CANCER - Key Persons
Akash Patnaik, MD, PhD, MMSc, is a medical oncologist specializing in the care of patients with genitourinary cancers, including prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancers. He also has a strong interest in the development of novel therapeutics for treatment of advanced solid tumors.
As an accomplished physician-scientist, Dr. Patnaik's work focuses on translating novel therapies from the laboratory to early stage clinical trials. He is interested in developing personalized patient models of disease in order to interpret therapeutics, develop biomarkers and help patients make informed decisions about their care.
Dr. Patnaik has received numerous awards and recognition for his work, which include the John W. Kreider Ph.D. Commencement award in Cell & Molecular Biology, AACR-Astellas Clinical/Translational research award, Harvard-MIT Clinician-Investigator Training Program Fellowship, a Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award and a DOD Prostate Cancer Physician-Researcher Training Award.
Medical oncologist Alexander T. Pearson, MD, PhD, cares for adults with head and neck cancers, especially squamous cell carcinoma, a common form of cancer that develops in the squamous cells that make up the middle and outer layer lining the mouth and throat. He also specializes in salivary gland cancers.
Dr. Pearson has more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications in the primary literature, has had several abstracts selected for oral presentation and is editor of the Oncology Boards Flash Review, 2nd edition.
Medical oncologist Alexander T. Pearson, MD, PhD, and nurse navigator Patricia Heinlen, BSN, RN, discuss head and neck cancer, including the HPV vaccine and how new treatment approaches are tailored to each patient's cancer type, making treatments more effective while reducing side effects.
Alexandra M. Dumitrescu, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases.
Dr. Dumitrescu's research focuses on identifying inherited genetic mutations that may cause thyroid diseases. She has worked closely with Dr. Refetoff, MD, a world-renowned expert in genetic diseases of the thyroid.
An accomplished author, Dr. Dumitrescu has contributed to several leading textbooks on thyroid diseases and frequently is invited to present her work at national and international conferences. She is an ad hoc reviewer for several scientific journals and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology of the European Society of Endocrinology.
Job Titles:
- Director for Clinical Research Operations and Technical Director
Amanda Spratt, BS, CCRP, is the director for clinical research operations and technical director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office (CCTO). She joined the Comprehensive Cancer Center in October 2004. Spratt is responsible for the day-to-day administrative oversight of office operations and staff, including hiring and training of new staff, and developing, updating and overseeing implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for all regulatory services. She serves as a resource to both her staff and clinical investigators in issues of clinical research operations, and federal and institutional regulations, and is responsible for the coordination of continuing education workshops.
Anthony T. Reder, MD, is an expert on multiple sclerosis (MS) and an instrumental faculty member in the University of Chicago Medicine's large MS program.
Dr. Reder and several other colleagues and residents have developed new treatments for MS. The group has shown that misoprostol (Cytotec) abolishes trigeminal neuralgia in MS. The MS group has also helped develop and test most of the current therapies for MS, including Interferon-beta (Betaseron, Avonex, Rebif, Extavia), glatiramer (Copaxone), natalizumab (Tysabri) and fingolimod (Gilenya). The first FDA-approved therapy, IFN-beta (Betaseron), reduced exacerbations of MS, improved memory and reduced deaths 20 years later by nearly 50 percent. Several other trials of new MS therapies are currently in progress.
Dr. Reder directs the Neurology and Inflammatory Disease Infusion Center. Here, cutting-edge therapies are used to treat multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis and Crohn's disease.
Dr. Reder has authored a large number of papers and abstracts, and often makes presentations at national neurology meetings. Subjects have included multiple sclerosis, EAE, tetanus, neuropsychiatry, sleep and fatal familial insomnia. His primary research interest is in the interaction between the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system. He and his colleagues are studying the mechanism of action for interferon - the most widely used treatment for MS.
Dr. Reder recently found that there is a defect in the interferon signaling pathway in lymphocytes during attacks and in progressive forms of MS. This may be why patients with progressive MS do not respond clinically to interferon therapy. He was recently awarded a grant from the National MS Society to study the cause of the signaling problem and ways to correct it.
Atman P. Shah, MD, is an interventional cardiologist who specializes in utilizing minimally invasive, catheter-based techniques. Dr. Shah performs angioplasty, stenting, atherectomy and thrombectomy procedures to treat patients with heart disease. He specializes in caring for patients with complex structural heart disease including atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, patent foramen ovale and aortic valve stenosis. Dr. Shah also uses catheter-based treatments to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Dr. Shah's research efforts focus on improving survival rates in patients who have experienced a cardiac arrest or an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). Additionally, he studies new therapies that can help save heart muscle during a heart attack. Dr. Shah is the primary investigator on a number of large multicenter clinical trials investigating novel medications and devices designed to improve the quality of life in patients with coronary artery and structural heart disease.
Dr. Shah has authored six book chapters and more than 50 abstracts and publications. A dedicated educator, he trains medical students, residents and fellows. He is the recipient of several honors and awards for clinical service, leadership and teaching.
