Keynote Speaker
Justin Regan RN
Oncology Nurse and Transplant SurvivorYou Don’t Know How Strong You Are Until Being Strong is the Only Choice You Have
Justin Regan has worked as a radiation oncology nurse since 2012 and prepared plenty of patients who were fighting leukemia for transplant. It never occurred to him that one day he would be facing a transplant himself.
But in July of 2020, after suffering from unusual fatigue, he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Five months later was admitted to Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver to begin his stem cell transplant. After battling painful mouth sores and acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), Justin was finally sent home on New Year’s Eve to begin the healing process.
Unfortunately, three months later Justin relapsed and faced the prospect of a second transplant.
More than two years later, Justin has recovered and will share ls experience and lessons he learned with the symposium audience.
Workshop Speakers
Mona Al Mukaddam MD, MS
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaMona Al Mukaddam MD, MS
Workshop: Bone Health after Transplant
Dr. Mona Al Mukaddam is an Associate Professor in the, Departments of Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Director of the Penn Bone Center. In her role as the Director of the Bone Center, she manages patients with metabolic bone disease after solid organ and bone marrow transplants.
Dr. Al Mukaddam is the co-investigator on a study utilizing novel MRI- based techniques to evaluate the structural and mechanical competence of bones and to monitor the effects of osteoporosis treatment. She is a world-renowned expert in Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) and is the Principal Investigator on industry-sponsored clinical trials in FOP.
A. Samer Al-Homsi MD, MBA
NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer CenterA. Samer Al-Homsi MD, MBA
Workshop: Ask the Experts: Questions about Transplants Using Donor Cells
Dr. A. Samer Al-Homsi is Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the New York Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center where he treats patients with blood disorders.
His research focuses on decreasing potential side effects of transplant. He has published extensively on ways to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Born in Syria, Dr. Al-Homsi likes to borrow a line from the Syrian poet Kahlil Gibran: “To me, the practice of medicine is ‘love made visible’. I look beyond the disease and see persons, not patients, in the people I serve.”
Ernesto Ayala MD
Mayo Clinic FloridaErnesto Ayala MD
Taller: Proteja su Salud después de un Trasplante Utilizando sus Propias Células
Ernesto Ayala, M.D. es hematólogo/oncólogo en el Departamento de Medicina Interna de la Clínica Mayo en Jacksonville, Florida. Se especializa en el trasplante de Células Madre para el tratamiento de linfomas. Además, utiliza nuevas inmunoterapias que incluyen la Terapia de Células CAR T en el tratamiento de linfoma avanzado, y ha demostrado interés en el uso de trasplantes autólogos para el tratamiento de desórdenes autoinmunes severos tales como la esclerodermia y la esclerosis múltiple.
“Me apasiona lo que hago y siempre tato de estar en buena sintonía con mis pacientes cuando vienen a mí con condiciones médicas complejas”, dice el Dr. Ayala.
Muy activo en su comunidad, el Dr. Ayala dedica su tiempo libre al voluntariado en clínicas de bajos recursos.
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.
"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.
Active in his community, Dr. Ayala dedicates his free time to volunteering in underserved clinics.
Michelle Bishop PhD
Coping with Cancer & Caregiving, LLCMichelle Bishop PhD
Workshop: GVHD Caregivers are Survivors, Too!
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 BMT families, and later as research faculty doing BMT quality of life research. She 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 transplant survivors and caregivers. She currently works with BMT InfoNet on projects designed to address the unmet mental health needs of BMT families, and she serves as a facilitator for BMT InfoNet’s GVHD survivor and caregiver support groups.
Kyle Brownback MD, FCCP
University of Kansas Medical CenterKyle Brownback MD, FCCP
Workshop: Identifying and Managing Respiratory Diseases and Symptoms after Transplant
Dr. Kyle Brownback is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and practices at the University of Kansas Health System. He is also the medical director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation at the University of Kansas Health System
Dr. Brownback has been active in managing pulmonary complications of stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for nearly a decade, including those in patients with graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) and chronic lung infections. His research focuses on the management of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after transplant, and the effects systemic GVHD therapies on lung function
Monica Bryant Esq
Triage CancerMonica Bryant Esq
Workshop: Don’t Drown in Debt!
Monica Fawzy Bryant, Esq. is a cancer rights attorney, speaker and author dedicated to improving access to quality information on healthcare-related issues. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer for Triage Cancer, a national non-profit organization that provides education on the practical and legal issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers.
Ms. Bryant is co-author of the first and only book on Cancer Rights Law, published by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 2018. In 2019, she received a 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award, and in 2015, was awarded the Legacy Advocate Award by a leading young adult cancer organization. She is an Adjunct Law Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law, teaching a class on Cancer Rights. Throughout her career, she has provided hundreds of educational seminars for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, their caregivers, lawyers, advocates, health care professionals, elected officials, and the general public.
