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Nicole Concin
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Innsbruck Medical University Insbruck Austria
Department of Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology Evangelische Kliniken Essen-Mitte Essen, Germany
Jalid Sehouli
David Cibula, Czech Republic
Michael Seckl, UK
Isabelle Ray-Coquard, France
Charité Campus Virchow Clinic and Benjamin Franklin Berlin Germany
Michael Seckl trained in medicine at University College London/UCLH undertaking an intercalated BSc in Immunology and qualifying in 1986. After obtaining his MRCP he specialised in medical oncology doing a PhD in cell signalling at the London Research Institute (then ICRF) prior to his appointment as a Senior Lecturer/ honorary consultant in 1995 at Charing Cross Hospital/Imperial College London. Here he works clinically on gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), germ cell tumours and lung cancer. His laboratory science is focused on elucidating mechanisms of resistance to therapy and cancer metastasis to facilitate novel biomarker and therapy development. He was made a Reader in 2000 and a Professor of Molecular Oncology in 2002. In 2004 he became the director the UK and world’s largest GTD centre and is an international leader in this area. He is a former president and current treasurer of the International Society for the Study of Trophoblastic Disease (ISSTD), a gold medal holder of the ISSTD and president-elect of the European Organisation for the Treatment of Trophoblastic Disease (EOTTD). He is also director of the new malignant ovarian germ cell tumour service, director of postgraduate studies for the Dept of Surgery and Cancer and the Imperial College Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. He is an editor of several journals, sits on numerous national and international committees and has published more than 190 papers. Many have appeared in prominent journals such as NEJM, Lancet, Lancet Oncol, J Clin Oncol, Cancer Res, EMBO J, EMBO-R, Sci Transl Med and Oncogene. His work is currently supported by grants from CR-UK, MRC, AICR, EU FP7, industry, Dept of Health and other charitable sources.
Isabelle Ray-Coquard, MD, PhD, is medical oncologist in the Medical Oncology Department and the Institute for Clinical Science at the Centre Leon Berard, the regional Cancer Center in Lyon, France. She is also Professor of Medical Oncology in University Claude Bernard Lyon I, France. Prof. Ray-Coquard obtained her medical degree in 1997 specializing in oncology. In 2003 she received her PhD from the Université Claude Bernard for her research on the factors that determine medical practices in oncology. Prof. Ray-Coquard also received Master’s degrees in medical economy in 1996 and in statistics in 1995. Since 2005, Prof. Ray-Coquard has served as Chairman of the gynaecologic group for clinical trials of the French National Cancer Institute (INCA) and she is currently the Network Director of the national observatory dedicated to rare ovarian cancer, a network funded by the INCA commission and dedicated to the management of all rare ovarian cancer. At the Groupe d’investigateurs national evaluation des cancers de l’ovaire (GINECO), Prof. Ray-Coquard has been active in the translational research advisory committee, the scientific committee, the rare tumors committee, and as a chairman of endometrial cancer subgroup. She is the current Past-President of GINECO. Since 2009, Prof Ray-Coquard is the chairman of the rare cancer working group from GCIG (gynaecological cancer intergroup) dedicated to clinical trials in the field of all gynaecological cancers. Prof. Ray-Coquard is an active member of a number of professional groups, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, the Connective Tissue Oncology Society, the French Society of Cancer, the European Association of Cancer Research, the EORTC organisation and the European Society of Medical Oncology. Prof. Ray-Coquard has co-authored more than 230 peer-reviewed articles and over 200 abstracts and book chapters with an H factor of 34.
