Council Election Candidates

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member since 2000, attended congresses since 1995
• IGCS Council Member representing Africa, Middle East (& Europe) (2018-2022)
• Chair: Committee Africa, an IGCS Council project
• Representative of IGCS at several academic and business meetings
• Mentor for IGCS Gynaecologic Oncology Fellowship programme
• Scientific Program Committee Member, IGCS 2014 Biennial Meeting in Melbourne
• Program Committee Member, IGCS 2014 Regional Meeting in Cape Town
• Presenter, invited expert and reviewer at previous IGCS meetings
• Strategic alliance partner chair (SASGO)
• Regular peer reviewer to the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer

Personal Statement:

Over the years, I have witnessed the IGCS growing from a professional network into a global power. As Council member, I have gained insight into its operations, programmes, strengths and needs. Today, the IGCS is a vibrant and growing organisation, striving to make a difference in all aspects of gynaecologic cancer and especially in increasing access to appropriate surgery, radiation and medical oncology treatment.

Globally, there is a huge need for initiative and leadership to improve equity in the prevention and care of gynaecologic cancer. The world needs highly resourced regions as research leaders, while efforts to test the relevance and enable implementation of research findings in less resourced countries must be increased. In my opinion, the IGCS has the membership, capacity, experience and vision to lead and contribute on all these fronts.

Current IGCS flagship programmes, including the mentorship and training, and educational initiatives demonstrate this ability. The next step for these projects could be to increase their capacity, relevance and range via increased involvement of senior members and local experts. All outreach must focus on respect, sustainability, local relevance and two-directional learning to ensure mutual benefit.

I believe the IGCS must strive to become ever more inclusive and representative, and to improve collaboration and coherence between global regions. Better communication with members and strategic partners can contribute to reaching these goals. It will also increase the sense of belonging, the reach of existing programmes and contribute to maintain membership. The future impact of the Society depends on its members and other income streams, on operational efficiency and affordability. Continued collaboration with the WHO and FIGO as partners with a shared goal is also of paramount importance to limit inequity in access to health resources in both developed and developing regions.

As a leader I am courageous and task oriented; I have experience in leading societies and dealing with diversity. I can focus on the details of the operational structure, and also attend to the overarching vision and goals of the Society. If elected, I will aim to contribute to the success of the IGCS using these attributes and my first-hand experience of working in both well-resourced, and resource-constrained areas.

The President-Elect position will allow me to increase my involvement in this visionary movement, and gain further insight into its operations and needs. As President, I will then aim to build on the existing framework, try to provide clarity of purpose and motivation, and if needed, assist in adapting the strategy.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member

Personal Statement:

I am Head of Department of Gynaecological Oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, UK which was the first hospital in the world dedicated purely to the care of people with cancer. I have also served as an associate medical director for the hospital which is where, along with our academic partners the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the carcinogens in cigarette smoke were discovered and many chemotherapeutic agents developed (including Busulfan, Melphalan, Chlorambucil, Carboplatin, and Abirotanone). I have held many officer positions in numerous societies and I am currently towards the end of my term as President of SERGS. It is a privilege to have been selected for the final slate of candidates as President of IGCS.

The pandemic and war has brought forward a renewed focus on the health inequalities between different communities in the world. For gynaecological cancers, it is clear that these variations exist across the whole oncology pathway from prevention to diagnostics, and treatment to supportive care. In addition, disparities exist in opportunities for learning and continued professional development. The IGCS can and has addressed some of these imbalances by working as a diverse and multidisciplinary group; supporting innovation at the same time as championing academia; and supporting less advantaged populations with education, patient information, as well as online material.

I have served as an Officer or President for many national and international societies and have a long history of hard work and productivity. I understand that serving in this capacity is not about status but rolling up your sleeves and working for the good of that society. During my tenures I have had the privilege to participate in educational activity not just across Europe and the Americas but also visiting colleagues and teaching in the Middle East, China, India, and Africa. Societal work involves diligence, toil, integrity, and time. If elected, I would dedicate my industry towards expanding educational opportunities in areas where they are hard to reach and would concentrate on a unified global community in gynaecological oncology focused on elevating education, innovation, and academia. I am particularly keen that IGCS is involved in providing global leadership by canvassing for and supporting a levelling-up agenda in gynaecological cancer health care opportunities around the world. To achieve this, I know the importance of working across all disciplines and being inclusive to general gynaecologists, pathologists, medical & clinical oncologists, radiologist, and those involved in supportive & palliative care. I very much hope to be given this opportunity to make a difference.

