Plenary Speakers

Associate Professor Jane Oliaro

In the Oliaro laboratory, researchers investigate the regulation of cytotoxic lymphocytes – the immune cells that are responsible for the recognition and killing of cancer cells. Our research focuses on investigating immune cell interactions with cancer cells, with a particular focus on immune synapse formation.

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Professor Bernhard Riedel

Bernhard is the Director of the Department of Anesthesia, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with an honorary academic appointment at the University of Melbourne.

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Thomas A. Aloia, MD, MHCM, FACS

Chief Value & Quality Officer, Department of Value & Quality, Division of Chief Medical Executive, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

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Kathleen M. Schmeler, MD

Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, Division of Surgery

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Professor Rob Newton

Professor Robert Newton, PhD, AEP, CSCS*D, FESSA, FNSCA is Associate Dean, Medical and Exercise Sciences and Research Professor, Exercise Medicine Research Institute at Edith Cowan University Perth, Western Australia.

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Associate Professor Prue Cormie

Associate Professor Prue Cormie is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist whose research and clinical work focuses on the role of exercise in the management of cancer.

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Jeffrey E. Gershenwald, MD

Professor (term-tenured), Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

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Katy Rezvani, MD

Professor, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Director of Translational Research, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation – Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

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Professor Ian Frazer

Professor Ian Frazer is a clinician scientist, trained as a clinical immunologist in Scotland. As a professor at the University of Queensland, he leads a research group working at TRI in Brisbane, Australia on the immunobiology of epithelial cancers.

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Andre Ilbawi, MD

Dr André Ilbawi is a native of the United States. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in bioengineering, and then received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to commencing work at WHO, he was trained as a cancer surgeon at the University of Washington and MD Anderson Cancer Centre.

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Associate Professor Kate Burbury

Associate Professor Kate Burbury is consultant haematologist; stream lead for myeloproliferative disorders (MPD)/chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and lead clinician for haemostasis, thrombosis and peri-operative optimisation, including pre-habilitation, for all major cancer surgery patients at the VCCC.

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Professor Uday Popat

Uday Popat graduated from the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College in Bombay, India. He completed the residency and fellowship programs at institutions in the United Kingdom, India and the United States including Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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Dr Elizabeth Travis

Dr. Travis is Associate Vice President for Women and Minority Faculty Inclusion and Mattie Allen Fair Professor in Cancer Research at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She is responsible for oversight and strategic planning for the recruitment, retention and advancement of women faculty into senior ranks. 

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Professor Sanchia Aranda AM

Professor Sanchia Aranda AM is CEO of Cancer Council Australia, the immediate Past President for Union for International Cancer Control and inaugural Board Chair of the Cancer City Challenge Foundation. She is regarded as one of the world’s pre-eminent experts in cancer control.

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André La Gerche

Andre is a cardiologist specialising in cardiac imaging, a Future Leadership Fellow of the National Heart Foundation and a NHMRC Career Development Fellow.

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Professor David Jaffray

David A. Jaffray is a Canadian medical physicist and Senior Scientist in the Division of Biophysics and Bioimaging. He is also a professor and Vice Chair of Radiation Oncology. He is the inventor, together with John Wong and Jeffrey Siewerdsen, of on-line volumetric kv-imaging guidance system for radiation therapy.

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Padmandee Sharma, MD

Padmanee Sharma is an immunologist and oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She holds the position of professor of genitourinary medical oncology and immunology in the Division of Cancer Medicine where she specializes in renal, prostate, and bladder cancers.

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Dr Belinda Campbell

Dr Belinda Campbell is a Senior Radiation Oncologist at PMCC, specialising in radiation therapy for haematological malignancies, with particular interest in lymphomas and late effects. She is Senior Editor (Haematology) of the Red Journal; Deputy Editor of  JMIRO; Steering Committee Member of National T-cell Lymphoma Network; and Council Member of ILROG.

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Yvonne Panek-Hudson

Yvonne Panek-Hudson is a nurse practitioner in the Haematology Service,specialising in the long term follow up of patients post-allogeneic bone marrow transplant. She has a particular interest in late effects surveillance and management, chronic graft versus host disease and sexual health.

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Edward L Trimble, MD, MPH

Edward Trimble was appointed the first director of NCI’s new Center for Global Health (CGH) in September, 2011. The NCI CGH is responsible for NCI’s research relevant to global health and global cancer research, developing a strategic plan for research and implementation relevant to global cancer control, and strengthening collaboration with external stakeholders.

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Dr Johan Lundin

Johan Lundin, MD, PhD is a Professor of Medical Technology at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm and a Research Director at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Finland. His overall research aims are to study the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence for improvement of diagnostics and care of the individual patient.

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