DAVA Oncology

Alvaro Alencar, MD​
Chief Medical Officer,  Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine​, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, FL

​​John Allan, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell
Medical College
New York, NY

​​James Blachly, MD
Associate Professor, Division of Hematology,
Department of Medicine, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH

​​Jonathon Cohen, MD, MS
Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Co-Director, Lymphoma Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Lymphoma Disease Team Lead Director, Lymphoma Clinical Trials Working Group, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Atlanta, GA

​​Alexey Danilov, MD
Marianne and Gerhard Pinkus, Professor, Early Clinical Therapeutics, Medical Director, Early Phase Therapeutics Program for the Systems Clinical Trials Office, Co-Director, Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center Professor, Division of Lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
City of Hope
Duarte, CA

Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School, Chief, Division of Leukemia Institute Physician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

​​Aaron Goldberg, ​MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Assistant Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Julie Erika Haydu, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Assistant Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA

​​Christopher Hourigan, DM, DPhil, FRCP
Director, Virginia Tech FBRI Cancer Research Center, Professor, Virginia Tech Carilion, School of Medicine, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Faculty of Health Sciences, Virginia Tech
Washington, DC

Ryan Jacobs, MD
Director, Division of Lymphoma Therapy & Research, Dept of Hematologic Oncology, Cellular Therapy & Blood Disorders Levine Cancer Institute/Atrium Health, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest, University School of Medicine
Charlotte, NC

Manali Kamdar, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Clinical Director of Lymphoma Services ,Morton and Sandra Saffer Endowed, Chair in Hematology Research, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, CO

Yasmin H. Karimi, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan,
Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI

Shaji Kumar, MD
Professor of Medicine Consultant, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine Research Chair, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN

Andrew Lane, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Director, Blastic Plasmacytoid, Dendritic Cell Neoplasm Center, Physician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Anne and Bernard Gray Family,
Chair in Cancer, Emory University School of Medicine, Chief Medical Officer, Winship Cancer Institute of
Emory University​
Atlanta, GA

​​Joseph McGuirk, DO, FACP
Schutte-Speas Professor of Hematology-Oncology Professor of Medicine Medical
Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Division Director, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center
Westwood, KS

Jae Park​, MD
Chief, Cellular Therapy Service​, Associate Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY 

Kerry A. Rogers, MD
Associate Professor,  Division of Hematology, Ohio State University, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH

​​Nakhle Saba, MD
Professor of Medicine, LSU School of Medicine
Director of Lymphoma and CAR-T Therapy Program
Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute
Baton Rouge, LA 

​​Larysa Sanchez, MD
Director, Geriatrics in Myeloma Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma, Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY

​​Charles Schiffer, MD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine 
Detroit, MI

Alan Skarbnik​, MD
System Director, Lymphoma and CLL Program System, Director, Immune Effector Cell and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Novant Health Cancer Institute, Clinical Assistant, Professor, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Charlotte, NC

Eytan Stein, MD
Director, Program for Drug Development in Leukemia Chief, Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Deborah Stephens, DO
Associate Professor of Medicine Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina Medical Center
Chapel Hill, NC

Meghan Thompson, MD
Assistant, Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Chaitra Ujjani, MD
Professor, Clinical Research, Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Professor of
Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology,
University of Washington
Seattle, WA

Wyndham H. Wilson, MD, PhD
Chief, Lymphoma Therapeutics Section, Lymphoid Malignancies Branch Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD

Joshua Zeidner, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Chief, Leukemia Research Associate, Chief of Research, Hematology Director, Clinical Cancer Research Commercial Integration UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina
School of Medicine
Chapel Hill, NC

Alvaro Alencar, MD​
Chief Medical Officer,  Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine​, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, FL

Dr. Alvaro Alencar, MD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and the Chief Medical Officer at University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a member of the lymphoma program at Sylvester and the lymphoma committee at the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology with a focus on clinical research of B-cell lymphoid malignancies with special interest in minorities, particularly elderly and Hispanics. His research focus is on the application of novel agents to improve responses and minimize toxicity on the care of elderly patients. Dr. Alencar also focuses on improving access to care and defining the impact of social determinants of health on outcomes of patients with lymphoid malignancies. As the hematology section lead for the Sylvester’s Global Oncology Program, Dr. Alencar serves as an important bridge to the United States for Latin American hematologists through research and clinical collaborations.