Specialty: Radiation Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• IGCS Secretary-Treasurer Elect and Secretary-Treasurer (2018-2022)
• Volunteer Faculty Contributor, IGCS Project ECHO Virtual Tumor Boards (2018-present)

Personal Statement:

I, Anuja Jhingran, am currently a Professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and specialize in the treatment of gynecologic cancers. I have treated patients with gynecological malignancies for more than twenty-five years and it is fair to say that I have developed a true passion for these patients and their care. I have been involved with IGCS for many years in several different capacities. Most recently, I have served as the Secretary Treasurer-Elect and the Secretary-Treasurer.

Throughout my career, I have been involved in many organizations and programs that endeavor to improve patient care and training for physicians both nationally and internationally, regardless of financial status. My work in these developing countries to improve their access to and standard of care has made me a better and more empathetic leader. It has shaped my career, who I am as a clinician, and cemented the importance of these programs and the vital role they play. This is what drew me to IGCS and its important work. The IGCS plays such an important role in improving the quality of care of our gynecological cancers worldwide, including many of the LMICs that I have worked with. They do this through global education and training programs, and patient advocacy spanning across multiple disciplines.

I believe that I possess the key leadership skills and experience to serve as the Vice President effectively. I am a team player, a good listener, driven educator, mentor, researcher, and clinician. As the Vice President, I would strive to continue and further this society’s mission to improve patients' access to and quality of care.

Specialty: Medical Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Scientific Program Committee Co-Chair, 2021 IGCS Annual Global Meeting in Rome (Virtual)
• Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (2018-2021)

Personal Statement:

A key feature of the IGCS is to gather all medical specialties involved in the Gyn Cancer patient under the same umbrella and I want to be part of those who carry the umbrella. To disseminate and to bring the latest Gyn medical information to all members of the Gyn Community across the world is the IGCS mission and I want to work to make this mission a reality.

I as medical oncologist, I have developed my career based on two pillars: take care of my patients every day and keep my medical education at the highest level. As a result of this, I have been fortunate and have had the chance to be involved in the most relevant, practice changing studies and having an active role in some of the most prestigious oncology medical associations including ESMO and ASCO.  Indeed, I have been actively involved in the last few years as ESMO Faculty in the GYN Track. This position has allowed me to identify and implement the best ways to build an attractive academic Gyn program and to meet esteemed colleagues.

I think my experience in academia and in the organization of international meetings, I may favorably contribute to the IGCS. I expect to work very closely with all the IGCS Council members to learn from them and at the same time to share my former experience to make IGCS a great success. 

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• IGCS Mentor of Early Career Research & Publications Network
• Member of IGCS Intraoperative Technology Task Force (ITT) (2019)
• Taskforce Member, IGCS and European Menopause and Andropause Society Position Statement (2019)
• Scientific Program Committee Member, 2019 IGCS Annual Global Meeting in Rio de Janeiro
• Scientific Program Committee Member, 2020 IGCS Annual Global Meeting (Rome/Virtual)
• Scientific Program Committee Member, 2021 IGCS Annual Global Meeting (Rome/Virtual)
• Chairman of the Surgical Video Festival Session for 2021 IGCS Annual Global Meeting

Personal Statement:

