In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Kimberly Richardson about driving changes in patient advocacy efforts, the importance of including DEI in cancer research and clinical trials and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Richardson 0:20 •    The interview 1:15 •    How did you get to where you are today as such a leader and advocate?  1:56 •    Did you feel welcomed into this space when you started doing your advocacy work, or did you feel like it was an uphill battle? 5:12 •    Jain and Richardson on how physicians and patient advocates can come up with solutions that coincide with the transformation of what advocacy work has become. 8:23 •    What are the different ways people can be patient advocates?  10:59 •    Jain and Richardson on research advocacy and the power of the ripple effect when it comes to how this work impacts patients. 15:45 •    Jain and Richardson on how physician and patients can collaborate to overcome institutional challenges with timing of visits and quality of care. 19:11 •    Richardson and Jain on educating patients in underrepresented communities on research and policy changes that will lead to more diversity in clinical trials.  24:21 •    If you could look back one year from now, what do you hope your research grant accomplishes? 30:00 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 32:00 •    How to contact Richardson 32:33 •    Thanks for listening 33:27 Kimberly Richardson is a survivor of ovarian cancer and early stage, triple positive breast cancer. Kimberly has founded the Black Cancer Collaborative, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization that creates partnerships between Black cancer patients and the medical and scientific communities on issues of health equity, patient inclusion and clinical trials participation.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Richardson can be found on Bluesky under Black Cancer Collaborative and on LinkedIn. Disclosures: Jain and Richardson report no relevant financial disclosures. 

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Anna Rathkopf about the mental and physical toll of cancer treatment and survivorship, using photography to connect with patients and caregivers and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Rathkopf 0:20 •    The interview 1:23 •    How did you get into storytelling through photography around your cancer diagnosis and your caregiver experience?  1:46 •    How did you navigate questions and challenges surrounding fertility during the first five years of your diagnosis? 4:07 •    On top of everything else going on in your life at the time, how did your decision to document your treatment become part of your plan? Why was it so important for you to do in that moment?  7:50 •    Did photography help you feel like you had some control in your life?  10:45 •    Overall, how did this impact your mental health along with your physical health?  11:17 •    What were you doing from a photojournalistic standpoint prior to your diagnosis? How did that prepare you for this next step in what you have created?  14:46 •    How did your partner’s caregiving responsibilities incorporate into your photography?  16:48 •    Jain and Rathkopf on the sacrifices caregivers make.  19:53 •    If you had to give advice to someone going through the initial time after cancer diagnosis, caregiver or patient, what would you say you would do the same or differently?  21:29 •    What do you suggest loved ones do or say to help patients and caregivers?  24:49 •    What was the transition into survivorship like for you after the first five years? How did that change your mentality? 27:24 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 33:34 •    How to contact Rathkopf 34:20 •    Thanks for listening 35:22 Anna Rathkopf is an award-winning photographer whose work focuses on empathy, health, and identity. She is the author of HER2: The Diagnosed, The Caregiver, and Their Son, a poignant exploration of the realities of cancer under 50. 

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Rathkopf can be found on Instagram @rathkopfphotography. Purchase HER2: The Diagnosed, The Caregiver, and Their Son on Amazon or on the website www.rathkopf.com. 

For more from the Rathkopfs: Check out photos and video from their installation at A(I) Brighter Tomorrow: Cancer and Beyond) exhibition at Montefiore Einstein through April 18, 2025.

Disclosures: Jain and Rathkopf report no relevant financial disclosures. 

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with ASH president, Belinda Avalos, MD, about the importance of DEI practices in medicine, leading molecular medicine developments and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Avalos 0:18 •    The interview 1:18 •    How did you know you know you wanted to be a hematologist and how did you end up in this space doing the work you’re doing now?  1:47 •    Jain and Avalos on the innovations and patient relationships in the field of HemOnc that drive physician interest. 3:25 •    What drove your passion to get involved in DEI and equitable care in medicine? 5:08 •    Jain and Avalos on diversity in clinical trials.  7:48 •    Jain and Avalos on the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to patient care.  9:08 •    What do you see as the biggest barriers to driving change in this space? How can we actually make changes that will result in real-world transformation?  10:11 •    Tell me about the work that you do in the spaces of women in hematology and medicine.  11:25 •    What types of things should we be doing to drive gender equity changes in medicine?  13:40 •    Do you feel hopeful about where we are going with the changes being driven by societies like ASH?  15:24 •    What else excites you about hematology and the innovation in the field now?  17:02 •    What are the biggest transformations we are going to see in hematology over the next decade?  23:26 •    Where will you be focusing your time moving forward?  27:53 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 29:16 •    How to contact Avalos 30:15 •    Thanks for listening 30:44 Belinda R. Avalos, MD, is the American Society of Hematology 2025 president, and is a professor of medicine and a senior advisor to the president of Atrium Health Levine Cancer.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Avalos can be reached by contacting ASH at www.hematology.org. 

