Christopher J. Melani, M.D.

Christopher J. Melani, M.D.
Assistant Research Physician
Lymphoid Malignancies Branch

Team Member of:

Wyndham Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Melani is a Staff Cinician and a clinical researcher specializing in lymphoma. His areas of interest include the use of novel therapies and drug combinations for the treatment of lymphomas as well as novel methods of molecular monitoring of disease and response to treatment, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).

Areas of Expertise

1) lymphoma, 2) clinical trials, 3) novel drug use

Contact Info

Christopher J. Melani, M.D.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Building 10, Room 4N115
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Ph: 301-814-7117
christopher.melani@nih.gov
  1. Novel use of targeted therapies and immunotherapy in lymphoma.
  2. Molecular features of high-risk follicular lymphoma.
  3. Use of FDG-PET and management of mediastinal lymphomas.
  4. Use of novel methods of molecular monitoring, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), in lymphoma.
  5. Molecular features and novel treatment of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL)
NIH Scientific Focus Areas:
Clinical Research

Selected Recent Publications

  1. PD-1 Blockade in Mediastinal Gray-Zone Lymphoma.
    Melani C, Major A, Schowinsky J, Roschewski M, Pittaluga S, Jaffe ES, Pack SD, Abdullaev Z, Ahlman MA, Kwak JJ, Morgan R, Rabinovitch R, Pan Z, Haverkos BM, Gutman JA, Pollyea DA, Smith CA, Wilson WH, Kamdar M.
    New Engl J Med. 377(1): 89-91, 2017. [ Journal Article ]
  2. DA-EPOCH-R in Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma; Analysis of End of Therapy FDG-PET and Outcome.
    Melani CJ, Advani R, Chen CC, Walters KM, Venzon D, Steinberg SM, Shovlin M, Jaffe ES, Pittaluga S, Roschewski M, Wilson WH, Dunleavy K.
    Blood. in press, 2017. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Molecular Monitoring of Cell-Free Circulating Tumor DNA in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
    Melani C, Roschewski M.
    Oncology (Williston Park, NY). 30(8): 731-8, 2016. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Inhibition of B Cell Receptor Signaling by Ibrutinib in Primary CNS Lymphoma.
    Lionakis MS, Dunleavy K, Roschewski M, Widemann BC, Butman JA, Schmitz R, Yang Y, Cole DE, Melani C, Higham CS, Desai JV, Ceribelli M, Chen L, Thomas CJ, Little RF, Gea-Banacloche J, Bhaumik S, Stetler-Stevenson M, Pittaluga S, Jaffe ES, Heiss J, Lucas N, Steinberg SM, Staudt LM, Wilson WH.
    Cancer Cell. 31(6): 833-843, 2017. [ Journal Article ]
  5. MYC gene rearrangement in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma does not confer a worse prognosis following dose-adjusted EPOCH-R.
    Lai C, Roschewski M, Melani C, Pittaluga S, Shovlin M, Steinberg SM, Dunleavy K, Pack S, Jaffe ES, Wilson WH.
    Leuk Lymphoma. 22: 1-4, 2017. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Melani earned a B.S. in biology with a minor in psychology from The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA in 2007. His medical training was conducted at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA where he earned his M.D. in 2011. Dr. Melani's internship and residency training were performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD from 2011 to 2014. He undertook fellowship training in hematology/oncology at NCI/NHLBI in Bethesda, MD from 2014 to 2017. Currently, he is employed as a Staff Clinician in the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch of the NCI under the mentorship of Dr. Wyndham H. Wilson.