Speakers 2025

Workshop: Can a Stem Cell Transplant Cure an Autoimmune Disease?

Dr. Ernesto Ayala is a hematologist/oncologist in the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. He specializes in stem cell transplantation for the treatment of benign and malignant hematologic conditions and the treatment of lymphoma. He also applies new immunotherapies, including CAR T-cell Therapy, for the treatment of advanced lymphoma, and has interest in the use of autologous transplantation for the treatment of severe autoimmune disorders such as scleroderma and multiple sclerosis.  

Dr. Ayala — who is bilingual and speaks Spanish and English — earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and completed his residency and Hematology/Oncology fellowship through the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. Soon after, he completed his second fellowship in Bone Marrow Transplantation at Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, where he also spearheaded the Haploidentical Transplantation Program before joining Mayo Clinic. 

"I am very passionate about what I do, and I always try to be in tune with my patients when they come to me with complex medical conditions," Dr. Ayala says. Hands-on training throughout his educational career has enabled him to provide high-quality, patient-centered care. He incorporates the most advanced treatments possible, such as immunotherapy, in his care plans. 

Dr. Ayala dedicates his free time to volunteering in underserved clinics and enjoys cycling and swimming. 

Workshop: Multiple Myeloma: Maintenance Therapy to Prolong Survival and Improve Life after Transplant

Dr. Lizamarie Bachier-Rodriguez is a board-certified hematologist-oncologist and an attending physician with the Blood and Marrow Transplant Group of Georgia at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Atlanta. Her clinical interests include improving outcomes after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant and expanding access to novel cellular therapies for older and frail populations. 

Dr. Bachier-Rodriguez has conducted several investigator-initiated trials for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Her research interests include novel approaches to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants, leukemia, and CAR T-cell therapies for elderly populations.  

Workshop:  How to Navigate the Challenges of Caregiving

Dr. Michelle Bishop is a clinical and health psychologist with over 25 years of experience helping patients and families cope with cancer, cancer survivorship, and caregiving.   

 She spent the first half of her career at the University of Florida, first as a clinician providing care to bone marrow transplant (BMT) families and later as a faculty member conducting BMT quality-of-life research. Dr. Bishop was the project coordinator for a large, federally funded study of long-term BMT survivors and their spouses, which led to a groundbreaking report on the experiences and needs of BMT spouse-caregivers.  

 In 2009, Dr. Bishop moved to private practice to provide direct clinical care to cancer and stem cell transplant survivors and caregivers. She currently works with BMT InfoNet on projects designed to address the unmet mental health needs of transplant families and serves as a lead facilitator for BMT InfoNet’s graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) survivor, caregiver, and bereavement support groups. 

Workshop:  After Transplant: Finding Qualified Health Care Providers

Dr. Paul Carpenter leads research and clinical care teams that support bone marrow and stem cell transplant survivors long after they finish initial treatment. As director of the world-class post-transplant Adult Clinical Care Long-Term Follow-Up Program, known as the LTFU, Dr. Carpenter and his colleagues are helping transplant survivors and their primary care physicians manage post-treatment complications as patients recover and resume their lives. The LTFU also serves as a model for the training of transplant physicians.  

In his own research, Dr. Carpenter is developing better treatments for graft-vs.-host disease. Dr. Carpenter leads clinical trials of new therapies for acute and chronic GVHD. He is studying new ways to overcome long-term complications of GVHD treatments and prevent relapse after transplant. 

Workshop:  Graft -versus- Host Disease: What to Do When it Attacks the Lungs

Dr. Guang-Shing Cheng is a pulmonologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA who focuses on improving outcomes for cancer patients who have respiratory failure and lung complications related to their cancer treatments. She is developing new ways to prevent lung damage and improve lung function in these patients.  

Dr. Cheng’s main interest is lung graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication of blood stem cell transplantation. She also studies the role of respiratory viruses and other infectious pathogens in lung disease in patients with compromised immune systems.  

Workshop:  Oral Graft-versus-Host Disease: From Surviving to Thriving 

Dr. Katharine Ciarrocca is an oral medicine specialist and Director of the Duke Oral Medicine and Hospital Dentistry. Her practice focuses on medically complex patients and how that complexity affects the oral cavity. 

She and her team manage the acute complications of chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, including both acute and chronic oral graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Her goal is to reduce the amount of irritation and inflammation in the mouth so that patients can eat, drink, and speak without pain. She works with the patient and the patient's oncologist to find the best, individualized treatment regimen to improve symptoms, maintain function, and improve the patient's quality of life. 

Workshop:  Graft-versus-Host Disease: Gastrointestinal Tract 

Dr. William Clark is an Associate Director of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Director of CAR T-cell Therapy at VCU’s Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.  

