2025 Faculty Biographies
Co-chairs
Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO
Professor of Medicine
Winterhof Family Professor of Breast Cancer
Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education
Medical Director, Cancer Infusion Services
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
San Francisco, CA
Hope S. Rugo is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of
California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is Director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at UCSF's
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Rugo is an internationally recognized expert in
breast cancer. Her research interests include novel therapies for advanced breast cancer, immune
modulation to restore chemotherapy sensitivity, evaluation of circulating tumor DNA as
a marker of
response and resistance to therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, and safety/supportive care. She is a principal
investigator of multiple clinical trials and has published widely in medical journals. Dr. Rugo also plays an
active role in the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the Translational Breast Cancer Research
Consortium, ASCO, MASCC, and international guideline committees including NCCN. Dr. Rugo is dedicated
to education and mentorship, providing guidance to medical students, residents, and fellows at UCSF and
beyond.
Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA
Neumann M. and Mildred E. Harris Professor
Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE
Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, is the Neumann M. and Mildred E. Harris Professor and Chief of the Division of
Oncology/Hematology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. In addition, she
is a past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Dr. Vose received her medical degree, completed her residency in internal medicine as chief resident, and
completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In
addition, she completed a sabbatical at Stanford University, and continued her education by obtaining an
MBA in Health Administration from the University of Colorado Business School.
Dr. Vose has focused her career on translational research improving the therapy of non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin’s lymphoma by developing a focused translational research program
evaluating novel therapies, such as radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, idiotype vaccine therapies,
pathway-directed agents, stem cell transplantation, and CAR T-cell therapy
. Further, her funding record
and publications in NHL therapy and transplantation research have substantially added to the research
and knowledge base for lymphoma therapy. As a result of her NHL research, Dr. Vose has been recognized
nationally and internationally through worldwide research awards and invited lectureships.
Local Co-chairs
Shane Y. Morita, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, FSSO
Vice Chief of Staff
Medical Director of Surgical Oncology
The Queen's Medical Center
Honolulu, HI
Shane Y. Morita, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, was born in the town of Hilo and raised in the district of Waiakea. He received his MD from the University of Hawaii/John A. Burns School of Medicine where he also
obtained a
MS analyzing thyroid cancer in the Filipino community as well as
a PhD investigating cutaneous
melanoma in the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander population.
He recently earned an executive MBA with
a healthcare certificate from the University of Hawaii/Jay H. Shidler College of Business.
Dr. Morita completed his internship and residency at Harbor
-
UCLA Medical Center/David Geffen School of
Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He then returned home to be with his father who
was diagnosed with terminal cancer and worked at North Hawaii Community Hospital until his passing. He
personally witnessed the bravery that his father exhibited
in fighting an
incurable illness
and the
dedication that his mother demonstrated during this trying time. Dr. Morita subsequently performed
fellowships at the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health and at The Johns Hopkins
Hospital/The Joh
ns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Morita is the Vice Chief of Staff and Medical Director of Surgical Oncology at the Queen’s Medical
Center, Associate Professor of Surgery within the John A. Burns School of Medicine, as well as Head of
Surgical Oncology for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. He is the Vice President for the Hawaii Society
of Clinical Oncology
and past
Chair for the Hawaii Comprehensive Cancer Coalition.
Dr. Morita is a Fellow
of the American College of Surgeons
.
He is the Chief Medical Officer and past Chair of the Board for the
American Cancer Society Hawaii affiliate.
He has been married to Jaimie
S.
Tom, MD for over 25 years and has 3 boys
-
Josiah, Elijah, and
Zechariah.
He enjoys traveling with his wife and fishing with his sons.
Steering Committee Chair
Sanjiv S. Agarwala, MD, FASCO
Professor, Temple University School of Medicine
Co-Founder, President & CMO
Cancer Expert Now
Philadelphia, PA
Sanjiv S. Agarwala, MD
is
professor of medicine at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
Dr. Agarwala is nationally and internationally recognized as an expert in melanoma research and
treatment and cancer immunotherapy, and he has presented and led numerous confere
nces and
meetings across the globe.
He is Co
-
Founder & Chief Medical Officer of Cancer Expert Now, an
organization that specializes in cancer education
Dr. Agarwala completed his medical training through residencies and fellowships at the University of
Bombay in India, the University of Otago in New Zealand, and the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Agarwala has written and contributed to over 200 publications and book chapters on melanoma,
immune-oncology, and other research areas. He is boar
d certified in oncology and hematology and is an
active member of several professional and scientific societies, such as the American Association for Cancer
Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the European Society of Medical Oncology, and
the
Society for Melanoma Research.
Steering Committee
Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO
Professor of Medicine and Professor of Surgery, Brown University
Director, Pelvic Malignancies Program, Brown University Health
Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Legorreta Cancer Center
Providence, RI
Don S. Dizon is a Professor of Medicine
and Professor of Surgery
at Brown University
and serves as the
Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Professional
Integrity
at SWOG Cancer Research Network, a
member of the National Cancer Institute’s Nation
al Clinical Trials Network
.
He
is
the Editor
in Chief
of
CA:
A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the flagship journal of the American Cancer Society.
