The Komen Scholars
Meet the men and women who are dedicated to Komen and to advancing its mission.
The Komen Scholars are an advisory group of 38 distinguished scholars and leaders in breast cancer research and advocacy. Each has made significant contributions to advancing the field or demonstrated significant promise of doing so in the future and all are committed to furthering Komen’s mission.
Led by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) which serves as the executive committee, the Komen Scholars are an international group with a wide range of expertise, including clinical research, laboratory research, pathology, prevention, radiation oncology, surgery, and other research disciplines and specialties, allowing them to advise Komen in a variety of capacities. While their primary responsibility is to lead and participate as reviewers in Komen’s scientific peer review process, the Komen Scholars also serve as ambassadors and experts in our communities and across the Affiliate Network.
In addition, several of the Scholars are Advocates in Science who ensure that the unique perspectives of those affected by breast cancer are fully integrated into decisions at every step of Komen’s mission.
Regina Barzilay, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
Abenaa Brewster, M.D., M.H.S.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Tomika Bryant
Komen Advocate in Science
King of Prussia, PA
Lisa Coussens
Oregon Health Science University
Portland, OR
Christina Curtis
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Sharon Giordano, M.D., M.P.H., FASCO
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Dawn Hershman, M.D., M.S.
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, NY
Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Cheryl Jernigan, C.P.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
Kansas City, MO
Yibin Kang, Ph.D.
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Keith Knutson, Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
Mia Levy, M.D., Ph.D.
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL
Jennifer Ligibel, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Ingrid Mayer, M.D., M.Sci.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Donald McDonnell, Ph.D.
Duke Univeristy
Durham, NC
Sheila McGlown
Komen Advocate in Science
Swansea, IL
Anne Meyn, M. Ed.
Komen Advocate in Science
Houston, TX
Elizabeth Mittendorf, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Elizabeth Morris, M.D., FACR
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Olufunmilayo Olopade, M.B.B.S., FACP
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Tuya Pal
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Julie Palmer, Sc.D.,M.P.H.
Boston University
Boston, MA
Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Ann Partridge, M.D., M.P.H.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Leigh Pate
Komen Advocate in Science
Seattle, WA
Edith Perez, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
Charles Perou, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Lajos Pusztai, M.D., D.Phil.
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Amelie Ramirez, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.
UT Health San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Barbara Segarra-Vazquez, M.T., DHSc
Advocate in Science
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sohrab Shah, Ph.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Rulla Tamini
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY
Melinda Telli, M.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
Melissa Troester
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Nikhil Wagle
Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Broad Institute
Boston, MA
Meryl Weinreb
Komen Advocate in Science
Landenberg, PA
Alana Welm, Ph.D.
Huntsman Cancer Institute
Salt Lake City, UT
Komen’s Scientific Advisors at the 2017 Komen Scholars Annual Meeting in Dallas, TX
Komen Scholars Alumni
Rebecca Seago-Coyle, M.A.
Bend, OR
Komen Scholar 2018-2020
Benjamin Anderson, M.D., FACS.
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Joan Brugge, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
Nora Disis, M.D.
The University of Washington Medical School
Seattle, WA
Matthew Ellis, M.B., B.Chir, Ph.D.
Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Joe Gray, Ph.D.
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR
Marian Johnson-Thompson, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Durham, NC
Ian Krop, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Adrian Lee, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Pittsburgh, PA
David Mankoff, M.D., Ph.D.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Jeffrey Rosen, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Bryan Schneider, M.D.
Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Sandra Spivey, M.B.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
Laguna Niguel, CA
David Livingston, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Susan Domchek, M.D.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Gordon Mills, M.D., Ph.D.
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR
Kathy Miller, M.D.
Indiana University Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Harikrishna Nakshatri, B.V.Sc., Ph.D.
Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Geoffrey Wahl, Ph.D.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Julia White, M.D., FACR, FASTRO
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Komen Scholar 2010-2020
Kornelia Polyak, M.D., Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2012; 2016-2020 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Carlos Arteaga, M.D.
UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center
Dallas, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2012 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., F.R.S.
UCSF Helen Diller Family
Comprehensive Cancer Center
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Sunil Badve, M.D., F.R.C.Path.
Indiana University Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2018
Jose Baselga, M.D., Ph.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Kimberly Blackwell, M.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2018
Gerard Blobe, M.D., Ph.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Melissa Bondy, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2017
Angela Brodie, Ph.D.
