The Research Evangelist

On today's episode, meet Dr. Martin F. Dietrich, medical oncologist at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard. In his clinical practice, he addresses all aspects of hematologic and oncologic care, with a special research interest in the treatment of lung and breast cancer, and genetic evaluation and counseling of somatic and hereditary syndromes. He also holds a faculty appointment at the University of Central Florida in Orlando as an assistant professor of internal medicine. He also holds doctorates in cancer biology from the German Cancer Research Center and in molecular genetics from the University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School. He completed his fellowships in Hematology/Oncology in the physician-scientist training track at the University of Texas Southwestern Track as a T32 scholar of the National Cancer Institute. As a fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and a Board-certified internist, Dr. Dietrich believes in a comprehensive approach to his patients’ medical care.

On today's episode, meet Stacey Bledsoe. Stacey Bledsoe RN, MSN has over 19 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry across multiple disciplines including Research & Development, Global Health Outcomes, Medical and Six Sigma. Stacey is currently Head of Global Clinical Trial Diversity and Inclusion at Gilead Sciences. Previously Stacey has served as Senior Director for Diversity in Clinical Trials at Eli Lilly. She also held a Registered Nurse role on the Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Riley Hospital for Children. Stacey earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing from Indiana University. Stacey’s goal is to help influence and ensure that all patients have access to clinical research and life changing medications that will ultimately improve their lives.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Ronny Bell, the Fred Eshelman Professor and Chair of the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Bell received his undergraduate degree in Public Health Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health and his Master’s and Doctorate in Foods and Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Bell completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Gerontology and completed a Master’s in Epidemiology from the Wake Forest School of Medicine. From 1996 – 2016, Dr. Bell was a member of the faculty in the Department of Epidemiology at Wake Forest, and from 2006 – 2016, he served as Director of the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. From 2016 – 2020, Dr. Bell served as Chair of the Department of Public Health in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Dr. Bell is an enrolled member of the Lumbee tribe of eastern North Carolina, and currently serves a Chair of the North Carolina American Indian Health Board. He also serves as co-lead the Southeastern American Indian Cancer Health Equity Partnership (SAICEP). Among his awards and honors, Dr. Bell was most recently appointed to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Minority Health (2024).

Meet Brenda Lormil-Raymond—a compassionate, and multi-faceted leader committed to elevating healthcare education for Haitian-American communities in Massachusetts. Raised by Haitian immigrant parents, Brenda's cultural background served as the driving force behind the establishment of the Haitian American Medical Assocation (HAMA). She is the founder and Lead Consultant at VDI Consulting, a company dedicated to offering comprehensive healthcare solutions and guidance, with a focus on advancing diversity, delivery, and accessibility within the healthcare industry. Brenda serves as the Equity Nurse Practitioner for Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, MA. She provides patient-centered care to phase I clinical trial participants in the Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies. She is an alumna of Regis College in Weston, MA, where she earned both of her degrees (Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing.)

On today's episode, meet Dr. Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH. Dr. Basu Roy is the Executive Director at LUNGevity Research where he spearheads LUNGevity’s Translational Research Programs and Patient-Focused Research Center (Patient FoRCe). He has implemented and manages LUNGevity’s patient-focused research including Project Transform, a multi-year, multi-stakeholder patient preference study that LUNGevity is conducting with Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. Dr. Basu Roy also has extensive experience in community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology in health sciences research, specifically in projects involving immigrants and minority populations. Dr. Basu Roy has a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona, and an MPH in Global Health Policy and Management from New York University.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Robert Van Haren. Dr. Van Haren is a thoracic surgeon at the University of Cincinnati UC Health. He received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Michigan and his Medical Degree from Michigan State. He completed his surgical training at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial, followed by a thoracic surgery fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. His training was focused on minimally invasive techniques such as robotic surgery and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for complex cancers, and while in training he completed a clinical research fellowship and obtained a Master's Degree in public health at the University of Miami. His current clinical and research efforts focus on improving outcomes after surgery for lung and esophageal diseases.

On today's episode, meet Tyrone Brewer. Tyrone is the President of US Oncology at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. He is inspired by Janssen's collective mission to re-imagine care, so people with cancer can redefine living. Tyrone is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from The College of New Jersey.