Carol Semrad, MD, is a gastroenterologist, specializing in small bowel diseases (celiac disease, diarrhea, malabsorption) and nutrition. She is a leader in the use of small bowel endoscopy (video capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy) for management of small bowel bleeding, ulcers, and tumors. She is member of the medical leadership team at the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.
She has co-authored chapters on malabsorption and diarrheal diseases for major medical textbooks and directed courses on small bowel endoscopy. Dr. Semrad has also developed teaching material on clinical nutrition and the short bowel syndrome for the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). As chairperson of the University of Chicago Medicine's Nutrition Advisory Committee, she oversees hospital policy on nutrition.
Dr. Semrad has received several awards including the AGA's Senior Research Fellow Award and Research Scholar Award. She has also been named one of the nation's top gastroenterologists by U.S. News and World Report, and one of the city's top doctors by Chicago magazine.
Clarabelle DeVries, MD, specializes in pediatric orthopaedic surgery, and takes a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating pediatric orthopaedic conditions, including scoliosis, clubfoot, hip dysplasia and cerebral palsy. Dr. DeVries' expertise spans everything from broken bones and sports injuries to limb deformities and length discrepancies.
Dr. DeVries understands that personalized treatment plans are crucial for long-term success with children and young adults. She ensures that each patient receives care that will not only improve their condition, but will also support proper musculoskeletal development throughout their lives.
Along with a devotion to her clinical practice, Dr. DeVries is also committed to improving care for her pediatric patients through research. She has investigated best practices in in pediatric orthopaedic surgery to provide the best solution for each individual child. Her research is published in several peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and more.
D. Kyle Hogarth, MD, is an expert in pulmonary diseases. He also specializes in the minimally invasive diagnosis, management, staging and treatment of lung cancer through bronchoscopy. Dr. Hogarth was the first doctor in the Midwest to use the Monarch by Auris - a robotic bronchoscopy navigation system with 3-D imaging technology built into a robotic scope that allows him to reach deeper into the lung than ever before to detect and/or biopsy nodules and masses. Additionally, Dr. Hogarth is able to offer his patients unparalleled diagnostic accuracy by being the first in the United States to use the LungVision system with the robot to maximize precision. He uses endobronchial ultrasound to biopsy lymph nodes and performs minimally invasive procedures to help patients with lung cancer. He sees patients in clinic on Fridays.
Dr. Hogarth was the first physician in Illinois to perform Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction (bLVR) for severe emphysema using both the Zephyr valve and the Spiration valve.
Along with his strides with bLVR, Dr. Hogarth was the first physician in Illinois to perform bronchial thermoplasty, a FDA-approved technique to treat severe asthma. He has done the most cases in the United States and has authored numerous publications on this topic.
Dr. Hogarth's expertise has been recognized by both patients and colleagues alike. In 2007 and 2011, he received the Department of Medicine's Outstanding Junior Faculty Clinical Service Award and in 2013 and 2014 the Department of Medicine's Outstanding Clinical Service Award. In addition to his dedication to his patients, Dr. Hogarth is committed to teaching, receiving the resident teaching award in 2020 and has been named a Distinguished Chest Educator several years in a row. Dr. Hogarth is also on several editorial boards for premier medical journals, and serves as a manuscript reviewer for multiple other journals.
Dr. Hogarth is the founder and past president of the Society for Advanced Bronchoscopy.
Job Titles:
- Distinguished Service Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology
David T. Rubin, MD, is a renowned gastroenterologist who specializes in the treatment and assessment of digestive diseases. His clinical expertise includes inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).
Job Titles:
- Dean
- Dean of the Biological Sciences Division / Dean of the Pritzker School of Medicine / Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs
- Dean of the UChicago Biological Sciences Division
- President Tom Jackiewicz
- President Tom Jackiewicz / President, University of Chicago Health System / President, University of Chicago Medical Center
Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, is the Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and Pritzker School of Medicine, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, and Paul and Allene Russell Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, where he heads the medical and biological research, education, care delivery, and community-engagement enterprises. He works closely with leaders across the University to drive growth of the health system and integrate the academic, basic research, and clinical programs to leverage the strengths of each, including efforts to create fundamental new knowledge, train future leaders, enhance community health, health equity, and access to care for communities in Chicago's South Side and beyond.
A renowned scholar, physician and caregiver, Anderson's research, commitment to education and medical leadership have earned international recognition. He is a leading expert on the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure, conducting research focused on the role of the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias, which are a common cause of sudden cardiac death. In a seminal 2008 study, his team found that CaMKII could be activated by the oxidization of the amino acid methionine, allowing the protein to sustain its activity even without the presence of calcium or calmodulin. This mechanism, and its activation by angiotensin II-induced oxidation, can lead to cell death in cardiomyocytes, while later work showed that oxidized CaMKII contributes to atrial fibrillation, heart failure and asthma. His work, most recently funded by an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, has continued to explore the potential for targeting oxidized CaMKII in treating atrial fibrillation and heart failure without inadvertently inhibiting the molecule's critical role in the brain.
