Alumni
Alumni ECIs
Rebecca C. Arend, MD
Associate Professor, Gynecologic Oncology, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center
Education: MD, Albert Einstein, New York, NY
OBGYN residency: Columbia Presbyterian, New York, NY
Gynecologic oncology fellowship: University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
Martina Bazzaro, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health (OBGYN) Member, Masonic Cancer Center (MCC)
Education: PhD, University of Lausanne & University of Ferrara (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), Postdoctoral training at the Department of Pathology of the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Katherine Chiappinelli, PhD
Katherine Chiappinelli, PhD Website
Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine
Education: PhD, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine; Postdoctoral fellowship, Johns Hopkins University
Research Description
My research focuses on how epigenetic therapies can be used against cancers, specifically in the context of arming the host immune system to fight cancer cells. We study the epigenetic changes in cancer and how epigenetic drugs can reverse these, specifically focusing on noncoding regions of the genome and the tumor cell immune response.
Jeremy Chien, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
UC Davis Medical Center
Education: Ph.D.: Reproductive Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. Postdoctoral training: Tumor Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Salvatore Condello, PhD
Salvatore Condello, PhD Website
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Education: Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Messina, Italy
Postdoc: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Research Description
My ongoing research aims at understanding the intersection between tissue transglutaminase, a multifunctional protein highly expressed in ovarian tumors, and the oncogenic Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in promoting the cancer stem cell phenotype, which has been associated with the clinically relevant problem of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer. My research program interrogates several ovarian cancer cell lines, primary cells, cancer stem-like cells, and animal models to address the importance of various signaling pathways and metabolic pattern alterations in this inherently heterogeneous disease with the ultimate goal to find new functional target genes and test novel therapeutics.
Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD
Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD Website
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Member, Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center
Weill Cornell Medical College
Education: Ph.D.: Tumor Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.
Post-doc: Harvard School of Public Health and Weill Cornell Medical College.
Marion Curtis, PhD
Associate Professor of Immunology, Departments of Immunology and Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic
Education: Ph.D., Cancer Biology, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago
Postdoctoral Training: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago
Award: Enhancing anti-tumor immunity with PP4 inhibition and chemo-immunotherapy
Research Description
The long term goal of our lab is to improve the understanding of the relationship between ovarian cancer and the immune system, which will enable the development of new therapies to improve outcomes for women with this deadly disease. Our current research seeks to exploit the DNA damage repair deficiencies present in ovarian tumors in order to activate an effective anti-tumor immune response. We use a combination of cellular and mouse models of ovarian cancer, as well as, a large biobank of primary human samples to reach our goal. Our work is anticipated to have an enormous impact for women battling ovarian cancer, which currently lack truly effective treatment options following disease recurrence.
Alexandre Gaspar-Maia, PhD
Alexandre Gaspar-Maia, PhD Website
Associate Professor of Lab Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
Education: PhD, University of California San Francisco/ Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal); Postdoctoral fellowship, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NY
Award: Deciphering the role of cancer stem cells in chemotherapy resistance in high grade serous carcinoma
Research Description
My group has been focusing on various aspects of transcription and enhancer regulation with implications in cellular heterogeneity, in particular in cancer stem cell states that lead to drug resistance. The goal is to use epigenomic profiling to define transcriptional dependencies and better understand cancer programs associated with malignancy, metastasis and drug sensitivity. To achieve this goal we use 3 complementary avenues: 1) Technology development: by adapting the most recent advances in sequencing technologies to a variety of model systems (3D organoids, PDXs and liquid biopsy) we aim to address tumor heterogeneity and epigenomic profiling in small populations of cells; 2) Bioinformatic analysis: with a special interest in incorporating different sequencing platforms to identify epigenomic patterns, we focus on extracting the most information from RNA-seq, HiChIP, HiC, ATAC-seq and single cell ATAC-seq/RNA-seq data. 3) Mechanistic Studies: using CRISPR/Cas9 based technologies and co-culturing systems to address cellular heterogeneity, we aim to target novel transcription factor candidates and non-coding elements to functionally validate their roles in cancer stem cell states.