Alison Carulli PharmD, BCOP
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaAlison Carulli PharmD, BCOP
Workshop: Medical Marijuana and Stem Cell Transplant: What Do We Know?
Dr. Alison Carulli is a hematology/oncology Pharmacy Specialist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where she participates in daily monitoring of patients on the leukemia and allogeneic stem cell transplant inpatient oncology units.
Her current research includes a pilot program studying the safety and feasibility of using rescue therapies for CAR T-cell therapy patients who develop cytokine release syndrome and HLH-like syndrome.
Dr. Carulli is a member of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association and she is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Hematology Oncology Pharmacy.
Aimee Chappell ANP-BC
Medstar Georgetown University HospitalAimee Chappell ANP-BC
Workshop: Neuropathy: What It Is and How to Treat It
Aimee Chappell is a board-certified adult Nurse Practitioner who specializes in multiple myeloma and plasma cell disorders at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Medstar Georgetown University. In addition to caring for patients in the hospital setting, Ms. Chappell leads a regional monthly support group for patients and caregivers dealing with plasma cell disorders.
She has focused her career on malignant hematology and has worked with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and bone marrow transplant patients at multiple academic centers.
Jessica Ciralsky MD
Weill Cornell OphthalmologyJessica Ciralsky MD
Workshop: Graft-versus-Host Disease: Eyes
Dr. Jessica Ciralsky is Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College and a corneal specialist with a special interest in severe ocular surface disease.
Dr. Ciralsky works closely with the transplant teams both at Weill Cornell and at Memorial Sloan Kettering to provide comprehensive care for patients. She has taken care of many patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Her practice focuses on early diagnosis of ocular GVHD and traditional and novel treatments.
Jennifer Cuellar-Rodriguez MD
National Institutes of Health Transplant and Cellular Therapy ProgramJennifer Cuellar-Rodriguez MD
Workshop: Infections after Transplant
Taller: Infecciones después Trasplante
Dr. Cuellar Rodriguez is the Director of the Transplant Infectious Diseases Consult Service at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in Bethesda, Maryland. She works closely with various National Institutes of Health Institutes to implement allogeneic transplant and gene and cellular therapy protocols.
In addition to clinical care, she provides educational support not only for oncology and transplant fellows, but also for mid-level providers, and is an active member of the committees that develop institutional guidelines for the prevention and management of infections in cellular therapies.
La Dra. Cuéllar-Rodríguez es Directora del Servicio de Consulta de Trasplantes de Enfermedades Infecciosas del Instituto Nacional de Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas en Bethesda, Maryland. Trabaja en estrecha colaboración con varios Institutos Nacionales de Salud para implementar protocolos de trasplante alogénico y terapia génica y celular.
Además de la atención clínica, brinda apoyo educativo no solo para becarios de oncología y trasplante, sino también para proveedores de nivel medio, y es miembro activo de los comités que desarrollan pautas institucionales para la prevención y el manejo de infecciones en terapias celulares.
Noel Espiritu PT, DPT
Mount Sinai HospitalNoel Espiritu PT, DPT
Workshop: Living Well: Exercises /Strategies for Improving Endurance (Stamina) and Strength
Noel Espiritu is a Physical Therapist-Master Clinician currently working at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York where he evaluates and treats oncology patients and others in the acute care setting. He has devoted most of his career as a physical therapist working with people with cancer in both the acute care and outpatient setting.
Mr. Espiritu co-developed a general exercise regimen for people undergoing bone marrow transplant and contributed to a study on pre-transplant functional capacity and prognostication. He also teaches physical therapists at the City University of New York.
Jose Flores MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterJose Flores MD
Workshop: Salud Sexual Masculina
El Dr. José Flores es cirujano urólogo especializado en salud sexual y reproductiva masculina en el Servicio de Salud Sexual y Medicina Reproductiva del Centro de Cáncer Memorial Sloan Kettering. También es Profesor Asistente de Urología en el Departamento de Urología del Weill Cornell Medical College.
El Dr. Flores a menudo atiende a pacientes con cáncer activo o antecedentes de cáncer y se reúne con ellos antes y después del tratamiento para abordar sus efectos sobre la función sexual y la fertilidad. Habla de las intervenciones médicas y/o quirúrgicas disponibles que pueden aliviar los problemas relacionados con el sexo y la fertilidad. Su objetivo es mejorar la salud y la calidad de vida de sus pacientes mediante el uso de los tratamientos más efectivos disponibles, adaptados a sus necesidades y prioridades específicas.