Anderson came to the leadership at UChicago in October 2022 from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he served as director of the Department of Medicine, the William Osler Professor of Medicine and physician-in-chief of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Before moving to Johns Hopkins, he was chairman and department executive officer of internal medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine from 2005 to 2014, while also leading Iowa's Cardiovascular Research Center and serving as the François Abboud Professor of Medicine. He was on the medical faculty at Vanderbilt University from 1996 to 2005, where he directed educational and clinical programs and served as the Jack and Betty Bailey Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine.
Anderson has published more than 160 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and book reviews, and has served on the editorial board for several scientific publications, including the Journal of Clinical Investigation. He has given invited talks across the United States and in more than a dozen nations and was included over many years in the Castle Connolly Top Doctors listing. He is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians and the National Academy of Medicine.
Ajay Wagh, MD, MS, specializes in pulmonary medicine with a focus in interventional pulmonology. Dr. Wagh is focused on using minimally invasive techniques for diagnosing and treating a wide range of lung and chest conditions, including stage lung cancer, chronic respiratory illness, complex airway disorders, pleural disease (pleurisy, pneumothorax, pleural tumors) and more.
Along with his clinical practice, Dr. Wagh is an active researcher. He investigates diagnostic techniques used to improve outcomes and quality of life for pulmonary patients. His work as been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Thoracic Disease, Respiratory Medicine and American Journal of Physiology, Lung, Cell, Molecular Physiolog y.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Editorial Reviewer
- Joseph Bolivar De Lee Professor
Dr. Diane Yamada, Joseph Bolivar De Lee Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Chief of the Section of Gynecologic Oncology at UChicago Medicine. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers. She is the principal investigator at the University of Chicago for the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), a cooperative clinical trials group supported by the National Cancer Institute.
Her areas of interest include: Surgery for gynecologic malignancies including ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers, as well as minimally invasive surgery; Prophylactic surgery for women at high risk for the development of hereditary ovarian and endometrial cancers; Management of high grade uterine cancers; Intraperitoneal chemotherapy; and Clinical trials. Her recent research focuses on the regulation and radiologic imaging of ovarian cancer metastasis and the unique biology of aggressive uterine cancers. She conducts clinical trials targeting ovarian cancer as well as endometrial and cervical cancer through the GOG.
Dr. Yamada is an editorial reviewer for a number of academic medical journals, including the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology and Cancer. She is also the author or co-author of numerous book chapters and reviews concerning gynecologic cancers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Executive Committee Member
- Professor of Obstetrics
Dr. Iris Romero, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, is a highly skilled obstetrician and gynecologist with expertise in cancer prevention. Dr. Romero has formal and clinical training in the assessment and management of hereditary cancers. Her clinical practice includes individuals with a family history of gynecologic or breast cancer and patients with genetic mutations that predispose to gynecologic cancers, including BRCA mutations and others. To reduce the risk of cancer Dr. Romero works closely with her patients to integrate risk assessment, screening, and prevention. Dr. Romero also provides the full spectrum of general OB/GYN care including management of abnormal periods, fibroid treatment, contraception, and routine obstetrical care.
Dr. Romero's clinical practice complements her active research program, which focuses on developing new agents for gynecologic cancer prevention and treatment. Her research program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and nonprofit foundations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Sonali M. Smith, Elwood V. Jensen Professorship of Medicine and Section Chief of Hematology/Oncology at UChicago Medicine, is an expert in the care and treatment of adults with all types of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She has a special interest in new agents for lymphoma, as well as stem cell transplantation and its role in improving the survival of patients with relapsed lymphomas.
An active researcher, Dr. Smith is involved in the development of promising agents for patients with non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma. She is principal investigator on a number of innovative clinical trials. Many of the trials incorporate the collection of tumor and blood samples to study the effects of treatment on cancer cells through collaborative laboratories.
Dr. Smith frequently lectures to both physicians and patient groups on these topics. She serves on several national committees charged with improving treatment options for patients with lymphoma, providing physician education, and providing reliable information for patients through established websites. Dr. Smith also frequently performs peer reviews of research being considered for publication in major medical journals. Additionally, she has won several teaching awards at the University of Chicago.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Administration and Executive Committee Member
- MPhil, MA, Associate Director for Administration and Executive Committee Member
Drew Memmott leads the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center administrative unit. He joined the leadership team in 2021. He has extensive experience in scientific administration and managing NCI designated Cancer Centers. Prior to joining the University of Chicago, he oversaw all research administrative functions for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and served as Associate Director for Administration for the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. He was previously the Associate Director for Administration at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and Director of Research Administration at Columbia University Medical Center. He currently serves on the External Advisory Board of several national Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Drew has graduate degrees from the University of Washington and Columbia University.
