Speakers 2026

Living with Cognitive Changes after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy  

Dr. Anna Barata is an Assistant Professor at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.  

Her research focuses on improving survival in patients with hematological cancers undergoing stem cell transplantation or CAR T-cell therapy. She is particularly interested in examining patient-reported and cognitive outcomes, and in testing psychological and behavioral interventions to improve both patients’ and care partners' quality of life.  

Bringing Back Sexual Intimacy for Couples after Treatment 

Dr. Callard-Moore is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, and holds a PhD in Clinical Sexology. She is the Sexual Health Specialist in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Cleveland Clinic, with a secondary appointment in the Neurological Institute.  

Dr. Callard-Moore has been in the mental health field for over 30 years and takes a holistic approach to helping patients. Her passion is educating patients and care partners that sexual health is an important part of overall health and wellness. 

Ocular Graft-versus-Host Disease: Advances in Diagnosis and Management 

Dr. Ciralsky is a cornea, cataract, and ocular surface specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine with a clinical focus on dry eye and related conditions, including graft-versus-host disease.  

Over the past 16 years, she has collaborated with the bone marrow transplant teams at both Weill Cornell and Memorial Sloan Kettering to care for patients suffering from ocular graft-versus-host.  

Dr. Ciralsky has expertise in diagnosing and treating ocular GVHD with various treatments, including a combination of topical and oral medications, as well as adjunctive procedures and devices.  

Graft-versus-Host Disease of the Gastrointestinal System: Symptoms and Treatment  

Melissa Cochran is the Director of Advanced Practice Nursing in the Hematologic Malignancies Division at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. She has been at DFCI for 18 years, initially working with the Adult Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies program, and later with the Adult Procedure Suite, where she performed bone marrow biopsies and lumbar punctures and utilizing conscious sedation. She continues to work with the outpatient Ambulatory Cellular Therapies Program in a clinical role. 

Ms. Cochran has volunteered with the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapies (ASTCT) and previously served as an advisory board member for The Bone Marrow Foundation. 

Taking Care of Your Bones: Critical Steps for Aging Strong 

Dr. Cromer is an endocrinologist (a specialist in gland- and hormone-related diseases) at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she treats patients with osteoporosis, other bone diseases, diabetes, and other endocrine disorders.  

She also conducts epidemiological research examining how endocrine medications are used, whether they are equally safe and effective across different groups, and how social and environmental factors affect health and healthcare. She works to raise awareness about bone health, lifestyle modifications, and treatment options to help people maintain strong, healthy bones. 

Graft-versus-Host Disease: Advances and New Therapies on the Horizon  

Dr. Cutler is the Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.    

Dr. Cutler’s research focuses on the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease. He also studies the role and timing of transplantation for myelodysplastic syndromes and has contributed to more than 300 peer-reviewed publications.   

Dr. Cutler is the Immediate Past President of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. 

Beyond Survival: Weaving a Meaningful Life Post-Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. El-Jawahri is the Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Survivorship Program and Co-Director of the Outcomes Research and Education Program at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute in Boston. She specializes in caring for patients with blood cancers and those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).  

Her research interests include investigating patient-reported outcomes, developing approaches to enhance patient-centered decision-making, and designing supportive and palliative care interventions to improve care for HSCT recipients and their caregivers across the continuum of illness.  

Integrative Therapies: Lifestyle Approach to Optimizing Recovery and Healthy Living after Treatment 

Dan Glidden is a Physician Assistant at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living. He has a strong interest in whole-person care and integrative approaches to oncology.  

At the Zakim Center, he provides integrative oncology consultations that address symptom management, lifestyle interventions (including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and sleep), mind-body practices, and the safe use of complementary therapies alongside standard cancer treatments. He moderates a monthly Integrative Oncology tumor board within the Zakim Center and currently serves as Chair of the Advanced Practice Providers Special Interest Group within the Society for Integrative Oncology. 

Myeloma Maintenance Strategies after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

 Dr. Gregory is Co-Director of the Plasma Cell Dyscrasia Program at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI). She focuses on treating diseases such as multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, monoclonal gammopathy, and plasma cell leukemia. Her research focuses on multiple myeloma treatments, including chimeric antigen T-cell therapy.  

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

Health Issues to Watch for After a Transplant Using Your Own Cells (Autologous Transplant) 

Dr. Hill is the Director of the Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He is particularly interested in the effective use of cellular immunotherapy (both stem cell transplant and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy) to treat patients with various high-risk and relapsed hematologic cancers.  

He is also interested in minimizing the adverse effects of treatment to optimize functional status and overall quality of life following stem cell transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy, including early detection and timely intervention for post-transplant complications, and promoting physical activity, effective screening, and other preventive health measures.   

Navigating Graft-versus-Host Disease: What You Need to Know  

 Dr. Holton is the Chief of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Professor of Oncology and Medicine at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY. She is a hematologist who specializes in blood and marrow transplantation and cellular therapies, including CAR T-cell therapy, for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood disorders. 

Dr. Holtan’s research focuses on improving the safety and effectiveness of stem cell transplantation using donor cells (allogeneic transplants) by reducing treatment-related toxicity and preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). She leads and collaborates on clinical trials that test new approaches to prevent and treat GVHD and works with multidisciplinary teams to identify biomarkers that help predict which patients are at the highest risk of complications.  

In addition to her research and leadership roles, Dr. Holtan is deeply committed to patient-centered care and survivorship. She works closely with patients, caregivers, and referring physicians to design care plans that support patients through transplant or CAR T-cell therapy and into long-term recovery. 

Managing Your Respiratory Health after Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Hsu is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Lung GVHD Clinic. He has over 15 years of experience treating and studying bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) in stem cell transplant and lung transplant recipients.  

His research focuses on pulmonary complications including both infection and rejection after transplant. He was the lead investigator on a recently completed STOP-BOS trial using pirfenidone for lung GVHD. He continues to work on developing new antifibrotic treatments to mitigate transplant-related pulmonary fibrosis and improve outcomes after transplant.  

Infection Prevention and Management after Transplant 

Dr. Issa is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is also an Associate Physician and an Attending Infectious Diseases Specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

His subspecialty interest is infections in the immunocompromised host and transplant patients. His research focuses on immune response to common vaccines in immunocompromised patients and on conducting clinical trials of candidate vaccines in transplant recipients and patients with hematologic malignancies. 

The Future of CAR T-cell Therapy: Who Will Benefit? 

Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Attending Oncologist at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. He specializes in cellular therapies, including CAR T-cell therapy, and treating patients with lymphoma.  

Dr. Johnson's research focuses on addressing the supportive care needs and mitigating treatment-related toxicity in patients with lymphoma, patients receiving cellular therapy, and lymphoma survivors.   

Oral Health after Treatment: Navigating Graft-versus-Host Disease, Medications and Infections 

Dr. Mays is an immunologist and a clinical trials dentist whose research focuses on chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) in the salivary glands and oral mucosa. She heads the Oral Immunobiology Unit within the Division of Intramural Research at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH).  

Dr. Mays’ laboratory investigates the mechanisms of oral cGVHD following a stem cell transplant using donor cells (allogeneic transplant) and conducts clinical trials to develop therapies to improve oral GVHD treatment. 

Beyond Remission: Recognizing and Managing New Cancer Risks 

Dr. Meleveedu is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, the Head of Malignant Hematology, and Medical Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program at the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut Health.   

His clinical expertise focuses on acute leukemias (AML/ALL), secondary/therapy-related leukemia, myeloid disorders, stem cell transplantation, and immunotherapy.  

As a researcher, Dr. Meleveedu investigates novel therapeutic strategies for hematologic malignancies. He is passionate about advocacy for transplant/cellular therapies and increasing patients’ access to these procedures.  

Bringing Back Sexual Intimacy for Couples after Treatment 

Dr. Callard-Moore is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, and holds a PhD in Clinical Sexology. She is the Sexual Health Specialist in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Cleveland Clinic, with a secondary appointment in the Neurological Institute.  

Dr. Callard-Moore has been in the mental health field for over 30 years and takes a holistic approach to helping patients. Her passion is educating patients and care partners that sexual health is an important part of overall health and wellness. 

CAR T-cell Therapy for Lymphoma: Benefits and Risks 

Dr. Mountjoy is an Assistant Member Physician at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute and part of the Lymphoid Disease Group. Dr. Mountjoy has a passion for hematologic malignancies with an emphasis on lymphoma, leukemia, and stem cell transplantation. 

Dr. Mountjoy’s interest in medicine began as a teenager when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Shortly after his father’s diagnosis, Dr. Mountjoy was diagnosed with acute leukemia. These life experiences led him to pursue a career in medicine with plans to become a medical oncologist/hematologist.  

His research has focused on stem cell transplantation and the prevention and management of graft-versus-host disease. He has also worked to identify novel strategies to test for drug resistance in patients undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, and to identify genetic risk factors and predispositions in patients and families with newly diagnosed cancers. 

Chronic Fatigue: Reclaiming Your Energy after Transplant or CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Nelson is a clinical psychologist at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. She specializes in psycho-oncology, with a focus on supporting individuals and families affected by blood cancers, including those receiving a stem cell transplant. 

Her research aims to better understand and improve the quality-of-life concerns that many patients experience during and after blood cancer treatment. She works closely with patients and their families to address concerns such as fatigue, sleep difficulties, and stress, as well as coping with chronic graft-versus-host disease and the emotional impacts of treatment. She currently leads a study to develop and test a cognitive-behavioral program to reduce long-lasting fatigue after HCT.  

Protect Your Health and Thrive after a Transplant Using Donor Cells (Allogeneic)  

Dr. Newcomb is an Attending Physician in the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He serves as Co-Clinical Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Survivorship Programs and Medical Director of Hospital Performance of Lunder 10, the inpatient unit for transplant and cell therapy.  

He conducts research to improve the quality of life for patients with blood diseases, particularly those undergoing stem cell transplantation. A key focus of his work is helping transplant survivors thrive after treatment. 

CAR T-cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma 

Dr. Ramanathan is the Director of the Myeloma Program and Co-Director of the Stem Cell Transplant Program at UMass Memorial Health. Her practice includes transplant and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, as well as maintenance strategies, with the goal of maximizing survival outcomes/curing patients with hematological malignancies. 

Her research focuses on developing novel transplant and non-transplant therapeutic strategies to manage hematological malignancies. She is the site principal investigator for several clinical trials evaluating stem cell mobilization strategies before an autologous stem cell transplant, different maintenance strategies after an autologous stem cell transplant for myeloma, novel combination treatment approaches for relapsed/refractory myeloma, and increasing access protocols for various commercially available CAR T-cell therapies. 

Protecting Your Health after CAR T-cell Therapy 

Linda Ramsdell is the Assistant Director of the Immune Effector Cellular Therapy Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she provides patient education and emotional support to patients and families, fostering a holistic care environment.   

She has been involved in research and presentations at medical conferences on outpatient CAR T-cell programs, the late effects of CAR T-cell therapy, and the latest advances in CAR T-cell therapy. 

Graft-versus-Host Disease of the Skin and Fascia 

Dr. Stephens is a dermatologist who specializes in outpatient complex medical dermatology and inpatient consultative dermatology at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. He is interested in cutaneous diseases affecting stem cell transplant recipients, with a particular focus on graft versus host disease.  

His clinical and research goals include identifying and implementing novel treatment modalities for patients with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease. He lends expertise to transplant oncologists to support patient care and optimize long-term outcomes after transplant. 

Beyond Survival: Weaving a Meaningful Life Post-Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy 

Dr. Traeger is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami, and Assistant Director of Population Sciences at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She conducts patient- and family-centered research to enhance quality of life and quality of care among transplant recipients and other adults affected by cancer.  

Her work focuses on developing and testing strategies to enhance resilience, health behaviors, and patient-clinician communication. She has collaborated on several trials of supportive and palliative care interventions to improve care and quality of life for transplant recipients, including those with chronic graft-versus-host disease. 

Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy in Older Adults  

Dr. Wall is the Director of Clinical Operations for the Transplant & Cell Therapy Program and the Medical Director for Remote Patient Monitoring at The Ohio State University - The James Comprehensive Cancer Center. She treats myeloproliferative neoplasms, acute leukemias (AML, ALL), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and bone marrow failure syndromes.  

Her clinical practice focuses on stem cell transplantation and cell therapy, especially for older adults. She also provides consultative geriatric oncology care along with a multidisciplinary team in the Cancer and Aging Resiliency (CARE) clinic at The James.  

Her research interests include patient-centered outcomes among transplant and cell therapy recipients and improving access to transplant and cell therapy, especially for older adults, through process improvements in care delivery models and social support frameworks beyond the healthcare system.