2024 Think Tank Speaker List

Name: Philip Abbosh MD, PhD

Institution: Fox Chase Cancer Center

Session: Between Germline and Tumor: The Aged Normal Urothelium, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.foxchase.org/philip-abbosh

Philip Abbosh MD, PhD is a surgeon scientist working in Philadelphia PA at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Albert Einstein Medical Center.  His lab’s main interest is in urinary biomarkers for urothelial cancers, specifically for the purpose of enhanced staging tools before/during/after therapies.  The Abbosh lab and Dr. Abbosh have benefited from BCAN immensely, particularly because most of our collaborations, which are vital due to our dependence on clinical samples, were born at prior Think Tanks and also because he received a young investigator award early in his research career.

Name: Piyush Agarwal, MD

Institution: University of Chicago

Session: Advancing Understanding and Treatment of Urethral Carcinoma, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/find-a-physician/physician/piyush-agarwal

Piyush Agarwal, MD, is a Professor of Surgery and Urology at the University of Chicago, specializing in bladder cancer. He has an extensive background in research, focusing on novel therapies for BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer, and has served on the FDA’s oncologic drug advisory committee. Dr. Agarwal is a prolific author and editor in the field of urologic oncology and has mentored numerous trainees. He currently leads the Urologic Oncology fellowship and bladder cancer program at the University of Chicago.

Name: Karin Allenspach Dr.med.vet. FVH, DECVIM-CA, PhD, FHEA, RCVS, AGAF

Institution: University of Georgia

Session: Advancements in Understanding Bladder Cancer Through Spontaneous Animal Models, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://vet.uga.edu/person/karin-allenspach-jorn/

Dr. Karin Allenspach received her veterinary degree from the University of Zurich. She did an internship in small animal emergency medicine and critical care at Tufts University and a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She was awarded a PhD in veterinary immunology from the University of Bern, Switzerland for her work on canine chronic enteropathies. She is currently employed as Professor of Comparative Medicine at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA, and is a PI of the SMART Translational Medicine Lab at the University of Georgia, which focuses on the development and culture of adult stem stem-cell-derived organoids from various species. Her latest efforts have resulted in the founding of a start-up company (3D Health Solutions, Inc.) with the goal of commercializing assays for drug screening based on organoid methods.

Name: Rotana Alsaggaf, PhD, MS

Institution: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

Session: Patient Engagement in Research

Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rotanaalsaggaf/

Rotana Alsaggaf, PhD, MS, is a Program Officer in Clinical Comparative effectiveness Research (CER) at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) in Washington, DC. She is an Epidemiologist and oversees a diverse CER portfolio including cancer studies such as the Comparison of Intravesical Therapy and Surgery as Treatment Options (CISTO) study in patients with recurrent high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. In her role, Rotana provides scientific and organizational guidance to shape the Clinical CER research agenda and funding priorities, develop funding announcements, and evaluate program activities to further the strategic direction of PCORI’s Clinical CER Program. 

Name: Andrea B. Apolo, MD

Institution: National Institutes of Health

Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://irp.nih.gov/pi/andrea-apolo

Dr. Apolo serves in the Center for Cancer Research of the National Cancer Institute as Head of the Bladder Cancer Section of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch and Director of the Bladder Cancer and Genitourinary Tumors Multidisciplinary Clinic. She has been instrumental in the clinical development of multiple immunotherapeutic agents and immunotherapeutic combinations, from first-in-human studies through phase 3 clinical trials. She led the bladder cancer study of avelumab that resulted in FDA approval in advanced bladder cancer. She also leads multiple rationally designed, cutting-edge targeted therapy and immunotherapy combination studies in bladder cancer and rare genitourinary tumors.

Name: Manju Aron, MD

Institution: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

Session: Advancing Understanding and Treatment of Urethral Carcinoma, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.keckmedicine.org/provider/manju-aron/

Dr. Manju Aron is a Professor of Clinical Pathology and Urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC (University of Southern California). She serves as the Section Director of Urologic Pathology at the institution. Dr. Aron’s medical background and expertise are primarily focused on genitourinary pathology, with a particular emphasis on urologic cancers. Her research and clinical work cover various aspects of urologic oncology.

Name: Rick Bangs, MBA/PMP

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbangs/

Rick Bangs is a bladder and prostate cancer survivor and has worked as a patient advocate in a variety of roles, including research advocacy, government lobbying, educational support, support groups, one-on-one support, and fundraising. He hosts the BCAN Bladder Cancer Matters podcast. He serves as the Bladder and Penile Cancer Patient Advocate for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a CPRIT advocate reviewer, and as a Patient Advocate on ASCO and AUA Guideline Panels. He is the former chair of the SWOG patient advocate committee, SWOG bladder cancer patient advocate, co-chair of the NCI patient advocate steering committee, NCI cancer care delivery research steering committee patient advocate, and NCI genitourinary cancer steering committee patient advocate. He is leading the SWOG membership profiles project in support of SWOG’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. In addition, he supports Stand Up to Cancer. He is a retired Marketing and IT professional.

Name: Shailender Bhatia, MD

Institution: University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/provider-directory/shailender-bhatia.html

Dr. Bhatia is a medical oncologist who specializes in the care of patients with advanced skin cancers that generally require systemic surveillance and therapy. His research interests also include intra-tumoral immunotherapy, a form of treatment where cancer medications are injected directly into a tumor to improve treatment responses while reducing systemic toxicity. With the continual improvement in our patients survival, he is also committed to reducing the financial and logistical impacts of cancer treatment by optimizing the dose and frequency of immunotherapy drugs and reducing wasteful healthcare expenses.

Name: Marc Bjurlin, DO, MSc, FACOS
Institution: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science, Discussion Leader
Webpage: https://www.med.unc.edu/urology/directory/marc-bjurlin-do/
Dr. Marc Bjurlin is an Associate Professor of Urology, member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of Clinical Trials at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. After residency, Dr Bjurlin completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at New York University along with a Master of Science degree in clinical investigation through the New York University School of Medicine. Prior to joining UNC, Dr. Bjurlin was Assistant Professor of Urology and Director of Urologic Oncology at NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn. His research interests include the molecular epidemiology of smoking and e-cigarette use related bladder cancers.

Name: Laura Bukavina, MD, MPH, MSc

Institution: Cleveland Clinic

Session: Cancer Nutrition and Microbiome Research, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/33312-laura-bukavina

Dr. Bukavina is an assistant professor of Urologic Oncology at Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urologic Institute, and translational science lead in GU oncology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. Dr. Bukavina completed her training at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in urologic oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center. In addition to her surgical training, she holds a master’s degree in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a master’s degree in immunology and molecular genetics from Drexel. Her educational background reflects her commitment to both surgery and cancer research. She has been recognized for her research evaluating the interplay between genetics, microbiome, and tumor microenvironment. Further, her recognition by the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) as one of the Top Women in Cancer Research underscores her standing as a pioneering figure among women cancer surgeon scientists.

Name: Manojkumar Bupathi, MD, MS

Institution: Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Session: Excellence in Bladder Cancer in the Community: What are the key components for success? Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.rockymountaincancercenters.com/physicians/manojkumar-bupathi

Dr. Bupathi is a board-certified medical oncologist and joined Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in 2017. He specializes in solid tumors with an advanced subspecialty expertise in breast cancers and genitourinary cancers (adrenal, bladder, kidney, penile, prostate, and testicular).  Dr. Bupathi is the Co-Chair for the US Oncology Genitourinary Cancer Research Program and serves as principal investigator for many Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III studies.

Name: Tania Carreón-Valencia, PhD, MS

Institution: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Session: “Working” Smarter to Prevent Bladder Cancer: Unraveling Bladder Cancer’s Occupational and Environmental Threads, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/carreota

Dr. Tania Carreón-Valencia has worked at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) since 2001 and is currently Senior Scientist at the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program. She is also Volunteer Associate Professor of Environmental and Public Health Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. While at NIOSH, she has conducted studies of workers exposed to aromatic amines and bladder cancer, and of rural residents exposed to agricultural chemicals and brain cancer. She has served on domestic and international expert workgroups that evaluate the carcinogenicity of agents. With the WTC Health Program, Dr. Carreón-Valencia provides scientific and policy advice to the Program’s Administrator and oversees special analytic studies conducted by the Program’s Data Centers. She also serves as Designated Federal Officer of the WTC Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee.

Name: Richard Chaves

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Patient Voice Panel with Diane Zipursky Quale

Webpage: http://www.chavesconsulting.com/

Richard Chaves was born and raised in rural Eastern Oregon where he spent his life, raised his family, and built his career in IT.  He is president and founder of Chaves Consulting, Inc., a 40+ year old company providing services across the nation primarily in the areas of elections and content management.  Richard is also managing general partner of Synergy Data Center, located in Baker City.  Prior to his diagnosis of two forms of cancer in the bladder, Richard served as Chair of the Eastern Oregon University Board of Trustees.  He and his wife Kathleen are actively involved in many community projects and fund-raising efforts, particularly those helping our youth and young adults.  Following successful treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Richard is now cancer free and has returned to living a full life in Baker City! Richard and Kathleen want to spend the rest of their lives telling their story and working to help others.

Name: Jonathan Chou, MD, PhD

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Session: BCAN 2023 Young Investigator

Webpage: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/jonathan.chou

Dr. Jonathan Chou is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology & Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. His lab is interested in identifying factors mediating resistance and response to surface protein targeting therapies  and identifying synthetic lethal relationships that are targetable. Jonathan completed his MD/PhD, residency in internal medicine and fellowship in medical oncology at UCSF. 

