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, MD Marc Ansari, head of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), has been working 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 the research platform at the University of Geneva. Since January 1, 2013, he has been the head of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit at HUG. In November 2015, he was appointed Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Geneva. |  |
| Montserrat Alvarez With a diploma as a specialist in biomedical analysis (ES), Montserrat Alvarez has 10 years of experience in research laboratories (HUG and CMU), mainly in the field of immunology. After working for 2 years in Japan, in the nephrology department of Juntendo University Hospital, she returned to Geneva where she worked for 6 years in cancer immunopharmacology before joining the CANSEARCH research platform in October 2023. Montserrat is proficient in most laboratory techniques, particularly histology, cell culture, flow cytometry, molecular biology, ELISA technique, killing assays, and murine models. At the CANSEARCH platform, Montserrat participates in various research projects and manages the pediatric onco-hematology biobank (BaHOP) of the University Hospitals of Geneva. |  |
| Dr 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 |  |
| Dr. Khalil Ben Hassine, PharmD, PhD Khalil Ben Hassine is a federally certified pharmacist and recently earned a doctorate in biomedical sciences (2024). He completed his doctoral thesis at the CANSEARCH research platform under the supervision of Professor Marc Ansari. Khalil continues his research at the platform alongside his work as a pharmacist for the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG). His research activities focus on the precision dosing of medications used in pediatric oncology, guided by mathematical models that account for individual patient attributes, such as their genetics. |  |
| Dre Aurore Britan-Wood, PhD Holder of a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Physiology from Blaise Pascal University (France), Aurore Britan-Wood joined the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva in February 2022, where she manages clinical studies. Since 2023, Aurore has also been the operational and financial director of the platform as well as the operational director of the BaHOP biobank. Aurore worked for several years in fundamental research at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva and at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, where she gained expertise in bioinformatics, biocuration, and human protein databases. After obtaining a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Clinical Trial Management from the University of Geneva, she joined the Clinical Research Center at the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG) in November 2018 as a scientific collaborator, where she participated in coordinating the implementation of the General Consent for Research at HUG, its monitoring, as well as managing various clinical studies conducted at HUG. She was also part of the Data Management team, managing data from numerous clinical studies in compliance with all laws and regulations related to Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP). Aurore has been a member of the Cantonal Research Ethics Commission on Human Research in Geneva (CCER) since 2021 and has also been a member of the data management platform of the Swiss Clinical Trial Organization (SCTO). |  |
| Dr Lara Chavaz, MD Lara Chavaz is a pediatric resident currently in her third year of training. After earning her medical degree from the University of Geneva, she spent two years in general pediatrics before joining the CANSEARCH research platform in November 2024 for a year of research. During this time, she received the BERC scholarship to conduct a project focused on studying genetic factors associated with auditory complications (ototoxicity) following treatments in childhood cancer survivors, under the supervision of Dr. Yvonne Gloor and Prof. Marc Ansari. At the same time, she completed her medical doctorate on the reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) after discontinuation of letermovir prophylaxis in stem cell transplant patients. Her career is also distinguished by several research projects dedicated to pediatric brain tumors, carried out within the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit at HUG (Geneva University Hospitals). |  |
| Prof. Youssef Daali, PharmD, PhD Youssef Daali is the head of the Pharmacological and Toxicological Investigations Unit at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and collaborates with the CANSEARCH research platform on topics related to the individualization of treatments in pediatric oncohematology. His work focuses particularly on therapeutic monitoring, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacokinetics. |  |
| Dre Isabelle Dupanloup, PhD Isabelle Dupanloup 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 the analysis of omics and clinical data, first at the University of Bern and then at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB). Isabelle joined the CANSEARCH research platform team in June 2022 as a senior researcher, where she works on various research projects aimed at optimizing clinical care in pediatric oncology. |  |
| Dre Yvonne Gloor, PhD Yvonne Gloor completed her PhD in molecular biology at the Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany. She also holds a university degree in chemical engineering from EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) and a master's degree in human toxicology from the University of Geneva (Switzerland). Yvonne joined the CANSEARCH research platform team in October 2022 as a pharmacogeneticist. | |
| Dre Fanny Gonzales, MD, PhD Fanny Gonzales trained as a pediatrician in France at the University of Lille. She specialized in pediatric oncology-hematology, earning an inter-university diploma in pediatric immunology and hematology (2014) and a diploma in pediatric oncology (DIUOP) (2015). She served as Chief Resident in the pediatric hematology department at Lille University Hospital from 2017 to 2020. Alongside her clinical training, she completed a PhD in Biology at the University of Lille in the "Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity, and Resistance to Therapies" unit UMR 9020 CNRS - UMR-S 1277 Inserm, in the "Factors of Leukemic Cell Persistence" team. She defended her thesis, titled "Functional Study of Prognostic Markers CD81 and ABCB1 in Acute Myeloid Leukemias," in February 2020. In January 2021, she joined Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier's team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute – Harvard Medical School (USA) for her post-doctorate, focusing on discovering new therapeutic approaches in pediatric acute leukemias. She joined our team in October 2023 and works both in the clinical unit and within the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva. |  |
| Dre Fabienne Gumy-Pause, MD, PD, CC Fabienne Gumy-Pause is a pediatric onco-hematologist who has been working in the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) for 25 years. Her interests particularly focus on solid tumors, cancer predisposition syndromes, long-term follow-up, and fertility preservation. For many years, she has been responsible for the oncogenetics group of the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric onco-hematology. Her current research, focusing on neuroblastoma, aims to discover new therapeutic targets and study the role of new molecules in the treatment of this particularly aggressive cancer. |  |
