2026 Boston Regional Symposium
The 2026 Boston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium is set to convene in Boston, 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.
More information to come soon!
When:
April 7, 2026
Time:
8:00am – 4:00pm
Host:
Dr. Haley Ellis
CCF NE Care Team
Where:
Simches Research Center
Charles River Plaza
185 Cambridge St, Boston MA
Nilo Azad, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Nilo Azad, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Azad is an Associate Professor of Oncology and a member of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program within the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC). She completed her fellowship in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute and became a member of our faculty in July 2008. Since joining the faculty of the SKCCC at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Azad is the PI of numerous early phase clinical trials in solid tumors and gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Azad is a clinically active medical oncologist and is the co-leader of the NCI funded UM1 Developmental Therapeutics clinical research program at the SKCCC, as well as the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Program . She is a member of both the Epigenetics and Colon Cancer Stand Up 2 Cancer Dream Teams, serving as a Principal on the latter. She has been a member of the NCI Colon Cancer Task Force, the Advisory Board of the Biden Cancer Initiative, and the Executive Board of The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, now serving as Vice-Chair, among others.
(Precision Therapeutics Initiative Group)
“We have been given such a gift to have found this particular calling, working with cancer patients.”
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a very fortunate physician that went into medicine thinking I was going to take care of patients, and by happenstance over the course of my training, was exposed to wonderful mentors and research leaders who whet my appetite to make a difference through clinical research. I am a faculty member at Johns Hopkins, where I work with the best group of doctors and other medical professions to take care of patients while working to increase the options available to them. I have a wonderful family and group of friends who provide my life’s foundation. I consider myself very lucky to get to do what I do.
Can you share one or two of your specific research interests?
I have an interest in combining novel agents to advance the therapeutic options for advanced cholangiocarcinoma patients. I am particularly interested in epigenetic and immunotherapies, both together, and how epigenetic alterations may impact the immune response.
Why did you decide to specialize in hepatobiliary cancers?
Good luck. I was running an early phase clinical trial in advanced solid tumors early in my career and saw some possible benefit for cholangiocarcinoma patients. I decided to open a dedicated trial arm to cholangiocarcinoma, and then it was off to the races. I began looking at all my drug development though the lens of how it might help cholangiocarcinoma patients, and how we might modify strategies to make them more appropriate to cholangiocarcinoma biology.
Can you describe one of the unforgettable moments in your patients care or research that has impacted your career?
The beauty of our job is that there is no one moment that encapsulates the meaning of what we do. Rather, our careers are an amalgamation of hundreds of people we have taken care of and worked with — all of whom have taught of the essence of what life is about. Family. Friendship. Health. Love. Generosity. Suffering. Perseverance. Intellectual Joy. We have been given such a gift to have found this particular calling, working with cancer patients.
Can you tell us one thing collaboration with colleagues could accomplish that you could not accomplish on your own?
The underpinnings of cancer biology are so complex that no one investigator has the needed expertise to understand all of the nuances of any given approach. Team science allows for us to assemble groups of people with varied skill sets and knowledge bases which dramatically improve the chance we will find a new treatment and eventual cure for this cancer.
If you had access to one resource that would move your research forward, what would that resource be?
More funding. There are so many exciting ideas that are delayed by the lack of funding to move them forward. For example, we have a personalized vaccine study that it extraordinarily expensive to generate for each patient. This kind of personalized immunotherapy approach is presently limited due to lack of funding.
How did you learn about the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation?
Honestly, I don’t remember not knowing about CCF – it is so ubiquitous in cholangiocarcinoma patient and researcher circles.
Can you tell us why you became a member of the ICRN?
It is an exciting group of people that pushes me to refine my ideas and make them into reality and work with others to do the same with theirs. It is an incredibly giving group of caring doctors and researchers. What a great community.
Christian Baglini
Massachusetts General Hospital
Christian Baglini
Massachusetts General Hospital
Christian Baglini, RN, MS, is a nurse practitioner specializing in gastrointestinal oncology at the Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is part of a multidisciplinary team dedicated to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care for individuals with complex GI malignancies, including colorectal, pancreatic, and liver cancers.
In his role, Christian is involved in all aspects of patient care, from initial evaluation and treatment planning to ongoing management and survivorship support. He works closely with physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals to ensure coordinated, evidence-based care tailored to each patient’s needs.
Christian completed his graduate training in nursing in 2020 and is board certified as a nurse practitioner. He is affiliated with the Mass General Brigham system, where he contributes to advancing high-quality cancer care within a leading academic medical environment.
