2026 Birmingham Regional Symposium
The 2026 Birmingham Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium is set to convene in Birmingham, Alabama, drawing together leading experts, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and advocates.
This event promises to be a crucial platform for sharing the latest advancements and addressing the challenges in cholangiocarcinoma research and treatment.
When:
February 20, 2026
Time:
8:00am – 4:00pm
Where:
Marnix E. Heersink Conference Center
Room #102
701 19th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Snacks, Beverages, and Lunch will be served
Please also join us for a World CCA Awareness Day dinner on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. You can RSVP for the dinner here.
Speakers
Mehmet Akce, MD
University of Alabama
Mehmet Akce, MD
University of Alabama
Dr. Akce is the Director of Phase I and Precision Medicine Program at UAB and Associate Director of Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, Heersink School of Medicine.
Dr. Akce`s research focuses on developing novel and effective therapies for all solid tumors, particularly for gastrointestinal cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma. He leads multiple early phase clinical trials with novel agents. He leads several multi-institutional investigator-initiated clinical trials examining role of novel immunotherapy combinations in neoadjuvant and immunotherapy refractory HCC and in metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. He is committed to researching and providing innovative treatment options for cancer patients.
Dr. Akce received his medical degree from Marmara University School of Medicine in Istanbul, Turkey. He completed internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he also served as Chief Medical Resident. He then completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Baylor College of Medicine, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Gonzalez Concepcion
Gonzalez Concepcion
Aaron Drake
Aaron Drake
Charita Griskell, MS, RDN
City of Hope
Charita Griskell, MS, RDN
City of Hope
Charita Griskell is a registered and licensed dietitian at City of Hope in Atlanta, Georgia. Griskell joined City of Hope in January 2018 and works closely with patients to help them maintain nutritional balance, as well as manage any side effects of cancer treatment. She strives to help patients find a diet that is both comfortable and compatible with their health needs.
Griskell received a Bachelor of Science degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. She also earned a master’s degree in nutrition science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in Birmingham, Alabama. Griskell then completed an internship of over 1200 hours of supervised practice in clinical nutrition, community nutrition and foodservice at the UAB hospital.
Griskell is a member of several professional organizations including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Organization of Blacks in Nutrition and Dietetics and Greater Atlanta Dietetic Association.
Rojymon Jacob, MBBS, MD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Rojymon Jacob, MBBS, MD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Stacie Lindsey
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
Stacie Lindsey
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
Stacie’s brother, Mark Clements, was diagnosed in 2005 and ultimately passed away from Cholangiocarcinoma on January 19, 2007. Stacie advocated for her brother, extensively researched treatment options, and began networking with other patients, scientists, and healthcare professionals. From this experience, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation was born.
Stacie is a founding member and has served on the Board of Directors since its inception. Stacie resides in Lehi, Utah, where she has five children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University and studied nonprofit leadership at Harvard Business School. Stacie is an active member of her church and community.
Midhun Malla, MD
University of Alabama Birmingham
Midhun Malla, MD
University of Alabama Birmingham
Dr. Midhun Malla is an Associate Professor in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He completed his residency training in Phoenix, followed by fellowship training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he also earned a Master’s degree in Clinical and Translational Sciences.
Dr. Malla specializes in the medical treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. Prior to joining UAB, he served on the faculty at West Virginia University in Morgantown, where he was actively involved in clinical and translational research, developed a robust GI clinical trials program, and contributed extensively to teaching and peer-reviewed publications.
He is an active member of the Alliance Cooperative Group and is currently leading two national clinical trial proposals in colorectal and hepatocellular carcinoma. He also serves as an Alliance investigator on the National Cancer Institute Hepatobiliary Task Force. Dr. Malla is a recipient of an NIH Research Scholar Award through the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and his translational research focuses on predictive biomarkers in colorectal cancer metastases.
He is proud to be a member of the Section of Hematology-Oncology and the GI Oncology team at UAB in Birmingham.
Saulat Sheikh, MBBS
University of Alabama Birmingham
Saulat Sheikh, MBBS
University of Alabama Birmingham
Dr. Saulat S. Sheikh is an abdominal transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, specializing in adult and pediatric liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. She completed her medical education at Aga Khan University, where she received the Best Graduate Award, followed by general surgery residency at York Hospital in Pennsylvania and fellowship training in abdominal transplant and hepatobiliary surgery at UAB.
Dr. Sheikh maintains a high-volume practice in complex transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery and serves as the Surgical Director of UAB’s Living Donor Liver Transplantation Program. She is deeply committed to medical education and mentorship, serving as a Clinical Skills Scholar and Lead Mentor in the Heersink School of Medicine’s Learning Communities Program.
She also serves as Associate Vice Chair for Access and Engagement in the Department of Surgery, supporting initiatives that advance equity, inclusion, and access to surgical care.
Ishwaria Subbiah, MD, MS, FASCO
Ishwaria Subbiah, MD, MS, FASCO
Beau Bosko Toskich, MD
Mayo Clinic
Beau Bosko Toskich, MD
Mayo Clinic
Beau Bosko Toskich, M.D., is an interventional radiologist at Johns Hopkins with a specialty focus in interventional oncology. His clinical practice centers on the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers. His research interests include ablative locoregional therapies and their integration with immunotherapy.
Dr. Toskich has published and presented extensively on liver-directed therapies and serves as the global lead investigator for an international study combining radioembolization with immunotherapy. He leads multiple funded investigator-initiated clinical trials and serves on several professional and editorial boards. He also holds joint appointments in medical oncology and radiation oncology.
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