Expert Directory
Varicose Veins,Vascular,Vascular Surgery
Paul R. Lucas, M.D., is an experienced vascular surgeon and Director of The Vascular Center at Mercy in Baltimore, Maryland. He is Board Certified in Vascular Surgery and has been recognized as a Top Doc by Baltimore magazine numerous times. Dr. Lucas leads a team of vascular surgeons and technologists who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diseased blood vessels. His patients admire his attentive and caring professionalism and he is noted for taking the time to be sure they understand their condition and treatment options. Dr. Paul Lucas utilizes the latest technologies to care for patients experiencing vascular disorders. He specializes in Venefit™ (formerly known as VNUS Closure™) and Veingogh© procedures for varicose vein removal and is continuously seeking advanced diagnostic and treatment options for more efficient care. Dr. Paul Lucas is a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation and was instrumental in the establishment of Mercy's nationally accredited Vascular Laboratory at The Vascular Center at Mercy. Patients can be screened at all of Mercy’s physician office locations throughout Greater Baltimore, making diagnosis and subsequent scheduling for treatment convenient. Using non-invasive Doppler ultrasound equipment, lab technologists screen patients for circulatory problems like mini-strokes, circulation issues, leg swelling or pain, blood clots and aneurysms.
Endometriosis,Endoscopy,Gynecology,Obstetrics,Pelvic Reconstruction Surgery
Kevin M. Audlin, M.D., is a Board Certified, experienced doctor and skilled surgeon in The Gynecology Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. He also serves as Director of The Endometriosis Center at Mercy, a division of The Gynecology Center, focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of endometrial and fibroid disorders. Dr. Audlin has presented his surgical techniques and endometriosis findings at many national and international conferences. Throughout Dr. Kevin Audlin’s medical career he has cared for and managed the GYN health needs of women in the neighborhoods of Towson, Overlea and Reisterstown. As a result of years of practice and thousands of annual patient exam visits, Drs. Audlin and Barrueto have believed there was a clear need for more focused attention on endometriosis and other pelvic reconstruction conditions. They established The Endometriosis Center at Mercy so that women would have access to state-of-the-art treatment options, including laparoscopic and robotic minimally invasive surgical techniques focusing on excision of endometriosis while preserving the uterus and fertility whenever possible. Mercy offers fully appointed surgery suites equipped with leading edge technology, as well as recovery and inpatient rooms for post-surgical recovery that are welcoming and provide a homelike atmosphere for women and their loved ones. Dr. Audlin also is the first doctor in the mid-Atlantic region to use the groundbreaking low impact laparoscopic surgery to treat GYN conditions. This state-of-the-art minimally invasive technique utilizes micro surgical tools and 3 mm incisions, resulting in 40% or greater decrease in incision size than typical laparoscopic surgery. Low impact laparoscopic surgery incisions are approximately the length of a sesame seed. Low impact laparoscopy also can reduce the effects of surgery since it requires less inflation of the abdomen during surgery and uses micro-fine tools. This groundbreaking technique in coordination with the use of 3D imagery and NBI technology most often provides Dr. Audlin the opportunity to offer the best cosmetic options as well as leading edge management of many common gynecologic problems. This type of surgery may be used for endometriosis, hysterectomy, myomectomy, ovarian cysts and oophorectomy (removal of one or both ovaries). Dr. Audlin will use your medical history, risk factor and a thorough examination to help determine whether low impact laparoscopy is a suitable treatment option for your condition. How do you select the best doctor for your GYN care, especially if you have been diagnosed with endometriosis, fibroids, or other endoscopic and pelvic reconstruction conditions? Dr. Audlin encourages women to carefully select a doctor who is Board Certified, is specially trained in the care of routine and complex gynecologic diagnoses and a doctor who is extensively educated and experienced in minimally invasive surgical treatment options. Named a "Top Doc" by Baltimore magazine, Dr. Kevin Audlin is proud his medical education and clinical achievements have given him first-hand knowledge to care for women’s GYN needs. He also believes concern, a comforting bedside manner, compassion and treating women with dignity and respect are at the heart of Mercy care. Dr. Audlin has in-depth training and experience in treating the many levels of gynecologic care – from routine annual exams to pelvic reconstruction using the da Vinci Robot. Minimally invasive procedures using laparoscopic and robotic surgery have become the gold standard of care to treat many GYN conditions. Dr. Audlin has exceptional skill and knowledge in treating Interstitial Cystitis, a painful bladder condition. One treatment option that requires the expertise of a gynecologist like Dr. Audlin is called sacral nerve stimulation. This is where a thin wire is put in place and delivers an electrical impulse to the bladder to help it perform properly. This procedure is often compared to what a pacemaker does for the heart.
Health Care,Integrative Medicine,Medical Care,Telemedicine
As CEO of Patients Beyond Borders, Josef Woodman has spent the past twelve years researching and vetting international options for quality, affordable medical care. He has met and consulted with ministries and key stakeholders in the world's leading medical travel destinations, touring more than 200 medical facilities in 35 countries. Co-founder of MyDailyHealth (1998) and Ventana Communications (1987), Woodman's pioneering background in publishing, healthcare and technology has allowed him to compile a wealth of information and knowledge about international medical care, telemedicine, wellness, integrative medicine and consumer-directed healthcare. Woodman has lectured at the UCLA School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Duke Fuqua School of Business, Scientific American and the International Society for Travel Medicine. He has keynoted and moderated conferences on medical tourism and global healthcare in 20 countries. He has appeared in numerous print and broadcast media, including The Economist, The New York Times, CNN, ABC News, Fox News, Huffington Post, Barron's, The Wall Street Journal, and more. Woodman is an outspoken advocate of affordable, high-quality medical and preventative care for healthcare consumers worldwide.
Censorship,First Amendment,Journalism,Media Ethics,Media Literacy,Popular Music History
Ken Paulson is director of the Free Speech Center, former dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and former editor-in-chief of USA Today, where he remains a columnist writing about First Amendment and media issues. He is the host of “The Songwriters,” a television show on PBS, featuring interviews with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees. Paulson is a board member of the Hall of Fame. Paulson’s areas of expertise include: The First Amendment Paulson founded the Free Speech Center at MTSU in 2019. He was executive director of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and served as the center’s president and CEO before that. Paulson speaks widely on First Amendment issues and has been quoted extensively in media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, ESPN, CBS Evening News and Newsweek. Paulson has testified before Congress as a First Amendment expert. He has a juris doctorate and is a member of both the Illinois and Florida bars. Paulson was the host of the Emmy-honored television PBS program "Speaking Freely.," As the author of "Freedom Sings," he created a multimedia show celebrating the First Amendment that has toured campuses for the past 20 years. His “The Bill of Rights: The Remix” has been in residency at the Country Music Hall of Fame since 2017. Paulson teaches Mass Media Law and Free Expression, the Media and the American People at MTSU. Journalism Throughout his career, Paulson has drawn on his background as a journalist and lawyer, serving as editor or managing editor of newspapers in five states. He was on the team of journalists who founded USA Today before moving on to manage newsrooms in N.Y., Wis., N.J., Fla., and finally USA TODAY. He and his colleague John Seigenthaler spoke to more than 5,000 journalists and media professionals about the importance of a free press. Popular Music Paulson has written professionally about music over four decades, beginning at the Chicago-based Environs Magazine. He currently hosts the NPT show “The Songwriters” as well as the “Americana One” radio show and podcast. He created “Music Matters,” a radio feature that celebrates songs with impact. Paulson is a member of MTSU’s Recording Industry faculty and teaches History of the Recording Industry. Paulson is a member of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission and a former member of The Mayor’s Music Council in Nashville. Honors He was named fellow of the Society of Professional Journalists, "the highest honor SPJ bestows upon a journalist for extraordinary contributions to the profession." He has received the Robert S. Abbott Memorial Award for Meritorious Service in Mass Communications from the Southern Regional Press Institute. He was elected to the University of Illinois’ Illini Publishing Hall of Fame. Paulson was honored with the American Press Institute Lifetime Service Award. He has received the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
David Maloney, MD, PhD
Medical Director, Cellular Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center at Fred Hutch
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centercancer immunotherapies,CAR T-cell therapy,Chimeric 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.