He is a
medical
oncologist specializing in
ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancer,
prevention
–
particularly as it relates to the
HPV vaccine,
sexuality after cancer
for men and women,
and
professional use of
social media.
He
is
the
Director of
The Pelvic Malignancies Program
at Brown University Health
and Associate Director of Community
Outreach and Engagement
at Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University. Among his other
roles, he
is Chairperson of
the Hope Foundation for Cancer Research and
sits on the board of the
LGBTQ
Cancer Network.
Dr. Dizon
is a founding member of the
Collaboration for Outcomes Using Social
Media
in
Oncology
and is active on many platforms, including
Threads, Instagram, Facebook,
and
TikTok
. Follow
him
@drdonsdizon
.
Luis E. Raez, MD, FACP, FASCO
Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director
Memorial Cancer Institute/Memorial Health Care System
Research Professor of Medicine I-Health Institute
Florida Atlantic University
Past President Florida Society
of Clinical Oncology
Miami, FL
Luis E. Raez,
MD, FACP, FASCO
works as Chief Scientific Officer & Medical Director at Memorial Cancer
Institute (MCI)/Memorial Health Care System, he is also Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program. He is
Co-Director of the MCI/FAU Florida Cancer Center of Excellence designated by the Florida Department of
Health, one of only five cancer centers in Florida. He is also Clinical Professor of Medicine at Florida
International University (FIU), Visiting Professor of Medicine at Cayetano Heredia University in Peru and
Research Professor at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). He was the President of the Florida Society of
Clinical Oncology (FLASCO) 2019
-
2021.
He was an Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health, and a Co-Director of Thoracic
Oncology at Sylvester Cancer Center/University of Miami for 10 years (2001
-
2011). He has expertise in
medical oncology in the areas of lung cancer, and head and neck cancer.
He designs phase I
-
III clinical trials with
new targeted agents and immunotherapy. Dr. Raez does
translational research and clinical research. He has been funded by NCI and the pharma industry. He has
given oral presentations and lectures in national and international meetings in the US, Europe, Latin-America, Africa and Asia.
Educational Committee
Kristen Chun, RN, BSN, MBA/HCM
Vice President of Patient Care: Women’s Health, Pediatrics, and Oncology
The Queen’s Health Systems
Honolulu, Hawaii
Kristen Chun
is the
Vice President of Patient Care for Oncology
,
Women’s Health,
and
Pediatrics
at the
Queen’s Health System
.
As a system Vice President
, Kristen
is
responsible for developing and
implementing business and strategic plans supporting the
Oncology,
Women’s
Health
,
and
Pediatric
Clinical Programs
to
meet the goals and objectives of The
Queen’s Health System.
Kristen’s interest in the Clinical Program model was
one of the drivers for her interest in
join
ing
Queen’s.
In 2022
, the Queen’s Health System
deliberately shifted
towards a Clinical Program structure that designs
and manages clinical best practices (safety and quality), strategy, stewardship, engagement, and
operational alignment and practice. Clinical Programs expand the traditional service line model and are
desig
ned to make clinical quality and safety
the
core business strategy. This expanded healthcare model
aims at responsible stewardship of resources while
ensuring the highest quality of care.
Prior to joining Queen’s, Kristen served as the Associate Chair of
Operations for the Department of Ob-Gyn and Women’s Health at University Health Partners of Hawaii
(2014
-
2021)
, and as
the
Executive
Director for the Women’s and Oncology Services Lines at Hawaii Pacific Health
(2006
-
2014)
.
Kristen is a Registered Nurse wi
th a
clinical
background in Surgical Services, High-Risk Antepartum, and
Labor and Delivery. Kristen started her nursing career
in 1994 as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN),
earned
her Associate Degree in Nursing
(RN)
in 1998,
her Bachelor
of Science in Nur
sing
(BSN)
in
2003, and
her
Master
of Business Administration in Healthcare Management
in 2005
.
Kristen is from Honolulu and is
married with four children.
Jorge J. Garcia, PharmD, MS, MHA, MBA, FACCC, FACHE
Assistant Vice President
System Oncology, Infusion and Investigational Drug Pharmacy Services
Corporate Pharmacy
Clinical Enterprise
Miami Cancer Institute | Lynn Cancer Institute
Baptist Health South Florida
Member, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance
Miami, FL
Jorge J. García
obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy
(PharmD)
and Master of Business Administration
(MBA)
from Nova Southeastern University (NSU)
in 2010. He then transitioned to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
(UPMC)
to pursue an American Society of
Health-System
Pharmacy (ASHP) - accredited
PGY
-
1
&
PGY
-
2 Health
-
System Pharmacy Administration Residency and a Master of Science
(MS)
in
Pharmacy Administration. He also completed a Master of Healthcare Administration
(MHA)
from Florida
Atlantic University
(FAU)
.
Dr. García has previously served in the roles of inpatient pharmacy
operations
coordinator as well as director of pharmacy for
system-wide
oncology pharmacy services.
Dr. García currently serves as an Assistant Vice President
(AVP)
at Baptist Health South Florida
(BHSF)
with
responsibility for system-wide acute and ambulatory oncology
pharmacy services, system-wide
ambulatory non-oncology infusion pharmacy services, and system-wide investigational drug pharmacy
services.
He
has pioneered pharmacy charge integrity and revenue management
initiatives
in the health-system setting and is a thought leader and national speaker in this area, as well as in the areas of
alternative payment models, biosimilars,
505(b)2 drugs,
drug bagging practices, and value-based
care.
Dr.
García
also
directs multiple
national
conferences
tasked with
the
dissemination of emerging clinical
evidence
while also
highlighting
opportunities
to leverage patient
care
and organizational value.
Dr.
García leads advocacy efforts at the national level to promote
access
to medicines
, as well as access to
high-quality standards in the oncology, infusion
,
and investigational drug setting
.
Dr. García
has served
as
a board member at Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO)
since 2015
and
is
also a previous
recipient of the FLASCO Above and Beyond Award, which honored his exceptional dedication and
innovative contributions to the society.
He also currently serves on multiple committees at ASHP.
In
2020, Dr. García was also appointed to the Board of Trustees at Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) and currently serves in multiple committees and serves as the organization’s executive secretary
. In addition, Dr. García is a founding member of the Advanced Topics for Oncology Pharmacy Professionals
(ATOPP) national conference, and currently serves as the organization’s chair. He also currently serves as faculty for the ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Leadership Academy (PLA). Dr. García is a fellow of ACCC and a fellow of the American College of
Healthcare Executives (ACHE).
Amy Schippers, PA - C
Physician Assistant
Cancer Expert Now
Morristown, New Jersey
Amy Schippers, PA is a physician assistant at St. Luke's University Health Network in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania. She completed her undergraduate degree in the
fast track physician assistant program at
DeSales University and then completed her master's degree at DeSales University in 2010. Since
graduating as a PA she has been working in the hematology/oncology field and currently specializes in
melanoma and squamous cell head/neck malignancies.
Faculty
Daniel H. Ahn, DO, MS
GI Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor
Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology
Mayo Clinic
Phoenix, AZ
Daniel H. Ahn, DO, MS
is a GI Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor in the Division of
Hematology/Medical Oncology at the Mayo Clinic. He
conducts clinical and translational research focused
on developing anti-cancer agents for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Ahn collaborates
extensively with various scientists and industry partners to design and execute innovative clinical trials,
including many first-in-
human studies.
He also is the Medical Director for the Clinical
Cancer Trials
Office
and l
ead for the GI Oncology Translational Research Disease Working Group at Mayo Clinic Arizona. He
also serves on the Board of Directors for the Mayo Clinic
-
supported cancer research consortium Academic
and Community Cancer Research United (ACCRU) and is
heavily involved
in the Alliance for Clinical Trials
in Oncology, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)
-
supported cooperative research group.
Dr. Ahn’s research includes a large focus on the incorporation of agents that target the multiple facets of
cancer, including genetic and epigenetic drivers, as well as the feeding microenvironment and the immune milieu. His research has also led to the launch of a number of clinical trials, including
recent studies investigating novel agents targeting DNA repair mechanisms in the treatment of hepatobiliary malignancies as well as various targeted therapies in advanced colorectal cancer.
Susana Campos, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Dr. Susana Campos received her MD from Georgetown University in 1992, and then completed residency
training at Georgetown Medical Center. Between 1995 and 1998, she completed a fellowship in
hematology-oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, and in 2000 received her MPH from
Harvard Medical School. She serves on committees for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the
Gynecological Oncology Group, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. She is board-certified
in internal medicine,
oncology, and hematology.
Michael E . Carney, MD, FACOG
Professor and Division Chief
Thomas S. Kosasa Endowed Professor
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology
John A. Burns School of Medicine
University of Hawaii Cancer Center
Hawaii Pacific Health
Honolulu, HI
Michael
E Carney MD FACOG, a native of Chicago, Illinois, has been treating gynecologic cancer patients
here in Hawaii as faculty at the University of Hawaii for the last 23 years
where he is currently the Thomas
S. Kosasa Endowed Professor of Gynecologic Oncology
.
He is a full Professor at the John A.Burns School
of Medicine (JABSOM) and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.
Dr. Carney received his MD from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago Illinois and
completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well a fellowship in
Gynecologic Oncology and Duke
University
Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.
Following training, he joined the faculty at the
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah for 2 1/2 years until joining the University of Hawaii.
Dr. Carney is currently the
Division Chief for the section of Gynecologic Oncology at JABSOM where he
serves as
principal
investigator for gynecologic oncology cancer research trials at the University of Hawaii.
He is on
a number of
university, society and hospital committees and
heads the education of medical
students and residents in gynecologic oncology where he has been recognized with numerous awards
including several as
the
best
teacher. He has been recognized at one of the nations best doctors yearly for
almost 20 years.
.
Dr. Carney has published more than 150 peer reviewed papers and his research interests include the
understanding of the molecular, genetic, and epidemiologic aspects of gynecologic cancers as well as
investigating novel approaches to cancer treatment. He has performed thousands of cancer surgeries
using the DaVinci minimally invasive surgical platform and enjoys finding new opportunities to use this
surgical approach.