As Associate Director for Administration at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, he has broad oversight for the administrative and fiscal management of the center, including financial management, personnel, IT infrastructure to support clinical trials operations, pre- and post-awards for the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) and multiple interdepartmental grants, Cancer Center public relations and communications, and philanthropic activities. In addition, he works collaboratively with Cancer Center leadership in strategic planning activities and implementation of plans for programmatic growth.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Executive Committee Member and Strategic Advisor
Geoffrey Greene, PhD, is the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor, chair of The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, co-director of the Ludwig Center for Metastasis, and executive committee member and strategic advisor at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Greene oversees the implementation, organization, and activities of the Comprehensive Cancer Center research programs and core facilities that support these programs. He assists and advises the Comprehensive Cancer Center director on strategic and operational decisions and participates in philanthropic fundraising efforts, especially with The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation (UCCRF).
Dr. Greene is internationally recognized for his many contributions to the field of steroid hormone action and breast cancer. His contributions have improved not only our understanding of the nature and function of steroid receptors, but also their measurement and utility in cancer. In addition, his ongoing structural studies have helped define novel selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) that may be suitable for breast and uterine cancer prevention in women, as well as for use in promoting many of the desirable effects of estrogen, such as maintenance of bone density and cardiovascular function, while reducing undesirable side effects.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Director for Community Outreach and Engagement
Gina Curry, MPH, MBA, is an experienced community engagement specialist with over 15 years in community engaged academic research. Curry is well versed in community-academic partnership development, program development, training design and delivery, coalition building and multi-institutional collaborations.
Prior to joining the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curry served as the Community Campus Coordinator for Northwestern University's Community Based Participatory Research Program for 11 years. She was instrumental in brokering more than 500 partnerships, resulting in dozens of community-engaged research projects, scientific manuscripts, as well as Foundation, PCORI and NIH funding. Curry is particularly interested in the intersection of faith and health and has been an active member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) for more than a decade, frequently moderating sessions and presenting in their Faith Caucus, Community Based Public Health Caucus, and Cancer Forum.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Director for Communications
Jane Kollmer, BA, is the director for communications at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a communicator with more than 15 years of experience, Kollmer is well-versed in marketing strategies that attract and engage audiences through the strategic use of compelling content.
In her role, Kollmer is responsible for elevating the UCCCC's profile as a leading cancer research institution and raise visibility of and positive affiliation for the UCCCC among members, staff, medical and research communities, news media, and the public. She is also a member of the steering committee for the Public Affairs & Marketing Network (PAMN).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, and Executive Committee Member
Jasmin A. Tiro, PhD, MPH, is the associate director of cancer prevention and population sciences for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a recognized leader in HPV vaccination and cancer screening, Dr. Tiro brings the experience and skillset needed to expand the program's strengths to include the design and implementation of health behavior interventions that address well-documented disparities on the South Side of Chicago. With her arrival, we will be able to accomplish our vision to lead comprehensive efforts locally and nationally to reduce the burden of cancer, and reduce cancer health disparities, especially for people living in our catchment area.
She works closely with cancer center leadership in shaping and refining the population research programmatic goals and activities within the context of the overall cancer center mission. Dr. Tiro leads faculty recruitment and pilot research programs to augment existing programmatic strengths, catalyze new innovative programs, and bridge intra- and inter-programmatic interactions. She also partners with the Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity led by Drs. Karen Kim and Nita K. Lee to translate cancer prevention and control discoveries into outreach programs that benefit the community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Translational Sciences and Executive Committee Member
Jing Chen, PhD, is the Associate Director for Translational Sciences for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a renowned researcher in cancer metabolism, Dr. Chen is interested in elucidating the signaling basis underlying cancer metabolism and nutritional influences on cancer and response to cancer therapy for improved clinical outcomes.
In his role as the first Associate Director for Translational Sciences at the UCCCC, he has oversight of translational research activities across the Center and oversees the current infrastructure, which includes existing working groups and the newly developing Translational Groups of Research Excellence.
He partners closely with other Associate Directors to develop a translational research strategy and foster team science grants such as P01s, U01s and SPOREs. Under Dr. Chen's leadership, the UCCCC aims to improve its translational capabilities and foster its translational pipeline from basic scientific discoveries to clinical research and future clinical application.
Job Titles:
- Mentor Award for Sustained Excellence from the Pritzker School of Medicine
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Assistant Director for Administration
Jolanta (Jola) Glotzer, MD, MS, is the Assistant Director for Administration for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. She transitioned to this position in 2022 from the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division (BSD) Dean's Office, where she served as Associate Director for Research Initiatives. She brings a background in medicine, basic biomedical sciences and over 12 years of experience in varied administrative duties.
