International Faculty

Prof. Adda Bounedjar

Head of Medical Oncology , CHU Blida | Algeria

Adda BOUNEDJAR is Chairman of Medical Oncology Department Anti Cancer Center BLIDA ALGERIA. He is Professor of Medical Oncology at Blida 1 University. He is President of Algerian Society of Training and Research in Oncology (SAFRO) And Vice president of Arab Medical Association against Cancer (AMAAC). He is member in MENA-NCCN steering committee and in ASCO Clinical Practice Guideline Advisory ,member of scientific committee ESMO GI and he is also member of several international research group and scientific societies ( ACHOG, ICRG, Saint Paul, AMCI, BGICC, ASCO, ESMO…).

Prof. Amit Bahl

Director of Oncology , Spire Healthcare | United Kingdom

Prof. Amit Bahl is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Bristol Cancer Institute, University Hospitals Bristol and Clinical Director of Spire Oncology Centre with a special interest in breast and urological cancers. He is the research lead for uro-oncology at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre. He has led and developed the prostate brachytherapy service at Bristol. Prof. Bahl is an internationally renowned expert on all aspects of prostate cancer treatment and can discuss the intricacies of the new modalities of treatment including IMRT, proton therapy, single modality HDR brachytherapy, enabling patients to come to an informed decision. He has been an expert adviser to NICE for the technology appraisal on new drugs and an external service reviewer at oncology departments elsewhere in the country.

Dr. Atif Iqbal

Associate Professor and Chief, Section of Colorectal Surgery , Baylor College of Medicine | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Atif Iqbal earned his medical degree from King Edward Medical University and completed a surgical internship at Mayo Hospital, Pakistan. He then completed a surgical research fellowship at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, followed by a general surgery residency at the University of Missouri and a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He joined the University of Florida (UF) as an assistant professor in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor in 2018. Dr. Iqbal leads the Colorectal Surgery team, and specializes in surgical procedures for benign and malignant pathology of the colon, rectum and anus. He has a special interest in advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgical procedures for colon and rectal cancer, including sphincter saving procedures for low rectal cancer. He is a member of the Baylor Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center and offers laparoscopic pouch procedures for ulcerative colitis and minimally invasive surgery for Crohn’s disease.

Dr. Benjamin Musher

Associate Professor , Baylor College of Medicine | USA

Dr. Benjamin Musher is the Medical Director of Medical Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine’s Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. A Medical Oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancer, Dr. Musher is also an Associate Professor and the Director of DLDCCC’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Program. He holds the Barry Smith Endowed Professorship at BCM. As an educator, Dr. Musher has received numerous accolades including Oncology Faculty Educator of the Year for six consecutive years and the Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Faculty Excellence Award, which recognizes BCM faculty for excellence in teaching and evaluation. He has also been recognized with several awards for going above and beyond to deliver exceptional patient experiences; and in 2016 was named a Top Doctor by Houstonia Magazine. Dr. Musher came to BCM in 2009 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he spent the previous five years as an attending physician and fellow in the Division of Hematology- Oncology. Dr. Musher completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington’s Department of Medicine, where he was also an attending physician from 2003-2004. A graduate of St. John’s School in Houston, he earned an AB in Social Studies from Harvard University and received his MD with Honors from BCM.

Dr. Caroline Diorio

Pediatric Oncologist , Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia | USA

Dr. Caroline Diorio is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with a clinical focus on pediatric leukemias and the application of cellular immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CART) for children with difficult to treat leukemias. Her research focus is on translating immunotherapies for childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) from the laboratory into the clinic, and on mechanistic understanding of the side effects of CART, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Dr. Diorio completed her medical school at the University of Toronto and pediatric residency at McMaster Children’s Hospital. She then completed a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. During fellowship, she completed a Master of Science in Translational Research at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Crystal Denlinger

Chief Executive Officer , National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) | USA

Crystal Denlinger is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), having joined NCCN as Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer in April 2021. Dr. Denlinger has a long history of global cancer leadership with NCCN and beyond. She was named an NCCN Young Investigator Awardee in 2012 and receive the NCCN Rodger Winn Award in 2018 for exemplifying leadership, drive, and commitment in service to developing NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Before being named Chief Scientific Officer, she was chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Survivorship and served as a member of the Bone Cancers, Esophageal/Gastric Cancers, and Occult Primary Cancers panels, as well as the panel for Older Adult Oncology. She has also participated on the editorial board of the JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, numerous abstract and scientific review committees, and in NCCN’s work on the NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joining NCCN, Dr. Denlinger was an Associate Professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, an NCCN Member Institution. At Fox Chase, she served as the Chief of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Deputy Director of the Early Phase Drug Development Program, and Director of the Survivorship Program. Her expertise is in clinical trials, survivorship care, and gastrointestinal malignancies. She is a practicing medical oncologist, maintaining a limited clinical practice at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA after over a decade of clinical practice prior to joining NCCN. Dr. Denlinger is a graduate of the combined BS/MD program at The College of New Jersey and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She completed her internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and her fellowship in hematology/oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Denlinger is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and a member of several medical societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Prof. Daniel Palmer

Professor and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology , University of Liverpool | United Kingdom

Professor Palmer took his current position of North West Cancer Research Chair in Medical Oncology at the University of Liverpool in 2011. His research interests relate to HPB cancers (liver, pancreas and biliary tract) and incorporate basic laboratory science, translational research and clinical trials. His laboratory research is currently investigating novel therapeutic approaches to the treatment of HPB cancer through stimulation of anti-tumour immune responses and targeting tumour micro-environment including the tumour microbiome, and developing and validating biomarkers for a stratified approach to treatment. He is a member of the UK NCRN Upper GI cancers clinical studies group, and the hepatobiliary and pancreatic sub-groups. He is Director of the Cancer Research UK/NIHR Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre and has established a portfolio of early phase clinical trials and translational studies and he is Chief Investigator for the TACE-3 and RaTIO trials investigating immunotherapy combinations for patients with intermediate and advanced HCC respectively.

Dr. David Chang

Professor of Surgical Oncology , University of Glasgow | United Kingdom

David is a surgeon scientist who specialises in the treatment of malignant pancreatic diseases. His research focus is on the development and implementation of novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer, particularly around DNA-damage response deficiency, by utilising molecular biomarkers of prognosis and therapeutic responsiveness. David undertook his pancreatic surgical fellowship, PhD, and post-doctoral training in Australia. In 2013 he was recruited to University of Glasgow along with Prof Andrew Biankin, as part of an initiative to implement precision medicine in West of Scotland and the UK. David co-leads Precision-Panc, a pan-UK initiative to deliver personalised cancer care for pancreatic cancer, and is the chief investigator of its Master Protocol and the first inter-related clinical trials. He is also involved in the Precision Promise initiative, a Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (USA) initiative dedicated in delivering personalized treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer, and contributes to ICGC ARGO, aiming to shape the future of the next generation cancer genomic projects to ultimately realise the goals and promises of precision medicine. Clinically, David is an Honorary Consultant Pancreatic Surgeon at Glasgow Royal Infirmary as part of the West of Scotland Pancreatic Unit that serves as tertiary pancreatic referral centre for the West of Scotland. His research aims to shorten the distance between the bench and the clinic to ensure meaningful and seamless translation between the two.

Prof. David Kerr

Professor of Cancer Medicine , University of Oxford | United Kingdom

Professor David Kerr CBE MA MSc MD PhD DSc FRCP (Glasgow), FRCP (Edinburgh) FRCP (London) FRCGP (Hon) FACP FESMO FMedSci. David contributes to Oxford as Professor of Cancer Medicine, where he has worked with colleagues to build a new Institute for Cancer Medicine and Cancer Hospital. He is an Honorary Professor of Oncology in Sichuan, Suchow, Xiamen, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Oslo and Seoul National Universities. He has an international reputation for the treatment of and research into cancer (ranked in top 1-2% globally) and the quality of his work has been recognised by the award of several national & international prizes, including the Harvard Global Health Catalyst: Distinguished Leader Award, in recognition of his many years of leadership in global health work. He has served as health adviser to two British Prime Ministers and has supported National Cancer planning in the UK, Sub Saharan Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya), India, Iraq and is a Trustee of the AMAR Foundation, delivering primary healthcare in refugee camps.

Prof. Derek Tsang

Assoc. Prof.- Dept. of Radiation Oncology , University of Toronto | Canada

Dr. Derek Tsang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto. He is a radiation oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. He completed his medical training at Queen’s University, followed by residency at the University of Toronto. He obtained fellowship training at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and holds a Masters’ degree in clinical epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Tsang’s research interests include evaluating re-irradiation for recurrent tumours and reducing the late effects of radiotherapy. He participates in international cooperative group studies with the Children’s Oncology Group and NRG Oncology, serves as an Associate Editor for the Red Journal and sits on the Editorial Board for Neuro-Oncology. He joined the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in 2017 and is a member of the adult Central Nervous System (CNS) and Eye tumour site groups, and leads the Paediatric Radiation Therapy Program. His clinical practice includes adult neuro-oncology, paediatric oncology, and stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial neoplasms.

Dr. Dragana Milojkovic

Consultant Haematologist , Hammersmith Hospital | United Kingdom

Dragana Milojkovic is a consultant haematologist at Hammersmith Hospital with a focus on myeloid malignancies, in particular chronic myeloid leukaemia, myeloproliferative disordersdisorders, and transplantation. Prof Milojkovic is also an honorary senior lecturer in haematology for Imperial College, London with post graduate teaching and research commitments. Prof Milojkovic is the director of the clinical trials unit at Hammersmith Hospital and is actively involved in the clinical trials for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) which are currently in place which include tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for newly diagnosed and resistant patients, strategies to tackle MRD in CML and novel agents in MPD. She is a member of national and European working parties including those in CML, MPD and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Chronic Malignancy.

Dr. Erminia Albanese

Consultant Neurosurgeon , University Hospitals of North Midlands | United Kingdom

"I studied Medicine and completed the training in Neurosurgery in Italy (equivalent to the M.B. Ch.B. and the FRCS). In 2009 I completed a research Fellowship in microneurosurgical anatomy at Mercer University, Georgia, USA. In 2011 I moved to King’s College Hospital in London where I performed a Fellowship in Surgical Neurooncology. I have a special clinical interest in the surgical treatment of benign and malignant brain tumours. I provide advanced neurosurgical techniques including intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and mapping during both asleep and awake craniotomies; moreover, I perform fluorescence-guided surgery. I am a member of the Genomic tumour advisory board at the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre in Birmingham. I introduced Genomic Medicine at UHNM. I am actively involved in training both undergraduate students from Keele University and postgraduate trainees. I sit on the Surgical Training Committee for neurosurgical trainees for Health Education England West Midlands."

Dr. Fieke Froeling

Clinical Senior Lecturer , University of Glasgow | United Kingdom

Fieke Froeling, MD, PhD, MRCP, is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and an Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

Dr. Francois-Guirec Champoiseau

CEO and Co-Founder , Cureety | France

Francois-Guirec Champoiseau is a serial entrepreneur who started his first company at the age of 19 in the automotive industry. After 3 years, Francois was appointed the interim CEO of a distressed tech start-up to oversee its restructuring for a year. Prior to launching Cureety, Francois worked as an M&A banker in healthcare to advise health-tech start-ups on fundraising and M&A activities. In 2018, Francois co-founded Cureety to improve the care offering for cancer patients worldwide. Cureety is the first oncology Software as a Medical Device company to obtain reimbursement status through statutory insurance in France due to the benefits provided by the technology to patients, healthcare providers and health systems. Francois received his master’s degree from Grenoble Ecole de Management in 2014.

Dr. Giannis Mountzios

Consultant Medical Oncologist , Air Force General Hospital | Greece

Dr Giannis Mountzios (MD, MSc, PhD) was born in Larissa, Greece, in 1974. He obtained his Medical Degree (MD) from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1998 with a scholarship from the Greek Ministry of Education and graduated from the Hellenic Military Medical Academy the same year. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the 251 Air force General Hospital of Athens and in Medical Oncology at the University of Athens School of Medicine, “Alexandra” University Hospital. In 2010 he obtained his PhD in Medical Oncology from the University of Athens School of Medicine. Dr Mountzios is currently working as a consultant Medical Oncologist at the Department of Medical Oncology in the Air force General Hospital in Athens. Dr Mountzios has received fellowships from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the Hellenic Society for Medical Oncology (HESMO). He is a member of the Board of Directors of HESMO and previous chair of the HESMO young medical oncologists committee. From 2012 to 2014, Dr Mountzios was a member of the ESMO Young Oncologists Committee. Since 2019, he is a member of the ESMO Educational Publications Working Group

Dr. Holly Meany

Pediatric Oncologist , Children's National Hospital | USA

Since coming to Children’s National as a fellow in 2003, Holly Meany, M.D., is now an attending physician in our Oncology division, associate professor, director for the Solid Tumor Program, and fellowship program director for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.

Dr. Ignacio Gil Bazo

Head of the Department of Oncology , Valencian Institute of Oncology | Spain

Prof. Gil-Bazo is the Head of the Department of Oncology and Scientific Director of the Valencian Institute of Oncology (IVO) in the city of Valencia, Spain. He has previously served as Chairman of the Department of Oncology at the University of Navarra, in Pamplona, Spain. In addition, he is Associate Professor of Medicine at the Department of Oncology at the University of Navarra School of Medicine and Director of the New Therapeutic Targets Laboratory of the Program in Solid Tumors at the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA). Prof. Gil-Bazo is a Medical Oncologist with expertise in Thoracic Oncology, Translational Research in Oncology and Clinical Investigation. The Valencian Institute of Oncology (IVO), an OECI accredited Cancer Center, is a nationally and internationally renowned institution, the largest and most prestigious private cancer center in Spain.

Dr. Imran Hussain

Respiratory Consultant , University Hospital of North Midlands | United Kingdom

Dr Hussain Graduated from St Georges Hospital, London, and under took training in the UK, including training posts at The Royal Brompton Hospital. During training he undertook a PhD with Professor Holgate in Southampton on RSV immunobiology, he continues to have an interest in severe asthma. He has held consultant posts in Manchester and Stoke on Trent, where has led the respiratory department and involved in senior medical management. He has interests in medical education and been on the national training committee for respiratory medicine. During his consultant tenure he has lead the department, and region for lung cancer care and developed one of the local sites for lung cancer screening in England and guides and supports the region as national lung cancer screening is rolled out across England.

Dr. Intikhab Mohsin

Professor of Anesthesiology , Albany Medical Center | USA

.

Dr. Jason Freedman

Pediatric Oncologist , Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia | USA

Jason Freedman, MD, MSCE is a Pediatric Oncologist and serves as the Inpatient Medical Director of Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His clinical focus is Cell Therapy and Transplant and pediatric supportive care, and he has a particular interest in epidemiologic and translational research within pediatric supportive oncology and aims to advance the understanding and treatment of symptoms, infections, nutrition, and organ toxicities in pediatric cancer and stem cell transplant patients. Dr. Freedman is also a leader in clinical quality and process improvement, and optimization of clinical operations. Dr. Freedman serves on several committees within the Children’s Oncology Group and is Vice-Chair of the Pediatric Study Group within MASCC (Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer). He is also the PI/Co-PI of collaborative institutional trials focused on supportive care and organ toxicity in HSCT. Dr. Freedman has authored several textbook chapters, many peer-reviewed articles on the supportive care of children with cancer and quality improvement in pediatric oncology, and has contributed to the development of clinical guidelines to standardize management of symptoms and toxicities associated with cancer therapy and stem cell transplant.

