Global Summit 2025 Speakers

Dr. Sujuan Ba is President & CEO of the National Foundation for Cancer Research and Co-Founder of the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, leading global efforts to fund innovative cancer research and early-stage oncology startups. She co-founded the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research and established major initiatives like the Szent-Györgyi Prize and the AIM-HI Venture Competition, supporting hundreds of oncology companies worldwide. Learn More >>>

Dr. Webster Cavenee is a pioneering cancer geneticist and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UCSD, renowned for discovering the genetic basis of cancer predisposition and progression. An elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, he has authored over 380 papers and received more than 120 honors, including the Charles S. Mott Prize and the Szent-Györgyi Prize. Learn More >>>

Dr. Kornelia Polyak is a Professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an international leader in breast cancer research. A member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research, she has uncovered key mechanisms of tumor evolution and therapy resistance. Dr. Polyak is a NFCR-Supported Scientist, learn more about her work >>>

Dr. Alexander Anderson is Chair of Integrated Mathematical Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center, pioneering mathematical models that drive novel cancer therapies. His eco-evolutionary approaches have led to breakthroughs in treatment strategies for several cancer types.

Dr. Jeffrey Golden is the Executive Vice Dean for Research at Cedars-Sinai and a globally recognized expert in neuropathology and neurodevelopmental disorders. He has published in top journals like Nature and served as president of major pathology societies. Learn More >>>

Dr. Bruce Johnson is a leading lung cancer expert at Dana-Farber and past President of ASCO. His groundbreaking work in identifying EGFR and BRAF mutations transformed lung cancer treatment worldwide. Learn More >>>

Dr. Dan Theodorescu is Director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center and a globally recognized bladder cancer researcher. He developed COXEN, a precision therapy approach validated in national trials, discovered a first-in-class RalGTPase inhibitor and was first to show that loss of the Y chromosome in cancer and normal cells was a driver of tumor progression and treatment response through the process of immune evasion.

Dr. Jennifer Grandis is a Professor at UCSF and a trailblazer in head and neck cancer research. An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, her lab has developed STAT3-targeted therapies now in clinical trials.

Dr. Maximilian Diehn is Vice Chair of Radiation Oncology at Stanford and co-founder of Foresight Diagnostics. He is a leader in liquid biopsy research, developing cutting-edge assays for early detection and treatment monitoring in lung cancer.

Dr. Ruijiang Li is a Stanford expert in AI-driven medical imaging, developing predictive biomarkers for cancer detection and treatment. His lab bridges radiology, genomics, and machine learning to advance precision oncology.

Paul Macklin is a mathematician, Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering at Indiana University. His lab develops the award-winning PhysiCell simulation framework as a “virtual laboratory” to study complex biological systems, with a special focus on cancer. As part of this work, he recently released a new modeling language that allows rapid development of simulation models that can be used to interactively explore the “rules” of cancer systems and run virtual experiments. He is working with teams of biologists, bioinformaticians, modelers, and clinicians to combine these tools with artificial intelligence for virtual clinical trials, and to create digital twins for the future of personalized predictive cancer medicine. Learn More >>>

Dr. Kun-Hsing Yu is a Harvard Medical School professor who developed the first AI algorithm to extract features from pathology slides, revolutionizing cancer diagnostics. His lab’s tools are used by over 80 global research groups and have earned major awards from NIH, Google, and ACS.

Nathan Lear is a Medical Advanced Analytics and Field Clinical Efficiency at AstraZeneca, where he drives the integration of AI and machine learning into medical affairs to improve clinical trial efficiency and patient outcomes. With a background spanning medical, commercial, and operational roles across top pharmaceutical companies, he has led transformative initiatives that position AstraZeneca at the forefront of precision medicine and healthcare innovation.

Dr. Ludmil Alexandrov is a UCSD professor who pioneered the field of mutational signatures, now foundational to cancer genomics. A Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree, he leads efforts to apply AI to cancer prevention and health equity.

Dr. Lisa Coussens is Chair at OHSU and Past President of AACR, known for uncovering how immune cells drive tumor development. She has translated her discoveries into clinical trials and was recently elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and Medicine. Dr. Coussens is an NFCR-Supported Scientist, learn more about her work >>>

Dr. Elana Fertig is Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences and Associate Director for Quantitative Science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she leads pioneering research in computational cancer biology that blends mathematical modeling, AI, and spatial multi-omics for predictive precision medicine. Dr. Fertig is an NFCR-supported scientist. Learn more about her supported work >>>

Dr. Samir Hanash is Director of Early Detection at MD Anderson and a leading expert in cancer proteomics. His research has driven advancements in early diagnostics and personalized therapy development.

Patty Obermaier is a health tech executive and former Microsoft VP, where she led $3.5B in health industry revenue. A proven innovator, she’s driven digital transformation across healthcare, government, and life sciences sectors.

