Fox Chase Cancer Center Faculty Promotions

Jordan’s route to medicine was a circuitous one. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Public Policy from Princeton University in 2001, that fall she held a position with a consulting firm in New York City that fell through secondary to the 9/11 tragedy. She then obtained a one-year internship with a venture capital firm. After completion of the internship and looking for a more stable career, Jordan decided to take pre-med courses back home in Indiana. Subsequently she received her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. So it was great tragedy that led to our great fortune. We are very lucky to have Jordan in our Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) community.

In her short time at FCCC, she has demonstrated her outstanding clinical skills and has quickly gained the trust of the hospital clinical staff. She is an excellent teacher, and at her previous position at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center she was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award. She has established and become Director of the department of Diagnostic Imaging’s new protocol imaging lab using the Mint Medical program that was funded through the In Vino Vita event. She is involved in many clinical multidisciplinary conferences as well as multiple committees in service to the FCCC community. She has gained national recognition as an active member of the Society of Abdominal Radiology and her work with ECOG. Utilizing her imaging expertise, she is also working closely with several clinical faculty as a co-PI or sub-investigator for funded clinical protocols.

Jordan is a dynamo, and in a short period of time has established herself as an outstanding clinician and teacher, and a vital member of the academic and clinical research communities. She is also a wonderful person and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. It has been an honor to work with her and get to know her. Jordan’s career has only just begun to flourish; and hopefully that will continue at FCCC as we have the opportunity to observe her continued growth and accomplishments. She will be an invaluable asset to the Fox Chase community for years to come. Collapse

She was among the first in the Department of Surgery at Fox Chase to champion and advance robotic surgery, and more recently developed the Women’s Menopausal and Sexual Health Program to address the related needs of our patients. In addition, Cindy oversees the Oncofertility Program, which counsels and connects patients with providers to address fertility concerns and explore options. She is known for providing gynecologic care to Fox Chase employees, friends and family, and for holding employee screening days, helping to increase access to these important screening services. 

Over many years, throughout periods of transition and growth for the Fox Chase Department of Surgery and Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Cindy has been an enthusiastic, steadfast and committed contributor and advocate for her patients. For these reasons and more, we are pleased to celebrate her promotion to Associate Professor. Collapse

The high quality of Wen-Chi’s data and the precision with which it is generated are well recognized by not only her Fox Chase colleagues but also by her numerous collaborators across the country. Her unique ability to critically analyze complex data sets, combined with her persistence and determination, has led to paradigm-shifting discoveries that have advanced the field of cancer prevention, particularly for subjects with inflammatory bowel disease who are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Wen-Chi is an exceptional researcher with a deep passion for science. Her creativity continues to fuel new and exciting research projects. Wen-Chi embodies the Fox Chase culture by working tirelessly to ensure high standards of research excellence, mentoring the next generation of prevention investigators, and assisting colleagues and cancer patients in whatever the need may be. It has been an amazing privilege to work closely with her over the years! I whole-heartedly congratulate Wen-Chi on her achievement of this well-deserved milestone! Collapse

When the opportunity presented to lead the growing behavioral medicine program, Emmie rose to the occasion. She recruited several exceptional new faculty members and guided the expansion of the services provided by her group. Emmie continues to provide unwavering vision and strong leadership as she guides the department toward its bright future.

Fox Chase patients trust and rely on Emmie to help them navigate the difficult challenges related to a cancer diagnosis. As colleagues, we all benefit from her calm and empathic nature. Fox Chase can proudly point to a strong and growing program under Emmie’s guidance. Her promotion is well-deserved. Collapse

Because of these many virtues, at the end of her postdoctoral training, Margret was approached to lead efforts in establishing a multipurpose translational facility. The ambitious goal of this facility was to offer equipment and expertise to allow clinical researchers without laboratories the opportunity to test pilot ideas at the bench, while offering basic researchers equipment and expertise to support high throughput screening, as a bridge into the translational realm.

Margret took on the challenge, and was central in establishing the High Throughput Screening Facility, where she has done a magnificent job as Manager over the past 15 years. This position has turned out to be enormously challenging, requiring Margret to develop expertise across multiple fields in which she was initially a neophyte; a partial list includes efficient handling of small molecule and RNA interference libraries, appropriate statistical analysis of data, annotation and storage of large datasets, and management of IT support for multiple high-end instrumentation systems with different requirements. Margret’s can-do spirit and dedication to detail were essential to allow her to master all of these areas.