Nabeel Bardeesy
Massachusetts General Hospital
Nabeel Bardeesy
Massachusetts General Hospital
Nabeel Bardeesy is a prominent cancer biologist known for his work on the genetic and molecular mechanisms that drive cancer, particularly pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers. He serves as a professor at Harvard Medical School and is a faculty member at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.
Dr. Bardeesy’s research focuses on understanding how genetic mutations and cellular signaling pathways contribute to tumor development and progression. His lab has made significant contributions to identifying key oncogenic drivers and exploring targeted therapeutic strategies, especially in pancreatic cancer. His work aims to translate basic scientific discoveries into more effective treatments for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.
Irun Bhan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Irun Bhan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Irun Bhan, MD, is a transplant hepatologist and gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he specializes in the care of patients with acute and chronic liver disease, including those undergoing liver transplantation. He serves as Medical Director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program at Mass General Brigham, working to expand access to life-saving transplant options.
Dr. Bhan’s clinical expertise spans the full spectrum of liver disease, including cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, liver cancer, and transplant-related care. He collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams to guide patients through evaluation, transplantation, and long-term management.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Bhan is an instructor at Harvard Medical School and is engaged in research focused on improving early detection and treatment of liver cancer. He is committed to advancing patient-centered care through innovation, education, and improved access to transplantation.
James Cleary, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
James Cleary, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
coming soon!
Ashley Draviam
Massachusetts General Hospital
Ashley Draviam
Massachusetts General Hospital
Ashley Draviam is a board certified specialist in oncology nutrition. She began working at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute in 2015, after completing her dietetic internship at MGH. Ashley sees adult and pediatric patients in the main campus and in radiation oncology. She provides individualized medical nutrition therapy tailored to the needs of cancer patients and survivors. Ashley is certified as a Qualified Bilingual Staff in Spanish and enjoys connecting with patients and families from all backgrounds. She is involved with nutrition-related oncology research studies, and has been published for her work. She is a contributor to oncology newsletters, and has given numerous presentations on nutrition and cancer to patients, their families, oncology providers, and the general public.
Ashley received her BA in Spanish and Psychology from Williams College. She spent five years coaching elite athletes at a ski racing academy in Lake Tahoe, California, before returning to Boston to complete her Masters in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University concurrently with the Didactic Program in Dietetics at Simmons College.
She spends much of her free time in the mountains and the outdoors – skiing, hiking, biking, running, and playing tennis. The rest of the time she loves traveling the world to visit new places, cooking with her husband, and teaching her two young daughters about foods like sardines, okra, and spicy chicken wings.
Rob Dunn
Massachusetts General Hospital
Rob Dunn
Massachusetts General Hospital
Rob Dunn is the Clinical Nutrition Manager at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. He is a registered dietitian and a board-certified specialist in the care of patients who require enteral and parenteral nutrition support. Rob is passionate about using nutrition care to help patients maintain strength and quality of life during treatment.
Rob received a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from the University of Massachusetts and completed a dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He began his career as a dietitian at MGH, where he had the opportunity to care for hospitalized patients of all ages and disease backgrounds. Before joining the team at the Cancer Institute Rob managed two teams of dietitians at Salem Hospital, a member of the Mass General Brigham system.
Outside of Mass General, Rob enjoys cooking with his wife, travelling with family and friends, and playing golf. He serves on several national committees that work to improve the care of patients with malnutrition and is the current President of the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Haley Ellis, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Haley Ellis, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Haley Ellis is a medical oncologist and clinician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School, where she specializes in biliary cancers and leads clinical trials. Her translational research focuses on cholangiocarcinoma tumor biology and therapeutic resistance mechanisms. She trained at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Washington University, and University College Dublin. In addition to her clinical and research work, she is a member of the New England CARE Team.
Jon Harrison
Massachusetts General Hospital
Jon Harrison
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Harrison is a Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic (HPB) surgeon who treats conditions affecting the liver, pancreas, and bile ducts. He graduated AOA from Jefferson Medical College and completed General Surgery Residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital. After residency, he completed a HPB Surgery Fellowship at Stanford, which included specialized training in minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) surgery. His clinical practice focuses on liver, pancreas, bile duct, gallbladder, ampullary, and duodenal cancers as well as colorectal liver metastases, liver adenomas, liver cysts, acute necrotizing and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, bile duct injuries, choledochal cysts, and benign biliary disease. 
During residency, Dr. Harrison also completed a two-year research fellowship sponsored by the MGH Pancreas Biology Lab. His basic science interests center around the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and the transcriptomic subtyping of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Areas of clinical research include the management of pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts, techniques for treating advanced cases of pancreatic cancer, and video-based training in HPB Surgery.