Name: Sean Clark-Garvey, MD, MPH

Institution: FDA

Session: BCAN Young Investigator

Dr. Clark-Garvey received his MD from the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. He then completed his internal medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, followed by an oncology fellowship and post-doctoral research fellowship, under the mentorship of Drs. William Kim and Matthew Milowsky, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Clinically he focused on genitourinary malignancies and in the Kim Lab his research involved exploring the effect of FGFR3 inhibition on Nectin-4 expression in preclinical models of bladder cancer. He currently is a physician with the Food & Drug Administration within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Name: Tyler J. Curiel, MD, MPH

Institution: Dartmouth Cancer Center 

Session: BCAN Innovation Award

Webpage: https://sites.dartmouth.edu/curiellab/our-team/

Tyler Curiel is an internationally-known physician-scientist. He is currently the Gmelich Professor of Cancer Immunotherapy at Dartmouth Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology at Dartmouth Medical School. He received his BS summa cum laude from the University of Georgia, his MPH from Harvard and his MD from Duke with election into Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed internal medicine training at Yale, Infectious Disease training at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital and Medical Oncology training at the University of Colorado. He has significant current NIH support including 4 active R01s and other grant support and has been funded continually from the US National Institutes of Health for 37 years. He has worked on immunotherapy for bladder cancer over the past 8 years, including in 4 novel clinical trials in collaboration with the Rob Svatek group at UT Health San Antonio. His lab’s current investigations into engineered IL2 effects in bladder cancer are a joint venture with the Jamie Spangler group at Johns Hopkins.

Name: Jeffrey Damrauer, PhD

Institution: University of North Carolina

Session: Navigating Young-Onset Bladder Cancer – From Genomics to Survivor Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://unclineberger.org/directory/jeffrey-damrauer/

Jeffrey Damrauer, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Oncology at The University of North Carolina. Dr. Damrauer co-leads the Bladder Cancer Research Program, overseeing the program’s computational and bioinformatic research. He has a long and productive track record in bladder cancer research, including the initial discovery and characterization of molecular subtypes of muscle invasive bladder cancer and leading the foundational analysis of the UC-GENOME study. Dr. Damrauer’s current interests include how the integration of clinical and bioinformatic data can be leveraged to understand the influence of molecular heterogeneity on disease progression and therapeutic response.  In addition to his research, Dr. Damrauer is a member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Genetics Program, is a member of Clinical Genitourinary Cancer’s editorial board, and serves on the board of the International Bladder Cancer Network (IBCN).

Name: Phillip J. Daschner, MSc

Institution: Division of Cancer Biology, NCI

Session: Cancer Nutrition and Microbiome Research, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/organization/dcb/about/contact/phil-daschner

Phillip Daschner, MSc, is a Program Director in the Cancer Immunology, Hematology, and Etiology Branch in the Division of Cancer Biology, NCI.  He currently manages a portfolio of basic research grants that investigate mechanisms of biological carcinogens (mostly viral and bacterial) and the role of host predisposing states such as diet/nutrition/obesity that are etiological factors or cofactors in carcinogenesis.

He has leadership roles on both the trans NIH Microbiome working group (TMWG) and the trans NCI Microbiome working group, which coordinate ongoing microbiome-related initiatives and activities at the NIH and Institute levels.  Before coming to DCB, Phil worked in the NCI Intramural Laboratory of Nutritional and Molecular Regulation, which was primarily interested in isolating and identifying specific natural compounds that are chemopreventive agents. His background and training are in microbial genetics and drug discovery from natural products, including the initial purification and testing of bryostatin, as well as the identification of curcumin and resveratrol as natural ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Name: Filipe De Carvalho, MD, PhD

Institution: Brigham & Women’s Hospital

Session: Exploring Research Rapid Autopsy Programs in Bladder Cancer: An Innovative Approach to Data Collection, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://physiciandirectory.brighamandwomens.org/details/15730/filipe-de_carvalho-urology-boston

Filipe Carvalho, MD, PhD is a urologic oncologist surgeon-scientist who oversees a translational research laboratory operating at the intersection of computational biology and preclinical models to functionally interrogate mechanisms of response and resistance to systemic therapies. Moreover, Dr. Carvalho leads the bladder cancer and germ cell tumor rapid autopsy program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which has successfully harvested tissue samples for high-throughput molecular profiling. The Carvalho lab integrates bulk and single cell-derived tumor and immune cellular programs of resistance to chemo- and immunotherapy with a specific focus in genitourinary tumors. His work has been recognized and funded by the American Urological Association, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, Karin Grunebaum Cancer Research Foundation and National Cancer Institute.

Name: Manjiri Dighe, MD

Institution: University of Washington Medical Center

Session: Emerging/Next Generation Imaging Technologies for Bladder Cancer, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/manjiri-dighe  

Manjiri Dighe, M.D., is a board-certified radiologist, Vice Chair of Quality and Safety and Director of Ultrasound at UW Medical Center and a UW Professor of Radiology.  She earned her M.D. at Topiwala National Medical College in India and through the American Board of Radiology in the United States. She is a fellow of the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine, Society of Abdominal Radiology and Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound. She is an expert in Urologic and Gynecologic/obstetric imaging. Dr. Dighe has conducted research on bladder cancer using non-invasive ways to diagnose malignancy, including ultrasound elastography, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and MRI. She has a long interest and expertise in obstetric imaging and has lectured on various topics in obstetrics nationally and internationally. Her research in obstetrics is focused on placenta accreta spectrum imaging.

Name: Mary W. Dunn, MSN, NP-C, OCN, RN

Institution: University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Session: Navigating the Emotional Landscape: Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Bladder Cancer Survivorship, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.unchealth.org/care-services/doctors/d/mary-w-dunn-rn-msn-ocn-np-c

Mary W. Dunn, MSN, NP-C, OCN, RN, joined the University of North Carolina Department of Urology in 2010 and has served as Adjunct Faculty for the UNC School of Nursing since 2011. Mary works in a multidisciplinary nurse practitioner role with Urology and Medical Oncology, providing comprehensive care to patients with genitourinary malignancies. She is a member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and her unique role allows her to provide autonomous patient-centered care while closely collaborating with internationally recognized providers and researchers in the field of urologic oncology.

Name: Jason A. Efstathiou, MD, DPhil, FASTRO, FACRO

Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital/Mass General Brigham.

Session: Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/17714/jason-efstathiou

Dr. Jason Efstathiou, is Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School (HMS), Vice-Chair for Faculty & Academic Affairs and Director of the Genitourinary (GU) Division in the Department of Radiation Oncology, and Clinical Co-Director of The Claire and John Bertucci Center for GU Cancers at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Mass General Brigham. He is an internationally recognized leader in the field of GU malignancies and Radiation Oncology. His research has informed clinical guidelines and made novel contributions to organ preservation therapy for bladder cancer, technology assessment of proton beam therapy for prostate cancer, as well as global oncology outreach efforts. He is the recipient of significant grant funding and serves as the Principal Investigator or Co-Chair of multiple multi-center, NCI-sponsored, randomized trials in bladder and prostate cancer. Dr. Efstathiou holds multiple leadership and Board positions within professional societies (ASTRO, ASCO, ABR, ACRO, ROI) including serving as recent Past-Chair of the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (GU ASCO), within patient advocacy organizations (BCAN, MPCC), within the NCI where he previously served as Co-Chair of the Bladder Cancer Task Force and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the GU Steering Committee, and within NRG Oncology where he has served as the Vice-Chair of the GU Steering Committee and Bladder Lead. In addition, he has a strong proven track record in teaching and mentorship and was awarded the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award from HMS. Dr. Efstathiou holds a B.S. from Yale University, M.D. from HMS, D.Phil. from the University of Oxford, and completed his residency training in the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program.

Name: Arielle Elkrief, MD, FRCPC

Institution: Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal Microbiome Centre Session: Cancer Nutrition and Microbiome Research

Webpage: https://www.icm.qc.ca/author/arielle-elkrief?lang=en

Dr. Arielle Elkrief MD is a physician scientist and medical oncologist, co-Director of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal Microbiome Centre, and Assistant Professor within the Department of Hematology-Oncology at the University of Montreal. Her work focuses on the gut and tumor microbiome as biomarker for cancer immunotherapy and novel therapeutic avenue. She currently leads four microbiome-centered trials for patients with lung cancer and melanoma and directs her research laboratory focusing on the tumor microbiome. Her research is supported by multiple competitive grants and she received awards such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award and the Cancer Research Society Next Generation of Scientists.

Name: Krisztina Emodi, FNP, MPH, CNS

Institution: University of California San Francisco Medical Center

Session: Navigating the Emotional Landscape: Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Bladder Cancer Survivorship, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/providers/krisztina-emodi Krisztina Emodi, FNP, MPH, CNS is a nurse practitioner at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center who cares for patients with cancers of the genital and urinary systems, specializing particularly in kidney and bladder cancer. Krisztina is involved in research on the education and care of patients with bladder cancer.

Name: Bishoy M. Faltas MD

Institution: Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Co-Chair and Exploring Research Rapid Autopsy Programs in Bladder Cancer: An Innovative Approach to Data Collection, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://weillcornell.org/bmfaltas

Dr. Bishoy M. Faltas is an internationally recognized physician-scientist who has made important contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving the evolution of urothelial cancer. He is currently the Chief Research Officer of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine where he also serves as Director of Bladder Cancer Research. He is the Gellert Family-John P. Leonard, MD Research Scholar and Associate Professor of Medicine, Cell and Developmental Biology at Weill Cornell Medicine. He has authored numerous articles in high-impact journals, including Nature, Nature Genetics, and Nature Communications. He received funding from the NCI R37 MERIT award, the Department of Defense, the Starr Cancer Consortium, and BCAN.

Name: Adam S. Feldman, MD, MPH

Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital 

Session: Advancing Understanding and Treatment of Urethral Carcinoma, Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://doctors.massgeneralbrigham.org/provider/Adam+S+Feldman/253448

Dr. Adam S. Feldman is a Urologic Oncologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is the Program Director of The Combined Harvard Medical School Urologic Oncology Fellowship Program and Associate Chair for Research for the Department of Urology at MGH. He completed his residency in urology in 2006 and subsequently completed his fellowship in urologic oncology in June 2008. Dr. Feldman focuses his clinical practice in the treatment of urothelial cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer and other genitourinary malignancies. He focuses his research interests on translational and clinical research in urothelial, prostate, and kidney cancers. He received a Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award for his work in novel biomarkers in prostate cancer and was awarded a Physician Research Training Award by the Department of Defense. He has since received several federally funded, foundation and industry sponsored research grants for his work in biomarker development and metabolomics in genitourinary malignancies.