Dr. Jaume Capdevila

Medical Oncologist , Vall d’Hebron University Hospital | Spain

Jaume Capdevila obtained his medical degree in the University of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain. In 2000-2001 held a fellowship in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Lleida. From 2002 to 2006 he attended a specialization in medical oncology at the “Santa Creu and Sant Pau University Hospital”, Barcelona and since 2006 served as medical oncologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in Barcelona. Since early 2013 he is also leading the gastrointestinal and endocrine tumor unit at Teknon Cancer Institute. He is involved in research and treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancer and endocrine tumors as well as in early-drug development. He has published over 160 articles in peer-reviewed journals and several book chapters. He is an active member of several oncology societies (ASCO, ESMO, ENETS, EORTC, SEOM, TTD, GEMCAD, GETNE) and actively participates an leads national and international trials. He is member of the Executive Committee of the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS), the chair of the Spanish Task Force for Neuroendocrine and Endocrine tumors (Grupo Español de Tumores Neuroendocrinos, GETNE) Treasurer of the Executive Committee of GEMCAD (Multidisciplinary Spanish Taskforce for the Treatment of Digestive Tumors) and responsible of the rectal cancer group track.

Prof. Javier Cortes

Head of Breast Cancer Unit , International Breast Cancer Centre | Spain

Dr. Javier Cortes received a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in 1996, specialist in Medical Oncology by the Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, and awarded the title of Doctor in Medical Oncology from the University of Navarra in 2002. From June 2003 to July 2015, he has worked in the Department of Medical Oncology at the Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, where he has been Coordinator of the Teaching and Training Programme for Residents in Oncology. In addition he was the Head of the Breast Cancer Program from July 2006 to August 2015. From September 2015 to October 2018, he has been Head of the Breast Cancer and Gynecological tumors at Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid. Dr. Cortes was the Head of the Breast Cancer Program at IOB Institute of Oncology, Quironsalud group, in both Madrid and Barcelona, from 2011 to September 2020. He has been Senior Clinical Investigator of the Breast Cancer Research Program at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology from 2011 to February 2022. Dr. Cortés is the Head of the International Breast Cancer Centre (IBCC) in Barcelona, founding partner of Medica Scientia innovation Research (MedSIR), a company involved in the clinical development of clinical trials. In addition to his medical specialties, he has two master degrees in “Medical Direction and Clinical Management” by the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) and “Research methodology in Health Sciences” by the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona and a degree in “Statistics in Health Sciences” by the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. He is the author of more than 400 publications, especially about breast tumours and new drugs and more than 800 communications at different conferences. He actively participates in the development of numerous international clinical trials, and he is an ad hoc reviewer of various oncology journals, including, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, Annals of Oncology or Journal of Clinical Oncology, among many others Dr Cortés is an active member of the Spanish, European, and American Societies of Medical Oncology (SEOM, ESMO, ASCO). In addition, he is a member of the Scientific Committee of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), of the Scientific Committee of the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC), has been chair for breast cancer at the ESMO 2020 congress, and co-chair of the same section in the congress of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2020, as well as the immunotherapy area of the AACR 2021 congress. He is a member of the expert panel that develops the treatment guidelines for metastatic breast cancer of the European Society for Medical Oncology, member of the ABC Conference, member of the ASCO International Affairs Committee, member of the executive panel in charge of SABCS Strategic Planning, and co-organizer of the Annual Congress of Controversies in Breast Cancer (CoBrCa). In addition, according to the American Expertscape 2002 ranking, he is considered the world’s leading expert on HER2+ and fourth world oncologist with the greatest expertise in breast cancer.

Dr. Jeffrey Dome

Paediatric Oncologist , Children's National Hospital | USA

Dr. Jeffrey Dome is senior vice president of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. He is Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and the Thomas Willson and Lenore Williams McKnew Professor of Pediatric Oncology. Dr. Dome received his MD degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and PhD degree in Medicine from Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He completed a residency in Pediatrics at Yale-New Haven Hospital and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After fellowship, Dr. Dome was a faculty member at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital before joining Children’s National in 2006. Dr. Dome is an internationally recognized expert on pediatric solid tumors, with an emphasis on kidney tumors and sarcomas. He chaired the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Renal Tumor Committee for more than a decade. He is presently on the Scientific Council of the COG, the editorial board of Pediatric Blood and Cancer, and is past-Chair of the American Board of Pediatrics Subboard of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Dome currently serves as the North American Continental President of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP). He has authored more than 200 articles, books, letters, and chapters on pediatric cancer.

Dr. Jeremy Abramson

Director - Center for Lymphoma , Massachusetts General Hospital | USA

Dr. Abramson is Director of the Lymphoma Program and the Jon and Jo Ann Hagler Chair in Lymphoma at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Abramson earned his medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a Masters Degree in Medical Sciences from Harvard Medical School. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Abramson's clinical and research interests are in non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, and CLL. His research involves the design and conduct of clinical trials of new cancer therapies and cellular immunotherapies in these diseases

Dr. John Edwards

Consultant Thoracic Surgeon , Northern General Hospital | United Kingdom

Mr John Edwards was appointed Consultant Thoracic Surgeon in Sheffield, United Kingdom in 2006. He was awarded a PhD in Oncology from the University of Leicester. Current committee memberships include the IASLC, EORTC and NCRI. He is past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the British Thoracic Oncology Group. He is a devoted recruiter to many clinical trials, with particular experience in those comparing surgery to no surgery. He gained a commendation in the 2014 NIHR Cancer Research Excellence in Surgical Trials awards and received the Dan Idhe Lectureship Award at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in 2015.

Dr. John Glaholm

Consultant Clinical Oncologist , The Royal Marsden | United Kingdom

Dr John Glaholm is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London UK and specialises in Radiotherapy treatment of lymphomas. He completed undergraduate training at Charing Cross Hospital, London, and postgraduate training in Clinical Oncology at The Royal Marsden Hospital. He subsequently became a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK, where he primarily specialised in Head and Neck cancer, Colorectal cancer and Urological malignancies. He held the post of Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham, UK. He has authored/co-authored over 70 peer reviewed publications and has written several textbook chapters. In addition to his current clinical work at The Royal Marsden Hospital he is a Module leader, lecturer/tutor and examiner for the Institute of Cancer Research Master of Science degree course in oncology. He has a strong interest in clinical trial participation.

Dr. John Kelly

Professor of Uro-Oncology , University College London | United Kingdom

John Kelly is Professor of Uro-oncology at University College London and Honorary Consultant Urologist at University College London Hospital. He was head of the Department of Urology at UCLH to 2020 and Director for robotic surgery at the Chitra Sethia Centre. UCLH is the UKs largest centre for Robotic pelvic surgery, JK has expertise in complex pelvic surgery and integrates high quality clinical activity with translational research. John Kelly is the clinical lead for Urology for NHS England. JDK leads a biosensor research group research group investigating linkage between biometric and genomic alterations related to wellness and cancer outcomes. He is the principal investigator for four multicentre randomised controlled trials (CRUK funded) and was Chair of the NCRI Bladder Cancer Clinical Study Group. He holds the Orchid Chair of Urology at Barts Hospital, Queen Mary University London. JDK received his medical degree from The Queen’s University of Belfast. He was awarded The Professor Geoffrey D. Chisholm Prize, The Calvert Medal and the Ethicon Foundation Prize. He was a recipient a British Urological Foundation Award following which he completed a Fellowship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York. He was a Senior Lecturer in Uro-Oncology at Cambridge University prior to his appointment to Chair at UCL.

Dr. Jose Vercher

Consultant Nuclear Medicine Physician , Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge | Spain

Dr Vercher is a nuclear medicine physician in the Department of Nuclear Medicine/PET Unit of the University Hospital of Bellvitge (Barcelona, Spain). During his residency period he obtained a scholarship from the Colegio Oficial de Médicos de Valencia and was invited by the Mount Sinai Medical Hospital in New York in the Department of Radiology. Since 2010 he was working at the University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe in Valencia (Department of Nuclear Medicine - Clinical Area of Medical Imaging), being also a member of the "Biomedical and Imaging Research Group - (Gibi230)". Subsequently, he completed a fellowship in the Department of Radiology at the UH Hospital/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland (Ohio, USA), specializing mainly in PET/MR and digital PET. His interests are focused, but not limited, to the field of oncology with hybrid imaging techniques such as PET/CT, PET/MR, SPECT/CT, FDG and non-FDG radiopharmaceuticals, and radiometabolic therapy (PRRT for neuroendocrine tumors, radioligands for prostate cancer, endocrine disorders and endocrine oncology, treatment of bone metastases, microspheres with Y-90/Ho-166 for the treatment of intrahepatic tumor lesions, among others). In addition, in the field of research he participates in several clinical trials of both imaging and treatments, and recently involved in dosimetry and artificial intelligence projects (radiomics, etc). He has presented more than 100 papers to both national and international congresses. Since 2019, Dr Vercher is the Spanish ambassador of the European Society for Hybrid, Molecular and Translational Imaging (ESHIMT), and since 2020 its Vice-President, now in a second term; in addition to being a member of the Scientific Subcommittee on Hybrid, Molecular and Translational Imaging for the European Society of Radiology (ESR-ECR). Since 2022, he is the National Ambassador for the Oncidium Foundation, an international foundation dedicated to promoting the use of radiopharmaceutical radiotherapy and connecting patients, professionals and experts in the field of nuclear medicine to improve access to cancer treatments and clinical trials worldwide.

Dr. Majeda Al-Ruzzieh

Chief Nursing Officer , King Hussein Cancer Center | Jordan

Majeda A. Al-Ruzzieh, Ph.D., RN is the Chief Nursing Officer at King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) with over 20 years of experience in nursing. She led the journey toward nursing excellence at the center which was concluded in 2019 by achieving Magnet® Recognition with exemplary results. This recognition made KHCC the first hospital in Jordan . Additionally she established the first Oncology Nursing Residency Program in Jordan accredited with DISTINCTION from ANCC in US Since 2003, she has effectively led more than 1,100 specialized nurses at KHCC, who work tirelessly to provide compassionate care of the highest quality to patients. Dr. Majeda has a PhD in Nursing and additionally a Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet® from ANCC. Currently candidate for Patient Centered Care Fellowship. A winner for HRH Princess Muna Award for best leader in Jordan .