Dr. Clark’s research focuses on identifying biomarkers to predict graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after transplant. He participates in clinical trials studying ways to prevent and treat allogeneic stem cell transplant complications, focusing primarily on acute and chronic GVHD. 

Workshop:  CAR T-cell Therapy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Past, Present and Future Directions 

Dr. Rawan Faramand is a medical oncologist at Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, where she specializes in Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy. 

Dr. Faramand’s clinical focus is on allogeneic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies. She is particularly interested in improving outcomes for patients with acute leukemias, including acute lymphoblastic leukemias, acute myeloid leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome.

Workshop:  Sleep: Why We Need It, How to Get It

Dr. Rina Fox is a licensed clinical health psychologist and an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing. She is also a member of the University of Arizona Cancer Center's cancer prevention and control program.  

Her research focuses on how psychosocial processes impact adjustment to and coping with cancer, with an emphasis on symptom management and health-related quality of life. Dr. Fox is particularly interested in the role of sleep disturbance and fatigue in quality of life and the development of interventions to improve sleep outcomes among cancer survivors. 

Workshop:  CAR-T-cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: Who's A Good Candidate?

Dr. Tara Gregory is a physician at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI), where she is part of the Plasma Cell Disease group. She is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. Her clinical focus is caring for patients with diseases such as multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, monoclonal gammopathies, and plasma cell leukemia.  

Her research focuses on treatments for patients with multiple myeloma, including CAR T-cell therapy. She also participates in clinical trials to improve outcomes after bone marrow and stem cell transplants. 

Dr. Gregory is passionate about educating patients to ensure they understand their disease. She partners with them to make treatment decisions that honor their goals and maximize their quality of life. 

Workshop:  Clinical Trials 101 - Why They are Important and What You Should Know

Caitlin Guzowski is the Clinical Research Manager for the Blood and Marrow Transplant, Leukemia, and Cellular Therapy Programs at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.

For the past 12 years, she has helped patients understand their clinical trial options and followed them on their journey through the trial. She is currently responsible for bringing new and innovative trials to Northside patients by developing relationships with pharmaceutical companies so that patients can access the latest treatments for their blood cancer.  

Workshop:  Liver Complications After Transplant

Dr. Manhal Izzy is an Associate Professor of Medicine and director of hepatology research in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He specializes in the clinical management of patients with liver disorders. 

His research focuses on the complications of portal hypertension, the extra-hepatic manifestations of cirrhosis, and improving liver transplant outcomes. Dr. Izzy serves on the editorial board for Liver Transplantation and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for multiple Gastroenterology and Hepatology journals.  

Workshop:  Graft-versus-Host Disease: What to Know, What to Do

Dr. Farhad Khimani is an Associate Professor in the Blood and Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Department of Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He is board-certified in both hematology and medical oncology. 

Dr. Khimani’s clinical work focuses on treating patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloproliferative neoplasms  He has performed over 300 stem cell transplants and cell therapy procedures. 

His research and clinical trial activity focus primarily on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). 

Workshop:  What is Neuropathy? How Can It Be Managed?

Dr. Sasha Knowlton is an Associate Professor and Director of Cancer Rehabilitation at the University of North Carolina.   

Her clinical and research interests are in cancer rehabilitation, with the goal of improving the function and quality of life of cancer patients during all aspects of cancer treatment and survivorship. 

Dr. Knowlton believes in creating a personalized cancer rehabilitation program for each patient in a collaborative manner with a team of health care providers enables the best outcomes. 

Workshop:   Strive to Thrive! Understanding Your Health after a Transplant Using Your Own Cells (Autologous Transplant)

Dr. Jonathan Lambird is an assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. He has a special interest in blood and marrow transplantation, chemotherapy, and cellular therapies for patients with multiple myeloma and other blood cancers, such as acute leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome. 

His research interests include the development of novel conditioning regimens for allogeneic stem cell transplant and the reduction of relapse after stem cell transplant for myeloid diseases. 

Workshop:  Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy for Older Adults: Finding the Balance between Benefit and Risk

Dr. Amelia Langston is Professor and Executive Vice Chair of Hematology and Medical Oncology, and Medical Director of the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. 

She has been a transplant physician and clinical investigator for over 20 years. She was involved in some of the earliest studies of reduced intensity preparative regimens which aimed to offer stem cell transplantation to older patients who would not otherwise be candidates for a transplant.  

Dr. Langston’s research focuses on innovative strategies for autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation with a special interest in the prevention and management of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). She has led studies to develop more effective prevention and treatment methods for infections and GVHD after transplant. 

Workshop:  Enhancing Intimacy & Sexual Well-Being for Couples after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Catalina Lawsin is a licensed psychologist specializing in sexual health, intimacy, and relationships, with over 20 years of experience helping couples rediscover connection in the face of complex health challenges.  