Name: Thomas Flaig, MD

Institution: CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/about/leadership/vc-research

Thomas Flaig, MD, is a medical oncologist and has been part of the University of Colorado since 2003.  He has held a variety of administrative roles on campus, including in the School of Medicine, cancer center and UCHealth.  Most recently he was appointed vice chancellor of research for the CU Denver | CU Anschutz Medical Campus in March of 2020.  In addition to his clinical care and administrative work, Dr. Flaig has significant clinical and translational research experience, having led both local and national multi-center clinical trials and served as the local principal investigator on a large number of clinical trials including Phase I, II and III studies.  He also runs a translational lab focused on therapeutic and biomarker development in bladder and prostate cancer. 

Name: Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS

Institution: George Washington (GW) Cancer Center

Session: Cancer Nutrition and Microbiome Research, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://cancercenter.gwu.edu/profile/leigh-frame

Dr. Leigh Frame is the co-founder, associate director, and research director of the Resiliency & Well-being Center; the Executive Director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Heath; and an associate professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has a passion for understanding the gut-brain axis and is a nutrition and microbiome consultant. Through her extensive experience in biomedical research, Dr. Frame has developed a unique expertise bridging nutrition and immunity. Her interests include the roles of the microbiome and nutrition in well-being (especially the gut-brain axis), the impact of malnutrition in obesity, the immune-modulatory effects of vitamin D, research ethics, science communication, resiliency, and whole-person well-being. Her multidimensional knowledge and inquisitive approach yield valuable insight into the complexities of health.

Name: Sebastian Garrido-Lecca, MD, MSc, MBA

Institution: Bristol Meyer Squibb

Session: Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-garrido-lecca-8637732a/

Sebastian Garrido Lecca MD, MSc, MBA, received his MD from San Martin de Porres University (Peru), his MSc from Popeau Fabra University (Spain) and MBA from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (Peru).

Sebastian has 17 years of experience in Medical Affairs as well as Health Economics and Outcomes Research in the pharmaceutical industry. During his time at Bristol Myers Squibb, he has held roles of increasing responsibility in the Latin America, Middle East and within the US. Currently, he serves as the Worldwide Medical Oncology Lead for Immunotherapy in GU cancers.

Name: Kathryn Hacker Gessner, MD, PhD

Institution: University of North Carolina

Session: BCAN 2023 Young Investigator

Webpage: https://www.med.unc.edu/urology/directory/kathryn-hacker-gessner-md-phd/

Dr. Kathryn (“Kate”) Hacker Gessner is an assistant professor and laboratory-based surgeon-scientist in the Department of Urology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). After growing up in Delaware, Dr. Gessner completed the MD-PhD program followed by urology residency and a Society of Urologic Oncology fellowship at UNC. Dr. Gessner’s research focuses on the genomics and molecular biology driving the development and progression of genitourinary malignancies. As a urologic oncologist, she aims to utilize bench-to-bedside strategies to develop both improved pre-operative risk stratification techniques as well as therapies to prevent disease progression and improve the survival of patients with bladder and kidney cancer.

Name: Angeline (Angie) Glender

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Patient Voice Panel with Diane Zipursky Quale

Angeline (Angie) Glender, was born the youngest of five in White Plains, New York in October of 1956 to immigrant parents. She married her husband, Carlos, who joined the U.S. Navy. As a result, they moved quite frequently and also lived on navy bases. After his military service, we moved to Ohio where Angie completed her requirements for Registered Nurse (RN). She worked on the Med/Surg floor at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, OH and then later worked for Optum Health in Dayton, OH as a Trainer and then as a Supervisor. In 2017, the Glender’s moved to Charlotte, NC to be closer to our daughter and grandchildren after Carlos’ bladder cancer diagnosis. In April of 2021, Angie herself was diagnosed with Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). She already knew about BCAN through her husband and after some research and viewing BCAN webinars on UTUC. She decided to seek medical treatment at the Lineberger Cancer Center at UNC Chapel Hill. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery to remove her right kidney and ureter, she has been cancer free for almost 3 years. Angie serves as Secretary for the women’s club that she joined shortly after moving to Charlotte, NC and is living life to the fullest. She is truly grateful for the excellent medical care that she received and the excellent information and support she and Carlos received from BCAN.

Name: Alvin C. Goh, MD

Institution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Session: Emerging/Next Generation Imaging Technologies for Bladder Cancer

Webpage: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/doctors/alvin-goh

Dr. Alvin Goh is a fellowship-trained urologist specializing in minimally invasive surgical treatments, including robotic, laparoscopic, and endourologic procedures, for general and complex urologic diseases.  He has particular expertise in bladder, prostate, and kidney cancer as well as adrenal masses, and urinary tract reconstruction. He is Associate Professor of Urology and Director of Robotic Urologic Surgery Technology and Education at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Goh received his medical degree from Northwestern University and completed his general surgery internship and urology residency at the Baylor College of Medicine.  He pursued sub-specialty fellowship training in advanced laparoscopy and robotic surgery at the University of Southern California. Dr. Goh has helped to develop novel techniques for robotic kidney-sparing surgery, robotic bladder cancer surgery and intracorporeal urinary reconstruction, and single-site robotic and laparoscopic surgery.  He has won multiple awards for his scientific presentations and surgical videos at national and international meetings.  His research focuses on the application of new technology in the treatment of urologic diseases.

Name: John Gore, MD, MS

Institution: University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Patient Engagement in Research

Webpage: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/provider-directory/john-l-gore.html

John Gore, MD, MS is a clinician, surgeon, researcher, and educator, who specializes in urologic oncology and general urology. His clinical interests are in minimally invasive and robotic specialties surgery for kidney cancer, nephrectomy with vena caval thrombectomy, continent urinary diversions after removal of the bladder for bladder cancer, and reconstructive urologic surgery. Dr. Gore has focused his research on studying issues of access to care and quality of care for patients with prostate and bladder cancers.

Name: Petros Grivas, MD, PhD

Institution: University of Washington

Session: Exploring Research Rapid Autopsy Programs in Bladder Cancer: An Innovative Approach to Data Collection, Co-Chair and Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/petros-grivas

Dr. Petros Grivas is board-certified medical oncologist with vast experience and high expertise in genitourinary (GU) cancers. He is the Clinical Director of the GU Cancers Program and Professor at the Dept. of Medicine, Division of Hematology Oncology, University of Washington and at the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He received M.D. and Ph.D. in Greece in 2005 and 2009, respectively. He completed Internal Medicine Residency at Hahnemann University Hospital/Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia) in 2010, and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) in 2013. He was a Clinical Lecturer before he was recruited as Assistant Professor at Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland). He has had main role in several clinical trials leading to FDA approval of new drugs for urothelial cancer. He is considered a key opinion, thought leader and international expert, giving lectures in several countries, educating oncologists and other healthcare providers, mentoring numerous trainees, leading large innovative clinical trials, reviewing grant proposals and manuscripts, and publishing novel and important research. He is dedicated to personalized and outstanding patient care, efficient clinical operations, and believes in optimal patient-physician relationship as well as community outreach.

Name: Elizabeth Guancial, MD

Institution: Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute

Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science Co-Chair

Webpage: https://flcancer.com/staff/elizabeth-guancial-md/  

Dr. Elizabeth Guancial is from Western New York and graduated from Hamilton College in 2001. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 2006 and was a Howard Hughes Medical Scholar at NIH (2005-2006). Elizabeth stayed in Boston to complete her medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital for internship/residency and MGH/Dana Farber for fellowships in medical oncology and hematology. She subspecialized in genitourinary medical oncology under the direction of her mentor Dr. Jonathan Rosenberg and was a recipient of the Bladder Cancer Research Award from BCAN in 2010. She was an assistant professor at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at University of Rochester in Rochester, NY (2013-2018), before joining Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) in Sarasota, FL, in 2018. Her clinical focus is on genitourinary and gynecologic malignancies, and she serves as a principal investigator on multiple clinical trials with FCS. She is a member of the BCAN Think Tank Steering Committee (2022-2025) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Symposium Program Committee (2022-2025).

Name: Shilpa Gupta, MD

Institution: Cleveland Clinic

Session: Navigating Young-Onset Bladder Cancer – From Genomics to Survivor Perspectives, Co-Chair, Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers, Discussion Leader and Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/24785-shilpa-gupta

Dr. Shilpa Gupta is the Director of the Genitourinary Medical Oncology at Taussig Cancer Institute and Co-Leader of the Genitourinary Oncology Program at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Gupta’s research interests are novel drug development and understanding biomarkers of response and resistance to therapies in bladder cancer. Dr. Gupta has led several investigator initiated trials in genitourinary cancers and has leadership roles in NCI trials and is Chair of an Alliance led phase 3 trial in Bladder Cancer, Co-Chair of SWOG S1206 trial in Prostate Cancer and SWOG champion of the Alliance A031701 trial in Bladder Cancer. She is the Co-Chair of the Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) Genitourinary Working Group and Co-Chair of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center PRMC committee. 

Name: Vanessa Hale, MAT DVM, PhD

Institution: The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Session: Advancements in Understanding Bladder Cancer Through Spontaneous Animal Models, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://vet.osu.edu/people/vanessa-hale

Dr. Hale is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She received her DVM PhD at Purdue University, and prior to that received a master’s in teaching at Western New Mexico State University while teaching high school in Crownpoint, New Mexico. Dr. Hale completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Mayo Clinic Microbiome Program in the Center for Individualized Medicine. Her research employs translational animal models of disease to explore the role of the gut and urine microbiome in human and animal diseases. One major research focus of her lab is defining chemical-microbe-host interactions, and how gut and urine microbes metabolize environmental chemicals, and the impacts of this metabolism on the host. She works with a naturally occurring canine model of bladder cancer, and ultimately, her goal is to reveal ways in which we can manipulate the microbiome to prevent or treat diseases like bladder cancer.

