Faculty Biographies
Haifaa Abdulhaq, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF Director of Hematology, UCSF Fresno Director of Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, UCSF Fresno
Fresno, CA
Melissa Alsina, MD
Senior Member
Associate Professor Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Head, Myeloma BMT-CI Program H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Professor, Department of Oncologic Sciences University of South Florida Tampa, FL
Jennifer Amengual, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Hematology and Oncology Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, NY
Larry Anderson, Jr, MD, PhD, FACP
Professor of Internal Medicine
Director of Myeloma, Waldenstrom’s, and Amyloidosis Program
Director of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Clinical Research Program Co-Director of Phase I Clinical Trial Research Program Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX
Michael Andreeff, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine Department of Leukemia Department of Stem Cell Transplantation Division of Cancer Medicine UT MD Anderson
Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Emily Ayers, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Sabarish Ayyappan, MD
Clinical Associate professor Director of Hematologic Malignancies City of Hope Atlanta, GA
John Baird, MD
Assistant Professor City of Hope Duarte, CA
Michael Bishop, MD
Professor of Medicine Director, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Program
University of Chicago Medicine Chicago, IL
Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD
Professor Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY
Elizabeth Budde, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation City Of Hope
Duarte, CA
Elise Chong, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Alfred Chung, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Hematology/BMT) University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Adam Cohen, MD
Associate Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Naval Daver, MD
Director, Leukemia Research Alliance Program, Professor of Medicine Leukemia Department UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Sven de Vos, MD, PhD
Professor Director, UCLA Lymphoma Program Division of Hematology and Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Los Angeles, CA
Mengyang Di, MD, PhD
Physician, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology,
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Catherine Diefenbach, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Translational
Director, Hematology/Director Clinical Lymphoma Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU Langone Health
New York, NY
Herbert A. Eradat, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA Lymphoma Program UCLA Bone Marrow Transplant, Cellular Therapy and CAR-T Program
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Los Angeles, CA
Tatyana Feldman, MD
Director, T Cell Lymphoma Program Lymphoma, Division John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, NJ
Alessandra Ferrajoli, MD
Professor, Department of Leukemia Division of Cancer Medicine
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Amandeep Godara, MBBS
Co-Director, Amyloidosis Program Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies Huntsman Cancer Institute University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Scott Goldsmith, MD
Assistant Professor, City of Hope National Medical Center
Duarte, CA
Tara Graff, DO, MS
Medical Oncologist, Mission Cancer and Blood
Des Moines, IA
Daniel Greenwald, MD, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine Santa Barbara Cancer Care
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Santa Barbara, CA
Brian Hill, MD, PhD
Director, Lymphoid Malignancies Program Staff Physician, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology Taussig Cancer Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Associate Professor Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, OH
Anthony Hunter, MD
Assistant Professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology
Emory University School of Medicine Winship Cancer Institute
Atlanta, GA
Nitin Jain, MD
Professor of Medicine, Department of Leukemia Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX
Murali Janakiram, MD, MS
Associate Professor, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation City of Hope
Duarte, CA
Patrick Johnston, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Consultant in Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Thomas Kipps, MD, PhD
Professor Of Medicine, University of California, San Diego
San Diego, CA
Justin Kline, MD
Professor Director, Lymphoma Program Section of Hematology/Oncology University of Chicago Medicine Chicago, IL
Neha S. Korde, MD
Associate Professor
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Amrita Krishnan, MD
Professor Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Executive Medical Director, Hematology City of Hope Orange County
Director, Judy and Bernard Briskin Multiple Myeloma Center
City of Hope
Duarte, CA
John Kuruvilla, MD, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Ontario, Canada
Daniel J. Landsburg, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine Medical Director for Infusion Services, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Physician Leader of Oncology Clinical Effectiveness Team, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Alexander Lesokhin, MD
Associate Attending Physician
Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center
New York, NY
Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology Chief Medical Officer, Winship
Cancer Institute Emory University Atlanta, GA
Kylee Maclachlan, MBBCh, PhD
Assistant Attending Physician Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Thomas Martin, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Adult Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplantation Program Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy Program Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Associate Director, Myeloma Program University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA
Lucia Masarova, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia Division of Cancer Medicine UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX
Matthew McKinney, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Member, Duke Cancer Institute Duke University
Durham, NC
Soheil Meshinchi, MD, PhD
Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Alice Mims, MD, MSCR
Professor Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University Columbus, OH
Meera Mohan, MD, MS, FACP
Assistant Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI
Erin Mulvey, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY
Vivian Oehler, MD
Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics, Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, WA
Thomas Ollila, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Rhode Island Hospital/
The Miriam Hospital
Providence, RI
Krish Patel, MD
Director of Lymphoma Program
Director of Hematologic Malignancies Cellular Therapy
Swedish Cancer Institute
Seattle, WA
Kristen Pettit, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Craig Portell, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Section Head—Hematologic Malignancies Medical Director of Lymphoma/
CLL/ Myeloma
Clinical Research Team Division of Hematology/Oncology
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Lindsay Rein, MD
Assistant Professor, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Duke University
Durham, NC
Shambavi Richard, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Hematology and Medical Oncology Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY
Cesar Rodriguez, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Director, Clinical Operations, Multiple Myeloma Program
The Tisch Cancer Institute
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY
Steven Rosen, MD
Professor, Division of Lymphoma Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Executive Vice President and Director Emeritus Comprehensive Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope City of Hope
Duarte, CA
James Rubenstein, MD, PhD
Professor in Residence, Department of Medicine UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
San Francisco, CA
Rachel Salit, MD
Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Laurie Sehn, MD
Clinical Professor, BC Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer
University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada
Mazyar Shadman, MD, MPH
Innovators Network Endowed Chair Assistant Medical Director for Cellular Immunotherapy
Associate Professor of Hematology and Oncology Lymphoid Malignancies and Immunotherapy, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Jeff Sharman, MD
Director Willamette Valley Cancer Institute
Eugene, Oregon
Geoffrey Shouse, DO, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Lymphoma Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation City of Hope
Duarte, CA
Andrea Sitlinger, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Vice Chair of Clinical Operations for HMCT Medical Director for Outpatient Malignant Hematology Clinic Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Curriculum Director Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Duke Cancer Institute
Durham, NC
Stephen Spurgeon, MD
Professor of Medicine Lymphoma Program Director Distinguished Scholar in Leukemia and Lymphoma Research Knight Cancer Institute
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, OR
Paolo Strati, MD
Assistant Professor, Term Tenure Track Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Jakub Svoboda, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
Brian Sworder, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor In Residence Division of Hematology/Oncology Department of Medicine
UC Irvine School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
Michael Thirman, MD
Associate Professor
Hematology and Oncology
The University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Jose (J.C.) C. Villasboas Bisneto, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Consultant, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Dan Vogl, MD, MSCE
Medical Director, Abramson Cancer Center Clinical Research Unit
Associate Professor of Medicine Hematologic Malignancies and Bone Marrow Transplant Program
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Jason Westin, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Lymphoma Clinical Research Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma Division of Cancer Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Tanya Wildes, MD, MSCI
Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology University of Nebraska
Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine Omaha, NE
Allison Winter, MD
Staff Physician Taussig Cancer Institute Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Andrew Zelenetz, MD, PhD
Medical Director, Quality Informatics Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center
New York, NY
Jeffrey Zonder, MD
Professor Clinical, Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute Wayne State University
School of Medicine
Medical Director, Apheresis Unit, Karmanos Cancer Hospital
Vice Chair, M1 IRB Committee, Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
Haifaa Abdulhaq, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF Director of Hematology, UCSF Fresno, Director of Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, UCSF Fresno, Fresno, CA
Dr. Haifaa Abdulhaq, M.D. is Clinical Professor in Hematology and Oncology, UCSF and she is the director of hematology at UCSF Fresno and the director of Hematology/Oncology fellowship program at UCSF Fresno. Dr. Abdulhaq completed her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology & oncology at Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Abdulhaq is a board member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Central California Chapter and is a board member of CIRM (California Institute of Regenerative Medicine). Dr. Abdulhaq has special interest in medical education. She is a recipient of Henry Kaiser Award for Excellence in teaching at UCSF. She is also interested in clinical research and serves as the principal investigator on many clinical trials in malignant hematology.
