Committee Members

Dr. Yan-Shen Shan completed his MD in 1993. After the residency training in the Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, he also got the PhD in 2004 from Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Cheng Kung University. He was pointed to the 1st UGI cancer team convener (2010~2017.12), Director of Clinical Medicine Research Center (2016.8~2019.7) in National Cheng Kung University Hospital. He was awarded as the distinguished professor since 2016 Aug and elected to be chief of the Institute of Clinical Medicine, NCKU from Aug 2017 to Jul 2019. Recent years, he devoted in management of biliopancreatic cancer and gastric cancer, the translational study of biliary tract cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer and GIST. He also performed several IITs and attended international trials in stomach, biliary, and pancreatic cancer. For his excellent achievement, since 2017 May, he also got the grant support from Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, to be the leader PI of TCTC-UGI group in Taiwan and was also nominated as member council of Asian-Ocean Pancreatic Association (AOPA) in 2018. From Aug 2019, He was elected to be the Dean of College of Medicine, NCKU. In 2024, He was also nominated as chief of Taiwan Surgical Society of Gastroenterology and Taiwan Gastric Cancer Society. Dr Shan has published more than 260 papers in reputed journals and got several awards for his excellent research.

Dr. Shumei Song is a Professor at the Coriell Institute for Medical Research in Camden, New Jersey, and the Director of Translational GI Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey. She received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the Beijing Cancer Institute, Peking University, China, where her graduate work focused on cloning and elucidating the functional role of the VEGF receptor KDR in tumor angiogenesis and metastases in gastric cancer. After obtaining her Ph.D. in 1999, she pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she focused on cancer biology in gastrointestinal cancers, particularly in the esophagus and the gastroesophageal (GE) junction, the area where the esophagus joins the stomach, as well as in gastric cancer. She has been gained extensive experience in gastrointestinal cancer biology, gene transcription and expression regulation, and molecular approaches to investigating the mechanisms underlying the initiation, progression, and metastasis of GE junction and gastric cancers. As an independent investigator, her laboratory and team are dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms and identifying novel therapeutic targets, with a focus on how deregulation of Hippo/YAP signaling mediates cancer stem cell traits, therapy resistance, and metastases in gastroesophageal cancers. One of the primary projects in her laboratory aims to decipher how Hippo/YAP/TAZ signaling and other stem cell factors, such as SOXs, mediate immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. This includes investigating the interactions among tumor cells, macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and T cells to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Her long-term goal is to develop YAP1/TAZ/TEAD inhibitors for the targeted therapy of gastrointestinal cancers and to discover innovative immunotherapy approaches for advanced GI tumors by utilizing patient-derived tissues and cells.

Before joining the Coriell Institute, Dr. Song was a Professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at the University of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where she focused on GI cancer research for over 20 years.

Dr. Masataka Kikuyama is an associate professor at Department of Gastroenterology in Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. With expertise in pancreatobiliary disorders, he has contributed significantly to endoscopic diagnosis and treatment by ERCP and EUS. His research interests include early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Especially, to diagnose pancreatic cancer at Stage0 is the most important research theme.

Marja Heiskala is an MD PhD at the University of Helsinki. She conducted her thesis work on the regulation of natural killer cells. She is a specialist in gynecology and GYN oncology. Her main area of research is cancer immunology. She has conducted in silico genomic research and clinical drug development in pharmaceutical industry in the United States and Germany. Her current position is the CMO of the company Karhu & Sons, which provides medical services and consultation, conducts cancer immunology-related research in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, and produces film and video.

Dr. Kun-Ming Chan is a professor in the Department of General Surgery and the Chang Gung Transplantation Institute at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Main Branch, and the College of Medicine at Chang Gung University, Taiwan. He received his M.D. from Chung Shan Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan. He then completed his specialty training in the Department of Surgery and the Department of General Surgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Main Branch, in Taoyuan, Taiwan, becoming a hepatobiliary and organ transplantation surgeon in 2003. His interest in regenerative medicine led him to serve as a research fellow in stem cell research at the Department of Immunology at the University Hospital of Iowa, USA, in 2006. Currently, he is a specialist in liver and pancreas transplantation at the Organ Transplantation Institute of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Main Branch, Taiwan. Additionally, Dr. Chan’s clinical and research interests focus on both hepatobiliary surgery and organ transplantation. He has published numerous SCI journal papers and book chapters and serves as a reviewer for many academic journals.

Dr. Claudia Mateoiu earned her Medical Degree and completed her residency in Pathology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Craiova, Romania. Following this, she pursued and obtained a Ph.D. in Dermatopathology. Her early career included a position as a Specialist in Pathology in Bucharest, Romania, before relocating to Sweden. She is currently a Consultant Pathologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a subspecialty in Gynecological Pathology. Her ongoing research is focused on advancing the understanding and treatment of gynecological malignancies, with a particular emphasis on ovarian cancer.

Andréia M. Leopoldino embarked on her academic journey in [Birth Year] in [Birthplace], forging a path marked by unwavering commitment and remarkable achievements in the realm of Biochemistry. Her formative years from 1993 to 1998 were dedicated to earning a degree in Biological Sciences at the renowned Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil, where she cultivated a strong foundational knowledge. Building upon this, she undertook a Master’s thesis in Biochemistry at the Institute of Biological Sciences from 1999 to 2000, a pivotal experience that deepened her understanding and passion for scientific inquiry. With a thirst for advanced learning, Andréia pursued a PhD in Biochemistry from 2000 to 2002, further honing her expertise at the same institution. Between 2003 and 2006, she embraced the role of a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, expanding her horizons through collaborative research. In 2006, her quest for global perspectives led her to a brief but impactful Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the distinguished National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, USA, where she gained exposure to cutting-edge methodologies. Andréia M. Leopoldino’s journey encapsulates her unyielding dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, positioning her as a respected figure in the field of Biochemistry.

Dr. Maria Lucia Zaidan Dagli is a full professor of General and Animal Pathology and Head of the Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Oncology at the Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Her main research interests include animal and toxicological pathology, carcinogenesis, cancer chemoprevention, and new cancer therapies. Dr. Dagli received her professional degrees (DVM, Residence in Anatomic Pathology, MSc and PhD) from the University of São Paulo, and did her post-doctorate training at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC, Lyon, France. She was president of the Latin American Society of Toxicologic Pathology (LASTP), and president of the Brazilian Association of Veterinary Oncology (ABROVET). She was member and vice president of the National Technical Committee on Biosafety (CTNBio, Ministry of Science and Technology, Brazil) and coordinator of the Graduate Program on Biotechnology of the University of São Paulo. Since 2009, she has been a member of the Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety. Dr. Dagli has authored or co-authored more than 900 publications, and delivered over 300 oral and poster presentations and lectures. She supervised more than 20 MSc dissertations, 15 PhD theses and 20 post docs. She is a member of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP), Society of Toxicology (SOT), Veterinary Cancer Society (VCS) and Toxicology Forum, serving in many committees in these societies.

Fatema Alzahraa Samy Amin is Clinical and chemical pathologist. She is the first recruted pathologist for School of medicine , Maldives National University. For the past five years her passion was focused on research and medical education. She is particularly intrested with moleculars of cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Meng Yu is an Associate Professor (Principal Investigator) and Master Supervisor of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Now she is working in École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France as a visiting scholar since Sep 2022. In recent years, Meng YU’s work has focused on improving the new antitumor nanomedicine strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance by regulating the disease-promoting microenvironment. She has over 40 publications, including ACS Nano, Advanced Science, Nano Letters, Small Methods, Bioactive Materials, Biomaterials, J Control Release and so on. The total SCI citations were over 1400 in the last five years with an H-index of 24. Have 3 authorized Chinese Patents. She is the youth board member of the Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Chemical Letters, two well-recognized international journals.

Norbert has a PhD in biocybernetics. His publications has been cited more than 500 times. He also holds patents in the area of near infrared spectroscopy applications.
He has been awarded in several scientific and enterpreneurial contests.

Chen-Yong Lin mainly investigates Matriptase, Serine protease, Biochemistry, Molecular biology and ST14. The various areas that Chen-Yong Lin examines in his Matriptase study include Cancer research, Hepatocyte growth factor, Proteases, Carcinogenesis and Tissue microarray. Chen-Yong Lin has researched Serine protease in several fields, including Epithelium and Zymogen. His biological study spans a wide range of topics, including Matrix and Cell biology. His Molecular biology study combines topics in areas such as Epitope, Antibody and Protease. His ST14 research includes elements of Intestinal mucosa and Ovary.