I strongly believe in the role of scientific societies for their informative, educational and professional networking role. I always try to acquire knowledge and to pass it on to my students and residents in Rome. Teaching has always been my passion, and I strongly identify with my role of Gynecologic Oncology Professor, that I have been holding since 2010, at Campus Biomedico in Rome. International network is also very important, therefore I try to encourage my students to travel and take part in fellowships abroad. I consider IGCS a launching pad for us. I have always followed all the IGCS activities and I gave my contribution to the Scientific Program Committee for the Annual Global Meeting in 2019 and 2020. I was also one of the IGCS mentors for the Early Career Research and Publications Network. Now, I would like to increase my support to IGCS with an official role. My goals for IGCS are to improve the Internationalization of the society, since I have good relationships with South America, Middle East, Asia, United States, and Europe. Then, to create a budget model to guarantee constant income during the year, through web seminars, donations, advertising, and advocacy programs. I also hope to strengthen the strategic alliance partnerships with international and local societies. I am part of the council of the Italian Society of Gynecological Oncology (SIOG) from 2019, and in the last 2 years I held the role of Secretary Treasurer (it will end in 2022).  My managerial training is certified at IESE business school (University of Navarra Spain) through the Healthcare Management Program.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Education Committee Chair (2018-present)
• Education Committee Member (2016-present)
• Member Education and Website Co-Chair (2016-present)
• Scientific Program Committee Member, 2019 IGCS Annual Global Meeting in Rio de Janeiro
• Volunteer Faculty Contributor, IGCS Project ECHO Virtual Tumor Boards (2018-present)

Personal Statement:

Being a member of IGCS since 2006, I truly appreciate the impact of the society has made on me both professionally and personally and would be honored to serve as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Society.

As the current IGCS Education Committee Chair, I have come to understand the different educational needs of society members across the globe. In this position, I helped develop and oversee different programs, such as the surgical film festivals, palliative care curriculum, and many other educational products. I was involved with the selection of a Learning Management System (LMS) and Professional Conference Organization (PCO), which included in-depth financial evaluations and negotiations. In addition to my role on the Education Committee, I serve(d) on the SGO and AGOS Finance Committees, which have helped me understand the business aspect of medical societies. Furthermore, I have a Master’s in Business Administration, giving me both medical and business perspectives which are vital in this position. Additionally, I have been involved with many societies and had leadership roles that have helped me with prioritization, organization, and collaboration which will serve me if elected to the secretary-treasurer position.

As an IGCS Council member (ex-officio), I have gained insight into both the staff resources and financial investments that are required to support the Society. I believe it is critical to develop a sustainable society that can securely invest in itself to provide the membership the highest level of service aligned with the society’s mission. It is also essential to identify new opportunities for funding and growth. If elected, my specific goals include the development of an IGCS Foundation that would be used to provide research grants focused on international collaboration, continue the development educational programs, and support patient advocacy. My vision, along with others on the Council, includes the exploration of additional avenues for growth such as partnerships with regional societies and industry sponsors to improve our reach and potentially identify new sources for financial growth. It would be an honor to be considered for this position.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member, IGCS Strategic Alliance Partner (PARSGO)

Personal Statement:

I am Dr. Shima Alizadeh, board certified in Gynecology & Obstetrics and first rank in the Gynecologic-Oncology fellowship at Tehran University of Medical Science. I graduated as first-rank from NODET (National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents) and received the silver medal in biology Olympiad competitions.

I am a Gynecologic Oncology Fellow at GYN-Oncology department in the Tehran University of Medical Science and am working in the educational and referral hospital which is the center for gyneco-oncologic patients. With nearly 15 years’ experience in Gynecology & Obstetrics, now I'm working in numerous fields such as Gynecological Cancer surgery, Accreta-percreta management and surgery, and pelvic exenteration. Since our center is the top hospital in medical education in the country, I have participated in launching several conferences, scientific webinars, and tumor board meetings . Also, we have several residents in our department who were educated in our ward.

Research is my primary interest and because I am in the referral center, I have the opportunity for different research projects in cervical cancer, HPV, ovarian neoplasm, uterine cancer, and GTN. I wrote several publications and books in gynecology and have attended conferences. I was also recently honored with the award for the best presentation at the Charite-Mayo Conference with my paper entitled “Fertility-sparing surgery in MOGCT.” I have actively participated in IGCS’ educational webinars, and the journal club discussions hosted by the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.

I am interested to start and expand relations between lKHC (IK Hospital Complex) and IGCS; this will lead both to cooperate in gynecologic operation, papers, educational activity, and more for our region.