Melissa Alsina, MD
Senior Member Associate Professor Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Head, Myeloma BMT-CI Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Professor, Department of Oncologic Sciences University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Dr. Melissa Alsina is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Moffitt Cancer Center and Head of the Multiple Myeloma Transplant Program. A specialist in multiple myeloma and bone marrow transplantation, Dr. Alsina focuses much of her clinical research on novel therapies in myeloma, including immunotherapies. A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, Dr. Alsina completed her residency in Medicine at San Juan Veterans Administration Hospital, followed by a fellowship in Hematology at San Juan City Hospital in Puerto Rico and Medical Oncology/Hematology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. Before coming to Moffitt in 2000, Dr. Alsina was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio. She was also co-director of the Myeloma Bone Disease Program Clinic at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she served on the faculty from 1995-1999. Dr. Alsina is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Myeloma Society and The American Society of Hematology, and has been a member of the NCCN myeloma panel and the NCI Myeloma Steering Committee. She is also very active in organizing educational programs for myeloma patients and their families.
Jennifer Amengual, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Hematology and Oncology Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
Dr. Jennifer Amengual is a physician-scientist focused on translational development of novel epigenetic therapeutics for the treatment of patients with lymphoma. Specifically, she has concentrated on targeting epigenetic and transcriptional pathways in the setting of germinal-center derived diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (GC-DLBCL), follicular lymphoma and T-cell lymphomas. Biological processes that she has focused on include targeting histone deacetylases, histone acetyltransferases, and histone and DNA methyltransferases often in combination with other targeted agents. Jennifer has brought many of these projects initiated in the lab to clinical trials such as recently tazemetostat plus belinostat through the ETCTN. She very active in the SWOG Lymphoma Working Group Committee and has succeeded to bring epigenetic based therapies to clinical trials on a national scale. Jennifer’s goal is to develop precision medicine platforms for patients with lymphoma to improve efficacy and reduce potential toxicity.
Larry Anderson, Jr, MD, PhD, FACP
Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of Myeloma, Waldenstrom’s, and Amyloidosis Program, Director of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Clinical Research Program, Co-Director of Phase I Clinical Trial Research Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center UT Southwestern Medical Center,
Dallas, TX
Dr. Anderson is a professor and director of the Myeloma, Waldenstrom’s, and Amyloidosis Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, a program that he developed since joining UTSW in 2008. He is also the director of the Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Clinical Research Program, Co-Director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trial Research Program, and Co-Director of the Cellular Immunotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Program. He specializes in the treatment of plasma cell disorders including multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, amyloidosis, and other gammopathies. He has a particular interest in treating these patients with cellular therapies, including CAR T-cells and stem cell transplantation (SCT), but he also takes pride in designing a program where the same myeloma specialists take care of these patients from diagnosis through transplant, long term maintenance, and clinical trials. He has over 17 years of experience with plasma cell disorders and cellular therapy after completion of his medical oncology fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA. He did his internal medicine residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and his MD and PhD degrees were received from UT Health Science Center at Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has been a high enroller for many key studies in myeloma such as the Griffin study that led to standard of care use of quadruplet induction therapy before transplant and the DETERMINATION study that has upheld the role of autologous SCT even in the era of novel therapies. He was also the highest enrolling investigator for the KarMMa trial of Idecabtagene vicleucel anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory myeloma, which led to FDA approval of the first CAR T-cell therapy for myeloma in 2021. He has continued to expand his program to involve multiple studies of novel CAR T-cells, immunotherapies and targeted therapies for plasma cell disorders, which has helped his program become a world class center of excellence for plasma cell disorders.
Michael Andreeff, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine Department of Leukemia Department of Stem Cell Transplantation Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Michael Andreeff has been a pioneer in flow cytometry since 1971, when he established the first flow cytometry laboratory at the University of Heidelberg and organized the first European conference on flow cytometry. In 1977 he joined Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, became head of the Leukemia Cell Biology and Hematopathology Flow Cytometry Laboratory, organized the first Clinical Cytometry Conference in 1986 and the first Molecular Cytogenetics Conference in 1990.He is Professor of Medicine and holds the Paul and Mary Haas Chair in Genetics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has received uninterrupted NCI funding for over 30 years, serves as Principal Investigator of the P01 grant entitled “The Therapy of AML”, participates as Principal Investigator in the MD Anderson Cancer Center Leukemia, Lymphoma, Ovarian and Breast Cancer SPORE grants, the CML P01 and additional R21 and R01 grants. He has published over 639 peer-reviewed papers, 5 books and 75 book chapters. Dr Andreeff’s group has worked extensively on drug resistance in hematopoietic malignancies and breast cancer and developed or co-developed several new therapeutic agents including the novel triterpenoids CDDO and CDDO-Me and Bcl-2-, XIAP-, surviving-, MEK- and HDM2- inhibitors. Over the last decade, his group has made major contributions to the understanding of micro-environment-mediated drug resistance and developed strategies to exploit the underlying mechanisms for the treatment of hematopoietic and epithelial malignancies. His group reported the role of bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in tumor stroma formation and developed therapeutic strategies based on this discovery. Dr. Andreeff received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and additional training and faculty appointments at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, in the Departments of Pathology and Leukemia
Emily Ayers, MD
Assistant Professor University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Dr. Emily Ayers is an assistant professor at University of Virginia who specializes in caring for blood cancers, including lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She is also an active researcher and is particularly interested in using real-world evidence and real world data to study outcomes among patients with relapsed or refractory b-cell lymphomas and to identify predictors of response to novel agents in this patient population. Additional interest in clinical trials for patients with lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Dr. Ayers earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She completed her internal medicine residency, and hematology fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania.
John Baird, MD
Assistant Professor City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. John H. Baird, M.D., is working as assistant professor in City of Hope. He was drawn to his career as a doctor when he found working with patients to be his favorite part of his initial focus in biomedical engineering. For him, being a physician-researcher is the best of both worlds. He provides innovative therapies and his own brand of compassionate care to people with leukemia and lymphoma, while also advancing the state of the field in cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes with clinical research. Dr. Baird pursued his medical training at the University of Arkansas, then served as an intern and resident at the University of Pennsylvania and a fellow at Stanford University, where he specialized in medical oncology, hematology, and blood and marrow transplantation. His research concerns next-generation cellular therapies for blood diseases, including CAR T cell therapy, in which a patient's own immune cells are engineered to seek and destroy cancer.
Sabarish Ayyappan, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Director of Hematologic Malignancies, City of Hope, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Sabarish Ram Ayyappan, MD, joined City of Hope Atlanta in May 2023 as Medical Director of Hematologic Malignancies, leading the hematologic malignancies program after coming to City of Hope to help establish the bone marrow transplant program at our Atlanta hospital. Dr. Ayyappan amassed of experience and accolades, having won numerous awards for his research studies, including the 2021 Developmental Research Program Award from the Lymphoma Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) and the 2013 and 2016 American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Awards. This interest in research was important in leading Dr. Ayyappan to the field of oncology. He’s long had a passion for science and knew he wanted to become a doctor from a young age. He chose to specialize in oncology since it allowed him to work as both a clinician and researcher. Dr. Ayyappan earned his medical degree from Madras Medical College in Chennai, India, then completed an internal medicine residency at the Unity hospital in Rochester, New York. After his residency, Dr. Ayyappan served as Chief Fellow for his Hematology and Oncology fellowship at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Michael Bishop, MD
Professor of Medicine Director, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Program University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
Dr. Michael Bishop is a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of lymphomas. In particular, he cares for patients with hematologic malignancies that have not responded to first-line treatments. His research focuses on the prevention and treatment of relapse after stem cell transplantation. He has served as the primary investigator on studies designed to prevent and treat disease recurrence after transplantation. Specifically, he works on ways to enhance immune effects of the transplanted cells against cancer. An active contributor to medical literature, Dr. Bishop has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed articles, in addition to more than 30 book chapters and two books on cancer treatment and research. He also serves on the editorial board of numerous scientific journals, including Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD
Professor, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Dr. Renier Brentjens is professor at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, with research interest in CLL. He initiated the initial pre-clinical studies demonstrating the potential clinical application of autologous T-cells genetically modified to target the CD19 antigen through the retroviral gene transfer of artificial T-cell receptors termed chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Following completion of his medical oncology training, Dr. Brentjens became the principal investigator of his own laboratory. As a PI, Dr. Brentjens successfully translated these studies to the clinical setting treating patients with relapsed CD19+ tumors including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Ongoing pre-clinical research in the laboratory is focused on the further development of CAR modified T-cells designed to overcome the hostile immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through the generation of “armored CAR T-cells” currently being translated to the clinical setting as second-generation CAR modified T-cell clinical trials. Additionally, work in the Brentjens’ lab has expanded this CAR technology to target additional tumor antigens expressed on other malignancies including solid tumors. Dr. Renier Brentjens obtained an MD/PhD (microbiology) from SUNY Buffalo, completed a residency in medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital, and a medical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
Elizabeth Budde, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City Of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Elizabeth Budde, M.D., Ph.D. is a distinguished expert in the field of hematology, specializing in treatment and research of blood malignancies. Her scholarly and clinical pursuits are dedicated to developing innovative therapies for patients battling lymphoma and leukemia. In her dual role as a physician scientist, she directs a dedicated research team in her laboratory, that designs immunotherapeutic treatments and conducts bench to bedside translation. Dr. Budde has authored a multitude of articles in leading scientific journals such as Nature Medicine, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, Journal of Hematology & Oncology, and Clinical Cancer Research. Her work has merited her invitations to speak at various national and international conferences. As the lead investigator for several cutting-edge translational research studies, Dr. Budde actively manages a diverse array of clinical trials. She is passionately committed to extending access to the latest medical advancements to her patients, ensuring they receive the most forward-thinking care available. Dr. Budde earned her medical degree and Ph.D. from Duke University of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine from Washington University School of Medicine and fellowship from University of Washington/ Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Elise Chong, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Elise Chong works as an assistant professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Chong is investigating how the addition of a bispecific antibody known as mosunetuzumab after CAR T-cell therapy can improve responses and prevent progression in patients with large B-cell lymphoma. With the support of the LRF Career Development Award, Dr. Chong hopes to dedicate herself and her time to clinical research. She hopes that her work will lead to the development of safer, more effective non-chemotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas that integrate advancements in immunotherapy and personalized medicine. Dr. Chong earned her medical degree from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where she also completed her Residency, Internal Medicine and fellowship in hematology and medical oncology.