Catherine Pan-Giordano is a Partner and Management Committee member at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, where she leads the New York Corporate Group and chairs the firm’s U.S.-China Practice. A Harvard Law graduate and one of the most prominent Chinese-English bilingual business lawyers in New York, she represents Fortune 500 companies, global financial institutions, and business leaders in complex transactions and strategic matters. She was named one of the Top Women in Dealmaking 2023 by The Deal.

Dr. Garzone is a senior pharmaceutical executive with over 25 years of diverse experience in the industry and is recognized for her strategic, scientific, clinical, and regulatory leadership in drug development. Before joining Anixa, Dr. Garzone held executive roles in clinical development with several companies, including Calibr, a division of the Scripps Research Institute, and Pfizer. Learn More >>>

Dimitra is an experienced biotech professional with deep knowledge of personalized medicine projects and therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and Health IT. Dimitra is a general partner of Qral Ventures and serves as Chief Business Officer (CBO) in select portfolio companies. She is currently a member of the Innovation Faculty team for MIT’s LinQ Catalyst program, mentoring and guiding innovators solving health and medical challenges. Learn More >>>

Dr. Ronald DePinho is a former MD Anderson president and a leading cancer geneticist whose research has shaped our understanding of aging and cancer. He is a member of the National Academies and winner of the Szent-Györgyi Prize. Learn More >>>

Dr. Michelle Arkin is a chemical biologist, Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Director of the Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Arkin’s research focuses on developing methods and molecules that target currently ‘undruggable proteins,’ including protein-protein interactions and dynamic or intrinsically disordered proteins.

Kirsten brings more than 25 years of extensive commercial, development, and strategic leadership experience from both large pharmaceutical and smaller biotech organizations. Prior to co-founding and becoming CEO of Chiara Biosciences, Kirsten was the Chief Commercial & Corporate Strategy Officer for Kura Oncology, developing the pipeline, commercial, and medical affairs strategy.

As CEO of Acurion, Inc., Rick leads a seasoned and diverse leadership team, guiding the company through key regulatory milestones and into commercial growth. A proven executive, Rick brings a strong track record of scaling both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Prior to Acurion, Rick was a Partner at First Capital Accelerator, where he focused on fundraising, evaluating investment opportunities, and supporting the growth of early-stage portfolio companies. 

Chih-Kao is an experienced management consultant who has worked with the top 100 pharmaceutical and biotech companies in more than 50 countries. His consulting approach concentrates on providing evidence-based commercialization strategies to healthcare clients by integrating scientific and clinical knowledge into commercialization. Chih-Kao has assisted companies with their commercial design, operation, business expansion, and licensing deals.

Dr. Matt Tremblay is CEO of Blackbird Labs and former COO of Scripps Research, where he led strategic partnerships and drug discovery initiatives. He helped launch Calibr and built alliances with major pharma and foundations.

Dr. Mey Boukenna is VP at PagsGroup, focusing on biotech investments after a research career in cardioimmunology. She co-founded a healthcare company and was elected the youngest member of Switzerland’s National Clinical Research Platform.

Dr. Cynthia Cai is an executive and investor with more than twenty-five years of experience in the healthcare and life sciences industry. She has deep expertise in equity investment, board governance, marketing, and business development. Widely recognized for her ability to bridge collaboration between scientists and businesses globally, Dr. Cai brings an in-depth understanding of the biotech and life sciences ecosystem.

With nearly three decades of venture experience, Jimmy most recently helped lead the healthcare practice at WI Harper, a US-Greater China venture fund, where he had been a Managing Director/Senior Partner since 2010. Prior to that, Jimmy was the Co-Founder and Managing Director/General Partner of tech-focused funds AcerTechnology Ventures/iD Ventures. Jimmy has been a board member and advisor to technology and healthcare companies through their eventual sale or initial public offerings.

Kristen Berset-Harris is a two-time breast cancer survivor, media host, and co-founder of KBH Impact Media. Her story exemplifies the power of cancer research in shaping personalized, less toxic treatment paths through genomic testing. Learn More >>>

Dr. Dennis Slamon revolutionized breast cancer care by discovering the HER2 oncogene and co-developing Herceptin. A recipient of the 2024 Szent-Györgyi Prize, his work has saved countless lives worldwide. Learn More >>>

Dr. Tony Hunter is a renowned molecular biologist at the Salk Institute and discoverer of tyrosine phosphorylation, a key mechanism in cancer. His breakthrough laid the foundation for many targeted cancer therapies. Dr. Hunter will be awarded the 2025 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research. Learn More >>>

Cancer Patient Caregiver & Cancer Research Supporter

Alison Dziarmaga, VP, US Franchise Head, Breast Cancer, is responsible for overseeing all sales, marketing, and cross-functional team efforts in the US for one of the most impactful and innovative breast cancer portfolios in the industry. This includes ENHERTU and TRUQAP and all other current and future breast cancer indications. Learn More >>>