Highlights
Age Groups Seen
- Young Adult 18-25
- Adult 26-64
- Older Adult 65+
Languages
- English
In-Network Plans
View All Accepted Plans (12)Gender
FemaleJohns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Karisa C. Schreck
Primary Academic Title
Associate Professor of Neurology
Johns Hopkins Physician
Background
Karisa C. Schreck, MD, PhD, is a neuro-oncologist, co-director of the BRAF Brain Tumor Center at Johns Hopkins, and a translational clinician-scientist whose research focuses on developing molecularly guided therapies for glioma and other primary brain tumors.
Dr. Schreck received her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and earned her combined MD-PhD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2012. Her doctoral research examined developmental signaling pathways in brain development and glioblastoma resistance to standard therapies, providing an early foundation for her interest in cancer-associated signaling pathways and therapeutic resistance.
She completed her internship at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, followed by neurology residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2013 to 2016. She then pursued neuro-oncology fellowship training through the joint Johns Hopkins–NIH program, where she focused on targeted and metabolic therapies for primary brain tumors. During fellowship, she also completed postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Christine Pratilas, studying mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapy in BRAF-altered glioma and therapeutic strategies that exploit ERK pathway dysregulation. She continues to collaborate closely with Dr. Pratilas and shares laboratory space as part of this ongoing translational research partnership.
Dr. Schreck’s research program is centered on understanding how oncogenic signaling pathways drive brain tumor growth, treatment resistance, and therapeutic vulnerability. By defining how pathways such as BRAF/MAPK/ERK can be molecularly controlled, her work aims to identify rational targeted therapies and combination strategies for patients with glioma. This integrated training across neurology, neuro-oncology, and translational cancer biology positions her to move discoveries from the laboratory into biomarker-driven clinical trials for patients with difficult-to-treat brain tumors.
Centers and Institutes
Clinical Trials Summary
Find a Clinical Trial
View all trials by this principal investigator.
Videos
Glioblastoma and BRAF gene mutation: Courtney's Story
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
Podcast - Engineering Hero: Treating Brain Cancer by Targeting Mutated Neural Pathways, Embedded Computer Design, 12/5/2023
Video - Engineering Hero: Combatting Brain Cancer Mutations with Neuroscience, Embedded Computer Design, 11/29/2023
Additional Academic Titles
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, Associate Professor of Oncology
Research Interests
Clinical Trials, Personalized Medicine, Predictive Biomarkers for Treatment., Resistance to Small-Molecule Targeted Therapies
Research Summary
Dr. Schreck’s laboratory and clinical research program bridges tumor genomics, preclinical modeling, and early-phase clinical trials. Her publications have helped define mechanisms of response and resistance to RAF, BRAF, and MEK inhibition in glioma, including acquired resistance mechanisms in BRAF V600E–mutant tumors and clinical outcomes with combined RAF/MEK pathway inhibition. She has led and contributed to multi-institutional studies characterizing BRAF-mutant glioma across clinical and molecular subtypes, as well as clinical trials evaluating targeted therapies for recurrent BRAF-altered high-grade glioma.
Dr. Schreck also develops clinical trials and correlative studies that use tumor genomics and liquid biopsy approaches to improve treatment selection and response assessment in glioma. Her research output includes studies of BRAF-altered glioma, NF1-associated glioma, mechanisms of targeted therapy resistance, and feasibility of circulating tumor DNA monitoring during targeted therapy. Through this integrated research program, Dr. Schreck aims to translate laboratory discoveries into biomarker-driven clinical trials and ultimately improve outcomes for children and adults with difficult-to-treat brain tumors.
Google Scholar - Publications
PubMed - Publications
Pure - Research Profile
Locations
- Skip Viragh Outpatient Cancer Center
- 201 North Broadway Street, Viragh BLDG 5th FL, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Get Directions
- phone: 410-955-8964
- fax: 410-367-2194
Expertise
Education
- Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Neuro-Oncology, 2019
- Fellowship: National Institutes of Health, Neuro-Oncology, 2019
- Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Neurology, 2016
- Medical Education: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD PhD, 2012
Board Certifications
- Neurology: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2016
Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)
Ratings & Reviews
4.9 out of 5
70 ratings, 28 reviewsThe Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 3/26/2026
Outstanding provider that goes the distance for her patients. Impeccable bedside manner. I feel my health is in 5he best of hands with her.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 3/23/2026
I'm am extremely happy that I have this provider. She is personable, caring and listens to me. I respect her opinion and the treatment path. I would never want another provider.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 3/19/2026
Dr. Schreck is excellent - knowledgeable, empathetic, inspiring confidence. Very happy she is my neuro oncologist.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 3/9/2026
Dr. Schreck answered all the questions I had
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 3/9/2026
Dr. Schreck is so caring and takes the time to answer all my questions and to explain any medical concerns and/or test results.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/23/2026
Excellent! Explains thoroughly and listens attentively!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/19/2026
My doctor is fantastic
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/19/2026
Dr. Schreck as always was attentive, ask questions, answered all of our questions and was Informative.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/12/2026
She is an excellent Dr and very sincere and caring.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/5/2026
Very kind, friendly. Infomative
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/30/2026
Dr Schreck is great.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/22/2026
Dr Schreck is a very caring and understanding neurologist. She treats you like a friend, making it so easy to talk to her about anything
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/12/2026
Dr Karisa was very professional and gave us all the options.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/22/2025
She is simply the best at what she does.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/18/2025
Amazing! So bright and caring!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/18/2025
This was the first time I saw her. It was a new location for me and I ended up an hour late. I was still treated as well as I could have expected.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/18/2025
The best! 10 out of 10
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/15/2025
She is a wonderful doctor and makes me feel a ease when speaking with her as well as gives information when she know the answer but if not sure she tells me why and what we can do to be sure
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/4/2025
VERY GOOD
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/17/2025
Dr. Schreck continues to show me that I'm in the best of hands.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/27/2025
Dr. Schreck is the BEST!!! She is thorough, knowledgeable, personable, caring and easy to understand when discussing medical issues.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/2/2025
Dr. Schreck is amazing and I'm very lucky to have her as a doctor. Her knowledge and experience are incredible, and with her help she is literally helping me stay alive! I cannot stress enough how fortunate I feel to have her as a physician!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/11/2025
Only positive comments regarding my provider. She is knowledgeable, empathetic, answers all questions, and I have confidence in her.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/8/2025
Dr. Schreck is always professional. She is very thorough in explaining everything. She is patient and never makes me feel rushed during the visits. She definitely makes me feel like she cares about me and my well being.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/14/2025
Very attentive and sincerely cares
- 4 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/24/2025
Dr. Schreck is a good provider, it was the rest of the experience that was a challenge.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/26/2025
Great facility and provider!