Dr. Marco Stellato

Medical Oncologist , Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori | Italy

Dr. Marco Stellato is a Medical Oncologist in the Medical Oncology department at the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Mailan, Italy. At present, he is doing PhD in Bone Metastasis Pathophysiology from University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome

Dr. Mehran Habibi

Chief of Breast Surgery , Northwell Health | USA

Dr. Mehran Habibi is the Chief of the Breast Program, Florina Rusi Marke Comprehensive Breast center, Staten Island University Hospital, NY and Chief of Breast Surgery, Northwell Western Region, Director of International Program Development, Breast Surgery. Dr. Habibi specializes in breast surgical oncology, with expertise in treating complex breast cancer cases including wirefree and Oncoplastic Breast conserving surgeries, Nipple Sparing and Risk reducing mastectomies, Hidden scar surgery, Nerve preserving mastectomy and intra operative margin assessment. His research interests include Tumor genomics, Microbiome, Axillary management after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and intra op margin assessments.

Dr. Mhairi Simpson

Nurse Consultant , NHS Lanarkshire | United Kingdom

Dr Mhairi Simpson is a registered nurse of 30 years in Scotland, UK. Six years in generalist cancer care and 24 years in specialist cancer care. She is currently a Nurse Consultant, working clinically in upper GI oncology, has a strategic role in cancer services and is professional nursing lead for cancer nursing in the 3rd largest health board in Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire. She has research interests in the nursing contribution to cancer care; patient reported outcomes and peoples’ experiences of cancer care.

Dr. Michael Grimley

Professor of Clinical Pediatrics , Cincinnati Children's Hospital | USA

Michael Grimley, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati, Department of Pediatrics. He is the Medical Director of the Division of Bone Marrow Transplant and Immune Deficiency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Grimley is an experienced clinician specializing in the care of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) with a clinical research interest in the treatment and prevention of opportunistic infections associated with HSCT. He is the head of hemoglobinopathy transplant team at CCHMC and served as the institutional PI for its sickle cell gene therapy clinical trial. His clinical interests include BMT for primary immunodeficiencies, hemoglobinopathies and leukemia. He also is PI for multiple Phase 2 protocols using Virus specific T cells (VSTs) directed against Adenovirus, CMV, EBV and BK virus at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Dr. Mimma Rizzo

Medical Oncologist , Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Consorziale | Italy

Dr. Mimma Rizo is a Medical Oncologist at Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Consorziale, Italy.

Dr. Mohamed Shelan

Senior Radiation Oncology Consultant , University of Bern | Switzerland

"PD Dr. Shelan holds the position of Senior Radiation Oncology Consultant at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and boasts nearly 13 years of comprehensive experience within the field of radiation therapy. This experience has been acquired through roles held at esteemed university hospitals in Germany and Switzerland, renowned for their unwavering dedication to evidence-based, high-caliber oncological care. Beyond his clinical responsibilities, PD Dr. Shelan has made substantial contributions as an educator. Since 2017, he has served as a dedicated tutor for medical students at the University Hospital Bern. Furthermore, PD Dr. Shelan has actively engaged as a principle investigator in a range of clinical and translational research endeavors. This involvement has spanned retrospective and prospective studies conducted at both national and international levels. He has also demonstrated his commitment to advancing the field as an author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and has lent his expertise as a reviewer and editor for esteemed international journals. PD Dr. Shelan possesses a specialist interest in Genitourinary, Lung, and Head & Neck cancers"

Dr. Nadeem R Abu-Rustum

Gynecologic Surgeon , Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | USA

Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum, MD, is the Chief of the Gynecology Service and Avon Chair in Gynecologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He also serves Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Abu-Rustum received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Maryland and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Abu-Rustum’s clinical research focuses on innovative surgical approaches, including sentinel node mapping, improved localization and visualization of tumors, fertility-sparing surgery, and laparoscopy. He also has numerous contributions to the field of gynecologic cancer surgery for which in 2017 he received the Society of Gynecologic Oncology SGO Innovation Award for his work on sentinel node mapping of uterine cancer. In his current role at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he is actively involved in the development and improvement of surgical techniques and oversees surgical research programs. Over the years he has built collaborations with numerous gynecologic oncology teams in Europe and worldwide and in 2019 he was awarded the AGO Austria Wertheim award. Dr. Abu-Rustum is Chair of the NCCN Cervical/Uterine/Vulva/GTD Cancers Panels and has served as a member of the Gynecologic Oncology Group Cervix Committee and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education. He has authored or co-authored more than 450 publications and is co-author to numerous book chapters and three textbooks in gynecologic oncology. He has worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for more than 25 years and is in full-time practice of gynecologic oncology in New York.

Dr. Nezar Salim

Nurse Researcher , George Washington University Hospital | USA

Nezar Salim is a dedicated Nurse Researcher at George Washington University Hospital and a dynamic Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University, USA. With a foundational master’s degree in Oncology, Nezar boasts a rich professional journey spanning over a 10 years with the Dubai Health Authority. Recognized as the Best Researcher in Dubai in 2018, Nezar's commitment to advancing knowledge is evident through his impressive portfolio of over 80 publications in the Oncology domain. Specializing in Palliative Care within Oncology, he continually channels his expertise as a statistician to bridge gaps and inform practice. As a T-32 Fellow for Healthcare Equity with the NIH, USA, Nezar's contributions to healthcare transcend borders. Additionally, his insights are widely sought after, as reflected by his roles on editorial boards of multiple reputed journals.

Dr. Nuhad Ibrahim

Medical Oncologist , MD Anderson Cancer Center | USA

Prof. Nuhad is a Professor in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.His research interest include vaccine in breast cancer, breast geriatric oncology, treatment of resistant breast cancer.

Dr. Olga Oikonomidou

Consultant Medical Oncologist , University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom

Dr Olga Oikonomidou is an Academic Consultant Medical Oncologist with special interest in breast cancer at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer in Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh. Other than a degree in Medicine, she holds a BSc in Human Genetics, MSc in Oncology, MRes in Immunology and a PhD in translational medicine. After completing her training in medical oncology at King’s College Hospital and Guy’s Hospital in London, she moved to Edinburgh where she worked as a Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Breast Cancer at the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre and Edinburgh Cancer Centre at Western General Hospital for 2 years before getting a substantive post as an Academic Consultant Medical Oncologist with special interest in breast cancer. Soon after she set up her own research group in Breast Cancer Translational Research. Her responsibilities are split between running a busy breast oncology practice and a large portfolio of clinical trials and leading on breast cancer translational studies. Dr Oikonomidou is a clinical expert for NICE and SMC and has been involved in numerous technology appraisals since 2015. She is an active member of several professional societies including ACP, ESMO, ASCO and EORTC. She is the editor of the National Academy online Systemic Treatment Breast Cancer Session. She has received a number of prestigious grants for her clinical research projects. She is on the TMG of numerous national and international trials. She is currently the global Chief Investigator of 2 multinational multicentre trials, UK Chief Investigator on 4 clinical trials and the local PI for more than 20 trials. She is acting as a reviewer for MRC, NIHR and CRUK. Her academic research interest is focused on prediction of biomarkers of response to treatment and clinical trials in breast cancer in all phases.

Dr. Patrizia Giannatempo

Medical Oncology Consultant , Instituto Nazionale dei Tumori | Italy

Patrizia Giannatempo is a Medical Oncology Consultant, since 2006 she has been working at the Instituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT), Milan, Italy and is dedicated to urological cancers. She started her career at INT initially as a post-doc fellow in paediatric oncology and then as a resident physician at the Oncology Unit in the genito-urinary oncology programme. Her medical oncology training included an international clinical fellowship at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK. She has designed and run independent research and has been the principal investigator of several academic and sponsored phase II and III trials. Dr. Giannatempo is an active principal investigator in a few academic trials in urothelial, testicular, and penile cancer. She has achieved important accomplishments, documented in prestigious publications. She is involved in several international clinical research projects focusing on genito-urinary cancers, and closely collaborates on several national and international translational trials focused on advanced urothelial cancer and rare genito-urinary neoplasms. She is also the principal investigator and co-investigator of several international multi-centre clinical trials. She is an author, co-author and reviewer for many international peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Peter Fasching

Associate Professor , University Hospital Erlangen | Germany

Dr. Peter Fasching is Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics Translational Medicine, at the University Hospital Erlangen and Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Germany. He obtained his MD degree at the University of Cologne, Medical School and in 2006 he earned his Board Certification in Gynecology and Obstetrics at University Hospital Erlangen. He was a Research Fellow at the Department of Hematology/Oncology, UCLA, Los Angeles. Since 2011 is the Head of the Clinical Trial Unit and Coordinator of the Breast Cancer Center and Gynecologic Oncology Center at the University Hospital Erlangen. He has served as Steering Committee member and Principal Investigator in several key breast cancer trials. Dr. Fasching’s research focus is on big data, statistical modelling, genomics and systems biology

Dr. Philip McCarthy

Professor of Oncology and Internal Medicine , Roswell Park Cancer Institute | USA

Philip L. McCarthy, MD, is a Professor of Oncology & Internal Medicine, Director Emeritus of the Transplant & Cellular Therapy (TCT) Program and a member of the Department of Medicine at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center/SUNY at Buffalo. Dr. McCarthy’s research interests are devoted to developing novel intensive and reduced intensity allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) approaches for the treatment of hematologic disorders, leading to improved patient outcomes and decreased toxicity. He has over 25 years of experience treating patients with hematologic disorders, directing clinical and translational studies with a particular interest in multiple myeloma (MM). Dr. McCarthy has served as chair, or co-chair, of several clinical trials, including CALGB 100104, a phase III clinical trial evaluating lenalidomide maintenance after autologous HSCT for MM. This study demonstrated an improved progression-free and overall survival for MM patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance therapy after autologous HSCT. Dr. McCarthy facilitates the development of translational research projects that will lead to advances in the utilization of cellular therapy including immune effector cell treatment and allogeneic (allo) HCT as well as developing strategies for the early, successful treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Dr. Rajanee Bhana

Consultant Clinical Oncologist , University Hospitals of North Midlands | United Kingdom

Dr. Rajanee Bhana has 15 years Consultant Oncology experience in Gynaecological and Urological Malignancy in the United Kingdom. She works at the Cancer Centre at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust. She did her undergraduate medical training in Johannesburg, South Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand and completed her Oncology Specialist training in the UK. She has been the Oncology Clinical Lead, Head of Service lead for the Royal College of Radiologist, Clinical Tutor and Educational Supervisor for Clinical Oncology Specialist Trainees and she is now the Director for Oncology, Haematology, Immunology and Palliative Care Directorate.

