Cancer Management and Research

Professor Yong Teng

Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

Dr Yong Teng is a Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University and an Adjunct Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. He is the inaugural recipient of the Winship Cancer Institute Wally Award and an active member of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group (IHNSG). His research spans tumor microenvironment, cancer metabolism, and metastasis to dissect tumor-immune crosstalk and to translate mechanistic insights into more effective combination therapeutics. He also brings extensive expertise in drug discovery, drug delivery, biomedical device engineering, and biomarker research, with active involvement in translational oncology clinical trials.

Dr Teng has authored more than 180 papers in high-profile journals such as Nature Medicine, Science Advances, Advanced Science, JAMA Oncology, Nature Communications, Journal of Hematology & Oncology, ACS Nano, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Research, and Oncogene, along with over 20 book chapters. His work has been funded by the NIH, the Department of Defense, industry sponsors, and other funding agencies. Beyond research, Dr Teng dedicates himself to the scientific community via editorial work, mentorship, and service on professional committees. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Management and Research and sits on the editorial boards of several journals, including Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, Biomarker Research, Cancer Letters, Genes & Diseases, Scientific Reports and International Journal of Nanomedicine.

Dr Javier David Benitez Fuentes

Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain

Dr Javier David Benítez Fuentes completed his training in Medical Oncology at Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid, Spain. He subsequently worked in the United Kingdom at Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff (Wales), gaining international experience in cancer care.

Dr Benítez holds a Master’s degree in Molecular Oncology and another in Tropical Medicine and International Health. He currently works at Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Spain, where he coordinates the thoracic cancer unit. His main clinical and research interests include thoracic malignancies, precision oncology, immunotherapy biomarkers, and the intersection between social determinants of health and cancer outcomes.

Dr Benítez has contributed to multicenter projects in lung and breast cancer, as well as studies on infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients. He is principal investigator in various clinical trials, and his academic work includes systematic reviews, translational research, and health policy analyses, with publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

Dr Benítez is an active member of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), participating in the Social Determinants Working Group, and collaborates with international networks dedicated to advancing global oncology and cancer care equity. He is also a UICC fellow, serves on the editorial boards of several oncology journals, and is a regular peer reviewer for international publications.

Dr Giuseppe Colloca

AUSL of Bologna, Primary Care Department, Oncologia Territoriale, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Dr Giuseppe Colloca obtained his specialization diploma in Oncology (Medical Oncology) from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome and worked as a medical oncologist in Italy. Over the past ten years, his research has focused primarily on gastrointestinal tumors. He is particularly interested in developing new measures of outcome assessment and tumor growth kinetics, performing surrogate endpoint analysis, as well as evaluating patient-related outcomes and prognostic factors of metastatic disease.

In addition to participating in multicentre clinical trials, Dr Colloca has written numerous articles reporting the results of observational studies, literature reviews and meta-analyses in the field of gastrointestinal tumors, contributed to book chapters and an authored book.

Dr Colloca is a member of the editorial board and reviewer for international peer-reviewed oncology journals. He is an active member of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Dr Antonella D'Anneo

Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

Dr. D'Anneo earned a Master Degree with full marks and honors in Biological Sciences (curriculum in molecular biology) from the University of Palermo in 2000 and obtained a Ph.D. in Experimental Oncobiology in 2004. She began her studies on the field of tumor biology, cell death mechanisms and biochemical pathways that can be activated in tumor cells. Her scientific production is characterized by manuscripts on researches performed to elucidate the mode of action of apoptotic drugs and the possible synergistic interactions when drugs are employed in combination studies. To complement the graduate training in biochemistry, Dr. D'Anneo obtained, as visiting scholar, a training at Rangos Research Center (Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA-USA). During this stage (2005-2007), she was directly involved in the study of Adenoviral and EIA (Equine infectious anemia) viruses in blocking cytokine-induced apoptosis in both human and murine pancreatic ß islets. She also took part in a research project concerning gene therapy approaches to determine tolerization of diabetic patients against the cells of islet donor.

During her career, she has acquired expertise in the study of many different types of cell death (apoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis, autophagy and anoikis) activable in vitro tumor systems and the role of oxidative stress in cancer. Dr. D'Anneo made significant contributions to researches on combinations of sesquiterpene lactones (parthenolide), HDAC inhibitors (SAHA, Trichostatin A and sodium butyrate), proteasome inhibitors (MG132, lactacystin and Velcade) and recombinant Trail in vitro studies for the treatment of many different cancer systems. She is also the co-inventor of a patent for combined therapies for the treatment of liver tumors. In recent years she was also focused on the study of the serpin proteinase inhibitor 9 (PI-9) in ER+ breast cancer cells and breast cancer stem-like cells.