Angie Caton is a Registered Nurse and Assistant Nursing Manager for Oncology Services at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. She also oversees the tumor registry, community outreach, education and inclusion, and is the navigator for the lung cancer screening program. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree from Aspen University, as well as nursing degrees from Louisiana State and Clayton State universities.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Nasser Hanna. Dr. Hanna is the Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation Professor of Lung Cancer Clinical Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a medical oncologist at the IU Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis. He is the thoracic program leader and also a thoracic oncology researcher. He also leads an initiative called End Lung Cancer Now. Dr. Hanna received his medical degree from the University of Missouri, did his residency at the University of Iowa and his fellowship at Indiana University Medical Center.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Dara Aisner, MD, PhD. Dr. Aisner is Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Director of the Colorado Molecular Correlates Laboratory. After her undergraduate work at Vanderbilt, Dr. Aisner completed her MD/PHD combined degree program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She pursued training in Anatomic Pathology at the National Institutes of Health, and went on to two fellowships in Surgical Pathology and Molecular Genetic Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Amy Cummings. Dr. Cummings is a thoracic oncologist and research scientist who practices in Santa Monica and Torrance California. In Santa Monica, she sees lung cancer patients, runs clinical trials, and is part of the virtual multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program. Her clinical interests include immunotherapy, precision medicine, and providing equitable care to all patients regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. At the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center she also serves as the Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI). Dr. Cummings received her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and completed both her internal medicine residency and her hematology and oncology fellowship at UCLA.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Misty Shields. Dr. Shields is a translational thoracic oncologist and assistant professor at Indiana University. As a translational physician scientist, in collaboration with basic scientists and clinicians, she seeks to help shape prospective efforts and guide funding to areas of unmet clinical need, such as small cell lung cancer. Dr. Shields earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Health, Houston McGovern medical school. She then completed a residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and fellowships at the University of South Florida Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Tanyanika Phillips. Dr. Phillips is a medical oncologist and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope in Antelope Valley and Lancaster California. Dr. Phillips received her medical degree from University of Rochester, followed by Residency at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans and a geriatric fellowship and a Master in Public Health from Vanderbilt University. She continued her training with a medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. Originally headed toward a career in research and public health policy, Dr. Phillips pivoted to focus on patient care, where her prodigious gifts of empathy and compassion came to the surface.

Mellisa Wheeler has over 20 years of experience in health care with a specialized focus in oncology. Mellisa is the Director of the Disparities & Outreach program at Levine Cancer Institute, a department dedicated to eradicating the burden of cancer in underserved communities through prevention education, screening and early detection. She has designed and launched several community outreach initiatives, including authoring a grant proposal that resulted in $1.6 million funding for the nation’s first mobile lung cancer screening bus as part of the Lung B.A.S.E.S. 4 Life program. Mellisa received her undergrad degree from University of South Florida and her Masters in Health Administration from Ohio University.

On today's episode, meet Chyke Doubeni, MD, MPH. Dr. Doubeni is Chief Health Equity Officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Doubeni also serves as Associate Director for Diversity Equity and Inclusion in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is tasked with leading Ohio State’s continued efforts to address the underlying drivers of disparities in health care that adversely impact marginalized groups and foster more equitable care and health outcomes. Dr. Doubeni is nationally recognized for his work in cancer prevention and public health. Dr. Doubeni received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Nigeria. After completing additional training in the United Kingdom, he completed a family medicine residency at Duke University and a preventive medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts, where he also earned a Master of Public Health degree.

On today's episode, meet Mahesh Karande. Mahesh is President and CEO of Omega Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company in Cambridge, Mass. Mahesh is deeply experienced in running biopharma businesses across discovery, preclinical and clinical development, and commercialization. Earlier, Mr. Karande spent several years at Novartis in senior leadership roles: VP and Head of US Oncology for solid tumors, President of Novartis Africa and President of Novartis Egypt. Mr. Karande has an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, and undergrad degree in engineering from the University of Bombay. Leading a company with an overarching ethos to be ambitious, yet humble.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Sumita Bhatta. Sumita Bhatta, M.D., is a board-certified oncologist and the Vice President, Global Medical Affairs Head of Oncology at Amgen. She has over 9 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and has held multiple roles in research and development. Sumita received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and received both a M.A. in Applied Physiology as well as a M.D. from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, IL. She completed her internal medicine residency, hematology/oncology fellowship, and a clinical pharmacology/pharmacogenomics fellowship at the University of Chicago. She is dual boarded in medical oncology and clinical pharmacology.

On today’s episode meet Dr. Robert Merritt. Dr. Merritt is a general thoracic surgeon with expertise in minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of lung and esophageal cancers. He also serves as professor and director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at The Ohio State University, as well as director of inpatient services at The James Cancer Center. He went to medical school at Cornell University Medical College, Internship and Residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Fellowships in Cardio Thoracic Surgery and Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. He’s also a champion for improving navigation and screening for lung cancer patients.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Sanjay Popat. Dr. Popat has both a private and an NHS practice at The Royal Marsden. He is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, Professor of Thoracic Oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research and is an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of lung cancer. Sanjay qualified from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in 1994, completed general medical training at the Royal Brompton, and the Hammersmith Hospital, and medical oncology training at the Royal Marsden Hospital. He was awarded a PhD in Molecular Genetics in 2002. He’s a strong advocate for patient education and support and is passionate about precision medicine.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Sami Diab. Dr. Diab is a Medical Oncologist and Medical Director of Lone Tree Oncology, part of the University of Colorado Health System. He attended medical school at Damascus University, in Damascus, Syria followed by residency at Wayne State University, in Detroit, MI. He did his fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, in Houston and a fellowship in Integrative Medicine, at the University of Arizona. Dr. Ross Camidge calls him "arguably one of the most informed general oncologists I know."