Medical Director, GI Medical Oncology, Morristown Medical Center
Atlantic Health Systemcancer metabolism, Clinical Trials, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Immunotherapy, Pancreatic Cancer, Precision Oncology
Dr. Angela Alistar is a board-certified medical oncologist with Atlantic Hematology Oncology, Atlantic Medical Group. Dr. Alistar is Medical Director of GI Medical Oncology at Morristown Medical Center where she is also Medical Director of the Phase 1 Breakthrough Treatment Center. Her research focus is related to immuno-oncology and cancer metabolism in gastrointestinal cancer such as: pancreatic tumors, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal, esophageal, gastric cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Her clinical research projects involved active collaborative efforts with other medical departments, such as radiation oncology and surgical oncology, as well as genomics and cancer biology. Recently, she has published in Lancet Oncology the results of a Phase 1 clinical study in pancreatic cancer that are very promising for advancing the field for this disease. This study has shown impressive synergy of a novel agent, CPI -613 in combination with chemotherapy. She is co-leading the national multi-site, randomized study of this promising combination, as well as many other phase 1-3 clinical trials. Dr. Alistar comes to Atlantic Health System from Wake Forest School of Medicine where she had a heavy emphasis on clinical trials and clinical research. At Wake Forest, she led the GI oncology disease oriented team as a gastrointestinal medical oncology physician and researcher, bringing cutting-edge treatments to patients. She designed, secured funding for and conducted five investigator-initiated therapeutic clinical trials, with four of them being phase one. Her work involved maintenance of a sponsor-investigator investigational new drug. She is passionate about Precision Oncology and Immunotherapies and seeks to identify novel treatment strategies for her patients. Past positions at Wake Forest include being a member of the Translational Cancer Genomics Committee, the GI Tumor Board, Internal Medicine Grand Rounds, and the Hepatobiliary Oncology Committee. She is a member of several health care organizations, such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine, and the American Society of Hematology, among many others. As well, she is a member and advisor for several other health care institutions. She was recently awarded the "Danny Danielson Translational Innovation Award" by Hoosier Cancer Research Network for her commitment to clinical research. She received her medical degree from University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj Napoca, Romania and her residency at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, NJ, where she was chief resident. After her residency, she completed a hematology oncology fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute. She is affiliated with Atlantic Medical Group, and is a participating provider of Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, and sees patients at Morristown Medical Center.
Medical Director, Cellular Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center at Fred Hutch
Fred Hutchinson Cancer CenterChimeric antigen receptor T-cell, Hematopoietic, Immunotherapy, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma
Physician-scientist Dr. David Maloney is at the forefront of clinical trials to develop cell therapies for blood and other cancers, including understanding side effects of CAR T’s and how to deliver them in outpatient settings. A renowned researcher and clinician focusing on cancer immunotherapies and CAR T-cell therapies, he recently presented findings from the TRANSCEND trial for CD19 CAR T. This study showed that patients had improved quality-of-life (reduced fatigue and pain symptoms) starting six months after receiving CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Maloney focuses on using genetically engineered T cells (such as CAR-T) to treat patients with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and selected other cancers without causing graft vs. host disease that has been associated with transplantation. He was instrumental in developing and testing rituximab, the first antibody-based cancer drug on the market – one that has transformed the treatment of certain leukemias and lymphomas. He is also an expert on blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cell transplantation (HCT) in using a matched donor’s (allogeneic) or a patient’s own (autologous) stem cells in treatments for patients with hematologic malignancies. Recognizing that standard pre-transplant regimens are too toxic for many patients, Dr. Maloney and Fred Hutch colleagues are evaluating approaches that use antibodies to deliver radioactivity or cancer-killing drugs directly to tumors. They have also developed a less toxic, “reduced intensity” (nonmyeloablative) regimen that can more safely provide long-term remissions for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and myeloma after allogeneic HCT. Autologous HCT followed by reduced intensity allogenic HCT (tandem HCT) has proven effective for refractory NHL and myeloma patients. Dr. Maloney and colleagues have learned that nearly all of the anti-tumor activity of allogeneic HCT comes from the specific graft-vs-tumor activities of donor immune T cells, showing that antitumor immunity can be curative. Unfortunately, these T cells can also cause dangerous “graft-vs-host” effects on normal tissues. Dr. Maloney continues exploring the use of antibodies as anti-cancer therapies, including newer anti-CD20 antibodies (e.g. ofatumumab, Arzerra®) for NHL patients, as well as radiolabeled antibodies, drug-carrying antibodies and unlabeled antibodies as targeted pre-transplant “conditioning” or as “maintenance” to extend remissions after allogeneic transplantation. As medical director of the Cellular Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center at Fred Hutch, Dr. Maloney cares for patients at the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the Hutch’s clinical-care partner. He is also professor of medicine in the Division of Oncology at the University of Washington.