I'm an active member in IGCS, NAIGO, ASCO, iSTARC and PARSGO. I hope to be elected in this position and work towards our goal for women everywhere to get the best care. I wish for a future with more relations between nations and that all the woman in the world - especially in Africa and Middle East – may take a step towards a healthier life.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Co-chair Middle East/Africa Chapter of the Scientific Program Committee, IGCS 2019 Annual Global Meeting in Rio de Janeiro
• Liaison for IGCS-MEMAGO Strategic Alliance Partnership

Personal Statement:

I am a gynecologic oncologist with over 20 years of experience and Chairman of the Department at Hôtel Dieu de France University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. I am also a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint Joseph University Beirut on the academic level and head of the gynecological cancer teaching program at the faculty of medicine. I tutor 2-3 medical students every year to prepare their medical thesis to acquire the title of doctor.

I founded the first gynecologic oncology unit in a tertiary hospital in Lebanon and started the multidisciplinary tumor board at Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital weekly.

My colleagues and I created the first Lebanese gynecologic oncology group in Lebanon after tremendous efforts and cooperation between my department and the American University of Beirut. This group cooperates with regional and international societies. It contributes to organizing local and regional annual congresses, workshops, and meetings in the Middle East (LGOG, MEMAGO, PARSGO, Turkish Society) to update the local medical community about the latest studies and guidelines in gynecologic oncology. Besides the scientific engagement, I also collaborate with local NGOs, like ClinGroup, to improve women's healthcare in the region by raising awareness about cancer detection and conducting regional clinical studies to improve the standard of care.

We have initiated, along with colleagues in Lebanon and the Arab world, the Project ECHO® program with IGCS, which has enabled us to discuss and present the tricky and rare cases that need the experience of highly qualified physicians in the field.

Unfortunately, gynecologic oncology is still underdeveloped in this part of the world and that is why it is essential to cooperate with international societies like IGCS to disseminate gynecologic oncology guidelines and management protocols throughout the region. With this in mind, I was the catalyst in establishing  partnership the strategic alliance between MEMAGO and IGCS.

Given this background, my engagement mirrors that of the mission of IGCS. If elected, I plan to engage with our whole medical community to support IGCS's mission. It is clear that more colleagues and patients should be exposed to the advocacy of IGCS.

Furthermore, it will be exciting to share data from this under-explored region to enrich the international scientific database, especially on the genetic level, and to participate in clinical trials which are mainly performed in Europe and the USA. My vision is to involve this region in international trials to increase the accuracy of the findings by ensuring our patients’ experiences reflect those of Western populations.

Teaching, training, and spreading awareness in parallel with the IGCS vision and message will also be further supported in this region through exchanging experiences and initiating IGCS fellowship programs.

It is an honour to be considered for this position on council. 

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Liaison for IGCS-Kazakhstan Cancer Society Strategic Alliance Partnership (2017-present)
• Faculty Contributor for IGCS-Kazakhstan Project ECHO Virtual Tumor Boards (2017-present)
• Organizer, CGH (AECA)-IGCS-EURAMA Congress held in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2017

Personal Statement:

IGCS has proved itself as a powerful and motivating organization, which has a significant impact on the overall development of gynecological cancer care globally. 

Having joined the IGCS over a decade ago as a member, I have been increasingly engaged in its activities, which lead to my participation as an organizer of the IGCS conference in Kazakhstan in 2017. Since joint event in 2017 we have involved to IGCS activities such countries as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Mongolia, as a result of which a Memorandum of understanding was signed. And now we are on the way to engage of Caucasus countries in IGCS activities. We developed strong educational program with IGCS experts, conducted over 40 tumor board within the ECHO Project, while engaging large network of gynecological oncologists from all regions of Kazakhstan and Central Asia into the knowledge exchange and learning process.

Within the last 7 years of my service as a country's Chief Oncologist, Kazakhstan has significantly improved its cancer control landscape. Understanding our country’s healthcare challenges in conditions of limited funding, we developed and adopted the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, which allowed us to increase financing and allocate more budget to molecular genetic testing, immunotherapy, as well as measures to provide access to best cancer care for all.