She specializes in psycho-oncology and has dedicated her career to supporting patients and their loved ones through the unique emotional and relational shifts brought on by cancer treatments, including stem cell transplants and CAR T-cell Therapy.  

Dr. Lawsin has developed a couples’ training program to prepare couples for the journey through stem cell/bone marrow transplantation and CAR T-cell Therapy.

Workshop:  Graft-versus-Host Disease: What to Do When it Affects Your Eyes

Dr. Zhonghui Katie Luo is a physician-scientist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School. Her specialty is ocular surface diseases and cataract surgery. 

Dr. Luo works closely with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to detect and treat patients who have developed ocular graft-versus-host disease after a stem cell transplant. She communicates with a constellation of specialists in oncology, oral medicine, dermatology, infectious disease, cardiology, and the transplant unit to provide the best care possible for each patient. 

Workshop:  Graft-versus-Host Disease: How it Affects Skin

Dr. Alina Markova is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Co-Director of the Multidisciplinary GVHD Clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She specializes in treating skin conditions that develop after a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. 

Her outpatient clinical practice is devoted to helping people affected by graft-versus-host disease of the skin. She also specializes in treating people who develop skin, hair, and nail conditions as a side effect of cancer treatment and people with cancerous wounds. 

Dr. Markova enjoys partnering with oncologists, hematologists, and nurses to provide patients with comprehensive care and effectively address their symptoms following treatment.  

Workshop:  Staying Safe and Active with Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD)  

Adam Matichak is a physical therapist who has spent nearly a decade on staff at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. He is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Oncologic Physical Therapy.  

In his practice he focuses on patients who have undergone a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, particularly those who have been diagnosed with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).   

Dr. Matichak’s research interests include prehabilitation for stem cell/bone marrow transplant and CAR T-cell therapy patients, social factors that influence the health and well-being of transplant patients, and the relationship between strength loss and mobility in patients with steroid-induced myopathy.   

Workshop:   Limiting Late Effects Following a Transplant Using Donor Cells (Allogeneic Transplant )            

Dr. John McCarty is the Medical Director of the Cellular Immunotherapy and Transplant Program at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, Virginia, and the Medical Director of the Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory.  

His clinical work focuses on treating patients who have leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, myeloproliferative syndrome, or bone marrow failure disease. He also specializes in cellular immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases. 

In 2024, Dr. McCarty won the Medical College of Virginia Physicians Distinguished Clinician Award. Throughout his nearly three decades at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Dr. McCarty has not just treated diseases but transformed lives, leaving an indelible mark on the fields of cellular immunotherapy and transplantation.  

Workshop:  From Worn Out to Energized: Tackling Fatigue after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Alexandra Muench is a clinical health psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment of sleep disturbances and fatigue in individuals with cancer.  

Dr. Muench developed the Penn Sleep and Cancer Clinic, where she delivers tailored behavioral interventions designed to address the unique challenges faced by cancer patients and survivors. She is a passionate educator and advocate for patient-centered care.  

Dr. Muench regularly leads educational sessions for cancer patients and survivors, offering practical tools to manage sleep and energy issues effectively. By bridging cutting-edge research with hands-on patient care, Dr. Muench continues to make a meaningful impact in oncology and psycho-oncology. 

Workshop:   Cognitive Challenges after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy and Treatment Options

Dr. Zev Nakamura is a psychiatrist and clinical researcher at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He supervises a psycho-oncology training clinic that addresses cognitive and other neuropsychiatric concerns of cancer patients undergoing various cancer treatments. 

Dr. Nakamura’s research involves evaluating patient-reported cognition outcomes, understanding how other psychosocial and biological variables impact cognition, and testing pharmacological and behavioral interventions to prevent or treat the cognitive consequences of cancer and cancer care.  

He was the lead investigator on a clinical trial investigating the use of high-dose intravenous thiamine to prevent delirium during hospitalization for hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. 

Workshop:  Enhancing Survivorship with Exercise 

Dr. Nate Parker is an assistant member of the Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.  

His research focusses on designing and evaluating exercise interventions for cancer survivors aimed at improving fitness and quality of life during and following cancer treatment.  

Dr. Parker believes exercise can be a powerful tool after a cancer treatment which will help to improve strength, mood, and overall well-being. He emphasizes that it’s not just about physical recovery; exercise also supports emotional and mental health. 

Workshop:  New Cancers after Transplant or CAR T-cell Therapy: Who's at Risk?

Dr. Marcelo Pasquini is a Professor of Medicine in Hematology and Oncology and a member of the blood and marrow transplant group at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.  