Dr. Shreerang Bhide

Consultant Clinical Oncologist , The Royal Marsden | United Kingdom

Dr. Shreerang Bhide is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Honorary Reader at The Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of cancer Research in London and Sutton. He specialises in the treatment of patients with Head and Neck cancers using advanced radiotherapy techniques such as IMRT and IGRT and systemic therapies like chemotherapy and immunotherapy. He leads the research programme investigating the role of circulating HPV DNA in HPV related cancers at ICR/RMH. On the technical side he leads the MR-Linac implementation for rectal and head and neck cancers at the Royal Marsden Hospital. His other research interests include investigating the molecular determinants of response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in tumours and normal tissues in head and neck cancer. Dr Bhide completed general medical training at the Doncaster Royal Infirmary, and specialist training at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS trust and University College Hospitals, London. He was awarded a PhD in Radiation Oncology in 2009. He has published over 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and has been awarded competitive research fellowships as well as international prizes for his research.

Prof. Syed Hussain

Professor and Consultant in Medical Oncology , University of Sheffield | United Kingdom

Professor Hussain graduated from Dow Medical College Karachi in 1994. He completed his general medical professional training in UK. He did his Doctorate in Oncology from University of Birmingham. He then completed his Medical oncology training in Birmingham, United Kingdom and received his certification and specialist registration in Medical oncology. Professor Hussain is Professor and Consultant in Medical Oncology at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. His major areas of interest are management of urological cancers, clinical trials, early drug development and translational medicine. He has set up large number of clinical trials from early phase to late phase studies during his career. His work on organ preservation in bladder cancer moved all the way from an early phase I study (Hussain et al Annals of Oncology 2001) to phase II efficacy study (Hussain et al BJC 2004) that led to a Cancer Research UK funded study BC2001 trial that was reported in New England Journal of Medicine (James, Hussain, Hall et al April 2012). This study has now changed the standard of care for patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer opting for organ preservation treatment. Professor Hussain is principal investigator of number of studies in urological cancers. He is a chief investigator of a national randomised placebo-controlled phase II neo-adjuvant study in muscle invasive bladder cancer. He served as chief investigator of various early phase trials, and translational studies. Professor Hussain has authored over 105 peer-reviewed publications including 4 book chapters in textbooks of oncology. His Google scholar H-index is 37 with over 8300 citations. He has published in high impact journals including New England Journal of medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, JAMA, JAMA Oncology, Journal of Clinical oncology, European Urology, Annals of Oncology, Nature communications, Clinical Cancer Research, British journal of Cancer. He has been an invited speaker to number of national and international meetings. Professor Hussain has secured funding of over 10 million pounds from funding bodies.

Dr. Tim Benepal

Consultant Medical Oncologist , St Georges Hospital | United Kingdom

Dr Benepal is a consultant medical oncologist at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, London. Dr Benepal carried out his oncology training at the Royal Marsden, Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital, as well as a significant period of research in anti-folates, at The Institute of Cancer Research. Dr Benepal’s main clinical interests are lung cancer, mesothelioma and upper gastro intestinal disease and he has undertaken and supervised numerous research projects throughout his clinical practice.

Dr. Tomasz Kluszczynski

Strategy Consultant and Guest Lecturer , ACESO and Warsaw University of Technology | Poland

Tomasz Kluszczynski is a strategy consultant in Healthcare and Life Sciences and an expert advisor on a broad spectrum of Medical and Patient Access topics and issues, including Value Based Healthcare, HEOR, HTA, Drug Policy and Health Policy. He is also a frequent speaker and moderator at conferences and seminars on these subjects. Kluszczynski is the author/co-author of White Papers and articles on Pharma Transformation Strategy, Value Based Agreements, and, specifically, Rare Diseases and Plasma Derived Medicinal Products (PDMPs). He is a Guest Professor/Lecturer at several universities and collaborates widely with leading Health Economists in Europe and the US. He has also been involved in multiple Public Health and Policy activities and initiatives, predominantly aimed at Healthcare System evolution, sustainability and resilience in the UK, the EU and MENA region e.g. supporting NHS in creation of plasma collection ecosystem, advising EU Commission on SOHO Regulation, and delivering HTA Capacity building program for 13 MENA countries. Additionally, Tomasz partners with patient, professional and industry associations (EFPIA, ICHOM, PPTA, PhRMA) to create lasting and value-based multi-stakeholder collaborations.

Dr. Wael El-Sheshtawy

Head of Clinical Oncology , Al-Azhar University | Egypt

Prof. Wael El-Sheshatwy is an Associate Professor and Head of Clinical Oncology Department at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. He is also the President of the ONCOAZHAR annual conference. His current area of practice include Breast, Lung and Head & Neck Cancers.