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Speakers
Zena Chahine, Jessica Cupac, Gerhard Hildebrandt, Chaitanya Iragavarapu, Gregory Monohan, Ayman Qasrawi, Reshma Ramlal, Yazan Samhouri, Frederick Ueland, Fevzi Yalniz, Musa Yilmaz
Zena Chahine, MD
PY3 Hematology/Oncology fellow
Division of Hematology/BMT
University Of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Dr. Chahine graduated from University of Balamand in Lebanon before completing residency in Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh. Currently a third-year hematology-oncology at University of Kentucky, she will join University of Kentucky as an assistant professor with a clinical focus in plasma dyscrasias.
Jessica Cupac, PharmD, BCOP
Hematology/BMT Clinical Pharmacist Manager
Markey Cancer Center
University of Kentucky HealthCare
Lexington, Kentucky
Originally from Williamsburg, Kentucky, Dr. Jessica Cupac received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from University of the Cumberlands followed by a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy and is now actively pursuing a Master of Business Administration through the Gatton College of Business at University of Kentucky. Dr. Cupac completed two years of residency at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, including one specializing in hematology/oncology, and now practices as a board certified hematology/oncology pharmacist at the UK HealthCare Markey Cancer Center where she serves as the Hematology/BMT Clinical Pharmacist Manager and plays an active role within the hematology, blood and marrow transplant, and cellular therapy programs.
Gerhard Hildebrandt, MD
Director of Ellis Fischel Cancer Center
Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology
Nellie B. Smith Endowed Chair of Oncology
NextGen Precision Health Investigator
Missouri Health
Columbia, Missouri
Gerhard Hildebrandt, MD, FACP, is a hematologist and oncologist who treats cancers of the blood and lymph system. He joined MU Health Care’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center to provide the people of mid-Missouri with excellent cancer care, including access to bone marrow transplants, CAR T cell therapy and clinical trials.
Dr. Hildebrandt earned a medical degree from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz Medical School, Germany. Upon completing his doctoral research thesis, he was awarded the "doctor medicinae" with magna cum laude. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a Hematology and Oncology fellowship at the University of Regensburg, Germany, and became Bone Marrow Transplant and Hematologic Malignancies Attending at the University of Regensburg. In 2009, he was awarded the "Habilitation", the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by own pursuit in Germany.
After moving to the United States, he was a faculty member at the Louisiana State University in Shreveport and at the University of Utah. He was the director of the bone marrow transplant program at LSUHSC Shreveport and director of the Utah Blood and Marrow Transplant program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah before moving to Kentucky and then to Missouri.
He is a member of ASH, ASCO, ASBMT, AACR, the author of more than forty articles, books, and book chapters and is strongly involved in clinical trials.
Chaitanya Iragavarapu, MD
Associate Medical Director
Markey CAR T-Cell Therapy Program
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology
BMT & Cellular Therapy Program
University of Kentucky
Markey Cancer Center
Lexington, Kentucky
Dr. Chaitanya Iragavarapu is a member of the Hematology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation (BMT) team at UK HealthCare treating leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, clotting and bleeding disorders.
Dr. Iragavarapu completed his medical training at the Government Stanley Medical College in Chennai, India. He completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at New York Medical College in Valhalla. After completing his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology, he completed an additional fellowship in blood and marrow transplantation at Stanford University.
Dr. Iragavarapu hopes to bring expertise in advanced treatment therapies to patients in Kentucky.
Gregory Monohan, MD
Interim Chief, Division of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant
Markey Cancer Center
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Gregory Monohan received his medical degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington. He then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Indiana University, Indianapolis before returning to the University of Kentucky to complete a Hematology and Medical Oncology fellowship.
After finishing the fellowship, Dr. Monohan remained on faculty at the University of Kentucky where his primary focus is in hematologic malignancies including blood and marrow transplantation as well as benign hematology. Since 2011, he has served as the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program Director. He also serves as Clinical Co-Director for the College of Medicine Hematologic and Lymphatic Systems course.
Dr. Monohan is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology.
Ayman Qasrawi, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Hematology and Blood Marrow Transplantation Team
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Lexington, Kentucky
Dr. Qasrawi graduated from the Hashemite University College of Medicine in Jordan in 2012. Upon graduation, he received an Award of Academic Achievement and was ranked the 2nd among his class. To further develop his interests in hematology and oncology, he later worked as a transitional resident at King Hussein Cancer Center, which is the largest cancer hospital in Jordan.
In 2015, Dr. Qasrawi joined the internal medicine residency program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Upon graduation, he received multiple awards including the Women of Saint Luke’s Award for 2018 presented by the Saint Luke’s Foundation, Award for Most Productivity in Research and Scholarly Activity in Internal Medicine Residency and the Second Place in Residents’ Research Day.