He currently serves as the
President of the Hawaii Society of Clinical Oncology and also as a member of
the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology and American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology.
He has been married to Jennifer Fu Carney MD (medical oncology)
for 17 years and has one son (11)
Makena. He enjoys travelling, basketball, watersports, running and gardening.
Amy L. Cummings, MD, PhD
Associate Director
UCLA Health
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
Amy L. Cummings, MD, PhD is Assistant Professor in the Division of
Hematology/Oncology with a focus on early-stage lung cancer and translational
immuno-oncology. She serves as Associate Director of Jonsson Comprehensive
Cancer Center for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and is a steering
committee member of the University of California Lung Cancer Consortium.
Jami Fukui, MD
Associate Professor/Researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
Medical Oncologist at Hawaii Pacific Health-Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children
Member of the Hawaii Cancer Consortium
Honolulu, HI
Dr. Jami Fukui is an Associate Professor/Researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center. She
completed her medicine residency and hematology/medical oncology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital
in New York City. She is a Health Disparities Research Institute Scholar at the National Institute on Minority
Health and Health Disparities (NIHMHD) and serves on the NCI Breast Cancer Steering Committee as the
NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Representative. Her interests are in breast cancer
clinical and translational research, developing clinical trial protocols, and providing cancer care to
residents of Hawaiʻi
Nitin Jain, MD
Professor of Medicine
Department of Leukemia
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Nitin Jain, MD, is a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Leukemia at The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, USA. He earned his medical degree from
the All
India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New
Delhi, India
in 2002. He completed
Internal Medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. He then completed
clinical fellowship in Leukemia at MD Anderson followed by a Leukemia research fellowship at
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He then
pursued fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at
The University of Chicago. He joined as a faculty in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson
in July 2012. Dr. Jain treats patients with acute and chronic leukemias with focus of patients with
chronic lymphoc
ytic leukemia (CLL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dr. Jain's research
interests focus on new drug development for patients with leukemia, especially CLL and ALL. Since
2021, he has also served as Director, Leukemia CAR-T Program within the Depart
ment of
Leukemia, MD Anderson.
Dr. Jain is Principal Investigator of several investigator-initiated phase I-II clinical trials, including
combination targeted therapies (ibrutinib and venetoclax) in CLL, checkpoint inhibitor in Richter
transformation, JAK
2 inhibitor ruxolitinib in Ph-like ALL, novel CD22 antibody drug conjugate in B - ALL, venetoclax + chemotherapy in B and T-ALL, ponatinib in T-ALL, and off-the-self allogeneic
CARTs in B
-
ALL. The trial combining ibrutinib and venetoclax was published in New England
Journal of Medicine in 2019. He has published papers in prominent journals including NEJM,
Lancet, JAMA Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer,
Leukemia & Lymphoma, and others.
Sanjay Juneja, MD
Hematologist & Medical Oncologist
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
Co - Founder, TensorBlack
Editorial Board Member of AI in Precision Oncology
Baton Rouge, LA
Dr. Sanjay Juneja is a triple board-certified hematologist & medical oncologist, an international keynote speaker and the largest followed oncologist globally for his social & news media education as @TheOncDoc. He is cofounder of Medfluencers and TensorBl ack, host of the award - winning “Target Cancer:
Podcast” boasting two million+ downloads in over 110 countries, and an Editor of the peer-reviewed
journal A.I. in Precision Oncology. For his merits, Dr. Juneja was invited by the White House to participate on their Healthcare Leaders in Social Media roundtable through 2022, and in 2024 awarded by Targeted Oncology as
the first recipient of their ‘ 2024 Oncology Icons ’. Dr. Juneja has been featured in numerous media and news outlets which include CNBC, PBS,
WIRED magazine, and the Washington Post
After spending three years educating on cancer, Dr. Juneja has amassed over 700k followers and 50m views for breaking down complex concepts and technologies in digestible form, and in that time keynoted at conferences spanning Canada, Brazil, France and the US. In 2024 he has taken a heavy interest in A.I. and its role in optimizing healthcare and reducing inequity from care gaps. He is currently enrolled in Harvard Medical School’s Executive Education’s AI in Healthcare: From Strategies to Implementation, and slated to speak at Google’s International AI & Cancer Symposium in October 2024.
Kami J. Maddocks, MD
Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine
Director, Lymphoma Program
The Ohio State University
James Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Dr. Kami Maddocks is a Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine and Director of the Lymphoma
Program in
the Division of Hematology
at The Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCC
-
James). She specializes in treating patients with B-cell lymphomas. Dr. Maddocks
also serves as the
Director of Lymphoma Clinical Research for the OSUCC-James. Dr. Maddocks
conducts
clinical
research
evaluating new-targeted therapies for
B-cell
lymphomas, with a particular interest in mantle cell
lymphoma and
large
B-cell lymphomas
.
She is involved in the Alliance, Lymphoma Research Foundations
and the American Society of Hematology.
Midhun Malla, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Medicine
The University of Alabama
Birmingham, AL
Dr.