Name: Donna E. Hansel, MD, PhD

Institution: MD Anderson Cancer Center

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-hansel-82b5438b/

Dr. Donna Hansel completed a Bachelor of Science degree program in Biology at the Johns Hopkins University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. She subsequently completed the M.D., Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program, pathology residency and urologic pathology fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Hansel joined the Cleveland Clinic Anatomic Pathology Staff as Assistant Professor in 2006 as a subspecialty genitourinary pathologist and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010. Dr. Hansel was subsequently recruited to the University of California at San Diego as a Professor of Pathology and Chief of the Division of Anatomic Pathology in 2013. In 2019, she assumed the role of Chair of Pathology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon.  In September 2022, Dr. Hansel joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as Division Head of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Name: Andrew C. Hsieh, MD

Institution: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Exploring Research Rapid Autopsy Programs in Bladder Cancer: An Innovative Approach to Data Collection, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://www.fredhutch.org/en/faculty-lab-directory/hsieh-andrew.html

Dr. Andrew Hsieh is a physician-scientist who balances the clinical care of prostate and bladder cancer patients with running a research laboratory at Fred Hutch. He studies how cells build proteins — and how cancer cells can co-opt this process to better grow and spread. Through these studies his team aims to develop new drugs that can selectively target these changes and ultimately impact the lives of patients with cancer.

Name: Hanna Hunter, MD

Institution: University of Washington Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Unveiling Innovations in Cognitive Resilience during Bladder Cancer Care with (P)Rehabilitation, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/hanna-hunter

Hanna Hunter MD is a board certified physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She is the Medical Director of Cancer Rehabilitation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the UW School of Medicine. She graduated from Rutgers Medical School prior to her residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia/Cornell. She completed a fellowship in Cancer Rehabilitation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center before moving to Seattle. Dr. Hunter works closely with oncologists as well as a team of physical, occupational, speech and lymphedema therapists to develop holistic and personalized rehabilitation plans. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal and neurologic changes that can occur from cancer and its treatment. Dr. Hunter’s scholarly interests focus on improving mobility and fitness prior to, during, and after cancer treatment. She treats patients throughout their cancer journey, whether it is creating an exercise plan to optimize strength before a surgery (pre-habilitation) or restoring strength during survivorship.

Name: Wendy J. Huss, PhD

Institution: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY

Session: Between Germline and Tumor: The Aged Normal Urothelium, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.roswellpark.org/wendy-huss

Wendy J. Huss, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY. Her research focuses on quantifying field cancerization during early tumorigenesis to predict tumor risk and treatment effectiveness. Studies in the skin have demonstrated that the clonal mutation burden, when cells with carcinogen-induced mutations expand, can be detected using ultradeep targeted DNA sequencing. Clonal mutation burden correlates with both tumor risk and field treatment effectiveness. Currently, similar studies are underway in normal bladder urothelium and a mouse model of carcinogen-induced bladder cancer. Wendy’s favorite place is Western NY in the summertime.

Name: Andrea M. Ireland, PhD, MPH
Institution: The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
Session: Rapid Research Update
Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amireland/

Andrea M. Ireland, Ph.D., MPH is the Director, Real World Value & Evidence supporting TAR-200 at Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC.  Andrea brings over 15 years of professional experience demonstrating the value of compounds to payers, regulators, clinicians, and patients using robust evidence.  She is a strategic leader committed to amplifying the patient voice in evidence generation.  Moreover, she is an advocate for the acceleration of diverse patients and care partners in clinical research. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s degree in public health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Public Health.   

Name: Gopakumar (Gopa) Iyer, MD

Institution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Session: Emerging/Next Generation Imaging Technologies for Bladder Cancer, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/doctors/gopa-iyer

Dr. Gopakumar (Gopa)  Iyer is a medical oncologist whose research focuses on the genomic characterization of urothelial carcinoma with the aim of identifying novel therapies for this cancer. He completed his oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and remained at MSKCC as a faculty member. He participates in both clinical trials and translational research to define new agents in urothelial cancer and predictive biomarkers of response and resistance to these agents.

Name: Guatam (Tom) Jayram, MD

Institution: Urology Associates of Nashville

Session: Excellence in Bladder Cancer in the Community: What are the key components for success? Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://www.urologynashville.com/providers/gautam-jayram-md/

Dr. Jayram graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis and then attended Vanderbilt University for medical school. He completed his urology residency including a year of research at the University of Chicago Hospitals. Following this, he completed a fellowship at the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins. As a clinical instructor at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Jayram gained tremendous experience with kidney, prostate, and bladder surgery with an emphasis on minimally-invasive cancer surgery. Since his time back in Nashville at Urology Associates, P.C., Dr. Jayram has established a large urologic oncology practice and is amongst the busiest robotic surgeons in the Southeast.

Name: Burles (Rusty) Johnson, MD, PhD

Institution: Johns Hopkins Medicine

Session: Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/Burles+A.+Johnson+III/2709723

Dr. Burles (Rusty) Johnson is a genitourinary medical oncologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital who specializes in treating patients with bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma.  He obtained M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the Medical College of Georgia, where he completed his residency in internal medicine.  He then completed his medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins and did additional postdoctoral research before joining the faculty.  He has an active laboratory which focuses on optimizing bladder cancer preclinical models, studying immunologic mechanisms of bladder cancer progression, elucidating biomarkers that correlate with bladder cancer survival and response to treatment, and testing immunotherapies in bladder cancer preclinical models.   His research has been funded by an ASCO Young Investigator Award, an AACR-BMS Fellowship for Young Investigators in Translational Immuno-oncology, a Harry J. Lloyd Charitable Trust Career Development Award, a Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Young Investigator Award, and a Department of Defense Career Development

Name: Ashish M. Kamat, MD, MBBS

Institution: MD Anderson Cancer Center

Session: Navigating Young-Onset Bladder Cancer – From Genomics to Survivor Perspectives, Co-Chair and Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance? Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/ashish_kamat.html

Dr. Ashish M. Kamat is a Professor of Urologic Oncology (Surgery) and Cancer Research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He also serves as Associate Cancer Center Director at the RFHNH Hospital in Mumbai and is the founding President and CEO of the International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG). Dr. Kamat specializes in genitourinary cancers, with a particular focus on immunotherapy for urothelial cancers. He has led numerous research efforts and clinical trials in this field, resulting in over 510 publications in prestigious journals, in addition to textbooks and news articles.

Name: Max Kates, MD

Institution: Johns Hopkins Brady Urologic Institute

Session: John Quale Travel Fellow Scientific Review Chair and Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/Max+Kates/2709471

Max Kates is an Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the Brady Urologic Institute at Johns Hopkins.  This marks his 10^th year of involvement with BCAN, since his first think tank meeting as a Quale fellow in 2015.  He currently serves on the think tank steering committee and chairs the Quale fellow selection committee.  He has been involved in basic, translational and clinical bladder cancer research throughout his career.  His work has sought to understand mechanisms involved in BCG efficacy and resistance, and how to improve intravesical chemotherapy delivery through novel nanoformulations.  He currently serves as study chair on the EA8212 “BRIDGE” trial which is comparing BCG vs Gemcitabine and Docetaxel chemotherapy for high risk NMIBC.  

Name: T. Gregory Kemp

Session: Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance? Discussion Leader

Greg Kemp grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed his formal education in Canada before moving permanently to the USA.  His real estate development and investment career has spanned 45 years in Hawaii, California and Florida. Greg and his wife are blessed with 4 children and 10 grandkids (ranging from 14 to 27) and scattered from Hawaii to N. Ireland.  They have traveled around the world to support 20+ projects with Habitat for Humanity International, Mercy Ships and Samaritan’s Purse. Greg was diagnosed with high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in July 2021.  He is currently on monthly chemo maintenance (Gem/Doce). Greg is so very grateful to BCAN for all the work it does.

Name: Deborah W. Knapp, DVM

Institution: Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine

Session: Advancements in Understanding Bladder Cancer Through Spontaneous Animal Models, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://vet.purdue.edu/directory/person.php?id=28   

Deborah W. Knapp, DVM, is the Dolores L. McCall Professor and Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology in the Dept. of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Purdue University. She earned her BS degree from North Carolina State University in 1980, DVM from Auburn University in 1983, and MS/Veterinary Medical Oncology Residency Certificate from Purdue University in 1988. After post-doctoral research in cancer pharmacology and tumor immunology, she joining the Purdue faculty in 1990. Dr. Knapp directs the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and is on the senior leadership team in the NCI-Designated Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research. Her work is conducted at the interface of studies at the bench, animal model work, and translation of important findings to humans. Dr. Knapp’s research is strongly focused in invasive urinary bladder cancer in which the naturally-occurring form of the cancer in dogs serves as a highly relevant model for the human condition, and she is nationally and internationally known for work defining and using this model. Her current research in invasive bladder cancer includes work on prevention, gene-environmental interactions, early detection and intervention, targeted therapies, and novel immunotherapies. She also chairs the Steering Committee for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCIs) Integrated Canine Data Commons, and serves on the Steering Committee for the NCI-Funded Pre-medical Cancer Immunotherapy Network for Canine Trials.

Name: Madhuri Koti DVM, MVSc., PhD

Institution: Sinclair Cancer Research Institute, Queen’s University, Canada

Session: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers

Webpage: https://dbms.queensu.ca/faculty/madhuri-koti

Dr. Madhuri Koti is an Associate Professor at the Sinclair Cancer Research Institute, Queen’s University, Canada. Translational research in her laboratory is focused on understanding the influence of host factors such as age and sex on the evolution of bladder tumor immune microenvironment and response to immunomodulatory therapies. She has published over 60 peer reviewed manuscripts. Research in the Koti lab is supported by funding from the Cancer Research Society, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation, industry, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Bladder Cancer Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Research Innovation and Science. 

Name: Stella Koutros, PhD, MPH

Institution: National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics

Session: “Working” Smarter to Prevent Bladder Cancer: Unraveling Bladder Cancer’s Occupational and Environmental Threads, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://dceg.cancer.gov/about/staff-directory/koutros-stella

Dr. Koutros received her M.P.H. and Ph.D. in epidemiology from Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. She completed her doctoral work through the Yale-NCI partnership training program in cancer epidemiology, conducting research in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch (OEEB). Dr. Koutros’s research involves the design and conduct of epidemiologic investigations to evaluate occupational exposures as risk factors for cancer. She employs state-of-the-art exposure assessment methods and molecular studies within highly exposed populations to identify the etiology and clarify the biological mechanisms underlying chemical-induced carcinogenesis. Areas of interest include exposures occurring in the workplace and those contributing to the etiology of bladder cancer.