​John Allan, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, NY

Dr. John Allan, MD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine. He treats all lymphoid malignancies and has a particular interest in improving therapies for patients with CLL and Richter’s Syndrome, which is the focus of his research. Dr. Allan obtained his medical degree from Saint Louis University. Seeking an internal medicine residency program with particular strength in oncology, Dr. Allan moved to New York in 2009 to train at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Campus, where he also completed his hematology and medical oncology fellowship. Upon completion of training Dr. Allan joined the lymphoma faculty in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and is a member of the CLL Research Center.

James Blachly, MD
Associate Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH

Dr. James Blachly, MD is a member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Program at the OSUCCC – James and serves as an Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University. Dr. Blachly earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine in Little Rock, Arkansas. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, followed by a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Blachly specializes in the treatment of patients diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). His research focuses on genomics and gene transcription in leukemia, with an emphasis on how mutations and transcriptional attributes can be studied in the context of clinical trials to provide prognostic and predictive information for novel anticancer therapies. A recipient of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Foundation’s Young Investigator Award, Dr. Blachly received a six-figure grant for his project titled “Genomic Stratification and Prognostication of Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia by Combination Mutation Status.”

​​Jonathon Cohen, MD, MS
Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Co-Director, Lymphoma Program Emory University School of Medicine, Lymphoma Disease, Team Lead Director, Lymphoma Clinical Trials Working Group, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Dr. Jonathon Cohen, MD, MS, is a Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology and the Co-Director of the Lymphoma Program at Emory University School of Medicine. Board certified in hematology and medical oncology, Dr. Cohen treats Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients and is the Lymphoma Disease Team Lead and Director of the Lymphoma Clinical Trials Working Group at Winship Cancer Institute.Dr. Cohen is a leading expert in CAR T-cell therapy, an emerging new immunotherapy for some forms of lymphoma. Dr. Cohen has been recognized as a promising young investigator as evidenced by his selection to participate in the ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research workshop, American Society of Hematology Clinical Research Training Institute, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation Clinical Research Mentorship Program.​ Dr. Cohen earned his undergraduate degree at Emory University and received his medical degree at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. During his fellowship, he also completed a master's degree in medical science, gathering additional training in the conduct of clinical and translational research.

​Alexey Danilov, MD
Marianne and Gerhard Pinkus, Professor, Early Clinical Therapeutics, Medical Director, Early Phase Therapeutics Program for the Systems Clinical Trials Office, Co-Director, Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, Professor, Division of Lymphoma Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope
Duarte, CA

Dr. Alexey Danilov, MD is a board-certified clinician and talented researcher, internationally recognized as a leading physician, clinical trialist, and translational investigator. He specializes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A native of Russia, Dr. Danilov earned his medical degree and Ph.D. at Yaroslavl State Medical Academy. He continued his training with a residency at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and a fellowship at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. He is a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar and a Principal Investigator on multiple grants from the National Cancer Institute, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, American Society of Hematology, and Lymphoma Research Foundation. He has initiated and led several dozen clinical trial protocols using novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Through partnerships with the National Cancer Institute and pharmaceutical industry and his leadership in the Lymphoma Committee at Southwest Oncology Group, Dr. Danilov participates in drug discovery on a global scale. Dr. Danilov directs the City of Hope effort in early phase clinical investigations through the National Cancer Institute Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network. As a Co-Director of the Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, Dr. Danilov leads clinical and translational efforts in lymphoma/leukemia at City of Hope. Dr. Danilov's lab concentrates on "bench to bedside" medicine, where preclinical findings lead to early phase clinical trials, ultimately translating into real treatments for real patients.

Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Chief, Division of Leukemia Institute Physician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Dr. Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD is currently a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an institute physician at Dana Faber Cancer Institute. Dr. DeAngelo is involved with clinical protocols designed to treat patients with de novo or relapsed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) as well as novel therapeutic approaches for the patient with myelodysplasia. His research interests include novel immunotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplasia. Further, he is developing leukemia tumor vaccines from patients with AML or advanced myelodysplasia which will be assayed for immunological and serological responses. Dr. DeAngelo received his MD and PhD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1993, followed by residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He served a clinical fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he joined the staff in 1999.