Medical Director, Breast Cancer Treatment and Prevention Program, Overlook Medical Center
Atlantic Health SystemBreast Cancer, Clinical Trials, Immunotherapy
Bonni Lee Guerin, M.D. is a hematologist/oncologist and director of the Breast Cancer Treatment and Prevention Program at Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ where she also serves as chair of the Breast Panel, the Multidisciplinary Breast Tumor Board and director of Oncology Education. She is the principal investigator of numerous clinical trials exploring new ways to incorporate the latest advances in the management of breast cancer. She is also actively involved in the delivery of highly-specialized immunotherapy, IL-2, for the treatment of melanoma and kidney cancer. As a medical oncologist with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Guerin is dedicated to providing the most up to date, cutting edge treatment while looking at each of her patients as an individual. Her philosophy is one of collaboration, working with all members of the care team to provide the best outcome possible. Dr. Guerin believes that compassion and being a good listener, traits she learned from her mother, help tailor a treatment plan that reflects not only the highest order of medical care, but also one that uniquely reflects each and every patient. Dr. Guerin believes it is just as much about living well as it is living long. Dr. Guerin earned her M.D. at SUNY Stony Brook in 1988, continued her residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and completed her fellowship in oncology/hematology at University of California San Diego Cancer Center. She is board certified in clinical oncology and internal medicine. Since 2002, Dr. Guerin has served as chair of the Women’s Oncology Forum, Network for Oncology Communication and Research (NOCR) – a national organization. She is a diplomate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and is a recipient of the Pfizer Award for Excellence in Biochemical Research and a Member of the Expert Panel Consensus Guidelines for Systemic Therapy of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma. She has been named by Castle Connelly as one of NY/Metro Top Doctors for the last 10 years, as well as a Top Doctor for Women's Health. She has recently been honored by Curemonos, a New Jersey non-profit organization dedicated to supporting medically underserved women with breast cancer, was the keynote speaker at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Chatham, NJ; and was honored at the Society’s 2019 Diamond Ball, in Woodland Park, NJ. Her interests are in breast cancer, hepatobiliary cancer and immunotherapy.
Breast Cancer, Breast Surgery, Focused Ultrasound, Immunotherapy, Mastectomy, Melanoma, shared decision-making
Dr. Lynn Dengel is a board-certified and fellowship-trained surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer and melanoma. She is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Virginia and practices as a breast and melanoma surgeon at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dr. Dengel cares for patients in a robust multidisciplinary fashion, utilizes state of the art technology, incorporates up-to-date research findings and takes time to provide education and counseling to her patients to provide outstanding clinical care. Dr. Dengel is recognized by her peers as an expert in breast disease and melanoma. She serves as a committee member for both the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Breast Surgeons. She has authored and co-authored several articles in leading peer-reviewed publications, including the Annals of Surgical Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Annals of Surgery. Dr. Dengel has received recognition for her outstanding research, including the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award, supported by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Harvey Baker Traveling Fellow Award from the Society of Surgical Oncology. Research expertise: Dr. Dengel’s research and expertise include translational studies and clinical trials investigating the immune environment at tumor sites and mechanisms that may bolster innate immune response. She is the Principal Investigator of a clinical trial investigating focused ultrasound ablation combined with immunotherapy in advanced solid tumors. Dr. Dengel also serves as lead investigator in multiple studies investigating patient decision making, specifically aiming to improve the process of shared decision making and decreasing decisional regret for patients considering prophylactic mastectomy. Training and education: Dr. Dengel completed a breast surgery fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York after finishing her general surgery residency at the University of Virginia Hospital Medical Center in Charlottesville, VA, where she received the Award of Academic Excellence from the department of surgery. Dr. Dengel received her medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington D.C. where she graduated cum laude and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Prior to medical school, she received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.