Name: Shane Kronstedt, MD

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine

Session: “Working” Smarter to Prevent Bladder Cancer: Unraveling Bladder Cancer’s Occupational and Environmental Threads, Discussion Leader
Webpage: https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/shane-kronstedt-139976

Shane Kronstedt, MD is a Urology resident at Baylor College of Medicine. Prior, he was an active duty Navy SEAL and combat medic for over ten years. He deployed to numerous locations in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Europe, and South America, It was there he first witnessed and experienced the unique exposures and trauma military veterans face. A large focus of his research is dedicated to the unique military occupational exposures and their relationships with different urological cancers. Some of his awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Services Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (x2), multiple Campaign Medals, and others. In his free time, he enjoys running marathons for charities that benefit children with cancer and injured military veterans. His favorite hobby is spending time with his wife and two young children.

Name: Janet Kukreja, MD

Institution: University of Colorado Medicine

Session: Excellence in Bladder Cancer in the Community: What are the key components for success? Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://www.cumedicine.us/providers/surgery/Janet-Kukreja#/

Dr. Kukreja particular interest in the treatment of urologic cancers and focuses on bladder cancer for research. She believes in providing the most advanced therapies and technology and care for patients with urologic cancers. She has a special interest in perioperative care. She offers the following procedures robotic bladder (cystectomy/cystoprostatectomy) also known as a robotic cystectomy and urinary diversion creation (Ileal conduit, Indiana Pouch and Neobladder. She also offers robotic removal of: adrenal glands, prostate (prostatectomy), kidney (nephrectomy), partial kidney (partial nephrectomy/nephron sparing surgery), minimally invasive surgery, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, inguinal lymph node removal, ureteral removal (partial ureterectomy).

Name: Ming Lam, PhD

Institution: University of Washington

Session: Exploring Research Rapid Autopsy Programs in Bladder Cancer: An Innovative Approach to Data Collection, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://urology.uw.edu/people/faculty/ming_lam

Ming Lam, PhD’s research focuses on understanding the tumor interaction with microenvironment at distant metastases, and identify actionable targets for metastatic bladder cancer. Dr. Lam oversees the multi-disciplinary bladder cancer rapid autopsy program and biorepository at University of Washington/Fred Hutch Cancer Center.  This invaluable resource is critical for understanding advanced urothelial cancer including histological variants and for much needed therapeutic discovery.

Name: John K. Lee, MD, PhD

Institution: UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center

Session: Bladder Cancer Research Innovation Awardee

Webpage: https://www.uclahealth.org/cancer/members/john-lee  

Dr. John Lee, MD, PhD,  is a physician-scientist and Associate Professor-in-Residence in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Medicine,  Institute for Urologic Oncology in the Department of Urology, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He received an A.B. with highest honors in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard University and an M.D. at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth during which he participated in the HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program. Dr. Lee completed his clinical training in internal medicine at Boston Medical Center and Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) fellowship in medical oncology at UCLA where he obtained a Ph.D. from the Molecular Biology Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Owen Witte. He specializes in genitourinary oncology, specifically caring for patients with advanced prostate and bladder cancer. Dr. Lee also leads a federally funded basic and translational research laboratory within the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center focused on untangling diverse genotype-phenotype relationships in cancer and developing new immune-based strategies to effectively treat prostate and bladder cancer.

Name: Joshua Levy, PhD

Institution: Cedars-Sinai

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/cedars-sinai-selects-director-of-digital-pathology-research/   

Dr. Joshua Levy is the Director of Digital Pathology Research at Cedars-Sinai and serves as Associate Director of the Cedars-Sinai AI Campus program. He holds an appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Computational Biomedicine at Cedars-Sinai, and as an adjunct Assistant Professor at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in Pathology, Dermatology, and Epidemiology. His research focuses on integrating AI and biostatistics into anatomic pathology, with a specific interest in computational methods for histopathology and cytopathology, as well as text and image processing. Dr. Levy has also developed AI approaches for spatial genomics to study tumor progression. Additionally, Dr. Levy directs the national EDIT AI internship program, which has recently introduced over 250 students from diverse backgrounds to AI in medicine, and holds additional appointments at the Biomedical National Elemental Imaging Resource, Veteran Affairs, and the NCI’s Translational and Basic Science Research in Early Lesions program. Tat TT24, he will discuss emerging AI applications in urine cytopathology for the early detection of bladder cancer, including preliminary multicenter validation efforts.

Name: Roger Li, MD

Institution: Moffitt Cancer Center

Session: Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance? Co-Chair

Webpage   https://www.moffitt.org/providers/roger-li/

Dr. Roger Li is a genitourinary oncologist whose clinical practice focuses on the surgical treatment of bladder, prostate, kidney and penile cancers. He offers a variety of treatment options, including open, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted procedures, as well as nerve sparing approaches based on the clinical scenario. Prior to joining Moffitt, Dr. Li completed advanced urologic oncology training at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Li’s research interest includes the genomic characterization of genitourinary malignancies in attempt to tailor therapy specific to the patient, as well as the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies in treating early stage bladder cancer. 

Name: Joshua Linscott MD, PhD

Institution: Moffitt Cancer Center

Session: Between Germline and Tumor: The Aged Normal Urothelium, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-linscott-5030a745/

Dr. Joshua Linscott is a urologic fellow at the Moffitt Cancer Center, primarily focused in developing urinary biomarkers for bladder cancer using cell-free DNA. He has worked closely with his mentor, Roger Li, MD, to demonstrate the utility of this approach in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and they look forward to expanding this research to muscle invasive disease, while also continuing prior Li lab research in upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Formerly a urology resident at Maine Medical Center (MMC). After starting a graduate program in Pharmacology at Weill Cornell he discovered his true passion was medicine. He completed a PhD in 2014 and then immediately began an MD at Tufts University School of Medicine. It was there, as a member of the “Maine Track”, that he took interest in urology. As a native “Mainer” and having spent much of medical school at MMC, he was thrilled to match into their program.

Name: Yair Lotan, MD

Institution: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://utswmed.org/doctors/yair-lotan/

Yair Lotan, MD, is a professor of urology, chief of urologic oncology, and holder of the Jane and John Justin Distinguished Chair in Urology, in Honor of Claus G. Roehrborn, MD at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He also serves as Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs of the Department of Urology and Head of the Clinical Research office. He is the medical director of the urology clinic at Parkland Health and Hospital System. Dr. Lotan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and earned his MD from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Dr. Lotan is known for his research on urine markers and molecular markers that help detect cancer and to determine which patients are at higher risk for recurrent cancer. He is also interested in health economics research, which evaluates the cost-effectiveness of surgery and cancer prevention. Dr. Lotan has published over 600 peer reviewed articles, review papers and book chapters. He is also an editorial reviewer for many medical periodicals, including the Journal of Urology, European Urology, Cancer, Urologic Oncology, and the British Journal of Urology International. Dr. Lotan currently holds a position as co-chair of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center disease-oriented team, focused on urologic cancers. He is a member of UT Southwestern’s Clinical Research Planning Group and the Tissue Bank Steering Committee and Cancer Committee. Dr. Lotan is a popular guest speaker at

medical conferences around the world and belongs to numerous professional organizations, including the American Urological Association, the Society of Urologic Oncology, and the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network.

Name: Douglas Bruce MacLean

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance?, Discussion Leader

Douglas MacLean has a BS In Biology/Chemistry from Western Washington University and an MBA from the University of Washington.  For the past 35 years, he has been the CEO/Chairman of companies in the beverage and supplement industries. Serving on Boards (both business and charitable) throughout his career, Doug currently serves as a Patient Advocate in the CISTO Study and is actively involved with BCAN. He has been a lifelong runner, having competed in over 100 marathons worldwide.  Doug and his wife (Maureen) have been married 47 years and are parents/grandparents of 3 wonderful children and 6 grandchildren. As a 72 years old non-smoker with no known history of bladder cancer in his family, Doug first noticed blood in his urine in December 2015.  Since that time, he had treatments with BCG, BCG/Alt 803, and most recently Gemcitabine/Docetaxel and 5 TURBTs.   He has 3-month cystoscopies to monitor the condition of his bladder and for the last 2 years, there has been no evidence of disease!

Name: Kimberley Mak, MD, MPH

Institution: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Session: Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy Discussion Leader

Webpage : https://www.bumc.bu.edu/camed/profile/kimberley-mak/

Kimberley Mak, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She is a nationally recognized radiation oncologist who is known for her contributions in patient reported outcomes (PROs), treatment toxicity, and disparities research. She is recognized for her large PRO studies in bladder and breast cancer, and a long-term international NRG Oncology Group study of cardiovascular mortality in prostate cancer. She is PRO chair on an international NRG randomized trial (part of the National Cancer Trials Network), and has special research interest in social determinants of health and electronic aids as they relate to PROs.

Name: David McConkey, PhD

Institution: Johns Hopkins Medicine Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute

Session: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Bladder Cancer Research and Clinical Care, Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/David+McConkey/2777180

David J. McConkey, Ph.D., is the inaugural director of the Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Urology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. His mission is to make the Institute a hub of an institutional and international community of researchers who share a commitment to advancing the scientific understanding of bladder cancer and improving its treatment.

Name: Suzanne B. Merrill, MD, FACS

Institution: Colorado Urology

Session: Excellence in Bladder Cancer in the Community: What are the key components for success? Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.unitedurology.com/colorado-urology/providers/suzanne-b-merrill-md-facs/

Dr. Suzanne Merrill is a fellowship trained urologic oncologist whom has developed a comprehensive community centered bladder cancer program with Colorado Urology, a United Urology Group.  Dr. Merrill graduated summa cum laude from The University of Delaware and with Alpha Omega Alpha honors from The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine.  She completed her residency at Duke University followed by a Society of Urologic Oncology fellowship at The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  While at Mayo, she also received a certificate in Translational Research.  Dr. Merrill has received numerous awards for her accomplishments and leadership in the field including being named the American Urological Association Young Urologist of the Year and inducted into the American Urological Association Leadership Program in 2020.  Prior to being at Colorado Urology, she was an Associate Professor of Urologic Oncology and Residency Program Director at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.  Here she was recognized with awards for her outstanding faculty leadership/mentorship as well as humanism and professionalism in surgery.