In June 2018, Dr. Qasrawi joined the hematology and medical oncology fellowship training at the University of Kentucky where he continued to nourish his academic interests in hematology. Upon finishing his training in June 2021, he received multiple Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Hematology and Oncology In-Training Exams as well as a Letter of Achievement from the fellowship training committee for three consecutive years. Dr. Qasrawi has strong clinical and academic interests in acute leukemias and stem cell transplantation. During his training, he presented his research at multiple local and national conferences including the ASH, ASCO, ASTCT, ACG, ATS, and NCCN. He is first author or co-author of 19 peer-reviewed manuscripts and numerous abstracts. His collaborative work in hemophagocytic histiocytosis with the University of Nebraska was awarded the 2020 American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award. In addition, his work in mixed phenotype leukemia was nominated for the 2020 American Journal of Hematology Young Investigator Award.
Beginning July 2020, Dr. Qasrawi joined the Division of Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy at the University of Kentucky where he primarily sees patients with myeloid malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic myeloid leukemia, and myeloproliferative disorders. In addition, he performs both allogenic and autologous stem cell transplants for patients with myeloid malignancies as well as multiple myeloma and lymphomas. Dr. Qasrawi is also interested in clinical trial development for acute leukemias and other myeloid malignancies.
Dr. Qasrawi is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of ASH, ASCO and ASTCT societies.
Reshma Ramlal, MD, FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology/BMT
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Dr. Reshma Ramlal is hematologist in Lexington, KY and is affiliated with University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital. She received her medical degree from the University of the West Indies , Faculty of Medical Science, Port of Spain and received her residency training at the University of Florida Health Science Center in Jacksonville, FL. She received her hematology/oncology fellowship training at St. Louis University Hospital and stem cell transplantation training at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. She has been in practice for 8 years.
Yazan Samhouri, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy
West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dr. Yazan Samhouri is a physician with AHN Cancer Institute, specializing in hematology and cellular therapy. He is skilled at treating patients who have hematologic and lymphoid malignancies, and various cancers of the blood. He has expertise in therapeutic treatments using bone marrow transplants and immunotherapy methods including CAR-T cell therapy and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
He received his medical degree from University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan. Dr. Samhouri was chief medical resident at Rochester Regional Health – Unity Hospital in Rochester, New York. He completed his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he served as chief fellow.
Dr. Samhouri is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.
Frederick Ueland, MD
Medical Director
Markey Cancer Center Chemotherapy and Outpatient Infusion Program
UK HealthCare
Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
College of Medicine
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Dr. Ueland received his MD degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Ueland joined the University of Kentucky faculty in 1998 after completing his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and fellowship training in gynecologic oncology at UK. He also has served as the Fellowship Program Director in gynecologic oncology, the Medical Director of Gynecologic Surgery, and the Vice Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology. His clinical interests include advanced chemotherapy and clinical trials, minimally invasive surgery, ovarian cancer surgery, ovarian tumor ultrasound, and pelvic surgery. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology.
Fevzi Yalniz, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology/BMT
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Fevzi F Yalniz MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine Division of Hematology and Blood Marrow Transplantation at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Dr Yalniz earned his Medical Degree MD from Hacettepe University College of Medicine IstanbulTurkey. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Hematology at the Istanbul University Cerrahpasa College of Medicine. After his move to the United States he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Department of Hematology and Oncology. He later completed additional clinical fellowships in Stem Cell Transplantation Cellular Therapy and Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr Yalniz's clinical interests include lymphoid and myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, lymphoma myeloproliferative diseases, stem cell transplantation, and cellular therapies for hematologic cancers. Over his career Dr Yalniz received many academic and clinical honors including the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award and American Society of Hematology Achievement Award. He authored more than 30 journal articles. He is a current member of the American Society of Hematology and American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.
Musa Yilmaz, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas
Dr. Musa Yilmaz received his medical training from Marmara University School of Medicine in Turkey. His residency was completed at the University of TX Medical School in Houston, TX. Dr. Yilmaz then completed fellowships in both Leukemia and Hematology/Oncology at The University of TX MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Baylor College of Medicine; also, in Houston, TX. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leukemia at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Musa Yilmaz has published extensively in the field of leukemia, and particularly, on prospective phase I and II trials of novel therapeutic combinations. He also serves as the Principal Investigator for four, active, clinical trials. Dr. Yilmaz’ primary, research interests have been the role of early response assessment, particularly MRD (Minimal Residual Disease), in patients with acute leukemias and how this information can be used to identify patients at highest risk for relapse and death. In particular, he has published a paper in the American Journal of Hematology on the impact of achieving early MRD negativity in patients with ALL. He has also authored several other papers on the role of MRD in acute leukemias.
