SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
DR. RICHARD GORLICK, MD
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Division Head, Division of Pediatrics
Department Chair, Department of Pediatrics Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics
Mosbacher Pediatrics Chair, Department of Pediatrics Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics
Professor, Department of Pediatrics Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics
Director, Department of Pediatric Sarcoma Research Laboratory
Dr. Richard Gorlick wears many important hats at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. An osteosarcoma survivor himself, Dr. Gorlick has seen the challenges of research and treatment disparities of pediatric cancer, and works hard to improve multi care for kids. “Research, clinical care and education are all important priorities,” says Gorlick. “Providing multi-disciplinary care, minimizing the burden to patients and families, and developing a global model for treating young cancer patients are all important to me.”
Serving as the Director of the Department of Pediatric Sarcoma Research Lab, Dr. Gorlick’s research focuses on novel treatment strategies for osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer in kids. As the lead to the Tumor Disease Committee within Children’s Oncology Group (COG), he’s also helped to develop the worlds largest tissue bank for osteosarcoma tumors, to improve research opportunities.
“Therapies developed for adults don’t become effective therapies for children as quickly as they should,” says Gorlick. “Children aren’t simply small adults, they are unique, and we must acknowledge and study their uniqueness. That includes pursuing funding to support childhood cancer research, which is often lacking.”
DR. DOUG HAWKINS, MD
Seattle Children's Hospital
Professor, Hematology-Oncology
Chair, Children's Oncology Group
Douglas S. Hawkins, MD, is the Group Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). COG is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. COG unites over 10,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 200 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, and New Zealand in the fight against childhood cancer. Dr. Hawkins is a clinician at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Dr. Hawkins is Group Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). Prior to becoming COG Group Chair in 2020, he was the Chair of the COG Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee, overseeing the conduct of biology studies and clinical trials for rhabdomyosarcoma and other soft tissue sarcomas across North America. Dr. Hawkins was a member of the COG Bone Tumor Steering Committee. His academic career has focused on clinical research, particularly in the treatment of pediatric sarcomas. He was the chair of two COG clinical trials, one for Ewing sarcoma and another for rhabdomyosarcoma. He chairs the international EURO EWING Consortium External Advisory Board, and also chairs the international Frontline and Relapse in RhabdoMyoSarcoma Study (FaR-RMS) Data Monitoring Committee.
DR. LARS WAGNER, MD
Duke Children's Hospital and health center
Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology
Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology
Dr. Lars Wagner serves as the Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Duke Children’s Hospital, where he also serves as a Professor in medical education. His research focus is on the development of new therapies for sarcomas of all types in pediatric and young adult patients. His goal is to develop new treatment regimens for sarcoma patients to better understand the nature of sarcoma and how patients respond to different treatment. He has also been in charge of numerous clinical trials in sarcoma research, and his research and clinical expertise brings a strong skill set to the Enzo & Me Scientific Advisory Board.
DR. MICHAEL ISAKOFF, MD
Connecticut CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Clinical Director, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Director, Sarcoma Program
Director, Reid R. Sacco Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program
Medical Director, Connecticut Children’s Clinical Trials Unit
Hartford Whalers’ Endowed Chair in Children’s Cancer
Dr. Isakoff is a graduate of New York University School of Medicine. He trained in pediatric medicine at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital and completed his fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Isakoff is the Clinical Director of The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders at Connecticut Children’s Hospital, the Medical Director for the Clinical Trials Unit, The Director for the Sarcoma Program at The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and the Program Director for the Reid R. Sacco Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program. Dr. Isakoff is also an Associate Professor at The University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
DR. CHERYL PERETZ, MD
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Oakland
Pediatric Hematology - Oncology
UCSF Smith Lab
Cheryl completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, medical school at the University of Connecticut, and pediatrics residency at University of California San Francisco before joining Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland for fellowship in hematology and oncology, where she has stayed to continue her clinical practice.
She currently splits her time between the UCSF Children’s hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland. When not attending on the oncology services at Children’s Oakland, where she first met Enzo, Cheryl is doing research on the genetics and molecular mechanisms of relapse of high risk leukemias in San Francisco.
When not spending time with her extended family of her patients, Cheryl is spending time with her family, baking, hiking, or traveling.
Board Alumni
A special thank you to those who have served previously! We appreciate your guidance!
Dr. Anurag Agrawal, MD
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals
Dr. Stephen Lessnick, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital