Meet the Experts Breakfast Session

Saturday, September 8, 2007
7:00am–8:00am
Pasadena Exhibit Hall

Symposium attendees will be able to join highly interactive discussions about breast cancer topics that have implications for performing research and living with the disease. Informal small group discussions will be led by experts in the field.

Steve Artandi, Ph.D.
Cell Death and Senescence
Steve Artandi is an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University. His research interests encompass the relationship of cell regeneration and death mechanisms to breast cancer development. Dr. Artandi will lead a discussion on how exploration of the cell life cycle can lead to insights in breast cancer progression.

Dorothy (Dee) Bainton, M.D.
Academic Careers for New Investigators
Dee Bainton was the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the University of California, San Francisco from 1994–2004. In her post, she was responsible for the planning and review of all teaching programs at UCSF. She oversaw the Registrar and Student Academic Affairs and Academic Personnel academic units, among others. She will lead a discussion of how to make the most of academic career opportunities.

Christopher Benz, M.D.
New Drug Development for Treatment
Chris Benz is the director of the Cancer and Developmental Therapeutics Program at the Buck Institute for Age Research. Dr. Benz is internationally recognized for his research and expertise in breast cancer. He is a practicing oncologist at UCSF’s Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center and is actively involved in designing treatments for aggressive forms of breast cancer. Dr. Benz will lead a discussion on the development of new treatments for breast cancer, particularly molecularly targeted and personalized therapies.

Teresa Burgess, Ph.D.
Breast Cancer Research Careers in Industry
Terri Burgess is a Director in Oncology Research at Amgen, Inc. She joined Amgen, Inc. as an entry level Research Scientist in 1992, where she undertook both basic and applied cell biological research. Since joining the Oncology Research Department in 2001, she has identified novel, molecularly targeted drug candidates and guided them into clinical development. Currently Terri leads a successful team of 12 scientists within the Oncology Research program where projects range from the discovery stage up to Phase 2. Dr. Burgess will lead a discussion of how to make the most of career opportunities in industry.

Anna Cluxton, MBA
Advocacy for Young Women with Breast Cancer
Anna Cluxton was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32. She sits on the National Board of Directors for the Young Survival Coalition, co-founded and chairs the Central Ohio Chapter, and chairs the Survivorship Committee for Ohio Partners in Cancer Control. She works as Research Project Manager for the Patient Navigator Research Program at the Ohio State University. Ms. Cluxton will lead a discussion on how advocacy can inform research, impact service delivery, and turn issues of concern to communities into action, particularly for young women with breast cancer.

Marion (Mhel) Kavanaugh-Lynch, M.D., M.P.H.
CBCRP Future Directions
Mhel Kavanaugh-Lynch has served as director of the CBCRP for over a decade. She will be available to discuss the ongoing projects, funding opportunities, and future directions of the CBCRP, or any other issues related to the program.

Marilie Gammon, Ph.D.
Modifiable Risk Factors and Breast Cancer
Marilie Gammon is a professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Gammon’s current research focuses on the identification of risk factors related to the incidence and survival of breast cancer, particularly estrogen-related factors that are potentially modifiable (e.g., physical activity, obesity, and environmental exposures, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and active and passive cigarette smoking). Dr. Gammon will lead a discussion about the modifiable breast cancer risk factors identified to date.

Carmen Ortiz, Ph.D.
Breast Cancer English-limited Support Groups
Carmen Ortiz, an experienced psychologist and breast cancer survivor, has served as Director of the Círculo de Vida support program in San Francisco since 1995. Dr. Ortiz specializes in Spanish-language support group development and community outreach planning. She developed and implemented both a hospital based support program for newly diagnosed Latinas at San Francisco General and an in-home support program for Latinas in the terminal phase of their illness. Dr. Ortiz will lead a discussion on how to form an effective breast cancer support network.

Peggy Reynolds, Ph.D.
Environment and Breast Cancer
Peggy Reynolds is a senior research scientist at the Northern California Cancer Center. She has conducted a number of cancer epidemiology studies, with a particular focus on environmental risk factors. Dr. Reynolds has served as the principal investigator for a study of regional variations in breast cancer in California, a study of body burden levels of endocrine disruptors in breast cancer patients, a study of breast cancer in young women, and a study of breast cancer incidence in flight attendants. Dr. Reynolds will lead a discussion on environmental factors that are suspected in breast cancer.