Natalie Johnson (McClintock), M.D.

Surgical Oncologist
Clinical Expertise
Breast Cancer
Melanoma
Thyroid
Appointments
Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery
Clinical Teams
Surgery

Dr. Natalie Johnson is a prominent specialist in surgery for breast cancer, thyroid cancer, parathyroid disease, and melanoma. Her research focuses on novel surgical approaches for the treatment of cancer, namely in the areas of tumor localization, intraoperative imaging guidance and navigation, margin assessment, and the administration of locoregional treatments. Her studies also include research in cancer disparities and the links between environmental factors and cancer. She is a noted speaker and presenter, with dozens of peer-reviewed research publications and presentations.
Drawn to surgical oncology early in her training, Dr. Johnson wished to pursue a field that was constantly evolving, hoping to contribute to that evolution. She appreciates that surgical oncology allows her to have long-term relationships with her patients, and that those relationships involve educating patients to make decisions together, considering their goals and values, their quality of life, and family and social factors. 

Dr. Johnson attended medical school at Albany Medical College in New York and returned home to Southern California for her residency in general surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. After completing a resident rotation at City of Hope in Duarte, she continued her training with fellowships in surgical oncology and breast surgical oncology at City of Hope. This inspired her to join City of Hope Orange County. Dr. Johnson remains drawn to the singular focus on cancer and working with a multidisciplinary team committed to a common goal of providing comprehensive, compassionate, patient-centered care and advancing cutting-edge treatments.

Dr Johnson also worked at University of California San Francisco as a clinical researcher. She completed training in oncoplastic surgical techniques and strives for the best cosmetic outcomes to help patients recover feeling whole. Coming from a family of artists, she enjoys the technical, creative, and aesthetic components of her work. 
Dr. Johnson is deeply committed to community service. Her involvement in free medical clinics and health promotion services underscores her dedication to improving healthcare access and outcomes for all people. She also served as a medical volunteer in Uganda and India. 

Degrees

2015, Doctor of Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY

Fellowships
  • 2022-2023, Breast Surgical Oncology, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA
  • 2021-2022, Community Practice Surgical Oncology, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA
Residency
  • 2015-2021, General Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
  • McClintock NC, Ayabe RI, Salas Parra RD, Kaji AH, Orozco J, Marzese DM, Samuels E, Stern SL, Dauphine C, Ozao-Choy JJ. A Microcosm of Disparities in Breast Cancer: Comparison between a Private Hospital and a Safety-Net County Hospital within Los Angeles County. Am Surg. 2022 Jul;88(7):1653-1656.
  • Stewart CL, De Andrade JP, Duma N, Ralph OK, Choong K, Gonzalez L, McClintock NC, Sandoval E, Melstrom LG, Warner SG. Unconscious Bias in Speaker Introductions at a Surgical Oncology Meeting: Hierarchy Reigns Over Gender. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020 Oct;27(10):3754-3761.
  • Chen YC, Navarrete MS, Wang Y, McClintock NC, Sakurai R, Wang F, Chen KT, Chou TF, Rehan VK, Lee DJ, Diaz B. N-myristoyltransferase-1 is necessary for lysosomal degradation and mTORC1 activation in cancer cells. Nature: Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 20;10(1):11952.
  • McClintock NC, Satyananda V, Dauphine C, Hari DM, Chen KT, Ozao-Choy JJ. Lipomatous Soft Tissue Masses: Challenging the Paradigm of Routine Preoperative Biopsy. J Surg Res. 2020 Mar;247:103-107.
  • McClintock NC, Gray KE, Neville AL, et al. Factors Associated with General Surgery Residents’ Decisions Regarding Fellowship and Subspecialty Stratified by Burnout and Quality of Life. Am J Surg. 2019 Dec;218(6):1090-1095.
  • McClintock NC, Chen KT, Behare S, Diaz B. N-Myristoyltransferase Inhibition Decreases Tumor Growth in a Syngeneic Mouse Model of Lung Cancer. J Am Coll Surg. 2019 Sep;229(4):e202.
  • Watanabe N, Anagnostopoulos PV, Shinkawa T, Johnson NC, Azakie A. Size of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit impacts midterm outcome after the Norwood procedure in patients weighing less than 3 kg. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012 Nov;144(5):1091-4.
  • Anagnostopoulos PV, Johnson NC, Robertson L, Sapru A, Azakie A. Surgical management of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. J Card Surg. 2012 Jan;27(1):103-11.
  • Azakie A, Lavrsen MJ, Johnson NC, Sapru A. Early outcomes of primary sutureless repair of the pulmonary veins. Ann Thorac Surg. 2011 Aug;92(2):666-71; discussion 671-2.
  • Shinkawa T, Anagnostopoulos PV, Johnson NC, Presnell L, Sapru A, Azakie A. Early results of the “clamp and sew” Fontan procedure without the use of circulatory support. Ann Thorac Surg. 2011 May;91(5):1453-9.
  • Azakie A, Johnson NC, Anagnostopoulos PV, Sapru A, Egrie GD, Lavrsen MJ. Cardiac surgery in low birth weight infants: Current outcomes. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011 Mar;12(3):409-13, discussion 414.
  • Azakie A, Johnson NC, Anagnostopoulos P, Akram M, McQuillen P, Sapru A. Stage II palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome without cardiopulmonary bypass. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011 Feb;141(2):400-6.
  • Shinkawa T, Anagnostopoulos PV, Johnson NC, Watanabe N, Sapru A, Azakie A. Performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position. Ann Thorac Surg. 2010 Oct;90(4):1295-300.