Nicholas Willard, DO

Professional Titles

• Medical Director, Molecular Oncologic Pathology

Recognitions

• The Century Award, Children's Hospital Colorado (2025)
  This award recognizes a member of the Medical Staff, who has made major contributions to the Medical Staff through committee work, initiatives, leadership roles, and/or advocacy.
• Lotte Strauss Prize, Society for Pediatric Pathology (2024)
  The Lotte Strauss Prize recognizes meritorious work by an individual 40 years of age or younger in a subject germane to pediatric pathology
• The William S. Hammond, M.D. Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Colorado, Department of Pathology (2024)
  The teacher of the year award for exceptional commitment to the education of pathologists.
• Summit Award for Excellence in Teaching and Education of Pathologists, University of Colorado, Department of Pathology (2023)
• 40 Under Forty Pathologist, The American Society for Clinical Pathology (2023)
  ASCP 40 Under Forty award recognizes members under the age of 40 for their achievements and leadership qualities that are making an impact on pathology and laboratory medicine.
• Summit Award for Excellence in Teaching and Education of Pathologists, University of Colorado, Department of Pathology (2022)
• Provider of the Month, Children's Hospital Colorado (2021)
• Harry B. Neustein Memorial Award, Society for Pediatric Pathology (2021)
  This award recognizes meritorious work involving new methodological advances in molecular technology and immunohistochemical techniques, or development of other innovative technological advances in the study of pediatric pathology.
• Gary J. Miller Award for Outstanding Research by a Graduate Student or Resident, University of Colorado, Department of Pathology (2019)
• Harry B. Neustein Memorial Award, Society for Pediatric Pathology (2017)
  This award recognizes meritorious work involving new methodological advances in molecular technology and immunohistochemical techniques, or development of other innovative technological advances in the study of pediatric pathology.