In addition to exceptional performance at these core job functions, Margret has continuously sought out ways to contribute to the life of the Center, to the great benefit of her colleagues. Besides offering intensive one-on-one training to Fox Chase staff seeking to use the facility equipment, she has voluntarily become engaged with teaching activities in support of our graduate students, running journal clubs for students from Temple School of Medicine, and teaching classes in Cancer Biology at the Drexel College of Medicine. She has been active in fundraising, competing successfully for NIH grants to provide new equipment to her facility, and winning a highly competitive R50 grant to support her own salary. She is always ready to give a facility tour to Center visitors, helping to explain the value of the scientific discovery mission as a critical counterbalance to our work in delivering clinical care. Finally, Margret always maintains a positive spirit; fascinated by new scientific discovery, honestly caring about her colleagues, and always going the extra mile to help.  We are lucky that she has developed her career with us. Collapse

Jeff left “home” to complete a surgical oncology fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, and we were fortunate enough to recruit him back to Fox Chase in 2009. He quickly became an invaluable member of the General Surgery division, and in 2013 assumed the role of Director of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, which recruits three fellows a year and is always one of the most highly ranked fellowship programs on the continent. In 2018, Jeff was named Chief of the Division of General Surgery.

Jeff has led Fox Chase in several trials in melanoma and sarcoma, culminating in him becoming the Surgical Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program. During his tenure at Fox Chase he has overseen more than 20 fellows through the program, graduating individuals who have been placed in academic centers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In addition, he has mentored six fellows through the Master’s program in public health or clinical research. His skills as a teacher and mentor are reflected in the growth of his national and international reputation, and he has been invited to speak nationally and internationally more than 80 times.

Above all, Jeff is a caring physician, an excellent teacher and mentor, and a great husband and father.  For those of you who may not know this about Jeff, you just aren’t on Instagram. It is a great pleasure to congratulate Jeff on this well-deserved promotion. Collapse

After hearing his intriguing job talk and reviewing his stellar postdoctoral career, our faculty made the bet that this candidate was going to be a sure winner, and I am delighted to report that Sergei has met or exceeded all of our high expectations. 

Interest in the role of inflammation in cancer has never been higher, and Sergei has established his group as a major force in this area. In connecting immune signaling pathways to the pathogenesis of inflammation-associated cancers, in particular colon cancer, he has placed himself and his group at the crossroads of two key disciplines that both explain how cancers form and provide clues to therapies with which to combat them. By promoting him, we are betting that he will be as successful in the next stage of his career as he has proven in the first. Collapse

Michael is an experienced gastrointestinal oncologist with additional expertise in clinical genetics and health services research. His research is highly translational and follows the continuum from the exploration of novel genomic somatic and germline markers of genetic risk and molecular tumor behavior, the communication of genomic information to cancer patients and their families, and the public health implications of genomic risk with an emphasis on disparities in genetic testing in minority populations.

He is recognized both nationally and internationally for his unique expertise, as reflected in his collaborations, his publications and his invited talks. He is the immediate Past-President of the Collaborative Group of the Americas for Inherited Colorectal Cancer, a position which has given him the opportunity to lead the research agenda in that field. Since assuming the position of Chair of the Department of Clinical Genetics, his leadership abilities have become even more evident in his commitment to the clinical and academic success of the department, and to the values of the institution.

Despite his heavy clinical load, his broad research agenda and his administrative responsibilities, Michael delights in his teaching responsibilities, a role which too often gets lost amid the pressures of medical oncology. He is a magnet for students, fellows and junior faculty who seek his support and mentoring, and benefit from his knowledge and his enthusiasm. We are truly fortunate to have a true academic scholar leading our efforts to harness the new world of genomics and to translate it into cancer prevention and control in clinical oncology. Collapse

Dr. Handorf has made herself the go-to person for many scientists since joining Fox Chase after completing her doctorate in biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. She embraces her projects with a quiet confidence and competence that sets the standard for biostatistical consulting. Her original contributions to biostatistical research distinguish her as both a creative and original thinker. She applies her computational skills to a wide range of complex observational data problems, such as outcomes research and cost-benefit analysis.