​Aaron Goldberg, ​MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine,  Weill Cornell Medical College, Assistant Attending Physician,  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Dr. Aaron Goldberg, ​MD, PhD is an Assistant Attending Physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He earned his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College and PhD from Rockefeller University, where he studied epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation with Dr. C. David Allis. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, followed by a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at MSKCC under the mentorship of Dr. Martin Tallman. In his current role, Dr. Goldberg cares for leukemia patients, leads translational research projects, and serves as the principal investigator for multiple clinical trials. His research interests focus on the development of novel therapeutic approaches for acute myeloid leukemia, including combination therapies to target residual disease, as well as evaluation of real-world outcomes of current therapy and genomic predictors of response. He has received multiple awards, including a Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and an American Society of Hematology Fellow Scholar Award in Clinical Research.

​Julie Erika Haydu, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Dr. Julie Erika Haydu, MD, PhD, is a physician in the Lymphoma Program at the Mass General Cancer Center. She is also Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Haydu earned her medical degree from Columbia University. She also earned a Ph.D. in cancer genetics at Columbia University. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Massachusetts General Hospital, where she served as Chief Fellow. Her clinical and research interests are in B-cell lymphomas with a particular emphasis on novel immune therapies and chemotherapy-sparing approaches. She is active in clinical research, serving as the site Principal Investigator of multiple studies and designing her own investigator-initiated studies. She is leading Mass General efforts to implement an outpatient administration program for lymphoma bispecific antibodies, as well as to characterize mechanisms of response and resistance to bispecific antibodies. She has received several grants to support her work. She has participated in the ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop and the Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Mentoring Program. She recently received the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Massachusetts General Hospital Fellowship Excellence in Teaching Award.

​Christopher Hourigan, DM, DPhil, FRCP
Director, Virginia Tech FBRI Cancer Research Center, Professor Virginia Tech Carilion, School of Medicine, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Faculty of Health Sciences, Virginia Tech
Washington, DC

Dr. Christopher Hourigan, DM, DPhil, FRCP is the Director of the new Virginia Tech Cancer Research Center in Washington DC, part of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. As an oncologist and physician-scientist he has a central research focus on bringing precision medicine approaches to the care of patients suffering from a rare, highly fatal form of blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). He chairs the national prospective clinical protocol to validate measurable residual disease testing (MRD) in AML (NCT05224661), is co-PI of the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium MRD in AML Project, and co-chair of NGS for the European Leukemia Network AML MRD clinical guidelines. Dr. Hourigan received medical and research doctorates from Oxford University and completed residency and oncology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he was subsequently a practicing physician on the acute leukemia service and faculty member for 12 years. Prior to joining Virginia Tech in April 2024, he was a tenured Senior Investigator, co-director of the Myeloid Malignancies Program, and Chief of the Laboratory of Myeloid Malignancies at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hourigan was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and as a fellow to both the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians.

​Ryan Jacobs, MD
Director, Division of Lymphoma Therapy & Research, Dept of Hematologic Oncology, Cellular Therapy & Blood Disorders,  Levine Cancer Institute/Atrium Health Associate, Professor of Internal Medicine,  Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Charlotte, NC

Dr. Ryan Jacobs, MD joined the Levine Cancer Institute (LCI) in Charlotte, NC in 2015 as an associate professor of internal medicine where he has served as a CLL and lymphoma specialist since that time. He functions as a principal investigator on numerous clinical trials and serves as the Director of the Lymphoma Division. He was promoted to associate professor of internal medicine through the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 2024. Dr. Jacobs has both a clinical and research focus in patients with Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). In his role as a principal investigator, he oversees the clinical trials conducted at Levine Cancer Institute that involve the treatment of patients with lymphoma and CLL. As the CLL expert for the LCI/Atrium Health system, Dr. Jacobs is responsible for creating and overseeing the patient care pathways involving the treatment of CLL patients in the Atrium Health/LCI network that spans North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. In addition to clinical trials, Dr. Jacobs also has a research interest in real-world outcomes of patients with CLL on novel therapies and has contributed to this field of research by utilizing the large LCI network and evaluating patients across LCI imprint treated in a variety of clinical settings. He has published many first-author manuscripts and has presented at numerous national and international meetings. Dr. Jacobs graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX in 2009. He then completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN in 2012. Dr. Jacobs returned to Houston and completed his training with his hematology/oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2015.