Dr. Jose Flores a urologic surgeon specializing in male sexual and reproductive health in the Sexual Health and Reproductive Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is also an Assistant Professor of Urology in the Department of Urology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Dr. Flores often sees patients with active cancer or a history of cancer and meets with them before and after treatment to address its effects on sexual function and fertility. He discusses available medical and/or surgical interventions that can alleviate problems related to sex and fertility. His goal is to improve his patients’ health and quality of life by using the most effective treatments available, tailored to their specific needs and priorities.
Michael Fradley MD
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaMichael Fradley MD
Workshop: Heart and Vascular Health after Transplant
Dr. Michael Fradley is an attending Cardiologist/Electrophysiologist and an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as both the Section Chief of the consultative cardiology section and the Medical Director of the Thalheimer Center for Cardio-Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania.
As a trained electrophysioloigst, Dr. Fradley has a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of arrhythmic complications associated with traditional and novel cancer therapies. He has published more than 90 manuscripts and is frequently an invited speaker at international meetings. He has served as the co-chair of the Global Cardio-Oncology Summit in both 2018 and 2021. Dr. Fradley is a member of the International Cardio Oncology Society Board of Directors and the Heart Rhythm Society Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Emily Gallagher MD, PhD, MRCPI
Mount Sinai HospitalEmily Gallagher MD, PhD, MRCPI
Workshop: Blood Glucose after Transplant: Why It Matters
Dr. Emily Gallagher is board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
In her clinical practice, Dr. Gallagher sees first-hand how diabetes may contribute to specific symptoms and illness in people who have received a stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy. She also treats patients who have no history of diabetes but who develop high glucose levels when diagnosed with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Dr. Gallagher believes helping survivors, their caregivers and health care providers understand the importance of managing metabolic conditions is essential to reduce unnecessary illness and improve long-term health.
Alfred Garfall MD
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaAlfred Garfall MD
Workshop: Long-Term Effects of a Transplant Using Your Own Stem Cells (autologous transplant)
Dr. Alfred Garfall is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of the Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a hematologist/oncologist focused on multiple myeloma, the most common indication for autologous stem cell transplantation.
Dr. Garfall’s research focuses on evaluating new multiple myeloma immunotherapies. He has conducted clinical trials with CAR T-cells and bispecific antibodies for multiple myeloma. He is specifically interested on developing new approaches to prevent relapse in multiple myeloma patients
Oluwatosin Goje MD, MSCR, FACOG
Cleveland ClinicOluwatosin Goje MD, MSCR, FACOG
Workshop: Graft-versus- Host Disease: Genital
Dr. Oluwatosin Goje is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Cleveland Clinic's Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. She’s the Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Infant and Maternal Health and staff member at Cleveland Clinic's Women's Health Institute Center for Specialized Women’s Health.
Dr. Goje specializes in treating patients with reproductive infectious diseases and non-infectious diseases of the vulva and vagina. She is actively involved in research and has published on infectious diseases in women, infectious diseases during pregnancy, and other gynecological and pregnancy-related conditions.
Alexandra Gomez-Arteaga MD
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell MedicineAlexandra Gomez-Arteaga MD
Taller: Proteja su Salud después de un Trasplante con Células de Donante
La Dra. Alexandra Gómez-Arteaga es Profesora Asistente de Medicina en la División de Hematología y Medicina Oncológica del Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian- Hospital y es miembro facultativo del Programa de Trasplante de Médula Ósea. Se especializa en el cuidado de pacientes con cáncer en la sangre y otros desórdenes.
Su investigación se enfoca en los trasplantes por Leucemias Agudas y desórdenes mieloides, estrategias para la prevención de recaídas, manejo de recaídas de enfermedades post trasplante de células madre y complicaciones a largo plazo de los trasplantes.
La doctora Gómez-Arteaga afirma “… mi objetivo es proveer el mejor cuidado posible para mis pacientes, no solo ofreciendo terapias de última generación y tendiendo puentes de innovación en el cuidado personalizado sino también construyendo relaciones de compasión, empatía y confianza con mis pacientes y sus familias”.
Dr. Alexandra Gomez Arteaga is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine/New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a faculty member of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program. She specializes in the care of patients with blood cancers and other disorders.
Her research focuses on transplantation for acute leukemias and myeloid disorders, relapse prevention strategies, management of disease relapse after a stem cell transplant and long-term complications of transplant.
“My goal is to provide the best possible care for my patients not only by offering state-of-the-art therapies and bridging research innovations into personalized care, but also by building compassionate, empathic and trusting relationships with my patients and their families,” says Dr. Gomez-Arteaga.
.
