James C. Cronk, MD, PhD
- Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist, Division of Oncology
- Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- james.cronk@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
I am a physician-scientist with PhD training in neuroimmunology and clinical expertise in pediatric hematology, oncology, and neuro-oncology. I completed the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Virginia, earning my PhD in neuroscience in 2016 under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Kipnis and my MD in 2018. My doctoral research explored the engraftment of peripheral-derived macrophages in the brain for treating neurologic disease, examined functional similarities and differences between microglia and peripheral-derived brain resident macrophages, and investigated the biological conditions that drive macrophage engraftment in the CNS.
From 2018 to 2025, I completed my pediatrics residency and fellowships in pediatric hematology and oncology and neuro-oncology at Johns Hopkins and the NIH. As a clinical fellow at the National Cancer Institute under Dr. Rosandra Kaplan, my work focused on the solid tumor microenvironment and the development of genetically engineered myeloid cell therapies for solid tumors.
In July 2025, I joined Cincinnati Children’s as a pediatric neuro-oncologist and physician-scientist. My laboratory is dedicated to advancing myeloid-based immunotherapies for CNS cancers and developing novel combinatorial immunotherapy regimens to both induce and sustain robust anti-tumor immune responses.
BA: Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 2008.
PhD: Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 2016.
MD: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 2018.
Residency: Pediatrics, Accelerated Research Pathway, Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 2020.
Fellowship: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johns Hopkins and the National Cancer Institute, Baltimore and Bethesda, MD, 2024.
Fellowship: Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 2024.
Fellowship: Pediatric Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 2025.
Certification: General Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics, 2021.
Services and Specialties
Interests
Immunotherapy for tumors of the central nervous system and peripheral solid tumors; targeting and use of monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells to promote anti-tumor immunity; development of combinatorial immunotherapy regimens to induce and sustain the anti-tumor immune response; high-grade tumors of the central nervous system such as diffuse midline glioma, H3 G34-mutant diffuse hemispheric glioma, glioblastoma, IDH-mutant astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, and high-grade ependymoma
Research Areas
Insurance Information
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Publications
Spatial Profiling Identifies Regionally Distinct Microenvironments and Targetable Immunosuppressive Mechanisms in Pediatric Osteosarcoma Pulmonary Metastases. Cancer Research. 2025; 85:2320-2337.
IMMU-22. B7-H3 NANOBODY CAR-T AND SOLUBLE TREM2 GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MYELOID CELL THERAPY IN MURINE SYNGENEIC GLIOBLASTOMA. Neuro-Oncology. 2024; 26:0.
Combinatorial cellular therapy in pediatric solid tumors with natural killer (NK) and genetically engineered myeloid cells (GEMys). Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2024; 42:2561.
Abstract 6808: Investigating the role of CXCR3+ monocytes on CAR T cell function. Cancer Research. 2024; 84:6808.
Abstract 4069: IL12-expressing genetically engineered myeloid cells remodel the stromal dense and T cell poor tumor microenvironment and premetastatic niche of F42010 murine osteosarcoma. Cancer Research. 2024; 84:4069.
Alternative immune effector cells picking up speed. Molecular Therapy. 2024; 32:563-564.
STINGing the immune system: lessons learned through a model of G34-mutant pediatric high-grade glioma. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2022; 132:e164420.
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