3rd International Conference on
Cancer Research and Treatment

Dr. Marlene Shehata earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, focusing on Genetics of Cardiovascular Diseases, from the University of Ottawa (2004-2010). She is a licensed pharmacist in Ontario and works as a Clinical Pharmacist Consultant across academic hospitals, nursing homes, and community pharmacies in South-western Ontario. Dr. Shehata has also served as Manager of the Pharmacy and Clinical Services Department. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pharmacology Research and serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Eco-biotechnology and The Journal of Biotechnology Applications. Additionally, she is on the editorial boards of the African Journal of Biotechnology and Hypertension-Open Access. Dr. Shehata has published 23 research articles, 2 book chapters, and 24 abstracts. She is affiliated with the Canadian Hypertension Society, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Ontario Pharmacists Association, and Ontario College of Pharmacists. She has received several awards, including the 2011 Certificate of Excellence from Hypertension Canada and the 2007 Horizon Award from Memorial University of Newfoundland, among others from Pfizer Canada.

Dr. Marlene Shehata research interest include cellular and molecular medicine, genetics of cardiovascular diseases and pharmacology research.

Dr. Ankita Thakkar earned her Ph.D. from the University of Miami, FL, where her dissertation focused on investigating hormone receptors as targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive and invasive subtype of the disease. Her research centered on the simultaneous targeting of two specific receptors: the androgen receptor and the Vitamin D receptor, both of which are found together in approximately 20% of triple-negative breast cancers. Her work demonstrated that combined treatment with agonists for these receptors led to a significant reduction in cell viability and cancer stem cell populations within tumors. Furthermore, these receptor-specific agonists showed potential for integration with existing triple-negative breast cancer treatments, including chemotherapeutic agents. Dr. Thakkar is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Burke-Weill Cornell School of Medicine, where her research involves exploring the function of mitochondrial enzymes in neurodegenerative diseases, using pluripotent stem cells as a model system.

Her research has covered a broad range of topics including Molecular cloning, RNA extraction and qPCR, Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assays, oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, Immunohistochemistry etc.

Professor Kefah Mokbel, MS, FRCS, is a leading expert in breast disease management, including breast cancer and cosmetic surgery. He is the Lead Breast Surgeon at The London Breast Institute, Princess Grace Hospital, and a Consultant Breast Surgeon at St. George’s Hospital, London. Additionally, he holds an honorary professorship in Breast Cancer Surgery at The Brunel Institute of Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics. Graduating from the University of London in 1990, Professor Mokbel completed his surgical training at top London hospitals and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1994. He received his Master of Surgery degree from Imperial College London in 2000 for his research in breast cancer molecular biology. He has held notable positions including Consultant Breast and Endocrine Surgeon at St. George's Hospital and Professor at Brunel University. In 2005, he was appointed Reader in Breast Surgery at St. George's University of London for his significant contributions to breast cancer research.

Professor Mokbel's main clinical interests include the early detection of breast cancer, the fast-track diagnosis of breast lumps, breast cancer surgery including breast reconstruction and sentinel node biopsy, cosmetic breast surgery including breast enlargement, breast reduction and mastopexy (breast lift), breast cancer prevention, family history, breast pain and nipple discharge.

Professor Sayed K. Goda completed his Ph.D. at Southampton University, UK, between 1981 and 1985. He is currently the Director of the Department of Research and Training at the Shafallah Medical Genetics Centre (SMGC) in Qatar and holds a professorship in Biochemistry and Genetic Engineering. With over twenty-five years of research experience in recombinant DNA technology, he has a substantial background in the field. Following two postdoctoral research positions at Southampton University, he joined the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR) in Porton Down, Salisbury, UK, in 1989. At CAMR, he served as a Senior Scientist, Deputy Head, and eventually Team Leader in the Molecular Biology division. During his tenure from 1989 to 2001, he played a significant role in various commercially and medically sensitive projects, including the cloning of novel genes with commercial potential and the modification of toxic genes for therapeutic applications.

The current research activities for Professor Goda focus on recombinant DNA technology, protein engineering and protein-protein interactions.

Dr. Aparna Jayachandran specializes in cancer biology, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells, and organ fibrosis. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology with Summa cum Laude honors from the University of Giessen, Germany. During her doctoral research, she elucidated the role of TGF-beta signaling in EMT and its implications for organ fibrosis models. Following her Ph.D., Dr. Jayachandran conducted postdoctoral research at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Melbourne, Australia. There, she expanded her understanding of EMT in tumor biology and explored its connections to embryonic development, focusing on how melanoma cells might exploit the developmental EMT process to enhance their mobility. Her work has provided valuable insights into the mechanisms driving melanoma progression and metastasis. In 2015, Dr. Jayachandran joined the Gallipoli Medical Research Institute and the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Her current research investigates the links between EMT, immune evasion, and cancer stem cells, aiming to identify and develop potential drug targets for liver cancer.

Tumor biology, Metastasis

Shuyu Zhang earned his Ph.D. from Fudan University at the age of 28 and completed his postdoctoral research at The University of Oklahoma. His current research explores epigenetic mechanisms in cancer development, including the roles of miRNA and promoter methylation. Additionally, he studies therapies for radiation-induced damage. Zhang has authored over 20 papers in the field of cancer research.

He also investigates the treatment for radiation-induced injury.

Hideki Shimodaira is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC) at Tohoku University. He previously served as a Senior Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at Tohoku University Hospital from 2009 to 2014. Before that, he was an Assistant Professor in the same department at IDAC, Tohoku University. Dr. Shimodaira completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. He earned board certification from the Japanese Board of Cancer Therapy in 2009 and the Japanese Society of Human Genetics in 2012.

Clinical Oncology, Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Cancer Therapy, Human Genetics