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Radiation Oncology Residents

Radiation Oncology Residents

PGY-5

Nicholas Figura, MDNicholas Figura, MD
Nick Figura was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville for his undergraduate studies and the University of South Florida in Tampa for medical school. In his spare time, he enjoys boating in the bays/lakes of Tampa, going to sporting events, and exploring new restaurants.

Why I chose this residency program: I chose USF/Moffitt Cancer Center because of the relationship between the residents and the faculty. The staff prioritizes the learning experience of residents along with providing significant guidance and support in resident-led research. Furthermore, the combination of Moffitt’s high clinical volume and resident autonomy offers superb clinical training for our future careers.

Research:

  1. Figura NB, Flampouri S, Mendenhall NP, Morris CG, McCook B, Ozdemir S, Slayton W, Sandler E, Hoppe B. Importance of Baseline PET/CT imaging on radiation field design and relapse rates in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. Advanced Radiation Oncology. 2017 January; 2(2): 197-203. PMID 28740932.
  2. Figura NB, Long W, Yu M, Robinson TJ, Mokhtari S, Etame A, Tran N, Diaz R, Soliman H, Han HS, Sahebjam S, Forsyth P, Ahmed KA. Intrathecal Trastuzumab in the Management of HER2+ Breast Leptomeningeal Disease: A Single Institution Experience. Breast Cancer Research Treatment. 2018 Feb. PMID 29392582.
  3. Figura NB, Mohammadi, H; Rizk, V; Evernden, B; Mokhtari, S; Yu, M; Robinson, T; Etame, A; Tran, N; Liu, J. Washington, I; Diaz, R; Soliman, H; Han, H; Sahebjam, S; Forsyth, P; Ahmed, K. Clinical Outcomes of Breast Leptomeningeal Disease Treated with Intrathecal Trastuzumab, Intrathecal Chemotherapy, or Whole Brain Radiation Therapy. Breast Cancer Research Treatment. 2019 June; 175(3):781-788. PMID 30859348
  4. Figura NB, Rizk VT, Armaghani AJ, Arrington JA, Etame AB, Han HS, Czerniecki BJ, Forsyth PA, Ahmed KA. Breast leptomeningeal disease: a review of current practices and updates on management. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Sep; 177(2):277-294. PMID 31209686.
  5. Figura NB, Potluri TK, Mohammadi H, Oliver DE, Arrington JA Robinson TJ, Etame AB, Tran ND, Liu JK, Soliman H, Forsyth PA, Sahebjam S, Yu HM, Han HS, Ahmed KA. CDK 4/6 inhibitors and stereotactic radiation in the management of hormone receptor positive breast cancer brain metastases. Journal of Neurooncology. 2019 Aug 9. PMID 31399935.

Oral Presentations:

  1. Use of Consolidative Proton Therapy Following High-dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in an Adolescent with Relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma. 42nd Annual University of Florida Radiation Oncology Outcomes Tracking Seminar on February 24th, 2012.
  2. Stereotactic Radiosurgery with Concurrent Vemurafenib for Metastatic Melanoma. American Radium Society 96th Annual Meeting April 26-29th, 2014.
  3. Clinical Outcomes of Breast Leptomeningeal Disease Treated with Intrathecal Trastuzumab, Intrathecal Chemotherapy, or Whole Brain Radiation Therapy. American Radium Society 101th Annual Meeting April 6-10th, 2019.
  4. Patterns of Relapse following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell Therapy. American Society of Radiation Oncology. September 17th, 2019. ASTRO 2019 Abstract Award Recipient. ASTRO 2019 "Best Of" Award Recipient.

Homan Mohammadi, MDHoman Mohammadi, MD
Homan was born and raised in Germany and moved to the States during his middle school years. His undergraduate studies were focused on Medical Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He went to medical school at the George Washington University and completed his Transitional Year at the Indiana University Methodist Hospital. He has been a rock climber for over 12 years and practiced Kung Fu for several years as well.

Why I chose this residency program:

Moffitt Cancer Center and its radiation oncology department both have visions that resonate strongly with me. We strive to provide the highest quality of care while continually improving personalized cancer treatment. Every practitioner in this institution demonstrates such devotion to patient care and this represents the type of medicine I have wished to practice.