Sophia HL George, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
Education: PhD, Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Postdoc: Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Ontario, Canada and Duke University, Durham, NC
Neil Johnson, PhD
Professor Fox Chase Cancer Center
Education: BSc, Genetics and Biochemistry, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 2002
PhD, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 2006
Postdoctoral training, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Geoffrey Shapiro mentor, 2006-20013
Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos, MD, PhD
Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos, MD, PhD Website
Associate Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Attending Oncologist, Gynecologic Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Director Translational Research, Gynecologic Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
OCA mentor 2024-2028
Education: PhD, Harvard -MIT Health Sciences and Technology
MD,University of Patras School of Medicine
Charles Landen, MS, MD
Charles Landen, MS, MD Website
Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia
Education: MS, Cancer Biology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston
MD, Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
John B. Liao, MD, PhD
Associate Professor. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Education: PhD, Yale university, MD, George Washington University, Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology, University of Pennsylvania
Karen McLean, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Gynecology and Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Education: MD and PhD, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI; Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI.
Geeta Mehta, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Education: PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Postdoc, Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA
Melissa A. Merritt, PhD
Melissa A. Merritt, PhD Website
Senior Research Fellow, The Daffodil Centre
Stream Co-Leader, Ovarian Cancer
Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney
Education: PhD, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Postdoctoral fellowships: Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Award: Aspirin and NSAID Use and Ovarian Cancer Prognosis: A Molecular Epidemiological Study
Research Description
My research program integrates molecular epidemiology, biomarkers for disease risk and progression, and disparities research using data from epidemiological cohort studies. My long term goal is to assist to develop better strategies for ovarian cancer prevention and to identify targets for pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions to improve outcomes for ovarian cancer patients. Using the exemplary resources available in the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3), one of my specific goals is to study how pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis aspirin and non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use may influence survival among ovarian cancer patients in the context of patient characteristics and tumor immune marker profiles.
Anirban K. Mitra, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Medical Sciences Program Indiana University School of Medicine
Associate Member Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center
Education: Post-Doctoral Fellowship University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Ph.D. University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
Yeku Oladapo, MD, PhD
Instructor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Clinical Assistant Attending, Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
Education: MD, PhD, Stony Brook University School of Medicine
Medical Oncology Fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research Description
I am characterizing the suppressive tumor microenvironment and evaluating strategies to improve the efficacy of novel immunotherapeutic approaches for the management of gynecologic malignancies. This includes immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engager therapy, and adoptive cellular therapy, including CAR-T cells.
David Pépin, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories
Education: Post-doctoral fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Doctorate: University of Ottawa, Canada
Elizabeth Poole, PhD
Associate Director - Biostatistics, Sanofi Genzyme
Education: PhD, University of Washington
Postdoctoral training: Harvard School of Public Health
Erinn Rankin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University
Education: PhD, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Postdoc, Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Naoko Sasamoto, MD, MPH
Naoko Sasamoto, MD, MPH Website
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology Program
Fred Hutch
Education: MD, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
Postdoctoral Training: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Research Description
My research interest focuses on discovery of early detection biomarkers to improve clinical outcomes of women with ovarian cancer by detecting ovarian cancer at earlier stages and identifying novel biologic pathways related to early stage disease and disease progression which could inform development of novel prevention strategies or therapeutics. The primary objective of my current research is to discover novel biomarkers for early detection of ovarian cancer using a unique study with blood samples drawn one to seven years prior to diagnosis of late stage ovarian cancer and apply the cutting-edge technology which can simultaneously measure more than a thousand proteins using small amount of blood. Results from this study will lead to discovery of novel ovarian cancer screening biomarkers targeted to women with average risk, which will have great impact on improving ovarian cancer survival.
Kathryn L. Terry, ScD
Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School
Associate Epidemiologist, Ob/Gyn Epidemiology Center, Brigham And Women's Hospital
Education: ScD, Harvard School of Public Health
Jogender Tushir-Singh, PhD
Jogender Tushir-Singh, PhD Website
Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California, Davis
Education: Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology, University Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN
Post Doctoral Studies: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester MA
Research Description
I am a rare early stage academic investigator who knows what it takes to translate research into the clinic due to both basic and industrial training. The overarching goals of my research are to investigate molecular mechanism of ovarian cancer and rationally apply antibody engineering based strategies for therapeutic targeting. We are particularly interested in dual-specificity antibodies, antibody conjugates and chimeric receptors. Current projects in my laboratory are focused on Bispecific Anchored Cytotoxic Activator strategy and CAR-NK cells against ovarian cancer overexpressed receptors. We currently focus on characterizing, comparing and combining both immune-dependent (Cancer Immunotherapy) and immune-independent strategies for effective ovarian cancer targeting. Additional projects are planned towards combinatorial ways to overcome clinical resistance to ovarian cancer therapies.