Gary Lyman, MD, MPH
Senior lead for health care quality and policy, HICOR
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centerbiosimilars,cancer costs,cancer outcomes,cost of cancer care,cost-effective cancer care,disparities in cancer care,Drug Costs,Financial toxicity,Healthcare economics,HICOR,Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research,value-based cancer care
While many researchers worldwide are trying to find cures for cancer, Dr. Gary Lyman has an equally daunting task: finding a cure for cancer’s skyrocketing costs and the financial toll it can take on patients and their families. Dr. Lyman is an internationally recognized thought leader in cancer care delivery, supportive care and health care policy. His research compares the effectiveness of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies; examines clinical decision-making; explores risk modeling and precision medicine; assesses health technology research and synthesis; and delves into the factors that drive disparities in cancer care. In 2018, he co-co-authored a New England Journal of Medicine paper on biosimilars and what their imminent debut might mean for cancer patients, the health care industry and society. He also led an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel that published a position statement on biosimilars in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. A medical oncologist, hematologist and public health researcher who focuses on comparative effectiveness, health technology assessment, and health services and outcomes research, he also is interested in cancer prevention, pharmaco-economics, and cancer treatment and supportive care for the elderly. Dr Lyman is among the top 1% of investigators by citations in Web of Science. In addition to his work at the Hutch, Dr. Lyman holds leadership positions within the American Society of Clinical Oncology as well as the SWOG Cancer Research Network, for which he serves as executive officer for Cancer Care Delivery, Symptom Control and Quality of Life Research. Dr. Lyman serves as a senior lead for health care quality and policy within the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, or HICOR.
Biophysical Chemistry,Chemistry,materials science ,Nanoscience
In the quest for molecular-level information, molecular-scale tools are a powerful and desirable scientific goal. Our research program is centered on development of a new class of nanofabricated devices based on nanopores. In its simplest form, a nanopore is nothing more than a molecular-sized hole in an insulating membrane. Yet even in this configuration, it is cable of being used to detect and manipulate single molecules. With careful device engineering, it is possible to create powerful sensors for the detection of disease biomarkers at low levels early in the onset of disease or of trace amounts of toxins -- to name two targets. Configured differently, nanopore-based devices can be used to probe intermolecular interactions that underpin biological function -- ranging from testing new pharmaceutical drug candidates to exploring the fundamental biophysics governing processes such as antibody-antigen recognition. Our research is focused on conceiving, fabricating and optimizing the nanopore devices that will make possible these challenging goals. Research Interests include: How do molecules work, and how can we better put them to work for us? Bioanalytical, biophysical, & materials chemistry and nanoscience.
Breast Cancer,Hematologic Cancers,Oncology
Dr. Priyanka Sharma is an oncologist in Fairway, Kansas and is affiliated with University of Kansas Hospital. She received her medical degree from Baroda Medical College and has been in practice between 11-20 years. Her specialties are: oncologists diagnose and treat cancers of all types. They use diagnostic tools like biopsies, endoscopies, X-ray and other imaging, nuclear medicine, and blood tests. Cancer surgeons, or surgical oncologists, remove tumors, while medical oncologists treat cancers with chemotherapy. Radiation oncologists use multiple forms of radiation in an effort to eliminate tumors.