Disclosures: Jain and Avalos report no relevant financial disclosures. 

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Opyl co-founder Damon Rasheed about using machine learning to better predict clinical trial outcomes, handling ethical concerns surrounding AI in health care and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Rasheed 0:20 •    The interview 0:58 •    How did you end up in the AI-powered medicine and clinical trials?  1:48 •    What is Opyl, and what is TrialKey? 3:54 •    Is TrialKey predominantly based in Australia or is it available outside of Australia as well? 5:34 •    Can you explain how machine learning works in order to create these outcomes?  6:11 •    How do you see people utilizing this tool in the future based on what you have already seen?  8:30 •    How have others received this? What is the feedback you have gotten surrounding what people are excited and concerned about with this technology?  10:50 •    Does this type of product take into account the issue of diversity in clinical trials?  13:41 •    What’s next for expanding Opyl and TrialKey?  14:27 •    What keeps you excited and motivated to continue working in this space?  15:28 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 19:35 •    How to contact Rasheed 20:16 •    Thanks for listening 20:54 Damon Rasheed is a serial entrepreneur recognized for his groundbreaking ventures and deep expertise in machine learning and big data.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Rasheed can be reached at opyl.ai or trialkey.ai. 

Disclosures: Jain reports no relevant financial disclosures. Rasheed reports TrialKey is powered by Opyl Limited, which is a publicly listed company operating on the ASX.

In this special crossover episode of Oncology Overdrive, we bring you Healio coverage from the ASH Annual Meeting and Exhibition, as well as Healio’s top headlines from the meeting.

Gwen L. Nichols, MD, reviews a panel discussion on how hematologists and oncologists can best address patients’ concerns as AI’s role in medicine invariably expands. :24

Thomas G. Knight, MD, addresses financial toxicity for people with blood cancer. 6:29

Charles S. Abrams, MD, discusses results of the HIBISCUS trial and its implications for vaso-occlusive events. 16:30

Read the full coverage here:

AI in hematology: ‘The good, the bad and the ugly’

Mitigating financial toxicity ’better than any drug’ for people with cancer

Etavopivat could offer ‘great benefit’ in sickle cell disease

ASH recognizes Judith Kleinerman, MD, with Exemplary Service Award

GLP-1s reduce thrombosis risk among people with diabetes, regardless of obesity

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Disclosures: Jain reports no financial disclosures. Abrams reports he is chair of the ASH Research Collaborative's Sickle Cell Disease Clinical Trials Network Oversight Committee. Knight reports no relevant financial disclosures. Nichols reports no relevant financial disclosures.

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with David Gandara, MD, about how ctDNA and CAR-T cell therapies are transforming precision medicine, the importance of patient reported outcomes and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Gandara 0:19 •    The interview 1:02 •    Can you tell me a little more about what you are working on now? 1:25 •    How did you get engaged with the community in Hawaii?  6:30 •    What do you think is going to happen with ctDNA moving forward? 8:29 •    Can you utilize ctDNA and minimal residual disease information to determine how long patients need to be on adjuvant therapy?  11:42 •    How did you get into the ctDNA space?  15:06 •    How do you see AI transforming health care beyond providing patients with more information and taking more ownership of their health?  18:28 •    Can you tell us more about how a second opinion clinic works? How did this type of clinic develop and become part of what you do?  23:17 •    What are some of your predictions as to what will happen in oncology care over the next ten to twenty years?  29:00 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 37:30 •    How to contact Gandara 38:47 •    Thanks for listening 39:10 David Gandara, MD, is a clinician-scientist and lung cancer specialist internationally recognized for his expertise in thoracic cancers, cancer drug development and biomarker development.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Dr. Gandara can be reached via email [email protected]. 

Disclosures: Jain reports no relevant financial disclosures. Gandara reports institutional research grants from Astex, Amgen and Genentech; institutional consulting for AstraZenica, Exact Sciences, Genentech, Guardant Health, IO Biotech and Oncohost; consulting for Adagene, Henlius USA, Foundation Medicine and Sanofi; serves on the advisory board of Abbvie, Janssen, Merck, Mirati, Regeneron and Revolution Medicine. 

