About the International Mesothelioma Program

David J. Sugarbaker, M.D., founded the International Mesothelioma Program (IMP) in response to the rising incidence of mesothelioma worldwide.   
Its mission encompasses treatment, research, and support of patients and families. The IMP's clinical focus is on developing the most effective, cutting-edge treatment strategies that can significantly extend patients' lives. Its research focus is collaborative - to bring together basic, translational, and clinical researchers who seek to understand how and why the disease develops and to translate those findings into improved patient care. Its supportive focus involves social work, pastoral care, and palliative care professionals who work to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

The Program is built on the existing multidisciplinary team collaborating on mesothelioma research and treatment: Brigham and Women’s Hospital: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Departments of Anesthesiology, Department of Pathology and Radiology; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Thoracic Oncology Program, Departments of Medical and Radiation Oncology, Pain and Palliative Care Service and the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health. Harvard School of Public Health: Departments of Environmental Health and Cancer Cell Biology; Massachusetts General Hospital: Biostatistics Center.
The research interests of the program investigators span the range from basic malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) biology and target discovery (growth control, over-expressed genes, and expression of SV40 large T antigen) to clinical treatment of MPM (diagnosis, pathology, surgical techniques, improvements in treatment, outcome, and patterns of recurrence). Collaborations among the investigators have resulted in 60 joint publications since 1993, as well as publications from the individual groups.

As a group, the team has developed useful tools and gathered key data on the disease. A tumor bank, established in 1992, contains frozen samples of more than 600 MPM, supplying specimens for genetic and genomic studies. Researchers have karyotyped MPM specimens, establishing profiles of chromosomal abnormalities, and pathologists have pioneered novel diagnostic methods to differentiate MPM from other histologically similar conditions. Others have concentrated on gene discovery strategies aimed at identifying molecular markers and therapeutic targets. We have reported the importance of the Folate Receptor and of the IAP I genes in MPM. We also have performed microarray-based analysis of MPM tissues and identified treatment related prognostic markers. More recently, we have applied cutting edge proteomic methods in identifying activated tyrosine kinase proteins in MPM.

The goals of the International Mesothelioma Program include:
- pioneering the latest, most advanced therapies through clinical and research collaboration
- coordinating a translational research program to develop new diagnostic and screening tools and treatment options
- characterizing in depth each patient’s exposure to a large panel of suspected carcinogens by collaborating with a dedicated epidemiologist to collect historical data looking for risk factors leading to the development of MPM
- providing the infrastructure of clinical materials, cell lines, animal models and pilot funding to assist talented scientists in their studies of biological mechanisms of mesothelioma initiation and progression
- broadening the availability of assessment and therapy by training additional specialists
- building a database of patients with the goal of identifying geographical areas for outreach and development of satellite centers
- establishing satellite assessment centers in selected international institutions in high-prevalence areas
- identifying international centers for potential research collaborations

The ultimate mission of the International Mesothelioma Program is to offer state-of-the-art treatment to patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Our success in the fight against mesothelioma will be the direct result of the hard work and effort of dedicated professionals.

International Mesothelioma Staff:

 

PROGRAM DIRECTOR
David J. Sugarbaker, M.D.

THORACIC SURGERY FACULTY
David J. Sugarbaker, M.D., Chief
Raphael Bueno, M.D., Associate Chief 

                    
From left:       Drs. Scott Swanson, Steven Mentzer, Raphael Bueno, David Sugarbaker,
                           Michael Jaklitsch, Yolonda Colson, John Mannick. 
Middle:          Drs. William Richards, Daniel Cohen, TT, Jon Wee, Namrata Patil, Avi Lebenthal.
Top:              Drs. Marcelo DaSilva, Ciaran McNamee, Phillip Camp, LB, Christopher Ducko

CRITICAL CARE
Shannon S McKenna, M.D., Director
Yolonda L. Colson, M.D., Ph.D.
Phillip Camp, M.D.
Gyorgy Frendl, M.D., Ph.D.
Namrata Patil, M.D., MPH
Thomas Edrich, M.D.
Angela Rogers, M.D.

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
Bruce E. Johnson, M.D.
Pasi A. Jänne, M.D., Ph.D.
David Jackman, M.D.
Michael Rabin, M.D.
J. Paul Marcoux, M.D.
Christopher Lathan, M.D.

RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Elizabeth Baldini, M.D.
Aileen Chen, M.D.

NUCLEAR MEDICINE
Victor H. Gerbaudo, Ph.D.

EPIDEMIOLOGY
Heather H. Nelson, Ph.D.
Cora R. Roelofs, Sc.D.

PAIN AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Robert N. Jamison, Ph.D. 

PALLIATIVE CARE
Janet L. Abrahm, M.D.
Maureen Lynch, MS, RN

PATHOLOGY
Joseph M. Corson, M.D.
Lucian R. Chirieac, M.D.
Jonathan A. Fletcher, M.D.
John J. Godleski, M.D.   
Robert F. Padera, M.D., Ph.D.

PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
Anthony Massaro, M.D.

RESEARCH
William G. Richards, Ph.D.
Assunta De Rienzo, Ph.D.
Jonathan A. Fletcher, M.D.

CLINICAL RESEARCH TEAM
Katie Armstrong, MPH 
Julie Barlow
Hannah Eisen, MS
Arun Kanala, MD

PATIENT LIASON
Adrienne E. Camp

STATISTICS
Beow Yong Yeap, Sc.D.

THORACIC RADIOLOGY
Hiroto Hatabu, M.D., Ph.D.
Ritu Randhawa Gill, M.D.
Francine L. Jacobson, M.D., M.P.H.
Andetta Hunsaker, M.D. 
Peter Clark, M.D., M.D.
Rachna Madan, MBBS
Beatrice Trotman-Dickenson, MBBS

NURSING 

Louise Caperelli-White, MSN, RN
Carol M. Corbett, MS, RN
Eileen O'Connell, MS, RN
Christopher Sears, RN 
Joyce Thomas-Browning, MS, RN

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS                                                                                                     
Evan M. Hall, PA-C
Mahima Buttrick, PA-C
Joseph Coughlan, PA-C
Donna Chrzan, PA-C
William Hung, PA-C
Kimberly Lamendola, PA-C
Kerry McGowan, PA-C
Jennifer Mikoll, PA-C
Julee Pulverenti, PA-C
Ashley Sarnecky, PA-C
Angie Tsiaras, PA-C

SOCIAL WORK
Charlene Haouiliya, LICSW

HOUSING COORDINATOR
Cristin O'Rourke

CHAPLANCY
Virginia Hemani, M.A.
Rev. George P. Winchester, S. J.

THORACIC ANESTHESIA
Philip M. Hartigan, M.D., Chief
Teresa Bean, M.D.
Kristine Boulanger, M.D.
Thomas Edrich, M.D.
Gyorgy Frendl, M.D., Ph.D. 
James Hardy, M.D.
Stanley LeeSon, M.D.
Shannon S. McKenna, M.D. 
Ju-Mei Ng, M.D.
Charles Nyman, M.D.
Nicholas Sadovnikoff, M.D.  
David Silver, M.D.
Nelson Thaemert, M.D.
Sarah Wiser, M.D.