Immunotherapy, Microenvironment, Vaccine
Abdel-Mohsen’s research focuses on understanding the role of host glycosylation machinery in viral persistence and immunopathogenesis. Abdel-Mohsen joined The Wistar Institute as Assistant Professor in 2017 after completing his Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the Blood Systems Research Institute (BSRI), where he was subsequently appointed as a research scientist. Previously, he was a virologist for the World Health Organization Regional Reference Laboratory for poliovirus in his home country of Egypt. He received the UCSF-Gladstone CFAR Early-Career Award of Excellence in Basic Science in 2015.
Immunology, Immunotherapy, Infectious Disease, Vaccine
Escolano investigates new vaccination approaches for highly mutating viruses. She received her bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Oviedo, Spain, and University of Turku, Finland, and a master’s degree from Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Madrid, and the Genome Research Institute (GRI), Cincinnati, Ohio. She obtained her Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research and Autonoma University, Madrid, and completed her postdoctoral training at The Rockefeller University, New York.
Ensign Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) and Professor of Pharmacology; Deputy Director, Yale Cancer Center; Chief of Medical Oncology, Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital; Assistant Dean for Translational Research, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers, Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital; Co-Principal Investigator and Community Outreach Co-Leader, Cancer Disparities Firewall Project
Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer HospitalASCO 2024, Immunotherapy, Lung Cancer, Medical Oncology
Dr. Herbst’s primary mission is the enhanced integration of clinical, laboratory, and research programs to bring new treatments to cancer patients. He has led the Phase I development of several of the new generation of targeted agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including gefitinib, erlotinib, cetuximab, and bevacizumab. More recently, he participated in the successful registration of pembrolizumab for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer, following the successful Yale-led KEYNOTE 10 study of the immune therapy drug commonly used to treat other cancers. He was co-leader for the BATTLE-1 clinical trial program, co-leads the subsequent BATTLE-2 clinical trial program, and served as a Co-program Leader of the Developmental Therapeutics Program for the YCC Support Grant. Dr. Herbst’s laboratory work is focused on immunotherapy angiogenesis; dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibition in NSCLC, and targeting KRAS-activated pathways. More recently, he has explored predictive biomarkers for the use of immunotherapy agents. This work has been translated from the preclinical to clinical setting in multiple Phase II and III studies which he has led. After earning a B.S. and M.S. degree from Yale University, Dr. Herbst earned his M.D. at Cornell University Medical College and his Ph.D. in molecular cell biology at The Rockefeller University in New York City, New York. His postgraduate training included an internship and residency in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. His clinical fellowships in medicine and hematology were completed at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, respectively. Subsequently, Dr. Herbst completed a M.S. degree in clinical translational research at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dr. Herbst is an author or co-author of more than 275 publications, including peer-reviewed journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters. His work has been published in many prominent journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature. His abstracts have been presented at the annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the World Conference on Lung Cancer, the Society of Nuclear Medicine Conference, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Dr. Herbst was a member of the National Cancer Policy Forum (1998-2014) for which he organized an Institute of Medicine meeting focused on policy issues in personalized medicine. He is a member of ASCO and, as a member of AACR, he chairs the Tobacco Task Force. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and an elected member of the Association of American Physicians. Dr. Herbst is also a member of the medical advisory committee for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation and chair of the communications committee for ASCO and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. He is currently the Vice Chair for Developmental Therapeutics for the Southwestern Oncology Group (SWOG) Lung Committee, Principal Investigator of the SWOG 0819 trial, and steering committee chair for the Lung Master Protocol (Lung MAP). Dr. Herbst was awarded the 2010 Waun Ki Hong Award for Excellence in Team Science by the Division of Cancer Medicine, UT-MDACC. The Alvin S. Slotnick Lecture Award for notable contributions to lung cancer research was bestowed upon him by Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in 2014. That same year, the Bonnie Addario Foundation honored him with the Annual Addario Lectureship Award and the Bonnie J. Addario Excellence in Collaboration and Innovation Award. In 2015, the Clinical Research Forum presented his project “Predictive Correlates of Response to the Anti-PD-L1 Antibody MPDL3280A in Cancer Patients” its top Clinical Research Achievement Award in the United States for 2015. For his lifetime achievement in scientific contributions to thoracic cancer research, Herbst was awarded the 2016 Paul A. Bunn, Jr. Scientific Award by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer at IASLC 17th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Vienna, Austria. His work has been funded by ASCO, AACR, the United States Department of Defense, and the National Cancer Institute. In 2015, his team at Yale was awarded a lung cancer SPORE by the NCI, and he serves as a principal investigator