Genetics Don’t Lie

Upal oversees the research strategy of LUNGevity Foundation, including the Translational Science Research Program and the Patient-Focused Research Center (Patient FoRCe), and the Foundation’s patient education portfolio. Within the Translational Science Research Program, he guides the award administration and peer review of lung cancer research grants, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of research projects that focus on improving outcomes via early detection and improved treatment options. Within Patient FoRCe that he helped found, he designs and implements research studies that seek to understand the lung cancer patient experience and identify unmet needs in education and access to care. Specifically, he manages protocol development to project execution to recommendations on how to incorporate Patient FoRCe research study findings into clinical practice. He has spearheaded several multi-stakeholder research projects that aim to increase access to lung cancer screening, biomarker testing, and clinical trials for lung cancer patients.

As a patient research advocate, Upal works with national organizations such as the US Food and Drug Administration, the National Cancer Institute, other patient advocacy groups, and pharma partners on policy initiatives to make clinical trials more streamlined and patient-centric.

Upal has over 10 years of translational cancer research experience in the laboratory. He received a PhD in Cancer Biology and an MPH in Global Health Policy and Management.

TJ’s career has spanned from cancer research to software development and strategy and management consulting. His research focused on pathological identification of tumor differentiation in breast cancers derived from p53, BRCA1/2, ATM and other mutations.

Following his graduate work, TJ worked as a strategy consultant in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device space for L.E.K. Consulting where he helped with M&A, strategy and operations for dozens of global organizations.

More recently, he was a founding leader of the software innovation team at Fuse by Cardinal Health where his teams developed innovative products for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and patients.

TJ was a Regents Scholar at the University of California, San Diego where he received his doctorate in Biomedical Sciences and graduated with Honors from Pepperdine University with a BS in Biology.

Nicole is a Stage IV BRCA2+ breast cancer metavivor. She was diagnosed at Stage III at age 34 and progressed to Stage IV at 39.  Her disease progression spread to her bones (specifically her spine), lungs and brain. She has undergone chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, hysterectomy, multiple types of radiation, including gamma knife and whole brain, and a craniotomy. She recently participated in an immunotherapy clinical trial with the University of Virginia and is a CarT-cell trial participant. She resides in Bentonville, Arkansas and runs a Facebook group called Nicole Bagley-Pink-ing Positive.

Dan has spent the majority of his life engaged in making the healthcare system more responsive to the needs of patients. Dan holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree with distinction in research from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He recently moved back to Rochester after having spent the last 10 years in Boston as a resident in neurology and as a consultant to biotech, pharma, and industry. Dan has extensive experience in the immuno-oncology space, having also served as the Executive Director, Medical Strategy and Development, for Advaxis Immunotherapies. He is passionate about improving the prevention and treatment of cancer, educating and advocating for patients, and reshaping healthcare to be effective, efficient, and equitable.