2023 LACNETS Conference Speakers
NETS 101: OVERVIEW OF NET TERMS & CONCEPTS
AMAN CHAUHAN, MD
Medical Oncologist, University of Miami
Aman Chauhan, MD, earned his medical degree from the Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Karnataka, India, followed by a dual residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. Dr. Chauhan completed his fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of Kentucky, especially focusing on neuroendocrine tumor (NETs). Additionally, Dr. Chauhan completed a Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) physician externship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that focused on designing clinical trials and clinical research projects.
His clinical interests include treating NETs, including carcinoid tumors, high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas, and small and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Dr Chauhan leads the University of Miami Neuroendocrine Cancer Program and co-leads Sylvester Theranostics Drug Development Program. He is national principal investigator on several investigator initiated neuroendocrine cancer clinical trials. He has authored over 70 scientific publications and book chapters and has received career development award from NCI CTEP. Dr Chauhan also serves on AJCC and ASCO NET guideline committees and is an active member of NANETS communication committee.
Dr. Chauhan is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology as well as the American Association of Cancer Research and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society.
A CONVERSATION WITH THREE NET SURGEONS
CALLISIA CLARKE, MD
Surgical Oncologist, Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Callisia N. Clarke completed her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society. She completed a general surgery residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2013 and a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2016. She joined the faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2016 as an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Clarke specializes in hepato-pancreatic-biliary malignancies, melanoma and sarcoma, with her research efforts centered on epigenetic regulation of Neuroendocrine Tumors. She holds numerous leadership positions in national organizations including the American Hepato Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Association for Academic Surgery, the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society, and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
ALEXANDRA GANGI, MD
Surgical Oncologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Dr. Alexandra Gangi is a board-certified surgical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Gangi completed a general surgical residency at Cedars-Sinai and completed her surgical oncology fellowship at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
She currently serves as the director of the Gastrointestinal Tumor and Cancer Regional Therapies Programs with specialization in Pancreatic and GI Neuroendocrine tumors, Metastatic colorectal cancer, and Peritoneal Surface Malignancies. Her research focuses on understanding GEPNET heterogeneity between and within tumors subtypes and mechanisms of chemotherapy induced liver injury.
DANIEL ANAYA SAENZ, MD
Surgical Oncologist, Moffitt Cancer Center
Dr. Daniel Anaya is a Senior Member, Chief of GI Surgery and Head of Hepatobiliary Section in the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Anaya is a fellowship trained Surgical Oncologist with a particular focus on the surgical treatment of patients with liver malignancies (primary and metastatic) and neuroendocrine tumors.​
His academic interests focus on improving the quality of cancer care and implementing models to improve the delivery of care for patients with complex cancers. He is an expert in developing academic programs that facilitate the delivery of the highest quality of care, while also providing a framework to support research and innovation in the field of cancer and surgery.
THE LATEST IN LIVER-DIRECTED THERAPY
OSMAN AHMED, MD
Interventional Radiologist, University of Chicago
Osman Ahmed, MD, is an expert vascular and interventional radiologist who diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions. Using image-guided technology and small, sophisticated instruments, Dr. Ahmed performs minimally invasive procedures for acute and chronic deep vein thrombosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, peripheral vascular disease, liver/bone/lung/kidney cancer, spinal fractures, uterine fibroids and more. He also implants inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, which prevent a blood clot from traveling around the body or creating a blockage.
In addition to his clinical expertise, Dr. Ahmed researches novel treatment options that improve outcomes for patients. His research on liver cancer, IVC filters and venous diseases has been published in several high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Radiology, Chest, Journal of American College of Radiology, and Journal of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Ahmed also believes in the importance of educating medical students, residents, fellowships and peers in order to enhance health care across the world. He has been invited to speak at a number of symposiums, practicums and national/international meetings about the newest advancements in interventional radiology.
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THE LATEST IN NET IMAGING
NADINE MALLAK, MD
Radiologist & Nuclear Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University
Nadine Mallak, MD is an Associate Professor of Diagnostic Radiology at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), in the divisions of Body Imaging, and Molecular Imaging and Therapy. She is the clinical director of the PET/MRI program at OHSU. The scope of her clinical practice encompasses all aspects of molecular imaging and therapy, in addition to abdominal and pelvic imaging with modalities including ultrasound, CT, and MRI. Her research interests focus on molecular and hybrid imaging, particularly for neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer.
THE LATEST IN PRRT
CARINA MARI APARICI, MD
Radiologist & Nuclear Medicine, Stanford University Health Care
Mari Aparici, MD is a Clinical Professor in Radiology at Stanford University. She is a Nuclear Physician with residencies in both Europe (Barcelona) and US (Stanford), and with Molecular imaging fellowships from Stanford University. After her training, she joined the Faculty at UCSF where she became a Clinical Professor in Radiology. Dr Mari Aparici is a physician-scientist in the development of Molecular Imaging and therapies. She has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience in the field and now serves as the Director of the Targeted Radionuclide Therapy Program/Theragnostics Clinic at Stanford University. She has published more than 100 papers, serves as an editorial board member of reputed journals, is PI of NIH and non-NIH grants and serves as a member/chair of several committees at her University and Societies related to her medical specialty.
THE LATEST IN SYSTEMIC TREATMENTS & CONSIDERATIONS FOR TREATMENT SEQUENCING
PAMELA KUNZ, MD
Medical Oncologist, Yale Cancer Center
Dr. Pamela Kunz is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Oncology at Yale School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Gastrointestinal at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. She received her medical degree from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. Her postgraduate training included a medical residency, chief residency and oncology fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Kunz is an international leader in the treatment and clinical research of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).
She holds key leadership positions in the field including Chair of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Taskforce of the NCI and vice president of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society. In addition, she has emerged as a leading voice for promoting gender equity in the medical workforce and serves as the Vice Chief for DEI for the Section of Medical Oncology at Yale. She was recently awarded the Woman Oncologist of the Year by Women leaders in Oncology.
THE LATEST IN NET CLINICAL TRIALS
SIMRON SINGH, MD
Medical Oncologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center
Dr. Simron Singh is an Associate Professor of Medicine, at the University of Toronto and co-founder of the Susan Leslie Clinic for Neuroendocrine Cancers at the Odette Cancer Centre Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. In addition, he is a principal investigator and associate scientist with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Sunnybrook Research Institute. He completed his B. Sc as well as MD at University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. He completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and Medical Oncology at the University of Toronto. After completing his clinical training, Dr. Singh completed his Master's degree in Public Health from Harvard University in Boston, MA, USA.
In 2013, Dr. Singh joined Cancer Care Ontario/Ontario Health (CCO/OH) as the Provincial Head, Person-Centred Care Strategy, responsible for the development and execution of CCO corporate strategic priority around person-centred care. He’s had numerous other board and administrative roles both at the national and international level.
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Dr. Singh is the symposium chair for the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society as well as the co-chair of the Commonwealth Neuroendocrine Tumour Group. He is the Canadian Clinical Trial group NET disease site group co-chair, as well as on the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society advisory board. He currently is the co-chair of the Neuroendocrine Advisory Committee at Cancer Care Ontario which has been able to bring PRRT and Ga-68 imaging to Ontario.
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Dr. Singh is an internationally recognized clinical and research leader in the field of neuroendocrine cancers. He is a leader in health services research and system level quality improvement and measurement. Dr. Singh has been published in numerous high impact journals such as Lancet, Lancet Oncology, JAMA Oncology and the Journal of Clinical Oncology as lead or senior author. He has been the primary author of numerous guidelines to improve the care of NET patients. He holds a number of peer reviewed grants as well as clinical trial leadership positions. Dr. Singh has numerous international speaking invitations as well as leads a number of research and quality initiatives to improve the ongoing care of patients with cancer.
CLINICAL TRIALS: WHY, WHAT & HOW
JOSH MAILMAN, MBA
President, NorCal CarciNET
Josh Mailman was diagnosed with PNET in 2007. Josh is an internationally recognized advocate for NET patients as well as an advocate for integrative oncology and nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. He is the inaugural chair of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) Patient Advocacy Advisory Board, Board Member and Treasure of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF), a member of The Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF) Board, and president of NorCal CarciNET Community, one of the largest NET patient communities in the United States. He is currently the sole patient rights advocate for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Advisory Committee for the Medical Use of Isotopes (ACMUI).
Josh is also a member of National Cancer Institute’s GI Steering Committee and serves as co-chair of the Patient Advocate Steering Committee. In 2015, Josh was honored with the Warner Advocacy Award, given annually by Novartis Oncology Patient Advocacy and The NET Alliance. The award recognizes an individual for leadership and advocacy for neuroendocrine patients. In the same year, Josh was given the SNMMI’s President’s Award for his work on behalf of patients in the nuclear medicine field. Josh is a former executive board member of the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and was named SIO Patient Advocate of Year in 2010. Josh is a frequent and sought-after speaker for his passionate and highly informed perspective on how patients can effectively participate in the process of working with key stakeholders to improve treatments and advance progress for better quality of life and eventual cures.
MODERATORS
ANDREW HENDIFAR, MD
Medical Oncologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
The current research focus of Andrew Hendifar, MD, is on developing new therapies for pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine tumors. Dr. Hendifar has helped form multidisciplinary teams that specialize in the treatments of pancreatic cancer, and carcinoid and neuroendocrine tumors. Dr. Hendifar is the primary investigator for several groundbreaking therapies, including radioimmunotherapy for neuroendocrine tumors, anti-inflammatory therapy for pancreatic cancer and novel approaches to cancer cachexia. His national roles include SWOG GI Committee Member and a member of NIH Neuroendocrine Tumor Task Force. He also serves as the steering committee member for the Precision Promise Consortium and chairs the associated Supportive Care Committee. At Cedars-Sinai, he leads the Gastrointestinal Disease Research Group and is the founding Director of the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program.
DANENG LI, MD
Medical Oncologist, City of Hope
Daneng Li, M.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, specializing in treating gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Li currently leads the liver tumors program and is also the co-director of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Program at City of Hope. Dr. Li embraces a multidisciplinary approach to treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumors. He leads several clinical trials focused on improving outcomes for patients with NETs and works closely with scientists in the development of the next generation of novel therapeutics.
Nationally, he has served on several NET committees including the NANETS Research Committee, NANETS Continuing Medical Education Committee, and the Patient-Physician Communication Task Force for the Healing NET Foundation, allowing him to work closely to support NET patient advocacy programs. For all his efforts, he was honored as a recipient of the inaugural 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award during the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in 2018.
MARY DONLEVY
LACNETS Board member and NET Patient Advocate
Mary Donlevy joined the LACNETS Board in 2020. She brings the patient perspective as she has been thriving despite living with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor since 2005. She has been close friends with LACNETS Founder Giovanna Joyce since 2010 and involved with LACNETS since then.
Mary has served as a NET CONNECT mentor and Advisory Committee member. She has been actively involved in the monthly meetings and virtual NET support groups.
Mary received her Bachelor's Degree in Communications from University of San Diego and has over 10 years of medical and sales training. Her passion is to help those dealing with this difficult diagnosis and still enjoy a very full and active life. She is the mother of four children, two of which are identical twins, born after her cancer diagnosis. Mary enjoys ocean swimming, yoga and traveling with her husband and children in her free time.