SUMMARY
Raquel T. Yokoda, M.D., is a physician-scientist and surgical pathologist. She specializes in anatomic pathology and neuropathology, with additional interest in gastrointestinal and liver pathology.
Dr. Yokoda's research focuses on tumor plasticity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastatic adaptation in solid tumors. Her work integrates digital pathology, spatial proteomics and computational imaging to investigate how tumors evolve and resist treatment, particularly in immune-privileged organs such as the brain and liver. She studies the role of Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) as a master regulator of stress responses, chromatin remodeling and mesenchymal transdifferentiation. Through mechanistic and translational approaches, Dr. Yokoda aims to define actionable biomarkers and therapeutic vulnerabilities in aggressive tumor phenotypes. She uses advanced imaging, molecular profiling and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analysis to bridge histopathology with clinical outcomes.
Focus areas
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor plasticity. Dr. Yokoda investigates the molecular mechanisms of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in brain and liver metastases. Her research focuses on YB-1, a transcription factor that drives adaptive stress responses and mesenchymal transdifferentiation. Dr. Yokoda also studies YAP and TAZ-driven stress response and mechanotransduction programs that promote mesenchymal transdifferentiation, immune evasion and metastatic fitness. She uses spatial proteomics and digital pathology to map EMT-associated markers, Hippo pathway effectors and immune modulators within tumor microenvironments to identify context‑specific therapeutic vulnerabilities.
- Digital pathology and AI integration. Dr. Yokoda pioneers the use of computational pathology tools, such as QuPath, Halo AI and custom AI pipelines to quantify multiplex immunohistochemistry and reconstruct tumor spatial heterogeneity. She adapts these methods for integration with radiomics and MRI datasets, enabling cross-modality analysis of tumor progression and treatment response. Dr. Yokoda's work supports precision oncology by enhancing diagnostic accuracy and predictive modeling.
- YB-1 modulation in metastasis models. Through inducible CRISPR interference and lentiviral systems, Dr. Yokoda modulates YB-1 activity in in vivo models of brain and liver metastasis. These models allow temporal control of YB-1 expression, facilitating studies on its role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune evasion and stromal recruitment. Dr. Yokoda's approach enables precise dissection of YB-1's impact on tumor burden, immune infiltration and mesenchymal stem cell dynamics.
- Cellular plasticity in liver injury, cholestatic disease and transplantation. Dr. Yokoda studies non-neoplastic cellular plasticity programs that intersect with EMT in many liver and gastrointestinal diseases and conditions, including cholestatic injury, chronic inflammation, fibrosis and transplant-associated injury. She examines stress-response and mechanotransduction pathways centered on YB-1, and YAP and TAZ that drive partial EMT states, ductular reactions and maladaptive repair. Using spatial proteomics, digital pathology and quantitative image analysis, she maps injury-responsive epithelial, ductular, stromal and immune compartments to distinguish adaptive regeneration from pathological remodeling. Her goal is to identify tissue-based biomarkers that inform disease progression, transplant outcomes and therapeutic targeting in chronic liver disease.
- Imaging-pathology correlation. Dr. Yokoda's interdisciplinary collaborations with neuroradiology and neuro-oncology teams focus on correlating histological features with imaging biomarkers. Her work supports the development of integrative diagnostic frameworks that combine tissue architecture with imaging-derived metrics to predict tumor behavior and therapeutic response in real time.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Yokoda's research helps healthcare teams learn how fast-growing cancers spread to the brain and liver. She studies how tumors change and adapt. Dr. Yokoda also finds new ways to slow or stop cancer from growing and spreading. She uses advanced imaging and computer tools to compare what care teams see in scans and in the tissue. This research could lead to faster and more-accurate diagnoses and treatments tailored to each patient.
Professional highlights
- Principal investigator, Clinician Engaged in Research Program, Institutional Award, Mayo Clinic, 2026-2028.
- Board member at large, Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Community, American Society of Transplantation, 2022-2024.
- Member, Histocompatibility and Identity Testing Committee, College of American Pathologists, 2022-2024.
- Mamoru Kaneko Award, Molecular and Cell-based Medicine, Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 2023.
- Montefiore Medical Center:
- Leo Davidoff Society Award for outstanding teaching of medical students, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 2022.
- Member, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 2022.
- Resident Teaching Award for outstanding teaching of residents, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 2022.