I am a Medical Oncologist specializing in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. My clinical practice and research program is dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life for gastrointestinal cancer patients. My education as a Physician-Scientist in a combined MD/PhD program prepared me to integrate science and medicine. After completing Internal Medicine residency training at The Mount Sinai Hospital on the Upper East Side of New York City, I completed subspecialty training as a Medical Oncologist at the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Training at a national and international referral center, which attracts patients with the most complex cases from all over the world, allowed me the opportunity to manage common and rare gastrointestinal cancers. Training under the mentorship of leading gastrointestinal oncologists taught me the art of exploring out-of-the-box solutions when all conventional treatment options have stopped working.
I believe that patient care is a mix of medicine, science and art. A cancer diagnosis can turn a patient’s life upside down. My philosophy is to treat all of my patients as if they were members of my family. Every patient is unique with individual needs from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. The bedrock of my approach to patient care is to understand my patient’s thoughts, beliefs, fears and expectations prior to treating their disease and symptoms. I educate patients about their disease and help them navigate their treatment options so that they can make informed decisions to develop a personalized treatment plan, incorporating the most advanced and effective treatments, delivered in a compassionate, supportive and optimistic manner. I deeply value the opportunity to care for patients, these interactions serve to fuel my motivation and inspiration to conduct research aimed at improving their lives and offering hope to patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers.
In addition to treating cancer patients, I do laboratory based translational cancer research to unravel mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, metastasis and therapeutic resistance of gastrointestinal cancers with a view to identifying new drugs and novel treatment strategies. I am privileged to be part of a talented, highly motivated, dynamic and warm-hearted multidisciplinary team of gastrointestinal cancer experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute. In collaboration with my partners in the Gastrointestinal Oncology program, I strive to bring the most innovative clinical trials to our gastrointestinal cancer patients. I am honored to be part of a world-class institution and NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which allows me the unique opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research and translate findings into the next generation of cancer treatments.