Alfred Chung, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Hematology/BMT), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Dr. Alfred Chung is a hematologist-oncologist who cares for patients with blood cancers, including leukemias, lymphomas and myelomas. He sees patients who are in the hospital for treatment, including those who need a bone marrow transplant and those receiving chemotherapy or cellular therapies to bolster the immune system. Dr. Chung's research centers on the study and development of new therapies for plasma cell disorders, including multiple myeloma and amyloidosis (buildup of an abnormal protein called amyloid in the organs). One specific area of study is light chain amyloidosis, in which the dysfunction of certain antibody-producing cells results in abnormal protein fibers in the organs. He is looking specifically at targeted therapies to treat this type of amyloidosis as well as novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Dr. Chung after earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at the University of Michigan, he earned a medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. At Stanford Medicine, he completed a residency in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology. Dr. Chung is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology and Association of Northern California Oncologists.
Adam Cohen, MD
Associate Professor University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Cohen received his medical degree and Internal medicine training from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his Hematology/Medical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology, Dr. Cohen is a member of ASH, ASCO, AACR and the International Myeloma Society, and a reviewer for a number of peer- reviewed journals. He has written dozens of original articles, book chapters, and reviews on cancer immunotherapy, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and stem cell transplant. Dr. Cohen is currently Director of Myeloma Immunotherapy and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Naval Daver, MD
Director, Leukemia Research Alliance Program, Professor of Medicine Leukemia Department UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Naval Daver is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a clinical investigator with a focus on molecular and immune therapies in AML and Myelofibrosis and is principal investigator on >25 ongoing institutional, national and international clinical trials in these diseases. These trials focus on developing a personalized therapy approach by targeting specific mutations or immune pathways expressed by patients with AML, evaluating novel combinations of targeted, immune and cytotoxic agents, and identifying and overcoming mechanism of resistance. He is especially interested in developing monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, immune checkpoint and vaccine based approaches in AML, MDS, and myelofibrosis and is leading a number of these trials at MDACC. Dr. Daver has published >150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is on the editorial board of numerous hematology specific journals. He has also authored numerous abstracts at national and international conferences. Dr. Daver completed his medical school from Grant Medical College and Sir J group of Hospitals Mumbai, followed by a residency and fellowship in hematology-oncology from Baylor College of Medicine.
Sven de Vos, MD, PhD
Professor Director, UCLA Lymphoma Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. De Vos has the expertise, leadership, and motivation necessary to successfully carry out these two major projects. He has a broad background in translational oncology with a Ph.D. in experimental pathology, experience running a successful laboratory, and clinical expertise exemplified by being the principal investigator on many clinical trials, including investigator initiated studies. De Vos laid the groundwork for both projects, assembled two teams of collaborators, acquired funding, and lead his teams to reach important benchmarks on both projects which have been presented at national meetings. De Vos has a track record of translating basic science to clinical trial investigations and the pim kinase projects already has led to a first in human phase 1 study of a novel pim kinase inhibitor. De Vos' laboratory provided more than 60 lymphoma cell lines to the UCLA Slamon TORL laboratory. Through that laboratory they test a wide spectrum of novel preclinical and clinical agents provided by pharmaceutical companies for anti-tumor activity. By correlating responses with molecular/genetic markers they are able to generate novel clinical trial concepts that are tested via investigator initialed trials at UCLA/TRIO-US. Dr. de vos earned his medical degree from Universitat Tubingen. He completed his residency in internal medicine from Robert Bosch Krankenhaus and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He also did residency in neurology from Universitat Hospital, Essen followed by fellowship in Hematology/Oncology from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Mengyang Di, MD, PhD
Physician Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Dr. Mengyang Di is a hematologist/oncologist specializing in lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She is interested in examining novel therapies or new combinations of drugs for lymphoma in clinical trials. Her research has also been focused on assessing lymphoma outcomes in real-world practice, identifying challenges (e.g., factors on the practice- or policy-level) contributing to suboptimal outcomes, and eventually designing interventions to improve care quality and outcomes.
Catherine Diefenbach, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Translational Director Hematology/Director Clinical Lymphoma Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU Langone Health, New York, NY
Dr. Catherine Diefenbach is a hematologist–oncologist specializing in the care of patients with lymphoma. Her goal is to provide the best possible care for these patients, and to discover new and scientifically grounded treatments that can improve management and increase the cure rate of lymphoma. As an oncologist, she is committed to combining compassionate and personalized patient care with cutting-edge, patient-focused, and translational research. She strive to develop treatment plans designed to fit each patient’s unique situation, as well as the biology of the tumor. Dr. Diefenbach earned her medical degree from University Of Pennsylvania. She completed her residency in internal medicine from Johns Hopkins Hospital and fellowship in Hematology-Oncology from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Herbert A. Eradat, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA Lymphoma Program, UCLA Bone Marrow Transplant, Cellular Therapy and CAR-T Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Herbert Aaron Eradat is a medical oncologist working at University of California specializing in medical oncology and internal medicine (adult medicine). He graduated from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago Medical School in 2002 and has 22 years of experience. Dr. Eradat earned his medical degree from The Chicago Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine from UCLA School of Medicine and fellowship in Hematology-Oncology, from UCLA School of Medicine.
Tatyana Feldman, MD
Director, T Cell Lymphoma Program, Lymphoma Division, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack, University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
Dr. Tatyana Feldman is Director of the T-Cell Lymphoma Program and an attending physician in the Lymphoma division of John Theurer Cancer Center. She specializes in the treatment of all types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Her research interests are focused on developing novel therapeutics and immunotherapy in Hodgkin lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, EBV-driven lymphoma, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Clinical trials which Dr. Feldman conducted have been presented at medical meetings, including some of the most well-known in the world, such as that of the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Feldman earned her medical degree from the Minsk State Medical Institute in 1992. Later, she completed her residency in ternal medicine from Beth Israel Medical Center and a fellowship in hematology and oncology from NYU Medical Center.
Alessandra Ferrajoli, MD
Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Alessandra Ferrajoli is an Academic Hematologist/Oncologist practicing in the Leukemia Department at the University of Texas, MD Anderson since 1998. Her main area of interest includes the treatment and Biology of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and its variants, and the treatment of elderly patients with Acute and Chronic Leukemia. In these fields, She has authored and co-authored more than two hundred and fifty publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Ferrajoli serves on numerous journal editorial boards and grant proposal study sessions for several US and European Agencies. She is a member of professional societies such the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the European Hematology Association (EHA).
Amandeep Godara, MBBS
Co-Director, Amyloidosis Program, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Dr. Amandeep Godara is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies at Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah. He leads the amyloidosis and Waldenström Macroglobulinemia programs at HCI. He completed his medical school at Government Medical College, Aurangabad, India and his internal medicine residency at Wayne State University. He completed his Hematology-Oncology fellowship at Tufts Medical Center and also did fellowship training in blood and marrow transplantation at Stanford University. He has a clinical and research interest in plasma cell disorders. His research focuses on developing new therapeutic targets and tools for assessment of treatment response in Multiple Myeloma, Amyloidosis and other monoclonal gammopathies. His work has been presented at national and international scientific meetings. He was the recipient of Amyloidosis Foundation David Seldin, MD, PhD Memorial Research Grant in 2019. Dr. Godara treats patients with Multiple Myeloma, Amyloidosis, Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, and other plasma cell disorders.
Scott Goldsmith, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Multiple Myeloma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Goldsmith is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, at City of Hope. He specializes in the treatment of multiple myeloma, which is also the focus of his prolific research. He passionate about bringing new and innovative treatments to patients with multiple myeloma and other hematologic malignancies through translational research and clinical trials After graduating with honors from the University of Florida, Dr. Goldsmith earned his medical degree from UF’s College of Medicine in 2013. He continued his training at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Tara Graff, DO, MS
Medical Oncologist, Mission Cancer and Blood, Des Moines, IA
Dr. Graff obtained her master’s degree in Immunology from Loyola University in Chicago and earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine credentials from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida in 2009. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital. She has led several clinical research projects and has published many original oncology and hematology articles. Dr. Graff is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Graff has worked at Mission Cancer and Blood in Des Moines IA for the over 9 years specializing in CLL and NHL. Dr. Graff serves on the BMS National CAR-T Cell Advisory Board for Lymphoma as well as sitting on multiple National Lymphoma Advisory Boards, NHL Advisory Council and LBCL Steering Committee. She is a member of ECOG Clinical Trial Organization, Lymphoma Working Committee for the CIBMTR and sits on the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). She has paired with LLS doing patient education for rural cancer patients as well as CAR-T and bispecific education for community oncologists. Dr. Graff is the cellular therapy lead for Exigent Research as well as co-chair for the malignant hematology council for Exigent Research. She is an educational speaker for many companies and is trained in MRD interpretation through Adaptive Biotech. Dr. Graff serves as the Primary Investigator for multiple clinical trials both past and present and is the Director of the Clinical Trials Program for Mission Cancer and Blood. She is the recipient of the 2023 Q2 Targeted Oncology ICONS Award and has been Nominated for Visionary of the Year by the leukemia and lymphoma society for 2024.
Daniel Greenwald, MD, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine Santa Barbara Cancer Care, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Santa Barbara, CA
Dr. Daniel Greenwald is a medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in Santa Barbara. He treats patients with all types of cancer, including hematologic malignancies, and is board-certified in medical oncology and hematology. He utilizes molecular/genomic sequencing of tumor tissue to help identify treatments that may work best for each individual patient. He has a passion for bringing innovative clinical trials and research to the community. Dr. Greenwald received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine. He also completed his internal medicine residency and chief residency, and hematology and oncology fellowship at Stanford University.
Brian Hill, MD, PhD
Director, Lymphoid Malignancies Program, Staff Physician, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Associate Professor, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Dr. Brian Hill is the Director of the lymphoid malignancies program within the Taussig Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic where he serve as a practicing hematologist-oncologist and clinical investigator. He also co-direct the Lymphoid Malignancies Center of Excellence in translational research in the Department of Immunology within the Lerner Research Institute. He serve as principal investigator of multiple clinical trials in CLL and lymphoma including the study of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. He provide correlative patient specimens for ongoing translational laboratory studies as well as input in the design of future experiments. In addition, he have mentored numerous medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows and junior faculty members over the past 13 years since being a Staff member at the Cleveland Clinic.
Anthony Hunter, MD
Assistant Professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Anthony M. Hunter, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. A hematologist, Dr. Hunter specializes in treating patients with leukemia and other myeloid malignancies including myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms and systemic mastocytosis. Dr. Hunter received his Medical Degree from Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He completed a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, where he served as Chief Fellow in his final year. Dr. Hunter's research interests focus on understanding the molecular drivers of myeloid malignancies in order to improve prognostication and develop novel treatment strategies. He participates in clinical trials evaluating novel therapies in the treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. He is also co-investigator of a large, international effort to develop a novel prognostic system in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.
Nitin Jain, MD
Professor of Medicine, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Nitin Jain is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, USA. He treats patients with acute and chronic leukemia with focus of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). His research interests focus on new drug development for patients with leukemia, especially CLL and ALL. He is Principal Investigator of several investigator-initiated phase I-II clinical trials, including combination targeted therapies (ibrutinib and venetoclax) in CLL, combination of ibrutinib and chemotherapy (iFCG regimen) in CLL, checkpoint inhibitors in CLL and Richter transformation, trial with JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib in Ph-like ALL, novel CD22 antibody drug conjugate in B-ALL, venetoclax + chemotherapy in B- and T-ALL, and off-the-self allogeneic CART in B-ALL. Dr. Jain has published papers in prominent journals including Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer, Leukemia Lymphoma, Leukemia Research and others. He has won many awards during his career including Sardari Lal Kalra Gold Medal in Microbiology and Merit Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). He was ranked first at the national level in India in the medical school (AIIMS) entrance examination in the year 1997. He received High-Impact Clinical Research Support Award from MD Anderson Cancer Center in the year 2014 and 2016. He has served as a faculty on American Society of Hematology CRTI workshop for year 2017 and 2018. He is recipient of Sabin Family Foundation Award in 2018. He earned his medical degree from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India in 2002. He then moved to the United States and completed his Internal Medicine residency training at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He then completed a year of clinical fellowship in Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center followed by another year of Leukemia research fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He then pursued fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago. He was then recruited as a faculty member in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2012
Murali Janakiram, MD, MS
Associate Professor, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic, Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Murali Janakiram, M.D., M.S., is a strong believer in City of Hope’s approach to treating the whole person, personalizing care to address each patient’s individual needs. He finds great satisfaction in helping his patients and is excited about contributing to scientific advances that will define the future of cancer care. I am passionate about the care of patients with myeloma and my goal is to bring cutting edge clinical trials and current therapies including – MRD to guide limited duration therapy, use of immunotherapy including Bispecific antibodies and CART cells to treat myeloma. A clinical trialist and investigator with over 50 peer-reviewed publications, reviews and book chapters, I develop risk-based approaches for the treatment of multiple myeloma. My research interests are two fold – how to sequence immunotherapy and how to prevent myeloma relapsing after immunotherapy. I am the Principal investigator of investigator initiated clinical trials to test these concepts. Apart from this I am also involved in research in understanding and improving side effects of immunotherapy in elderly patients with myeloma. “Every person is different and I believe individualizing treatment according to physical and social circumstances will result in the best outcomes.”
Patrick Johnston, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Consultant in Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Dr. Patrick Johnston is interested in translational research involving novel agents in the treatment of lymphoma. Hos ongoing work involves suppression of chimeric protein production in certain hematologic disorders (such as in Anaplastic Large cell lymphoma) in vitro and the development of clinical application of this technology. He is involved in the testing of chemotherapeutic agents with novel mechanisms of action for lymphomas, he also works on the novel combination of vaccine technology for low grade lymphomas combined with biologic therapy. Dr. Johnston earned his medical degree from University of Alabama School of Medicine. He completed Residency, internal medicine from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and fellowship, hematology and medical oncology from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Thomas Kipps, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
Dr. Thomas J. Kipps, MD, PhD, is a board-certified hematologist with a distinguished career in cancer research. He is distinguished Professor of Medicine, Evelyn and Edwin Tasch Chair in Cancer Research, Director of the Center for Novel Therapeutics. He currently serves as the deputy director of research operations for UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. He is the author of more than 200 publications and is the principal investigator on several peer-reviewed grants, including the NCI award for the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Consortium involving collaboration with eight other cancer centers. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the understanding of immunobiology, cell biology and the molecular genetics of human B cell malignancies, with emphasis on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Dr. Kipps received his PhD in Immunology and MD from Harvard University. He completed his internal medicine residency and a hematology fellowship at Stanford University.