In her role, Dr. Glotzer serves as a liaison to UCCCC programs, shared resources, grants management personnel, and other administrative units of the UCCCC and the University. She manages and coordinates programmatic activities of the UCCCC, prioritizing those related to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG). In addition, Dr. Glotzer manages the UCCCC's robust portfolio of internal funding opportunities relying on both CCSG developmental funds and philanthropy to support new initiatives and pilot projects.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Basic Sciences and Executive Committee Member
Kay Macleod, PhD, is the Associate Director for Basic Sciences for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Macleod is a basic science researcher who uses cutting-edge approaches in cell and molecular biology, systems biology, novel mouse models and human patient samples to ask some of the most important questions about how mitochondria control tissue homeostasis, and how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cancer progression and metastasis.
In this role, she has oversight of basic research activities across the Center and oversees the current infrastructure, including oversight of the Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer and Immunology and Cancer programs. She partners closely with other Associate Directors to develop a research strategy that fosters team science grants such as P01s, U01s, and SPOREs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- FRCOG, FACOG, Director
Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, FRCOG, FACOG, an expert in immunotherapy and vaccine therapy for cancer, is Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Odunsi also serves as Biological Sciences Division Dean for Oncology and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago.
Odunsi is a gynecologic oncologist whose research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of immune recognition and tolerance in ovarian cancer and translating these findings to immunotherapy clinical trials. He pioneered the development of antigen-specific vaccine therapy and "next generation" adoptive T-cell immunotherapies to prolong remission rates in women with ovarian cancer.
He came to Chicago from Buffalo, New York, where he served as Deputy Director at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also served as Executive Director of the Center for Immunotherapy and Chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at Roswell Park.
Odunsi's honors and awards include election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2018 and the Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research Award in 2019. He has authored or co-authored more than 360 publications and contributed to several books and book chapters. His work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Cancer Research Institute and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation Alliance, among others. He serves or has served on 10 editorial boards and multiple NIH study sections, and held numerous visiting professorships and guest lectureships. He also holds leadership positions in several national organizations such as Co-chair of the NCI Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network and Chairperson-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research's Cancer Immunology Working Group.
Odunsi received his medical degree from the University of Ife in Nigeria, and his PhD degree from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, United Kingdom. He completed his residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at the Rosie Maternity and Addenbrooke's Hospitals, University of Cambridge, in the U.K., and Yale University School of Medicine, in New Haven, Connecticut. His fellowship in gynecologic oncology was at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Buffalo, New York, where he joined the faculty in 2001.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Clinical Research
Lauren Wall has over 16 years of experience in cancer clinical research spanning industry and academic healthcare. She assists in developing and executing strategic and operational plans for clinical research conducted by the UCCCC, including new business practices and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). In addition, Wall is an appointed Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Clinical Trial Scientific Review (CTRC) committee member at the University of Chicago. Wall is an instructor for the University of Chicago Professional Education, teaching courses in the Clinical Trials Regulatory and Compliance program and Northwestern University teaching courses in the Master of Science in Regulatory Compliance.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Deputy Director and Executive Committee Member
- Professor of Medicine, Is the Deputy Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
M. Eileen Dolan, PhD, professor of medicine, is the Deputy Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In this role, Dolan works closely with Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, the Cancer Center's Director and Dean of Oncology, on the organization's vision, mission and strategy. She is responsible for monitoring strategic research-related initiatives and milestones, ensuring widespread faculty involvement in center initiatives and supporting team science efforts.
Previously, she was the long-time co-leader of the center's Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics Program. She also served as the Associate Director for Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination, working to expand, integrate and coordinate all cancer-related educational efforts in the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Dolan is considered a leader in pharmacogenomics of anticancer agents. She is known for developing cell-based methods to identify genetic variants contributing to chemotherapeutic induced toxicity. Her laboratory lead the way in using International HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) to demonstrate that chemotherapeutic induced cytotoxicity is a heritable trait and demonstrated differences in gene expression and sensitivity to chemotherapy in LCLs derived from individuals of European, African, African American and Asian descent. More recently, her laboratory is employing induced pluripotent stem cell derived neuronal cells to evaluate chemotherapeutic induced neuropathy, the most common non-hematologic adverse effect of chemotherapy. She is involved in a number of clinical genome wide association studies to identify and functionally validate genetic variants/genes contributing to chemotherapeutic-induced toxicities.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Executive Committee Member and Strategic Advisor
- Expert
- International Leader
Mark J. Ratain, MD, is an expert in the use of investigational agents to treat advanced solid tumors in addition to his specialty in the clinical pharmacology of marketed drugs. Dr. Ratain has an interest in the clinical development of new oncology drugs, and more recently, his research focused on the use of pharmacogenomics to guide personalized prescribing and interventional pharmacoeconomics. Through this research, he is aiming to decrease prescribing costs through the use of lower dosages, less frequent dosing, shorter duration of treatment, and/or therapeutic substitution.
Dr. Ratain is an international leader in phase I clinical trials, pharmacogenetics and clinical trial methodology, and he created the new discipline of interventional pharmacoeconomics. His work can be found in more than 500 published articles and book chapters.
