Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief![Dr. Michael Leitman Dr. Michael Leitman](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Leitman-new.jpg)
serves as the Chief of General Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Professor of Surgery, Professor of Medical Education and Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His research interests include gastrointestinal surgery, minimally invasive surgery and critical care.
![Dr. Horacio L Rilo Dr. Horacio L Rilo](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/rilo-pic-new.jpg)
is a Professor of Surgery and Director of Cellular Transplantation at The University of Arizona Medical Center, USA. His research interests include advancement of islet cell transplantation for the treatment of type I diabetes and chronic pancreatitis.
![Dr. Waldo Concepcion Dr. Waldo Concepcion](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/waldoo.png)
serves as the Professor of Surgey and Chief of Clinical Transplantation at Stanford University School of Medicine, USA. His clinical research focuses on pediatric kidney & liver transplantation, adult liver transplantation, hepatobiliary surgery, general surgery.
![Dr. Mitchell H Sokoloff Dr. Mitchell H Sokoloff](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Sokoloff-new.jpg)
is a Professor of Surgery and Chief of Urology at the University of Arizona, USA. His clinical practice focuses on the treatment of prostate, kidney, and testis cancer. As a funded researcher, he also co-directs the basic, translational, and clinical activities of Genitourinary Oncology Program at the Arizona Cancer Center.
![Dr. Barrett Katz Dr. Barrett Katz](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/BK-color-pix-new.jpg)
is a Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, and the Francis DeJur Chair in Ophthalmology at the Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA. As a neuro-ophthalmologist, his clinical expertise is in treatment of optic nerve diseases, unusual eye movements, and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases.
![Dr. Aaron S Dumont Dr. Aaron S Dumont](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/DSC00121-nw.jpg)
is currently the Charles B. Wilson Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at Tulane University, USA. He has clinical interests in all aspects of Neurosurgery with special interest in cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery and is fellowship trained in open microsurgical, endovascular techniques and radiosurgery.
![Dr. Alfio Ferlito Dr. Alfio Ferlito](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Ferlito-new.png)
is the Professor and Chairman of the ENT Clinic and Director of Surgical Sciences at the University of Udine School of Medicine, Italy. He has divided his professional life between clinical practice, teaching and research. His chief interests are the promotion of international cooperation in head and neck surgery, oncology and cancer research.
![Dr. Kent C Choi Dr. Kent C Choi](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Choi-pic-new-1.jpg)
is a Clinical Professor and Chief of Acute Care Surgery Division at the University of Iowa, USA. He also directs an ACGME-accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. His research interests include injury prevention, trauma system set-up, morbid obesity and trauma care outcome, surgical infection control, and immunology and inflammatory response in obesity.
![Dr. Stefano Merigliano Dr. Stefano Merigliano](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/stefano_merigliano-nw.jpg)
is a Professor and Head of Clinical Surgery, Department of Surgery at University of Padova School of Medicine, Italy. His main scientific fields of interest are the surgery of the intestinal tract (from the esofageal to the colorectal diseases) and informatic and biotecnology applications in medicine.
![Dr. Luigi Bonavina Dr. Luigi Bonavina](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Awaiting.jpg)
serves as the Professor of Surgery at University of Milan School of Medicine and Chief in the Department of Surgery at IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy. His fields of interest are Gastroenterological surgery, Surgical oncology, Minimally invasive surgery, Esophageal pathophysiology and disease.
![Dr. Josef Kainz Dr. Josef Kainz](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Kainz-Josef-web-nw.jpg)
serves as the Professor and Interim Head in the Department of General ENT at Medical University of Graz, Austria. His clinical and research focuses on diagnosis and endoscopic treatment of diseases of the inner nose and the paranasal sinuses as well as the adjacent skull base and aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face including rhinoplasty and otoplasty.
![Dr. Walter A Hall Dr. Walter A Hall](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/WAH-photo-nw.jpg)
is a Professor of Neurosurgery at the SUNY Upstate Medical University, USA. He has extensive clinical and laboratory experience in developing new therapeutic modalities for treating brain tumors which include stereotactic radiosurgery, blood-brain barrier disruption chemotherapy, interventional magnetic resonance imaging-guided neurosurgery, and targeted toxin therapy.
