Unlocking the power of RNA in drug development

Dr. Calvin Chao is the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at Tempus. Previously, Dr. Chao spent thirteen years leading studies and education for the Oncotype DX Breast, Prostate, and Colon Cancer assays at Genomic Health, later acquired by Exact Sciences. Prior to that role, he worked in various bio-pharmaceutical medical director positions at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, PDL BioPharma, TAP Pharmaceuticals, and SmithKline Beecham.In his early career, Dr. Chao practiced as a board-certified internist and hospitalist at Kaiser Permanente in California for ten years. He earned his MD from the University of Texas Medical Branch, completed his medical residency at Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, received his MBA from St. Mary’s College, California, and his BS in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley.

Brian I. Rini, MD, FASCO, is the Chief of Clinical Trials at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and Ingram Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University, where he leads kidney cancer clinical research efforts and the expansion of cancer clinical research operations. His research activities include over 300 publications extensively covering genitourinary cancer, most notably renal cell carcinoma. Dr. Rini has been lead investigator of several phase 3 clinical trials which have led to FDA approval. He has spoken at numerous seminars and invited lectureships, locally, nationally, and internationally, on genitourinary cancers and their treatments. He recently completed a term as a member and past Chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC). Dr. Rini is also co-host of the popular GU Oncology-focused podcast ‘Uromigos’.

Dr. Milind Javle is a Professor of GI Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, where he leads the Biliary Cancer Program. He graduated from Grant Medical College in India, did his residency at SUNY Buffalo, and completed his Oncology Fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Center, specializing in GI Cancers. Since 2007, he has been at MD Anderson, establishing himself as a leader in GI Oncology, particularly biliary and pancreatic cancers. Dr. Javle boasts over 200 publications in the field and receives extensive research support from NIH, Foundations, Industry, and Philanthropy. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the NCI Task Force in Hepatobiliary Cancers, the former Chair of the International Cholangiocarcinoma Research Network, Vice President of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, and Co-Chair of the SWOG Hepatobiliary Committee, in addition to holding leadership roles at MD Anderson.

Scott Haake MD, PhD is a kidney cancer-focused investigator and leads a research team focused on tumor cell interaction with the extracellular matrix, integrin signaling, biomarker development, and kidney cancer biology. Dr. Haake’s work spans multiple projects, including basic cancer biology research, animal models of cancer, translational work in human tissues and clinical trials. His work is funded by the National Cancer Institute, the Kure It Foundation, and the Department of Defense Kidney Cancer Research Program. As a board-certified medical oncologist, Dr. Haake’s clinical work focuses on kidney cancer patients.