Andrew Harris MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterAndrew Harris MD
Workshop: Introduction to Graft-versus-Host Disease
Dr. Andrew Harris committed to a career in transplantation and cellular therapy after receiving a transplant for acute leukemia while in college. He has been a practicing pediatric transplant and cellular therapy specialist for 12 years and serves as the medical director for the MSK Kids Pediatric Multidisciplinary GVHD Clinic.
Dr. Harris performs clinical trials for patients with both acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) and serves on several national and international committees in the field of transplantation and cellular therapies with a focus on cancers and post-transplant complications.
Dr. Harris is also the Director of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Pediatric Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Fellowship and an Associate Director for the Combined NewYork Presbyterian-Weill Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship where he oversees the training of the next generation of physicians committed to the care of children and young adults with blood and immune disorders and cancers.
Theo Heller MB.Bch, FAASLD
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesTheo Heller MB.Bch, FAASLD
Workshop: Graft-versus-Host Disease: Gastrointestinal Tract and Liver
Dr. Theo Heller is the Section Chief of the Translational Hepatology Section of the Liver Diseases Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
His work focuses on the connection between the innate immune system and liver-related damage and repair in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) as well as those with chronic granulomatous disease, sickle cell disease, Turner syndrome, hepatitis and congenital hepatic fibrosis.
Annie Im MD
University of Pittsburgh/UPMC Hillman Cancer CenterAnnie Im MD
Workshop: Ask the Transplant Experts: Questions about Transplants Using Donor Cells
Dr. Annie Im is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a hematologist/medical oncologist at University of Pittsburgh UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. She specializes and conducts research in hematologic malignancies (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma), drug development, stem cell transplantation, and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). In addition, Dr. Im is responsible for the long term follow up of stem cell transplant recipients and the chronic graft-versus-host-disease clinic.
Dr. Im is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
Robert Kovell MD
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaRobert Kovell MD
Workshop: Sexual Concerns in Men after Transplant
Dr. Robert Kovell serves on the urology faculty at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is the Director of Genitourinary Reconstruction & Transitional Urology and Program Director for the Urology Residency Program at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
A large part of his practice focuses on helping men with sexual health issues such as erectile dysfunction in the post-transplant or cancer survivorship setting. He has helped to build multiple, ongoing urologic global health outreach projects in areas such as India, Trinidad and Panama including teaching techniques such as penile prosthesis surgical techniques nationally and internationally.
Richard Lin MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterRichard Lin MD, PhD
Workshop: Transplant and CAR T-cell Therapy in Older Adults
Dr. Richard Lin is a hematologist oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with expertise in transplantation and cellular therapy, leukemia and lymphoma, and geriatric oncology. He strives to deliver the best possible care to older patients with hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) through both standard care and clinical trial options in transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy.
Dr. Lin takes pride in caring for older patients to maximize treatment benefits, minimize side effects, and preserve function and quality of life. “I work with an interdisciplinary team to provide superior supportive care, which helps make remission possible with transplant and cellular therapy,” says Dr. Lin.
Alison Loren MD
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaAlison Loren MD
Workshop: Secondary Cancers after Transplant
Dr. Alison Loren is Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the Director of Blood & Marrow Transplant in the Cell Therapy & Transplant Program at the Abramson Cancer Center.
Dr. Loren specializes in hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Her clinical and research interests focus on outcomes after transplant, fertility preservation and pregnancy, and long-term survivorship.
Dr. Loren has served as At-Large Member of the Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Registry’s (CIBMTR) Advisory Board, Chair of the Fertility Working Group of the Late Effects Committee for the CIBMTR, and co-Chair of the CIBMTR’s Regimen-Related Toxicity Working Committee.
Alina Markova MD, FAAD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterAlina Markova MD, FAAD
Workshop: Graft-versus-Host-Disease: Skin, Hair and Nails
Dr. Alina Markova is a board-certified dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who specializes in treating skin conditions that result from bone marrow transplantation. She leads the Inpatient Dermatology Service, where she and her team provide high-quality dermatology care to people who have been admitted to the hospital.
Her outpatient clinical practice is devoted to caring for people affected by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). As Co-Director of the Multidisciplinary GVHD Clinic, she partners with oncologists, hematologists, nurses, and other experts to provide patients with comprehensive care to effectively address their symptoms.
Jacqueline Mays DDS, MHSc, PhD
National Institutes of HealthJacqueline Mays DDS, MHSc, PhD
Workshop: Graft-versus-Host Disease: Mouth
Dr. Jacqueline Mays is an immunologist and a clinical trials dentist whose research is focused 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).
Her laboratory’s investigations focus on how cGVHD develops after a transplant using donor cells (allogeneic transplant), the causes of salivary gland dysfunction after transplant, therapies to improve the treatment of oral GVHD, with clinical trials directed toward advancing cGVHD therapy.
