The Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI)

Join Us for Our September GTB Sessions! If you are interested in presenting a case, visit our website or email us at [email protected]. These virtual meetings are tailored for clinicians across the state and offer a convenient opportunity for providers to discuss genomic test report results and gain insights from experts. We strive to make GTB meetings easy for clinician participation: all we need is a de-identified genomic test report and clinical summary-- we'll handle the rest. 📅 September Schedule: ◾ Friday, September 6, at 7:00 a.m., with Gynecology Oncology ◾ Tuesday, September 10, at 7:30 a.m., with New England Cancer Specialists ◾ Wednesday, September 11, at 12:00 p.m., with Pen Bay Medical Center ◾ Tuesday, September 17, at 12:15 p.m., with Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care ◾ Thursday, September 19, at 4:00 p.m., with Northern Light ◾ Tuesday, September 24, at 11:30 a.m., with Mid Coast Hospital ◾ Wednesday, September 25, at 12:00 p.m., with MMP Oncology ◾ Monday, September 30, at 12:00 p.m., with A.R. Gould Hospital @jacksonlab

Meet Dr. Todd Knepper, PharmD. Dr. Knepper is an Associate Member in the Department of Pathology at Moffitt Cancer Center. He graduated with his PharmD degree from the University of North Carolina - Eshelman School of Pharmacy, completed a Personalized Cancer Medicine Fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center, and gained regulatory experience as an ORISE fellow at the US FDA with the Genomics and Targeted Therapy group. At Moffitt, he was a key part of the creation and development of the Precision Medicine Program, bringing cancer genomics into the clinic through the molecular tumor board (MTB) and Precision Medicine Clinical Service. He also serves on the ASCO TAPUR trial MTB and is a precision oncology expert for a nationwide SWOG Precision Medicine trial focused on the clinical utility of Molecular Tumor Boards in Community Oncology Practices. As an Attending on the clinical service at Moffitt, he provides clinically meaningful interpretations of tumor next-generation sequencing results for patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors and is Precision Medicine Clinical Service rotation leader for 2nd-year heme-onc fellows. His research focuses on the utilization of genomics to improve therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with cancer and to advance understanding of cancer biology. He has co-authored over thirty scientific manuscripts, including in high-impact journals such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, Clinical Cancer Research, Lancet, and Nature. Todd has been collaborating with the MCGI team since 2021 as a MCGI GTB advisor. We are grateful for the expertise he brings to our clinical expert team! The Jackson Laboratory

Correct answer: A PTEN loss can be associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and poorer prognosis in some cancers.

The JAX Hewett Leadership Program recently celebrated the completion of its third season with a cohort of 11 colleagues across JAX. Lindsey Kelley was among the participants, collaborating on various projects throughout the year and contributing to the proposal for a formal mentorship program at The Jackson Laboratory to senior leadership and other key stakeholders.

👩🏫 Put your knowledge to the test and participate in our mock GTB poll question series! Questions focus on the clinical interpretation and treatment implications of specific genetic and molecular alterations commonly found in genomic tumor test reports. The Jackson Laboratory

It's always a treat when some of the MCGI team can gather in person! Did you know our team is spread across Maine and Connecticut? Despite the distance, we connect virtually every day and make it a priority to find times throughout the year to bring the whole team together. The Jackson Laboratory 📸 From left to right: Lindsey Kelley, Leah Graham, Jens Rueter, Sheila Bourgeois

Correct answer: A Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) measures the number of mutations within the DNA of cancer cells. A high TMB, often defined as 10 mutations per megabase (mut/Mb) or more, is used to predict cancer patients' responses to immunotherapy.

Join Us for Our August GTB Sessions! These virtual meetings are tailored for clinicians across the state and offer a convenient opportunity for providers to discuss genomic test report results and gain insights from experts. Our team strives to make GTB meetings easy for clinician participation: all we need is a de-identified genomic test report and clinical summary, and we handle the rest. If you are interested in presenting a case, visit our website below or email us at [email protected]. 📅 August Schedule: --Friday, August 2, at 7:00 a.m., with Central Maine Medical Center --Tuesday, August 6, at 9:00 a.m., with Neuro-Oncology --Thursday, August 8, at 11:00 a.m., with Pediatric Oncology --Tuesday, August 13, at 7:30 a.m., with New England Cancer Specialists --Wednesday, August 14, at 12:00 a.m., with Pen Bay Medical Center --Thursday, August 15, at 4:00 p.m., with Northern Light --Tuesday, August 20, at 12:15 p.m., with Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care --Thursday, August 22, at 12:00 p.m., with Mercy Hospital --Monday, August 26, at 4:30 p.m., with Cary Medical Center --Wednesday, August 28, at 12:00 p.m., with MMP Oncology Just want to observe? Contact [email protected] to be included in our invitation list. Please provide some information about yourself and indicate if you're interested in earning CME credits for participation. The Jackson Laboratory

👩🏫 Put your knowledge to the test and participate in our new mock GTB poll question series! Questions focus on the clinical interpretation and treatment implications of specific genetic and molecular alterations commonly found in genomic tumor test reports. The Jackson Laboratory

As part of our ongoing #GTB series, we collaborate with a team of clinical experts known as our MCGI GTB advisors. This month, we are thrilled to spotlight Mustafa Khasraw, M.D.! Dr. Khasraw is a Medical Oncologist and Neurooncologist at Duke's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. He is also the Deputy Director of the newly established Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, tasked to speed up clinical research and translation for scientists across all departments at Duke who have made discoveries that show promise for developing new immunotherapies. Dr. Khasraw has trained and worked in several countries, he received his MBChB from Salahaddin University, Kurdistan, Iraq, followed by an M.D. from Groningen University, the Netherlands. He moved to Australia and completed his medical oncology training at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and subsequently completed an additional fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Prior to joining Duke in September, 2019, Mustafa Khasraw worked as a medical oncologist in Sydney, Australia where he was also as a Clinical Lead at the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council Clinical Trial Centre at The University of Sydney where he has an ongoing honorary professorship in oncology. He has a leading role in several clinical and translational programs and leads clinical trials with significant laboratory collaborations. He is interested in innovative trials designed to improve outcome of cancer patients. He is lead principal investigator on phase I, II and III multi-centre clinical trials for a number of pharmaceutical and academic groups. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as well as being an Elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Lon, UK). Dr. Khasraw has been collaborating with the MCGI team since 2019, and his expertise continues to be an invaluable part of our clinical expert team. The Jackson Laboratory