Name: Omar Mian, MD, PhD

Institution: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Session: Emerging/Next Generation Imaging Technologies for Bladder Cancer

Webpage: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/20972-omar-mian

Dr. Omar Mian is a Radiation Oncologist and Physician/Scientist at the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in the care of patients with genitourinary malignancies. He has appointments in the Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at Case Western Reserve University. He is co-leader of the Genitourinary Malignancies program of the Taussig Cancer Center. Dr. Mian’s lab explores the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that drive lethal cancers of the genitourinary tract with the goal of translating basic discovery into biomarkers and novel therapies

Name: Kriti Mittal, MD, MS

Institution: University of Massachusetts

Session: Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://physicians.umassmemorial.org/details/4132/kriti-mittal-cancer-oncology-transfusion_medicine-fitchburg-worcester

Name: Nihal Mohamed, PhD

Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Session: Navigating the Emotional Landscape: Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Bladder Cancer Survivorship, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://profiles.mountsinai.org/nihal-e-mohamed

Nihal Mohamed, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Health Disparity Research in the Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She has a broad background in health psychology with specific expertise in key research areas of the field such as illness and risk perception, patient-provider communication and shared decision making, quality of life, and emotional adjustment following cancer diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Mohamed’s previous research has focused primarily on exploring social, cognitive, and affective factors influencing patients’ coping with and adjustment to cancer.  Her current research focuses on leveraging health information technology to improve patient and family caregiver outcomes and reduce disparities.  She serves as the Director of Evaluation and Training for the Sinai’s Center for Scientific Diversity (CSD) and is currently the Co-Director of the Evaluation Core for the Sinai’s most recent NIH FIRST Award.

Name: Matthew Mossanen, MD, MPH

Institution: Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Session: Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://physiciandirectory.brighamandwomens.org/details/13153/matthew-mossanen

Dr. Mossanen is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, CA and received his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He also holds a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA. Dr. Mossanen completed a residency in Urology from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA followed by a fellowship in Urologic Oncology in the Combined Harvard Urologic Oncology Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Mossanen has been board certified by the American Board of Urology since 2020.

His research and clinical interests include: bladder cancer, kidney cancer, kidney masses/cysts, laparoscopic surgery, penile cancer, prostate cancer, robotic surgery, testicular cancer.

Name: Neelam Mukherjee, PhD

Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Session: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers , Co-Chair

Webpage: https://directory.uthscsa.edu/academics/profile/mukherjeen

Neelam Mukherjee, PhD, is a cancer immunologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her research centers on characterizing immune populations and investigating the recruitment and activation mechanisms pivotal for effective anti-tumor responses. Her passion lies in overcoming immunotherapy resistance and improving immunotherapy outcomes for bladder cancer patients. Her lab also explores the role of innate immune cells in bladder cancer biology and develops innovative immune therapeutic strategies, integrating animal models with clinical research.

Name: Amanda Nizam, MD

Institution: Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute

Session: Cancer Nutrition and Microbiome Research

Webpage: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/25628-amanda-nizam

Dr. Nizam is a genitourinary medical oncologist and Associate Staff in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, where she treats patients with bladder/urinary tract, prostate, and renal malignancies. Her current research is focused on studying the underpinnings of treatment-related toxicity in patients with genitourinary malignancies treated with novel therapeutics and on the development of adaptive design clinical trials in bladder/urinary tract malignancies. Her work has been presented at the ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium and the ESMO Annual Congress and has been subsequently published in the literature. Dr. Nizam obtained her medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she also completed her internal medicine residency. She joined The Cleveland Clinic in 2019 for her hematology and oncology fellowship and joined as faculty in 2022. In addition to her clinical and research interests, she is dedicated to improving career development initiatives for oncology trainees and early career faculty. She is an active member of ASCO, ESMO, and SWOG. She is a member of the SWOG Genitourinary Committee and Bladder Subcommittee and previously served on the ASCO Trainee and Early Career Advisory Group 2021-2024. She is also an active participant in ASCO’s local and national legislative advocacy efforts. In 2023, she was recognized as an ASCO Advocacy Champion in the President’s Circle, the highest achievable level for advocates. She aims to become a clinical investigator focused on developing clinical trials in bladder/urinary tract malignancies and expertise in the risk identification and mitigation of treatment-related toxicity.

Name: Yaw Nyame, MD, MS, MBA

Institution: University of Washington Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Patient Engagement in Research, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/provider-directory/yaw-a-nyame.html

Dr. Yaw Nyame is a urologic oncologist with a research interest in health equity and quality in urologic cancer care delivery.  His research practice focuses on using patient-centered approaches to build patient, community, and research collaborations to develop and sustain multi-level interventions and studies to eliminate health disparities in prostate cancer and other urologic malignancies.  Dr Nyame’s research team uses this patient-centered foundation to engaged in translational health services, molecular and clinical research in prostate cancer, with a focus in addressing inequities among Black and African-descent prostate cancer patients.  His research also focuses on evaluating the efficacy and harms of early detection, with a focus in high-risk populations.

Name: Michael O’Donnell, MD

Institution: University of Iowa Healthcare

Session: Advancing Understanding and Treatment of Urethral Carcinoma, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://uihc.org/providers/michael-odonnell

Dr. O’Donnell’s basic and clinical research has a long history of focusing on bladder immunology and bladder cancer immunotherapy, particularly the anti-cancer mechanisms of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and its enhancement with combination therapies. Dr. O’Donnell recently headed a national trial of bladder cancer treatment utilizing BCG plus interferon comprised of more than 1,000 patients, and holds several U.S. patents for his work. He has pioneered several new sequential combination therapies involving adriamycin, gemcitabine, docetaxel, and mitomycin for treating BCG-resistant/recurrent bladder cancers.

Name: Soonbum Park, PhD
Institution: Columbia University Medical Center
Session: BCAN 2023 Young Investigator Award
Webpage:

Dr. Soonbum Park is an Associate Research Scientist at the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, working under the supervision of Dr. Cory Abate-Shen. With a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from Seoul National University College of Medicine, Dr. Park has a strong academic foundation in the biomedical sciences. His research primarily focuses on bladder cancer metastasis, aiming to advance our understanding of its biology and develop innovative therapeutic strategies. Dr. Park has been recognized for his contributions to cancer research with several prestigious awards, including the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Young Investigator Award and the American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Name: Sunil H. Patel, MD, MA

Institution: Johns Hopkins Medicine

Session: “Working” Smarter to Prevent Bladder Cancer: Unraveling Bladder Cancer’s Occupational and Environmental Threads, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/Sunil+Hemant+Patel/2700315

Sunil H. Patel, M.D., M.A., is an Assistant Professor of Urology and Oncology at the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins. He serves as the Associate Program Director of the Residency Program and the Urologic Oncology Fellowship. He also serves as Director of the Testicular Cancer program. He treats all urologic malignancies, including adrenal cancer, kidney cancer, urothelial cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, testes cancer, and penile cancers. Additionally, he has advanced training in complex robotic and open surgical cases.

His clinical and research focus is in Urologic Oncology, with areas of focus in bladder cancer, testes cancer, and kidney cancer. 

Name: Eugene Pietzak, MD

Institution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Session: Think Tank 2024 Chair and Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/doctors/eugene-pietzak

Eugene Pietzak is a urologic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York who specializes in the surgical treatment of bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial cancer. He runs an NCI-funded research program centered on the development of biomarkers and novel therapies for patients with high-risk localized bladder cancer. He is also Principal and Co-Principal Investigator for multiple investigator-initiated clinical trials of new treatments for bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial cancer. This includes serving as PI for Alliance A032303, the “GAIN trial” (Gemcitabine Alternating with INtravesical BCG randomized against BCG alone for patients with recurrent high grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer), which is a NCI funded national cooperative group study enrolling 330 patients with “BCG-exposed” NMIBC that will be opening in April 2025.

Name: Sean P. Pitroda, MD

Institution: Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research at the University of Chicago

Session: Oligometastatic Disease, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/find-a-physician/physician/sean-p-pitroda

Dr. Sean Pitroda is an Associate Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology and Principal Investigator in the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research at the University of Chicago. Dr. Pitroda’s scientific work aims to improve the treatment of metastatic disease through patient-centered translational research. His research focuses on understanding tumor-intrinsic and host determinants contributing to differences in clinical outcomes for patients with metastatic disease. Dr. Pitroda’s laboratory utilizes integrative molecular analyses of clinical metastases, tumor models, immune analyses, molecular biology, and statistical modeling towards translational research goals. His team aims to revolutionize cancer treatment by advancing the biological characterization of clinical metastases and optimizing the integration of localized metastasis-directed therapies with systemic treatments, such as immune checkpoint blockade, for the potentially curative treatment of patients with metastatic disease.

Name: Sarah P. Psutka, MD, MSc

Institution: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington

Session: Unveiling Innovations in Cognitive Resilience during Bladder Cancer Care with (P)Rehabilitation, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/sarah-psutka Sarah P. Psutka MD MSc is an  Associate Professor of Urology at the University of Washington (UW) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. After graduating from Harvard University with both undergraduate and medical degrees, she completed her urology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by a Society of Urologic Oncology Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Psutka is a leading expert in the management of non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancer, as well as advanced kidney and testis cancer, with a special focus on older and medically complex patients. She serves as the leader of the urologic oncology program at Harborview Medical Center and is the Associate Program Director of the UW Society of Urologic Oncology Fellowship Program. Dr. Psutka’s research is dedicated to personalized risk stratification in advanced urologic malignancies, integrating aging principles, comprehensive geriatric assessments, body composition, and psychometric assessments. She leads multiple clinical trials in bladder and kidney cancer and has received funding from prestigious organizations like the National Institute on Aging and the Bladder Cancer Advocacy  Network.

