Research Executive Advisory Committee

The Research Executive Advisory Committee (REAC) is focused on research-related issues. The director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center chairs the committee. REAC meets twice per month to discuss a broad range of research issues, including: basic, translational, and clinical research; overall strategic planning to achieve future goals; and assessment of needs and opportunities for recruitment and infrastructure development. The Shared Resource Directors are also invited to attend REAC meetings.

REAC Members

Jeremy N. Rich, MD, MHS, MBA  Interim Director, Deputy Director, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Monica Baskin, PhD Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement and Associate Director for Health Equity, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Health Equity, Health Sciences, and Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Chris Bakkenist, PhD Associate Director, Education and Training, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor of Radiation Oncology and of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Kristin Bialobok, MSN, RN Vice President, Clinical Research, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Dana Bovbjerg, PhD Co-Leader, Biobehavioral Cancer Control Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, and of Clinical and Translational Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Therapeutics Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Co-Director, Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center; Associate Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Ronald Buckanovich, MD, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Biology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Director, Ovarian Cancer Center of Excellence; Co-Director, Women’s Cancer Research Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; and Professor of Medicine and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 
Theresa Cummings, RN, DBA, CCRP Associate Director, Research Administration, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Greg Delgoffe, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, and Director, Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Associate Director, Graduate Program in Microbiology and Immunology, and Associate Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh
Devin Dressman, PhD Associate Director, Research Operations and Strategic Alliances, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Shou-Jiang (SJ) Gao, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Pittsburgh Foundation Professor for Cancer Drug Discovery, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Haitao Guo, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
James G. Herman, MD Co-Leader, Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; UPMC Endowed Chair for Lung Cancer Research, and Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
John M. Kirkwood, MD Director, Melanoma Disease Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Usher Professor of Medicine, Dermatology & Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Adrian V. Lee, PhD Cancer Biology Research Program Member, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Director, Institute for Precision Medicine, Pittsburgh Foundation Chair in Precision Medicine, and Professor of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Jason J. Luke, MD, FACP Associate Director, Clinical Research, and Director, Cancer Immunotherapeutics Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Steffi Oesterreich, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Biology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Co-Director, Women’s Cancer Research Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute and and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Patricia L. Opresko, PhD Co-Leader, Genome Stability Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
Yael Schenker, MD, MS Associate Director, Education and Training, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Director, Palliative Care Research, Associate Chief of Research, Section of Palliative Care and Ethics, and Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH Associate Director for Population Sciences; and Co-Leader, Biobehavioral Cancer Control Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Visiting Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Shivendra V. Singh, PhD Associate Director, Basic Research, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; UPMC Chair in Cancer Prevention Research, and Professor of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology and of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Heath Skinner, MD, PhD Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Peter Wipf, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Therapeutics Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Jian-Min Yuan, MD, PhD Co-Leader, Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Arnold Palmer Endowed Chair in Cancer Prevention, and Professor of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
Dan Zandberg, MD Director, Head and Neck Cancer Disease Section, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Hassane M. Zarour, MD Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Chair in Melanoma Immunotherapy Research, and Professor of Medicine, of Immunology, and of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine