Dr. Steven Alberts
Chair
Mayo Clinic

Dr. Steven Alberts is a professor of Oncology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and a consultant in the Division of Medical Oncology. In addition, he is the medical director for the Clinical Research Office and the coordinator for Upper GI Malignancies, North Central Cancer Treatment Group. He also serves as the chair for the GI Cancer Disease-Oriented Group for the Cancer Center.

Dr. Alberts's research interests are focused in gastrointestinal malignancies, epidemiology, cancer prevention, and cancer in American Indians and Alaska Natives. Dr. Alberts has developed an international reputation for his working in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal malignancies. He conducts a variety of clinical trials for this group of diseases. He has a variety of publications outlining this research and is the coauthor of several book chapters. Dr. Alberts also serves as a member of the NCI-sponsored Gastrointestinal Intergroup GI Steering Committee, Pancreas Cancer Task Force, and the Colon Cancer Task Force to help coordinate clinical trials through the national cooperative groups.

Dr. Alberts has a long-standing research career predating his appointment in medical oncology. He has a Masters in public health and has worked as an epidemiologist with the Indian Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control. In this former position Dr. Alberts participated in studies of cancer in the Alaska Native population. He has continued these interests and is currently partly funded through a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) Program, National Cancer Institute grant.

 

Dr. Gregory Gores
Mayo Clinic

My laboratory-based research program is focused on mechanisms of liver cell death, especially apoptosis. We employ disease relevant models to unravel the fundamental cellular processes contributing to liver injury during cholestasis and ischemic/reperfusion injury. In addition, we are also interested in the mechanisms by which cancer cells escape from cell death in order to undergo malignant transformation and metastases.

Significance of Research

Inhibition of apoptosis is a viable therapeutic strategy for minimizing liver injury during cholestasis, viral, autoimmune, and toxic liver diseases. Selective induction of apoptosis in transformed cells is also a goal for treating advanced hepatobiliary malignancies. Fundamental mechanistic insights into the mechanisms of liver cell apoptosis may help to provide rational pharmacologic approaches for the treatment of inflammatory and malignant hepatobiliary diseases.

Basic Research

• Role of death receptors in hepatocyte apoptosis
• Carcinogenesis of biliary epithelia

Clinical Research

I develop and participate in clinical research protocols for the treatment of hepatobiliary neoplasia. Current protocols relate to innovative multidisciplinary efforts in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. We also participate in unique single institution and multi-institution treatment protocols for these diseases.

• Hepatobiliary neoplasia
• Hepatocellular cancer
• Cholangiocarcinoma

 

Dr. A. William Blackstock, Jr.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

Clinical Interests: Phase I/II studies with radiation sensitizers and dose escalated radiation therapy in lung cancer

Research Interests: Cytokines radiation in lung injury - radiation sensitizers

Teaching Interests: Radiation/chemo-therapy interactions – radiobiology

Professor Charles Blanke
British Columbia Cancer Agency

Dr. Blanke specializes in gastrointestinal oncology. His research interests are in colorectal cancer and chemoprevention. He received his medical degree in 1988 from Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. Blanke completed his residency at the Gunderson Medical Foundation in Lacrosse, and his Hematology and Oncology fellowship at Indiana University in Indianapolis.

He has recently taken the position of chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of British Columbia, head of Medical Oncology at Vancouver General Hospital, and leader of the Provincial Systemic Therapy Program at British Columbia Cancer Agency.