Sandro Pignata, Italy
Jonathan Ledermann, UK
Anna Fagotti, Italy
Alexandra Taylor, UK
Sandro Pignata studied medicine at the University “Federico II,” Naples, Italy, where he graduated in 1986. He went on to specialize in Gastroenterology in 1990 and then in Medical Oncology in 1998. In 1996 he obtained his PhD in Gastrointestinal Physiology at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome. Since 1993, Dr Pignata has been a member of staff at the National Cancer Institute in Naples, where he is now the head of the Uro-Gynaecological Department. Dr Pignata is also president of the Multicentre Italian Trial in Ovarian cancer (MITO) group, that is the largest research group in the field of gynaecologic oncology in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, with more than 80 Italian centres involved in several randomised trials on the treatment of gynaecological cancer, whose results have been published in leading international journals. Through his work with the MITO group, Dr Pignata promoted translational research, creating in 2011 an independent network including 11 laboratories throughout Italy. The clinical researchers have successfully collaborated with such translational network, especially in the collection of cancer specimens for biobanking aiming to identify both predictive biomarkers of response to treatment and prognostic factors in patients suffering from gynaecological malignancies. Dr Pignata participated in the preparation of the national guidelines on the treatment of ovarian, uterine, cervical and renal carcinoma. He is the first author of several papers that have contributed to changing the paradigm of gynaecological cancer treatment. As Principal Investigator and head of the coordinating centre of several multicentre phase I-IV trials, Dr Pignata is contributing to the development of new tailored therapies in ovarian cancer. His work has recently been focused on the understanding the role of angiogenesis pathway’s inhibition in the first (MITO-16A-MANGO OV2A phase IV trial) and second line in both platinum sensitive (MITO-16b – MANGO-OV2b – ENGOT-ov 17 phase III trial) and resistant ovarian cancer treatment (MITO 11 phase II trial). Dr Pignata is member of the ESMO Faculty Group in Gynaecological Cancers and member of the board of Directors of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG) as well as member of the Council of the European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO). He is in the editorial boards of international journals such as Annals of Oncology. Dr Pignata is currently the president elect of the European Network of Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups (ENGOT) that coordinates, promotes clinical trials within 20 trial groups from 15 European countries and performs cooperative clinical trials on patients with gynaecological cancer. He is a member of the Italian Association of Medical Oncologists (AIOM) and of the Gynaecological Group of the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).
Jonathan Ledermann trained in medical oncology in London and Toronto and specialises in the treatment of gynaecological cancers and clinical trials. His clinical practice is at the Gynaecological Cancer Centre at UCL Hospitals in London. Over the last 15 years he has led several national and international trials in ovarian cancer. He is Director of the Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre, one of the national cancer trials units in the UK. He is the past chair of the NCRI Gynaecological Cancer Studies Group and co-chair of the Rare Tumor group in GCIG. He is a member of ESGO Council and Chair of the non-surgical subgroup of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society. He is a Senior Associate Editor of International Journal of Gynecological Oncology and on the Editorial Board three other journals . His principal areas of research, publication and education are in clinical trials in gynaecological cancers and experimental therapeutics.
Assistant Professor at the University of Perugia, Italy. PhD in “Molecular Pathology in Gynaecological Oncology”. Member of the Executive Board of the Italian Society of Gynaecological Oncology (SIOG) affiliated with the ESGO. Advisor of the Italian Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (SEGI) affiliated with the ESGE. Author of more than 100 peer reviewed papers. Faculty of national and international standardized training programmes for advanced laparoscopic and LESS gynaecological surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Dr Alexandra Taylor is a Consultant in Clinical Oncology specialising in the treatment of gynaecological cancer at The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK. She is Chair of the London Cancer Alliance Gynaecology Oncology Pathway Group and a member of the UK National Clinical Studies Group for Gynaecological Cancer. She undertook her medical training at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, and then Guy’s Hospital, University of London, where she was awarded the Treasurer’s Medal for Medicine. She completed an MD thesis at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and the University of London. Her research focused on target volume definition including lymph node mapping and the development of novel radiotherapy techniques for cervical cancer. Dr Taylor has a particular interest in advanced radiotherapy technologies, including IMRT, image-guided brachytherapy and CyberKnife treatments. She is actively involved in research, with ongoing projects exploring novel radiotherapy techniques for recurrent gynaecological cancer, IMRT applications and integration of functional imaging with radiotherapy planning.
Glenn McCluggage, Ireland
Xavier Matias-Guiu, Spain
Sigurd Lax, Austria
Philippe Morice, France
Prof. W Glenn McCluggage is a consultant Histopathologist in Royal Group of Hospitals Trust, Belfast and an Honorary Professor in Gynaecological Pathology of Queen’s University of Belfast. He has published approximately 400 papers in peer reviewed journals, including original publications and many invited editorials and reviews. He is on the Editorial Board of four major pathology journals and associate editor of Histopathology. Currently, the President of International Society of Gynecological Pathologists and was previously the President of the British Association of Gynaecological Pathologists. He has an extremely busy referral practice and has been invited to lecture at numerous national and international meetings. He has authored or co-authored the various Royal College of Pathologists datasets in United Kingdom on reporting of gynaecological malignancies and has chaired the ICCR (International Collaboration in Cancer Reporting) panels developing international guidelines for reporting endometrial and ovarian carcinomas. He has been part of the last 2 WHO groups formulating the classification of Tumours of the Female Genital Tract. His main diagnostic interests are gynaecological malignancies and the uses of immunohistochemistry in gynaecological pathology.
