GI Cancer Speakers

Her primary translational research focus is in investigating molecular alterations in solid tumors, especially of breast, brain, colon, and pancreas on a multi-omic level to discover prognostic and predictive biomarkers in patients with cancer. Her research also extends to genomic database creation (MUSTARD Database for targeted therapy, BRCAIndica, a national compendium for BRCA gene variants) and signalling pathway network creation using computational oncology. She has completed two PG courses from Harvard Medical School, namely, in High Impact Cancer Research (CBT-HICR) and Clinical Research Training. Dr Anu R I currently works as Head of Clinical Biochemistry, and Specialist in Precision Oncology & Multi-omics in MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute and as an International subject matter expert in Molecular Oncology and pan-omics. She is an active member of Analysis Working Groups: Multi-omics & Systems Biology, ALSDA, and AI for Space formulated by NASA for Global networking and research on Space biology and Omics. Her MD in Clinical Biochemistry was obtained from Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi,with a Gold Medal. She has received numerous awards and accolades for experimental research on human genetics. Her vision encompasses strengthening the foundation of Precision Oncology and Multi-omics in India for advanced and tailored patient care and development of cost-effective diagnostic facilities for patients worldwide.

Dr. Aparna Dhar is a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and University of Glasgow trained Medical Geneticist and Genetic Counsellor. She has over fifteen years of experience in academia, hereditary cancers and personalized genomic testing for guiding patient treatment and management. Over 10,000 families have benefitted from her Cancer Genetics clinic. She has also gained experience as a Research fellow, Medical Geneticist & Genetic counsellor at Mayo Clinic, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, National Health Services (NHS) Scotland and Harvard Medical Foundation (Dubai). Her main interests include cancer genetics (specifically breast and gynaecologic oncology), oncofertility and patient advocacy. Additionally she’s interested in telemedicine and educational aspects of genetic counselling. She is currently Head of Department- Medical Genomics and Genetic counselling at SRL. In addition, she leads the Cancer Genetics Clinic at Fortis Memorial and Research Institute in Gurgaon.

Dr. Bhawna Sirohi started her oncology career at Tata Memorial centre (TMC), Mumbai in 1994 and completed training at Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK. She serves in Max Super specialty Hospital and is currently an honorary consultant with QMUL, London. At TMC in 2012-2014, she set up GI medical oncology &medical oncology information system (MOIS) for e-prescribing chemotherapy. She has been involved in initial setting up of cancer centres in Sangrur and Mohali, Punjab for TMC. She has piloted use of virtual consults using PROM & PREM in London.

Dr. Diaeddine Trad is a Consultant of Medical Oncology, at Tawam Hospital, in Al Ain, UAE. He is a member of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). He is an investigator in several ongoing clinical trials. Dr. Trad is certified as a specialist in internal medicine, hematology and oncology by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. His research interests include; non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma and locally advanced breast cancer. Dr. Trad was a speaker in many international conferences and forums.

Dr. Harsh Sheth is one of the best bariatric surgeon in Mumbai with 10 years of experience. He is a consultant in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery in Mumbai at the Saifee Hospital, Bhatia Hospital, ACI Cumballa Hill Hospital, Apollo Spectra Hospital (Tardeo), Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, and Conwest & Manjula S Badani Jain Charitable Hospital. Dr. Harsh is an Advanced Laparoscopic & Bariatric Surgeon in Mumbai. Alongside his clinical work, he has dabbled into research with multiple publications and medical device patents to his name. He performs various basic and advanced GI surgeries and specializes in performing them in a minimally invasive manner. He follows the principle of ‘primum non nocere’ meaning first, do no harm and thus ensures utmost patient safety and comfort. Dr. Harsh has completed his post-graduate (M.S. -General Surgery) degree from Seth G.S Medical College and KEM Hospital. He followed up on his post-graduate degree with an exchange research fellowship (Stanford-India Bio design) at Stanford University, California and All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Dr. Harsh was a Fellow in Advanced Minimal Access Surgery, which he has received under the tutelage of Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, the noted bariatric surgeon at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, following which he has started his own practice. Dr. Harsh has extensive experience in the field of Bariatric surgery (including research) and advanced gastro-intestinal surgeries and is committed to treating patients with the best possible evidence-based protocols at a reasonable cost.

Dr.Shiu qualified as a doctor at Guys and St Thomas’ Medical School. He trained in medical oncology in London including St George’s Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and University College London Hospital and completed his PhD in integrative genomic profiling of cancer, working with Professor Alan Ashworth at the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital. He also attained a research fellowship at the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, maintaining a strong link with them in order to accelerate the development of novel cancer clinical trial designs. Dr. Shiu is a consultant in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Unit at UCLH. He is also the Clinical Lead for the Cancer of Unknown Primary Service, and the Acute Oncology Service at UCLH. He is actively involved in gastrointestinal oncology clinical trial research and also has a specialist interest in treating patients with Cancer of Unknown Primary, their entry into clinical trials, and management of oligometastatic disease. Dr.Shiu is the Principal Investigator of the UCL/UCLH Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Biobank. He is the Chief Investigator and Principal Investigator for a number of national and international trials. He also undertakes early phase clinical trials in the private sector at The Sarah Cannon Research Institute, which is associated with the LOC in Harley Street.

Dr. Khalid Balaraj was initially trained in the United Kingdom. He has radiation oncology qualifications from – UK (FRCR (I), Ireland (FFR RCSI) and Canada (FRCPC). He has done 2 Clinical Fellowships from Canada, in Gynecology Brachytherapy and CNS Stereotactic Radiotherapy. Currently, Dr.Khalid Balaraj is a consultant radiation oncologist at Tawam Hospital, UAE.

