Plenary Speakers
John Howard Sampson
University School of Medicine
USA
Current research activities involve the immunotherapeutic targeting of a tumor-specific mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor. Approaches used to target this tumor-specific epitope include unarmed and radiolabeled antibody therapy and cell mediated approaches using peptide vaccines and dendritic cells. Another area of interest involves drug delivery to brain tumors. Translational and clinical work is carried out in this area to formulate the relationship between various direct intratumoral infusion parameters and drug distribution within brain tumors and normal brain. The Duke Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program (BTIP) has an emphasis on translational research in Neuro-Oncology. There are two main areas of study. The first is novel mechanisms of delivery of large molecular weight molecules, such as monoclonal antibodies, throughout brain intersitial space using novel intracerebral infusion techniques developed by this laboratory. Studies exploring this technology are undertaken in both small and large laboratory animals and patients with brain tumors. The other focus of the BTIP is translational immunotherapy. In this line of work, dendritic cell vaccination strategies and adoptive T-cell strategies have been developed to target novel and well-characterized tumor-specific antigens in patients with brain tumors. The BTIP integrates well with and works closely with the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. The BTIP is well funded and currently holds seven NIH grants, including a SPORE in Brain Cancer grant. There are a large number of investigators at various levels so that students will get exposure to various levels of research and mentorship.
A. Lee Dellon
Johns Hopkins University
USA
A. Lee Dellon graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1966 and from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1970. He then completed eight years of additional training, including two years of surgery training at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, and two years of research at the National Cancer Institute, Surgery Branch, of the National Institutes of Health. He completed a Plastic Surgery Residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and a Hand Surgery Fellowship at the Raymond M. Curtis Hand Center, both in Baltimore. Dr. Dellon has received the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Hand Surgery and is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. He is currently a Professor of Plastic Surgery and a Professor of Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He received his PhD from University of Utrecht, Netherlands, for his work in preventing ulceration and amputation in patients with nerve compression and diabetic neuropathy. Dr. Dellon’s research interests center on neural regeneration. In the basic research laboratory, his work included models for peripheral nerve compression, neuroma treatment, neural regeneration through absorbable conduits, and diabetic neuropathy. Dr. Dellon’s clinical work is focused on computer-linked devices to measure sensibility, treatment strategies for pain due to neuroma, use of bioabsorbable tubes as a substitute for nerve grafts, treatment of facial pain and of groin pain, and treatment of the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy related to nerve compression, whether due to diabetes, chemotherapy, or unknown causes. Most recently his clinical research is centered on the treatment of pelvic pain due to pudendal nerve problems.
Keynote Speakers
Dimitri Aristotle Raptis
Royal Free Hospital
UK
Dimitri Aristotle Raptis is a Surgeon-Scientist at the Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplant of the Royal Free Hospital in London, UK. He holds an MSc in Healthcare Research Methods from the Queen Mary’s University in London, UK and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. His research if focused on basic science, surgical outcomes, international registries and collaborative studies, evidence-based medicine, research methodology, statistical analysis, health informatics and software development. Dimitri Aristotle Raptis has received several grants, awards and distinctions. He has co-organized several surgical and information management research conferences and among others, he is the founder of rBiostatistics.com, a free cloud-based statistical package.
Valenza Franco
Università degli Studi di Milano
Italy
Will update soon.
Invited Speakers
Greg Wynn
Oaks Hospital
UK
Mr Wynn grew up in Suffolk before attending medical school in London in 1989. After qualifying from University College London, he completed his basic surgical training in Cambridge, King’s Lynn and Norwich before moving onto higher surgical training in Kent and Sussex. In 2005 he submitted his thesis following research into molecular signalling relating to irritable bowel syndrome. Mr Wynn was invited to work at Colchester in 2009 after a national selection process identified him as a leader in his field. His contributions to surgery have won him numerous national and international awards and he has published and presented at meetings all over the world. Mr Wynn is trained in organ-preserving surgery for rectal cancer including transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) and he is a recognised authority on transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) - an advanced keyhole procedure for rectal cancer. Mr Wynn has been awarded fellowships in advanced minimal access surgery both in the UK and Hong Kong. He regularly trains other consultants in laparoscopic surgery as a national trainer for the Department of Health. He is a member of faculty for the world’s leading rectal cancer meeting which is held in Brazil every two years (FICARE). Mr Wynn is head of the colorectal training curriculum at the Royal Free Hospital in London for simulated operations.