Research:

  1. Mohammadi H, Prince A, Figura NB, et al. Utilizing the Radiosensitivity Index (RSI) to Predict Pelvic Failure in Endometrial Cancer Treated with Adjuvant Radiotherapy . International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. Submitted, 2019.
  2. Mohammadi H, Shiue K, Grass GD, et al. Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutant glioblastomas demonstrate a decreased rate of pseudoprogression: a multi-institutional experience. Neuro-Oncology Practice. Accepted for publication, 2019.
  3. Oliver, DE, Mohammadi, H, Figura, N, et al. Novel Genomic-Based Strategies to Personalize Lymph Node Radiation Therapy. Seminars in Radiation Oncology. 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2018.11.003
  4. Mohammadi H, Armanious MA, Khodor S, et al. Cardiovascular Effects of Radiation Therapy, Current Problems in Cancer. 2018. DOI: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2018.05.008
  5. Mohammadi H, Abuodeh Y, Jin W, et al. Using the Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) grade as a prognostic marker for radioembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2018. DOI: 10.21037/ jgo.2018.05.14

Jeffrey Peacock, MDJeffrey Peacock, MD
Why I chose this residency program: My relationship with Moffitt began 10 years ago as an undergraduate in the SPARK Research Program. At Moffitt, I was exposed to cutting-edge research combined with compassionate patient care. That, along with my work in breast cancer research with a physician-scientist, shaped my future as a physician. I knew 10 years later as an MS4 student that I wanted to do my away rotations in radiation oncology at Moffitt. I knew it was the perfect place to train as a radiation oncologist. The educational opportunities here are plentiful and readily available. The Moffitt residency program prioritizes education above all else.  The environment is supportive and friendly among residents and faculty alike. Moffitt has enabled me to realize my professional goals. Every day that I walk through the Moffitt entrance as a radiation oncologist in training, I could not be happier with my decision. 

Research:

  1. Artem Kaznatcheev, Jeffrey Peacock, David Basanta, Andriy Marusyk, Jacob G. Scott. Cancer associated fibroblasts and alectinib switch the evolutionary games that non-small cell lung cancer plays. In bioRxiv 179259; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/179259Cancer
  2. Marusyk, R. Vander Velde, V. Marusyk, Peacock, L. Kenian, E. Haura, J. Scott, A. Marusyk, Deciphering Evolution of Targeted Therapy Resistance in EML4-ALK NSCLC. In Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Volume 12, Issue 8, Supplement, 2017, Page S1547, ISSN 1556-0864, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2017.06.066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2017.06.066.
  3. Grass, George & Peacock, J & Latifi, Kujtim & Zhang, Geoffrey & Mills, M & Garcia, G & Harrison, L.B. & Kim, S. (2016). Spatial Patterns of Local Failure Following Chemotherapy in Hodgkin Lymphoma: Volume Reduction From Involved Site/Nodal Radiation Therapy. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 96. S39. 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.06.106.

PGY-4

Russell Palm, MD
Russell PalmRussell Palm was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in West Virginia.  He attended The College of Wooster as an undergraduate while majoring in neuroscience and then performed research in Alzheimer’s disease at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in the laboratory of Gemma Casadesus. He completed medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and subsequently a transitional year internship in internal medicine at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. 

Why I chose this residency program: When I was evaluating residency programs, I was encouraged by Moffitt due to their excellent reputation as well as the strong patient volume that comes to a NCI comprehensive cancer center. The work environment is collegial and the quality of life is superb in Florida.  Additionally, there are ample resources and support available to pursue clinical and translational research. In my free time I enjoy exploring the Tampa/St. Pete area including the surrounding beaches, trying new restaurants and breweries, and going to football/hockey games and live concerts.   