![Dr. Paul J DiMuzio Dr. Paul J DiMuzio](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/DiMuzio-Paul-nw.jpg)
serves as the Measey Professor of Surgery and Director of the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, USA. His main research interest is the development of a small-diameter vascular graft. In its construction, he has focused on adult stem cells as endothelial and smooth muscle cell substitutes.
![Dr. Josif Nanobachvili Dr. Josif Nanobachvili](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Josif.png)
is a Clinical Professor of Surgery and the First Senior Physician of the Department of Vascular Surgery at Medical University of Vienna, Austria. He is specialized in Vascular Surgery, Microsurgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
![Dr. Yoshiya Toyoda Dr. Yoshiya Toyoda](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/TOYODA-Photo-nw.jpg)
is a Professor of Surgery and Surgical Director of Heart and Lung Transplantation at Temple University, USA. His clinical interests are surgery for end-stage cardiopulmonary diseases including coronary bypass surgery, valve repair and replacement, pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, ventricular assist device, heart transplantation and lung transplantation.
![Dr. Michael N Stavropoulos Dr. Michael N Stavropoulos](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/M.-Stavropoulos-nw.jpg)
is a Professor in the Department of Surgery at Medical School of Patras University, Greece. His main area of interests includes Trauma management and Colorectal diseases.
![Dr. Chih-Lung Lin Dr. Chih-Lung Lin](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/my-photo-nw.jpg)
is a Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, China. His research interests include pathogenic and therapeutic perspectives in the treatment of head injury, spinal cord injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced vasospasm and secondary brain injury.
![Dr. Vahit Özmen Dr. Vahit Özmen](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Ozmen.png)
serves as the Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Istanbul University and Chairman of the Breast Center, Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, Turkey. His research interests are breast cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
![Dr. Vincenzo Cuomo Dr. Vincenzo Cuomo](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Foto-Cuomo-nw.jpg)
is a Professor of Pharmacology in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. His research activity focuses on the evaluation of neurobehavioural, neurochemical and electrophysiological changes produced in rats by the developmental exposure to psychotherapeutic agents, drugs of abuse, and environmental chemicals.
![Dr. Filipe Moreira de Andrade Dr. Filipe Moreira de Andrade](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Filipe-Andrade-nw1.jpg)
is a Professor of Pulmonology & Thoracic Surgery at Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil and Visiting Professor of Thoracic Surgery at University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. His areas of interest are lung cancer, bronchoscopy, hyperhidrosis, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, videothoracoscopy, mediastinal tumors, tracheal surgery, chest wall tumors and tracheostomy.
![Dr. Gazi B Zibari Dr. Gazi B Zibari](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/zabiri.png)
is the Gratis Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Director of John C. McDonald Regional Transplant Center and Willis Knighton Advance Surgery Center, Willis Knighton Health System, USA. His clinical interest is in area of Solid Organ Transplantation, HPB Surgery and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery.
![Dr. Kefah Mokbel Dr. Kefah Mokbel](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/kefan-nw.jpg)
is a Professor at The London Breast Institute, The Princess Grace Hospital, UK. His main clinical interests include the early detection of breast cancer, fast-track diagnosis of breast lumps, breast cancer surgery including breast reconstruction using implants, flaps and fat transfer, and sentinel node biopsy, aesthetic breast surgery including augmentation mammoplasty.
![Dr. Eric A Wiebke Dr. Eric A Wiebke](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Awaiting12.jpg)
is the Director of Surgical Service at Hampton VA Medical Center and Volunteer Professor of Surgery at Indiana University, USA. His research interest includes outcomes of colorectal cancer and transplant immunology.
![Dr. Wei F Chen Dr. Wei F Chen](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Chen-nw.jpg)
is the Director of Surgical Training, UIHC Center for Procedural Skills and Simulation and Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Division, University of Iowa, USA. His current practice focuses on complex microsurgical and supermicrosurgical reconstructions of head and neck, breast, trunk, lower extremities and research focuses on surgical management and pathophysiology of lymphedema.
![Dr. Alexander Khalessi Dr. Alexander Khalessi](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012-12-11_KhalessiPhoto.jpg)
serves at the Division of Neurosurgery as Director of Endovascular Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of Neurocritical Care at UC San Diego Health Systems, USA. He is the Program Director of the Endovascular Neurosurgery Fellowship Program and the Associate Program Director of the Neurosurgery Residency Program. He specializes in cranial and endovascular neurosurgery.
