About Me
I am a professor of medicine in the Section of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. I also serve as the assistant director for clinical research at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center.
I specialize in thoracic malignancies that encompass predominantly non-small cell lung cancer, small cell and mesothelioma. I am the site principal investigator for the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network.
My clinical research focus is on promoting clinical trial activation and participation, especially among individuals from diverse communities of color at the medical center and affiliated community practices.
I conduct innovative research in the field of thoracic oncology with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and outcomes. I lead and participate in phase 1, 2 and 3 human clinical trials and biomarker studies. My translational research involves predicting outcomes in brain metastasis using metabolomics, proteomics and genomics.
In addition to my research endeavors, I am deeply committed to mentoring and training the next generation of researchers and physicians. I work closely with medical students, residents and fellows who are interested in a research career. I serve as the site director for the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program at the affiliate Veterans Affairs (VA). I am the inaugural and active section chief of Hematology and Oncology at the W.G. Bill Hefner VA Health Care System.
I have published nearly 100 book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals. I am the past president of the North Carolina Oncology Association and an active member of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and the National Hispanic Medical Association.
I received my medical degree at Southern Illinois University. I completed residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.