Dr. Leonard B. Saltz is an oncologist in New York, New York and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and NYC Health and Hospitals-Bellevue. He received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

Dr. Maroun El Khoury completed his basic medical training from Saint Joseph University School of Medicine Beirut, Lebanon in 1999. He is also a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology and American Academy of Pain Management. Dr. Maroun El Khoury’s specialty is Oncology and currently work as a Consultant Oncologist.

Dr.Nitesh Rohatgi is a senior consultant in Medical Oncology at Max Hospital in Saket, who was till recently working at the prestigious London Oncology Clinic (Leaders in Oncology care), Harley Street, London. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of medicine and has much publication to his name. He was trained in medical oncology, palliative medicine and teenage young adult’s cancers in United Kingdom.

Dr. Sanjay Sharma is a surgical oncologist and Director of Oncology and Professor at the Asian Institute of Oncology. He has worked at the Tata cancer hospital for over 27 years as professor ,trained extensively at Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer centre New York , also trained at Japan ‘s kuru me university , n Fukuoka university on surgery for cancer Esophagus.

Dr. Shailesh V. Shrikhande, is Deputy Director at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. He is also Professor & Head, Division of Cancer Surgery and Chief of GI and HPB Surgical Oncology at the Tata Memorial Hospital. After completing his MS from Mumbai University where he was ranked first in 1997, he proceeded to Switzerland where he worked with one of the leading pancreatic surgeons in the world, Professor Markus Buchler. During his 15 month stay there, he was actively involved in basic science research in tropical chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. On his return to India, he worked as a fellow in GI Surgery at the Tata Memorial Hospital from July 2001 till October 2002. He was then appointed as consultant GI and HPB surgeon of Tata Memorial Hospital in November 2002. In 2005, he became the first Asian to be awarded the Kenneth Warren Fellowship of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) – and was on special deputation from Tata Memorial for a year in the University of Heidelberg in Germany – perhaps the highest volume center for pancreatic resectional surgery in the world. He was awarded the “Doctor Med” (MD) degree by the University of Heidelberg with the excellent grade in January 2006 for his work on pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. He has been invited for over 80 lectures in India and abroad in Switzerland, Germany, Egypt and China and Russia. He has more than 70 clinical and basic science research papers in indexed international and national peer reviewed journals. He has contributed more than 30 book chapters to various national and international books and is the editor of the book “Surgery of Pancreatic tumors” released in October 2007. He has given live operative demonstrations on pancreatic, gall bladder and rectal cancer, is on the review board of many national and international journals, and is the Associate Editor of Indian Journal of Colorectal Diseases.

Professor Dr. Tarek Dufan is a Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist and has worked as Cancer Liaison Physician at the Sanford Bismarck Health Center, North Dakota, USA. He has also worked as a Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist at the Bismarck Cancer Center, Sanford Bismarck Health Center and CHI St. Alexius Health Center, North Dakota, USA. Prof. Dr. Dufan received his certification from the American Board and the Canada Board in Radiation Oncology. He is an active member of the American Society of Brachytherapy, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Radiology, and American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

He is the founding Medical Director of Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK, and is currently serving as the Executive Medical Director for SCRI UK and Clinical Lead for the Hospital Corporation of America International Cancer Service Line. Dr. Arkenau has vast experience in Early Oncology Clinical Drug Development with a special interest in gastrointestinal cancer and melanoma.

Dr Toh is Senior Consultant and former Head at the Department of Medical Oncology and now Deputy Medical Director (Strategic Partnerships), National Cancer Centre, Singapore. He graduated from the University of London, UK with an intercalated Bachelor of Science in ‘Infection and Immunity’ from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School and qualified as a medical doctor from University of Cambridge, UK. Dr Toh obtained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 2003. He received his medical oncology fellowship training at the Singapore General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA and at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. Dr Toh is also alumni at the Harvard Business School. He is currently the vice-chairman of the Oncology Academic Clinical Program (ACP) for Education. He is a recipient of the National Clinician Scientist Award for his pioneering work in cell therapy for cancer. He conducted the first cancer vaccine and T cell therapy clinical trials in Singapore, and continues to work actively in the field of cancer immunotherapy, immunology and inflammation. He also had a strong interest in drug development for the Singapore Medical Association and the Singapore College of Physicians. gastrointestinal cancers including colon and liver cancer. Dr Toh is an Associate Professor and College Master at the Duke-NUS Medical School. He is also an adjunct Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR. He was a council member in the Singapore Medical Association and the Singapore College of Physicians.

Dr Vikram Chaudri is currently working as a Consultant AND Professor – GI and HPB Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgical Oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Vineet Gupta is the best oncologist in Bangalore, appointed as a Senior Consultant & Head – Medical Oncology & Haematology at Sakra World Hospital. He has vast experience in treating all types of solid tumors with chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Being a blood cancer specialist in India, he is an expert in treating blood-related disorders including leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, lymphomas, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, thalassaemias, bleeding and clotting disorders, bone marrow/ stem cell transplant, and sickle cell anemia. He is the first Asian to be conferred the Prestigious Lubrano Distinguished Scholar award by Dana Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard University (USA). He has over 12 years of clinical experience in the USA.

Dr. Zakir has over 15 years of clinical experience and was a consultant colorectal and general surgeon in the UK, after achieving his Advanced Laparoscopic and Robotic Fellowship from Hong Kong (University of Hong Kong under Prof WL Law) and CCT (in Colorectal Surgery) from the UK. Dr Zakir is a member of the Association of Coloproctologists of Great Britain and Ireland and holds a consultant license in General and Colorectal Surgery in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, India and the United Kingdom. He is also currently an Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, UK.