![Dr. Jeganath Krishnan Dr. Jeganath Krishnan](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/jegan-passport-pictures0001-new.jpg)
is the Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery, and Senior Clinical Director of Orthopaedic Surgery, Flinders Medical Centre and Repatriation General Hospital, Australia. His research activities include design of metacarpophalangeal joint prosthesis: design of tibial implant clamp. His major interests are in hand and upper limb research.
![Dr. Eric M Deshaies Dr. Eric M Deshaies](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/EMD_720_495-nw.png)
is the Director of SUNY Upstate Neurovascular Center and Neuroendovascular Surgery Fellowship. He also serves as an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience & Physiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, USA. His clinical research focuses on Neurosurgery: Brain Tumors, General Neurosurgery, Neuroendovascular.
![Dr. Michael F Daily Dr. Michael F Daily](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Daily-Michael-nw.jpg)
is the Surgical Director of Renal and Pancreas Transplantationan and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Kentucky, USA. He also has a Master’s Degree in Cellular Biology. His interests are predominantly centered improving outcomes in organ failure and transplantation.
![Dr. Tatsuya Kin Dr. Tatsuya Kin](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/kin-nw.jpg)
is the Director of Clinical Islet Laboratory and Adjunct Professor of Surgery at University of Alberta/Alberta Health Services, Canada. Since 1998, he has been actively involved in more than 1000 human islet isolations and 400 islet transplantations at the University of Alberta. His clinical research focuses on islet cell transplantation and mesenchymal stem cell transplantation.
![Dr. Rayleigh Ping-Ying Chiang Dr. Rayleigh Ping-Ying Chiang](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Chiang1.png)
is the Director of Sleep Technology at SIG (Special Interest Group) and INSIGHT Center, National Taiwan University, Taiwan. His research focuses on genetic studies of obstructive sleep apnea, the central and peripheral neuro-degeneration in patients with sleep disordered breathing, and the latest “Smart Living Space” in the brand new field of “Modern Sleep Technology”.
![Dr. Joseph Andrew DeLucia Dr. Joseph Andrew DeLucia](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/joseph-a-delucia-new.jpg)
serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery and Director of Emergency Medical Services Liaison at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, USA. His academic interests are EMS and Pain Management and his areas of expertise is in emergency, trauma & disaster and triage.
![Dr. Bijan Najafi Dr. Bijan Najafi](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Najafi-Bijan-n-ew.jpg)
serves as an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and Director of interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), University of Arizona. His unique expertise is the translation of wearable sensors for more accurate movement assessment of patients in their natural environment where they’re the most comfortable and active.
![Dr. Hui B Sun Dr. Hui B Sun](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Hui_B_Sun.png)
is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Radiation Oncology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. His current studies focus on the role of transcriptional regulator CITED2 in the context of tendon stem cell aging and in the maintenance of cartilage integrity, and its preventive and therapeutic potentials.
![Dr. Evan S Ong Dr. Evan S Ong](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Evan-new.png)
is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Section of Surgical Oncology at the University of Arizona, USA. His clinical practice focuses on gastrointestinal cancers with particular interest in treatment options for regional and metastatic disease. He offers state-of-the-art technology such as laparoscopic liver resection, microwave and bipolar radiofrequency ablation.
![Dr. Joseph A Iocono Dr. Joseph A Iocono](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Joe-Iocono-nw.png)
is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, University of Kentucky, USA. His clinical interests include advanced minimally invasive surgery in infants and children, ECMO and pediatric trauma care and prevention. His research interests include optimizing the educational experience of students and residents in surgery.
![Dr. Michael Reedijk Dr. Michael Reedijk](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/ReedijkM-new.jpg)
is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto, Canada. His clinical practice is devoted to the surgical treatment of melanoma and malignancies of the breast. His research lab at the Princess Margaret Hospital focuses on Notch Signaling in Breast Cancer and the tumor microenvironment.
![Dr. Bong-Wan Kim Dr. Bong-Wan Kim](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Wan-kim-new.png)
serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Ajou University School of Medicine, Korea. He has particular interest in safety of surgical treatment for liver tumor and selection of good candidate for surgical treatment of HCC. Also he has an enthusiasm in donor safety in living donor liver transplantation.
![Dr. Sam M Wiseman Dr. Sam M Wiseman](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Wiseman-nw.jpg)
is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His clinical practice is devoted to the surgical treatment of thyroid tumors, especially thyroid cancer, and parathyroid disease. His research interests include the study of thyroid cancer evolution, anaplastic carcinoma, molecular diagnostics of thyroid tumors, and parathyroid tumor treatment and biology.
![Dr. Dominique Shum-Tim Dr. Dominique Shum-Tim](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/DST-photo-nw.jpg)
serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at McGill University, Canada. His research activities include Cerebral protection during pediatric cardiac surgery and Tissue engineering of cardiovascular structures.
![Dr. Vittorio Bresadola Dr. Vittorio Bresadola](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/VittorioWeb-new.jpg)
is an Associate Professor of General Surgery at the University of Udine School of Medicine, Italy. His clinical and research interests include gastrointestinal surgery and liver transplantation. He also supervises the general surgery Residency program.
![Dr. Marie Ellström Engh Dr. Marie Ellström Engh](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Awaiting.jpg)
is an Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Akershus University Hospital and University of Oslo and Faculty Division, Akershus University Hospital, Norway. Her research interests include evaluation of new surgical and diagnostic techniques and methods to improve perioperative care.
![Dr. Ilker Y Eyupoglu Dr. Ilker Y Eyupoglu](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Ilker-Eyupoglu-nw.jpg)
is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and Head of the Division of Neurooncology and Pediatric Neurosurgery at University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany. His research interests are molecular and clinical neuro-oncology, vascular neurosurgery, pediatric neurosurgery, intraoperative imaging and neuronavigation.
![Dr. Eletherios S Xenos Dr. Eletherios S Xenos](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/EleftheriosXenos002-nw.jpg)
is an Associate Professor in the Division of Surgery, Section of Vascular Surgery at University of Kentucky, USA. His surgical interests are abdominal aortic aneurysm, dialysis access, endovascular surgery, renovascular hypertension, thoracoabdominal aneurysm and venous disease.
![Dr. Sean P Harbison Dr. Sean P Harbison](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Awaiting1.jpg)
is an Associate Professor at the Department of Surgery and Vice Chairman for Surgical Education at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, USA. His research interests include surgical education and outcomes of gastrointestinal surgery.
![Dr. Stig Brorson Dr. Stig Brorson](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/JSUR.Photo-nw.jpg)
is an Associate Professor in Orthopaedics at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Copenhagen, . His main scientific interests are in shoulder trauma especially fractures of the proximal humerus, fracture classification, observer variation, validation of clinical outcomes and medical history.
![Dr. Jon Ver Halen Dr. Jon Ver Halen](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/VER-HALEN_JON-nw.jpg)
is an Associate Professor of Department of Surgery at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Associate Program Director of the Plastic Surgery Residency, and Program Director of the Microvascular Surgery Fellowship. His clinical and research interests are in oncologic reconstruction.
![Dr. Marlon A Guerrero Dr. Marlon A Guerrero](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Guerrero-new.png)
is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology at University of Arizona, USA. His research interests include the study of thyroid carcinogenesis, advanced thyroid cancers and adrenocortical carcinoma. He is also interested in the systemic effects of the hypercalcemia seen in primary hyperparathyroidism.
![Dr. Il-Jin Kim Dr. Il-Jin Kim](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/IJK.jpg)
is a Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor of Surgery at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research interests are Cancer, genetics, genomics, translational research, hereditary cancer and mouse cancer model. His lab has been focusing on the identification of novel therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers in human lung cancers by systems genetics approaches.
![Dr. Steven Beldner Dr. Steven Beldner](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/GRC8284-Steven-Beldner-581-new.jpg)
serves as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and also supervises the subspecialty hand training of the plastic surgery fellows of the Albert Einstein Medical School, USA. His research focuses on orthopedic surgery and hand surgery.
![Dr. Shahid Habib Dr. Shahid Habib](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/201005670_2x2_Habib-new.jpg)
serves as an Assistant Professor in Department of Medicine and Surgery, Divisions of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at University of Arizona, USA. His area of interest is in multicenter trials in patients with liver failure and transplantation.