Roy A. Jensen, MD
Director at The University of Kansas Cancer Center and Director at Kansas Masonic Research Institute (KMCRI)
University of Kansas Cancer CenterAnatomy,Cell Biology,Laboratory Medicine,Pathology
Roy A. Jensen, M.D. earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from Pittsburg State University in 1980. He graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1984, and remained there to complete a residency in Anatomic Pathology and a Surgical Pathology fellowship under the direction of Dr. David L. Page. Following his clinical training he accepted a biotechnology training fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in the laboratory of Dr. Stuart Aaronson. He returned to Vanderbilt in 1991 and was appointed an assistant professor in the Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology. In 1993 Dr. Jensen was appointed as an investigator in the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and assumed the management of the Human Tissue Acquisition and Pathology Shared Resource. Dr. Jensen was promoted to associate professor of Pathology and Cell Biology in 1996, and was appointed as an associate professor of Cancer Biology in 2001. In 2004, Dr. Jensen returned home to Kansas and was appointed the William R. Jewell, M.D. Distinguished Kansas Masonic Professor, the director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, the director of the Kansas Masonic Cancer Research Institute, professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He also holds appointments as a professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Kansas-Lawrence and as professor in Cancer Biology at The University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Jensen is currently serving as president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) and is a member of several scientific and professional societies including the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Cell Biology, the American Society for Investigative Pathology, and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. He currently has over 150 scientific publications and has lectured widely on the clinical and molecular aspects of breast cancer pathology. Dr. Jensen's research interests are focused on understanding the function of BRCA1 and BRCA2 and their role in breast and ovarian neoplasia; and in the characterization of premalignant breast disease both at the morphologic and molecular levels. His laboratory was instrumental in demonstrating the role of BRCA1 in the growth control of normal and malignant cells and in how loss of functional BRCA1 contributes to the development of breast cancer. Since becoming director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center in 2004, he has recruited a world-class leadership team and successfully led that team in achieving designation for The University of Kansas Cancer Center as a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center.
Colorectal Cancer,Gastric Cancer,Gastrointestinal Cancer,Liver Cancer,Pancreatic Cancer
Weijing Sun, MD, FACP, is a Director of Division of Medical Oncology in University of Kansas School of Medicine, and an Associate Director of University of Kansas Cancer Center. He specializes in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Dr. Sun is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He received his medical degree from Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, in Shanghai. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., and his hematology-oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Sun is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association of Cancer Research, the Eastern Cooperative Group of Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancer Core Committee, the American College of Physicians – Internal Medicine, the NCI Gastrointestinal Cancer Steering Committee Hepatobiliary Task Force, and serves on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Scientific Program and Membership Committee. In addition, Dr. Sun has been recognized on U.S. News & World Report’s American Top Doctors list.
Raphael Gottardo, PhD
Scientific Director, Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer CenterBioinformatics,Biostatistics,Computational Biology,Computational Science,Data science research,data-driven research,Flow Cytometry,Stochastic
Dr. Raphael Gottardo is a computational biologist who specializes in applying rapidly evolving ideas in data science to solving problems in cancer and related diseases. As scientific director of the Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center, he is at the center of the busy intersection of biology, data science and technology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. His goal is to expand data-driven innovations for patients by cultivating a cross-disciplinary environment in which doctors and laboratory scientists work seamlessly with their colleagues in biostatistics and computational sciences to take advantage of the flood of information made possible by advanced technologies. The aim is to bring scientific discoveries from research labs to the bedside sooner using data-driven approaches. To do so, bench scientists and clinical researchers from many corners of the Hutch work collaboratively with experts in data science. Much of his work is focused on profiling the cellular components of the human immune system – using data science to understand how to make immunotherapies work better for patients. “It’s when you get into the details that it really becomes interesting,” he said. “The immune system is very complex, and it turns out we don’t know a whole lot about it yet. Looking at these single-cell technologies generating massive amounts of data has brought me to really cool statistical and computational challenges.” Dr. Gottardo’s own research involves the development of computational tools for vaccine and immunology studies, including high-throughput experiments that may use flow cytometry or high-speed genome sequencing. His current studies include: • Statistical and computational analysis of flow cytometry data • Development of statistical and computational methods for single-cell genomics • Immune responses to malaria and HIV infection and immunization within the Human Immunology Project Consortium (HIPC) • Development of the HIPC database and research portal (www.immunespace.org) • Contribution to the Bioconductor project, an open computing resource for genomics • Leadership for the Vaccine and Immunology Statistical Center of the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • Leadership for the Vaccine Statistical Support (VSS) Global Health Vaccine Accelerating Platform (GH-VAP) of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Gottardo is the J. Orin Edson Foundation Endowed Chair at Fred Hutch and a member of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease and Public Health Sciences Divisions. He, along with other Fred Hutch researchers, is co-leading a collaboration with the Allen Institute for Immunology to chart the human immune system by harnessing big data and emerging technologies. An affiliate professor of statistics at the University of Washington, he teaches courses in stochastic modeling, bioinformatics and statistical computing and supervises biostatistics and statistics doctoral students on statistical-methods research for high-dimensional omics data analysis
---
Dr. David Baskin is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He completed his medical training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the CUNY, and a residency at the University of California. He completed a fellowship in neural protection at the University of Capetown Medical School. He also completed a fellowship in brain endorphins at the University of California. Baskin is the primary investigator for a number of clinical trials looking at different novel diagnostics and treatments for primary brain tumors and autistic spectrum disorder. His clinical focus is on the treatment of brain and spinal tumors.
