OSUCCC – JAMES GRAND ROUNDS

The 2013-14 Grand Rounds lecture series sponsored by the OSUCCC – James will continue on Friday, Dec. 6, at 8 a.m. in 518 James (breakfast available at 7:45 a.m.). Below are biosketches for upcoming presenters.
 

DEC. 6 – Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State and a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, will present “Implementing Translational Cancer Genomics” at the Dec. 6 Grand Rounds at 8 a.m. in 518 James. Roychowdhury is an expert in the translation of genomic sequencing strategies for basic and clinical cancer research. This includes the application of genomic sequencing strategies for 1) molecular characterization of exceptional responders on clinical trials and 2) development of CLIA-certified molecular tests for enrichment of patients to trials. The overarching goal of Dr. Roychowdhury’s lab is to identify putative predictive genomic biomarkers for targeted therapies and understand primary and secondary resistance mechanisms for these therapies. His research lab utilizes next-generation sequencing strategies including exome, RNAseq and targeted capture sequencing for the development of genomics-driven clinical trials and characterization of resistance. His team is studying the development of primary and secondary resistance for targeted therapies against activating mutations in PI3Kinase, FGFR, BRAF and CDK pathways through preclinical models and sequential clinical samples from clinical trials. Dr. Roychowdhury is also lab director for a CLIA genomics lab that develops custom targeted cancer gene sequencing for detection of point mutations, copy number variation and gene fusions for use in clinical trials. He is principal investigator of a study titled “Precision Cancer Medicine for Advanced Cancer Through High-Throughput Sequencing” that evaluates individual patients with advanced cancer who are considering clinical trials. The study seeks to identify “driving” mutations that provide molecular eligibility for novel molecularly targeted therapies in development at Ohio State. Dr. Roychowdhury was recruited to Ohio State in the fall of 2012 from the University of Michigan. He earned both his MD and PhD in immunology at Ohio State, where he also received his undergraduate degree in molecular genetics. 

JAN. 24 – Benjamin Ebert, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, will present “Genetics and Therapy for Myelodysplastic Syndrome” at the Jan. 24 Grand Rounds at 8 a.m. in 518 James. Dr. Ebert also is an associate physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, co-director of the Cancer Program at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and an associate member of The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (Broad Institute). His laboratory, based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, focuses on the molecular basis and treatment of hematologic malignancies, with a particular focus on myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

In his Grand Rounds presentation, Dr. Ebert will review the genetic basis of MDS, discuss how genetics can be used to guide therapy, and describe new therapeutic approaches to myeloid malignancies. He received a bachelor's degree from Williams College, a doctorate from Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, and an MD from Harvard Medical School. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts GeneralHospital and a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before pursuing postdoctoral research at the Broad Institute.