He has also received several awards/recognitions for his dedication to improving medicine. In 2015, Dr. Ratain received the Award in Excellence in Clinical Pharmacology from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation. In 2016 he was the nominee (Scientific Advances), from the Giants of Cancer, OncLive and in 2019 Dr. Ratain presented the Gruber Lectureship at Thomas Jefferson University.
Mark Ratain, MD, Leon O. Jacobson Professor of Medicine, is an Executive Committee Member and Strategic Advisor at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center and leader of the Pharmacology Core Facility.
Dr. Ratain oversees the implementation, organization, and activities of the programs and core facilities that support clinical research. He advises the Comprehensive Cancer Center director on strategic planning and operational and budgetary issues in the area of clinical research. Dr. Ratain also serves as chair of the Clinical Research Advisory Committee (CRAC), which meets quarterly to review operations and policy related to clinical research, including the CCTO and PRMS.
Dr. Ratain's research interests are in the pharmacogenetics of anticancer agents and Phase I and Phase II drug studies. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how genetic variation among individuals contributes to differences in the way they respond to medicine. Dr. Ratain's research is focused on the metabolism of specific anticancer agents. He has demonstrated the critical importance of genetic variants in determining variability in the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of certain anticancer drugs. His research has become a model for understanding variability in response to newer targeted drugs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Director for Education
- Director for Education, Training and Evaluation
Megan Mekinda, PhD, is the director for education, training and evaluation at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC). Mekinda joined the UCCCC in 2016 and is an expert in positive youth development, career development, program design and mixed-methods program evaluation.
Mekinda works closely with university and community partners to strengthen cancer-related education initiatives at UChicago. She manages a robust network of early research training and career development opportunities, enrolling more than 60 high school and college students annually. She also oversees initiatives to support those at more advanced stages of their training and careers, including the UCCCC's membership category for graduate and medical students, and postdoctoral and clinical fellows, engaged in cancer-related research. These efforts help to fulfill the UCCCC's mission to build a diverse and highly skilled cancer workforce to help all people live longer, healthier lives.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Physician - in - Chief and Executive Committee Member
Mitchell Posner, MD, is the Thomas D. Jones Professor of Surgery and chief of the Section of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology. With a reputation earned as a leading authority in the management of upper gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Posner couples his skill as a cancer surgeon with a commitment to multidisciplinary care, providing his patients with optimal outcomes.
Dr. Posner's work goes beyond the operating room. In the lab, he focuses on the molecular basis of malignancies, which has enabled him to design and guide groundbreaking clinical trials for cancers of the pancreas, esophagus, colon, stomach, rectum, and liver. With more than 30 years of experience, he has won dozens of awards and published 200 articles, abstracts, and book chapters.
He has won the University of Chicago's Robert J. Baker Award for Excellence in Teaching, as well as the Basic Science and Clinical Research Award from the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Posner has held several leadership positions during his distinguished career. He is past-president of the Society of Surgical Oncology. He is deputy editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology. He served as chairman of the Gastrointestinal Committee of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement and Executive Committee Member
Nita K. Lee, MD, MPH, is the Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. As an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Section of Gynecologic Oncology, she specializes in the diagnosis, surgery, and survivorship care for patients with gynecologic malignancies.
In addition to her clinical practice, she focuses on patient-centered research in cancer survivorship and disparities, such as lifestyle changes, patient navigation, and psychosocial needs of gynecologic cancer survivors. She has a long history of collaboration with community organizations and survivors in their advocacy and education efforts.
In her role, she oversees all COE activities across the Cancer Center as well as OCECHE, the UCCCC Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity, which focuses on community education, collaborations for linkages to care, and promoting community-academic collaborations for research. Dr. Lee partners closely with other Associate Directors to influence the research strategies that focus on key UCCCC priorities that are responsive to community cancer burden and needs. She works closely with the UCCCC Clinical Trials Support Office to increase enrollment of underrepresented populations to cancer clinical trials.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Director for Informatics and Information Technology
Rajan Gopalakrishnan, MS, is the director for informatics and information technology (IT) at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Gopalakrishnan joined in May 2011 with 16 years of experience in healthcare and public health IT consulting where he worked with several large regional hospital systems and state and public health organizations.
As the director for informatics, Gopalakrishnan is responsible for the design, maintenance, upkeep of all informatics and IT capabilities within the Cancer Center. In addition, he participates in setting future strategy and the roadmap for cancer informatics functions that will provide cutting-edge support for Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers and staff. Gopalakrishnan is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and likes to pursue interesting developments in public health informatics within the cancer domain.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Weichselbaum's research interests include mechanisms of tumor spread and how radiation therapy and immunotherapy can be used to better treat cancer. He is also studying patterns of gene expression in human tumors that confer resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Weichselbaum invented a radio-inducible form of gene therapy TNFerade, which is currently in clinical trials. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than 35 years.
He is also editor of Cancer Medicine, a definitive reference textbook compiled to help oncologists and internists apply scientific principles to clinical practice.