---
Dr. Aldona Spiegel certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She completed her medical training at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine. Spiegel completed a residency in general surgery and plastic surgery at John Hopkins Hospital. She also completed a residency in plastic surgery and a fellowship in microsurgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Spiegel's clinical focus is microsurgery, breast reconstruction, breast sensation and specialized perforator flaps (DIEP, SIEA, SGAP flaps). Her clinical expertise allows her to focus on research in innovative surgical techniques, such as muscle-preserving flaps.
---
Dr. Kevin Varner is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He completed medical training, an orthopedic surgery residency and a general surgery internship at Baylor College of Medicine. He also completed a clinical fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at John Hopkins University. Varner's clinical areas of interest are tibia fractures and sports-related injuries of the foot and ankle. Varner serves as a consulting physician for the Houston Astros, a head team physician for the Houston Ballet and a team orthopedist for the Houston Texans.
---
Dr. Josh Harris is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery in orthopedic sports medicine. He completed his medical training and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Ohio State University College of Medicine. He also completed a fellowship in Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. His main clinical focus is on sports injury and arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of various sports-related injuries. Harris conducts research in orthopedic sports medicine and hip preservation. Harris serves as the team physician of the Houston Ballet, and the consulting physician of Rice University Athletics.
---
Dr. Vijay Jotwani is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine in family and sports medicine. He completed his medical training at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Chicago. Jotwani completed a fellowship in primary care sports medicine at Indiana University. His main clinical focus on the prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries. Jotwani is a consulting physician for the Houston Astros and the Houston Ballet. He is also a primary care physician for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and Rice University Athletics.
Orthopedic Surgeon,Professional Athlete Care Team,sports medicine orthopedics,sports medicine; pitcher injuries
Liver Cancer,Minimally Invasive Surgery,Neuroendocrine Tumors,Pancreatic Cancer,Thyroid Cancer
Steven K. Libutti, MD, FACS, was appointed as Director of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Vice Chancellor for Cancer Programs, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences in January 2017. In addition to his leadership roles within Rutgers University, Dr. Libutti also serves as Senior Vice President of Oncology Services for RWJBarnabas Health, further strengthening the university’s partnership with the healthcare system. He is also a Professor of Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and an Affiliated Distinguished Professor in Genetics at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences Department of Genetics. Most recently, Dr. Libutti served as Director for the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care in New York City and was a Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Professor in the Department of Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System. A surgical oncologist, Dr. Libutti is an internationally known expert in endocrine surgery and the management of neuroendocrine tumors. He is the immediate Past President of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. His clinical practice focuses on gastrointestinal malignancies including cancers of the liver and pancreas. The recipient of funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the past 20 years, Dr. Libutti is also a researcher whose work focuses on developing novel cancer therapies through an understanding of the tumor microenvironment and blood vessel formation in tumors. He is studying tumor neovascular formation and the interaction between tumor cells, endothelial cells and the components of the tumor microenvironment including fibroblasts and cancer stem cells. His work also focuses on a better understanding of the tumor suppressor genes MEN1 and FILIP1L. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College, Dr. Libutti received his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. He remained at Presbyterian Hospital in New York where he completed his residency in surgery, followed by a fellowship at the NCI in surgical oncology and endocrine surgery. He continued at the NCI where he became a tenured Senior Investigator and Chief of the Tumor Angiogenesis Section in the Surgery Branch. He has published over 280 peer reviewed journal articles, is Editor-in-Chief of the Nature Journal Cancer Gene Therapy, and holds seven U.S. patents. Clinical Expertise: Neuroendocrine tumors, thyroid cancer, parathyroid tumors, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, minimally invasive surgery, and clinical trials.
