Keynote Speakers
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17th
8:10 am
Gastrenterology Medical Oncology
Dr. James L. Abbruzzese
Chairman, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Chair for Cancer Treatment and Research
James L. Abbruzzese, M.D., F.A.C.P. is the M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Chair for Cancer Treatment and Research and Chairman of the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Abbruzzese is a member of a number of numerous scientific advisory boards including the external scientific advisory board for the University of Massachusetts, The Arizona Cancer Center, The University of Colorado, and The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, he graduated medical school with honors from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore MD, and a fellowship in Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.
Dr. Abbruzzese has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles, numerous chapters and reviews. In 2004 he co-edited a book entitled Gastrointestinal Oncology published by Oxford University Press. His research group was awarded a SPORE in pancreatic cancer and U54 grant on angiogenesis. In 2001 Dr. Abbruzzese served as a Co-chair for the American Association for Cancer Research Program Committee and he was the Program Chairman for the ASCO Annual Meeting in 2007. He currently serves on the AACR Board of Directors. He is a past member of the AACR Research Fellowships Committee, the ASCO Grant Awards and Nominating Committees; he currently serves on the newly constituted NCI Clinical Trials Advisory Committee and has many other board memberships.
He is the Deputy Editor of Clinical Cancer Research, and member of several other editorial boards including past service for the Journal of Clinical Oncology. His clinical interests center on pancreatic cancer, new drug development, and individualization of anti-cancer therapy.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18th
9:10 am
Theilen Tribute Award Plenary Lecture
Dr. Rod Page
Alexander de Lahunta Chair of Clinical Sciences
Director, Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research
Dr. Page received his DVM from Colorado State University and completed specialty training in the field of medical oncology in NYC. Dr. Page is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Oncology. He was a faculty member at North Carolina State University for 15 years prior to his appointment at Cornell in 1999.
Dr. Page served as the founding director of The Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research at Cornell University. There are currently 15 clinical faculty and staff at the College of Veterinary Medicine devoted to cancer care in companion animals, about 30 faculty throughout the campus engaged in basic cancer research and 8 faculty and staff in the Division of Cancer and Environment which is an outreach and education program for cancer risk reduction in humans. Dr. Page is the author of approximately 115 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 25 book chapters. His research focuses on all aspects of comparative cancer management and prevention.
Dr. Page is currently the Alexander de Lahunta Chair of Clinical Sciences. The Department of Clinical Sciences includes 70-75 faculty that are responsible for over 50% of the professional curriculum, provide exceptional care through the Cornell University Hospital for Animals and, develop clinical innovations through thoughtful and rigorous investigation.
The Theilen Tribute Symposium (May 31-June 1, 2008) was organized by Dr. Alice Villalobos as a way of genuinely expressing her gratitude to Dr. Gordon Theilen for the inspirational mentorship that he provided to her and the first generation of veterinary oncologists. In keeping with the tradition of honoring the lifetime achievements of oncology pioneer Dr. Gordon Theilen upon his 80th birthday at the University of California – Davis Gladys Valley Hall, researchers and thought leaders from around the world gathered to participate in a memorable scientific colloquium. |
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18th
3:10 PM
Comparative Neurooncology:Overview of Brain Tumor Treatment in Human Patients
Dr. Johannes Wolff
Johannes E Wolff is professor for pediatrics and biostatistics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, head of the section for pediatric neurooncology at the Children’s Cancer Hospital, and director of the pediatric neurooncology fellowship program. He is a clinically working pediatric neurooncologist taking care for children with brain tumors and their families.
His research focuses around finding the cure for those pediatric brain tumors which are still incurable, or which were left behind in research because they were too rare. For this aim he covers a large spectrum of methods ranging from the design of quality of life measurements, international clinical studies with established agents, standard phase I and phase II pharmaceutical studies for novel agents, novel clinical study design for rare diseases, novel mathematical meta-analyses methods, cell culture and translational research carrying knowledge from the laboratory to clinical reality. Until 2008 he has published over 140 articles in international scientific Journals, and written books and books several chapters, and developed a great international reputation.
Choroid plexus tumors are rare tumors more frequent in dogs than in humans. However, when they occur in humans, the patients are mostly very young children. Dr Wolff has established a large research network aiming to improve the outcome of these children. This includes the only international study specific for this disease, a study office, various cell culture projects, an international neuropathology reference center, a meta-analysis network, and most recently connections to the Texas comparative neurooncology program.
The program for personalized targeted therapy of refractory pediatric brain tumors is the youngest project in Dr Wolff’s efforts to find the cure for children with brain tumors. In this NIH-consortium with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston the researchers design treatment according to the individual target expression inside the tumors. Typically a child comes in with a brain tumor that has grown despite standard treatment and is now considered incurable. A preliminary treatment plan is designed following the traditional histological diagnosis, and the individual cancer history. While this treatment starts, the tumors are evaluated by morphoproteomics for treatment targets. Once this is done the treatment plan is modified adding novel agents to the plan. Scientifically, the program evaluates if adding the novel agents improves the cure rate. Personally, the program gives hope to families who have none.
Dr Wolff participates in the Comparative Texas Neurooncology Program as consulting specialist for brain tumor chemotherapy and clinical trials, and aims to participate in the meeting not only to provide expert advice but also to receive further perspectives from veterinarians who are interested in taking care for dogs with brain tumors.