![Dr. Stavropoula I Tjoumakaris Dr. Stavropoula I Tjoumakaris](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0289-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Associate Residency Program Director at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, USA. She is one of the first and few dual-trained female Cerebrovascular Neurosurgeons in the United States. She is a leader in the diagnosis and management of stroke, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and cerebrovascular disease.
![Dr. Hong-Shuo Sun Dr. Hong-Shuo Sun](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Sun-HS-University-of-Toronto-Canada-new.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Surgery, Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Medical Science, Heart and Stroke Richard Lewar Centre for Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Toronto, Canada. His research focuses on stroke, neurodegenerative diseases and regenerative medicine using in-vivo models of human diseases.
![Dr. Jin Mo Cho Dr. Jin Mo Cho](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Cho-new.jpg)
serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Ajou University College of Medicine, South Korea. He is interested in several field of medicine including brain tumors, neuro-oncology, image-guided neurosurgery, gamma knife, traumatic brain injury, invasive brain monitoring and neuro-critical care.
![Dr. Ku Sang Kim Dr. Ku Sang Kim](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/KU-SANG-KIM-image-new.bmp)
is an Assistant Professor, Korean Breast Surgeon and, Surgical Oncologist in the Department of Surgery at Ajou University School of Medicine, . He studied biomedical informatics, and his fields of interest include oncoplastic surgery, hereditary breast cancer and prediction model development.
![Dr. Mohamed Soliman Ahmed Elfar Dr. Mohamed Soliman Ahmed Elfar](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/personal-photo-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Clark Burn Center at SUNY Upstate Medical University, USA. His areas of interest are burn and burn reconstruction, surgical management of complex wounds.
![Dr. Priti Parikh Dr. Priti Parikh](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Priti-Parikh_JSUR-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor and a Research Director at the Department of Surgery at Wright State University, USA. Her research interests include healthcare systems and informatics, trauma systems, critical care, and surgical infection.
![Dr. Amit B Patel Dr. Amit B Patel](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Patel_Amit-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at University of Kentucky, AB Chandler Medical Center, USA. His clinical practice includes both aesthetic and reconstructive facial plastic surgery, with particular expertise in nasal reconstruction and rhinoplasty.
![Dr. Kyle G Cologne Dr. Kyle G Cologne](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/kyle3-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor of Colorectal Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA. He specializes in laparoscopic and minimally invasive procedures for a variety of diseases including colon & rectal cancer and polyps. His research interests include minimally invasive surgery, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and cost effective health care.
![Dr. Marcovalerio Melis Dr. Marcovalerio Melis](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Marcovalerio-Melis-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at New York University Cancer Institute and Chief of Surgical Oncology Division at New York Harbor Healthcare System VAMC, USA. His surgical oncology practice and clinical research focuses on treatment of esophago-gastric, HPB and colo-rectal cancers.
![Dr. James Mezhir Dr. James Mezhir](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Headshot-labcoat-nw.jpg)
is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Iowa, USA. He completed surgical training at the University of Chicago and Surgical Oncology Fellowship at MSKCC. His primary clinical practice is in HPB surgery with a focus in pancreatic cancer, and his laboratory studies free radical and radiation biology in pancreatic cancer.
![Dr. Abdou Mohammed Abd Allah Darwish Dr. Abdou Mohammed Abd Allah Darwish](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/nw2.jpg)
is the Head of the Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine at Minia University, Egypt. His main areas of research interests are in plastic & reconstructive surgery and hand surgery.
![Dr. Kaveer Chatoorgoon Dr. Kaveer Chatoorgoon](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Kaveer-K-new1.jpg)
is a Pediatric Surgeon at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, Missouri. He has a special interest in pediatric colorectal problems like anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung’s disease, severe idiopathic constipation and fecal incontinence.
![Dr. Xitong Dang Dr. Xitong Dang](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Xitong-Dang.png)
is a Project Scientist at Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns, Department of Surgery UCSD, San Diego. His research interest is to dissect the molecular mechanisms of diseases using the cutting-edge molecular biology approaches.
![Dr. Thomas C. Chen Dr. Thomas C. Chen](https://www.avensonline.org/wp-content/uploads/Awaiting10.jpg)
is a Professor of Neurological Surgery and Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, USA. Expertise in brain tumors, spine tumors, spine degeneration and trauma.