| Mary Khoshbeen – Boudal Mary is a graduate of the Geneva laboratory assistants school and works at the CANSEARCH research platform as a laboratory assistant. She is specialized in biochemistry and molecular biology. |  |
| Laurence Lesne, graduated in Biology at the University of Geneva Laurence works at the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric onco-hematology of the Geneva University as a laboratory assistant. She is specialized in cell culture, biochemistry and molecular biology |  |
| Rodolfo Lo Piccolo 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 Denis has been a member of the CANSEARCH research platform in oncology and hematology since 2013. Starting in 2018, he took on the role of administrative and financial director. Denis holds a degree in biomedical sciences and has extensive experience in biomedical research covering biochemistry, cytometry, immunology, murine models, and biosafety. Following his involvement in the creation of the pediatric onco-hematology research biobank in Geneva (BaHOP) in 2016, as well as the selection and implementation of its computer system, Denis assumed the role of co-director of the Geneva pediatric onco-hematology biobank (BaHOP) at the University Hospitals of Geneva. Concurrently, he obtained a Master of Sciences in the field of biobanking from the University of Medicine in Graz. In September 2023, Denis decided to travel to the United States to expand his skills in the field of biobanking while continuing his collaboration with the CANSEARCH research platform remotely. |  |
| Dre Veneranda Mattiello, MD Veneranda Mattiello has been part of the medical team at the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit of the University Hospitals of Geneva since 2010. She graduated in Medicine from the University of Naples in Italy, completed her specialization in pediatrics, and later in pediatric oncology-hematology in Switzerland. She furthered her training in pediatric hematology and hemostasis in Italy (Polyclinic of Milan) and France (University of Lyon). Since 2015, she has been responsible for the management of clinical trials in pediatric oncology-hematology in Geneva. Veneranda also serves as the deputy director of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Biobank (BaHOP) established within the CANSEARCH research platform. |  |
| Dr Vid Mlakar, PhD Vid holds a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). He joined the CANSEARCH research platform as a postdoctoral researcher. He is specialized in molecular biology and cancer genetics. |  |
| Covida 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. |  |
| Mourad Mseddi, PharmD Mourad Mseddi holds a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Monastir (Tunisia) and a Master 2 in Pharmacological Innovation and Pharmaceutical Professions from the University of Toulouse-III-Paul Sabatier (France). He joined the CANSEARCH research platform team in October 2023 to pursue his doctoral thesis (PhD) under the supervision of Prof. Marc Ansari, Dr. Rao Chakradhara S. Uppugunduri, and Prof. Youssef Daali. His research project focuses on dose adaptation of fludarabine in the pediatric population, studying the influence of genetic determinants and drug interactions on the pharmacokinetics of conditioning agents for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. |  |
| Dre Danai Papangelopoulou, MD, PhD Danai Papangelopoulou joined the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) in August 2023. She completed her specialization in pediatrics at HUG and was appointed Chief Resident, initially in general pediatrics, and later in pediatric oncology and hematology. She completed her Doctorate in Medicine on brainstem tumors in children under three months of age. She is involved in several research projects. Her interests focus on the impact of pharmacogenetics on the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as on solid tumors, particularly liver tumors and neuroblastoma. |  |
| Valentine Pradet After obtaining her nursing degree from the IFSI (Institut de Formation en Soins Infirmiers) Esquirol in Lyon (France), Valentine Pradet worked in the pediatric operating room at the HFME (Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant) in Bron (France). She then moved to Montreal (Canada) to pursue a Master's in Public Health at the University of Montreal (UdeM), which she completed in 2019. Following this new degree, she held the position of Clinical Research Coordinator at the Clinical Research Unit in Hematology-Oncology-Immunology (URCHOI) at CHU Sainte Justine in Montreal for 3 years. Afterward, she furthered her training in clinical research with a DIU (Diplôme Intra-Universitaire) – Training for Clinical Research Assistants and Clinical Study Technicians (FARC-TEC) at the University of Sorbonne in Paris (France). With these experiences, she joined the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit (UOHP) at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) in 2023 as a Clinical Research Assistant, participating in various clinical studies. |  |
| Dr Rao Chakradhara S. Uppugunduri, PhD Dr Uppugunduri holds a PhD in clinical pharmacology. He works as a senior researcher, responsible for experimental research, within the CANSEARCH paediatric oncology and haematology research platform. He is also a lecturer at the University of Geneva. He is a member of the Training Division of the European Society for Pharmacogenomics and Personalised Therapy (ESPT). His research has focused on pharmacogenetics and personalised medicine. He is part of the group working on the personalisation of chemotherapy and conditioning regimes prior to stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents. He is currently leading research projects aimed at identifying pharmacogenetic information that can be used to improve clinical care, particularly in paediatric onco-haematology. |  |
| Dr. André O. von Bueren, M.D., Ph.D. André von Bueren is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva. He is an Associate Consultant in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and head of the pediatric neuro-oncology program at the University Hospital of Geneva. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors of the Swiss Pediatric Oncology Group. Pediatric neuro-oncology has been the focus of his translational and clinical research efforts over the past 20 years. His primary interest lies in improving the diagnosis and management of childhood brain tumors, particularly medulloblastoma and high-grade pediatric gliomas (HGG), including diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, with a special focus on HGG in young children and infants. |  |
| Dr. Nicolas Waespe, MD, PhD, 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 2024
Marc Armengol, Raphale Buser, Eva Choong, Patricia Curtis, Ana Dito, Moatasem El-Ayadi, Benjamin Fernandez, Muhammed Gencaslan, Hadiren Golay, Stefano Madriota, Eduard Morel, Dr. Tiago Nava, Shannon Robin, Yoann Sarmiento, Sven Stebel, Anuj Tyagi, Yi Zhang, Pauline et Luana.