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD
Chair, Houston Methodist Research Institute Department of Nanomedicine
Houston Methodist---
Alessandro Grattoni obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering at the Politecnico of Torino. Grattoni also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in nanomedicine and biomedical engineering at The University of Texas Health Science Center. His research focuses on the development and clinical translation of implantable nanofluidic technologies for drug delivery, molecular sieving and cell transplantation. Grattoni areas of expertise are nanomedicine, nanofluidics, drug delivery, implantable devices, silicon technologies, and space medicine.
Group A streptococcus ,Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Biography
Following postdoctoral research at the Institute of Molecular Evolutionary Genetics, Pennsylvania State University, and residency training in laboratory medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Musser joined the pathology department, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He advanced through the academic ranks from 1991 to 1998, when he was promoted to professor. Dr. Musser served as the chief of the Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1999-2003. He joined Houston Methodist Research Institute in 2005 and served as co-director and executive vice president until 2010. In addition to holding the Fondren Presidential Distinguished Chair, Dr. Musser is also the chair of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine and the director of the Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research. His research focuses on the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions in group A Streptococcus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. He serves on several editorial boards, has received many national and international honors and awards, and has published more than 300 research articles and book chapters.
Description of Research
The goal of Dr. Musser's research is to advance our understanding of pathogen-host interactions, broadly defined. His laboratory uses a highly integrated interdisciplinary research strategy that employs state-of-the-art techniques such as genome sequencing, expression microarray analysis, molecular population genetic analysis, relevant in vivo model systems, and analysis of host factors to gain new information about the molecular basis of infections caused by the human pathogenic bacterium group A Streptococcus (GAS) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All of the laboratory's work involves extensive collaboration with local, national, and international investigators with diverse areas of expertise.
One project is to identify key vaccine candidates against group A Streptococcus. This work is performed in collaboration with investigators in the private sector. GAS causes >700 million cases of human disease each year globally, yet no licensed vaccine is available, despite decades of study. Dr. Musser's goal is to use a multi-modality experimental strategy involving molecular dissection of the pathogen and host immunologic response, in vivo disease models, and analysis of clinical material to identify one or more protein antigens that protect humans against GAS pharyngitis and invasive disease.
A second project is designed to elucidate the molecular genetic events contributing to epidemics of GAS infection. This work is done in collaboration with several groups of investigators. The team uses a comprehensive, population-based sample of serotype M3 strains recovered over 16 years from patients with invasive infections as a model system. The project involves extensive (“deep”) comparative genome resequencing and genetic polymorphisms analysis using GAS strains from patients with well-defined clinical phenotype. The goal of this line of research is to understand precise temporal and geographic patterns of strain spread. In addition, the team seeks to define genetic polymorphisms and virulence regulatory circuits in the pathogen that influence clinical phenotype. Recent work has identified a novel virulence circuit involved in the pathogenesis of necrotizing fasciitis, also known as the “flesh-eating” disease. The research also has vaccine and public health implications.
Finally, Dr. Musser has a longstanding interest in the genetic epidemiology of human susceptibility to tuberculosis disease. Using a cohort of extensively defined human tuberculosis patients and controls, his team seeks to define human genetic factors that help to determine why some individuals get tuberculosis disease whereas others who have been exposed to the organism do not. A combination of single nucleotide polymorphism analysis and deep candidate gene resequencing is used, as well as other contemporary human genetic analysis methods.
Areas Of Expertise
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Group A StreptococcusEducation & Training
Residency, University of Pennsylvania Health SystemMD, University of Rochester
Please enter your username and
password to login
close
-
News keyboard_arrow_right
Latest News Coronavirus News Currently Embargoed News Research News Releases Google Fact Check Research Alert Preprints Marketplace News with Video/Audio
RSS
Medicine keyboard_arrow_right
Sciencekeyboard_arrow_right
Life keyboard_arrow_right
Business keyboard_arrow_right
Journal News keyboard_arrow_right
By Location keyboard_arrow_right
Meetings, Grants, and Events keyboard_arrow_right