His clinical work focuses on transplantation and cellular therapies (CAR T Cells) to treat different hematologic malignancies, including multiple myeloma, acute leukemia, myelofibrosis, and myelodysplastic syndromes. 

Dr. Pasquini is also the Senior Scientific Director at the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR), a leading collaborative research organization that studies outcomes after transplant and CAR T-cell therapy, compares transplant and non-transplant treatments and assesses quality of life and late complications after treatment. 

Workshop:  Protecting Your Skin after Transplant 

Dr. Rachel Rosenstein is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Dermatology Division at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. She is an onco-dermatologist, focusing on the skin concerns of oncology patients, particularly GVHD patients.   

Dr. Rosenstein has a laboratory at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation where she is pursuing translational projects related to chronic GVHD in the skin.  In her research, she’s attempting to understand the steps that lead to chronic GVHD, validate biomarkers of skin disease, and identify new treatment targets.  

Workshop:  Managing Infections after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Satyanarayana is the Medical Director of the Transplant and Oncology Infectious Disease Program at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, where she diagnoses and manages infections in cancer and transplant patients. 

Dr. Satyanarayana provides skilled treatment of complex bacterial, viral, and fungal infections while minimizing patients’ overexposure to antimicrobials. She has been the Principal Investigator for eleven clinical trials examining new diagnostic methods and therapeutics for infections. 

Workshop:   Eating Well after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy: Why It Matters 

Layla Silverman is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition. She is the Clinical Nutrition Coordinator and bone marrow transplant interdisciplinary team member at Memorial Cancer Institute in Pembroke Pines, Florida. 

In addition to her work at Memorial Cancer Institute, Ms. Silverman is involved in community outreach and has facilitated many cancer prevention programs. Her goal is to translate evidenced-based nutrition science into practical advice for patients. 

Dr. Silverman enjoys helping patients navigate the challenges that may present after cancer treatment.  

Workshop:  The Impact of Gut Microbiome on Transplant or CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Melody Smith is a board-certified, fellowship-trained hematologist-oncologist and an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at Standford University School of Medicine.  

In 2021 she established the Smith Lab, an independent lab focusing on investigating CAR T- cell biology to gain insights that may help to improve patient outcomes.  

Dr. Smith is a member of the American Society for Hematology (ASH) Committee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies and the ASH Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is also involved with professional organizations focused on promoting diversity among hematology and cell therapy specialists.  

Workshop:  Survivorhship: Managing the Fear of Recurrence

Dr. Dawn Speckhart is the clinical health psychologist for the Blood and Marrow Transplant, Leukemia, and Immunotherapy Programs at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. 

She has worked with cancer patients for the last 25 years. Her research focuses on how psychosocial issues impact transplant outcomes. Dr. Speckhart is a dedicated health psychologist providing individual, family, and group psychological assessment and support throughout treatment. 

Workshop:  CAR T-cell Therapy for Patients with Lymphoma: Who Benefits? 

Dr. Jay Spiegel is an Assistant Professor at the Miami Miller School of Medicine and a hematologist in the Transplant and Cellular Therapy Division of the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, Florida. 

He is a translational researcher working to improve CAR T-cell outcomes for B-cell malignancies such as lymphoma. He has led first-in-human clinical trials of novel CAR-T therapies and investigator-initiated trials testing CAR-T in combination with targeted therapies. 

Workshop:   Bone Health and Other Endocrine Issues after Transplant or CAR T-cell Therapy

Dr. Angeliki Stamatouli is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Massey Cancer Center and Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic. 

Her work involves the management of endocrine cancers and endocrine complications related to cancer treatments including bone marrow and stem cell transplantation and  CAR T-cell therapy. 

Workshop:  What to do when Cancer Comes Back after Transplant or CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Edmund Waller is a Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Hematology/Oncology and the Medical Director of the Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Processing Laboratory at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. 

He has been a practicing physician with Emory Healthcare since 1995. He specializes in bone marrow transplants for acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, myeloproliferative neoplasms, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease, and the management of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). He is also an expert in CAR T-cell therapy.  

Dr. Waller serves as the Editor for ImmunoMedicine (a medical journal covering aspects of immunology and immunotherapy) and chairs the Transactional Immuno-Oncology study section at the National Institutes of Health. 

Workshop:  New Treatments to Prevent or Treat Graft-versus-Host Disease

Dr. Trent Wang is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.  

His clinical focus has been treating patients with blood cancers who require an allogeneic stem cell transplant or other cellular therapies. 

Dr. Wang's research focuses on complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. He conducts interventional, behavioral, and retrospective studies of graft-versus-host disease, infectious transplant complications, and transplant survivorship. He also studies the outcomes of immune effector cell therapies such as CAR-T cells for various oncologic indications.