This activity is intended to meet the educational needs of medical oncologists, pathologists, GI surgeons, nurses, nurse navigators and those involved in clinical trials for the care of patients with BRAF V600-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer.
colorectal cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer
Nilofer Saba Azad, MD
Nilofer Saba Azad, MD
Co-Director of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics
Professor of Oncology
Johns Hopkins University Hospital
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Nilofer S. Azad is an associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Azad is board certified in medical oncology and directs the Developmental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Program for the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
Dr. Azad earned her medical degree and completed a residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She then complete a fellowship in oncology and hematology at the National Institute of Health's National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland where she served as chief fellow. Dr. Azad’s research focused on early phase drug development and the intersection of moving exciting laboratory findings into patients for new treatment options
Dr. Azad joined the faculty at the Kimmel Cancer Center in 2008. Dr. Azad’s clinical expertise is in cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, with a concentration in colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma/ pancreaticobiliary tract cancer. Her research efforts are dedicated to developing new drug combinations for patients with advanced cancer. In particular, Dr. Azad’s laboratory and clinical trials explore epigenetic therapy in combination with chemotherapy and immunotherapy to improve survival for patients, as well as molecularly targeted drugs. She is an active clinical trialist, leading numerous multiple clinical trials of molecularly targeted agents for advanced cancer patients. Dr. Azad has received numerous grants for her work from entities such as the NCI (National Cancer Center), American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Research, the Lustgarten Foundation, The Gateway Foundation, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, among others. She serves as Principal for Johns Hopkins on the Stand Up 2 Cancer Colorectal Cancer Dream team, a $12 million grant to improve therapeutic options for colorectal cancer patients, and is a member of the Stand Up 2 Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team, leading the GI cancer initiatives for the group. Dr. Azad is a national leader in GI cancer, including serving as a member of the national NCI Colon Cancer Task Force and the NCI MATCH (Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice) Agents and Genes Working Group, the largest trial of personalized medicine in the country.
Shawn Kwatra, MD
Shawn Kwatra, MD
Director, Johns Hopkins Itch Center
Associate Professor of Dermatology
Johns Hopkins University Hospital
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Shawn Kwatra is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also serves as the Director for the Johns Hopkins Itch Center. He specializes in medical dermatology and is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology. His areas of clinical expertise include general dermatology, chronic pruritus, prurigo nodularis, atopic dermatitis, and dermatology for ethnic skin.
Dr. Kwatra obtained his undergraduate degree from Duke University, medical training at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and his dermatology residency training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Kwatra's primary clinical and translational research interest is in the pathogenesis and treatment of chronic pruritus. He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Academy of Dermatology, the Society for Investigative Dermatology, the International Forum for the Study of Itch, and the Skin of Color Society.