She is currently an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry at the Department of Sciences and Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Palermo and serves as mentor of PhD and students of the MSc in Molecular and Health Biology.

Professor Bilikere Dwarakanath

Indian Academy Degree College-Autonomous, Bengaluru, India

Dr. Dwarakanath is an expert in radiation biology and has worked extensively in the areas of targeting metabolic reprogramming for improving radio- and chemotherapy of cancer and radiation countermeasures. He is a graduate of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India and received a PhD in biophysics from Bangalore University, Bangalore, India in 1988. He pursued a post-doctoral fellowship from 1989 until 1991 at Bowman Gray School of Medicine of the Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA in the laboratory of Kenneth Wheeler, a renowned radiation biologist.

Dr. Dwarakanath served at NIMHANS until 1994 before moving to Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi where he worked as a scientist at different levels and Additional Director until 2015. In 2015, Dr. Dwarakanath joined Sri Ramachandra University (SRU, currently known as SRIHER), Chennai, India as Professor and worked in the Central Research facility. In September 2017, Dr. Dwarakanath moved to Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai, China as Senior Principal Investigator. Currently, he is associated with the Indian Academy Degree College–Autonomous, Bengaluru, India as a Research Advisor.

Professor Kattesh Katti

Institute of Green Nanotechnology and Cancer Nanotechnology, Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

Professor Kattesh V. Katti is globally recognized as the 'Father of Green Nanotechnology' which has implications in oncology, antibiotics and antivirals. He received a PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. He is the recipient of the prestigious Alexander Von Humboldt fellowship for his postdoctoral research at the University of Gottingen, Germany. He is currently a distinguished Curators’ Professor of Radiology, Director, Institute of Green Nanotechnology, within the Medical School, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA. 

Over the last three decades, he is actively involved in research within the interconnecting fields of — chemistry, radiopharmaceutical sciences, nanotechnology/green nanotechnology and nanomedicine — for biomedical applications, specifically for molecular imaging and therapy of living subjects. He is an inventor of a new medical modality called as 'Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine' — a new medical modality which he has discovered by the application of Green Nanotechnology to Ayurvedic-Holistic Medicine. The US Patents and Trademarks office has approved the use of 'Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine' name in the products of this new medical modality. Several cancer therapy products, antiviral agents and antibiotics, discovered by him are currently used in treating human patients.

He has been awarded a number of international awards, recognitions and citations, which include: United Nations/IAEA’s Global Expert in 'Green Nanotechnology', 'Person of the Year in Science', International Hevesy Medal Award, one of the '25 Most Influential Scientists In Molecular Imaging in the World' award by RT Image, 'Father of Green Nanotechnology' citation by the Nobel Prize Winner Norman Borlaug and has been bestowed with the Gauss Professorship—Hall of Fame—from the Gottingen Academy of Sciences. Professor Katti is the first immigrant American to win the 'Outstanding Missourian Award' — the highest civilian award from the Governor of the State of Missouri. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors - recognizing the discovery of 'Katti Peptides' — a group of peptides used in biomedical sciences and nanomedicine product development. Professor Katti is also an elected fellow in the College of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). He is also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and a Fellow of the St Louis Academy of Science (more awards and recognitions can be viewed here).

Dr Antonio Lázaro-Sánchez

Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain

Dr Antonio David Lázaro-Sánchez is a Medical Oncologist at Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital (Murcia, Spain) and President of the Murcia Region Cancer Research Foundation (FICAM). He holds a PhD (summa cum laude) in Health, Medical and Surgical Sciences from Miguel Hernández University and has additional training in healthcare management, clinical research, and cancer immunology.

His research focuses on cancer immunology, tumor biomarkers, and therapeutic resistance, with a particular interest in translational oncology and innovative strategies to improve access to advanced cancer therapies. He has led research projects on mechanisms of chemoresistance in colorectal cancer and has participated in multicenter studies.

Dr Lázaro-Sánchez has authored publications in international journals including Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Oncology, Cancers, Journal of Clinical Medicine, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, and European Radiology. He is an active member of several scientific societies, including SEOM, ASEICA, EACR, and the Digestive Tumors Treatment Group, and contributes to the scientific community as a peer reviewer and editorial board member for oncology journals.

Dr Chien-Feng Li

National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan

Dr. Li is the Chair of Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, and he also serves as a professor at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, as well as a joint-appointment associate investigator at National Institute of Cancer Research (Taiwan). He got his Medical Degree from Kaohsiung Medical University in 2002. In 2012, he got his Doctor of Philosophy in biomedical sciences from National Sun Yat-sen University. As a physician scientist, his current research interest is integrative analysis of genetic, epigenetic, and expression alternations during cancer progression and metastasis, with special emphasis on sarcomas and therapy-resistant cancers. With the opportunities to integrate large-scaled clinical samples and advanced functional evaluations, he has been more focused on potential therapeutic opportunities of oncogenic metabolic transformations and the mechanisms how the metabolic characters of cancer implicate tumor progression.