Beth has also made important contributions to the academic fabric of the Center through her lectures, workshops, committee memberships, and mentorship of trainees and students. Her presentations, reviews for top-tiered journals and roles in national biostatistical organizations have made her indispensable and a leader in the statistical community.

Equally important, Beth is a delight to work with and is highly respected by her peers and collaborating scientists and clinicians. She combines impressive technical expertise with a strong work ethic and outstanding interpersonal and collaborative skills. Her future is bright. We are lucky to be her colleagues. Collapse

Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), James Helstrom, is the embodiment of such a leader. It is my great pleasure to pay tribute to him on the occasion of his promotion to Associate Professor within our institution.

An anesthesiologist by training, Dr. Helstrom understands acutely the challenges of providing care in stressful situations. Critically ill patients and those undergoing cancer surgery have complex needs and require much from their clinical teams. Success in this field takes intelligence, decisiveness, measured judgement, and a calm demeanor—all attributes that Dr. Helstrom brings to his professional approach.

Dr. Helstrom joined our faculty in 2007 from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, where he was an attending anesthesiologist, and we couldn’t be more pleased with his recruitment. His outstanding work at Fox Chase led to his appointment as CMO in 2014. For us, this role is particularly demanding because we care for the unique needs of cancer patients, yet our goal is always to deliver an exceptional patient experience.

Dr. Helstrom regularly demonstrates a natural talent for translating sophisticated data into actionable measures. He has the ability to bring meaning to often dry concepts to promote positive change. As a valuable member of our clinical and administrative leadership teams, he has helped guide Fox Chase as we have evolved from an independent institution to becoming part of a large health system.

But perhaps Dr. Helstom’s greatest accomplishment in his tenure at Fox Chase has been his leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. With no precedent to follow and a seemingly insurmountable crisis to face, he has orchestrated a carefully coordinated effort to lead our institution to achieve COVID-19 negative status. Ever gracious, but reliably capable, he shares credit with his colleagues and staff while exemplifying the ideals of Fox Chase Cancer Center. He has galvanized resources, dedicated countless hours, offered important insights, and provided needed encouragement throughout an extremely challenging time. For all of his work, he is truly deserving of this promotion, and I wish him my sincerest congratulations. Collapse

Neil’s work focuses on germline mutations in the BRACA1 and BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes, which are the strongest known genetic risk factors for breast cancer. Specifically, his laboratory studies how cancer cells with mutations in these genes can still carry out DNA repair and survive chemotherapy. His work is an exemplar of outstanding translational science: careful, focused basic science with profound implications for breast cancer biology and treatment. Beyond the quality of his work, Neil is an exceptional mentor, empowering the members of his team to develop independent projects and obtain funding on their own. We are profoundly fortunate to have Neil as part of our Molecular Therapeutics Program, and we congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion to Associate Professor. Collapse

John’s interests are in developing small molecules that affect the functions of proteins using computational tools he has pioneered in his lab and in programs such as Rosetta, and then synthesizing and testing these compounds in his laboratory. This is quite a feat, as people who are good at computational work are not often good at experimental work; and it is very difficult to be an effective mentor to both computational and laboratory scientists. Yet John manages both, and has had an amazingly productive period of his career while at Fox Chase, having been awarded significant funding from both the NIH and NSF.

In the nearly four years he has been here, I am pleased to report that John and Fox Chase are a spectacular fit. John had not worked in cancer research before his arrival at Fox Chase, but he dived into the science and rapidly organized several collaborations with our colleagues. He has been developing compounds to inhibit RNA binding by the protein Musashi; and compounds to stabilize mutated versions of p53. John has continued to pioneer new computational methods for developing cancer therapeutics and has also taken on the role of Director of Fox Chase’s Post-Doctoral and Graduate Student Training Program. We are privileged to benefit from his wisdom and experience in mentorship.

I want to congratulate John on his well-deserved promotion to full professor in the Molecular Therapeutics Program. I feel lucky that we were able to recruit John to Fox Chase, and pleased that he has found an environment in which his science can thrive. I am proud to call him my colleague and friend. Collapse

Many years ago, Katya began as a student in my lab. It was apparent from the beginning that she was a very intense and committed student who set high standards for herself and others. The intervening years have not diminished that intensity, as she has rapidly established herself as one of our rising scientific stars. She has quickly built a successful scientific program, and recently had her research on the inflammatory processes driving atherosclerosis featured on the cover of Immunity, one the most prestigious immunology journals.

In addition to her personal success, Katya also intellectually enriches the Center by devoting time and energy to many activities, including hosting a seemingly endless number of very engaging, invited speakers. Finally, Katya is not shy about speaking hard truths when it is necessary, which is an essential part of maintaining the health of any institution. With her intellect and intensity, I am confident that the best is yet to come, for her and for those with whom she interacts. Collapse

Kristen received her Bachelor’s degree from Rowan University, her Doctor of Medicine from Thomas Jefferson Medical College, and completed her Internal Medicine Residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago. She then joined Harvard Medical School as an Instructor in Medicine for four years before joining the Fox Chase faculty in 2016.

Kristen has consistently distinguished herself as a compassionate and caring clinician with an impressive breadth of knowledge. She treats the wide range of illnesses seen by hospitalists with expertise, caring for both inpatients and those outpatients needing to be evaluated in the DRU.

In terms of service, Dr. Manley became the Division Chief of Hospital Medicine this year, and has been a member of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, the Palliative Care Steering Committee, the Advance Directive Subcommittee, and the Epic Steering Committee. In addition, she was the hospitalist representative of the group that developed the appropriate screening and evaluation protocol for patients and Fox Chase employees for the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are fortunate to have her lead our Hospitalist Division and congratulate her on this well-deserved promotion. Collapse

In the 10 years that I have known her, Gina has distinguished herself as both an excellent clinician and scientist. She is devoted to her patients, and has earned a reputation as a warm, caring, and astute physician. As a gynecologic oncologist, Gina truly embodies the ethic of complete patient care from diagnosis to end-of-life. 

Not only is she a capable caregiver, Gina is a devoted clinical scientist. She has published more than 30 peer-reviewed papers, and has won prestigious national awards including the Friends of the AACR Foundation Young Scientist Award in 2017, and the Gynecologic Oncology Group Foundation New Investigator Award in 2019. She has served as Site PI for 17 clinical trials, and PI for three innovative investigator-initiated trials. 

Gina continues to contribute to Fox Chase through her service on multiple committees including the ICU Committee, the Information Technology Physician Advisory Committee, and the Ambulatory Operations Work Group. She was instrumental in helping to implement the Universal Protocol for Perioperative Time Out. She has mentored several fellows and residents in clinical research projects as well. She is loved by her patients, and respected by her colleagues, both at Fox Chase, and nationally. I feel honored to not only served as her fellowship program director, but also as her colleague in practice. I have watched her grow from trainee into esteemed partner and friend. I offer my sincerest congratulations on her promotion and look forward to her accomplishments in the years to come. Collapse

Betsy graduated from the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine with Honors in Pathology. She completed her residency at the NYU Medical Center before pursuing a Masters in patient-based biologic research at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She completed her fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

When Gary Hudes recruited her in 2008, the GU program at Fox Chase was at a pivotal point in its evolution. Dr. Plimack’s decision to join our team was critical to what has come since. Based in large part on her integrity, passion, intensity and prowess, the GU program at Fox Chase has become a nationally recognized clinical, translational and academic powerhouse.  

Betsy’s accomplishments and accolades are vast. She has played a central and leading role in landmark trials in genitourinary oncology that have fundamentally changed the way patients are treated across the globe. These include multiple publications in the New England Journal of Medicine that have led to the approval of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in RCC, as well as numerous publications in top-tier bladder cancer journals, where her work has solidified the role of neoadjuvant therapy in MIBC and has helped shape how we think about biomarkers in this disease.

Her national reputation as a thought leader is rooted in her expansive knowledge of the literature, her insightful observations and clinical acumen, her intuitive hypotheses and her ability to develop and accrue to meaningful trials. Indeed, Betsy is considered among the elite GU medical oncologists that need to be “on board” for a trial to succeed in the field. Beyond her research and the compassionate care she renders, her contributions extend broadly to include her service to the NCCN, ASCO, SUO, ESMO, ECOG and BCAN, where her leadership is highly valued and respected. She was recently elected by her national peers to the ASCO board of directors.