Ralph Weichselbaum, MD, is a radiation oncologist investigating tumor and host factors that limit metastasis and novel methods of treatment of metastasis. One of his most distinguished accomplishments includes when he and Samuel Hellman, dean of biological sciences at the University at the time, discovered oligometastasis, an intermediate state of metastasis that could be successfully treated and controlled. He and Hellman maintained that many patients with oligometastatic disease could be cured, depending on the extent of disease burden, with either surgery or targeted radiation therapy. This notion, the spectrum theory of metastasis, has slowly been accepted, backed by a mounting series of reports of successful treatments.
He has published more than 850 academic papers or reports across multiple fields. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards and honors. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) honored Weichselbaum as the 2018 recipient of the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and, in that same year, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) awarded him with the Gold Medal, one of its highest honors. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Physicians.
Weichselbaum was born in Chicago, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and attended medical school at the University of Illinois in Chicago. After medical school, he did his residency at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy at Harvard University. He later joined the faculty there, rising quickly to associate professor status. In 1984, he was recruited to the University of Chicago to become Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology. He is now the Daniel K. Ludwig Distinguished Service Professor, Co-Director of the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, and Director of the Center for Molecular Oncology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Director for Finance
Robyn Egan, BA, is the Director for Finance for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Egan joined the UCCCC in June 2002 with a background in economics and biological/physical sciences and has over 15 years of specialized experience in biomedical research administration: financial management and budgeting/accounting, grant and contract administration, clinical trial development, initiation, and implementation, regulatory affairs, data management, patient advocacy and preclinical laboratory technology.
Egan oversees all fiscal operations of the Center, including pre- and post-award sponsored research finances of large, complex, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, multi-investigator program project and center grants (type P01, P30, P50, U10, U54, UG3, SPORE, etc.) as well as non-federal grants, subcontracts, and gift & endowment activity. She manages daily operations in the areas of finance, purchasing, grants, and recharge mechanisms, and directly supervises the Center's finance team. Egan works in partnership with University Research Administration, Financial Services, Cancer Center members and their departments, and the IT and finance teams to develop comprehensive financial statements and operating budgets.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Principal Investigator
- Associate Director for Clinical Investigation and Executive Committee Member
Russell Szmulewitz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Genitourinary Oncology Program, is the UCCCC Associate Director for Clinical Investigation and member of the UCCCC Executive Committee. He is also a co-leader of the UCCCC Clinical and Experimental Therapeutic Program. His research bridges the clinic and laboratory and focuses on the development of novel therapeutic strategies for advanced prostate cancer. In particular, his translational laboratory explores resistance mechanisms to hormonal therapies and efforts to develop new therapeutics coupled with predictive biomarkers to target therapy resistance with precision.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Education and Executive Committee Member
- Associate Professor of Radiology
Samuel Armato, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology, is an Executive Committee member the Associate Director for Education at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Having spent the past nine years as the Chair of the Committee on Medical Physics, through which he serves as Director of the Graduate Program in Medical Physics, Armato has an established track record as a leader and mentor for promising young cancer researchers. The Graduate Program in Medical Physics is recognized internationally for its research excellence and the caliber of its faculty, students and graduates.
Armato's research broadly involves the development and evaluation of computerized techniques for the quantitative analysis of medical images and the assessment of tumor response to therapy through a variety of interdisciplinary image-based projects. He is also the Faculty Director of the Human Imaging Research Office (HIRO). In his role as the Associate Director of Education, Armato works closely with leadership to expand, integrate and coordinate all cancer-related educational efforts in the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Staff Leadership Team
- Assistant Vice President for the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Development Department
Stephanie Dahl serves as Assistant Vice President for the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Development Department. Dahl joined the University of Chicago in 2007, and has over 20 years of experience in academic fundraising. In her role as AVP, she works closely with cancer faculty, leadership and University administration to advance institutional priorities and develop funding plans for a wide variety of cancer research, educational and social and community facing programs.
In her role, she builds partnerships with donors who share the goals of advancing excellence in cancer research, education and patient care and aspire to facilitate philanthropy at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. Philanthropy provides an opportunity for individuals to connect their passions and aspirations to leaders at the University of Chicago Medicine in order to solve complex problems, educate the country's future leaders in science and medicine, and provide the best and most advanced healthcare to our patients.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Tara Henderson, MD, MPH, specializes in the diagnosis and medical treatment of patients with pediatric cancers. She has a particular interest in the care of childhood cancer survivors.
Dr. Henderson's research focuses on the development of and screening for second cancers in childhood cancer survivors. Although treatment of childhood malignancies has become increasingly successful, with a current overall cure rate approaching 80 percent, with it comes the long-term toxic late effects of chemotherapy and radiation during critical stages of development, including second cancers and damage to vital organ systems. Dr. Henderson is interested in the characterization of second cancers and those susceptible, so that early and appropriate screening regimens can be developed.
