Media Expert Guide
Following is a list of focus areas and MD Anderson experts. Please contact the Public Relations Office at 713-792-0655 or PublicRelations@MDAnderson.org to schedule an interview.
Brain Cancer
John F. de Groot, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Brain Cancer
- Glioma Angiogenesis
- Molecularly Targeted Therapy
Research/Expertise
- Glioma angiogenesis
- Molecularly targeted therapy
Jeffrey S. Weinberg, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Brain Cancer
- Intraoperative MRI
- Surgical Management of Primary and Metastatic Brain Tumors
- Spinal Cord Tumors
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery
- Intraoperative Delivery of Anti-cancer Agents
Research/Expertise
- Surgery for primary and metastatic brain, spinal cord and pediatric brain tumors
- Intraoperative MRI
- Use of laser thermal therapy
Breast Cancer
Isabelle Bedrosian, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Surgery
- Indications for Prophylactic Surgery
- Utility of Breast MRI in the Preoperative Staging of Breast Cancer Patients
Research/Expertise
- Molecular pathways in normal breast tissue that may serve as biomarkers of breast cancer risk and novel targets for prevention
Therese Bevers, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer Prevention
- Screening
- Diagnosis
- Survivorship
Research/Expertise
- Cancer prevention including screening, healthy lifestyles and risk reduction as well as diagnosis and survivorship
Sharon H. Giordano, M.D., M.P.H
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Male Breast Cancer
- Value and Cost of Breast Cancer Treatment
Research/Expertise
- Male breast cancer
- Value and cost of breast cancer treatment
Jennifer Litton, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Pregnancy and Breast Cancer
- Genetic Testing
- Molecular Changes of Breast Cancer Genes
Research/Expertise
- Treatment of young breast cancer patients, including the treatment of breast cancer during pregnancy, treatment-related infertility, hereditary cancer syndromes and triple negative breast cancer
- Authored multiple abstracts, peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters and has served as a reviewer for multiple scientific journals
Benjamin D. Smith, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Radiation
- Value and Cost of Breast Cancer Treatment
Research/Expertise
- Breast radiation
- Value and cost of breast cancer treatment
Cervical Cancer
Lois Ramondetta, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Cervical Cancers
- HPV-related Cancers
- HPV Vaccination
Research/Expertise
- Clinical expertise includes surgical care and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic malignancies
- Directs broad prevention, policy and education efforts to promote HPV vaccination for cancer prevention
- Biomedical ethics, spirituality during cancer treatment, and patient quality of life
- Passionate about eliminating barriers to care for indigent patients, and a key member of the MD Anderson Outreach Program, which provides quality cancer care at regional medical centers
Kathleen Schmeler, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Cervical Cancers
- Screening
- HPV-related Cancers
- HPV Vaccination
- Health Disparities
- Global Oncology
Research/Expertise
- Clinical expertise includes surgical care, including minimally invasive techniques, and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic malignancies
- Primary research interest is in cervical cancer prevention and treatment, particularly in developing countries and for medically underserved women in the United States
- As co-lead of the HPV-Related Cancers Moon Shot, directs global efforts to improve screening for HPV-related cancers, particularly in underserved populations
- Pioneered the use of the Project ECHO telementoring model for oncology, working to improve access to high-quality cancer prevention, screening and treatment options in underserved regions of the world
Colorectal Cancer
George J. Chang, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Colorectal Cancer
- Colon Cancer
Research/Expertise
- Cancer treatment outcomes research
- Clinical epidemiology of cancer treatment outcomes
- Decision modeling for cancer treatment
- Clinical trials in cancer therapy
Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P.