Adrienne Mishkin MD, MPH, MS
NewYork-Presbyterian/ Columbia University Irving Medical CenterAdrienne Mishkin MD, MPH, MS
Workshop: Chemobrain, Steroid Rage and Other Ways Transplant Meds Affect Your Brain
Dr. Adrienne Mishkin is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Psychiatric Liaison to the Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Her interests include psychiatric care of patients with life-threatening illness, cancer, sickle cell disease, infertility and subfertility, medical post-traumatic stress, clinician mental health, surrogate decision-making, public health, access to care and equity.
Michelle Myers MS, RDN, CSO, CDN
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterMichelle Myers MS, RDN, CSO, CDN
Workshop: Nutrition: What You Eat Does Matter
Michelle Myers is a certified dietitian with a specialty in oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She serves as the primary bone marrow transplant dietitian in the outpatient clinic where she assesses the nutritional needs of oncology patients before, during and after treatment. She also collaborates with the Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD) Clinic on nutrition issues.
In addition to her work at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Ms. Myers is also a nutrition consultant for Savor Health, Worldwide where she provides cancer patients with personalized, clinically appropriate nutritional support “on demand”.
Ms. Myers is passionate about educating people with cancer and their families about the importance of nutrition during their cancer treatment.
Michael Parsons PhD, ABPP
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical SchoolMichael Parsons PhD, ABPP
Workshop: Coping with Attention, Learning and Memory Challenges after Transplant
Dr. Michael Parsons is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a Neuropsychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Pappas Neuro-Oncology Center. He has more than 20 years of experience as a neuropsychologist and specializes in cancer and cognition.
Dr. Parsons provides neuropsychological evaluations for adults, addressing the cognitive issues that are caused by cancer and its treatment. These evaluations assist in diagnosis and treatment of medical and psychological conditions that affect brain function.
His research involves the use of cognitive assessments and advanced brain imaging techniques to study brain function. These studies seek to understand how cancer and chemotherapy affect neural systems and to develop treatments for these problems.
Miguel Perales MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterMiguel Perales MD
Taller: ¿Qué es la Terapia de Células CAR T?
El Dr. Perales es Jefe del Servicio de Trasplante de Médula Ósea en Adultos en el Centro de Cáncer Memorial Sloan Kettering en Nueva York, y Profesor Asociado de Medicina en el Colegio Médico Weill Cornell. Es un líder reconocido internacionalmente en el campo del trasplante de células madre hematopoyéticas y la terapia celular.
El Dr. Perales es presidente electo de la Sociedad Estadounidense de Trasplantes y Terapia Celular (ASTCT, según su sigla en inglés) y se desempeña como presidente del Comité de la Alianza para Ensayos Clínicos en Oncología, Trasplantes y Terapias Celulares. Anteriormente se desempeñó como vicepresidente y miembro de la junta directiva de Be The Match y ocupa puestos de liderazgo en el Centro para la Investigación Internacional de Trasplantes de Sangre y Médula ósea (CIBMTR, según su sigla en inglés) y la Red de Ensayos Clínicos de Trasplante de Sangre y Médula ósea (BMT CTN, según su sigla en inglés).
Dr. Perales is the Chief of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He is an internationally recognized leader in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.
Dr. Perales is President-Elect of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and serves as Chair of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, Transplantation and Cell Based Therapies Committee. He previously served as Vice-Chair and member of the Board of Directors of Be The Match and holds leadership positions in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN).
Adrienne Phillips MD, MPH
NewYork Presbyterian/Weill CornellAdrienne Phillips MD, MPH
Ask the Transplant Experts: Questions about Transplants Using Your Own Cells (autologous)
Dr. Adrienne Phillips is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Physician at the NewYork Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Phillips cares for patients with all types of blood cancers with a special interest in treating lymphoma patients requiring stem cell transplantation.
Dr. Phillips has a particular interest in reducing cancer disparities by improving outcomes among underserved and minority populations, especially among Latino and Caribbean-Americans. She has developed a large database of a rare blood cancer called Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma, a disease disproportionately seen among Caribbean and Latin-American emigrants. She is the principal investigator of several clinical trials that explore novel therapies for this disease.
Doris Ponce MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterDoris Ponce MD
Taller: Enfermedad Injerto contra Huésped: Avances en la Prevención y el Tratamiento
La Dra. Doris Ponce es médica asistente adjunta y directora del Programa de EICH para adultos en el Centro de Cáncer Memorial Sloan Kettering. Tiene experiencia especial en el uso de trasplantes de células madre hematopoyéticas (que forman sangre) para tratar adultos con neoplasias malignas hematológicas (cánceres de la sangre).