Justin Kline, MD
Professor Director, Lymphoma Program Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
Dr. Justin Kline is a medical oncologist and cancer immunologist with a clinical interest in lymphoma and a research focus on immune escape mechanisms in blood cancers. He was the first to demonstrate the role of PD-1/PD-L1 interactions in promoting T cell dysfunction in pre-clinical acute leukemia models - a discovery that directly catalyzed clinical trials testing the efficacy of PD-1 blockade therapy in leukemia patients. He identified novel mechanisms of immune evasion in leukemia driven by the innate immune system and showed that activation of innate immunity with anti-CD40 antibody and STING agonist immunotherapies are highly effective in murine leukemia models. As evidence of his dedication to developing effective immunotherapies for hematologic malignancies, he serve on the task force that develops immunotherapy guidelines for patients with lymphoma. He has witnessed first-hand the effectiveness of immunotherapies, including PD-1 blockade, CD47 blockade, and CAR T cell therapy in lymphoma patients, and continue to be involved in the clinical development of anti-PD-1 therapy, anti-CD47 therapy and CAR T-cell therapy for Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. He developed strong collaborations with industry partners to study mechanisms of response and resistance to particular immunotherapeutic agents in pre-clinical models and in patient samples. In parallel, and through funding from the NCI, V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Cancer Research Institute, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, he identified potential predictive biomarkers of response to anti-PD-1 therapy in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and have identified a subset of aggressive lymphomas that are refractory to CAR T cell therapy. He has been involved in pre-clinical testing of CD47 blockade immunotherapy in lymphoma, and in pivotal clinical trials of anti-CD47 therapy in this disease. His current work is focused on defining mechanisms by which recurrent oncogenic mutations in lymphoma cells impact the local immune microenvironment, and to develop an “immune score” for DLBCL that may effectively predict which patients will and will not respond to immunotherapies such as PD-1 blockade and CAR T cell therapy.
Neha S. Korde, MD
Associate Professor, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Dr. Neha Korde is an Associate Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her research interests focus on understanding the disease biology of multiple myeloma (MM) and optimizing clinical care delivered to MM patients. Dr. Korde did her hematology fellowship at National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. She joined faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2014. The goal of her work is to help promote drug discovery in MM through clinical trials, and meaningfully integrate novel therapies, diagnostics, and digital care workflows into caring for MM patients.
Amrita Krishnan, MD
Professor Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Executive Medical Director, Hematology, City of Hope Orange County, Director, Judy and Bernard Briskin Multiple Myeloma Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Amrita Krishnan directs the Judy and Bernard Briskin Center for Multiple Myeloma Research at City of Hope, seeking to make gains in one of the most rapidly changing areas in cancer research. Her research interests are in development of new drugs for relapsed myeloma and understanding mechanisms of disease resistance. Dr. Krishnan trained at The University of Rochester, Beth Israel Hospital, Fred Hutchinson Research Cancer Center and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Serves as a steering committee member on the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and the North American representative to the International Myeloma Society, former chair of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network myeloma committee and is the Co-Chair of several of the largest myeloma transplant trials in the U.S.
John Kuruvilla, MD, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Ontario, Canada
Dr. John Kuruvilla is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a hematologist in the Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. He is a member of the Lymphoma, Autologous Transplant and Immune Effector Cell Therapy programs and Co-Director of the Beyond Chemotherapy Program. He has contributed to research in topics: Transplantation & Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The author has an hindex of 25, co-authored 67 publications receiving 3211 citations. Previous affiliations of John Kuruvilla include University Health Network & Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Daniel J. Landsburg, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, Medical Director for Infusion Services, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Physician Leader of Oncology, Clinical Effectiveness Team, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Daniel Landsburg received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania followed by his MD from Temple University School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania His clinical practice is focused in lymphoma with a particular interest in aggressive B cell lymphomas, and his research interest involves the use of molecular testing to risk-stratify and guide use of targeted therapies for patients diagnosed with aggressive B cell lymphomas He serves as the Medical Director of Infusion Services and the Physician Leader of the Oncology Clinical Effectiveness Team for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He also leads quality improvement education for the Hematology/Oncology fellowship program and is a core faculty member for the Internal Medicine residency program for quality improvement and patient safety education at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Alexander Lesokhin, MD
Associate Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,
New York, NY
Dr. Alexander Lesokhin is an oncologist who specializes in treating people with multiple myeloma. His team offers patients the highest-quality care as well as the newest treatments through clinical trials. These research studies will improve care and increase the chance of a good outcome for all patients. His research work involves developing innovative ways to use the immune system to treat cancer. He is conducting clinical studies of medicines that enhance the immune response as well as laboratory studies aimed at understanding how cancers such as multiple myeloma are able to evade the immune response. He hopes to develop new ways to treat our patients through these studies and through laboratory research. Dr. Lesokhin earned his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and fellowship from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief Medical Officer, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, is internationally recognized as a leading authority in multiple myeloma treatment and research. As a medical oncologist at the Winship Cancer Institute, Dr. Lonial treats patients with multiple myeloma and is a lead member of the bone marrow transplantation team and clinical trials team. He is board certified in hematology and medical oncology.Dr. Lonial is involved in numerous professional organizations including American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He serves Vice Chair of the Finance Committee of the International Myeloma Society, and serves as Vice Chair of the Myeloma Committee in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. He also serves as President and Chair of the Society of Hematologic Oncology. Additionally, he is on the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Myeloma Foundation.Dr. Lonial has worked in the field of immunotherapy and cancer since his arrival at Emory, and in the previous 3 years has spent time developing the B-cell malignancy program with respect to novel targeted agents in laboratory models as well as early clinical trials. His previous laboratory work has focused on evaluating the impact of purified dendritic cell subsets on the nature of immune responses against antigen, and he has completed several trials evaluating the impact of cytokines on dendritic cell content and post transplant immune recovery.Most recently, Dr. Lonial has focused on combinations of novel agents as therapy for myeloma and lymphoma, particularly evaluating combinations that may result in synergistic inhibition of the PI3-K/Akt pathway. His lab has recently received funding from the MMRF, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Lonial earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kylee Maclachlan, MBBCh, PhD
Assistant Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,
New York, NY
Dr. Kylee Maclachlan is a myeloma specialist and doctor with special training in diagnosing and treating myeloma. She is a hematologist and researcher specializing in the care of people with multiple myeloma and related disorders, including smoldering myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). She works with the colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to identify optimal treatment strategies for people with these conditions. She strive for continuous improvement in both treatment efficacy and quality of life, clear communication, and shared decision-making during each step of a patient’s care journey. Dr. Maclachlan earned her PhD degree from University of Melbourne, Australia and completed her MBBCh, from University of Otago, New Zealand
Thomas Martin, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Adult Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplantation Program Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy Program, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Associate Director, Myeloma Program University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Dr. Martin is associate director of UCSF's myeloma program and director of the unrelated donor transplantation programs for adults at UCSF Medical Center. He is clinical research director of hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research interests include developing treatments for myeloma and leukemia as well as expanding the use of bone marrow transplants. He has a special interest in umbilical cord blood transplants, and he is involved in efforts to improve outcomes for patients who have transplants from unrelated donors. Dr. Martin earned an undergraduate degree at Cornell University and his medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. After a medical residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, he completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at UCSF. In 1999, he joined MD Anderson Cancer Center as an assistant professor of medicine. In 2001, he returned to UCSF.
Lucia Masarova, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Lucia Masarova is a highly motivated physician pursuing an academic, translational-research career. She has a broad knowledge, training and expertise in Oncology and Hematology. Her research includes various aspects of hematologic malignancies, with special interest in infections, immune system involvement, and influence of disease background and therapies on their outcome. During her medical training and early in her career (in Slovakia), she served as principal investigator and co-investigator of several research projects on hospital funded grants, or on a voluntary basis, exploring the impact of infectious complications on the outcome of patients with Hematologic Malignancy. Dr. Masarova has actively collaborated with researchers from other European countries and co-developed the largest Central European database of invasive fungal infections. Through these projects. She has learned the importance of frequent and effective communication among projects members and extended her knowledge in managing and analyzing medical databases, and clinical trials. Dr. Masarova has pursued additional postdoctoral and clinical fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This advanced training allowed her to further enhance research skills and gain tremendous clinical experience in treated patients with Leukemias. Dr. Masarova earned her medical degree from Comenius University Bratislava School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine from National Cancer Institute Bratislava and clinical fellowship in Leukemia from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Matthew McKinney, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Member, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
Dr. Matthew McKinney is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy at Duke University. He treats patients with hematological malignancies, particularly lymphomas. Dr. McKinney earned his medical degree from the Duke University in 2006. Later, he completed both his internal medicine residency in 2009, and his hematology/oncology fellowship in 2013 from Duke University.