Midhun
Malla is an associate professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. He
completed his residency training in Phoenix followed by fellowship in the specialty of hematology-oncology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). He simultaneously completed
masters in clinical and translational sciences (OUHSC). He sub-specializes
in the medical treatment of
gastrointestinal (GI)
malignancies and strives to provide up-to-date evidence-based medicine care tailored to each individual patient to maximize quality and quantity of life. He is the current section chief of
gastrointestinal medical oncology at the UAB, Birmingham.
Tom Martin, MD
Associate Chief, Division Hematology/Oncology
Director, Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapy
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
UCSF Medical Center
San Francisco, CA
Dr
.
Martin is a Clinical Professor of Medicine
and
Associate
Chief
the Division of
Hematology/Oncology, and Co-Lead
of
the
Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy
Program in the
Helen Dillier Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr
Martin is Director of the Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy Clinical
Service at UCSF and Director of Hematologic Malignancies Site Committee.
Dr
.
Martin has
been a
thought leader and an invited speaker
at national and international meetings.
Dr. Martin serves as
Co-Lead of the
Multiple Myelo
ma
a
Immunotherapy sub-committee of the International Myeloma
Foundation.
Dr
.
Martin has
been principal investigator (PI) on over
30
clinical trials.
Dr
.
Martin
recently
received a 4.6 million grant from th
e California Institute for Regenerative Medince
to investigate
a
novel BCMA-targeted CART-cell therapy
for multiple myeloma
.
Dr
.
Martin
is developing
an
investigator-initiated trial testing the safety and efficacy of a novel CELMoD with Talquetamab.
Dr. Martin continues to be
very
active in immunotherapy
trials including cellular therapy trials in ND and RR MM.
Misako Nagasaka, MD, PhD
Associate Clinical Professor at University of California Irvine
Orange, CA
Misako Nagasaka, MD, PhD is an Associate Clinical Professor in Thoracic Oncology for the Division of
Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine at the University of California Irvine. She completed
her residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in NYC and fellowship at Karmanos
Cancer Institute in Detroit. Her clinical and research interests are in molecular targeted therapy and
immunotherapy in thoracic malignancies, with a special focus in medical ethics. She has more than 150
publications including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, the Journal of Clinical
Oncology and the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. She has experience serving as the site principal
investigator (PI) for over 20 interventional trials (and has served as a sub-investigator for a number of
studies) and enjoys collaborating with other researchers across the country and around the world.
Jorge J . Nieva, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
University of Southern California
Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Jorge Nieva
is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Southern California, Norris
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
He serves as Section Head of
Thoracic & Head/Neck Tumors
, Chairman of
the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee, and is the research
lead for thoracic malignancies within the
cancer center.
His research interests are in biomarker development and digital health.
Joyce A. O’Shaughnessy, MD
Celebrating Women Chair in Breast Cancer Research
Baylor University Medical Center
Chair, Breast Disease Committe
Sarah Cannon Research Institute
Dallas, TX
Joyce A. O’Shaughnessy, MD,
specializes
in medical oncology with board certification in both internal
medicine as well as medical oncology. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine with
subspecialty certification in medical oncology. Dr. O’Shaughnessy focuses on her practice and clinical research on
breast cancer treatment. She is
Director of Breast Cancer Research and at Baylor-Sammons Cancer Center and
Chair of Breast Cancer Research for
US Oncology.
Background/Education:
Dr. O’Shaughnessy received her MD from Yale University Medical School. Her internship and residency
in internal medicine were completed at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1985. She concluded a
fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute in 1987 and was a Senior Investigator there
until 1995.
Memberships:
Member: American Association for Cancer Research; American Society of Clinical Oncology; American
College of Physicians; and Women in Cancer Research. Associate Editor: Clinical Breast Cancer Journal.
Founder: The School of Breast Oncology
Honors/Awards:
Giants of Cancer Care: Community Outreach/Education Award;
Baylor University Medic
al Center: Staff
Chief’s award;
Holy Cross College
: Santae Crucis Award (Distinguished Alumni Award)
:
Public Health
Service Special Service: Development of the Consensus Statement on
Cancer Drug Approval Endpoints Award
;
Yale Medical School: Francis Parker Award (Faculty Choice for
Most Promising Clinician)
Research Interests:
Genotype
-
Phenotype correlations for high-risk
breast cancers and immunotherapy for
triple negative breast cancer.
Alexander B. Olawaiye, MD
Professor
& Director of Gynecologic Cancer Research
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
University of Pittsburgh School of medicine
Magee
-
Womens Hospital of UPMC
Pittsburgh, PA
Dr. Olawaiye obtained
his medical degree at the premiere University of Ibadan, Nigeria after which he proceeded
to London, United Kingdom where he successfully pursued a post-graduate training in obstetrics and
gynecology at the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (RCOG)
and became a member of that
college (MRCOG). He was elevated to a Fellow (FRCOG) in 2019.
Upon relocating to the USA, he did his residency at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo
before moving to Boston, Massachusetts to undergo fellowship training in gynecologic oncology at the
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Olawaiye is a dedicated clinician and a passionate clinical researcher. He has served as the director of
the gynecologic oncology research program, University
of Pittsburgh for the past
7
years during which
that program has done exceptionally well. In addition, he belongs to many national and international
organizations. He is the current chair of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Female
Reproductive Tract Expert Panel and a member of the International Federation for Obstetrics and
Gynecology (FIGO) Oncology Committee.
