The Research Evangelist

On today's episode, meet Renee Iacona . Renee is Vice President, Oncology Biometrics, Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca . In her current role, Renee oversees biometrics for the entire Oncology portfolio, across early and late development stages, encompassing statistics, programming, statistical innovation, data science, and information science teams. Another amazing human.

On today's episode, we catch up with thoracic oncologist Dr. Narjust Florez . Since the last time we spoke to her she has moved to Boston to assume the role of Associate Director, Cancer Care Equity Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute . Apart from her clinical interests in lung cancer, she is also a leading researcher in cancer health disparities, gender and racial discrimination in medical ed...

On today's episode, meet Rita Ribeiro . Rita is a bi-lingual leader with broad multi-cultural and health equity experience. She is currently the Product Director, Lung at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) . Before joining JNJ, Rita held multiple roles in Sales and marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Diagnostics and Bristol Myers Squibb compan...

On today's episode, meet John Connolly, PhD . John is the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI ) , where he designs and executes PICI’s overall research strategy in close collaboration with the institute’s leadership team, center directors and scientific steering committee. Dr. Connolly previously served as CSO of Tessa Therapeutics , a clinical sta...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang . Dr. Yang is a thoracic surgeon and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital . He received his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Harvard College and his medical degree at Harvard Medical School . He completed his general surgery residency at Duke University and cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center . Dr. Y...

On today's episode, meet Lori Hall . Lori is Senior Director of Global Health Literacy at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, though she would describe herself as a patient whisperer, social intrapreneur and quiet revolutionary. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Purdue University and practiced as a Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse before embarking on her journey in the pharmaceut...

On today's episode, meet Magnolia Contreras, MSW, MBA . Magnolia is Vice President of Community Health at Dana Farber Cancer Institute . In this role, she is charged with helping the Institute carry out its community benefits mission through the delivery of evidence-based cancer prevention, screening and early detection programs. Prior to joining Dana-Farber, Ms. Contreras was employed by AIDS Act...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Danny Nguyen . Dr. Nguyen is a Medical Oncologist and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope in California . He is passionate about treating patients in the community setting close to where they live. Danny completed fellowship training in oncology and hematology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center , his res...

I want to thank the 65 amazing humans who I've had the honor of having on my show so far. I am humbled by the work that you do every day to support patients in research and care, and just so grateful that you took the time to share your stories with me and my listeners. And I'm proud to call you friends! - Dave Bjork

On today's episode, meet Dr. Coral Olazagasti . Dr. Olazagasti is a medical oncologist and Assistant Professor at the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami . She specializes in thoracic oncology, as well as head and neck oncology. She is passionate about reducing health disparities and is a proud member of the Duma Lab . She received her medical degree from Universidad Central del Car...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Douglas Mathisen . Dr. Mathisen is a thoracic surgeon and visiting surgeon at Mass General , and distinguished Hermes Grillo professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. He received his MD from University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1974. He was a general surgery resident and cardiothoracic resident at the Mass General from July 1974 to December 1982. He spen...

On today's episode, meet medical oncologist David Carbone, MD, PhD . Dr. Carbone serves as a professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University and co-leader of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James , where he also directs the Thoracic Oncology Center. In addition, he holds the Barbara J. Bonner Chair in Lung Cancer Research . Among his many other talents, he is a w...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Anne-Marie Baird . Dr. Baird is a lung cancer researcher at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland . Her research interests are in inflammation, the metastatic cascade, drug resistance and disease biomarkers. Dr. Baird is the President of Lung Cancer Europe , a European platform for lung cancer advocacy. She is active in lung cancer advocacy, and an avid supporter of The W...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Leah Backhus . Dr. Backhus trained in general surgery at the University of Southern California (USC) and cardiothoracic surgery at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) . She practices at Stanford Hospital and is Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the VA Palo Alt o .  She is also Co-Director of the Thoracic Surgery Clinical Research Program , and has grant fun...

On today's program, meet Dr. Marc Matrana , Director of the Precision Cancer Therapies (Phase I) Research Program, Endowed Professor of Experimental Therapeutics & Associate Director of Clinical Cancer Research, at the Ochsner Cancer Institute . Marc is a ninth-generation native of the New Orleans region. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in human genetics from Tulane University,...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Selin Kurnaz, Co-founder and CEO of Massive Bio . She is a hard-core engineer who started Massive Bio after a family situation in cancer because she is obsessed with enabling access to clinical trials to cancer patients around the globe. She believes all people should have equal access to leading edge therapies and new-emerging clinical trials, regardless of where they...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Richard O’Hara . Richard is Medical Director for Oncology, U.S. Medical Affairs at EMD Serono . An experienced leader in pharma and biotech Immunology research, he has an academic research background. Dr. O’Hara received his PhD from UT Southwestern Medical Center and postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School . He also believes the voice of every patient matters.

On today's episode, meet Dr. Misako Nagasaka . Dr. Nagasaka is a board-certified thoracic oncologist at the University of California - Irvine who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of lung and thyroid cancer. Her clinical interests also include early-phase clinical trials, medical ethics and survivorship care for patients. She received her medical degree as well as a PhD from St. Marianna...

On today's episode, meet D r. Michael Gieske. Dr. Gieske is a primary care physician at St. Elizabeth Physicians in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky , and Director of Lung Cancer Screening at community-based St. Elizabeth Hospita l. Mike received his Medical Degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, KY and did his Family Medicine Residency at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edg...

On today's episode meet Dr. Jeffrey Velotta . Dr. Velotta is a thoracic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center . A Bay area native, he completed medical school at the George Washington University School of Medicine , and then traveled back west to complete his general surgery residency at the UCLA Medical Center , and 2-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Cardio...

On today's episode, meet Kendalle Burlin O'Connell, President and Chief Operating Officer at Massachusetts Biotech Council (MassBio) . Hear about her rise to become the first woman to lead the largest life sciences trade association in the world. Prior to joining MassBio in 2008, Kendalle practiced law in the areas of Estate and Medicaid Planning.  She is committed to making sure the Greater...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Eric Grogan , thoracic surgeon and early detection researcher. Dr. Grogan is Associate Professor of Thoracic Surgery, Vice Chairman of Research, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Section Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He's also part of an innovative team developing and validating biomarkers to improve the ability to diagnose lung...

On today's episode, meet Hong Tang . Hong is Co- Lead of the PAN Asian Network Health Equity Initiative Team , and Executive Product Specialist in Immuno-Oncology at Bristol Myers Squibb. Hong got her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and has won many awards during her 24 years at BMS. Hear her amazing story of her family leaving Vietnam just before the fall of Saig...

On today's episode meet Dr. Chad Pecot . Dr. Pecot is a Thoracic Medical Oncologist and Associate Professor at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center , where he specializes in solid tumor malignancies. Since August 2013 he has been an independent investigator at UNC-Chapel Hill. Chad has a degree in Biomedical Engineering . He got his medical degree from the University of Miami, did his re...

On today's episode, meet Dr. Ana Velázquez Mañana . Dr. Velázquez is a medical oncology fellow at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Dr. Velázquez completed her Internal Medicine residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City , where she also was a former Chief Resident. She received her Masters Degree in Biomedical Sciences at the Mayo Cl...