Research Interests

Publications

• Andreiuolo F, Ferrone CK, Rajan S, Perry A, Guney E, Cham E, Giannini C, Toland A, Willard N, de Souza AS, Dazelle K, Chung HJ, Singh O, Conway K, Coley N, Dampier C, Abdullaev Z, Pratt D, Cimino PJ, Quezado M, Aldape K. Molecular and clinicopathologic characteristics of CNS embryonal tumors with BRD4::LEUTX fusion. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024 Mar 18;12(1):42. PubMed PMID: 38500181
• Zahedi S, Riemondy K, Griesinger AM, Donson AM, Fu R, Crespo M, DeSisto J, Groat MM, Bratbak E, Green A, Hankinson TC, Handler M, Vibhakar R, Willard N, Foreman NK, Levy JM. Multi-pronged analysis of pediatric low-grade glioma reveals a unique tumor microenvironment associated with BRAF alterations. bioRxiv. 2024 Apr 10. PubMed PMID: 38645202
• Johnson M, Willard N, Pan Z. Systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma with NPM1::TYK2 rearrangement. J Hematop. 2024 Aug 29. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39207720
• Lee JC, Koo SC, Furtado LV, Breuer A, Eldomery MK, Bag AK, Stow P, Rose G, Larkin T, Sances R, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Bodmer JL, Willard N, Gokden M, Dahiya S, Roberts K, Bertrand KC, Moreira DC, Robinson GW, Mo JQ, Ellison DW, Orr BA. Concurrent ependymal and ganglionic differentiation in a subset of supratentorial neuroepithelial tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangement. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024 Sep 3;12(1):143. PubMed PMID: 39228008
• Andreiuolo F, Ferrone CK, Rajan S, Perry A, Guney E, Cham E, Giannini C, Toland A, Willard N, de Souza AS, Dazelle K, Chung HJ, Singh O, Conway K, Coley N, Dampier C, Abdullaev Z, Pratt D, Cimino PJ, Quezado M, Aldape K. Molecular and clinicopathologic characteristics of CNS embryonal tumors with BRD4::LEUTX fusion. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024 Mar 18;12(1):42. PubMed PMID: 38500181
• Zahedi S, Riemondy K, Griesinger AM, Donson AM, Fu R, Crespo M, DeSisto J, Groat MM, Bratbak E, Green A, Hankinson TC, Handler M, Vibhakar R, Willard N, Foreman NK, Levy JM. Multi-pronged analysis of pediatric low-grade glioma reveals a unique tumor microenvironment associated with BRAF alterations. bioRxiv. 2024 Apr 10. PubMed PMID: 38645202
• Lee JC, Koo SC, Furtado LV, Breuer A, Eldomery MK, Bag AK, Stow P, Rose G, Larkin T, Sances R, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Bodmer JL, Willard N, Gokden M, Dahiya S, Roberts K, Bertrand KC, Moreira DC, Robinson GW, Mo JQ, Ellison DW, Orr BA. Concurrent ependymal and ganglionic differentiation in a subset of supratentorial neuroepithelial tumors with EWSR1-PLAGL1 rearrangement. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024 Sep 3;12(1):143. PubMed PMID: 39228008
• Johnson M, Willard N, Pan Z. Systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma with NPM1::TYK2 rearrangement. J Hematop. 2024 Aug 29. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39207720
• Donson AM, Bertrand KC, Riemondy KA, Gao D, Zhuang Y, Sanford B, Norris GA, Chapman RJ, Fu R, Willard N, Griesinger AM, Ribeiro de Sousa G, Amani V, Grimaldo E, Hankinson TC, Booker F, Sill M, Grundy RG, Pajtler KW, Ellison DW, Foreman NK, Ritzmann TA. Significant increase of high-risk chromosome 1q gain and 6q loss at recurrence in posterior fossa group A ependymoma: A multicenter study. Neuro Oncol. 2023 Oct 3;25(10):1854-1867. PubMed PMID: 37246777
• Amani V, Riemondy KA, Fu R, Griesinger AM, Grimaldo E, De Sousa GR, Gilani A, Hemenway M, Foreman NK, Donson AM, Willard N. Integration of single-nuclei RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and histochemistry defines the complex microenvironment of NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2023 Sep 28;11(1):158. PubMed PMID: 37770931
• Fu R, Norris GA, Willard N, Griesinger AM, Riemondy KA, Amani V, Grimaldo E, Harris F, Hankinson TC, Mitra S, Ritzmann TA, Grundy RR, Foreman NK, Donson AM. Spatial transcriptomic analysis delineates epithelial and mesenchymal subpopulations and transition stages in childhood ependymoma. Neuro Oncol. 2023 Apr 6;25(4):786-798. PubMed PMID: 36215273
• Norris GA, Willard N, Donson AM, Gaskell A, Milgrom SA, O'Neill BR, Nijmeh H, Haag M, Gilani A, Foreman NK, Dahl NA. PDGFB:APOBEC3C fusion in congenital diffuse high-grade glioma of the brainstem. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2023 Jan 20;82(2):183-186. PubMed PMID: 36440550
• Griesinger AM, Riemondy K, Eswaran N, Donson AM, Willard N, Prince EW, Paine SML, Bowes G, Rheaume J, Chapman RJ, Ramage J, Jackson A, Grundy RG, Foreman NK, Ritzmann TA. Multi-omic approach identifies hypoxic tumor-associated myeloid cells that drive immunobiology of high-risk pediatric ependymoma. iScience. 2023 Sep 15;26(9):107585. PubMed PMID: 37694144
• Donson AM, Bertrand KC, Riemondy KA, Gao D, Zhuang Y, Sanford B, Norris GA, Chapman RJ, Fu R, Willard N, Griesinger AM, Ribeiro de Sousa G, Amani V, Grimaldo E, Hankinson TC, Booker F, Sill M, Grundy RG, Pajtler KW, Ellison DW, Foreman NK, Ritzmann TA. Significant increase of high-risk chromosome 1q gain and 6q loss at recurrence in posterior fossa group A ependymoma: A multicenter study. Neuro Oncol. 2023 Oct 3;25(10):1854-1867. PubMed PMID: 37246777
• Griesinger AM, Riemondy K, Eswaran N, Donson AM, Willard N, Prince EW, Paine SML, Bowes G, Rheaume J, Chapman RJ, Ramage J, Jackson A, Grundy RG, Foreman NK, Ritzmann TA. Multi-omic approach identifies hypoxic tumor-associated myeloid cells that drive immunobiology of high-risk pediatric ependymoma. iScience. 2023 Sep 15;26(9):107585. PubMed PMID: 37694144
