC Neurology. These engagements facilitate multi-institutional data sharing and trial coordination essential for advancing treatments for rare pediatric brain tumors through platforms like the All-In-DIPG Consortium.