Research:

  1. Palm, R. F., Oliver, D.E., Yang, G.Q., Abuodeh, Y., Naghavi, A.O., Johnstone, P.A.S. The Role of Dose Escalation and Proton Therapy in Perioperative or Definitive Treatment of Chondrosarcoma and Chordoma – an Analysis of the National Cancer Database.  Currently in review. 
  2. Palm, R., Chang, J., Blair, J., Garcia-Mesa, Y., Lee, H.-G., Castellani, R. J., … Casadesus, G. (2014). Down-regulation of serum gonadotropins but not estrogen replacement improves cognition in aged-ovariectomized 3xTg AD female mice. Journal of Neurochemistry, 130(1), 115–125. http://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.12706
  3. Palm, R., Ayala-Fontanez, N., Garcia, Y., Lee, H.-G., Smith, M. A., & Casadesus, G. (2012). Neuroendocrinology-based therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. BioFactors (Oxford, England), 38(2), 123–132. http://doi.org/10.1002/biof.1011
  4. Blair, J. A., Palm, R., Chang, J., McGee, H., Zhu, X., Wang, X., & Casadesus, G. (2016). Luteinizing hormone downregulation but not estrogen replacement improves ovariectomy-associated cognition and spine density loss independently of treatment onset timing. Hormones and Behavior, 78, 60–66. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.013
  5. Blair, J. A., McGee, H., Bhatta, S., Palm, R., & Casadesus, G. (2015). Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis involvement in learning and memory and Alzheimer’s disease: more than “just” estrogen. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 6, 45. http://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2015.00045
  6. Adler, B. L., Yarchoan, M., Hwang, H. M., Louneva, N., Blair, J. A., Palm, R., … Casadesus, G. (2014). Neuroprotective effects of the amylin analogue pramlintide on Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis and cognition. Neurobiology of Aging, 35(4), 793–801. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.10.076

Austin Sim, MD, JD
Austin SimAustin Sim is originally from Bel Air, Maryland. He attended Washington University in St. Louis where he double majored in Biochemistry and Finance. He completed medical school and law school as the first student in the joint MD/JD program at the University of Virginia before finishing his internship in Internal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University. Outside of medicine, he has interests in implementation/legislation of health policy, the science of cooking/baking, and making craft cocktails. 

Why I chose this residency program: I chose Moffitt for residency because of the depth and breadth of opportunities paired with excellent clinical training. As one of the highest volume cancer centers in the country, Moffitt provides rigorous training, but without being overwhelming due to excellent support structures that prioritize education. Additionally, with initiatives like Total Cancer Care, Moffitt offers a wealth of research opportunities. Lastly but no less importantly, the collegiality and camaraderie both within and beyond the department make Moffitt a fun and warm place to train.

Research:

  1. Sim AJ*, Jain MD*, Figura NB, Chavez JC, Shah BD, Khimani F, Lazaryan A, Krivenko G, Liu HD, Falchook AD, Dahiya S, Rapoport AP, Kim S, Locke FL, Robinson TJ. Radiation therapy as a bridging strategy for CAR T cell therapy with axicabtagene ciloleucel in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Jun 5. [Epub ahead of print] *co-first authors. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.05.065
  2. Hoffe SE and Sim AJ. Leading Change. In Cultivating Leadership in Medicine, 2019, Eds. Quinn JF and White BAA, Kendall Hunt.
  3. Engelhard SB, Aronow ME, Shah CT, Sim AJ, Reddy AK. Malpractice Litigation in Ocular Oncology. Ocul Oncol Pathol. 2018 Apr;4(3):135-140. doi.org/10.1159/000479559
  4. Engelhard SB, Collins M, Shah C, Sim A, Reddy AK. Malpractice Litigation in Pediatric Ophthalmology. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Nov 1;134(11):1230-1235. doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.3190
  5. Wilson DD, Crandley EF, Sim A, Stelow EB, Shonka DC, Jameson MJ, Levine PA, Read PW. Prognostic Significance of p16 and its Relationship to Human Papillomavirus in Pharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Jul;140(7):647-53. doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2014.821

Presentations:
Figura NB, Jain MD, Sim AJ, Chavez JC, Shah BD, Khimani F, Lazaryan A, Liu HD, Kim S, Locke FL, Robinson TJ. Patterns of Failure Following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) Therapy. Oral Presentation at ASTRO 2019 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. 2019 Sept 15-18. Additionally selected for Best of ASTRO 2019, Washington, DC, 2019 Nov 15-16.

PGY-3

Matthew Mills

Matthew Mills, MD
Matt was born and raised in Tampa, FL. He went to college at the University of Florida, where he majored in Psychology. Matt worked in the lab of Dr. Robert Gillies in the department of Imaging and Cancer Metabolism at Moffitt Cancer Center, investigating in vivo tumor metabolism. He went to medical school at the University of South Florida and completed his Transitional Year at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia. Outside of medicine, Matt enjoys playing basketball, visiting the surrounding beaches, watching movies, and spending time with family.

