To date, more than 20 researchers, laboratory technicians and students of various backgrounds are active in the CANSEARCH pediatric onco-hematology research platform. This offers a varied pooling of professionals for greater efficiency.
| Professor Marc Ansari, Member Founder and Director Head of the Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit HUG Marc Ansari has practiced in the medical field for over 15 years, particularly in the areas of pediatric oncology-hematology and genetics. In 2011, he founded the CANSEARCH Foundation and research platform at the University of Geneva. Since 1 January 2013, he is Head of the Pediatric Onco-Hematology unit at the HUG. In November 2015, he was appointed Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Geneva. |  |
| Mohamed Aziz Rezgui, B.Pharm, M.Sc Mohamed Aziz Rezgui studied pharmacogenomics at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montreal, Canada. He works in the team of Dre. Maja Krajinovic at CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, as research assistant in collaboration with Prof. Marc Ansari at HUG, Geneva. He focuses on genetic impact research on pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At the same time, he started a clinical research experience in the hemato-oncology department of CHU Sainte-Justine, in Montreal, in the program of the Canadian Cancer Registry under the supervision of Dr. Henrique Bittencourt |  |
| Frédéric Baleydier, MD, Ph.D Frédéric Baleydier has benefiting from a training in onco-hematology and pediatric immunology carried out in France (IHOP, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Necker-Children-Sick Hospital, Assistance-Public Hospitals of Paris), supplemented by a scientific training in Paris and Boston in the USA (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School). He was a senior doctor in pediatric hemato-oncology in Lyon (IHOP, Hospices Civils de Lyon) and in the United Kingdom in Bristol (Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol University Hospitals) before joining the team of pediatric onco-hematology of HUG in September 2016 |  |
| Khalil Ben Hassine, MPharm, PhD student Khalil holds a Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Geneva, as well as the Swiss Federal Pharmacist Diploma. He joined the CANSEARCH laboratory team in October 2019, to do his doctoral thesis (PhD) under the direction of Prof Marc Ansari, Dr. Tiago Nava and Dr. Rao Chakradhara S. Uppugunduri. His research project focuses on the impact of genetic markers and drug interactions on the pharmacokinetics of conditioning agents for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. |  |
| Dr. Fanette Bernard Pediatric onco-hematologist in the HUG pediatric onco-hematology unit since 2012. Prior to this, Fanette trained and worked at the Timone-childrens hospital in Marseille, France. She is involved in clinical research in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. |  |
| Dr. Rao S. Chakradhara Uppugunduri, PhD, Indian, Geneva, Switzerland Dr. Uppugunduri holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology. He works as Senior Researcher, Head of experimental research, at the CANSEARCH Research Laboratory. He is also a Teaching Assistant at the University of Geneva. He is a member of the educational division of the European Society of Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Therapy (ESPT). His research has focused on pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. He is part of the group that works on personalizing chemotherapy and the conditioning regimens prior to stem-cell transplantation in children and adolescents. He is currently pursuing research projects focusing on the identification of pharmacogenetic information that can be used to improve the clinical care especially in pediatric onco-hematology. |  |
| Dr. Youssef Daali, PharmD, PhD. Pharmacist, Morocco, Switzerland Head of the Clinical Research Laboratory of Pharmacology Service Geneva University Center, Youssef works in partnership with the pediatric onco-hematology platform of the University Centre of Geneva (laboratory of the CANSEARCH Foundation) in the areas of pediatric pharmacology. |  |
| Isabelle Dupanloup, PhD Isabelle holds a PhD in population genetics from the University of Geneva. After several post-doctoral stays in Italy and Switzerland, she specialized in bioinformatics and omics and clinical data analysis, first at the University of Bern and then at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB). She joined the CANSEARCH lab in June 2022 as a senior researcher. She is working on different research projects with the aim to optimize clinical care in pediatric oncology. |  |