He is on the boards of directors of both the Gynecologic
Oncology Group Foundation (GOG-F) and The International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS).
Dr
Olawaiye has numerous publications in the peer-reviewed literature and has authored several book
chapters.
Chandler H. Park, MD, MSc, FACP
Co-Director GU Clinical Trials
Norton Cancer Institute
Advisory Dean/ Clinical Professor, University of Louisville School of Medicine
Former President, Kentucky Society of Clinical Oncology (2019-2022)
ASCO
CME Faculty
Louisville, KY
Dr.
Park
is a practicing genitourinary oncologist and clinical researcher.
He is the co-director of genitourinary
research at Norton Cancer Institute that focuses on renal cell cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer.
He
completed his medical school at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Internal Medicine internship
at Cleveland Clinic, residency at Indiana University, Hematology/Oncology fellowship at West Virginia University,
and immunotherapy visiting fellowship at University of Pittsburgh.
He is co-director of the genitourinary oncology research trials at Norton Cancer Institute. Most recently he was a
Principal Investigator and leading enrollers for key clinical GU clinical trials including
ARASENS,
VISION, EV-301,
TROPHY U-01 et al.
Dr.
Park
has been published in numerous manuscripts, journal articles, and book chapters including publications
in New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, Blood Journal etc.
He also
volunteers as a member of the physician medical board for Doximity. He also hosts podcasts on OncLive
Unplugged and OncoDaily.
Mark Pegram, MD
Susy Yuan-Huey Hung Endowed Professor of Medical Oncology.
Director, Clinical/Translational Research Unit
Associate Dean for Clinical Research Quality
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford Cancer Institute
Stanford, CA
Dr. Mark D. Pegram is the Suzy Yuan-Huey Hung Endowed Professor of Medical Oncology at the Stanford
University School of Medicine. He
currently
serves as the Associate Dean for Clinical Research Quality at
the Stanford University School of Medicine, and is the
Medical
Director of the Stanford Clinical
Translational Research Unit–a unit specializing in first-in-human phase I clinical trials.
Dr. Pegram received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill.
He went on
to complete an internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center
in Dallas.
He
concluded his training with
a fellowship at the
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
in Los Angeles,
CA.
Dr. Pegram’s
breast cancer research
is focused on the study of the cancer-associated gene that encodes
HER2 and on the development of novel
agents in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
He has authored more than 110 publications in medical oncology and hematology across different cancer types.
Merrick I. Ross, MD
Professor of Surgery
Chief, Melanoma Section
Charles M. McBride Distinguished Professor in Melanoma
Department of Surgical Oncology
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Merrick I. Ross, MD, FACS, is a Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Melanoma Section and
the Charles M. McBride Distinguished Professorship in Surgical Oncology
in the Department of
Surgical Oncology, within the Division of Surgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Ross received his medical degree from the University of Illinois, School of Medicine in
Chicago, Illinois, and completed a general surgical residency at the University of Illinois Affiliated
Hospitals. Additional postdoctoral training
includes a Research Fellowship at the Scripps Clinic
and Research Institute, in La Jolla, California, as well as a Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Ross is the principal investigator
for numerous ongoing clinical trials. These trials include
studies on interferon alfa-2b and vaccines in resected high-risk primary and regionally
metastatic melanoma, intraoperative lymphatic mapping to identify the sentinel lymph node in
patients with melanoma and breast cancer, hyperthermic regional limb perfusion with
melphalan in patients with satellite and/or intransit metastatic melanoma of the extremity as
well as others that deal with melanoma and breast cancers.
A fellow of the American College
of Surgeons, Dr. Ross is a member of the American College of
Surgeons Oncology Group for Clinical Trials for melanoma and breast cancer, a member of the
Research Steering Committee of the United States Intergroup Melanoma Trials Organization and a member of the Melanoma Research Program Section of the World Health Organization. He is
also an active member of various local and national medical organizations.
A frequent contributor to the medical press, Dr. Ross has published an impressive number of articles, book chapters, and abstracts. His most recent publishing’s
include chapters in Cutaneous Melanoma and articles on sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology, Surgery, Annals of Surgery and the Annals of Surgical Oncology just to name a few.
Cedric “Jamie” Rutland, MD, FCCP
Keynote Speaker, CHEST 2023, Hawaii
IM, Pulmonary and Critical Care
National Spokesperson, American Lung Association
Rutland Medical Group, CEO and Medical Director
Medicine Deconstructed Productions, President
Newport Beach, CA
Triple Board-Certified Physician and engaging clinical educator with a distinguished medical career,
consulting at the intersection of digital marketing, media production, and clinical education to shape the
future of healthcare. Recognized as a visionary in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine, serving
as a Medical Director and Critical Care Physician, directly spotting and communicating emerging trends to
optimize patient outcomes.
Serves as a trusted advisor and partner
to leading pharmaceutical companies, designing clinical education,
digital marketing, and media strategies to expand audience reach and target both medical professionals
and the general public.