In 2008, I initiated the "Together Against Cancer" Public Fund with the aim of involving of the Kazakhstan’s society in the anti-cancer campaign and attract charity. In 2016, I organized the Kazakh Cancer Society, which joins and leads the efforts of multi-disciplinary teams in every region of the country to promote continuous education, scientific research, efficient management and palliative care programs.

For the past 5 years I’ve been leading the administrative and clinical services of the KazIOR, which has developed collaborative relations with world’s leading cancer institutions and NGO. I involved to scientific team as a director and project manager of Central Asia and East Europe trial group which created with increasing interest in research in this region.  In 2021 I was invited to the Lancet Commission group and as a part of the commission I have been actively promoting research projects in Central Asia region. I was nominated as National Expert of WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination roadmap.

Thanks to my involvement in the work of IGCS, I have a clear understanding and full commitment to the aims, principles and values of the IGCS. I am dedicated to promotion of a comprehensive approach to cancer care, from prevention and early detection to rehabilitation and palliative care, on the regional level and internationally, with the focus on countries with limited resources.

I believe that my extensive professional and personal relations, as well as longstanding understanding of the developments in the region covering one sixth of Earth's land surface will allow me to contribute to the development of high-standard cancer care services in developing countries and countries with limited resources.

I would highly appreciate your support for my candidature to the IGCS Council of Gynecologic Oncologist practicing in Asia or Oceania.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member

Personal Statement:

I want to serve IGCS as I see the society as the premier organization dedicated to the study of Gynae Cancer in the world. It is an organization through which almost all Gynecologists of the world are benefited. I want to serve Gynae Oncologists within my region and globally, update myself and others through IGCS. I appreciate the value of IGCS’s programs and initiatives such as the Travelling Scholars program, the Annual Global Meeting, Clinical Trials, Mentorship and Training programs, and I want to learn from these programs and to serve IGCS by contributing to the Gynae Oncologists of the world as well as of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh a LMIC country in South Asia where the incidence of cervical cancer is very high due to contributing factors such as early marriage, early childbirth, low education level, and low socioeconomic status. We need to work hard to eliminate cervical cancer and we need guidelines to work for this purpose. This is true not only in Bangladesh, but most of the countries of South Asia. So, as a representative of South Asia, I need to learn from IGCS members and represent and work for these countries. My mission is to uphold the knowledge, skill and experience of the Gynae Oncologists of South Asian countries. And my vision is to increase the number of expert Gynae Oncologists by which our women of gynae cancer will be better served and ultimately will not die from gynae cancer. My another mission is to make a collaborative work with our colleague like Radiation Oncologists, Medical Oncologists, Epidemiologists, Surgeons and others. As we know that management of a cancer patient is always a multidisciplinary approach. No one can run alone behind a cancer patient.

 Last of all, I want to serve our society, our people, our women, and the whole world. Thank you for your consideration.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology and Palliative Care

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Education Committee Member and Palliative Care Workgroup Co-Leader (2018-present)
• Program Committee Co-Chair, 2015 IGCS Regional Meeting, Santiago De Chile
• Scientific Program Committee Member, IGCS 2016 Biennial Meeting in Lisbon
• Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (2016-2020)

Personal Statement:

It is a great honor and a huge responsibility to be considered for the IGCS Council, representing the Caribbean & Americas Region. I want to serve in this position to be the connection between the region named above and the Society. I have been actively involved in this Society since 2012. I’ve participated in each general meeting with different responsibilities, including serving on the scientific program committee and chairing different parallel sessions. In 2015, I had the privilege of serving as co-chair for the IGCS Regional Meeting in Santiago de Chile. Since 2018, I co-led the development of a global curriculum on palliative care in gynecologic oncology, focusing on low- and middle-resource countries.  In conjunction with Dr. Michael Pearl, Dr. Ritu Salani, and Dr. Ane Gerda Zahl, and a superb international committee, and with the administrative guidance of Mandy Hansen and Mary Eiken, we successfully developed the curriculum within our deadline. It was presented to the membership at the meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 2019 and released to the membership in 2021.