Xavier Matias-Guiu has been always interested in understanding the morphologic appearance of the tumors at the microscope on the basis of the genetic and epigenetic changes. He obtained his PhD in 1987 in Barcelona. In 1991-92, XM was Research Fellow in Pathology at the New England Medical Centre/Tufts University under the supervision of Professors H Wolfe and R DeLellis. During his stay in Boston, he learnt molecular pathology techniques, and how to apply them to understand the morphological features of the tumors. From 1986 to 2002, we worked with Professor Jaime Prat in Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona. Currently, he combines the scientific direction of IRB LLEIDA with supervision of the routine pathology work as Chairman of Pathology at Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, and the direction of a research group as Professor of Pathology at University of Lleida, devoted to understanding the molecular basis of some tumors, preferentially endometrial carcinoma. XM has participated in the panel for defining the WHO classification of the tumors of the Female Genital Tract (Pathology and Genetics), specifically endometrial carcinoma. Results obtained during the last 15 years have allowed XM to understand the molecular features of endometrial carcinoma (microsatellite instability, as well as mutations in PTEN, PI3KCA, CTNNB1, k-RAS, inactivation of SPRY2 and RASSF1A), expression profile of type I and type II, molecular features of myometrial invasion and metastasis, and resistance to apoptosis/hypoxia/radiation). The group is multidisciplinary, composed by clinician, pathologists and basic researchers, and assesses molecular features of endometrial carcinoma in an integrated approach, from tumor tissue to patient care, using different materials (tumor tissue, cell lines, tumor explants, mice models, three-dimensional cultures) and methods (tissue arrays/immunohistochemistry), molecular biology (mutation analysis, sequencing, MLPA, microsatellite PCR, methylation specific PCR, FISH, RT-PCR, expression arrays, proteomics, metabolomics) and cell biology (viability, proliferation, apoptosis, clonogenic assays in cell lines and tumor explants; gene overexpression, interference RNA).
Dr. Sigurd Lax is Professor of Pathology and since 2002 head of the Department of Pathology of the academic teaching hospital Graz Süd-West. He graduaded from the University of Graz, School of Medicine in 1987, where he also trained in Pathology. He passed a postdoctoral research fellowship in Gynecological Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, in Baltimore, MD (USA) under mentorship of Profs. R.J. Kurman and Lora H. Ellenson. In 1999 he received his academic lecturership (docent) at the University of Graz and became a tenured faculty member.
His main focus of interest is molecular tumorigenesis of endometrial carcinoma. Other fields of interest are mesenchymal tumors of the uterus, epithelial ovarian neoplasm, cervical carcinoma and precursors and molecular and surgical pathology of breast carcinoma. He has published around 140 articles in peer reviewed journals, reviews and several book chapters.
He has been acting as tutor and lecturer in the German and Austrian divisions of the IAP, the European Society of Pathology and ESGO. He served as member of the WHO Committee for Classification of Tumours of the Female Genital Tract, (2002 and 2013) and is currently on the editorial board of Virchows Archiv as Associate Editor, the International Journal of Gynecological Pathology, Der Pathologe and Acta medicobiotechnica. Currently, he is President of the German IAP division, Past-President of the Austrian Society of Pathology/ Austrian IAP division and chair of the GYN and Breast Pathology Working Group of the German Society of Pathology.
Philippe Morice is the head of the Department of Gynecologic Surgery in the Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif France and Full Professor at the University Paris-Sud. His main topics of clinical and translational research are: conservative management of gynecologic cancer, borderline ovarian tumors, cancer and pregnancy, radical surgery in advanced stage ovarian cancer, results and interest of lymphadenectomy in gynecological malignancies and interest of completion surgery after chemoradiation therapy in stage IB2/II cervical cancer.