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Michel van Harten, MD, about creating better information systems for physicians and patients, how shared decision-making can improve drug development and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About van Harten 0:20 •    The interview 1:00 •    What was your journey to becoming a physician and beyond to where you are now? 1:24 •    How did you learn the necessary skills to be an exceptional leader in this space?  2:51 •    How many years were you a practicing physician for? 3:53 •    What does myTomorrows do, and what drew you to this type of work? 4:54 •    Where is this service available?  7:19 •    Jain and van Harten on the challenges patients face surrounding eligibility for clinical trials.  8:36 •    Where do you see this going down the line?  10:05 •    Has your company looked into how to these services can impact diversifying clinical trial enrollment?  12:04 •    What are some challenges your company has faced?  13:50 •    How quickly do you think growth will accelerate in this space?  15:26 •    How will this work and resource have major impacts on drug development in a more accelerated way than in the past?  16:11 •    From the patient-facing side, have you faced any challenges concerning patients’ willingness to be enrolled in clinical trials?  18:22 •    What is next for you, and where do you see yourself in twenty years?  19:13 •    Do you have any concerns about AI in health care? […] What should we be aware of when utilizing AI in this space?  19:45 •    Jain and van Harten on the challenges and setbacks that come from outdated and inaccurate clinical trial databases.  21:35 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 23:50 •    How to contact van Harten 24:28 •    Thanks for listening 25:17 Michel van Harten, MD, is the CEO of myTomorrows.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Michel van Harten can be reached via email [email protected]. 

Disclosures: Jain and van Harten report no relevant financial disclosures. 

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Melody Harris about the evolution of precision medicine, what physicians and companies can do to help patients better understand precision oncology and more. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Harris 0:20 •    The interview 1:11 •    Tell us about how you ended up in this niche role. 1:32 •    How did you make the decision to move from practicing law to transitioning your career into this space?  3:56 •    Jain and Harris on the “hype” around precision medicine. 7:11 •    What is the central thesis of the work at NeoGenomics? 10:36 •    What do you feel companies need to be doing to make expectations surrounding diagnoses more transparent for patients?  11:49 •    Where do you think this is all going in the future? Where do you think we’ll be in another ten or twenty years?  13:30 •    What do you see yourself doing next?  19:04 •    How can companies address the disparities in health care access, especially in underserved areas?  21:06 •    If someone could only listen to the last few minutes of this episode, what would you want listeners to take away? 23:32 •    How to contact Harris 24:30 •    Thanks for listening 25:14 Melody Harris serves as chief operations officer and president of informatics at NeoGenomics, a leading oncology testing services company.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Harris can be reached at [email protected]. 

Disclosures: Jain and Harris report no relevant financial disclosures. 

In this special crossover episode of Oncology Overdrive, we bring you Healio coverage from the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer, as well as Healio’s top headlines from the meeting. With insights from Benjamin P. Levy, MD, and top headlines from the conference, Meeting Mic is your on-the-go source for highlights, pearls, and perspectives across all specialties.

Benjamin P. Levy, MD, discusses key takeaways from the meeting. 0:49

Read the full coverage here:

Ivonescimab extends PFS vs. pembrolizumab in advanced NSCLC, may be ‘a new standard’

Source: Zhou C, et al. Abstract 2700. Presented at: IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer; Sept. 7-10, 2024; San Diego.

Perioperative nivolumab improves outcomes in resectable NSCLC

Source: Forde PM, et al. Abstract 3589. Presented at: IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer; Sept. 7-10, 2024; San Diego.

Despite progress, barriers to lung cancer biomarker testing persist

Source: Smeltzer M, et al. Abstract 3000. Presented at: IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer; Sept. 7-10, 2024; San Diego.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD.

Disclosures: Jain reports no relevant financial disclosures. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Levy at the time of posting.

In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Alice Chen, MD, about the impact of misinformation and disinformation during elections, the health care issues on the 2024 ballot and more. Content warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics surrounding women’s health and reproductive rights. •    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive 0:14 •    About Chen 0:32 •    The interview 1:38 •    How did you get into the public health and advocacy spaces? 1:58 •    Have you seen an evolution in medical professionals becoming more involved in politics and advocacy?  5:08 •    How has misinformation impacted politics, health care, policy and the election? 7:25 •    As health care workers, how do we address misinformation to help our communities and patients? 10:51 •    Do you feel that health care workers should use social media for this type of advocacy work?  15:26 •    Is there more of a need for health care workers to be doing this work now than it was pre-social media?  18:14 •    Jain and Chen on how discussions around politics have changed in the last decade.  26:05 •    What are the major health care topics being discussed and impacted by this upcoming election? Why is health on the ballot?  28:33 •    Jain and Chen on women’s health and why it matters in this election.  30:58 •    What are health care workers doing to promote advocacy?  37:05 •    If you could summarize this episode in one minute, what would you want listeners to take away? 45:36 •    How to contact Chen 46:11 •    Thanks for listening 46:53 Alice T. Chen, MD, is a mom, physician and national leader in public health, physician advocacy and community organizing.  She serves as the co-chair of the board of directors of Health Care Without Harm.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at [email protected]. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Chen can be reached @atychen on X and on LinkedIn. 

Disclosures: Jain and Chen report no relevant financial disclosures.