He is active in the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA) and Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) and credentialed through the American Board of Surgery, AHPBA, Fellowship Council, and Intuitive Surgical.
Shams Iqbal
Massachusetts General Hospital
Shams Iqbal
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Shams Iqbal, MBBS, is an interventional radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital with over 20 years of experience in minimally invasive, image-guided therapies. He specializes in interventional oncology, including liver-directed treatments, tumor ablation, and advanced embolization techniques such as Y-90 radioembolization.
Dr. Iqbal serves as Director of Quality and Safety for Interventional Radiology at Mass General, where he is dedicated to advancing patient outcomes through innovation and high-quality care. His research interests include novel approaches to cancer detection and treatment, with a particular focus on hepatobiliary malignancies.
An active leader and educator, Dr. Iqbal is involved in global training initiatives through the Society of Interventional Radiology and is a frequent speaker on advancements in interventional oncology and image-guided therapies.
Avinash Kambadakone
Massachusetts General Hospital
Avinash Kambadakone
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Avinash Kambadakone is the inaugural Mass General Brigham Academic Abdominal Radiology Chief, leading integrated clinical, research, and education programs across Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is an Associate Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School and founding Director of the Center for Research and Innovation in Abdominal Imaging at MGH, and serves as Medical Director of Radiology at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
An internationally recognized expert in pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and gastrointestinal imaging, Dr. Kambadakone is a fellow of multiple leading radiology societies and recipient of the McGovern Award for Clinical Excellence. His research focuses on advanced CT imaging technologies, including dual-energy CT and imaging biomarkers in abdominal cancers. He has authored over 275 publications and holds numerous national leadership roles, including with the Society of Abdominal Radiology and RSNA.
Kumar Krishnan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Kumar Krishnan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Kumar Krishnan, MD, received his bachelors of science in biochemistry with honors from the University of Arizona. He completed his medical school training and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He subsequently completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Northwestern University, Feinberg school of medicine. After his general gastroenterology fellowship, he completed a 2 year interventional endoscopy fellowship at Northwestern University, with a focus on pancreaticobiliary disorders, ERCP, EUS and complex esophageal disease. Prior to joining the MGH GI Unit, Dr. Krishnan was an interventional endoscopist at the Houston Methodist Hospital, where he established the interventional endoscopy program.
Dr. Krishnan currently serves on the ASGE Technology committee and is on the editorial board for Video Gastrointestinal endoscopy. He is a reviewer for the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Alimentary Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics and Diseases of the Esophagus. His primary interests include the management of pancreatic and biliary disease, interventional endoscopy and novel endoscopic therapy for digestive disease.
He is actively involved in research relating to novel diagnostic and therapeutic technology in endoscopy and minimally invasive treatments for intestinal disorders.
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.
Caitlin Anne McIntyre
Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center
Caitlin Anne McIntyre
Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center
Caitlin Anne McIntyre, MD, is a surgical oncologist at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she specializes in complex general surgical oncology. Her work focuses on the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer, with an emphasis on delivering coordinated, patient-centered care.
Dr. McIntyre earned her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. She completed her general surgery residency at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and went on to complete a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Board-certified in both general surgery and complex general surgical oncology, Dr. McIntyre is committed to advancing comprehensive cancer care and collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient outcomes.
Jenna O’Rourke, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Jenna O’Rourke, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Jim Palma
TargetCancer Foundation
Jim Palma
TargetCancer Foundation
Jim Palma is Chief Executive Officer of TargetCancer Foundation (TCF). Since joining TCF in 2010, Jim has overseen its growth from a small, Boston-based start-up to a nationally recognized foundation driving comprehensive rare cancer research programs and patient support services.
Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and is a founding Co-Chair of the NORD Rare Cancers Coalition. In addition, Jim serves on the Advisory Board of the Transformative Rare Cancer Initiative (TRACER) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and is a Steering Committee member at the Global Cholangiocarcinoma Alliance. Jim also serves as a member of the Programmatic Panel of the US Army Medical Research and Development Command Rare Cancers Research Program. Prior to joining TargetCancer Foundation, Jim spent eleven years at Fidelity Investments in Boston, MA. Jim completed studies at the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, and received his B.A. from Loyola University Maryland.
Matt Paradise
Matt Paradise
Matt Paradise is a cholangiocarcinoma survivor, a keynote speaker, award-winning author, and financial well-being educator who helps organizations improve performance by addressing the impact of financial stress on employees. With more than 20 years of experience, he has partnered with healthcare systems, corporations, and community organizations to deliver practical strategies that strengthen resilience, engagement, and retention.