Dominik Denschlag, Germany
Nicoletta Colombo, Italy
Christian Marth, Austria
Dominik Denschlag MD PhD FRCSC Dominik Denschlag graduated from the University of Mainz School of Medicine in 1998, and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Freiburg, Germany in 2004. Aside from his clinical education he was able to work as a clinical scientist and was awarded a PhD in 1998. From 2004 to 2005 he completed a fellwoship in reproductive endocrinology and embryology at the University of Freiburg. Due to his main research interest in Fertility Preservation in Cancer Patients he went on to complete another fellwoship in gynencologic oncology from 2005 to 2007 at McGill University Montreal, Canada. Afterwards he went back to Germany and worked as senior consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Freiburg. In 2010 he was appointed as Associate Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Freiburg School of Medicine, Germany. In addition to his academic career Prof. Denschlag is heading the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the Hochtaunuskliniken Bad Homburg, Germany. Due to his broad expertise in Gynecologic Oncology as well as in REI in 2007 he became the chair of the ESGO Task Force for Fertility Preservation. Moreover he is a leading member of the AGO study group as well as an active member of the AGO Uterus committee. He has published over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Prof. Nicoletta Colombo graduated in Medicine in 1980; she completed the Specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1984 from the University of Milan, Italy. After a training period at Charing Cross Hospital and Royal Marsden Hospital in London, she became clinical research associate at the Kaplan Cancer Center , New York University, where she worked from 1984 until 1986. Junior and later Senior Faculty at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Milan from 1986 to 1994, in September 1994 she became Deputy Director and in July 2001 Director of the Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Division of Gynecology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. Since October 1, 2002 she is Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan-Bicocca. Author of several publications in the field of gynecologic oncology, she is member of various professional societies such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) and the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS), as well as Past President of the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology ( ESGO) and Senior Editor of the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.
Keynote Lecture Topic:
Christian Marth, MD, PhD, is the Director of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Innsbruck Medical University, Austria. Currently he holds leadership roles as the Chair of ENGOT, President of the Austrian Association for Gynecologic Oncology (AGO) and Vice President of the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG). Christian Marth has been the author or co-author of more than 370 scientific articles.
Alexandros Rodolakis
Daniela Fischerova, Czech R.
Mansoor Raza Mirza, Denmark
Alexandra Hospital, University of Athens
Athens, Greece
Daniela Fischerova works as an associate professor of OBGYN at the First Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague. She is fully specialized in obstetrics and gynecology, clinical oncology, and gynecological oncology and received her Ph.D. in experimental surgery. Since 2016 she has been a board member of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She also serves as a vice president of the Czech Ultrasound Society in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her main area of clinical research focus is the implementation of ultrasound in diagnosis, staging and in personalized management of gynecologic cancer. She has received 7 awards for herpresentations at the World Congress of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology and at the International Meeting of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology. She is the author or co-author of more than 53 articles in journals with impact factor, and additionally more than 55 original full articles in her native language. She has published 28 textbook chapters in international and Czech textbooks as well as one Czech-language textbook on Ultrasound in Gynecology and Obstetrics. She is also active in the field of postgraduate education in ultrasound imaging of gynecological cancer, she has produced educational DVDs distributed by ISUOG and ESGO and organises an International Workshop on Ultrasound in Gynecologic Oncology (IWUGO( in Prague. She serves as a tutor for gynecologic oncology ultrasound of international visitors at the Gynecologic Oncology Center (28 fellows since 2007).
Chief Oncologist at the Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark and Medical Director of the NSGO (Nordic Society of Gynaecologic Oncology), Vice-Chairman of the DGCG (Danish Society of Gynaecologic Oncology), member of the board of directors of the GCIG (Gynecologic Cancer Inter Group) and Co-Chair of Phase 1-2 working group of the Gynecologic Cancer Inter Group (GCIG). Mansoor R. Mirza is involved in the management of gynaecologic cancers. His key academic goals are to promote clinical research, international trial collaboration and education. He has broad experience in clinical protocol development, trial conduct and clinical trial regulations. He is author and principle investigator of several phase I, II and III studies. He is sponsor on behalf of NSGO & DGCG of 6 clinical trials. He is chair/member of Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) of several international trials. He is senior author of national guidelines for the management of endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer and non-epithelial ovarian cancer as well as of NSGO radiotherapy guidelines for cervical and vulvar cancers. He is co-author of ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO guidelines for endometrial cancer, ESGO guidelines for vulvar cancer and GCIG Ovarian cancer consensus guidelines. He is invited speaker at several international meetings, including keynote lectures and serves in multiple global advisory boards.
Sven Mahner, Germany
Murat Gultekin, Turkey
Denis Querleu, France
Andreas du Bois, Germany
Director of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
Ass. Prof. Dr. Murat Gultekin is a gynaecologic oncologist working in Hacettepe University Hospital in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey.
