Jonathan D. Licht, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida Health Cancer Center
Jonathan D. Licht, M.D., has served as Director of the University of Florida Health Cancer Center since late 2015, holding the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Chair. Previously, Dr. Licht was Professor and Chief of hematology/oncology at Northwestern University and Chief of hematology/oncology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Licht led the University of Florida to become the 72nd National Cancer Institute designated cancer center in June 2023.
A graduate of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he completed his internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Harvard Medical School and medical oncology fellowship and postdoctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Dr. Licht’s laboratory studies aberrant gene regulation as a cause of blood and other cancers and is developing treatment strategies to reverse abnormal, cancer-causing gene function. Dr. Licht’s cancer career spans over three decades, and his research program is distinguished by over 30 years of continuous NCI and national foundation funding.
Dr. Licht leads a Specialized Center of Research program from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is principal investigator of three NCI R01 grants, has authored more than 220 original articles, reviews and book chapters and his work has been cited more than 32,000 times. He has trained over a dozen Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students and more than 30 postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to positions in academia and industry. Dr Licht has recruited and mentored numerous clinical and basic research faculty members. In recognition of his mentorship skills, he received the 2021 American Society of Hematology Basic Sciences Mentor Award. He served as an Associate Editor of Oncogene and on the Editorial Boards of Cancer Blood Discovery, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research and Clinical Epigenetics. In 2023 he became the founding Editor-in Chief of Blood Neoplasia.
Dr. Licht has served in key positions in the American Society of Hematology (Councilor, Co-director of the ASH/European Hematology Association Translational Training in Hematology), the American Association for Cancer Research (Chair, Taskforce of Hematological Malignancies), and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Chair, Medical Scientific Board). He has chaired the review panel for Specialized Center grants of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, served as Chair of the Biochemical of the Mechanisms of Cancer Therapy-I study section of NIH and led the 2019 Gordon Conference on Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics.
Associate Professor Marta Chesi (Mayo Clinic, USA)
Associate Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona.
Over the course of three decades, in collaboration with Dr. Leif Bergsagel, A/Prof Marta Chesi has identified most of the primary and secondary genomic events that contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of multiple myeloma and constitute the basis for disease stratification worldwide. The immunocompetent Vk*MYC transgenic mouse model she has generated has allowed for the demonstration (in vivo) of the functional consequences of some of those genomic aberrations in the context of a proper tumor microenvironment and, in collaboration with industry, to identify clinically relevant therapeutic approaches to target them.
More recently, A/Prof Chesi’s focus has been on the preclinical development of immunotherapy in a fully immunocompetent, orthotopic and clinically relevant setting, studying the interaction of T-cell redirecting therapies (bispecific antibodies and CAR-T cells) with conventional therapies of myeloma.
Professor P. Joy Ho AM MBBS (Syd) DPhil (Oxon) FRACP FRCPA FFSc(RCPA)
Professor, Alan Ng Chair in Haematology, University of Sydney
Head of Department & Director of Research, Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), Sydney
Professor Joy Ho is Clinical Lead of the Haematology CAR-T Program and Head of the Myeloma Unit at RPAH, and the Founding Director of the Sydney Blood Cancer Research Institute. With research achievements including stewardship of national clinical trials, Prof Ho has brought multiple clinical trials on novel CAR-T, myeloma and lymphoma therapies both to RPAH and Australia. She is also head of the RPA Thalassemia Unit, which performed the first gene therapy trial in Australia.
Professor Ho was President of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ) from 2013-2015, is a Foundation Member and previous Deputy Chair of the Medical and Scientific Advisory group of Myeloma Australia, and is a member of the International Myeloma Working Group. She was elected to the Board of the International Myeloma Society in 2019 and has served on the Education Committee since 2016. Prof Ho served on the Australasian Leukemia & Lymphoma Group Scientific and Executive Committees and chaired the Laboratory Science Committee from 2005-2011. From 2017-2021 she was appointed to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee by the Australian Government.
For the American Society of Hematology (ASH), Prof Ho has been an invited member of the International Members’ Committee since 2016, Vice Chair since 2021, appointed Chair for 2024-2026, and Chair of Metrics since 2018. Awards received include the Carl de Gruchy Oratorship of the HSANZ in 2022, Inaugural HSANZ Leadership Award in 2023, Albert Baikie Memorial Medal, Kanematsu Memorial Award, Arnott Fellowship in Cancer Research, New York Academy of Sciences Fellowship and Oxford Nuffield Medical Fellowship. She is author of multiple publications on myeloma, lymphoma, cellular immunotherapy and haemoglobinopathies.
Professor Jake Shortt (Monash Health)
Head of Haematology Research, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University
Clinical Director of Haematology, Monash Health.
Professor Shortt leads the Blood Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory at Monash, where his research is focussed on discovering and validating new drug targets in lymphoma and myeloma. In addition to his preclinical research, Prof Shortt is a Principal Investigator on both investigator-initiated and industry sponsored clinical trials in lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia all conducted through the Monash Health Translation Precinct. Prof Shortt is an active member of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG), having served as Chair of the ALLG Laboratory Sciences Working Party and Deputy Chair of the ALLG Scientific Advisory Committee.
Geoff Nyssen
Consumer Representative
Geoff is a dad, husband, blogger, public speaker and an active patient advocate. Diagnosed in 2014 with the terminal blood cancer multiple myeloma, Geoff has used this adversity as a means to lead by example in helping others become empowered with the challenges that they may face. With the strong belief that his diagnosis does not define nor limit him - but in fact powers him towards supporting others - Geoff raises both awareness and funds for myeloma research.
His advocacy includes working as a volunteer for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Snowdome Foundation, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Myeloma Australia. Geoff also provides ‘blood buddy’ support to many diagnosed patients, is a research ‘consumer’ supporting several research projects, and is an active presenter - providing inspiration to others as they navigate their own adversity. Geoff is Founder/Director of the MY Mount Eliza Run & Fun Festival, having raised almost $400k for research and patient support since 2017.