Nationally, regionally, and locally, I have served, and continue to serve, on numerous and varied committees and in multiple leadership roles. This service has given me substantial experience.

If elected, I will most likely be the only member within the Council with formal training in palliative care and gynecologic oncology, giving the Council the opportunity to encompass the spectrum of gynecologic oncology from prevention to palliation. I will focus on developing new strategies for prevention and reinforcing best therapies for each malignancy, with particular interest in cervical cancer (the most common malignancy in this region). I will introduce a holistic dimension of the patient, putting patients first, assessing and investigating the importance of patient-reported outcomes in the Caribbean and the Americas, leveraging my training in symptom control and palliative care. Moreover, based on the IGCS palliative care global curriculum, I will develop a palliative care unit rotation for IGCS members of this region. I have trained extensively in gynecologic oncology in Chile and Canada, and completed fellowship training at BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto. After completion of fellowship training, I have been working as a Gynecologic Oncologist and Palliative Care Specialist in Chile since 2011. My organizational strengths can be gauged through the different roles I have had within IGCS, the communication and connections I have with colleagues locally, nationally, and internationally. As I said previously, my personal interest and training in palliative care represent a strength for becoming an IGCS Council Member, considering palliative care’s central importance in the treatment of cancer patients, irrespective of the origin of the primary tumor. Also, I understand the idea of this position is to share this responsibility between all countries of the region. From this perspective, if elected, this would be the first time that a Chilean would be a part of the IGCS Council whereas members from Argentina, Brazil and Colombia have already held a position in the Council.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active IGCS Member since 2006
• IGCS travel grant recipient to visit Mayo Clinic in Arizona (2009)
• Helped establish IGCS Strategic Alliance Partnership with Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology (BSSO)
• Abstract Reviewer for the IGCS Annual Global Meeting (2014-present)
• Peer Reviewer for International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (2016-present)
• Scientific Program Committee Member, IGCS 2018 Biennial Meeting in Kyoto
• Scientific Program Committee Co-chair, IGCS 2022 Annual Global Meeting in New York

Personal Statement:

My career has been devoted to improving women's health. I am a Brazilian surgical oncologist, co-chair of the 2022 IGCS Annual Meeting. Connecting outstanding minds to offer a cutting-edge scientific program has been a very challenging life experience.

At Barretos Cancer Hospital, São Paulo/Brazil, I co-created the women's health facility where I had the opportunity to establish the local multidisciplinary team (MDT) protocols, obtain a Ph.D. in screening, and start a well-established fellowship program. In 2009, I was awarded an IGCS grant at Mayo Clinic that changed the course of Barretos' MIS surgery. We participated in international minimally invasive surgery (MIS) trials, and scientific partnerships with MDACC and Charité University inspired all local members to offer the best options to all our public health patients.

I led the activities at the laboratory during the establishment of the center and I have been co-directing gynecologic courses at IRCAD Latin America Barretos, a center of excellence in teaching and research. Over the course of 10 years, we have trained more than 2,500 surgeons and gathered world-renowned experts to advance surgical skills in Latin America (LATAM) and to support new talent.

This movement spread and led to participation in practice-changing clinical trials and, most importantly, improved patient care all over LATAM.

The IGCS is the most comprehensive and supportive global association in the fight against women's cancer. I envision IGCS as a modern source of reliable scientific information, a common place where all professionals have the opportunity to meet and share experiences, an innovative tool to support mentorship and leadership, and the best networking group in our field.

In support of this vision and in accordance with the IGCS principles, I pledge my support the following actions:

• Prevention: with the dissemination and acquisition of new technologies in prevention and screening; to promote prevention initiatives in the scientific programs and protocols.
• Treatment: providing mentorship and guidelines to cancer centers depending on each site resources (UICC and WHO, with access considerations); supporting IGCS training opportunities for MDT members; improving access and training in MIS; promoting electronic tools to facilitate staging, identification of ongoing studies, and patient education.
• Study: to increase LATAM' representation at IGCS and partners meetings; develop and disseminate an update webinar (in a partnership with LATAM societies, launching in May/22); supporting new projects targeting LATAM delegates; assisting paper writing and publishing; overcome language barriers through translation of meetings and websites.
• Improving the quality of life for patients: I will support meetings and campaigns for survivors; I propose the creation of a palliative care special interest group focused on underserved areas.

I am committed to promoting gynecologic oncology in its entirety, and encouraging LATAM members of our community to become leaders in our field, reducing disparities.

The IGCS has come so far. And together we have much more to do!

I appreciate your confidence and I hope that you will trust me to serve the IGCS as a Council Member - gynecologic oncologist representing Central/South America.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member

Personal statement:

It is a great honour and privilege to have been nominated for the Council Member position for Europe.

Throughout my life I have been passionate to improve international oncology and overall healthcare in high- and low-income countries. Spending several years in Papua New Guinea as a tropical doctor and in Tanzania as gynaecologist, I have learnt that low-income countries still have an immense variety of unmet needs. In my position as gynaecologist in Tanzania, I trained local doctors, conducted research and was responsible for a reproductive health program including cervical cancer screening and treatment. Working in these countries have taught me that we should put maximal effort in irradiation of cervical cancer in both low- and high resource settings.

My work in high-income countries, particularly in the state-of-the-art-oncology centre in Europe, has shown me that even though we have several measures that could prevent gynaecologic cancers, they are not always actively pursued. I have therefore established a taskforce called ‘’The Netherlands HPV cancer-free’’, which aims to significantly reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer and turn it into a rare disease by 2035. I have also been a member of Working Party on International Safe Motherhood & Reproductive Health and board member for Global Oncology since 2016.

In the past years I have been an active member at IGCS through several workshops. I am specifically devoted to conducting research on patients’ quality of life and new surgical techniques for gynaecologic cancer (PlasmaJet), and the treatment and prevention of cervical cancer through vaccination and imiquimod. It is my overall belief that care and research need to go hand in hand to reach both optimal care and sound clinical research results.

As a leader I focus on bringing different stakeholders together and understanding the true and most important needs of patients. In Tanzania, I set up a programme that included brainstorm sessions with patients and healthy women to identify the most important needs and prioritising them.

When working in teams, my leadership style is aimed at coaching and mentoring younger researchers and clinicians. In several research studies I have supported and fostered the research of young researchers, for example through clinical mentorship and guidance in their research on cervical and uterine cancers.

Following my experiences throughout the years, I have written a textbook on gynaecology and specifically gynaecological cancers in low-resource settings. This book is meant as a guideline for gynaecologic oncological treatments in low-income countries.

As IGCS Council Member, I specifically would like to focus on IGCS’s goal to improve gynaecological oncology research internationally and to irradicate cervical cancer worldwide. The combination of my experience in training doctors, extensive research and leadership in both low- and high-income countries provide me with a unique angle that will help me in my drive to support IGCS in improving care for women with gynaecologic cancer across the globe through education, training, research and public awareness.

If selected as Council Member, I will be honoured to join the fight against cervical cancer worldwide and improve oncological care globally to create a world in which all women across the world have access to high-quality oncology services.

Specialty: Gynecologic Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member

Personal Statement:

My application for the council membership is based on my personal desire to contribute with all my passion and professional expertise to the IGCS community. My main clinical and scientific focus is gynecological oncology, especially radical surgical treatment in advanced ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer as well as total mesometrial resection (TMMR) in early cervical cancer and robotic surgery. Furthermore, I have expertise in systemic treatment, especially targeted therapies, within clinical Phase I to IV trials.

The motivation of my translational research is the identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers by liquid biopsy approaches on different experimental levels, such as the characterization of circulating tumor cells, cell-free tumor DNA and exosome-associated smallRNAs. With the help of my inter-disciplinary team, I have developed bioinformatic pipelines allowing integrated analysis of liquid biopsy parameters. I have proposed a variety of novel biomarkers for e.g. prediction of platinum-resistance or prediction of resistance to bevacizumab. Since my goal is not only predicting but also treating resistant disease, I have established a comprehensive model system for PARPi-resistant ovarian cancer, which serves as a basis for functional genomic approaches with state-of-the-art technology, such as CRISPR-Cas9 screening, in order to define innovative pharmacological strategies for PARPi-resistant ovarian cancer. I built a comprehensive network of international collaboration partners, with whom I initiated a broad spectrum of translational projects, e.g. in the context of stem-cells or immunotherapy.