Name: Dharanija Rao, PhD

Institution: Pfizer Oncology

Session: Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharanija-rao-13b30242/  

Dharanija Rao, Ph.D is a US Medical Director at Pfizer Oncology supporting RCC and Bladder Cancer. Prior to this role, she has supported Breast Cancer assets within Pfizer Oncology, Breast and Gyn Cancers at AstraZeneca and clinical trial research at Flagship Biosciences. Dharanija competed her PhD from the GSBS program at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2011 where she studied the role keratinocyte stem cells and JAK-STAT signaling in skin cancers. As a  post-doctoral researcher in the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Program at the Anschutz Medical Center at the University of Colorado,  she studied the role of exosomes in Breast Cancer.

Name: Brian Rini, MD

Institution: Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center

Session: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Advances and Future Frontiers, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.vumc.org/vipr/person/brian-rini-md-fasco

Brian I. Rini, MD, FASCO, is the Chief of Clinical Trials at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and Ingram Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University, where he leads kidney cancer clinical research efforts and the expansion of cancer clinical research operations. His research activities include over 300 publications extensively covering genitourinary cancer, most notably renal cell carcinoma. Dr. Rini has been lead investigator of several phase 3 clinical trials which have led to FDA approval. He has spoken at numerous seminars and invited lectureships, locally, nationally, and internationally, on genitourinary cancers and their treatments. He is a member of ASCO, KCA (Kidney Cancer Association) and SITC (Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer) with leadership positions in these organizations. He recently completed a term as a member and immediate past Chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC).

Name: Lori A. Roscoe, PhD

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Research Patient Advocate, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/communication/people/faculty/lori-roscoe.aspx

Lori Roscoe, a BCAN patient advocate and a member of the Advocate Advisory Board of the CISTO study, began her bladder cancer journey in 2018. Lori was diagnosed with T1, high grade NMIBC; after almost two years of BCG, she had a recurrence and underwent a radical cystectomy with an ileal conduit at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lori is an Emerita Professor of Health Communication at the University of South Florida in Tampa. 

Name: Benjamin Schlechter, MD

Institution: Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Session: Navigating Young-Onset Bladder Cancer – From Genomics to Survivor Perspectives, Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://www.dana-farber.org/find-a-doctor/benjamin-l-schlechter

Dr. Schlechter is a medical oncologist who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers including colorectal cancer, anal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and neuroendocrine cancers, among others.

Name: Mark Schoenberg, MD

Institution: Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Urogen

Session: Rapid Research Update

Webpage: https://www.montefiore.org/doctors/profiles/1942225792/mark-p-schoenberg

Mark Schoenberg, MD serves as The University Professor & Chair of The Department of Urology at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, a position he has held since 2014. In 2018, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Urogen Pharma, a biotech startup with which he has worked to develop medicines for urothelial cancer since 2013. Mark is a graduate of Yale University (BA Russian, 1980), The University of Texas Health Sciences Center (Houston, MD, 1986), The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania (Residency, 1992) and The Brady Urological Institute, The Johns Hopkins University (Fellowship, 1994). Mark served on the faculty of the Brady Institute from 1994-2014. Mark has a long association with BCAN and The Think Tank; his younger daughter Julia Schoenberg created the logo for the first Think Tank T-shirt in 2006 when she was 6 years old.  

Name: Robert P. “Bob” Schreiber

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate, 2024 Think Tank Steering Committee

Session: Advancing Understanding and Treatment of Urethral Carcinoma, Co-Chair

Website: www.linkedin.com/in/robert-p-schreiber-bb16aa10/           

Robert (Bob) Schreiber is dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients and their partners, caregivers, families, and friends, to give back based on all the help given by others, especially BCAN. Bob is a bladder cancer survivor and proud owner of a 2017 model year neobladder. He has multiple roles at BCAN: Survivor to Survivor program volunteer; participant in Patient Summits; Think Tank Steering Committee and participation as invited speaker, panelist, and breakout session co-chair; Survivorship Task Force; Congressional office visits; Patient-Centered Clinical Young Investigators Award reviewer; and more. And with help from BCAN Bob has served as a patient advocate resource for selected pharmaceutical companies, and as a research proposal reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program / Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program; plus, various outreach efforts including media interviews, articles, and video recordings. His personal outreach outside of BCAN events and contacts, led to interactions with over 120 fellow bladder cancer patients and their loved ones. Committed to family and friends while easing into full retirement and continuing to work as a consulting civil engineer on selected client projects, Bob is a volunteer for professional organizations, focusing on groundwater resource protection.

Name:  Florian R Schroeck, MD, MS

Institution: Dartmouth Geisel School of  Medicine

Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://dartmouth.discovery.academicanalytics.com/scholar/321618/FLORIAN-SCHROECK?unitId=4913&unitType=2

Dr. Florian Schroeck’s research aim is to give the right care to every bladder cancer patient. He was a faculty fellow in the NCI-sponsored Mentored Training for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer and has substantial experience in using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research to understand how patients receive care for bladder cancer. Using implementation science and pragmatic clinical trials, he aims to improve the quality of care and care experience for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Schroeck is Associate Professor of Surgery and of The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. He has published more than 75 manuscripts and received several national research awards. He is Section Chief of Urology at the White River Junction VA Medical Center and a core faculty member of the VA Outcomes Group.

Name: Rishi Sekar, MD

Institution: University of Michigan

Session: BCAN 2023 Patient Centered Clinical Young Investigator

Webpage: https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/urology/rishi-sekar-md  

Dr. Sekar is a Society of Urologic Oncology Fellow in the Department of Urology at the University of Michigan, an NCI T32 Cancer Care Delivery Research Fellow at the Rogel Cancer Center at the University of Michigan, and a Clinician Scholar in the National Clinician Scholars Program. He completed his training in Urologic Surgery at the University of Washington and earned his medical doctorate at Emory University School of Medicine.  His research focuses on improving cancer care for vulnerable populations through health policy and cancer care delivery innovation. He has a particular interest in the role of safety net hospitals and clinical trials in delivering equitable and optimal cancer care.

Name: John Sfakianos, MD

Institution: Mount Sinai

Session: BCAN Research Innovation Awardee

Webpage: https://profiles.mountsinai.org/john-p-sfakianos

Dr. Sfakianos is an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed his MD from the School of Medicine and Biosciences at Buffalo and completed his internship and residency at the State University of New York at Downstate Medical Center. He then went on to fellowship in Urologic Oncology, which was completed at Memorial Sloan-

Kettering Cancer Center. His clinical and research focus is on understanding and treating patients with urothelial carcinoma including improving clinical outcomes through the use of robotic intracorporeal radical cystectomy. He is focused on translational research to help understand and identify novel targets in treating urothelial carcinoma. He studies both the molecular biology underlying urothelial carcinoma as well as the immune microenvironment. His work is funded by both the DOD and NIH, PI on both NIH R01 and R21 awards. Dr. Sfakianos is the author of over 150 articles in peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters on urothelial carcinoma.

Name: Michael M. Shen, PhD

Institution: Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Session: Between Germline and Tumor: The Aged Normal Urothelium, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.genetics.cuimc.columbia.edu/profile/michael-m-shen-phd

Michael M. Shen, PhD, is the Arthur J. Antenucci Professor of Medical Sciences and Professor of Genetics & Development, Urology, and Systems Biology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and his PhD from Cambridge University. He pursued his post-doctoral training with Dr. Philip Leder at Harvard Medical School and became an independent investigator at Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 1994, before moving to Columbia University in 2007. He is currently Co-Leader of the Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, and was the Director of Graduate Studies in the Columbia Department of Genetics and Development from 2016 to 2022.

Name: David Sheppard, PhD

Institution: University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session: Unveiling Innovations in Cognitive Resilience during Bladder Cancer Care with (P)Rehabilitation, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/david-sheppard

David Sheppard, PhD is a clinical neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He graduated with a degree in clinical psychology with a neuropsychology major from the University of Houston, and then completed his doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the VA Puget Sound in Seattle. Dr. Sheppard

is interested in helping patients who are experiencing changes in cognitive functioning that affect their daily lives. His specific interests are in helping address cognitive changes that can follow medical diagnosis or treatment, including for individuals with brain tumors or following diagnosis and treatment of cancers outside the central nervous system. His research focuses on identifying novel ways to measure cognitive functioning in ways that are relevant to daily life, as well as understanding the long-term effects

of cancer and cancer treatment on cognitive aging.

Name: Angela B. Smith, MD, MS

Institution: University of North Caroline

Session: Patient Engagement in Research, Co-chair

Webpage: https://www.med.unc.edu/urology/people/angela-smith/

Dr. Angela (Angie) Smith is the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development at the UNC School of Medicine and Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs at the UNC Department of Urology in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  She received her MD and Masters of Science in Clinical Research from the University of North Carolina, where she completed her urology residency.

Dr. Smith is an expert in patient-centered outcomes research and patient engagement in bladder cancer. She is the co-PI for a PCORI pragmatic trial in BCG refractory bladder cancer, has received several PCORI Engagement Awards, and has been funded by an AHRQ K08 grant that integrates patient-reported outcomes into post-cystectomy care through mobile health technology. She was awarded the 2022 AUA Gold Cystoscope Award for her “outstanding leadership and contributions in bladder cancer and outcomes research.” Dr. Smith is on the Society of Women in Urology Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board for the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, and AUA Science and Quality Council.

Name: Armine Smith, MD

Institution: Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital

Session: Oligometastatic Disease Co-chair

Webpage: https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/Armine+K+Smith/2701662

Armine Smith, M.D. is the director of urologic oncology at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital, and an assistant clinical professor of urology at the Brady Urological Institute of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a member of Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute and the director of Women’s Bladder Cancer Program at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Dr. Smith earned her medical degree from the University of California in San Francisco. She completed a residency in urology at the Cleveland Clinic, followed by a fellowship in urologic oncology at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Smith specializes in advanced open, minimally invasive and robotic urologic surgery for urologic malignancies. Her current research focuses on elucidation of risk factors for bladder cancer development, oncologically safe organ preservation in both men and women with bladder and kidney cancer and improving outcomes from bladder cancer treatments.