Dr Zubing Mei

Department of Anorectal Surgery, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

Dr Zubing Mei is an Associate Research Fellow and Attending Doctor in the Department of Anorectal Surgery at Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China, and Research Associate Professor at the Anorectal Disease Institute of Shuguang Hospital. He received his MD in Surgery from Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, and his PhD in Surgery from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. His clinical and academic work focuses on colorectal and anorectal diseases, digestive oncology, inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal neoplasia, perioperative outcomes, biomarkers, and evidence-based surgical oncology.

During his career, Dr Mei has built a multidisciplinary research profile at the interface of colorectal surgery, oncology, gastroenterology and translational evidence assessment. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, with 16,142 citations and an h-index of 30, and has been recognized among the global Top 2% Scientists for 2023–2025. His research has appeared in journals including The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, The New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Oncology, British Journal of Cancer, Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, Epigenomics, and the International Journal of Surgery. His work has addressed prognostic biomarkers and molecular alterations in colorectal cancer, inflammation and tumor prognosis, inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal neoplasia, MASLD/MASH and liver fibrosis, hepatic encephalopathy, clinical outcomes, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Dr Mei also has extensive experience in academic publishing and journal development. He serves as Associate Editor for the International Journal of Surgery and Trials, and has held editorial roles with BMC Cancer, Scientific Reports, Annals of Medicine, World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery and other international journals. He has been involved in manuscript handling, reviewer selection, assessment of peer-review reports and editorial decision-making across a substantial number of submissions. His current interests include advancing rigorous surgical oncology research, promoting high-quality original studies, authoritative reviews and clinical guidelines, developing themed collections in digestive and colorectal cancers, and supporting ethical, transparent and timely peer review.

Professor Harikrishna Nakshatri

Professor of Surgery, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

Harikrishna Nakshatri, B.V.Sc., Ph.D., is the Marian J. Morrison Chair of Breast Cancer Research and Professor of Surgery, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is also the Associate Director for Education at the Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. He serves as a Research Career Scientist at the VA Roudebush Medical center. In addition, he is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank. He served as a Susan G. Komen Scholar 2010-2020 and was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) in 2021.

Dr. Nakshatri studies the molecular drivers of therapy resistance in breast cancer. His laboratory was the first to identify the role of the protein complex, NF-kappaB, which controls genes that respond to environmental stress and infection, in triple negative breast cancer. He also identified biomarkers that may predict response to anti-estrogen therapy. Utilizing normal breast tissues of women of different ethnic/racial background, his group has discovered genetic ancestry-dependent heterogeneity in the normal breast, which has important implications on how tumors are characterized for genomic abnormalities. His recently published studies may enable to understand why hormone-responsive breast tumors are more common in women of European ancestry and why triple negative breast cancers are aggressive in women of African ancestry. Additionally, his group has mapped the normal breasts as well as the breasts of BRCA1/2 mutation careers at single cell resolution using single cell sequencing techniques. These efforts may lead to classification of breast cancer based on “cell-of-origin” of tumor. He is using systems biology approaches to understand organ specific breast cancer metastasis and developing patient-derived tumor models that reflect organ-specific metastasis and therapy resistance.

Dr Luca Nicosia

Department of Radiation Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore of Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy

Dr Luca Nicosia is an expert of advanced Radiation Oncology and modern treatment technique in particular adaptive radiotherapy. He completed his training in Radiation Oncology at "Sapienza" University in Rome. Dr Nicosia holds a Master Degree in "oncological drugs and radiotherapy: biology and clinics". From 2018 he works at the Department of Radiation Oncology of IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore of Negrar di Valpolicella (Verona, Italy) where he is the coordinator of scientific activity and clinical research.

His research mainly focuses on genitourinary, gastrointestinal disease and modern radiotherapy techniques. Dr Nicosia is author of more than 110 scientific papers on Radiation Oncology and Clinical Oncology (clinical studies, review papers), authors of several book chapters and speaker at international conferences.

Dr Nicosia is principal investigator in various clinical trials, and his academic work includes systematic reviews, translational research, survival modelling, bioimaging analysis. Dr Nicosia is an active member of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) where he is member of the Focus group SBRT and is advisor for the Italian Society of Uro-oncology yong (ySIUrO). He actively participates in the research program of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO).