University of Maryland at School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Komen Scholar 2010-2012
Lisa Carey, M.D.
UNC Lineberger Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2018 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Jason Carroll, Ph.D.
Cancer Research U.K. Cambridge
Research Institute
Cambridge, U.K.
Komen Scholar 2016-2019
Giuseppe Curigliano, M.D., Ph.D.
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia
Milan, Italia
Komen Scholar 2011-2012
E. Claire Dees, M.D., Sc.M.
UNC Lineberger Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Angelo Di Leo, M.D., Ph.D.
Hospital of Prato, Instituto Toscano Tumori
Prato, Italy
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Wayne Dornan, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Smyrna, TN
Komen Scholar 2018-2019
Karen Durham
Komen Advocate in Science
Lindale, TX
Komen Scholar 2013-2018
Mary Elliot
Komen Advocate in Science
Bastrop, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Carol Fabian, M.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Westwood, KS
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Sandra Finestone, PsyD.
Komen Advocate in Science
Costa Mesa, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2018 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
William Foulkes, M.B.BS., Ph.D.
McGill University
Montreal, Canada
Komen Scholar 2010-2018
Sylvia Formenti, M.D.
New York University School of Medicine and Langone Medical Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Patricia Ganz, M.D.
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019
Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017
Karen Gelmon, M.D., F.R.C.P.C.
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Komen Scholar 2010-2012
Scientific Advisory Board 2012-2018
Aron Goldhirsch, M.D.
International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG)
Bern, Switzerland
Komen Scholar 2010-2011
Julie Gralow, M.D.
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017
Theresa Guise, M.D.
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, IN
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Susan Hankinson, R.N., M.P.H, Sc.D.
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Amherst, MA
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Daniel Hayes, M.D.
The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Komen Scholar 2010-2019
Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Nola Hylton, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Nancy Hynes, Ph.D.
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
Basel, Switzerland
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Judy Johnson, M.B.A.
Komen Advocate in Science
St. Louis, MO
Komen Scholar 2013-2017
Peggy Johnson
Komen Advocate in Science
Wichita, KS
Komen Scholar 2012-2019
V. Craig Jordan, OBE, Ph.D., D.Sc., F.Med.Sci.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Mary-Claire King, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2019
Tari King, M.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Komen Scholar 2016-2019
Bella Kaufman, M.D.
Chaim Sheba Medical Center
Ramat Gan, Israel
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Beverly Laird
Komen Advocate in Science
Birmingham, AL
Komen Scholar 2012-2013
H. Kim Lyerly, M.D.
Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
Durham, NC
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Eleftherios Mamounas, M.D., M.P.H.
Aultman Cancer Center and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Canton, OH
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, WA
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Anna Napoles, Ph.D., M.P.H.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2016-2017
Lisa Newman, M.D., M.P.H. FACS, FASCO
Weill Cornell Medicine-New York Presbyterian Hospital Network
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2016-2017 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Bert O’Malley, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Ramon Parsons, M.D., Ph.D.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Rena Pasick, Dr. P.H.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2017
Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Komen Scholar 2010-2017 (now on Scientific Advisory Board)
Lori Pierce, M.D., FASTRO
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Komen Scholar 2010-2018
Deborah Rhodes, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Komen Scholar 2016-2019
Andrew Siedman, M.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Christos Sotiriou, M.D., Ph.D.
Jules Bordet Institute
Brussels, Belgium
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Patricia Spears
Komen Advocate in Science
Raleigh, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2019
Neil Spector, M.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC
Komen Scholar 2010-2017
Vered Stearns, M.D.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Saraswati Sukumar, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Scientific Advisory Board 2007-2010
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
W. Fraser Symmans, M.D.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Komen Scholar 2010-2016
Christina Tannous, Ph.D.
Komen Advocate in Science
Fountain Valley, CA
Scientific Advisory Board 2008-2012
Komen Scholar 2012-2013
Thea Tlsty, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Komen Scholar 2010-2013
Danny Welch, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Cancer Center
Kansas City, KS
Komen Scholar 2010-2019
Kimberly Wright
Komen Advocate in Science
Reisterstown, MD
Komen Scholar 2012-2019
Antonio Wolff, M.D.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
Douglas Yee, M.D.
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Komen Scholar 2010-2018