Soheil Meshinchi, MD, PhD
Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics, Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Dr. Soheil Meshinchi is a Professor in the Department of Translational Science and Therapeutics Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as well as Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is an expert in leukemia biology, peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for children with leukemia, management of post-transplant relapse and targeted therapies for acute myeloid leukemia patients. His expertise lies in genomic profiling and determining the prognostic value of specific molecular alterations in AML. He has developed numerous clinical assays that have been implemented in cooperative group trials. Dr. Meshinchi also serves as the Director of the largest genome and transcriptome sequencing project in pediatric and young adult AML and has created a robust biorepository of viable cells, plasma and extracted nucleic acids from over 100,000 specimens from 3,000 patients. He has fostered a consortium of computational and laboratory scientists to interrogate genomic data generated from these samples to guide the development of novel biomarkers and therapeutics. He was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology/Protein Biochemistry at the University of Michigan in 1990. Later, in 1994, he earned his medical degree from Wayne State University. He accomplished his residency training in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospitals in 1997. Thereafter, in 2000, he completed his fellowship training in pediatric hematology and oncology at the University of Washington and at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, simultaneously.
Alice Mims, MD, MSCR
Research Section Head - Acute Leukemia/Myeloid Malignancies, Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH
Dr. Alice Mims is a hematologist who specializes in treating patients suffering from acute leukemias and myeloid malignancies with a focus on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) clinical and translational research. I am a Professor in the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University and help lead collaborative research efforts within James Comprehensive Cancer Center as Co-Director of the Leukemia/Hematological Malignancies Research Program. I also serve as a Senior Medical Director on the national, multi-center umbrella study investigating novel treatment for AML patients though the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Beat AML Master Trial. My research training and efforts have been supported through ASH’s Clinical Research Training Institute, an ASH Clinical Scholar Award, ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award and current R01 funding. My goal is to continue collaborative efforts to improve treatment options and further advance outcomes for patients with acute leukemias and myeloid malignancies through the development of novel therapeutics.
Meera Mohan, MD, MS, FACP
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology - Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Dr. Meera Mohan holds the position of Assistant Professor within the Division of Hematology Oncology, specializing in Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at the Medical College of Wisconsin.Her educational journey commenced at Kerala Medical University in India, where she completed her medical school training. Subsequently, she pursued her residency at Wayne State University, followed by a clinical fellowship at the University of Arkansas, where she also served as Chief Fellow.Currently, her clinical and research focus is plasma cell dyscrasia. She serves as the principal investigator of several clinical trials in patients with multiple myeloma. She has co authored and authors close to 70 peer reviewed publication in her short career thus far and is the recipient of KL2 career development award for her work on minimal residual disease in myeloma.
Erin Mulvey, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
Dr. Erin Mulvey is an Assistant Professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is also an assistant attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. Dr. Mulvey specializes in treating patients with lymphoma and is an active investigator in several clinical trials. Her research is centered on B cell lymphomas, including indolent lymphomas such as follicular lymphoma as well as aggressive forms such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. She is focused on the study and manipulation of the interaction between the body’s own immune system and cancerous cells. She also has a special interest in patient reported outcomes in clinical trials and has received honors from the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). Dr. Mulvey completed her medical degree from New York Medical College in 2015. She completed her residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology/oncology al and Weill Cornell Medical College.
Vivian Oehler, MD
Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Dr. Vivian Oehler is a hematologic oncologist who cares for patients with leukemia and other blood disorders. Her research explores the genetic origins and drivers of those diseases. Dr. Oehler also studies why some patients don’t respond to the standard treatment for leukemia, a class of targeted cancer drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. These drugs block chemical messengers that help send growth signals in cells. A significant minority of patients develop resistance to the therapy, and Dr. Oehler’s lab is trying to identify predictive markers for identifying these patients. Her lab also develops and tests new drugs to treat chronic myeloid leukemia CML and acute myeloid leukemia AML. Dr. Oehler earned her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine from University of Washington and fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology from University of Washington.
Thomas Ollila, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital/The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
Thomas A. Ollila, MD, is a hematologist/oncologist at Lifespan Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Brown Alpert School of Medicine. His clinical focus is on lymphoma, including primary central nervous system lymphoma. He is also the medical director of the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma clinic. He earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Ollila’s research interests include translational and clinical outcomes in lymphoma. In 2018, he was given the Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society, the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Outside of clinical practice, he is an associate program director of the hematology/oncology fellowship and director of fellowship research.
Thomas Ollila, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital/The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
Dr. Krish Patel is a clinical investigator, Director of the Lymphoma Program, and Interim Chief of Hematologic Malignancies and Cell Therapy at the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) in Seattle, Washington. In 2016, he joined the Swedish Cancer Institute, Center for Blood Disorders and Stem Cell Transplantation as a specialist in the care of patients with lymphomas and CLL. In 2019, he was appointed as the Director of the Lymphoma Program at SCI to help continued development of the program’s clinical standards for lymphoma care, assist in the programmatic expansion of cell therapy services, and to help shape the continued growth of the lymphoma program’s clinical research endeavors. In 2021, Dr. Patel was named Interim Chief of Hematologic Malignancies and Cell Therapy at SCI to lead further growth and development of all the clinical and research programs of the Center for Blood Disorders and Stem Cell Transplant.Clinically, Dr. Patel specializes in all aspects of care of patients with lymphomas and CLL. He has a specific research focus in the early stage development of novel targeted agents, immunotherapies, and engineered cellular therapies to advance care for patients with lymphoid malignancies. He is a principal investigator for numerous therapeutic lymphoma and CLL clinical trials at SCI, with a focus on phase I and II studies . He is also engaged in clinical development of novel diagnostics in lymphoma and CLL. Dr. Patel completed his medical school, residency, and hematology and oncology fellowship training at Duke University School of Medicine where he served as a Chief Resident in Internal Medicine.
Kristen Pettit, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Dr. Kristen Pettit is a Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine who joined the University of Michigan faculty in the fall of 2017. Kristen received her MD from Chicago Medical School, then went on to the University of Chicago where she completed residency in internal medicine and fellowships in Hematology/Oncology as well as Clinical Pharmacology. Her clinical interest is in myeloid malignancies, specifically myeloproliferative neoplasms. Her research focuses on clinical and translational projects revolving around the development of novel therapies for myelofibrosis.
Craig Portell, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine Section Head—Hematologic Malignancies, Medical Director of Lymphoma/CLL/Myeloma, Clinical Research Team, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Dr. Craig Portell holds a clinical faculty appointment in medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Virginia. He practices at the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center in Charlottesville and serves as an inpatient hematologist at UVA Health. His research interest includes Clinical trials in hematologic malignancies including leukemias and lymphomas, with special interest in determining optimal combinations and timing of targeted agents in B-cell leukemias and lymphomas. Dr. Portell attended medical school at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO, and completed internal medicine residency at Loyola University Hospital near Chicago, IL. He completed fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, where he was chief fellow.
Lindsay Rein, MD
Assistant Professor, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke University, Durham, NC
Dr. Lindsay Rein, works for patients with various myeloproliferative neoplasms including, polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, primary myelofibrosis, systemic mastocytosis, and chronic myeloid leukemia. Her goal is to provide the best possible care for each individual patient in an era where the number of therapeutic options for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms is rapidly expanding. As a clinical investigator leading several clinical studies in both early and late stages of development, She strive to offer patients access to investigational agents with novel mechanisms of action via participation in clinical trials. She believe that every patient has a unique diagnosis and personal experience with their cancer. She aims to consider the disease, the patient and individual care goals in partnering with patients to develop and implement personalized treatment plans. Dr. Rein earned her medical degree from University of North Dakota. She completed her residency in internal medicine from Duke University School of Medicine.
Shambavi Richard, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Co-Director, CAR T and Stem Cell Transplant Multiple Myeloma Program, Tisch Cancer Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Dr. Shambavi Richard is Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) with the Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma. She sees multiple myeloma patients at the Ruttenberg Treatment Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital and also at The Blavatnik Family - Chelsea Medical Center. Dr. Richard applies a multi-disciplinary approach for each of her patients alongside her collaborative team members.She is a principal investigator and is involved in several phase 1, phase 2, and first in human clinical trials in multiple myeloma with a focus on several novel therapies, including antibody, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy treatment approaches.Dr. Richard sees patients who have monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma with a goal to prevent evolution to myeloma. Dr. Richard earned her medical degree from Stanley Medical College. She completed her residency in internal medicine from BronxCare Hospital Center and fellowship in hematology & oncology from Montefiore Medical Center and in transplant Surgery from Mount Sinai Hospital.
Cesar Rodriguez, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Director Clinical Operations, Multiple Myeloma Program, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,
New York, NY
Dr. Cesar Rodriguez is an experienced multiple myeloma physician at Mount Sinai Brooklyn. He is Clinical Director for Multiple Myeloma at Mount Sinai Hospital, Tisch Cancer Institute, and also serves as a committee leader for immunotherapy in myeloma for the Clinical Trials Network Myeloma Intergroup Dr. Rodriguez’s clinical and translational research interest lies in early phase clinical trials on immunotherapy for myeloma and other plasma cell disorders. His laboratory focuses on 3-dimensional culture models and bioprinting to study the biology of myeloma cells and bone marrow microenvironment interactions that lead to drug resistance and tumor proliferation. Dr. Rodriguez received his medical degree in Monterrey, Mexico and completed training in Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University and a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Louisville. He received transplant training at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is part of the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, ASBMT Practice Guidelines Committee, BMT-CTN Myeloma Committee, Alliance Myeloma Committee, and the International Myeloma Working Group
Steven Rosen, MD
Professor, Division of Lymphoma Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Executive Vice President and Director Emeritus, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Steven Rosen, M.D., is a professor, Division of Lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, and executive vice president and director emeritus, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. Prior to joining City of Hope, Dr. Rosen was the Genevieve Teuton Professor of Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. He served for 24 years as director of Northwestern’s Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Rosen has published more than 400 original reports, editorials, books and book chapters. His research has been funded by the NCI, American Cancer Society, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Dr. Rosen also has served as an adviser for several of these organizations and on the external advisory boards of more than a dozen NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. He is the current editor-in-chief of the textbook series “Cancer Treatment & Research. Dr. Rosen received his bachelor’s degree and medical degree from Northwestern University. He was a resident in Internal Medicine at Northwestern. He was a fellow in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute.
James Rubenstein, MD, PhD
Professor in Residence, Department of Medicine, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA
Dr. James Rubenstein is a hematologist-oncologist, or a specialist in blood disorders. He has particular expertise in treating patients with neurologic complications from cancer, including patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma involving the brain (called central nervous system lymphoma). He investigates immunologic tools to improve tumor response to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and to minimize toxicity from treatment. He is also interested in developing tumor biomarkers to diagnose brain tumors. Dr. Rubenstein earned his medical degree at Weill Cornell Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine at Stanford Medicine. He earned a doctorate in molecular and cellular neurosciences at the Rockefeller University. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at UCSF, which included training in neuro-oncology.
Rachel Salit, MD
Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Dr. Rachel B. Salit, MD is an Associate Professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and at the University of Washington in the Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology in Seattle, WA where she is a stem cell transplant physician and researcher. One of her main clinical and research goals is to improve the post-transplant outcomes and quality of life of patients with myeloproliferative disease. To this end she has several open clinical and translational transplant trials for patients with myelofibrosis and sits on the NCCN Guidelines committee for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.
Laurie Sehn, MD
Chair, Lymphoma Tumour Group BC Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer Clinical Professor of Medicine Division of Medical Oncology University of British Columbia Associate Editor: Blood, Vancouver, Canada
Dr. Sehn is a Clinical Professor with the BC Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. She has been a medical oncologist and clinical investigator at BC Cancer since 1998 and is currently the Chair of the Lymphoma Tumour Group. Dr. Sehn’s research interests include population-based outcomes analyses, the identification of prognostic factors and predictive biomarkers, and the development of novel therapies in lymphoma. Dr Sehn is Chair of the medical advisory board for the International Lymphoma Coalition. She has also served as a member of the editorial board of Journal of Clinical Oncology and Leukemia Lymphoma and is currently an Associate Editor for Blood. Dr. Sehn also serves as co-chair of the Lymphoma Site of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group and co-chair of the Lunenburg Lymphoma Biomarker Consortium. Dr. Sehn graduated from McGill Medical School, Montreal, Canada and received her training in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, USA. She was trained in Haematology-Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, and received a Masters of Public Health degree from Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University. Prior to returning to Canada, she spent a year as faculty at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with the Bone Marrow Transplantation service.
Mazyar Shadman, MD, MPH
Innovators Network Endowed, Chair, Assistant Medical Director for Cellular Immunotherapy, Associate Professor of Hematology and Oncology, Lymphoid Malignancies and Immunotherapy, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Dr. Mazyar Shadman is a blood cancer specialist who focuses on lymphoid malignancies. He is involved in clinical research using novel therapeutic agents for lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL, as well as immunotherapy (specifically CAR T cell therapy) for lymphoid neoplasms and blood stem cell transplant for hematologic malignancies. His goal is to identify the best treatment sequence or combination for patients with high-risk lymphoma and CLL.. Dr. Shadman earned his medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. He completed MPH in Cancer Epidemiology from University of Washington. He completed his Residency in internal medicine from Cleveland Clinic and fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology from University of Washington/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
Jeff Sharman, MD
Director of Research, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, Eugene, OR
Dr. Jeff Sharman is the director of research at the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute as well as the medical director of hematology research for The US Oncology Network. He is well versed in the latest scientific breakthroughs across a diversity of cancers. He’s been instrumental in developing a number of important advances in treatment and is widely published within the current scientific literature, including several publications within the New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood and others. The research program in Eugene has developed an international reputation in several different types of cancer and Dr. Sharman has presented findings at major conferences in the US, Asia, and Europe. Dr. Sharman’s research has helped position WVCI to have access to a variety of exciting new areas of research, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and personalized medicine Dr. Sharman completed his medical school at the University of California, Davis. Both Dr. Sharman’s internship and residency were completed at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital while his fellowship took place at Stanford University.
Geoffrey Shouse, DO, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Lymphoma Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic, Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dr. Geoffrey ShouseGeoffrey Shouse, D.O., Ph.D.'s fascination with molecular biology led him to hematology and oncology as a career. He earned a Ph.D. in cell, molecular and developmental biology at the University of California Riverside, and went on to study medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. He continued his residency and fellowship training at Loma Linda University Medical Center, with additional fellowship training at City of Hope in stem cell transplant and cellular therapy. Dr. Shouse focuses his research on eliminating the barriers of lymphoma cure. He is the primary investigator on numerous clinical trials including utilizing cutting edge treatments to more effectively treat lymphoma. These include cell therapies, molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapy.In addition, he leads studies designed to improve outcomes in older adults facing the sometimes daunting toxicities of lymphoma therapy. Finally, he designs and implements clinical trials focused on enhanced access and recruitment of underrepresented minorities.The clinical and research interests of Geoffrey Shouse, D.O., Ph.D., center on cellular therapy, including chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, molecular targeted therapy, and immunotherapy in lymphoma patients. Dr. Shouse is currently the principal investigator of numerous clinical trials evaluating novel agents for treating relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including collaborative multicenter investigator-initiated trials and sponsored multi-center trials. Dr. Shouse also contributes a significant amount of research toward decreasing toxicity and improving access for patients stricken with lymphoma.
Andrea Sitlinger, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair of Clinical Operations for HMCT, Medical Director for Outpatient Malignant Hematology Clinic Hematology/Oncology, Fellowship Curriculum, Director Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC
Dr. Andrea Sitlinger is faculty in the division of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapy at Duke Cancer Institute. She specializes in the care of CLL and other mature B cell lymphomas. Her goal is to provide the best care possible for patients with blood cancers and their families. She strives to optimize the treatment for each patient based on the latest research as well as each patient’s own unique situation and goals. She also hopes to improve the care of cancer patients through access to clinical trials and ongoing outcomes-based research. Her research focuses on understanding and improving physical function/fitness, resiliency, survivorship care, and financial toxicity for cancer patients. Dr. Sitlinger received her medical degree from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine from Duke University Medical Center.