Perhaps the best part of having Betsy as a colleague is that she elevates the entire team. She is tenacious, and holds us all to the same exceptional standard she pursues herself. She is a phenomenal mentor who has helped multiple junior colleagues both at Fox Chase and throughout the country. I am personally a better physician and able to render more complete care because of my partnership with Dr. Plimack. Betsy’s leadership among our group is foundational, and we celebrate this milestone with her with great pride and continued admiration. We are privileged to count her as a colleague and a friend. Collapse

Camille came to Fox Chase in 2011 as an Associate Professor with a background in virology and molecular epidemiology. Five years previously she established the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) to study the molecular determinants of cancer among the communities that were migrated from Africa, through the Caribbean region, to the United States. AC3 now has 150 members, from 17 US institutions, 17 Caribbean countries and six African nations; it has been designated as an NCI Epidemiology Genetics Research Program supported Consortium.

Over the past 15 years Dr. Ragin has maintained a successful research program blending her biologic interests with those of cancer health disparities, as reflected by her remarkable portfolio of funded projects. AC3 has been supported by NCI conference grants almost continuously since its beginning. After a number of small grants, Camille landed a Research Support Grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS) for studying the molecular basis of disparities in Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck. In 2017 she led a multi-PI team to apply successfully for a Planning Grant from the NCI to establish a Regional Center of Research Excellence in the Caribbean (CRCRE). This program, centered at Fox Chase and at the main campus of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, has led to the establishment of critical scientific infrastructure in the Caribbean basin across seven countries and is generating publications and follow-on grants.

Currently Dr. Ragin holds a large R01 grant with our Jamaican partners to extend the CRCRE as well as a new NCI R01 to investigate genetic ancestry influences on disparities in oral and laryngeal cancer. While pursuing this outstanding scholarship, Camille also serves on scientific review committees for the ACS, AACR, and the NIH. A committed mentor, Dr. Ragin has supervised over 50 trainees, many of whom are active in medicine, public health, and science.

I have worked with Camille since she applied for a faculty position at Fox Chase. She has always been ready and willing to serve as a mentor for undergraduate students and other trainees interested in cancer health disparities. We have been working together on the CRCRE, and I have had the good fortune to accompany her on a few trips to the Caribbean. What impresses me most on these trips is how Camille knows everyone, and that everyone likes her and likes working with her. It’s been a secret of her success in maintaining a growing collaborative over a decade and a half, which has its best years ahead. That’s true of Dr. Ragin as well: Fox Chase is lucky to have her as a professor and academic leader. Collapse

Both of Dr. Reddy’s parents are in medicine; his father is a general surgeon in New York City and his mother an anesthesiologist. He completed his surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and then Beth Israel Medical Center, after St. Vincent’s closed. He won multiple awards as an outstanding resident educator, including the Harriet Gold Foundation Scholar in Humanism Award, the St. Vincent’s Medical Center Resident Teaching Award and the Beth Israel Resident Teaching Award. During his fellowship, he was chosen as the John Drew Ridge Chief Administrative Fellow due to his leadership skills and attention to detail. 

Since joining Fox Chase as a faculty member, Dr. Reddy has been involved in multiple clinical trials, health service, translational and outcomes research projects, while at the same time being one of our most clinically productive surgeons. He has produced 84 abstracts, 19 oral presentations, 29 manuscripts—15 of which he is the lead author, and two book chapters. We have published multiple papers on melanoma and colorectal cancer, but his true passion is in the arena of pancreatic cancer. 

Dr. Reddy and I have been extremely influenced and brilliantly mentored by both Dr. John Hoffman and Dr. Elin Sigurdson throughout our careers. He is one of the co-directors of the Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute. In addition, I am honored to say he will eventually take over as the Program Director of our Surgical Oncology Fellowship. 

In summary, Dr. Reddy is one of the most outstanding surgeons, educators and researchers I have worked with in my career. He is my colleague, my friend, and I can think of no one that I would trust more to work with on a daily basis. I wish we could clone him. On top of all this, he is an amazing husband and father. 

