Isla P. Garraway

Dr. Isla P. Garraway is a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She serves as an Attending Urologist at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System and is a Member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. As a surgeon-scientist, Dr. Garraway leads a basic/translational science laboratory focused on characterizing molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental interactions associated with metastatic prostate cancer.

Her research interests include prostate stem cells and development, epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in the prostate, functional biomarkers of prostate cancer progression and metastasis, prostate cancer health disparities, prostate cancer biorepositories, multi-omic platform analysis of lethal prostate cancer, digital image analysis applications in prostate cancer, and single cell sequencing of prostate tumor populations. Dr. Garraway's work particularly emphasizes understanding the etiologies of racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer.

Dr. Garraway's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on prostate cancer genomics, tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance mechanisms, and health disparities research. Her work spans basic molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer progression to clinical implementation of precision oncology approaches, particularly within veteran populations. She has led significant efforts in prostate cancer screening guidelines for Black men and research on metastatic progression mechanisms.

• Donald S. Coffey Career Development Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation
• Young Investigator Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation
• Challenge Award from Prostate Cancer Foundation
• Super Doctors® Southern California, 2022-2025
• 2018 Los Angeles Magazine Top Doctors
• American Society of Clinical Investigators Outstanding Research Award 2004

Dr. Garraway has secured substantial research funding from the National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense, Veterans Health Administration, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Jean Perkins Foundation. Her leadership extends to directing research efforts in the Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate and ensuring equity within the Veterans Health Administration's role in the presidential Cancer Moonshot initiative. She also actively engages in community education about prostate cancer and early detection.