Stephen Spurgeon, MD
Professor of Medicine, Lymphoma Program, Director Distinguished Scholar in Leukemia and Lymphoma Research, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Dr. Stephen Spurgeon is a Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health Science University and the Distinguished Scholar in Leukemia and Lymphoma Research at the Knight Cancer Institute where he directs the Lymphoma Program and co-chairs the Clinical Research Review Committee. He has a particular research interest in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma and conducts translational and clinical research evaluating novel therapies. He also partners with hematologic malignancies colleagues at the Knight and beyond to better understand the science driving responses and resistance to therapy while also defining “real-world” patient outcomes. Dr. Spurgeon is interested in drug development and is active in SWOG.
Paolo Strati, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Paolo Strati MD is currently an Assistant Professor, Term Tenure Track, in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma with a joint appointment in the Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, TX, and previously served as Assistant Professor at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester (MN). Dr. Strati earned his medical degree cum laude from the San Raffaele University of Milan (Italy) in 2008 and completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the same institution and, subsequently, at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester (MN). He also completed a Hematology-Oncology Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center, a Leukemia and Lymphoma fellowship at the same institution, and a Malignant Hematology fellowship at the Barts Cancer Institute, in London (UK). Dr. Strati is a recognized expert in the field of immunotherapy and cellular therapy for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma, and he is the principal investigator of multiple clinical trials and translational projects related to this topic. He is author of several peer-reviewed manuscripts published on high impact journal, including Blood and Lancet Haematology, and he is regularly invited to present his work at international scientific meetings, including the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. In light of his research accomplishments, he has received multiple grants and awards, including a NIH R21 grant, the Lymphoma Research Foundation Career Development Award and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Career Development Award. Dr. Strati is committed to gain further insight into the biology of the lymphoma immune microenvironment, and to manipulate its components successfully, in order to develop novel effective therapies and to decrease the toxicity of treatment strategies already available for patients with B-cell lymphoma.
Jakub Svoboda, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Co-Chair, Lymphoma Tumor Board and Case Conference Member, Abramson Cancer Center, Data Safety Monitoring Committee Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Jakub Svoboda is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. His research interests focus on improving outcomes in patients with lymphomas using novel agents and immune based therapies. He served as the principal investigator on several trials including multicenter investigator-initiated trial using brentuximab (immunoconjugate) in combination with chemotherapy as frontline treatment for CD30+ B cell lymphomas. He also conducted a pilot trial using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in patients in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and served as co-investigator on trials using CAR T cells in non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Dr. Svoboda earned his medical degree from Yale University School Of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine hematology and medical oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Brian Sworder, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor In Residence, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine. UC Irvine School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Dr. Brian Sworder is an instructor in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree in 2023 from Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency in 2015 from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a hematology and medical oncology fellowship from Stanford University.
Michael Thirman, MD
Associate Professor, Section of Hematology/Oncology, Director of Leukemia Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Dr. Michael J. Thirman, M.D., conducts basic, translational, and clinical research on acute and chronic leukemias. His laboratory focuses on the role of MLL fusion proteins in the development of leukemia. The overall goals of his research are to understand the mechanisms that mediate transformation of normal hematopoietic stem cells and to develop targeted therapies based on these insights. Dr. Thirman also directs clinical trials in AML, ALL, and CLL. He is a recipient of the Stohlman Scholar Award of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. An active researcher, Dr. Thirman has published more than 80 papers, reviews, and book chapters on clinical and laboratory studies in leukemia and lymphoma.
Jose (J.C.) C. Villasboas Bisneto, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Consultant, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, MN
Dr. Jose C. Villasboas Bisneto, M.D., is a physician-scientist specializing in the treatment of lymphomas, stem cell transplantation and adoptive cell therapy. His laboratory studies the interactions between the patients' immune systems and cancer cells. Using advanced single-cell and imaging technology, his research seeks to understand why many times the immune system fails to control (and sometimes actually helps) cancer growth. Using this knowledge and aided by artificial intelligence systems, his team aims to identify and test new ways to promote effective anti-cancer immunity for patients with lymphoma. Dr. Bisneto earned her medical degree from Universidade Federal da Bahia. He completed his residency in internal medicine from University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital and fellwship from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Hematology/Oncology.
Dan Vogl, MD, MSCE
Medical Director, Abramson Cancer Center Clinical Research Unit, Associate Professor of Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Bone Marrow Transplant Program University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Dan T. Vogl, MD, MSCE is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Vogl’s clinical area of expertise is in multiple myeloma and associated plasma cell disorders. His clinical and translational research focuses on early phase clinical trials of novel therapies for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Dr. Vogl serves as Medical Director of the Abramson Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Unit, overseeing the work of over 100 research nurses, research coordinators, regulatory coordinators, and biospecimen coordinators, who together manage over 300 active cancer clinical trials.
Jason Westin, MD
Director, Lymphoma Clinical Research Section Chief, Aggressive Lymphoma Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma Division of Cancer Medicine University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Jason Westin is the leader of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma research team at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma. His research interests include designing and conducting innovative clinical trials, the development of new drugs and new methods to improve outcomes for patients with lymphoma, including the study of scale-free networks and complex systems. Dr. Westin has presented his research at national and international conferences, including the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Dr. Westin earned his medical degree from the University of Florida. He completed his residency from the University of North Carolina, followed by a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Tanya Wildes, MD, MSCI
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicin, Omaha, NE
Dr. Tanya Wildes is an Associate Professor in the Division of Oncology and Hematology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine, specializing in Multiple Myeloma, Hematology/Oncology, and Geriatric Oncology. Dr. Wildes’s overarching career goal is to improve the care of older adults with cancer by integrating the principles of geriatrics into both research and clinical practice in oncology. This leads her research interests in preventing falls in order adults with cancer and use of frailty assessments to guide treatment for older adults with multiple myeloma. She is currently one of approximately 100 physicians in the US clinically dual-trained in hematology/oncology & geriatrics. In 2002, She earned her medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. She completed her residency at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in 2005. Later, she completed her fellowship in hematology and oncology in 2008, followed by another fellowship in geriatrics and nutritional sciences in 2009 at the Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Allison Winter, MD
Staff Physician, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Dr. Alison Winter is a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic. She sees patients for lymphoma, bone marrow transplant, and CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Winter earned her medical degree from Wake Forest School of Medicine in 2013. She completed her residency in internal medicine from Cleveland Clinic in 2016, and a fellowship in hematology/oncology from Cleveland Clinic in 2019.
Andrew Zelenetz, MD, PhD
Medical Director, Quality Informatics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Dr. Andrew Zelenetz is medical oncologist with special expertise in lymphoma, and former Chief of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Lymphoma Service. I am a member of a close-knit team that provides compassionate, multidisciplinary care to patients with lymphoma. He has developed several of the agents now approved to treat lymphoma — including 131I-tosituomab/tositumomab, bortezomib, and pralatrexate. Through clinical studies he is evaluating the benefits of novel combinations of agents. In another area of research, he is working to improve the prognostic value of patients’ pathology specimens using computer-aided image analysis. He is also involved in several national organizations that provide information about lymphoma treatment and fund laboratory and clinical research and serves as the chairperson of the Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Guidelines panel of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and vice chairperson of the Lymphoma Core Committee of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. He is also a member of the scientific advisory board of the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Dr. Zelenetz earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency in medicine from Stanford University Medical Center and fellowship in Oncology from Stanford University Medical Center.
Jeffrey Zonder, MD
Professor Clinical, Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Medical Director, Apheresis Unit, Karmanos Cancer Hospital, Vice Chair, M1 IRB Committee, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Dr. Jeffrey Zonder, MD, is Professor in the Department of Oncology at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) and Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is the Leader of the KCI Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis Multidisciplinary Team. Dr. Zonder is also the Co- Leader of the Molecular Therapeutics Program at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. He is a medical advisor for the Amyloidosis Support Group Networks, and a member of the International Myeloma Working Group, the International Myeloma Society and the International Amyloidosis Society. He is a member of the Southwest Oncology Group’s (SWOG) Barlogie-Salmon Myeloma Committee. He has authored or co-authored numerous original research papers, review articles, book chapters, and research abstracts on myeloma and amyloidosis. Dr. Zonder completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at Wayne State University and his medical residency at the University of Rochester, New York. He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine.
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