Why I chose this residency program: I chose Moffitt Cancer Center for a variety of reasons, including the impressive patient volume, the camaraderie of the residents and faculty, and the abundance of research opportunities. I knew that I would receive excellent clinical training with great support to pursue research, all with a great quality of life.

Research:

  1. Mills, MN, Reddy, AV, Richardson, LK, Richardson, KM, Kersh, CR. The Prognostic Role of Pretreatment Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) in Malignant Adrenal Lesions Treated with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). American Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019.
  2. Ahmed, KA, Liveringhouse, CL, Mills, MN, Figura, NB, Grass, GD, Washington, IR, Harris, EE, Czerniecki, BJ, Bulemncranz, PW, Eschrich, SA, Scott, JG. Utilizing the genomically adjusted radiation dose (GARD) to personalize adjuvant radiotherapy in triple negative breast cancer management. EBioMedicine. 2019.
  3. Mills MN, Grass GD, Ahmed KA, Liveringhouse CL, Montejo MJ, Robinson TJ, Chavez JC, Harrison LB, Kim S. Radiotherapy for early stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with or without double or triple hit genetic alterations. Leukemia & lymphoma. 2018 Nov 12:1-8.
  4. Mills MN, Yang GQ, Oliver DE, Liveringhouse CL, Ahmed KA, Orman AG, Laronga C, Hoover SJ, Khakpour N, Costa RL, Diaz R. Histologic heterogeneity of triple-negative breast cancer: a National Cancer Centre Database analysis. European Journal of Cancer. 2018 Jul 31;98:48-58.
Anupam Rishi

Anupam Rishi, MBBS
Anupam was born and raised in India. He attended Calcutta University for medical school and later pursued Residency in Radiation Oncology from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and Senior Residency form Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. During residency he initiated and completed Randomized Study in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers which received an ASTRO abstract award. Anupam completed a Surgical Intern year at USF before starting his residency at Moffitt. Outside work, Anupam, a former college-level Cricket player in India, loves to travel with his wife Papri (a current USF Ob/Gyn resident), and cook recreationally. He has a new-found interest in fishing.

Why I chose this residency program: I chose Moffitt/USF for my residency training as Moffitt offers a very strong research infrastructure, large volume of patients and collaborative environment for both clinical or translational research. Most importantly, the Radiation Oncology department has very cordial environment, and the faculty are very invested in resident well-being and mentorship. In addition, no one can deny beautiful life in Tampa, many vacation-worthy nearby places and beach in Florida. Love the sunshine state!

Research:

  1. Caudell JJ, Torres-Roca JF, Gillies RJ, Enderling H, Kim S, Rishi A, Moros EG, Harrison LB. The future of personalised radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Lancet Oncology. 2017 May;18(5):e266-e273.
  2. Lacas B, Bourhis J, Overgaard J, Zhang Q, Grégoire V, …, Rishi A,… (MARCH Collaborative Group). Role of radiotherapy fractionation in head and neck cancers (MARCH): an updated meta-analysis. Lancet Oncology. 2017 Sep;18(9):1221-1237.
  3. Rishi A, Ghoshal S, et al. Comparison of concomitant boost radiotherapy against concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers: a phase III randomised trial. Radiother Oncol. 2013 Jun;107(3):317-24.
  4. Rishi A, Hui Huang S, O'Sullivan B, Ringash J, Waldron J, Sun A, Bayley A. Outcome following radiotherapy for head and neck basal cell carcinoma with aggressive features. Oral Oncology 72, 157-164.
  5. GQ Yang, R Mhaskar, A Rishi, AO Naghavi, JM Frakes, K Almhanna, Fontaine, J, Pimiento, J. M, Hoffe, S. E. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy at high-volume centers improves survival in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma receiving trimodality therapy. Diseases of the Esophagus 2018.
  6. A Rishi, E Song, GG Zhang, K Latifi, I Eaford, A Mviera, J Pimiento, J Fontaine, EG Moros, LB Harrison, SE Hoffe, JM Frakes. Integrated CT and 18F-FDG PET Based Radiomic Prediction Models for Pathological Response and Outcome in Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy. IJROBP, 102 (3), e40-e41 2018.
  7. Hosni A, Dixon PR, Rishi A, Au M, Xu W, Song Y, Chepeha DB, Goldstein DP, Huang SH, Kim J, O'Sullivan B, Waldron J, Bratman SV, de Almeida JR. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016 Dec 1;142(12):1208-1215.