| Aneta Drakul A young doctor from the University of Zurich, Aneta joined the CANSEARCH pediatric oncology and hematology research platform as part of her MD PhD, which she is doing in parallel with her clinical training at Kinderspital Zurich. She is involved in research in the field of pharmacogenetics; in particular, her work focuses on the influence of specific alleles on the toxicity of busulfan. |  |
| Benjamin Fernandez, student, Geneva, Switzerland Benjamin is a student in Master of Human Medicine at the University of Geneva. He works on the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology under the responsibility of Prof. MarcAnsari and Dr. Patricia Curtis. His dissertation topic deals with the pharmacogenetics of childhood leukemia and the search for genetic markers that can influence the response to current treatments. |  |
| Hadrien Golay MSC MSc, Geneva, Switzerland Hadrien obtained a Master's degree in Life Sciences and Technologies from EPFL, after a Master's degree in cancer immunotherapy at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Currently a final year medical student at the University of Lausanne, he will join the CANSEARCH laboratory team as a MIMOSA fellow and medical doctorate (M.D.) in November 2018, for a research project in pharmacogenetics. He will then begin his clinical pediatrics training in November 2019. |  |
| Dr. Fabienne Gumy Pause, MD, Geneva, Switzerland. Head of the oncogenetic group of the platform of hematology and pediatric oncology of the University Center of Geneva (laboratory of the CANSEARCH foundation). Hematologist-pediatric oncologist doctor at the Cantonal University Hospital of Geneva. |  |
| Mary Khoshbeen – Boudal, Geneva, Switzerland Mary is a graduate of the Geneva laboratory assistants school and works in the CANSEARCH laboratory as a laboratory assistant. She specializes in biochemistry and molecular biology. |  |
| Laurence Lesne, graduated in Biology at the University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland Laurence worked in the pediatric onco-hematology platform of the University Centre of Geneva (laboratory CANSEARCH Foundation) as a laboratory assistant in the cancer genetics group. She specializes in cell culture, biochemistry and molecular biology. |  |
| Rodolfo Lo Piccolo, Geneva, Switzerland After graduating from the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO) in October 2006, Rodolfo joined the care team of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit (UOHP) of the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) in January 2007. In order to complete his training in the field of pediatrics, he began a postgraduate training in 2010, and obtained a DAS HES-SO in Child Health, Adolescence and Family Health in June 2012. The opportunity to evolve in the field of research within the UOHP arose in 2014, and Rodolfo took up the position of clinical research assistant of the UOHP in January 2015. To date, his training is complemented by an additional DAS from the University of Geneva in Clinical Trials Management, Implementation of Best Practices and Quality Process, which he obtained in August 2017. |  |
| Denis Marino, Geneva, Switzerland Denis Marino is the operational co-director of the Geneva pediatric onco-hematology biobank (BaHOP) of the University Hospital of Geneva. Denis has been a member of the Onco-hematology research platform since 2013. He joined the Cansearch laboratory team as laboratory manager. Denis holds a diploma in biomedical science, and benefices of broad experience in the field of biomedical research spanning from biochemistry, cytometry, immunology, mouse models, and biosafety. With the creation of the Geneva Pediatric Onco-Hematology Research biobank (BaHOP) in 2016, and thereafter for its further development, Denis successfully accomplished a Master of Sciences in the field of biobanking from the Medical University of Graz. Denis Marino contributed to the creation of the BaHOP and of its IT system selection and implementation. His work focuses principally on the operational managements of the BaHOP biobank. |  |
| Veneranda Mattiello Verenanda has been part of the medical team of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit of the University Hospitals of Geneva since 2010. She holds a degree in Medicine from Italy at the University of Naples, and specializes in pediatric onco-hematology in Switzerland. She then perfected her training in pediatric hematology in Italy (Polyclinique de Milan) and in France (University of Lyon). Since 2015, she is also responsible for the management of pediatric onco-hematology clinical trials in Geneva. |  |
| Vid Mlakar, PhD, Slovenia Vid earned a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). He joined the CANSEARCH laboratory team as a postdoctoral researcher. He specializes in molecular biology and cancer genetics. |  |
