The Research Evangelist

On today's episode, meet Dr. Christopher Lathan. Dr. Lathan is Chief Clinical Access and Equity Officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), a new institutional leadership position that also adds him to Dana-Farber’s Executive Leadership Team. Chris has been a member of the Dana-Farber staff since joining the Thoracic Oncology Program in 2005. He was appointed the first Faculty Director of Cancer Care Equity at Dana-Farber in 2010 and directs Dana Farber’s clinical service at Whittier Street Health Center. Chris also serves as Medical Director for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Brighton and Associate Medical Director for the Dana-Farber Network. He is leading the effort to combat structural racism and improve health care outcomes for all patients and communities served by Dana-Farber.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Inga Lennes. Dr. Lennes is a medical oncologist in the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and specializes in seeing all lung cancers and esophageal cancer. She is also the founder and director of the Pulmonary Nodule Clinic at MGH and works closely with colleagues to study and implement lung cancer screening and improve nodule management.  She talks about how her patients keep her grounded in everything she does.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Isabel Preeshagul. Dr. Preeshagul is a Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She received her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and her Master of Business & Science degree from Rutgers University School of Biomedical Sciences. She did her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and her fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at North Shore University Hospital-Long Island Jewish Medical Center-Northwell Health. She is an amazing oncologist who also loves the performing arts and travel.

On today's episode, meet Dr. David Tom Cooke. Dr. Cooke is the Section Head of General Thoracic Surgery at UC Davis Health System, Task-Force Chair Comprehensive Lung Cancer Screening Program, Vice Chair for Faculty Development & Wellness, and Associate Director Cardiothoracic Robotics Program. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Medical School, he did his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Fellowships at Stanford University and University of Michigan. He trained with the some of the best, and now he's one of the best!.

On today's episode, meet Cathy Traz and Dave Craig. Cathy is Executive Director, Patient Advocacy at Bristol Myers Squibb. In this role, Cathy leads patient advocacy at BMS, developing and advocating company positions on priority issues to maximize patient access and promoting a strong climate of innovation and the value of innovative medicines, working with advocacy organizations and other key stakeholders. Dave is two-time testicular cancer survivor and co-founder and CEO of GRYT Health. GRYT Health is a digital oncology company that empowers people to be in charge of their own health. GRYT Health’s mission is to improve quality of life and increase survival for people facing cancer through the relentless focus on patient experience. These 2 leaders came together last year to create the COVID Advocacy Exchange, an innovative and bold virtual platform that convenes advocacy groups, patients, and industry to synchronize efforts, facilitate resource sharing and provide an opportunity for increased connection and collaboration..

On today's episode, meet Dr. Christian Rolfo. Dr. Rolfo is a Professor of Oncology at Icahn School of Medicine and the Associate Director of Clinical Research in the Center of Excellence in Thoracic Oncology at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai in New York. Previous to his current position, Dr. Rolfo was Director of Thoracic Medical Oncology and the Early Clinical Trials at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) in Baltimore. Among other professional roles Christian is Vice President of The International Society of Liquid Biopsy.

On today's episode, meet Alice Berger, PhD. Dr. Berger is Assistant Professor, Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) in Seattle and Assistant Professor, Herbold Computational Biology Program at the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutch. She received her PhD from Cornell University, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and her BS in Chemistry from the University of Virginia. Alice is an expert in discovering how changes to our genetic code lead to cancer. She works to translate these insights into new drug targets and biomarkers to benefit patients.

On today's episode, meet Portia Thomas, PhD. Portia is a Meharry Medical College MD/PhD candidate who recently finished her thesis working in the Christine Lovly Research Lab at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. She presented her work in small cell lung cancer at The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Targeted Therapies of Lung Cancer Meeting in 2021. She is an aspiring pediatric oncologist who loves to collect guitars!

On today's episode, meet Jun Zhang, MD, PhD. Dr. Zhang is a physician scientist at the University of Kansas Cancer Center – the only NCI Designated Cancer Center in the state of Kansas. He went to medical school at Hunan Medical University and has done fellowships at Emory University, Harvard Medical School-Dana Farber Cancer Institute and UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. His clinical interest is lung cancer and his research includes the role of the human microbiome in the immune system and lung cancer treatment.

On today's episode, meet Lauren Machos. Lauren is the U.S. Oncology Opinion Leader Liaison for Renal Cancer, Lung Cancer and Immuno-Oncology at Pfizer She studied Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at University of New Hampshire and also got her Master's Degree in Public Health from UNH. She is a connector of people and champion advocate for the lung cancer community. She's also a professional big band swing and jazz vocalist!