T. Samuel Shomaker MD, JD, MSM
Dean
Barry and Virginia Weinman Endowed Chair
John A Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI
Dr. Shomaker, a board certified anesthesiologist
and JABSOM graduate, has had a thirty year career in academic medicine, including 25 years experience in academic medical leadership
.
His academic career
began at the University of Utah School of Medicine
where he first served as Vice Chair of the Deaprtment
of Anesthesiology and residency program director. He went on to become Assistant Dean for Medical
Education and Minority Affairs
. In this role, he was charged with developing a new medical school
curriculum, the first in 20 years,
and overseeing preparations for an LCME site visit. He subsequently served as Associate Dean for Curriculum and Minority Affairs, Senior Assciate Dean for Academic Affairs
and Interim Dean, responsible for managing a budget of $300M with 700 full time faculty. He then returned to Hawaiʻi where he served as Vice Dean under Dr. Ed Cadman
from 2000 - 2004
and then, as Interim Dean from 2005 - 2006. During this time,
Dr. Shomaker led recovery from the Manoa flood and the
transition to the new Kakaʻako campus. He was instrumental in the creation of both the Department of
Native
Hawaiian Health and the Department of Geriatric Medicine, departments that are now important
pillars of the stateʻs health care system. Dr Shomaker
went on to
serve as tenured
Professor and Dean of
the Austin campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he laid the foundation for the new
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. His most recent decanal appoinment was at Texas A&M
,
where he served as
Professor of
Anesthesiology and
the Jean and Thomas Mc
Mullen Dean of the College
of Medicine and Vice President of Clinical Affairs for the Texas A&M Health Science Center, responsible for
a budget of $140M, 200 medical students per class, and over 2,000 full and part time faculty, as well as
managing the
schoolʻs clinical practice. Under his
leadership the school developed a new regional campus
in Dallas and successfully secured LCME
re
accreditation.
Dr Shomaker has served as an LCME site visitor
multiple times and has led institutional accreditation preparations at three different schools. He
has aslo
been an accreditation consultant for 3 medical schools.
Dr. Shomaker practiced both medicine and law in Hawaiʻi.
Before attending medical school
, he worked as
an associate at the law firm of Chun, Kerr and Dodd. He was in the solo practice of an
esthesiolgy at Kona
Community Hospital in Kealakekua where he was the only anesthsiologist in all of west Hawaiʻi
. Thus, he
knows well the challenges neighbor island physicians face.
Dr. Shomaker attended St. Louis University
,
where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in History. He was captain of the school tennis team and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa
Honor Society. He went on to law school at the Georgetown University Law Center, where he graduated
magna cum laude and served on the law review. While in law school
,
he served as a legislative assistant
for Hawaiʻi Senator Daniel K. Inouye and had the opportunity to meet some of the most important figures
in Hawaiʻi government and politics.
Dr. Sho
maker
completed
pre-medical course work at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. He graduated from JABSOM in 1986 and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Al
pha medical honor society. He did a
surgical internship at Hawaiʻi Residency Programs. He completed his
anesthesia residency at the University
of Florida College of Medicine. In 2017,
Dr. Shomaker obtained a Masters of Science in Management degree from Stanford Universityʻs Graduate School of Business. Dr. Shomaker also served as Lieutenant Commander in the
United States Navy Reserves.
Naoto T. Ueno, MD, PhD, FACP
Professor of Medicine
Director
University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
Honolulu, HI
Dr. Ueno is a tenured Professor of Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Cancer Center, an NCI-designated facility serving the State
of Hawai'i catchment area and the US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI).
He joined the UH Cancer Center in December of 2022 from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center, where he held the position of Executive Director of the Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Research Program and Clinic and Section Chief of Translational Breast Cancer Research.
At the UH Cancer Center, Dr. Ueno leads the development of an EDI-driven strategy for all aspects of
cancer care in Hawaiʻi and USAPI.
This
involves enhancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in cancer care
and research, ensuring that diverse populations have access to cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials.
He champions initiatives to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in the cancer
research workforce, promoting an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives. Dr. Ueno works
to identify and eliminate barriers to cancer care for marginalized communities, aiming to reduce
disparities in cancer outcomes. His leadership in EDI efforts extends to community engagement,
partnering with local organizations to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and
treatment options tailored to the unique needs of Hawaiʻi and USAPI populations.
His personal research focuses on aggressive types of breast cancer, particularly inflammatory breast
cancer (IBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). He is widely recognized for his work in preclinical development and biomarker research, which have led to innovative clinical trials and drug development.
Dr. Ueno's research explores the roles and mechanisms of various signaling pathways, including the
epidermal growth factor receptor, c-Jun N - terminal kinase (JNK), and Axl receptor tyrosine kinase, in
driving the aggressiveness of TNBC and IBC. Additionally, he investigates the impact of the tumor
microenvironment on the effectiveness of targeted therapy and strives to develop new therapeutic
approaches by modulating the tumor microenvironment.