​​Manali Kamdar, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Clinical Director of Lymphoma Services, Morton and Sandra Saffer Endowed, Chair in Hematology Research, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO

Dr. Manali Kamdar, MD obtained her medical degree from Mumbai, India, and subsequently completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She then completed another fellowship in lymphoid malignancies and bone marrow transplantation at Stanford University. Subspecializing in lymphomas appealed to her because of the clinical heterogeneity with each subtype, scientifically stimulating biology, opportunity to tailor therapeutics, and the endless possibilities of new drug development. Currently, Dr. Kamdar is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and serves as the Clinical Director of the lymphoma program. Her clinical research interests include B-cell lymphomas, particularly refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphomas, and other indolent lymphomas. In addition to seeing patients with lymphoma in clinic, her research involves conducting clinical trials of novel drugs, including immunotherapy and combinations in these diseases. She has had the opportunity to serve in organizations at the national level. This includes working with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines committee and Southwest Oncology Group lymphoma committee, where she serves as a cadre member of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma working groups, respectively. Dr. Kamdar’s goal is to develop nuanced approaches of personalized medicine in lymphoid malignancies, and she is currently collaborating with several clinical as well as laboratory-based investigators in the United States. Her eventual hope is to make these fascinating discoveries efficacious, durable, and affordable so that they have a far-reaching impact on patients everywhere.

Yasmin H. Karimi, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan
Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI

Dr. Yasmin H. Karimi, MD is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Karimi received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and went on to complete her internal medicine residency and chief residency at the University of Chicago. She completed her Hematology & Oncology fellowship at Stanford University before joining the lymphoma group at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center. Her research focus is on conducting clinical trials in B cell lymphomas including diffuse large B cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and CLL/SLL. Dr. Karimi is a member of the Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Guidelines panel for the National Comprehensive Cancer Center Network (NCCN). Dr. Karimi finds joy in connecting with patients and families and is honored to be a part of their care team in their cancer journey. She has personal experience knowing how challenging it can be to navigate the decisions and treatments of indolent and aggressive lymphomas. Her goal is to provide meticulous and compassionate patient care while incorporating the most up to date understanding of the disease and latest advances in treatments to each patient's case.

​Shaji Kumar, MD
Professor of Medicine Consultant, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine Research Chair, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN

Dr. Shaji Kumar, MD is a consultant, professor, and researcher in the field of hematology and oncology at Mayo Clinic. He received his medical degree from All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1996. In the year 1997, he completed his residency from Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He did his fellowship training in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology at Mayo Clinic and Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Institute in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Dr. Kumar has received several honors and awards for his clinical and research work, such as the William Summer skill Award, the Young Investigator Award, and the Brian Durie Outstanding Achievement Award. He is also an active member and leader of various professional societies and committees, such as the American Society of Hematology, the International Myeloma Society, and the National Cancer Institute Myeloma Steering Committee. The research of Dr. Kumar focuses on development of novel drugs for treatment of myeloma. His research team evaluates the in vitro activity of novel drugs that, based on their mechanisms of action, are likely to have activity in the setting of myeloma. He also evaluates novel combinations of different drugs to identify synergistic combinations that can result in better treatment responses and eventually better patient outcomes. His work on drug development is complemented by an active program studying the biology of myeloma, with a focus on the study of bone marrow microenvironment in multiple myeloma and how it influences the tumor cells, especially the increased bone marrow micro vessels seen in myeloma. His clinical research focuses on outcomes of patients with myeloma and amyloidosis, especially high-risk disease.

​Andrew Lane, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine,  Harvard Medical School, Director, Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm Center, Physician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA 

Dr. Andrew Lane, MD, PhD is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an institute physician at Dana Faber Cancer Institute. Dr. Lane received his MD and PhD degrees from Washington University. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and his fellowships in hematology and medical oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). His research focuses on developing new treatments for leukemia by studying the genetic changes that occur in cancer and how they alter the normal development of blood cells. Dr. Lane’s laboratory focuses on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell biology and leukemia. The lab investigates genetic and epigenetic alterations that lead to aberrant signaling, changes in chromatin state, and functionally relevant modifications to the transcriptome in leukemia. The primary goal is to characterize the abnormal biology of transformed blood cells to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Dr. Lane’s research encompasses acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN). His team is also interested in understanding sex bias in cancer genomes and how these differences translate to variations in malignancy incidence and therapy outcomes. Additionally, the lab studies resistance to leukemia therapies, including in leukemia stem cells and measurable residual disease (MRD), through genomic characterization—such as DNA and RNA sequencing, including single-cell approaches—of patient samples collected before and during progression after specific treatments. Dr. Lane’s lab discoveries have led to new combination therapies that overcome targeted therapy resistance. He now leads several phase 1-2 clinical trials to test these strategies in patients with blood cancer.

​Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Anne and Bernard Gray Family, Chair in Cancer, Emory University School of Medicine, Chief Medical Officer, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University​
Atlanta, GA 

Dr. Sagar Lonial , MD, FACP is internationally recognized as a leading authority in multiple myeloma treatment and research. As a medical oncologist at the Winship Cancer Institute, Dr. Lonial treats patients with multiple myeloma and is a lead member of the bone marrow transplantation team and clinical trials team. He is board certified in hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Lonial is involved in numerous professional organizations including American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He serves Vice Chair of the Finance Committee of the International Myeloma Society, and serves as Vice Chair of the Myeloma Committee in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. He also serves as President and Chair of the Society of Hematologic Oncology. Additionally, he is on the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Myeloma Foundation. Dr. Lonial has worked in the field of immunotherapy and cancer since his arrival at Emory, and in the previous 3 years has spent time developing the B-cell malignancy program with respect to novel targeted agents in laboratory models as well as early clinical trials. His previous laboratory work has focused on evaluating the impact of purified dendritic cell subsets on the nature of immune responses against antigen, and he has completed several trials evaluating the impact of cytokines on dendritic cell content and post transplant immune recovery. Most recently, Dr. Lonial has focused on combinations of novel agents as therapy for myeloma and lymphoma, particularly evaluating combinations that may result in synergistic inhibition of the PI3-K/Akt pathway. His lab has recently received funding from the MMRF, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Lonial earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.

​Joseph McGuirk, DO, FACP
Schutte-Speas Professor of Hematology-Oncology, Professor of Medicine,  Medical Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Division, Director, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics University of Kansas Medical Center,  Westwood, KS

Dr. Joseph McGuirk, DO, FACP, completed his residency at Yale, fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and subsequently served as Associate Director of the Yale Stem Cell Transplant Program. He currently serves as Director for the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Cancer Center and holds the endowed Schutte-Speas Professorship in Hematology-Oncology. He serves on many national committees and boards. He has worked in the field of hematologic malignancies for over 30 years and has published extensively in the areas of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapeutics. Additionally, he has been the principal investigator in more than 40 clinical trials, including two investigator-initiated trials for which he holds the FDA IND.

​Jae Park​, MD
Chief, Cellular Therapy Service​, Associate Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center
New York, NY 

Dr. Jae Park, MD is a hematologist-oncologist specializing in the care of patients with leukemia, dedicated towards providing best possible care to each patient. As an active translational investigator, he has spent time both in the laboratory and in clinics to bring new and innovative treatments to patients with leukemia. He is particularly interested in developing more-effective and personalized therapies for patients with acute and chronic lymphoid leukemia and lead investigator of a clinical trial using genetically modified T cells to treat patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). He is also a co-principal investigator on several other clinical trials in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and CLL.​ Dr. Park’s ultimate goal as a physician is to develop new and potentially curative therapies for patients with leukemia and to provide compassionate and individualized care to address each patient’s unique needs.

Kerry A. Rogers, MD
Associate Professor,  Division of Hematology, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Columbus, OH 

Dr. Kerry A. Rogers, MD is an Associate professor in the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University as well as a specialist in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Following her initial medical education at Chicago Medical School, Dr. Rogers completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Michigan. She then undertook a fellowship at The Ohio State University in hematology and oncology, and after completing her training, she joined the staff at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC). She is a physician scientist working on chemotherapy-free combinations to improve the use of BTK inhibitors. In addition to caring for patients with CLL and HCL in clinic, Dr. Rogers leads clinical trials to study novel regimens for CLL and HCL. Her other research interests include complications of targeted therapy for CLL, management of Richter syndrome and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Dr. Rogers has authored several articles for publication in medical journals such as Leukemia and Cancer Cell and has prepared numerous abstracts and posters for presentations.

​Nakhle Saba, MD
Professor of Medicine LSU School of Medicine, Director of Lymphoma and CAR-T Therapy Program Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Nakhle Saba, MD earned his medical degree from the Lebanese University in Beirut 2005. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN and Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, and his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Tulane University. After fellowship completion in 2011, Dr. Saba joined the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for an additional fellowship in lymphoid malignancies. His research at the NIH was focused on tumor biology and developing new therapeutic approaches for leukemia and lymphoma. He returned to Tulane in 2014 as Assistant Professor of Medicine, promoted to Associate Professor in 2018, then to Professor in 2024 following a successful career in research, teaching, and treating blood cancers. In October 2024, Dr. Saba was recruited to the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute as Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center, and Director of Lymphoma, CLL, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T. He is diligently working to expand the lymphoma and CLL research portfolio and bring cutting edge therapies to the region such as CAR-T, the next generation CARs. Dr. Saba’s research focuses on lymphoid malignancies and cell therapy, to identify therapeutic targets and novel drugs for these diseases. 

​Larysa Sanchez, MD
Director, Geriatrics in Myeloma Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma, Assistant Professor of Medicine,  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY 

Dr. Larysa Sanchez, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director, Geriatrics in Myeloma, at the Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma. She earned her medical degree from St. George's School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Rutgers Doctors Office Center. She then pursued a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Sanchez specializes in multiple myeloma and related diseases such as amyloid light-chain amyloidosis, smoldering myeloma, and monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance. Dr. Sanchez sees patients at the Ruttenberg Treatment Center and The Blavatnik Family Chelsea Medical Center at Mount Sinai, and is involved in clinical research focused on novel drugs and drug combinations. She has a particular interest in improving outcomes in older adults with multiple myeloma.

​Charles Schiffer, MD
Professor, Emeritus Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Detroit, MI 

Dr. Charles Schiffer, MD is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Schiffer retired as a hematologist and medical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in 2020. He was the leader of the Hematology Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and is still very active with the team, often participating in panel discussions and more. He directed the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship program for approximately 15 years. Dr. Schiffer earned his M.D. at New York University School of Medicine. He completed his internship, residency, and chief residency in Internal Medicine at Bellevue Hospital under the auspices of New York University School of Medicine and had subsequent training and positions at the Baltimore Cancer Research Institute, National Cancer Institute and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he served as Chief of the Division of Hematology. He has also served as Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Director of Clinical Research at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. He has authored and co-authored more than 300 articles and 80 book chapters on topics concerning the treatment of leukemia in adults, platelet transfusion, and granulocyte transfusion therapy, among others. He has served on the Editorial Boards for Blood, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, International Journal of Hematology, Transfusion Medicine Reviews and Transfusion, and reviews articles for multiple journals. Committee memberships have included Chairman of the Leukemia Committee of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, Chairman of the Food and Drug Administration Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee, and grant reviews for the NCI and Leukemia/Lymphoma Society of America. Dr. Schiffer has been named among American Health Magazine’s and Castle Connelly’s “Best Doctors in America,” “Best Cancer Specialists in the US.” In 2006, he received the Dr. John J. Kenney Award from the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society of America and the Celgene Award for Career Achievement in Hematology. He has received multiple teaching awards from Wayne State University and was inducted into the Academy of Scholars, the highest recognition accorded to academic faculty at the University. Dr. Schiffer received the 2024 ASH Mentor Award at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.

​Alan Skarbnik​, MD
System Director, Lymphoma and CLL Program System, Director, Immune Effector Cell and Experimental Therapeutics Program, Novant Health Cancer Institute, Clinical Assistant Professor University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Charlotte, NC 

Dr. Alan Skarbnik, MD serves as the director of the lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia program and director of experimental therapeutics, malignant hematology at Novant Health. He also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to joining Novant Health, Dr. Skarbnik served as the director of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia program at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. As an expert in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphomas, his research focuses on using immunotherapy to improve outcomes of autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with high-risk blood cancers. Dr. Skarbnik is a member of the medical advisory board to the CLL Society and has over 90 peer-reviewed research manuscripts and abstracts in the fields of lymphomas, CLL and stem cell transplantation. Dr. Skarbnik earned his medical degree from Universidade de Sao Paulo. He completed his residency in internal medicine from St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology from Temple University Hospital/Fox Chase Cancer Center, and a fellowship in bone marrow transplant from City of Hope National Medical Center.