Anda Vlad, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Associate Professor, Department of Immunology
Director, MWRI Flow Cytometry Core Director, MWRI Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University of Pittsburgh
Education: PhD, University of Pittsburgh. MD, University of Craiova School of Medicine
Rachel I. Vogel, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, Medical School
University of Minnesota
Education: M.S.: Biostatistics and Ph.D., Epidemiology. University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Research Description
My research focuses on cancer survivors with the end goal of maximizing survivors' quality of life and outcomes. As the number of cancer survivors increases, the long-term effects of the disease and treatment have become a substantial public health concern. The goal of this funded research is to determine whether CMV (cytomegalovirus) reactivation in the presence of high inflammation contributes to patient-reported fatigue and negatively affects cancer prognosis among women with ovarian cancer.
Wa Xian, PhD
Assistant Professor, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX
Education: PhD, MD Anderson Cancer Center/ University of Texas (Molecular Genetics), Postdoctoral training at the Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Yang Yang-Hartwich, PhD
Yang Yang-Hartwich, PhD Website
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences School of Medicine Yale University
Education: Ph.D., Microbiology, Nankai University, China.
Postdoctoral training, Tumor Biology, Yale University.
Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD
Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD Website
Professor Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mount Sinai
Education: MD/PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Internal medicine residency: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Medical oncology fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Rugang Zhang, PhD
Department Chair
Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
OCA mentor 2024-2028
Education: PhD, University of Pennsylvania.
Postdoctoral training: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia
Alumni Mentors
Catherine Bollard, MD, MBChB
Catherine Bollard, MD, MBChB Website
Director, Center for Cancer and Immunology, Children’s National Research Institute
Director, Program for Cell Enhancement and Technologies for Immunotherapy, Children’s National Research Institute
Professor, Pediatrics and Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University
Research Description
Dr. Bollard is a distinguished hematologist, immunologist, and immunotherapist known for her leadership in developing cell and gene therapies. As the current president of the Foundation for the Accreditation for Cellular Therapy (FACT), she spearheads clinical and research efforts to strengthen the immune system through adoptive cell therapy. Her work is focused on combating cancer and inflammatory diseases, with a dedication to advancing cell and gene therapies for patients with cancer and underlying immune deficiencies.
Fergus Couch, PhD
Consultant, Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic
Chair, Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic
Research Description
Dr. Couch conducts research primarily focused on breast and pancreatic cancer. His work involves identifying genetic alterations related to breast cancer susceptibility, particularly in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are also associated with ovarian cancer risk. Additionally, his research explores factors influencing the response to chemotherapy in breast cancer. Dr. Couch's research into ovarian cancer concerns variants of significance in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and their implications in ovarian cancer risk assessment.
Anne Cust, PhD, MPH(Hons)
Anne Cust, PhD, MPH(Hons) Website
Professor of Cancer Epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney
Deputy Director of the Daffodil Centre
Research Description
Dr. Cust is a leading cancer epidemiologist and NHMRC Investigator Fellow renowned for her research in Melanoma and Skin Cancer. Her work focuses on translating research into impactful policies and clinical practices. She's made significant contributions to skin cancer prevention, screening, genomic cancer risk, and international melanoma consortia.
Melissa Geller, MD, MS
Melissa Geller, MD, MS Website
Associate Professor and Division Director, Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health (OBGYN)
University of Minnesota
Research Description
Dr. Geller is dedicated to researching innovative therapies for recurrent ovarian cancer, with a particular focus on harnessing NK cells for treatment. She has initiated multiple clinical trials exploring immunotherapy in advanced gynecologic malignancies. Dr. Geller's pioneering work includes developing a next-generation immunotherapy product using anti-mesothelin CAR-expressing human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to enhance NK cell targeting of ovarian cancer cells. Additionally, she's created technology-based interventions to enhance ovarian cancer patients' quality of life and is involved in genetic counseling research funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Diane Jelinek, PhD
Consultant, Cellular Immunology, Department of Research, Mayo Clinic
Professor of Immunology, Mayo Clinic
Research Description
Dr. Jelinek's research focuses on human B cell and plasma cell biology, encompassing both normal and cancerous cells. Her work investigates the survival, proliferation, and differentiation mechanisms of these cells, shedding light on diseases like chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and primary amyloidosis. Dr. Jelinek's studies involve understanding the interactions between B cells and immune cells, exploring the role of key enzymes like activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and investigating molecular features of the CLL B cell antigen receptor. Additionally, she delves into multiple myeloma progression, tumor cell growth regulation, and the unique antibody-secreting plasma cells in primary amyloidosis that lead to organ deposits.
Daniela Matei, MD
Diana, Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Oncology) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (Gynecologic Oncology) Northwestern University
Research Description
Dr. Matei co-leads the Women’s Cancer Research Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her groundbreaking work focuses on ovarian cancer stem cells, chemotherapy-resistant tumor epigenetics, and lipid metabolism's impact on cancer. Dr. Matei actively participates in clinical and translational research in solid tumors and co-leads the NCTN activities at the Lurie Cancer Center.
Ursula Matulonis, MD
Chief, Division of Gynecologic Oncology
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Research Description
Dr. Matulonis is renowned for her research in gynecologic oncology, particularly her pioneering work in developing and testing novel therapies for ovarian and endometrial cancers. She has been at the forefront of clinical trials involving PARP inhibitors, anti-angiogenic agents, immunotherapies, and innovative combination treatments, significantly advancing the field's understanding and management of these malignancies. Dr. Matulonis' dedication to improving patient outcomes and her leadership roles in various cancer organizations underscore her commitment to driving progress in gynecologic oncology research and treatment.
Heather Nelson, PhD, MPH
Heather Nelson, PhD, MPH Website
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health;
Program Leader, Masonic Cancer Center
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Research Description
Dr. Nelson's research program is dedicated to investigating the intricate interplay between environmental factors and genetic predispositions that heighten cancer susceptibility and influence patient outcomes. Her current research endeavors are specifically oriented toward unraveling the significance of individual variations in immune responses and the impact of viral exposures in the realm of cancer epidemiology.
Kenneth Nephew, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medical Sciences Program
Fellow, Indiana Molecular Biology Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, IU Bloomington
Adjunct Professor of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, IU Bloomington
Daniel J. Powell Jr., Ph.D.
Daniel J. Powell Jr., Ph.D. Website
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Sharon Stack, PhD
Ann F. Dunne and Elizabeth Riley Director of Harper Cancer Research Institute Kleiderer-Pezold Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Notre Dame
Research Description
Dr. Stack is a renowned researcher with a focus on ovarian and oral cancer metastasis. Her work delves into the molecular mechanisms governing metastasis and how tumor cells respond to microenvironmental cues.
John Quackenbush, PhD
Professor of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics and Chair of Department of Biostatistics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Professor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Research Description
Dr. Quackenbush's research focuses on leveraging genomics and computational methods to study patterns of gene expression in cancer. His work aims to reveal fundamental networks and pathways in disease development and progression, using genomic data to gain insights into biological systems.
Kathryn Terry, ScD
Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical Schools
Associate Epidemiologist, Ob/Gyn Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Research Description
Dr. Terry's research centers on investigating the intricate interplay between genetic variations, environmental factors, and their impact on ovarian cancer risk and survival. Her specific focus revolves around understanding the varying risk profiles associated with different ovarian cancer subtypes, whether characterized by histologic subtype, cell of origin, or etiological pathway.
Shelley Tworoger, PhD
Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute
Professor and Head, Division of Oncological Sciences
Associate Director of Population Science
Research Description
Dr. Tworoger focuses on reducing morbidity and mortality from ovarian and breast cancers. Her multidisciplinary approach is dedicated to various key areas: investigating how the host macroenvironment influences tumor development and heterogeneity, identifying novel factors associated with ovarian cancer risk and survival, leading consortial research initiatives such as the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium, exploring the biological consequences of psychosocial stress on carcinogenesis, and elucidating the hormonal etiology of breast cancer while integrating biologic markers into risk prediction models, aiming to make risk prediction a valuable clinical tool.
John Weroha, MD, PhD
Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic
Associate Professor of Oncology, Mayo Clinic
Research Research
Dr. Weroha focuses on enhancing therapeutic options for ovarian and other gynecological cancers. His key areas of focus encompass developing innovative therapeutic combinations involving PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer, comprehending resistance mechanisms to PARP inhibitors to devise effective strategies, utilizing patients' own tumors for treatment response prediction and clinical guidance, leading and supporting clinical trials for gynecological malignancies, and expanding the world's largest collection of patient-derived xenografts by advancing ovarian cancer models and introducing models for endometrial and rare gynecological cancers.