He has secured substantial external funding, including grants from the NIH (two R01s), CPRIT, DOD, and
BCRF. Notably, his recent preclinical and clinical work contributed to the FDA approval of T-DXd in
metastatic breast cancer. As a principal investigator, Dr. Ueno leads numerous investigator-initiated clinical trials (Phase I/II) for patients with advanced breast cancer based on findings from his laboratory.
Dr. Ueno has also mentored numerous colleagues, assisting them in securing grants and research
contracts.
Ulka Vaishampayan, MD
Beverly Mitchell MD Research Professor of Medicine
Ambulatory Clinical Chief (Hem/Onc)
Director MET (Phase I) team
Co-Leader Translational Clinical Research Program
Rogel Cancer Center
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Ulka
Vaishampayan, MD is a Professor of Internal Medicine, Leader of the Translational and Clinical
Research Program and the Director of the Phase 1 Program at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer
Center, Ann Arbor, MI
. She serves as the Chair of the SWOG Advanced Renal Committee, is a member of
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Renal Task Force, and a board member of the Michigan Society of
Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Vaishampayan specializes in the treatment of genitourinary malignancies, and
her research focuses on translational drug development. She is PI of the Dept of Defense Kidney Cancer
Consortium site award and
a DOD clinical trial award and
is a current recipient of the Prostate cancer
Foundation
Tactical and
Challenge Awards. She is PI of the national phase III SWOG1931/PROBE trial in kidney cancer. She is leading a “Women in RCC” initiative. She has completed leadership training and has
acquired the prestigious Fellowship of the Advisory Board (FAB).
Dr. Vaishampayan has >250 publications and is editor-in-chief of Journal of Kidney Cancer VHL (JKCVHL).
She is a peer reviewer for multiple journals such as Lancet, Clin Cancer Res and J Clin Oncol and
a grant reviewer for Dept of Defense, AACR, SITC and
Kidney Cancer Association and KCCure. She has given multiple podium presentations at ASCO, ESMO and
SITC. She has served as track leader for the Education committee
for ASCO annual meeting, and
as a Scientific review committee for ASCO. She has mentored
trainees in the US and around the globe via ASCO mentorship program
for the past 5 years. She is leader of the “Women in Oncology” community within ASCO and is serving currently as a member on the Genitourinary Cancer Guideline Advisory Group. She
combines administrative duties with a busy clinical practice and research.
Vicente Valero, MD, FACP
Professor and Deputy Chairman, Breast Medical Oncology Department
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Dr. Valero has been with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center since June 1991, obtaining his MD from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Medicine, in 1980. Postgraduate training in Internal Medicine was completed at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, and Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio. Fellowships in Hematology-Medical Oncology were completed at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, and at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Board certifications include the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Medical Oncology, and the American Board of Hematology.
Publications include over 350 published articles in peer-reviewed journals, editorials and invited articles, 13 book chapters, and over 300 abstracts. He is an actively involved teacher in the Medical Oncology Continuing Clinic for Fellows and medical oncology and internal medicine residents at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he was honored as the Division of Medicine Teacher of the Year for the 1993-1994 and 1996-1997 academic years. He is the primary investigator for several ongoing funded research protocols, and as an acknowledged leader in his fields of interest, he is a popular and much sought after speaker for local, national, and international presentations, and has given over 350 presentations, maintaining his belief that sharing all facets of the knowledge of breast cancer with other treating physicians and healthcare providers and educating the public about this disease may translate to improvement in its prevention, early detection, and treatment. Dr. Valero was recently honored with the Lee Clark Clinical Research Award.
Dr. Valero utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of breast cancer. His research interests include breast neoplasms, unusual histologies, new drug development, and clinical trials. More specifically, his primary focus is in the area of HER-2 neu amplified early and metastatic breast cancer and novel biological agents, the management of patients with locally advanced breast cancer utilizing new
biological agents and gene profiling.
Eunice S. Wang , MD
Chief, Leukemia
/Benign Hematology
Service and Professor of Oncology
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY
Dr. Eunice Wang is the Chief of the Leukemia
/Benign Hematology
Service
and Professor of
Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA. She
is also Medical Director of Chemotherapy/Infusion Services.
In addition, she
has an appointment as an
Associate Professor,
Department of Medicine, Jacobs
School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the
University of Buffalo
(State University of New York).
Dr. Wang earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern
California and completed residency
training in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital,
Yale University, New Haven, CT
. She completed a clinical hematology-oncology and research
fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY.
Dr. Wang’s research focuses on identification and translation of
promising targeted and
immunotherapeutic agents
into clinical trials for patients with
acute leukemias
(AML, ALL)
and
myeloid malignancies
(MDS
, MPN).
She has served as the principal investigator
of several
investigator-initiated, cooperative group, and industry sponsored clinical trials for these
diseases.
She has authored/co-authored over
200 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and editorials. She previously served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
guideline panels for AML, ALL, and MPN for several years. She is a prior recipient of a NIH Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award (CCITLA), an American Cancer Society
Mentored Research Scholar award
and ASCO Young Investigator Award.
In addition to her research, Dr.
Wang maintains an active clinical practice caring for adults with acute leukemias, myeloid
malignancies and bone marrow failure states.