Como investigadora clínica, investiga nuevas estrategias para hacer que los trasplantes sean más seguros y efectivos. Ello incluye el uso de quimio-radiación menos tóxica (acondicionamiento de intensidad reducida) para preparar a los pacientes para el trasplante y nuevas terapias para prevenir y tratar la enfermedad de injerto contra huésped (EICH). También está interesada en utilizar la sangre del cordón umbilical como fuente de células madre productoras de sangre para trasplantes en pacientes que carecen de un hermano o donante no emparentado compatible.
Dr. Doris Ponce is an Associate Attending Physician and Director of the Adult GVHD Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has special expertise in using hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cell transplantation to treat adults with hematologic malignancies (blood cancers).
As a clinical researcher, she is investigating new strategies to make transplantation safer and more effective. These include the use of less-toxic chemo-radiation (reduced intensity conditioning) to prepare patients for transplant and novel therapies to prevent and treat graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). She is also interested in using cord blood as a source of blood-forming stem cells for transplantation in patients who lack a suitably matched sibling or unrelated donor.
Cristina Pozo-Kaderman PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteCristina Pozo-Kaderman PhD
Workshop: Women’s Sexual Health after Transplant
Taller: Salud Sexual de la Mujer después del Trasplante
Dr. Cristina Pozo-Kaderman is the Director of the Young Adult Program (YAP) and Director of Interprofessional Education in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She also holds a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Pozo-Kaderman has spent over 30 years working as a clinician, administrator and educator in the field of psychosocial oncology and particularly with patients undergoing BMT. She has served on numerous professional and community organization advisory boards with a commitment to serve and provide community education and support.
La Dra. Pozo-Kaderman es Directora del Programa de Adultos Jóvenes (YAP, según su sigla en inglés) y Directora de Educación Interprofesional en el Departamento de Oncología Psicosocial y Cuidados Paliativos del Instituto del Cáncer Dana-Farber. También ocupa un puesto en la facultad de la Escuela de Medicina de Harvard.
La Dra. Pozo-Kaderman ha trabajado durante más de 30 años como médico clínico, administradora y educadora en el campo de la oncología psicosocial y, en particular, con pacientes sometidos a TMO. Ha formado parte de numerosas juntas asesoras de organizaciones profesionales y comunitarias con el compromiso de servir y brindar educación y apoyo a la comunidad.
Rachel Rosenstein MD, PhD
Hackensack University Medical CenterRachel Rosenstein MD, PhD
Workshop: Protecting Your Skin after Transplant
Dr. Rachel Rosenstein is an Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Dermatology Division at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
While a fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she participated in graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) clinical trials studying sclerotic GVHD, and clinical projects related to GVHD co-morbidities, quality of life, and rehabilitation interventions. She was a member of the NIH Consensus Development Project on Criteria for Clinical Trials in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease.
Dr. Rosenstein currently practices as an oncodermatologist focusing on skin concerns of oncology patients. Dr. Rosenstein also has a laboratory at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation where she strives to understand the steps that lead to chronic GVHD, validate biomarkers of skin disease, and identify new treatment targets.
Marcello Rotta MD
Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical CenterMarcello Rotta MD
Workshop: Advances in Graft-versus-Host Disease Treatment
Dr. Marcello Rotta is the Director of the Leukemia Service and Co-Director of the Long-Term Follow-Up and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Program at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI) in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Rotta has worked in the field of hematological malignancies and stem cell transplantation for nearly 20 years and has extensive experience with the complications of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.
During his career, Dr. Rotta has been involved in several international multicentric clinical trials. His research focuses on late effects of transplant, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and multiple myeloma.
Scott Rowley MD, FACP
MedStar Georgetown University HospitalScott Rowley MD, FACP
Workshop: Out of the Frying Pan and ...? Life after Transplant Using Donor Cells (allogeneic transplant)
Dr. Scott Rowley is a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. He is also the Medical Director of Cell Therapies Manufacturing Facilities at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
Originally trained in transplantation at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, Dr. Rowley remained on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins Oncology center for 10 years before joining the faculty at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. His early research focused on developing bone marrow graft processing and cryopreservation techniques instrumental in clinical transplantation. He served on the committee that wrote the first standards for cell processing adopted by the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and served on the Board of Directors for FACT, American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and International Society of Hematotherapy and Graft Engineering (and President).
Dr. Rowley has authored more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and 30 book chapters in the field of transplantation medicine.
Rachel Salit MD
Fred Hutchinson Cancer CenterRachel Salit MD
Workshop: Going Back to Work after Transplant: How Can Your Medical Team Support You?
Dr. Rachel Salit is an Associate Professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and at the University of Washington in the Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology in Seattle, WA where she is a bone marrow/stem cell transplant physician and researcher.
As a clinician in the Long-Term Follow-Up Program, Dr. Salit is invested in helping survivors achieve quality of life and return to normalcy following transplant. Her research efforts are aimed at improving survivors’ return to work process.
Her initial research revealed that both transplant center providers and employers do a poor job of supporting patients who wish to go back to work following transplant which may result in unemployment and underemployment. This work resulted in the development of the American Society of Stem Cell Transplantation (ASTCT) Return to Work Guidance for Providers…which was recently published in the ASTCT journal.
Dr. Salit’s goal is to design strategies to improve communication between survivors and their providers and employers to ensure survivors are given the accommodations they need to be successful at work.
Timothy Sannes PhD, MS
UMass Memorial HospitalTimothy Sannes PhD, MS
Workshop: Sleep in Transplant: More than Just Getting Your Z's!
Dr. Timothy Sannes is a Clinical Health Psychologist and is currently an Attending Psychologist at UMass Memorial Hospital. He is also Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School.
Dr. Sannes provides flexible, evidence-based support for cancer patients and their families. He has extensive experience in sleep medicine and has conducted research in daily hormonal rhythms and well-being.
Suneeta Senapati MD, MSCE
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaSuneeta Senapati MD, MSCE
Workshop: Building a Family after Transplant
Dr. Suneeta Senapati is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She practices reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Penn Fertility Care where she is the Director of Third Party Reproduction and Co-Director of Female Fertility Preservation.
Dr. Senapati’s research focuses on pregnancy and long-term maternal/child health outcomes after assisted reproductive technologies, and prediction modeling with serum biomarkers of abnormal pregnancy. Additionally, she has clinical and research expertise in epigenetics, endometriosis, fibroids, and fertility preservation. She is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Gunjan Shah MD, MS
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterGunjan Shah MD, MS
Workshop: CAR T-cell Therapy: Multiple Myeloma
Dr. Gunjan Shah joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2016 and is part of the Adult BMT Service and the Cellular Therapy Services. Her research has focused on improving access, tolerability, and outcomes for patients with lymphoma and myeloma undergoing autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy.
Dr. Shah is also interested in the comparative and cost effectiveness of treatments for the hematologic malignancies. She is a member of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Haneen Shalabi DO
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Pediatric Oncology BranchHaneen Shalabi DO
Workshop: CAR T-cell Therapy: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - A Drive through the Past, Present and Future
Dr. Haneen Shalabi is an Assistant Research Physician in the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.
Her clinical focus is the treatment of relapsed/refractory pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) utilizing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. Dr. Shalabi is also interested in the neurocognitive effects of immunotherapy in pediatric patients, and bone marrow transplantation for patients with malignant and non-malignant diseases.
Eytan Stein MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterEytan Stein MD
Workshop: Maintenance Therapy after Transplant: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Dr. Eytan Stein is the Chief of the Leukemia Service, and Director of the Program for Drug Development in Leukemia at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He conducts novel, phase I clinical trials of compounds that target myeloid malignancies such as AML.
Dr. Stein led the clinical studies of Enasidenib and Ivosidenib in patients with relapsed and refractory AML that led to their FDA approval in 2017 and 2018, respectively. He also leads a variety of phase 1 clinical trials and serves as the lead investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering for the BEAT AML master clinical trial.
Dr. Stein’s work has been published in journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA Oncology, Cancer Discovery and Blood. In addition, he serves on the Editorial Boards of Blood and Leukemia and Lymphoma.
Amir Steinberg MD
Westchester Medical CenterAmir Steinberg MD
Workshop: Ask the Experts: Questions about Transplants Using Your Own Cells (autologous)
Dr. Amir Steinberg is the clinical director of adult stem cell transplantation at Westchester Medical Center where he focuses on the treatment of patients with blood cancers. He is also actively involved in FACT, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and is co-chair of FACT’s Performance Improvement Committee.
He has served as the clinical trial principal investigator (PI) of therapies for patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma, advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma, Crohn’s Disease, sickle cell anemia, and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Steinberg also has experience with bloodless transplantation for Jehovah’s Witness patients and has published a protocol on this approach.
Dr. Steinberg grew up in Texas. As a senior in high school, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. His experience and care he received inspired him to pursue a career in oncology to give back and to treat others as he was treated.