Lucas Ferrer Cardona
Ascension Organization
USA
Will be updated soon
Muhammad Saeed
Augusta University
USA
Dr. Saeed completed his residency at the Drexel University College of Medicine and Hahnemman University in Philidelphia, specializing in general surgery. He specialized in multi-organ transplant surgery during his fellowship with Baylor University Medical Center. Dr. Saeed has worked as a transplant surgeon for Hackensack University Medical Center.
Roxanne Hyke
Stanford Health Care
USA
Roxanne Hyke RN, BS, MSN, CPHQ is the Director of Quality Reporting of the Quality, Patient Safety and Clinical Effectiveness Team at Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California. She joins forces with industry partners, and clinical and operational leaders on the application, development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives. Her expertise lies in healthcare quality improvement, complex problem solving, facilitating cross discipline collaboration and design thinking. Her passion is applying evidence-basedpractices in healthcare that work for providers and patients rather than impede healthcare delivery. Previously, she held senior positions in quality improvement for many years in academic medicine gaining extensive experience in a broad set of organizational and incentive structures. Roxanne holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology and humanities; a master’s degree in nursing with a focus on healthcare administration from Loyola University New Orleans; is a Certified Professional Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). She has published several professional articles and is a fellow of the American College of Surgery. Roxanne Hyke can be reached at rhyke@stanfordhealthcare.org or 650.489.8402.
Abul Hasan Muhammad Bashar
National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases
Bangladesh
Abul Hasan Muhammad Bashar MBBS, PhD, FACS Associate Professor (Vascular Surgery) in National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases & Hospital also Member of Bangladesh Medical Association, Life member of Bangladesh Cardiac Society, General Secretary of Bangladesh Vascular Society. Awards: Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) (2019) Reviewer (2015-present) for Annals of Vascular Diseases (AVD). Post-Doctoral Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan, April 2006- March 2008.
Flávio Ferraz
University Hospital of São Paulo University
Brazil
Dr. Flávio Ferraz - DDS – MS, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon. Residency Program at Hospital das Clínicas at Medicine Faculty of the São Paulo University (2000-2002) Staff of Hospital das Clínicas at Medicine Faculty of the São Paulo University (since 2008) Staff of University Hospital of São Paulo University (since 2011) Fellowship Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery - Virtual Surgical Planning at Houston Methodist Hospital - Texas-USA (2014-15) Director of Virtual Surgical Planning – VS Lab in São Paulo - Brazil (since 2015) Private Office - Saint Pierre Clinic - São Paulo - Brazil (since 2003)
Ramesh Batra
Yale School of Medicine
USA
ramesh Batra, MD, is the surgical director of the liver transplant program at Yale Transplant Center. He is also a living donor liver surgeon for the transplant center besides being a multiorgan transplant surgeon for adult and pediatric patients. Alongside his transplant roles, he also performs complex hepatobiliary operations for liver tumors and biliary tract disorders in high-risk patients. Dr. Batra's expertise is in living organ donation and also in transplanting extended spectrum aka “marginal” organs, both liver and kidneys for early transplant and reducing the time on organ transplant waiting list. With this ability, he continually seeks to find “opportunity” in organs declined by other transplant centers for his patients. Aside from maximizing utility and reducing organ discard, he is passionate about alleviating the ethical barriers in organ donation and transplantation. As a qualified and trained ethicist, he is nationally acclaimed in the field and constantly seeks to push the boundaries in organ transplant Dr. Batra in the early foundational years underwent the British system of surgical training in NHS-based hospitals in the United Kingdom and was subsequently admitted to the Membership and Fellowship of The Royal College of Surgeons. He also completed the ASTS (American Society of Transplant Surgeons), abdominal transplant fellowship, at the Mayo Clinic in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplants along with pediatric liver transplants at Phoenix Children's hospital. He is an active member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, and also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He currently serves on various national and international transplant and ethics committees along-with being on various editorial boards for medical and surgical journals to be at the forefront of transplant innovation.
Simon Treissman
Royal Inland Hospital
USA
Will be updated soon...