Leading Researchers and Clinicians
Cathie T. Chung, MD
The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr, Cathie Chung to join its Breast Cancer Program. Dr. Chung comes from a similar position at The City of Hope Cancer Center.
Dr. Chung brings her expertise in novel biologic therapeutics andtargeted agents to strengthen the Clinical Trial Program at The Angeles Clinic. Her basic science interest is involved with in biological treatment manipulations that interfere with how a cancer develops and grows. Her addition to the Breast and Women’s Cancers Program will ensuring that our patients will benefit from state of the art, paradigmchanging therapies that have progressed from the clinical laboratory to the bedside. Dr. Chung has been recognized by her peers for her dedication to patient care. Always the first in the clinic and the last one to go home, she has been received multiple awards for excellence as a teacher and mentor to physicians training for a career in medical oncology.
Dr. Chung’s resume relates a career of contribution dedicated to the advancement of cancer care in academia and in the community. She began her career in Medical Oncology at Stanford University after completing fellowship training there. Adding to her expertise in clinical care is a PhD in Physiology obtained at the University of Illinois.
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Daniel Lieber, MD
There are few physicians who have distinguished themselves through service to patient and community like Dr. Daniel Lieber. Those who know Dr. Lieber can attest to his warmth, compassion, and professionalism. They know that enjoys getting to know each patient personally and works diligently to create an atmosphere of calm and caring for each patient. It was this desire to provide the best care that brought Dr. Lieber to The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute.
Dr. Lieber is a Board-Certified Fellowship-Trained Medical Oncologist and Internal Medicine Physician. Dr. Lieber earned his Medical Degree at the University of California, Los Angeles where he was recognized as a Regents' Scholar and won the Stafford Warren Medal for Academic Excellence. He completed an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he continues in his role as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine training future oncologists.
Dr. Lieber is a lifelong learner with a passion for leading-edge cancer and hematologic disorder care. He consults daily with National and International oncologic thought leaders in order to ensure that his patients receive the most cutting edge treatments. His experience in breast, ovarian, head and neck, and prostate cancers. Dr. Lieber was recently honored by the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles for his dedication to patient care.
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Lawrence D. Piro, MD
As clinician, researcher, and lecturer, Dr. Piro is an internationally recognized expert in the hematologic malignancies; leukemia and lymphoma. His resume relates a career dedicated to the discovery of novel therapeutics to combat these aggressive malignancies. Through his work, major advances have been made in the treatment of patients worldwide. Today, Dr. Piro lectures around the world on various topics in cancer and cancer research in addition to continuing a robust clinical practice.
Dr. Piro received his Medical Degree from the Washington University School of Medicine and completed post-graduate training at Barnes Hospital and Washington University. Before joining The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, he served as Head of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, and the Director of the Ida M. and Cecil H. Green Center at Scripps Clinic, San Diego, California.
Dr. Piro's medical career began in the study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. His paper in the New England Journal of Medicine identified that the treatment of hairy-cell leukemia with a single course of Leustatin produced complete remission in 90 percent of patients and led to its FDA approval. His dedication to lymphoma research continued with work on pivotal trials on first monoclonal antibody to ever be approved for treatment of cancer, Rituxan, which revolutionized the treatment of low-grade lymphoma. The study demonstrated a higher response rate with 8 weekly doses of Rituxan and resulted in the FDA approval of the 8 weekly dose regimen.
Dr. Piro serves on a multitude of regional and national committees on leukemia and lymphoma. His research most recently has been in the development of individualized cancer therapy including novel imaging techniques to identify targets susceptible to drug treatment and radio-immunotherapy.
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Melani Shaum, MD
Dr. Melani Shaum, is the Director of the Gastrointestinal Tumor Program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. Through this role, Dr. Shaum is instrumental in broadening access to clinical trial and research programs in gastrointestinal cancer for our patients. On a daily basis, she takes her commitment to gastrointestinal cancer research one step further by examining how research results translate into meaningful improvements in our patients’ lives.
Dr. Shaum received her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School, in Chicago and completed her Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Shaum completed a Fellowship in Hematology / Oncology at UCLA, where she was named Chief Resident in Medicine. During her distinguished career, Dr. Shaum has served as Director of Clinical Hematology and Oncology at Cedars-Sinai and as clinical faculty at the City of Hope Cancer Center.
Dr. Shaum is entirely devoted to patient care. Her warmth, compassion, and commitment features that have made her beloved by her patients. Dr. Shaum has been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA Medical School since 1987. She has had the honor of being listed in The Best Doctors in America from 1996 to the present and was listed in The Essential Guide to L.A.'s Best Doctors. It was this devotion that led to the dedication of the new Medical Oncology and Surgical Oncology Units at St. Johns Hospital in her honor.
She manages a wide variety of cases with special additional interests in breast and women’s cancers and has become one of the most important local consultants in this field. This expertise has led to important focus on women’s issues in colorectal cancer therapy. By joining The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, she has fulfilled her core desire to bring this expertise to the greater Los Angeles community.
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Omid Hamid, MD
Dr. Hamid’s easy-going personality and sense of humor immediately put his patients at ease. In addition to his excellent bedside manner, Dr. Hamid’s extensive research experience in primary brain cancer, metastatic melanoma, and novel drug development allows The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute to offer the most comprehensive up-to-date options in care to our patients.