 

Dr Alessandro Rizzo

Bari Cancer Institute, Bari, Italy

Dr Rizzo works as Medical Oncologist at Bari Cancer Institute in Bari, Italy. He is interested in epato-bilio-pancreatic tumors, immunotherapy, genitourinary malignancies, and breast cancer. In this area, in the last four years he published more than 200 papers in high impact journals (JAMA Oncology; Lancet Oncology; New England Journal of Medicine, etc.). Several scientific collaborations with Italian, European, South Korean, American Centers for translational and clinical studies are ongoing in this field. As a medical oncologist, Dr Rizzo is and has been involved in several phase I to III clinical trials as Sub-investigator and Principal investigator (PI).

Professor Seema Singh

Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

Professor Singh's primary research expertise is in the field of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and melanoma. Specifically, her lab is interested in understanding the biological connection of inflammation and cancer. They have major emphasis on the role of inflammatory cytokines in cancer progression, metastasis and therapy resistance. Also investigating molecular pathways in the regulatory networks of these cytokines and underlying causes of their dysregulation. Another area of research emphasis in her lab is to unveil the biological basis of cancer health disparities. Her current appointment is at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Dr Sanjeev K. Srivastava

Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA

Dr. Sanjeev K. Srivastava is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute (USAMCI). Dr. Srivastava received his Ph.D. in Human Genetics in 2007, and completed his post-doctoral trainings at the Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest, Hungary and USAMCI.

Dr. Srivastava is engaged in a number of research programs that encompass the areas of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and melanomas, to identify novel deregulated genes and dissect their underlying regulatory pathways and functional significance. He has published more than 45 international peer-reviewed articles, authored 5 book chapters, and has been the recipient of an international patent. He is a recipient of two NIH/NCI-Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I funding for advancing cancer health disparity research. He is also a co-Principal investigator on several NIH/NCI (R01) grant.

Professor Lu-Zhe Sun

Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

Dr. Lu-Zhe Sun received his Ph.D. in Physiology from Rutgers University and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 1990 and obtained his postdoctoral training in Baylor College of Medicine in the US. He is currently Professor, Dielmann Endowed Chair in Oncology, and Associate Director for Basic Research at his NCI-designated cancer center.

Dr. Sun's research is focused on investigating molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and metastasis, and novel experimental therapeutics in various models of carcinomas. His research has been supported with multi-million dollar grants from NIH, DOD, CPRIT, and other private foundations. He is an elected AAAS Fellow.

Dr Shari Youngblood

Saybrook University, Pasadena, CA, United States

Dr Shari M. Youngblood, DCN, CNS, LDN is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Saybrook University and Lead Clinical Nutritionist at Balance Point Wellness. Her clinical and research work centers on hematology and oncology, with a particular focus on food-as-medicine interventions for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Dr Youngblood has served as a Clinical Research Nutritionist on multiple NIH-funded oncology trials at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and continues to integrate functional and clinical nutrition approaches in both research and practice. Dr Youngblood has published in Nutrition and Cancer, Supportive Care in Cancer, European Journal of Cancer Care, and JMIR Protocols, among others.

In her current clinical role, she provides nutrition care for individuals with hematologic and solid tumors, emphasizing integrative strategies to improve treatment tolerance, reduce side effects, and enhance quality of life. Her professional activities also include physician education, graduate-level teaching, and mentoring doctoral and master’s students in clinical research and oncology-focused nutrition practice.

Dr Lei Zhu

Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

Dr. Lei Zhu, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Emory University and a member of the Winship Cancer Institute. He is a translational scientist with expertise in nanomedicine, molecular imaging, and tumor biology. His research focuses on the development of bioactive nanoparticle systems for targeted cancer therapy and imaging.

Dr. Zhu’s work centers on engineering a diverse range of nanoparticle-based platforms that enable precise delivery of therapeutic agents to both tumor cells and stromal components, thereby improving treatment efficacy and overcoming resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. His research integrates redox biology, tumor metabolism, and immune modulation to develop multifunctional nanotherapeutics that reprogram the tumor microenvironment and enhance antitumor immunity.

Dr. Zhu’s group has advanced multiple stroma-penetrating and immunomodulatory nanomedicines toward clinical translation, supported by NIH R01, SBIR, and STTR funding, including projects aimed at IND-enabling development for pancreatic and other solid tumors. In addition to his academic role, Dr. Zhu is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of MIGRA Therapeutics, where he leads efforts to translate nanoparticle-based cancer therapies into clinical applications.

Dr. Zhu has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and holds multiple patents in nanotechnology and cancer therapeutics. He serves as an associate editor and guest editor for several journals and is an active reviewer for leading journals and NIH study sections. His research aims to bridge fundamental discoveries with clinical applications, advancing next-generation nanomedicine strategies to improve outcomes for patients with advanced, treatment-resistant cancers.