Name: Kristian Stensland, MD, MPH, MS

Institution: University of Michigan

Session: Bridging Evidence Generation to Practice in Bladder Cancer Care with Implementation Science, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/urology/kristian-stensland-md-mph-ms

Kristian Stensland, MD MPH MS is a urologic oncologist and health services researcher at the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. He completed his urology residency at the Lahey Clinic, and a Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) and Health Services Research fellowship at the University of Michigan. Dr. Stensland’s research primarily focuses on improving the conduct, efficiency, and equity of clinical trials with informatics, infrastructure, and implementation science. He hopes to expand the science and practice of successful implementation of evidence-based practices in urology and oncology. Outside of his clinical and research work, Dr. Stensland is a proud dad, avid runner, and enthusiastic football fan.

Name: Randy F. Sweis, MD

Institution: University of Chicago Medicine

Session: Oligometastatic disease, Co-Chair

Webpage   https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/find-a-physician/physician/randy-f-sweis

Randy Sweis, MD specializes in the treatment of patients with genitourinary malignancies including bladder, kidney, prostate and testicular cancers. He is an expert in the use of leading-edge immunotherapies and novel investigational treatments. An accomplished physician-scientist, Dr. Sweis’ research is focused on enhancing the immune response against cancer. He translates laboratory findings to patient care using his expertise in developmental therapeutics and clinical pharmacology. He has an interest in developing biomarkers and investigating novel therapeutic strategies to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments.

Name: Anthony Ming Szema, MD, FCCP, FACAAI, FAAAAI, FACP, ATSF

Institution: Northwell Health, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Session: “Working” Smarter to Prevent Bladder Cancer: Unraveling Bladder Cancer’s Occupational and Environmental Threads , Discussion Leader via Zoom

Webpage: https://www.northwell.edu/find-care/find-a-doctor/dr-anthony-ming-szema-md-11370823

Dr. Anthony M. Szema is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Northwell Health’s Zucker School of Medicine and a Research Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University. He has extensive training in pulmonary/critical care, allergy/immunology, and occupational medicine. His education includes an undergraduate degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a medical degree from Albany Medical College, and fellowships at Johns Hopkins and Columbia University. A member of the American Thoracic Society since 1994, he currently serves as Co-Chair of the Section on Terrorism and Inhalation Disasters. Dr. Szema’s team is seeking voluntary bladder cancer samples from Veterans exposed to burn pits and World Trade Center residents to analyze for JP-8 and oxidized metals. Previous research identified a genetic risk factor related to VIP expression in severe metastatic bladder cancer. The team aims to collaborate with BCAN members to study these tissues using Imaging Mass Cytometry for advanced cancer biomarker analysis.

Name: Rachael Thomas, PhD, FRSB, CBiol

Institution: the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Session: Advancements in Understanding Bladder Cancer Through Spontaneous Animal Models, Discussion Leader

Webpage: https://cvm.ncsu.edu/people/rthomas3/

Dr. Thomas is a Senior Research Scholar in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her PhD studies at the University of Leicester in the UK, and carried out post-doctoral research at the Animal Health Trust, where she contributed to the development of the first reference genome assembly for the domestic dog. Since moving to NCSU in 2004, her interests have focused primarily on the application of comparative genomics in a ‘One Health’ approach to molecular medicine. Her research focus is the molecular characterization of naturally occurring cancers in companion animals and use of these data to 1) identify diagnostic and prognostic molecular signatures of disease, and 2) advance understanding of their underlying pathogenesis.

Name: Phuoc T. Tran, MD, PhD
Institution: University of Maryland
Session: Oligometastatic disease

Webpage: https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/profiles/tran-phuoc/

Phuoc T. Tran, MD, PhD, is Professor and Vice Chair for Research of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland. Phuoc received his MD-PhD from OHSU, completed radiation oncology residency and postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford. Phuoc’s training focused on DNA repair, cancer biology, and transgenic mouse models.  Phuoc is a board-certified radiation oncologist and clinically specializes in treatment of GU malignancies.  His laboratory research funded by the NIH, DoD and foundations focuses on tumor cell epithelial plasticity programs, novel agents to enhance the local and systemic effects of radiation and the oligometastatic state, all to improve the outcomes of patients with cancer. He is the contact PI for the NCI funded U54 ROBIN Oligo-metastasis Center and also leads an active clinical trials program. He is the NRG Oncology GU Translational Science chair and ASTRO Research Funding Development Committee chair.  He has received numerous awards for his research and clinical work from the RSNA, ASTRO, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Uniting Against Lung Cancer, American Lung Association, the Movember Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and was voted a Top Doctor in Baltimore Magazine. He also serves as a Senior Editor for Cancer Research.

Name: Jon Treffert

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy, Discussion Leader

Jon Treffert spent 35 years of his professional career focused on the research and development of medical devices for the detection and treatment of cancer – including leading software development for the first generations of PET/CT and a new proton therapy system. In September 202, he received a diagnosis of muscle invasive bladder cancer. Following TURBT, his first PET/CT scan as a patient showed spread to pelvic lymph nodes. Approval for Jon’s initial plan to purse trimodality therapy was delayed and changed due to the accelerated FDA and Medicare approval to enfortumab vedotin+pembrolizumab as a first line option. EV/Pembro results, based on imaging and circulating tumor DNA in the blood, currently show no evidence of disease in the bladder and lymph nodes or metastases. Patient advocacy – survivor to survivor and research – is a new focus and direction in retirement. In September, he will also begin his seventh year riding as the Knoxville Tennessee champion for the Great Cycle Challenge – a benefit for children’s cancer research.

Name: : Lauren Trepanier, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVCP

Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Session: Advancements in Understanding Bladder Cancer Through Spontaneous Animal Models, Co-Chair

Webpage: https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/people/latrepanier/

Dr. Trepanier earned her DVM with distinction from Cornell University. She completed an internship and residency in small animal internal medicine at the Animal Medical Center in New York, then obtained a PhD in Pharmacology, also at Cornell. She is board certified in both veterinary internal medicine and veterinary clinical pharmacology. Dr. Trepanier is Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She conducts research on environmental chemicals and cancer risk in dogs and people, and creates initiatives to support veterinary students, house officers, and early career veterinary faculty in conducting research.

Name: Morganna Vance, MD

Institution: Gilead

Session: Rapid Research Update

Webpage   https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgannavance/

Dr. Morganna Vance currently serves as Senior Medical Director in the GU oncology program at Gilead Sciences. Previously she worked at Novocure as a Global Medical Director leading both a Phase III RCT and a Phase II KEYNOTE trial in NSCLC. Prior to that experience, she worked at Novartis US Oncology, where she served as a Medical Director on the melanoma cross-functional team, working in both Clinical Development and Medical Affairs capacities. She led both a Phase II and Phase IIIb trial in melanoma brain metastases, in addition to working on commercial, patient-advocate, and translational approaches to oncology business development. Dr. Vance is a board-certified Medical Oncologist & former Assistant Clinical Professor at City of Hope, an internationally recognized Comprehensive Cancer Center. She completed Internal Medicine training & Chief Residency at the University of Florida and Hematology/Oncology fellowship at H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, where she focused her training on immunotherapy of lung and skin cancers.

Name: Mary Beth Westerman, MD

Institution: LSU Health New Orleans 

Session: Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance? Co-Chair and Quality of life after Trimodality Therapy Discussion Leader

Webpage   https://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/urology_dept/faculty_detail.aspx?name=westerman_mary

Dr. Westerman completed her urology residency at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and fellowship training in urologic oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles on a range of urologic topics and is a peer-reviewer for five major urologic journals.

Name: Deane L. Wolcott, MD, DLFAPA, FAPOS, FACLP

Institution: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Retired)

Session: Navigating the Emotional Landscape: Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Bladder Cancer Survivorship, Discussion Leader

Dr. Deane L. Wolcott, MD, is a retired psychiatrist renowned for his extensive contributions to the field of psychosocial oncology and consultation-liaison psychiatry. Currently serving on the Community Board of Adventist Health Simi Valley and the Board of Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara, he also lends his expertise to multiple professional advisory boards and task forces within Cancer Support Community organizations. Dr. Wolcott has held pivotal roles at prestigious institutions such as the David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai Health System, where he spearheaded the development of oncology supportive care services. Notably, he played a critical role in expanding these services to numerous hospital outpatient cancer centers across the United States managed by Salick Health Care/Aptium Oncology. Driven by a passion for improving cancer care delivery, he has also advised numerous UK NHS organizations on cancer services redesign. A graduate of Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Dr. Wolcott completed his residency in Adult Psychiatry at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, and he is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions with the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and the Academy of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, leaving an indelible mark on the field of psychiatric oncology.

Name: Joan Young

Institution: BCAN Patient Advocate

Session: Striking a Balance: How much is too much bladder sparing therapy/surveillance?, Discussion Leader

Joan Young was diagnosed with MIBC in the summer of 2017 at the age of 71. From prior illnesses, she had her tonsils, thyroid, and spleen removed, all causing continued issues. The last thing she wanted was to have her bladder removed, as her doctors recommended. She began researching alternatives and, after consulting with a radiation oncologist, decided to treat the cancer with chemo and radiation. Before, during, and after the treatment sessions in the fall of 2017, she embarked on many lifestyle changes and complementary therapies to help heal and prevent any recurrence. This process has been successful. Since her treatment she has been cancer free and has enjoyed a very active lifestyle.

Name: Diane Zipursky Quale

Institution: BCAN

Sessions: Welcome and Opening Remarks and Patient Voice Panel

Webpage: https://bcan.org/staff/diane-zipursky-quale/

Diane Zipursky Quale is the co-founder of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, the first national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing public awareness about bladder cancer, advancing bladder cancer research, and providing educational and support services for the bladder cancer community. Diane and her husband, John Quale, launched BCAN in May 2005.  John, a bladder cancer survivor who was initially diagnosed in July 2000, died of metastatic bladder cancer in June 2008.

Ms. Zipursky Quale served as President of BCAN from 2005-2016, and has been a member of BCAN’s Board of Directors since its inception.  In addition to her active role at BCAN, Ms. Zipursky Quale has served as a patient advocate for a variety of other entities, including as a member of the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute (NCI): as the patient advocate representative on the NCI’s Bladder Cancer Task Force; as a member of  the External Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute and as a member of the Board of Directors of The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research, a public charity supporting SWOG Cancer Research Network.  She has also served as an Associate Editor of the international journal, Bladder Cancer.