Week 10 2022

Dr. Padma Sheila Rajagopal received her M.D. at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, during which she also received an M.P.H. in quantitative methods with a focus on genetic epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her internal medicine residency training at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in hematology/oncology with an additional fellowship year focused on cancer genetics at the University of Chicago, where she received an M.Sc. in biomedical informatics. Dr. Rajagopal is a recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship and the American Society of Clinical Oncology / Breast Cancer Research Foundation Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award.

Dr. Rajagopal’s laboratory focuses on how characterizing genomic and transcriptomic interactions between germline variants / inherited cancer syndromes and somatic development in tumors can improve clinical prediction and prognostication in patients with cancer. Her current research focuses on using transcriptomics to characterize breast cancers and treatment responses in patients with hereditary cancer syndromes.

STACY GRAY, MD, AM, is a Professor and Deputy Director for the Center for Precision Medicine, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Beckman Research Institute. She is also Chief of City of Hope Division Clinical Cancer Genomics, where she leads the clinical, research and educational initiatives of the program.  Dr. Gray's research is focused on realizing the promise of precision cancer medicine for all patients through translational genomics. The Gray lab focuses on improving access to genomic testing and targeted therapies, developing cancer prevention and screening strategies, eliminating care disparities, and rapidly translating innovative and effective new technologies into the clinic through interventions to improve the delivery of precision cancer medicine. Dr. Gray holds multiple leadership roles in a National Institutes of Health research consortium, and has a strong track record of research funding with support from the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, American Cancer Society, and American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Jeffrey N. Weitzel, MD, is board Certified in Medical Oncology and Clinical Genetics, and founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. He co-founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice with Dr. Blazer. A Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scholar and an honorary Professor of Oncology for the Latin American School of Oncology, he is also the ASCO Conquer Cancer Research Professor in Breast Cancer Disparities. At the vanguard of precision prevention, Dr. Weitzel’s multidisciplinary clinical, research, and training experience emphasize translational research in cancer disparities, genomic cancer risk assessment, chemoprevention, targeted therapy, clinical and psychosocial outcomes, genetic epidemiology and health services research, with a focus on underserved populations. Dr. Weitzel received the American Society of Human Genetics Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education.

BITA NEHORAY, MS, CGC, is a licensed board-certified genetic counselor specializing in cancer genetics. She received her Master’s degree in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Stanford University. Ms. Nehoray joined the City of Hope Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics in 2012. As a Senior Genetic Counselor she provides cancer genetics services for patients and families suspected to have a hereditary predisposition to cancer, with a focus in Li-Fraumeni syndrome and Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential. Current research projects include understanding cancer risk, penetrance, prevalence, and clinical outcomes for individuals with TP53 pathogenic variants as part of the LiFT UP study, evaluating the spectrum of germline variants in Israeli breast cancer patients, and assessing community-based provider experiences with polygenic risk scores in genetic cancer risk assessment. She also serves on the genetic counseling advisory committee for the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association and is a member of the ClinGen TP53 Variant Curation Expert Panel. She is fluent in Spanish and Farsi and is committed to advancing the provision of cancer genetics services to medically underserved and culturally diverse populations. She is faculty for the City of Hope Intensive Course in Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment. She is an active member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Southern California Genetic Counselors, and the American Society of Human Genetics.