Dr. Denis Querleu was appointed full professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2011, then adjunct professor in 2013. Prior to joining McGill, Dr. Querleu was full professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Lille, France, then in Oncology at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France , where he was elevated to “Classe Exceptionnelle” the highest academic ranking in French universities. At the same time, he was head of the Surgery Department and of the Gynecologic Oncology Division, as well as Deputy Director of International Affairs, at the Toulouse Cancer Center . He was also head of Surgery at the Claudius Regaud Cancer Center. A dedicated researcher, Dr. Querleu served as the Chairman of the Experimental Research Department at the Université de Lille, France, for eight years. He has also served as President of the Société française de chirurgie pelvienne and of the Société française d’oncologie gynécologique. He is currently Council member of the ESGO, and chair of the Guidelines Committee. His clinical activities are currently based at the Institut Bergonié, Comprehensive Cancer Center in Bordeaux, France. A pioneer in advanced laparoscopic surgery for gynecological cancer, Dr. Querleu has been involved in teaching and training fellows and attending staff in 26 countries around the world, as well as collaborating in training members of leading institutions such as the Mayo Clinic and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center . Additionally, he has worked with France’s Institut National du Cancer to establish nationwide recommendations for clinical practice and to organize cancer care; published over 300 papers and written or contributed to textbooks and chapters in books; served as an editorial board member or a reviewer of numerous medical journals, and organized meetings of international societies.
Andreas du Bois, MD, PhD Andreas du Bois, MD, PhD, is the director of the Department of Gynecology & Gynecologic Oncology at the Kliniken Essen Mitte(KEM) in Essen, Germany. Dr du Bois received his medical degree from the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg Faculty of Medicine in 1987, performed his residency and registered as a fellow in gynecology & obstetrics in 1993. He completed his habilitation and was awarded venia legendi in gynecology from the University of Freiburg in 1997.
Additionally, he was awarded venia legendi in gynecology from the University of Mainz in 2002. Prior to assuming his current appointment at the KEM in 2010, for 11 years Dr du Bois was the chair of the Department of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology at the Dr. Horst Schmidt Klinik (HSK) in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Dr du Bois is a member of many medical societies, including the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO), the International Society of Gynecologic Cancer (ISGC), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the German Cancer Society (DKG). He served as officer / council member in ESGO and Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (GCIG) and was chair of the 3rd International Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference (2004). He is founding member and is past-president of the European Network of Gynecologic Oncology Trial groups (ENGOT) and founding member and chairman of AGO Study Group (formerly AGO-OVAR). Dr du Bois authored more than 450 scientific articles, reviews, and book chapters.
He was awarded the Young Investigator Award (1995), the Arthur Walpole Prize (2006), the Ernst-Wertheim-Prizes (2006), the Quality of Life Research Award (2006), and the MDAnderson Madrid lifetime award (2016). In 2016 he was appointed Adjunct Professor University Vienna, Honorary Clinical Professor at the Centre for Experimental Cancer Medicine Queen Mary University of London, and was appointed Honorary Doctor (Dr. h.c.) of the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University in Sweden.
Vesna Kesic, Serbia
Dr Vesna Kesic finished medical and postgraduate medical studies at the Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade. From 1986-1990, she was specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1990 she got a PhD in Gynecologic Oncology, and in 1996 she finished sub-specialization in Oncology, at the same University. Dr Kesic has started her University career in 1992 and in 2005 became the Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Medical School, University of Belgrade. She achieved full professorship in 2012. Dr Kesic is one of the leading specialists in gynecological oncology in her country. She has been trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology in UK, USA and Norway. In 2002 she has been nominated the Serbian Ministry of Health Adviser for prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. From 2008 she is the president of the National Advisory Board for cervical cancer prevention. In 2008 she became a member of Serbian Academy of Medical Sciences and Serbian Scientific Society. Dr Kesic has published 124 articles in international and national journals, was the author of 4 books and 20 chapters in international and national books and was invited lecturer for more than 130 presentations. Apart from her fruitful work in developing gynecological oncology in her own country, she is particularly active in education, organizing or coordinating colposcopy and gynecological oncology courses and training in Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. From 2006 to 2010, as a Council member of International Society for Gynecologic Cancer (IGCS), dr Kesic developed the program of workshops and supported meetings and helped organization of 28 events attended by more than 4000 participants. She was running similar activity in European Society for Gynecologic Cancer (ESGO) and from 2005 by now, 58 Workshops and endorsed meetings were organized under the patronage of ESGO in Central and Eastern European countries. She was the president of the 4 th European congress of colposcopy (2007) and 16 th ESGO congress (2009), both organized in Belgrade. Dr Kesic was the principal researcher in the three successfully finished international and participated several national projects. She was also the scientific leader of the pilot project for screening of cervical cancer in Branicevo region, the first organized screening program in Serbia. Now, she is conducting a Ministry of Health project: “Organization of Referral center for cervical cancer” and Ministry of Science project “Cancer and Pregnancy”. Her professional affiliations include membership in the Serbian Medical Society, International Society for Gynecologic Cancer, European Society for Gynecologic Oncology, European Association of Cancer Research and American and British Societies for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. She is the founder and past-president of Serbian Society for Gynecologic Oncology. Dr Kesic was the Secretary General of the Yugoslav Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (1995-2003). Currently, she is the President of Serbian Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. From 2006 to 2010, dr Kesic was a Council member of the International Gynecological Cancer Society. In European Society for Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO), she has been a Council member since 2005 and Chair of the Educational Committee. In 2011, she became president-Elect of ESGO. International federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) has selected dr Kesic to receive a FIGO Award in Recognition of Women Obstetricians/Gynaecologists at the XX FIGO World Congress in 2012.