• Amani V, Riemondy KA, Fu R, Griesinger AM, Grimaldo E, De Sousa GR, Gilani A, Hemenway M, Foreman NK, Donson AM, Willard N. Integration of single-nuclei RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and histochemistry defines the complex microenvironment of NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2023 Sep 28;11(1):158. PubMed PMID: 37770931
• Gleichmann N, Creighton E, Zhu A, Willard N, Yang J, Herrmann BW. Concurrent Pediatric Lingual and Submental Dermoid Cysts: Case Report and Literature Review. Cureus. 2023 Jul;15(7):e42429. PubMed PMID: 37637563
• Willard N, Sholl L, Aisner D. Panel Sequencing for Targeted Therapy Selection in Solid Tumors. Clin Lab Med. 2022 Sep;42(3):309-323. PubMed PMID: 36150814
• Riemondy KA, Venkataraman S, Willard N, Nellan A, Sanford B, Griesinger AM, Amani V, Mitra S, Hankinson TC, Handler MH, Sill M, Ocasio J, Weir SJ, Malawsky DS, Gershon TR, Garancher A, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Hesselberth JR, Foreman NK, Donson AM, Vibhakar R. Neoplastic and immune single-cell transcriptomics define subgroup-specific intra-tumoral heterogeneity of childhood medulloblastoma. Neuro Oncol. 2022 Feb 1;24(2):273-286. PubMed PMID: 34077540
• Yildiz Bölükbasi E, Karolak JA, Szafranski P, Gambin T, Willard N, Abman SH, Galambos C, Kinsella JP, Stankiewicz P. High-level gonosomal mosaicism for a pathogenic non-coding CNV deletion of the lung-specific FOXF1 enhancer in an unaffected mother of an infant with ACDMPV. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2022 Sep 20;:e2062. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36124617
• Fu R, Norris GA, Willard N, Griesinger AM, Riemondy KA, Amani V, Grimaldo E, Harris F, Hankinson TC, Mitra S, Ritzmann TA, Grundy RR, Foreman NK, Donson AM. Spatial transcriptomic analysis delineates epithelial and mesenchymal subpopulations and transition stages in childhood ependymoma. Neuro Oncol. 2022 Oct 10. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36215273
• Fu, Rui, Gregory Norris, Nicholas Willard, Andrea Griesinger, Kent A. Riemondy, Vladimir Amani, Enrique Grimaldo et al. "Spatial transcriptomic analysis of childhood ependymoma implicates unresolved wound healing as a driver of tumor progression." bioRxiv (2022).
• Chan M, Hanna MG, Willard N, Treece A, Dixon BP. Hypocomplementemic Atypical IgA Vasculitis: A Case Report. Front Pediatr. 2022;10:886371. PubMed PMID: 35757129
• Drake, Erin, Nicholas Willard, Amy Treece, Andrea Bischoff, and Veronica Alaniz. "Abdominal wall endometrioma in the setting of prior vaginostomy tube drainage of hematometrocolpos." Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology 35, no. 2 (2022): 229.
• Katherine T Lind, MD, Hannah V Chatwin, BA, John DeSisto, MS, Philip Coleman, BA, Bridget Sanford, MS, Andrew M Donson, BS, Kurtis D Davies, PhD, Nicholas Willard, DO, Calvin A Ewing, Aaron J Knox, PhD, Jean M Mulcahy Levy, MD, Ahmed Gilani, MD, Adam L Green, MD, Novel RAF Fusions in Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas Demonstrate MAPK Pathway Activation, Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 2021;, nlab110, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/nlab110
• Kent A Riemondy, Sujatha Venkataraman, Nicholas Willard, Anandani Nellan, Bridget Sanford, Andrea M Griesinger, Vladimir Amani, Siddhartha Mitra, Todd C Hankinson, Michael H Handler, Martin Sill, Jennifer Ocasio, Seth J Weir, Daniel S Malawsky, Timothy R Gershon, Alexandra Garancher, Robert J Wechsler-Reya, Jay R Hesselberth, Nicholas K Foreman, Andrew M Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar, Neoplastic and immune single-cell transcriptomics define subgroup-specific intra-tumoral heterogeneity of childhood medulloblastoma, Neuro-Oncology, 2021;, noab135, https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noab135
• Roberts SJ, McNally B, Rosser JA, Willard N, Golitz L, Wisell J. Diverse clinical and histopathologic features of cutaneous post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders: A presentation of two cases. Australas J Dermatol. 2019 Nov;60(4):e317-e321. PubMed PMID: 31144292
• Willard N, Honce JM, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK. PRES: Review of Histological Features. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2018 Feb 1;77(2):100-118. PubMed PMID: 29325172
• Willard N, Bocsi GT. A New Monoclonal Band in a Patient with Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Clin Chem. 2017 Apr;63(4):927-935. PubMed PMID: 28351858
• Willard N, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK. Massive dissemination of adult glioblastomas. Clin Neuropathol. 2015 Nov-Dec;34(6):330-42. PubMed PMID: 26308254

Practice Locations

• Children's Hospital Colorado
• University of Colorado Hospital

Specialty Information

• Anatomic and Clinical, Board Certification (2019)
• Molecular Genetic, Board Certification (2020)
• Pediatric Pathology, Board Certification (2022)
• The Columbia Renal Biopsy Course, Columbia University, Specialized Training (2022)
• The Columbia Renal Biopsy Course, Columbia University, Specialized Training (2023)
• Molecular Foundations of Medicine, Stanford University, Specialized Training (2019)
• Statistical Learning, Stanford University, Specialized Training (2019)