for the AACR/ Stand Up to Cancer Dream Team grant. EDUCATION & TRAININGMMS Harvard University, Clinical Translational Research (1997)MD Cornell University Medical College (1991)PhD Rockefeller University (1990)BS Yale University, Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (1984)MS Yale University, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (1984)Fellowship Brigham and Women`s HospitalFellowship Dana Farber Cancer InstituteResidency Brigham and Women`s HospitalHONORS & RECOGNITIONElected to the Association of American PhysiciansAAP (2015) Addario Foundation Lectureship AwardBonnie Addario Foundation (2014) Alvin S. Slotnick Lecture Award for notable contributions to lung cancer researchDana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (2014) Best Doctors, New York Magazine(2014) Honorary Professor, University College London Cancer CenterUniversity College London (2012) Sikand OratorYale University (2011) PROFESSIONAL SERVICENational Cancer Institute (2012 - Present)Thoracic Malignancy Steering Committee - National Cancer Institute
Professor of Surgery (Oncology); Division Chief, Surgical Oncology, Surgery; Assistant Medical Director, Clinical Trials Office
Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer HospitalChemotherapy, Clinical Trials, Hipec, Immunotherapy, Liquid Biopsy, Oncology
Kiran Turaga, MD, MPH, is Division Chief of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery and Assistant Medical Director for the Clinical Trials Office at Yale Cancer Center. Dr. Turaga joined Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital from the University of Chicago where he was Vice Chief of the Section of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Director of the Surgical Gastrointestinal Cancer Program, and Director of Regional Therapeutics.
Widely considered a thought leader in the management of oligometastatic cancer, Dr. Turaga is an expert in regional perfusion including hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), a technique that delivers high doses of heated chemotherapy directly to abdominal organs to kill cancer cells that may remain after surgical removal of visible tumors. His research focuses on development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics for oligometastatic cancer and is currently the principal investigator on several clinical trials exploring the interface of immunotherapy and liquid biopsy in the surgical management of cancer. He is also interested in studying how big data systems can be used to provide the most optimal, cost-effective patient care.
Professor of Medicine and Urology at Yale School of Medicine
Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer HospitalASCO 2024, Bladder Cancer, Immunotherapy, Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Obesity, Prostate Cancer
As Professor of Medicine and Urology at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Daniel P. Petrylak is a pioneer in the research and development of new drugs and treatments to fight prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancer. For patients fighting these types of cancers, Petrylak finds recent developments in the field of immunotherapy particularly promising. “Up until recently, bladder cancer had not seen any major advancement in more than 30 years,” he says. “Studies are ongoing, but interim results are exciting so far.”
At the Smilow Cancer Hospital, Dr. Petrylak’s position as a national leader on clinical trials for men with prostate and bladder cancer has opened up a world of treatment options for patients in New England. “We offer the latest investigational drugs for these conditions, while providing the highest level of care,” he says.
Dr. Petrylak received his MD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and joined the Yale faculty in 2012. In addition to his role as professor, he is also a member of the Cancer Signaling Networks Research Program at Yale Cancer Center, which studies how cancer stem cells are regulated in the body and communicate with surrounding tissue. Roughly 40 physicians and scientists in the program work together to develop the best methods for matching patients with the appropriate cancer drugs.
One of Dr. Petrylak’s key goals is to continue to successfully translate basic research into clinical practice. “One of the most significant accomplishments in my career was moving docetaxel (an antineoplastic agent) therapy for the most advanced form of prostate cancer from phase I to III,” he says. “We ran a trial which supported its approval for the most advanced form of prostate cancer.”
Dr. Petrylak currently serves as either the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on seven Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) clinical trials for genitourinary cancers. To date, he has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles on prostate and bladder cancer research.
Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteASCO 2024, Breast Cancer, breast oncology, Clinical Practice, Immunotherapy, medical oncologist
Dr. Garrido-Castro is a medical oncologist specialized in breast cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Since joining the Breast Oncology Center at Dana-Farber in 2016, Dr. Garrido-Castro has established an active clinical practice and research efforts focused on the development of novel therapies to improve outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Dr. Garrido-Castro is Co-Director of the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Working Group at Dana-Farber and leads clinical trials studying immunotherapy and targeted therapy approaches for patients with breast cancer.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine Member, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Case Western Reserve UniversityASCO 2024, Esophageal Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Hematology - Oncology, Hepatobiliary Disease, Immunotherapy, Rectal Cancer
Dr. David Bajor, is an oncologist in Cleveland, Ohio and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including and . He received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and has been in practice between 11-20 years.