Patrice Mathevet, Switzerland
Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum, USA
Charlie Gourley, UK
Mathevet Patrice is the Head of department of gynecology at Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Patrice Mathevet, received an MD degree in Gynecology-Obstetrics and a PhD in Genetics and Immunology from Lyon university in 1990 and 2002, respectively. He worked in Lyon in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, E. Herriot Hospital. From 2005 to 2012, he was on the faculty of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, E. Herriot Hospital, in charge of the Breast Clinic.In 2013 he has been appointed Head of the Department of Gynecology of the Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), University Hospital. He spent several months in 1993 and 1998 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Tx, USA) as visiting Assistant Professor. Prof. Mathevet’s research is being directed towards the following topics: >Surgical treatment of cervical carcinoma: vaginal radical trachelectomy, sentinel node technique > Biology of cervical carcinoma: lymphatic dissemination, lymphangiogenesis, therapeutic vaccine > Laparoscopic surgery: laparoscopic para-aortic lymph-node dissection, laparoscopic radical hysterectom
Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum, M.D. is the Chief of the Gynecology Service in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He is the AVON Chair for Gynecologic Oncology and a Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and is the Vice-Chair for Technology Development at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications and is co-author to numerous book chapters and three textbooks in gynecologic oncology. He is in full-time practice of gynecologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Charlie Gourley graduated in Genetics and Medicine from Glasgow University in 1991 and 1994 respectively. From 1998 to 2005 he trained in Medical Oncology at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, during which time he obtained a PhD in ovarian cancer genetics and received an NHS Education for Scotland Clinician Scientist Award. He was appointed Senior Lecturer in Medical Oncology at the University of Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre in 2005, Reader in Medical Oncology in 2011 and Professor of Medical Oncology (Personal Chair) in 2012. He received a Scottish Senior Clinical Fellowship Award in 2010.
Professor Gourley’s research focuses on trials of novel targeted agents in gynaecological cancer and the use of translational readouts from these studies in order to facilitate individualisation of care. He has led research demonstrating the propensity for ovarian cancer arising in BRCA1/2 germline mutation carriers to metastasise to liver, lungs and spleen and has used gene expression data to identify subgroups of high grade serous ovarian cancer that have significantly different prognosis and which are characterised by angiogenic and immune processes.
Current priorities of his laboratory group include: further investigation of drug resistance characteristics of BRCA1/2 and HNPCC-deficient ovarian cancer; validation of the existence of a pro-angiogenic subgroup of ovarian cancer using clinical material from a randomised trial of antiangiogenic therapy in ovarian cancer; analysis of pathways which characterise ovarian cancer subgroups in order to inform future trials of personalised therapy.
Clinical trials priorities include: leading an international randomised phase III trial of a MEK inhibitor in relapsed or persistent low grade serous ovarian cancer; leading further PARP inhibitor studies within genetically defined patient populations; further investigating and utilising the optimal intraperitoneal drug regime in an effort to maximise patient survival. Professor Gourley’s research currently receives funding from the European Union (FP7), Cancer Research UK, the Scottish Chief Scientist’s Office, the Scottish Funding Council, Ovarian Cancer Action and the Nicola Murray Foundation.