At the University of Chicago, she is the Founder and Director of the Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Survivor Center, is the Director of the Pediatric and AYA Lymphoma Program, and is the Director of Cancer Survivorship for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research interests include the outcomes of childhood and AYA cancer survivors and the clinical trials of upfront Hodgkin lymphoma therapy.
Dr. Henderson serves on several national committees including Steering Committees of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Prevention Committee, the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Survivorship/Outcomes and Hodgkin Lymphoma Committees. She was the Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Survivorship Committee and recently was elected to the ASCO Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Dean
- President of the University of Chicago Health System
- President of University of Chicago Health System
- President Tom Jackiewicz
- President Tom Jackiewicz / President, University of Chicago Health System / President, University of Chicago Medical Center
Thomas "Tom" Jackiewicz is President of the University of Chicago Health System and the University of Chicago Medical Center, which operate under the UChicago Medicine brand. He oversees the $4 billion, seven-hospital clinical enterprise that integrates the patient care mission of UChicago Medicine with the education and research missions of the University of Chicago.
Mr. Jackiewicz's career has focused on executing ambitious and broad transformation in academic environments and engaging physician leaders to drive organizational change. A strategic visionary, he has ushered in eras of substantial growth and improvement at academic health systems across the country.
His accomplishments since joining UChicago Medicine in August 2020 include:
Plans to build a new 575,000-square-foot cancer facility, which will be Illinois' first freestanding comprehensive cancer center and one of UChicago Medicine's largest investments for patients and the community
Creation of UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, a joint venture that added four Illinois hospitals and a network of nearly 50 physician offices and outpatient locations to the clinical enterprise
Construction of a 130,000-square-foot multispecialty care center in Northwest Indiana
Launch of a major collaborative of providers focused on increasing healthcare access and addressing health challenges on Chicago's South Side
During his tenure as CEO of Keck Medicine of USC, he grew University of Southern California's medical enterprise into a $2.2 billion regional academic health system with internationally renowned physicians, care quality in the top quartile in the country and exceptional scientific research capabilities. In 2019 and 2020, Keck Hospital achieved a top 20 ranking on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll.
Prior to joining USC, Mr. Jackiewicz served as CEO of University of California, San Diego Health System, and associate vice chancellor of University of California, San Diego Health Sciences. He led the academic health system during a period of major growth and expansion, including development of a foundation model that integrated UC San Diego pediatric faculty with the largest pediatric private practice sub-specialty group in San Diego.
Mr. Jackiewicz is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Leadership Greater Chicago. He is a member of the National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention & Safety, the Economic Club of Chicago and Beamtree Global Impact Committee. He co-chaired the 2022 Metro Chicago Heart Walk and the 2019 Los Angeles Heart Ball.
He is a frequent speaker at national gatherings of societies including the American College of Healthcare Executives, Becker's and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. A book chapter he authored, "Gaining and Keeping C-Suite Support for Perioperative Quality Improvement Initiatives," is included in Perioperative Quality Improvement, published by Elsevier in 2022.
Mr. Jackiewicz earned a master's degree from Columbia University and bachelor's from the University of Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Executive Committee Member and Strategic Advisor
- Expert
Walter Stadler, MD, is an expert in prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancers. He concentrates on the use of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, and molecularly targeted therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease.
His research focuses on the development of new treatments for these urological cancers. Dr. Stadler's research includes development of molecular and imaging markers for predicting response to various anti-cancer therapies.
Dr. Stadler has authored and co-authored more than 200 articles in medical journals such as Cancer Research and the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in addition to more than 100 book chapters, reviews, letters, and editorials. He is an active member of several committees and boards, including the medical advisory boards of the Kidney Cancer Association and the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, and the editorial board of UpToDate in Oncology, an information source for oncologists.
Walter Stadler, MD, Fred C. Buffet Professor of Medicine and Surgery, dean for clinical research, and director of the genitourinary program, is a senior advisor on the executive committee of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Stadler joined the faculty more than 20 years ago and focuses his research on innovative treatments for urological cancers as well as clinical trial design. He concentrates on the use of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, and molecularly targeted therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. His research focuses on the development of new treatments for these urological cancers. Dr. Stadler's recent research includes development of molecular and imaging markers for predicting response to various anti-cancer therapies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Associate Director for Shared Resources and Executive Committee Member
- Professor of Medicine
Yu-Ying He, PhD, Professor of Medicine in the Section of Dermatology, focuses her research on the molecular mechanisms in skin carcinogenesis induced by environmental ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the development of chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies to reduce the skin cancer burden. Her current research focuses on identifying previously unrecognized novel molecular/cellular processes that determine susceptibility to skin carcinogenesis. Her laboratory uses molecular, genetic, and translational approaches in cell culture models and clinically relevant animal models to investigate how DNA repair and DNA damage responses of skin cells are regulated in vivo and what their impact is on skin carcinogenesis.
She completed her PhD in Organic Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.