He is the author of Financially Capable, an award-winning book that provides a human-centered approach to building financial confidence and long-term stability. Drawing from his own lived experience overcoming significant personal challenges, Matt brings authenticity and relatability to his work, connecting individual well-being to organizational success.
Known for his engaging and actionable presentations, Matt equips audiences with tools to reduce burnout, improve workplace culture, and create lasting, meaningful change.
Motaz Qadan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Motaz Qadan
Massachusetts General Hospital
Motaz Qadan, MD, PhD, surgical director of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital since 2023, is a nationally recognized expert in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical oncology. Dr. Qadan leads one of the highest-volume programs in the country for complex liver and pancreas surgery, consistently achieving outcomes that meet the highest standards of quality and safety. In addition, he has served as section head of the Hepatobiliary/Liver Program at Mass General, where he is an integral member of the multidisciplinary team delivering coordinated, personalized care for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. His clinical expertise includes the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer, liver tumors, bile duct cancer, and metastatic disease involving the liver.
Dr. Qadan earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Edinburgh Medical School, one of Western Europe’s leading medical institutions. He completed his general surgery residency at Stanford University, where he was administrative chief resident, followed by a fellowship in complex general surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he also served as educational coordinator. Dr. Qadan is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Hannah Roberts
Massachusetts General Hospital
Hannah Roberts
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Hannah J. Roberts, MD, is a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. She specializes in the use of advanced radiation therapies to treat a range of cancers, with a focus on delivering precise, personalized, and patient-centered care.
Dr. Roberts completed her medical degree at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and went on to complete her residency training in radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her work integrates clinical care with research, with interests in innovative imaging and technology-driven approaches to improve cancer treatment.
As part of a multidisciplinary oncology team, Dr. Roberts is committed to advancing evidence-based care and improving outcomes for patients through cutting-edge radiation therapy and collaborative treatment strategies.
Shimul Shah
Massachusetts General Hospital
Shimul Shah
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Shimul Shah is an academic multi-organ transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon with a special interest in health services research. Before joining Mass General Brigham, Dr. Shah served as Professor and Chief of Solid Organ Transplantation and Vice Chair of health services research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati Health (UC Health) and the University of Cincinnati Medical College (UCMC), where he led a thriving transplant program. As a graduate of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Surgery Residency in 2006, Dr. Shah returns to Boston and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Shah provides expert care for patients in need of liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation, as well as hepatobiliary surgery for conditions like end-stage liver disease, cancers of the liver, and liver and bile duct disorder. During his tenure at UCMC, the liver transplant program grew by 330%, helping more patients access life-saving transplants. His dedication to excellence earned him the inaugural James and Catherine Orr Endowed Chair in Liver Transplantation.
In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Shah is dedicated to making surgery more accessible and improving health care equity through research. He has written or contributed to nearly 240 publications and 25 book chapters. He founded and directed the Cincinnati Research in Outcomes and Safety in Surgery (CROSS), a multidisciplinary group focused on health services research that now includes 10 surgical faculty members. Dr. Shah also holds national leadership roles with the AHPBA and UNOS and continues to contribute to improving outcomes for transplant patients nationwide.
Vindhya Vijay
Massachusetts General Hospital
Vindhya Vijay
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Vindhya Vijay, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where her research focuses on advancing the understanding of gastrointestinal cancers, including pancreatic and biliary tract malignancies. As a member of the Bardeesy Lab at the Mass General Cancer Center, she studies the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that drive cancer development and progression.
Her work centers on identifying novel therapeutic targets and developing innovative models, including patient-derived systems and genetically engineered mouse models, to better understand genetic subsets of cholangiocarcinoma, particularly BAP1-mutant disease. She has contributed to impactful research efforts, including the development of a cell line atlas for biliary tract cancers to inform precision therapies.
Dr. Vijay is dedicated to translating scientific discoveries into meaningful advances in patient care and is an emerging voice in gastrointestinal cancer research.
Jennifer Wo
Massachusetts General Hospital
Jennifer Wo
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Jennifer Y. Wo, MD, is a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Program Director of the Harvard Radiation Oncology Residency Program. She is also an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School and plays an active role in mentoring and training future leaders in the field.
Dr. Wo specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, with particular expertise in pancreatic, liver, bile duct, and colorectal malignancies. Her work focuses on advancing precision radiation techniques and integrating innovative therapies to improve patient outcomes.
A leader in clinical research and multidisciplinary cancer care, Dr. Wo is a frequent speaker on advancements in radiation oncology and is committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered treatment.
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