From 2015 to 2019 I was member of the ESGO council and was involved in the implementation of ESGO exams, I was part of the working group for actualization of the European guidelines for endometrial and cervical cancer and for quality indicators for cervical cancer surgery. I was member of the Educational Committee and the Guidelines Committee within the ESGO council.  I learned a lot about the structure and spirit of a gynecological cancer society by laws and goals and economical demands of a huge international society.

Besides, I am member of different national and international societies, including the IGCS, ESGO, ASCO, SERGS, EUSOMA, DKG, DGGG, AGO, NOGGO, Organkommission OVAR of the AGO-OVAR, Commission for Translational Research of the AGO (TRAFO), and I am vice-chairman of the NOGGO. In addition, I am the representative of the NOGGO for phase I/II trials within the ENGOT.

Due to my experience in the ESGO council and work within ENGOT, it would be a great pleasure for me to be a part of the council of IGCS as a representative for Europe. My expertise may help to optimize education including e-learning and it would be a tremendous honor for me to support the IGCS council in the coordination of worldwide guidelines on gynecological malignancies. I believe that my clinical and scientific work experiences make me a highly competitive candidate for this position so that I would be happy to provide my personal support for education and professional training in gynecologic oncology worldwide. I wish to contribute to the progress and strength of the Society worldwide and hopefully to give new ideas for future strategies of the IGCS.

Specialty: Medical Oncology

IGCS Activities:

• Active Member
• Scientific Program Committee, 2019 IGCS Annual Global Meeting in Rio De Janeiro
• IGCS Industry Partnership Committee (2018-present)

Personal Statement:

My entire professional life has been devoted to reducing the impact of cancer on patients’ lives and to research and teaching state-of-the-art multimodal approaches. I graduated as a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center but decided to work in the heart of my home country, São Paulo, Brazil. I am a full professor at Santa Casa de São Paulo and raised funding to build 6 new research facilities in Brazilian underserved States.

Leading Brazilian Gynecologic Oncology Group - BGOG/EVA, as the current president, has been the opportunity to offer continuing medical education, support advocacy, and influence National political decisions to reduce disparities.

IGCS has been the most inclusive and supporting international society in our field. I have been actively working with IGCS since 2012 and served as an Annual Meeting co-chair, and leading IGCS cervical and vulvar consensus for developing regions. If elected as the Medical Oncologist Council Member, I envision increasing visibility, awareness, funding, education, as well as the number of members, to spread IGCS footprint globally.

Based on these core values, the following detail my potential contributions for the IGCS future:

• Advocacy: to improve IGCS partnerships with global associations, with my experience of creating "Vencer O Cancer" NGO.
• Collaboration: to increase IGCS collaborations to other medical societies, i.e. from Latin America, Europe, and Asia, which I have been working in research and medical education.
• Diversity & Inclusion: to reduce disparities throughout inclusion and opportunities.
• Education: provide innovative education and continuous learning. Using new tools to educate and to offer independent personal development and assessment.
• Research: to extend IGCS scientific leaders' influence, through supporting grants, and young scientists’ projects, under supporting umbrella mentorship. My experience in collaborating on creating institutional research partnerships came with a recent strong bond created between GOG and EVA/BGOG. I believe I can bring other significant scientific partnerships to IGCS, with established companies and innovative startups.
• Engagement: I will support IGCS members' feedback and new collaborations with the medical oncology community, bringing volunteers to work in our taskforce against gynecologic cancer.
• Patient Care: improve public health on an international level by raising the quality of surgical care; improving clinical oncology protocols; and supporting physicians’ adoption of best practices in health care delivery.

I hope to have the opportunity to serve the IGCS community, committed to doing my best "to unite the globe in the fight against gynecologic cancer”.