(2022) Day 3: Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease

Moderator:
Dr. Rafael Escandon, PhD, DrPH, MPH
Title: Consultant; Member, PGTME
BIO: Dr. Escandon is currently a consultant to the biotechnology industry and most recently was the senior vice president of medical affairs, policy, and patient engagement at BridgeBio Gene Therapy. He has worked in global clinical research and development and patient advocacy in the biotechnology industry for nearly 30 years. His approach is to be highly considerate of the ethical implications of conducting and participating in clinical research, especially in rare diseases and in vulnerable and developing-world populations. He has served as adjunct faculty at the University of California Berkeley's Clinical Research Management Program and as an educator in human rights and justice.
Panelists:
Ms. Sheila Cintron, PHM
Title: Sickle Cell Disease Advocate
BIO: Ms Cintron has been a sickle cell advocate for over 20 years. She has fifteen years of experience in the healthcare field with a focus on practice and hospital policy, procedure, and compliance in the state and federal sector. She has been a Trident University International alumni for 5 years focusing in advance health education.
Dr. Lori E. Crosby, PsyD
Title: Professor of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
BIO: Dr. Lori E. Crosby is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She also directs the Community Engagement Core and is Co-Director for Faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Dr. Crosby has a research program in pediatric sickle cell disease that focuses on partnering with patients and clinicians to improve care and outcomes. She is a member of the CureSCi Patient Readiness and Resilience workgroup, which is identifying and prioritizing key psychosocial issues that should be considered when conducting genetic therapy clinical trials.
Dr. Lewis Hsu, MD, PhD
Title: Professor of Pediatric Hematology, Director of Pediatric Sickle Cell Program, University of Illinois at Chicago
BIO: Dr. Hsu is a pediatric hematologist who is dedicated to finding cures for sickle cell disease and to improving treatment and education until cures can be found. He volunteers as Chief Medical Officer for Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. He joined University of Illinois at Chicago as director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Program and Professor of Pediatrics in July 2011 after leading large pediatric sickle cell programs at Emory University, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, and Children's National Hospital in DC. His past work in sickle cell included multicenter clinical trials, bone marrow transplant studies in mouse models, and the creation of books and websites on sickle cell disease for families and teens.
Dr. Akshay Sharma, MBBS
Title: Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
BIO: Dr. Sharma is a bone marrow transplant physician at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, specializing in transplant and gene therapy for nonmalignant hematological disorders. The goal of his ongoing clinical research is to advance cellular therapeutics for children with hematological disorders. He is passionate about developing curative therapies for hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease, as well as improving access to these novel therapies in an equitable and patient-centered manner.