Areas of Specialty
- Colorectal Cancer
- Liquid Biopsies (circulating tumor DNA or cell-free DNA)
Research/Expertise
- Liquid biopsies using cell-free DNAs and their role in detecting minimal residual disease with aim of early cancer detection
- Role of protein tyrosine kinases in cancer maintenance and growth
- Evaluation of targets and compounds close to application in the clinic, with an emphasis on metastatic colorectal cancer
- Using cancer cell lines as well as tissue samples from patients, including correlative samples from ongoing clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents
- Tyrosine kinase Src and its role in acquired chemotherapy resistance
- Role of BRAF mutations in colon cancer biology, with a focus on developing therapeutic combinations based on the unique biology of this subset of colorectal cancer
Fertility Preservation
Terri Woodard, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients
Research/Expertise
- Reproductive endocrinology
HPV-Related Cancers
Lois Ramondetta, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Cervical Cancers
- HPV-related Cancers
- HPV Vaccination
Research/Expertise
- Clinical expertise includes surgical care and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic malignancies
- Directs broad prevention, policy and education efforts to promote HPV vaccination for cancer prevention
- Biomedical ethics, spirituality during cancer treatment, and patient quality of life
- Passionate about eliminating barriers to care for indigent patients, and a key member of the MD Anderson Outreach Program, which provides quality cancer care at regional medical centers
Kathleen Schmeler, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Cervical Cancers
- Screening
- HPV-related Cancers
- HPV Vaccination
- Health Disparities
- Global Oncology
Research/Expertise
- Clinical expertise includes surgical care, including minimally invasive techniques, and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic malignancies
- Primary research interest is in cervical cancer prevention and treatment, particularly in developing countries and for medically underserved women in the United States
- As co-lead of the HPV-Related Cancers Moon Shot, directs global efforts to improve screening for HPV-related cancers, particularly in underserved populations
- Pioneered the use of the Project ECHO telementoring model for oncology, working to improve access to high-quality cancer prevention, screening and treatment options in underserved regions of the world
Erich Sturgis, M.D., M.P.H.
Areas of Specialty
- Head and Neck Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- HPV-related Head and Neck Cancers
- Sarcomas of the Head and Neck
Research/Expertise
- Clinical expertise includes HPV-related head and neck cancers, sarcomas of the head and neck region and thyroid cancer
- Research interests include HPV and molecular epidemiology of carcinomas of the head and neck region, including squamous, salivary and thyroid carcinomas
- Phenotypic and genotypic markers of genetic susceptibility
- Epidemiology of head and neck cancer
- Genetic susceptibility to thyroid and salivary gland malignancies
Immunotherapy
James Allison, Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy
- T-cells
- Checkpoint Blockades
Research/Expertise
- Research focuses on the mechanisms that govern T cell responses and applying basic understanding to overcome cancer’s evasion of attack by the immune system
- Fundamental discoveries led to pioneering immune checkpoint blockade as a cancer treatment, working with pharmaceutical companies to develop Yervoy
- Explores combinations of immunological therapies and targeted drugs in preclinical studies to more effectively treat a variety of cancers
- Continues basic research on immune stimulatory and inhibiting molecules
Patrick Hwu, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy
- Cancer Vaccines
- Tumor Immunotherapy
- Cancer Immunology
Research/Expertise
- Primary force in the development of novel vaccine and adoptive T-cell therapies
- Pioneered work in immunotherapy for melanoma and other cancer types and cancer vaccines
- Focused on applying basic immunological concepts from the lab to cancer patients, while continually looking at new ways to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight cancer
Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy
- Cancer Vaccines
- Cancer Immunology
Research/Expertise
- Focuses on learning how to apply immune-based therapeutic strategies to manipulate components of the human immune system to lead to tumor regression
- Designs and conducts clinical trials of cancer vaccines and other immune-based treatments.
- Research on collected patient samples as part of her ongoing studies aimed at understanding how immunotherapy affects the immune system and tumor biology.
Leadership
Stephen Hahn, M.D.
Chief Medical Executive
Ben Melson
Chief Financial Officer
Peter WT Pisters, M.D.
President
Leukemia
Chris Benton, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Minimal Residual Disease
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Research/Expertise
- Minimal residual disease and AML
Naval Daver, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- General Leukemia
Research/Expertise
- Immunotherapy and AML
Guillermo Garcia-Manero, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- General Leukemia
Research/Expertise
- Immunotherapy and AML
Nitin Jain, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- General Leukemia
Research/Expertise
- Immunotherapy and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Jeffrey Molldrem, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Immunotherapy for Leukemia and Other Blood Disorders
Research/Expertise
- Development of immunotherapies for leukemia and other hematological diseases through understanding of T-cell immunity against hematopoietic progenitors
- Identify, validate and develop novel anti-cancer antibodies
Katy Rezvani, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Natural Killer Cells
- Cord Blood
- Large B-cell
Research/Expertise
- Genetically manipulated cord blood-derived natural killer cell therapies for hematological cancers and solid tumors such as glioblastoma
Elizabeth Shpall, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Natural Killer Cells
- Cord Blood
- B-cell Lymphoma
- Leukemia
Research/Expertise
- Genetically manipulated cord blood-derived natural killer cell therapies for hematological cancers and solid tumors such as glioblastoma
Lung Cancer
John V. Heymach, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Lung Cancer
- KRAS Gene
- LKB1 Loss
- EGFR Activating Mutations
Research/Expertise
- Improve the clinical outcome of non-small cell lung cancer patients
- Molecular drivers of lung cancer
- Identification of predictive biomarkers of drug sensitivity
- Identification of mechanisms of therapeutic resistance and novel strategies to overcome resistance
Lymphoma & Myeloma
Sattva Neelapu, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- CAR-T Cell and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Large B-cell lymphoma
Research/Expertise
- CAR-T Cell and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Robert Orlowski, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Multiple Myeloma
- Immunotherapies and High-risk Multiple Myeloma
- Treatment Resistance
- Novel Therapeutics
Research/Expertise
- Development, testing of immunotherapies for high-risk myeloma
- Drug resistance in myeloma
Moon Shots Program
Giulio F. Draetta, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Drug discovery and development
- Translational research
- Cancer genomics
- Factors of treatment resistance, response
Research/Expertise
- Expert in drug discovery and development in both academia and industry
- Leader of efforts to better align innovative academic science, clinical excellence and professional drug discovery expertise to deliver better results for patients.
- Preclinical investigation of genomic factors involved in response to and resistance of cancer treatment, including major findings in pancreatic cancer
Andy Futreal, Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Cancer genomics
- Targeted therapy
- Tumor heterogeneity
- Factors of resistance, response
Research/Expertise
- Leader in the field of cancer genomics, including major discoveries of genomic mutations that drive cancer development and progression
- Expert on genomic heterogeneity of tumors and the challenges that presents in treatment
- Focused on marshalling longitudinal clinical data and biomedical samples, along with scientific findings, to better understand response to and resistance of therapy, improving outcomes for patients
Ovarian Cancer
Karen Lu, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Ovarian Cancer
- Endometrial Cancer
- Cancer Genetics
- CA-125
Research/Expertise
- Leads a research team that aims to apply laboratory-based findings to improving the care of gynecologic cancer patients
Shannon Westin, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.O.G.
Areas of Specialty
- Ovarian Cancer
- Developmental Therapeutics
- Biomarkers to Predict Response/Recurrence in Gynecologic Cancers
Research/Expertise
- Principal investigator of several novel treatment trials for endometrial cancer as well as a phase 1 trial of agents relevant to ovarian cancer
- Principal investigator for a trial of MK-2206, an AKT inhibitor, in recurrent endometrial cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S.
Areas of Specialty
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Liquid Biopsies
Research/Expertise
- Liquid biopsies and pancreatic cancer
Pediatrics
Richard Gorlick, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Osteosarcoma
- Sarcoma
- Ewing Sarcoma
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Bone Tumors
Research/Expertise
- Research focuses on the mechanisms of antifolate resistance that are observed in osteosarcoma
- Attempting to identify new therapies that may be relevant for the treatment of osteosarcoma with most recent focus being immunotherapy
Rodrigo Mejia, M.D., F.C.C.M.
Areas of Specialty
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Septic Shock
- Respiratory Failure
- Multiple Organ System Failure
Research/Expertise
- Bronchoscopy in pediatric patients with oncologic diseases
Prevention
Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Areas of Specialty
- Cancer Prevention
- Survivorship
- Obesity and Cancer Risk
- Physical Activity
- Energy Balance
- Weight Management
Research/Expertise
- Expertise in the connection between energy balance (exercise, diet and weight) and cancer prevention and survivorship. Works to expand key research initiatives to better understand these connections and disseminate findings for evidence-based interventions
- Personal research focuses on cancer survivors and the role of health behavior interventions in decreasing the severity of late effects, improving physical functioning, optimizing quality of life and reducing risk of chronic diseases
- Develops and tests interventions for behavior change and innovative real-time methods for assessing symptoms and behavior in cancer patients and survivors
- Directs a prevention program to increase physical activity among medically underserved breast cancer survivors
Therese Bevers, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
Areas of Specialty
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer Prevention
- Screening
- Diagnosis
- Survivorship
Research/Expertise
- Cancer prevention including screening, healthy lifestyles and risk reduction as well as diagnosis and survivorship
Jeffrey Gershenwald, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Melanoma
- Surgical Treatment of Melanoma
- Skin Cancer Prevention
- Indoor Tanning
- Sun Safety
Research/Expertise
- Research focuses on enhancing melanoma care through integrated clinical-, pathological-, and molecular-based prognostic and predictive modeling in melanoma
- Emphasis on translational research in melanoma staging and prognostic factor analysis, as well as mechanisms of melanoma metastasis and molecular modeling of the disease
- As co-lead of the Melanoma Moon Shot, directs broad efforts toward improving melanoma prevention, screening and treatment. Efforts include public policy and prevention research initiatives to reduce ultraviolet radiation exposure in youth as well as research on the molecular and immune underpinnings of melanoma to improve treatment options
- Founding member and Co-Chair of the melanoma group for The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA), and worked to better establish the genomic classification of melanoma
Ernest Hawk, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Cancer Prevention
- Translational Research
- Molecular Intersections between Cancer and Other Diseases
Research/Expertise
- Chemoprevention
- Improvement of minority and underserved populations’ participation in clinical research
- Integration of risk assessment, behavioral science, and preventive strategies developed through sequential clinical trials for application in clinical or public health settings.
Alexander V Prokhorov, M.D., Ph.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Tobacco Prevention
- Youth Tobacco Education
- Emerging Tobacco Products
Research/Expertise
- Creating and testing innovative tobacco prevention and cessation programs for high-risk teens and young adults
- Develops evidence-based programs to increase awareness of the tobacco risks among the general public and enhance tobacco cessation counseling skills among health care providers
- Led development of the interactive multimedia curriclum, ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience), used by youth around the world for tobacco education
- Expertise in new and emerging tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and hookahs, and use of these products among younger generations
Sarcoma
Valerae O. Lewis, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Sarcoma
- Musculoskeletal Tumors/Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors
- Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
- Limb Salvage Therapy
- Pediatric Sarcoma
- Pelvic Sarcomas
Research/Expertise
- Research investigates gene functions tied to osteosarcoma and the development of treatments that might interrupt this process
- Treatment of patients with pelvic sarcoma
- Study of the long term functional outcome of patients with sarcoma of bone
Skin Cancer & Melanoma
Susan Y. Chon, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Skin Cancer
- Skin Cancer Prevention
- General Medical Dermatology
- Sun Safety
Research/Expertise
- Early detection and treatment of skin cancers
Saira J. George, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Skin Cancer
- Skin Cancer Prevention
- General Medical Dermatology
- Sun Safety
Research/Expertise
- Early detection and treatment of skin cancers
- Dermoscopy of Pigmented Lesions
- Skin Manifestations of Internal Disease
Jeffrey Gershenwald, M.D.
Areas of Specialty
- Melanoma
- Surgical Treatment of Melanoma
- Skin Cancer Prevention
- Indoor Tanning
- Sun Safety
Research/Expertise
- Research focuses on enhancing melanoma care through integrated clinical-, pathological-, and molecular-based prognostic and predictive modeling in melanoma
- Emphasis on translational research in melanoma staging and prognostic factor analysis, as well as mechanisms of melanoma metastasis and molecular modeling of the disease
- As co-lead of the Melanoma Moon Shot, directs broad efforts toward improving melanoma prevention, screening and treatment. Efforts include public policy and prevention research initiatives to reduce ultraviolet radiation exposure in youth as well as research on the molecular and immune underpinnings of melanoma to improve treatment options
- Founding member and Co-Chair of the melanoma group for The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA), and worked to better establish the genomic classification of melanoma