Dr. Hamid is a Board-Certified Medical Oncologist, and the Director of our NeuroOncology Clinic. In addition, Dr. Hamid assists Dr. Steven O'Day at our Melanoma Center. Dr. Hamid earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. His medical training culminated at the University of Southern California with his appointment as Instructor of Clinical Medicine at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Hamid received the prestigious Career Development Award by the Phase 1 Foundation to continue his research in melanoma. Dr. Hamid’s research focus involves:
- manipulation of a patient's immune system to attack cancer cells and maintain continuously elevated levels of immunity
- discovery of novel therapies for melanoma and other cancers that have spread to the central nervous system (brain and spine), an area that is historically difficult to treat.
Most recently, in his role with the Phase 1 Developmental Therapeutics Program at The Angeles Clinic, Dr. Hamid has been instrumental in bringing new therapies from the investigational lab to the clinic for patient benefit. These therapies involve immunological therapies, therapies against tumor angiogenesis, and targeted agents that block internal processes in tumor cell’s function.
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Peter Boasberg, MD
There are few physicians who can boast 30 years of impeccable service and dedication to a community of patients like Dr. Boasberg. His experience is unsurpassed amongst his peers. Our patients sense the gears turning in his mind, and know that Dr. Boasberg is the sort who stays on top of current research and therapy
Dr. Peter Boasberg, MD is the Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. Dr. Boasberg has been a Board-Certified Medical Oncologist since 1977 and ensures the most complete and appropriate, comprehensive care to his patients. Dr. Boasberg has extensive expertise with chemotherapy and immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer, particularly melanoma, lung, and breast cancers. Dr. Boasberg joined The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute in 1999 and has been instrumental in its transformation into an internationally recognized research entity.
Dr. Boasberg earned his Medical Degree at the University of California, Irvine. He completed his Internship and his Residency at UCLA, his Fellowship training at The University of Southern California. After spending time in community practice he joined the academic faculty at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, working with Dr. O’Day to create the Melanoma Program at The Angeles Clinic.
Dr. Boasberg’s clinical research focus includes:
- Testing novel therapies, such as antiangiogenesis agents and matrix metalloprotease inhibitors
- Malignant Melanoma and
- Phase I therapeutics
- Personalized medicine based on tumor related gene signatures
- Lung Cancer.
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Silvana Martino, DO
At The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute, Dr. Martino’s talent and caring personality touches the lives of those seeking expert care daily. For three decades she has devoted the majority of her career to fostering progress in breast cancer care whether in the preventative sciences, adjuvant care arena, or the setting of metastatic breast cancer.
Silvana Martino, DO, Director of our Breast Cancer Program, is a well-known and highly respected Board-Certified Oncologist. In addition to her practice and research responsibilities, Dr. Martino spends a significant amount of time educating the public about early breast cancer detection and breast cancer treatment options. She is the co-author of over 150 scientific publications and abstracts on breast cancer, lecturing throughout the nation on breast cancer-related topics.
Dr. Martino began her academic career at Wayne State University in Detroit where she served as the Medical Director of the Breast Cancer Prevention Program and Chief of the Section of Breast Cancer for the Division of Hematology / Oncology. She joined the staff of the John Wayne Cancer Institute in 1999, a move which eventually brought her to the patients of The Angeles Clinic. Dr. Martino is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Martino's appointments are innumerable and highlighted by her previous role as Chairman of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) Breast Committee and her tenure as Chairman, of the Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Martino is a recipient of the Philips Medical of Public Service Award.
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Steven O'Day, MD
Steven J. O'Day, MD is a Board-Certified Fellowship-Trained Medical Oncologist and the Chief of ClinicalResearch and Director of the Melanoma Program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. Dr. O’Day is recognized as one of the pre-eminent melanoma specialists in the world. He is at the forefront of melanoma research. Dr. O'Day has been at the forefront of testing new molecular and immuno-therapeutics in advanced melanoma. His focus on translational research has enabled The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute to develop intra and extramural collaborations with clinical and basic scientists ensuring our patients the ability to receive state-of-the-art treatments for their cancer.
After receiving training in Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard, Dr. O'Day received further specialized training in bone marrow transplant and hematologic malignancies. He received clinical research training through the clinical effectiveness program at the Harvard School of Public Health and was honored as the Brad Patterson Fellow in Cancer Control at Dana Farber. Upon coming to Southern California, Dr. O'Day founded the Division of Medical Oncology and Medical Oncology Research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Dr. O'Day is an invited speaker both nationally and internationally. He has published widely in prestigious medical journals and has presented his data nationally and internationally. He has been an innovator in novel biochemotherapeutic regimens and piloted a new maintenance biotherapy regimen in patients responding to upfront biochemotherapy in efforts to delay progression and improve survival.
Dr. O'Day serves as a member of the ASCO education committee in melanoma and as a manuscript reviewer and editorial board member on several journals. In 2010, Dr. O’Day was honored to present at the ASCO plenary session. At the Pleanry Session, reserved for only 3 of the over five thousand abstracts presented, Dr. O’Day presented paradigm shifting data from research conducted at The Angeles Clinic in iimmunotherapy.
Dr. O’Day’s Research focus includes:
- Immunotherapeutic therapy
- Advanced Metastatic Melanoma
- Biochemotherapy in Melanoma
- Targetted therapies for Melanoma
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