Eytan Stein, MD 

Dr. Eytan Stein, MD is Chief of the Leukemia Service and Director of the Program for Drug Development in Leukemia within the Division of Hematologic Malignancies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Stein received his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, where he also completed his internal medicine residency. He then completed his fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Dr. Stein specializes in the treatment of acute and chronic leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative neoplasms. His research focuses on developing innovative therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including small molecule inhibitors that more precisely and effectively target the disease. He serves as the principal investigator for numerous clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes for patients with AML and other blood cancers.

​Deborah Stephens, DO
Associate Professor of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina Medical Center
Chapel Hill, NC 

Dr. Deborah Stephens, MD is the Director of the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Program and the CLL/Lymphoma Research Group at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Stephens leads a subspecialty CLL-focused clinic. Her primary research interests include developing targeted therapies for CLL and lymphoma, studying therapy resistance, and developing supportive therapies for CLL complications. She is principal investigator on multiple clinical trials including the international chair of the SWOG S1925 EVOLVE CLL Study. She leads the CLL Subcommittee within the SWOG Group. Dr. Stephens has served on the CLL NCCN Guidelines Panel and the Medical Advisory Board of the CLL Society.

​Meghan Thompson, MD
Assistant Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 

Dr. Meghan Thompson, MD is a medical oncologist specializing in the care of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Richter transformation, lymphoproliferative disorders, and other leukemias. Dr. Thompson is passionate about educating patients and their families on their diagnosis and treatment options, as well as learning what is most important to each patient as they begin their care journey with her. At each visit, she prioritizes listening to patients’ concerns and answering their questions. She values teamwork at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Dr. Thompson completed her medical degree at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She pursued her residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and subsequently completed her fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at MSKCC. She is board-certified in Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Internal Medicine, and her research focuses on improving treatment outcomes and understanding the genetic mechanisms influencing therapies in CLL and related conditions

​Chaitra Ujjani, MD
Professor, Clinical Research, Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology University of Washington, Seattle, WA 

Dr. Chaitra Ujjani, MD is Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Washington and Professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Research Division. Dr. Ujjani earned her medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham and completed a residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She subsequently completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Ujjani specializes in the treatment of lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), with a focus on designing and leading clinical trials to develop new drug combinations that precisely target cancer while minimizing side effects. Her research also explores immunotherapies that engineer patients’ immune cells to recognize and attack cancer. She is an active member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has presented her research at national and international conferences, including the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

​Wyndham H. Wilson, MD, PhD
Chief, Lymphoma Therapeutics Section, Lymphoid Malignancies, Branch Center for Cancer Research National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD  

Dr. Wyndham H. Wilson, MD, PhD is Chief of the Lymphoma Therapeutics Section within the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch at the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI). He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at Stanford University and pursued his fellowship in oncology at the NCI, NIH. His interest is in the pathobiology and treatment of lymphomas through precision medicine studies that uniquely integrate molecular biology and clinical science. He has had a special focus on drug scheduling and pharmacodynamics that led to the development of Dose-adjusted-EPOCH-R; now a standard for untreated aggressive B-cell lymphomas including Burkitt lymphoma, Primary Mediastinal B-cell Lymphoma, Gray Zone lymphoma, Double-hit B-cell lymphomas, HIV-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and high-risk DLBCL NOS. His efforts have involved first-in-class clinical studies in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of taxanes (paclitaxel), BH3-mimetics (navitoclax), proteosome inhibitors (bortezomib) and BTK inhibitors (ibrutinib) targeting B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling.

​Joshua Zeidner, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Chief, Leukemia Research, Associate Chief of Research, Hematology Director, Clinical Cancer Research Commercial Integration UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 

Dr. Joshua Zeidner, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Zeidner is the inaugural Director of Clinical Cancer Research Commercial Integration at Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and serves as the Chief of Leukemia Research and Associate Chief of Research within the Division of Hematology at University of North Carolina. Dr. Zeidner earned his medical degree from New York Medical College and pursued his residency in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Zeidner specializes in the management of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). His research focuses on developing novel therapies and innovative methods to improve clinical outcomes in these conditions. As the Chief of the Leukemia Research Program at University of North Carolina, he oversees and leads a clinical and translational research program which offers a multitude of cutting-edge early phase clinical trials for patients with acute and chronic leukemia’s.