| Covid Mootoosamy After completing a Master's degree in Clinical Pharmacology (M.Sc.) at the University of Montreal (Canada), Covida Mootoosamy completed an internship in a pharmacogenomics research laboratory at the CHU Sainte Justine Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Maja Krajinovic. She is learning about different genotyping methods, PCR protocol optimization and PCR plate design. She collaborates with the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva on research projects related to the Busulfan conditioning regimen. |  |
| Fanny Muet, clinical research assistant Fanny graduated with a Masters in Health Engineering in Management of Clinical Trials from the Pharmacy university of Montpellier. After a clinical research experience in the pediatric hemato-oncology service at Montpellier University Hospital, she completed her final year as an apprentice clinical coordinator at Sanofi in Lyon. Fanny joined the CANSEARCH laboratory team in July 2019 to help coordinate the clinical trials of the research platform. |  |
| Dr Tiago NAVA, MD, PhD A pediatric onco-hematologist, Tiago trained in Brazil in paediatrics and pediatric hematology. After a 3-year clinical fellowship in pediatric onco-hematology, in Montreal, Canada, he joined the HUG team as clinical assistant in July 2017. At the same time, he joined the CANSEARCH laboratory where he will continue his research Including the pharmacokinetics of agents used in stem cell transplantation, and studies of clinical, biological and genetic biomarkers of toxicity associated with these drugs. |  |
| Fanny Ouk, medical student, Geneva, Switzerland - 10 09 18 Fanny is a 6th year medical student at the University of Geneva who, through her affinity with pediatrics, has written as part of her master's work a literature review on the evaluation of the gonadotoxicity of oncological treatments used in pediatrics under the direction of Dr. Fabienne Gumy Pause. This document could serve as a decision aid for the medical teams involved in the preservation of fertility. Her work has thus contributed to the activities of the pediatric onco-hematology platform of the CANSEARCH Foundation. |  |
| Shannon Robin Shannon obtained her Bachelor's degree in biology at the University of Lausanne. Now a student in Master of Biology (free orientation) in Geneva, she is doing her master's degree at the CANSEARCH Foundation under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Marc Ansari and Dr. Rao Chakradhara S. Uppugunduri since September 2018. Her work focuses on pharmacogenomics. |  |
| Yoann Sarmiento Yoann Sarmiento obtained his CFC laboratory assistant in biology with honors from the Technical Vocational Training Center in Geneva. He has been awarded the Soccorex Prize for best exam scores. He joined the CANSEARCH pediatric oncology and hematology research platform in September 2019 as a laboratory technician. |  |
| Sven Strebel, MPharm, Doctorat Sven holds a Master's degree in Pharmacy from ETH Zurich, as well as a Swiss Federal Diploma in Pharmacy. He has been a member of the CANSEARCH research platform group in paediatric oncology and haematology at the University of Geneva since November 2019. He completed his doctorate at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern in clinical epidemiology, and collaborates with other researchers in the CANSEARCH team. His research focuses on the epidemiological issues related to hearing disorders following cancer therapy in children. |  |
| Dr. André O. von Bueren, M.D., Ph.D., PD. Responsible for the Pediatric Neuro-oncology group, a reference for children and adolescents with brain tumors and a hematologist-oncologist from the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit of the HUG, André has been practicing in the medical field for almost 15 years. He is specialized in pediatric neuro-oncology. Her areas of interest include clinical trials and pre-clinical research of pediatric brain tumors, particularly high-grade gliomas. |  |
| Dr. Nicolas WAESPE, MD, FMH Nicolas, a hematologist-pediatric oncologist, has worked in oncology-hematologic pediatrics in Switzerland and has completed his training with a clinical fellowship and research at SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Canada. Nicolas joined the CANSEARCH Research laboratory at the University of Geneva as a researcher in August 2018. In parallel, he is a collaborator at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Bern. His research projects aim to better understand the effect of genetic differences on the development of childhood cancers and the side effects after anti-cancer treatments. |  |
List of other researchers who have worked for the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva – as of November 8, 2021
Anuj Tyagi, Stefano Madriota, Eva Choong, Patricia Curtis, Marc Armengol, Moatasem El-Ayadi, Muhammed Gencaslan, Yi Zhang, Eduard Morel, Raphale Buser, Ana Dito, Pauline et Luana