PGY-2

Ammoren DohmAmmoren Dohm, MD
Ammoren is a native of rural Minnesota and the oldest of five siblings. He attended Brigham Young University where he majored in neuroscience and married his lovely wife. Together they moved to North Carolina where Ammoren attended medical school at Wake Forest and his wife completed her MHA. They recently purchased a home in Wesley Chapel and are looking forward to their time in Florida. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, hiking, beach days, tennis, pickleball, and dinner with family and friends.

Why I chose this residency program: During the interview process, I was impressed with Moffitt leadership's clear vision and execution strategy for the Radiation Oncology Department. I wanted optimal training opportunities, and I knew Moffitt could deliver because it has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999, is consistently ranked in the Top 10, is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers nationwide, and is a research powerhouse with over 450 clinical trials. I found the culture at Moffitt to be ideal for me: warm, encouraging, and ambitious. Moffitt is also geographically appealing as Tampa is one of the country’s top vacation and retirement destinations.

Casey LiveringhouseCasey Liveringhouse, MD
Casey Liveringhouse grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota. He attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he majored in biology. He completed medical school and his internship in internal medicine at the University of South Florida. In his free time, Casey enjoys fishing, golfing, and spending time with his son, wife, and dogs.

Why I chose this residency program: I chose to do my residency at Moffitt Cancer Center because of the collegial atmosphere and stellar reputation, both clinically and in research. As one of the NCCN Member Institutions, Moffitt combines high clinical volume with exposure to rare cancers, which provides excellent clinical training. Resources for research are abundant, with an emphasis on developing strategies for the personalization of radiation therapy, which will be increasingly important as the field of oncology evolves. Most importantly, the camaraderie between residents and faculty fosters a supportive culture where I felt like I fit in very well.

Maria SandovalMaria Sandoval, MD
Maria Luisa (Mari) was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador and came to the US at age 18 for college. She attended Clark University in Worcester, MA then pursued a Masters in Physiology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH where she completed her thesis in breast cancer stem cell markers and their role in response to treatment. She then attended New York Medical College for medical school and completed her intern year in medicine at the University of South Florida. In her free time, she enjoys boating with her husband and dog, traveling, drawing cartoons and organizing get-togethers for friends and family.  

Why I chose Moffitt

I chose to do my residency at Moffitt Cancer Center because it really encompassed all the features that I felt were essential in a program. One of the many strengths of this program was the genuinely warm and collegial atmosphere not just between residents but between attendings and residents. At Moffitt Cancer Center I have found that each attending and staff member in our department is truly committed to resident education. Additionally, as a high-volume cancer center and the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center based in Florida, it provides an extensive breadth of opportunities for clinical training as well as abundant research opportunities. Finally, Tampa is a great place to live with many exciting indoor and outdoor activities.

 Research:

  1. Sandoval, ML, Rosen, EB, Robert, AJ, Nelson, JA, Matros, E, Gelblum, DY. Immediate dental implants in fibula free flaps to reconstruct the mandible: A pilot study of the short‐term effects on radiotherapy for patients with head and neck cancer. Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. November, 2019; 1–5.
  2. Sandoval, ML, Rimner A., Lee N., Gelblum D.Y. Outcomes of patients with concurrent Head and Neck and Lung malignancies who were treated for cure with multi-modality approach. Poster presented at American Society for Radiation Oncology, Chicago, IL. September 2019
  3. Sandoval, ML, Yuan Z G., Grass D., Felder S., Sanchez J., Dessureault S., Imanirad I, Kim RD., Hoffe SE., Frakes JM. Impact of Sarcopenia on outcomes in patients with rectal carcinoma treated with tri-modality therapy. Poster presented at Gastrointestinal Symposium, San Francisco, CA. January 2019
  4. Varadan, V., Sandoval, M., & Harris, L. N. Biomarkers for Predicting Response to Anti- HER2 Agents. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Novel Biomarkers in the Continuum of Breast Cancer. March, 2016; 155-167.