J. Andres Suarez Londono MD
NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer CenterJ. Andres Suarez Londono MD
Taller: Introducción a la Enfermedad de Injerto contra Huésped
El Dr. Suárez-Londono es miembro del Programa de Terapia Celular y Trasplante de Médula Ósea y director clínico de aféresis en el Centro de Cáncer Langone Laura e Isaac Perlmutter de Nueva York. Su investigación se centra en la enfermedad de injerto contra huésped (EICH). Es el investigador principal de un ensayo clínico que prueba la eficacia de una nueva combinación de medicamentos para prevenir la EICH y es investigador de otros ensayos clínicos sobre EICH en la Universidad de Nueva York.
El Dr. Suarez-Londono recibió su título de Doctor en Medicina de la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana en Columbia. Ha dedicado su carrera al tratamiento y cuidado de pacientes con trastornos de la sangre con el objetivo de tener un impacto positivo en la vida de los pacientes.
Dr. Jaime Suarez-Londono is a member of the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program and the clinical director of apheresis at the New York Langone Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. His research focuses on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). He is the principal investigator on a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of a novel combination of medications to prevent GVHD and a sub-investigator on other GVHD clinical trials at NYU.
Dr. Suarez-Londono received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Columbia. He has spent his career on treating and caring for patients with blood disorders with the goal of making a positive impact on patients’ lives.
Grigory Syrkin MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterGrigory Syrkin MD
Workshop: Fatigue: What It Is, What It Is Not, Why It Happens and What Can We Do about It?
Dr. Grigory Syrkin is a cancer rehabilitation physiatrist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where helps patients figure out why they are having trouble performing certain tasks, and then uses targeted exercise interventions, devices and changes to their daily routine to help patients achieve their goals.
Dr. Syrkin sees patients through the entire cancer care journey and tries to help them every step of the way. He occasionally prescribes medications for pain and other possible side effects of cancer treatment, and works closely with oncologists to ensure that rehabilitation interventions are safe and effective.
He is especially interested in how to use simple exercise solutions to help patients maintain their strength and mobility during prolonged hospitalizations and challenging treatments, such as a bone marrow transplant.
Michael Tees MD, MPH
Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical CenterMichael Tees MD, MPH
Workshop: CAR T-cell Therapy: The Good, the Bad and the Long-Term
Dr. Michael Tees is an Associate Member at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI) and a leader in CBCI’s Lymphoma and Autoimmune Programs. He focuses on the treatment and management of aggressive lymphocytic disorders and malignancies.
In addition to stem cell transplantation, Dr. Tees treats patients with standard approach CAR T-cell therapy as well as CAR-based therapies on clinical trials. He favors the next phase of lymphoma care being rooted in an individualized and targeted approach and is excited about the rapid pace of development in the field.
Dr. Tees also serves on the American Society of Hematology Communications Committee. Locally, he has been honored by his colleagues who voted him as a “Top Doc” in 5280 Magazine. In his spare time, he advocates for patients as a board member for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Mountain Region.
Colleen Timlin PharmD, BCOP
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaColleen Timlin PharmD, BCOP
Workshop: Herbs and Supplements: Are They Safe for Transplant Recipients?
Dr. Colleen Timlin is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in the Malignant Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplant/Cellular Therapy Department of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
She has published and spoken extensively about management of side effects of transplant and CAR T-cell therapy including a recent presentation entitled Ensuring the Cure is Not Worse Than the Disease Itself: Updates in the Toxicity Management and Optimization of CAR T-cells in Hematologic Malignancies.
Dr. Timlin is an active member of the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Pharmacy Specialist Interest Group, the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Dan Vogl MD, MSCE
Hospital of the University of PennsylvaniaDan Vogl MD, MSCE
Workshop: Maintenance Therapy after Transplant: Multiple Myeloma
Dr. Dan T. Vogl is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
He sees patients with multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and other plasma cell cancers. Dr. Vogl’s clinical and translational research focuses on early phase clinical trials of novel therapies for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
Dr. Vogl also serves as Medical Director of the Abramson Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Unit, overseeing the work of over 140 research nurses, research coordinators, regulatory coordinators, and biospecimen coordinators, who together manage over 300 active cancer clinical trials.
David Vesole MD, PhD
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack UMC and Georgetown UniversityDavid Vesole MD, PhD
Workshop: Ask the Experts: Questions about Transplants Using Your Own Cells (autologous)
Dr. David Vesole is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Myeloma Program at MedStar Georgetown University. He is also Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Myeloma Division, and the Director of Myeloma Research at the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
An internationally recognized expert in multiple myeloma, Dr. Vesole currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee and the International Myeloma Working Group of the International Myeloma Foundation. He is also a member of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network’s Multiple Myeloma Protocol Committee, the ECOG Blood and Marrow Transplant Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma Core Committees and is an inspector for the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT).
Dr. Vesole has been a popular speaker for several BMT InfoNet-sponsored workshops on multiple myeloma and has been an active participant in other patient advocacy organizations as well.