As a gynecologic oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Assistant Professor at Robert Wood Johnson School Medical School, I am committed to excellence in patient care, groundbreaking research, and advancement of medical knowledge. I currently serve as a director of the Gynecologic Oncology Disease Group at Rutgers Cancer Institute, and I have been deeply engaged in both patient care and research. My focus on early phase clinical trials and developmental therapeutics has led to the formulation of the two investigator-initiated trials. My role as a Principal Investigator of over 25 clinical trials has reinforced my dedication to advancing patient care through cutting-edge interventions. In collaboration with the basic science team, I serve as a co-investigator of two R01 grants focusing on developing a Stem Cell-based platform for Targeted Enzyme/prodrug therapy in recurrent ovarian cancer. My research contributions are substantiated by numerous peer-reviewed publications, including a pivotal publication in the New England Journal of Medicine that has influenced the treatment paradigm for uterine cancers.

I also serve as an Associate Chief Surgical Officer of Research, which allows me to collaborate with surgical oncologists across the RWJ Barnabas Health System to expand the clinical trial portfolio, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration within the surgical subspecialties, especially serving the underserved communities in New Jersey. My focus has been on increasing minority accrual to early phase clinical trials by tailoring our clinical trials care to the needs of underserved population. I recently was awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute to improve patient navigation strategies at Rutgers by culturally tailoring recruitment techniques and navigation skills to the needs of minority.

I have experience in developing new agents through Phase I clinical trials in solid tumors, including using targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and first in human compounds. I have successfully completed and published the first safety cohort of patients using CD44 modulator, SPL-108, in conjunction with paclitaxel in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients. I have experience utilizing a wide array of immunotherapy agents in phase I clinical trials including inhibitors of PD-1, PD-L1, and novel immunotherapeutics including OX-40 agonists, intratumoral immunotherapies, and antibody inhibitors of DLL3.

My experience extends to genetically engineered T cell therapies, which have shown to have promising results in HPV positive tumors. Through our state-of-the-art GMP facility at Rutgers , I am working with Dr. Christian Hinrichs, developing tumor-infiltrating T cell therapy and engineered E7 TCR-T cell therapy for HPV associated tumor, as well as KK-LC-1 TCR for certain gastric, lung, breast, and cervical cancers. I also have experience in bench to bedside translation, establishing a patient-derived organoid model (PDO) in edometrial cancer for drug sensitivity testing.

On the national level, I serve as a Co-Chair of Gynecologic Oncology Big Ten cancer Research Consortium. Through this platform, I lead gynecologic oncology cancer clinical trials working group in the development of investigator-initiated trials. I have served on a Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Clinical Practice committee and lead a practice statement on systemic therapies in cervical cancer. Additionally, I am on SGO Publication Committee and ECOG Genomics Committee.

I have extensive experience in translational and clinical research among gynecologic as well as solid malignancies and look forward to actively participating within the WIN Consortium and developing clinical trials using precision oncology.