I’m sure that all of these sentiments would be echoed by any of my colleagues or fellow staff at Fox Chase. Dr. Reddy exemplifies all of the qualities that make Fox Chase such a special place to work.  He is fully deserving of promotion to Associate Professor, and I know his prospects and continued productivity will only grow exponentially. He is the future of Fox Chase. Nothing brings me greater pride then seeing someone that I have trained exceed all of my expectations. Congratulations on this well-deserved promotion. Collapse

On a national level, Jenny is a rising star who is helping to shape the direction of psycho-oncology research. Her research is changing how we support patients, partners, and healthcare providers in their discussions about sensitive health topics. Jenny has won awards for her research, and serves on several national committees. At the institutional level, she is an integral member of the FCCC community and has been an exemplary role model for other junior faculty. She has coordinated the FCCC Research Day and served on various faculty search committees. As an active member of our “Works in Progress” meetings, Jenny is willing to share her wisdom and helpful tips, and she provides the best and most insightful feedback. Trust me, if you have only one person read your grant before it is submitted, you want that person to be Jenny.

Jenny has also demonstrated herself to be a thoughtful and caring mentor. She has a knack for drawing out her trainees’ best qualities and strengths. I never hesitate to refer students or trainees to Jenny’s lab, as I know they will have a rewarding training experience.

Most importantly, Jenny is an esteemed and valued colleague. She always displays a positive spirit, is supportive of other faculty and staff, and is simply a joy to be around. We are thrilled to recognize her many accomplishments with this well-deserved promotion.  Collapse

Arriving at the Institute for Cancer Research in 1989 as a master’s trained biostatistician, he shortly connected with leaders of breakthrough programs such as Mary Daly’s Breast Cancer Family Registry, and established a role in statistical data management long before “big data” was a concept. Eric completed a PhD in statistics at Temple in 1996, and in 1999 Population Sciences Division leader Paul Engstrom tapped him to develop what would shortly become the Population Studies Facility. Eric has been its sole director, achieving outstanding marks from the NCI consistently as well as envious write-ups from colleagues around the world for what Paul has termed the “premier” operation of its kind.

In 2004 Eric assumed responsibility for the Biostatistics and Informatics resources at Fox Chase, and soon was made Assistant Vice President for Informatics. Over the last 15 years Dr. Ross has added the Talbot Library and various academic support services to his portfolio. Together we created an institutional data warehouse that has served the Center’s clinical, administrative and research interests. Eric recruited Stan Taylor, one of nearly a dozen accomplished professional informaticians and statisticians who have thrived under his mentorship, to direct it.

Alongside his administrative leadership, Eric has added 150 research publications to his CV, many from the most prestigious journals in the world. In more than a few, Dr. Ross is second- or second-last author, indicative of the strength of his intellectual contributions to the work. Even greater is Eric’s dedication to the front end of the scientific process, devoting countless hours to assisting young and not-so-young faculty with grant proposals, clinical trial design, and overall scholarship. If his promotion to Professor was overdue, it was partly because his wide variety of interests and occupations kept him too busy to get his dossier together. When it did come, his referees were uniformly laudatory.

Most important to me, though, is Eric’s personal warmth and dedication. It shows in his commitment to family, as well as to the well-being of the people he serves. He’s an inquisitive scholar, a kind and caring boss, and a good friend. All of us are fortunate to have him as a leader at Fox Chase. Collapse

We were fortunate to recruit her when we introduced a novel linac-based radiosurgery system to Fox Chase. Lu was the project leader to accept and commission the Radionics SRS/SRT system, and initiated clinical treatments at Fox Chase. She was later responsible for the CyberKnife SRS/SBRT system and our satellite physics services at Buckingham and East Norriton.

Lu was a member on several committees and task groups for the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) because of her expertise in SRS/SBRT to develop guidelines for the use of these techniques in the clinic. In 2014, she was elected as an AAPM Fellow ­- the highest honor for a medical physicist. Her clinical, research and teaching interests have led to her being invited to speak nationally and internationally. Her clinical research and collaborations have generated more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences, and more than 60 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. She also served as Associate Editor for two prestigious medical physics journals.

Lu is a key member of the FCCC radiotherapy physics team. I am privileged to have her as a colleague and friend, and delighted to join in recognizing her many contributions with her promotion to Professor in Radiation Oncology. Collapse