A physician-scientist and a medical oncologist by training, Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., devotes his clinical expertise and practice to the care of patients and families diagnosed with hereditary cancer syndromes of the gastrointestinal tract: Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis. People with hereditary cancer syndromes are at extremely high risk of developing cancers; those with Lynch syndrome can develop cancers in several organs.

Dr. Vilar-Sanchez and his research team are contributing to the understanding of colorectal cancer carcinogenesis at the molecular level. Recently they looked at how the anti-inflammatory pain medicine naproxen works compared to aspirin in people with Lynch Syndrome. They found that in addition to reducing inflammation, naproxen had an impact on the immune response in the colon.

Dr. Vilar-Sanchez is leveraging this information to develop novel cancer interception strategies especially for high-risk cancer predisposition to genetic conditions. The Vilar-Sanchez research group contributed to the characterization of the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of colorectal premalignancy by utilizing next-generation sequencing and systems biology tools, which has allowed them to identify new genes cooperating in colorectal carcinogenesis (e.g., CNOT3). The group has also identified novel drug targets for clinical trials implementation, such as naproxen and unique frameshift neoantigens for prophylactic vaccines for Lynch syndrome.

In addition, the Vilar-Sanchez group has participated in the development of ex vivo models to better recapitulate the biology of the uninvolved adjacent mucosa and premalignancy. Dr. Vilar-Sanchez is now developing several cancer prevention and immuno-interception strategies for individuals with high risk of cancer.

Maria was born and raised in Alicante, Spain, where she completed both her M.D. and Ph.D. at Miguel Hernández University. After finishing her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, she became board-certified and served as an attending physician. Eager to deepen her research experience, she was awarded a fellowship grant that brought her to the University of Michigan.

There, she had the privilege of training under Drs. Sofia Merajver and Stephen Gruber. With Dr. Merajver, her work centered on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes, where she studied the role of low-penetrance genes and the prevalence of CHEK2 and PALB2 mutations across populations. Later, during her fellowship with Dr. Gruber, her research shifted toward the molecular biology of colorectal cancer, examining global methylation changes and later focusing on mucinous neoplasms.

In 2012, Maria’s family and she relocated to Houston, Texas, where she joined the Gynecologic Oncology Department at MD Anderson. Since then, Maria’s work has spanned a range of clinical and translational research initiatives, from implementing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols to establishing surgical trials, integrating patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and leading health services and quality improvement projects. These experiences have allowed Maria to bridge clinical care and research with the goal of improving outcomes for women with gynecologic cancers and populations at-risk for these cancers secondary to germline mutations.

Dr. Melissa Frey is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the division of Gynecologic Oncology and the Director of the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine / New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Frey’s clinical care and research focus on the management of individuals with hereditary cancer syndromes (e.g. BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch syndrome) and strong family history of breast and gynecologic cancers. She performs gynecologic cancer risk-reducing surgeries and is the principal investigator on several large trials aimed at cancer prevention among high-risk individuals. Dr. Frey has presented her research at national and international meetings and has more than 130 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 

Dr. Ricciardiello’s main clinical interest is on the prevention of digestive cancers, with a particular focus on colorectal cancer. Working side by side with a multidisciplinary group, including genetic counselors, surgeons, oncologists, Ob Gyn specialists, to cite some, he has dedicated the past 15 years on managing patients affected by hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes, and have acquired significant skills in endoscopy for the management of these complex syndromes. Because of this work, the Bologna University Hospital, had become a national center of reference for the management of such patients.

Dr. Luigi Ricciardiello is the  senior author of the European Guidelines (ESGE) for the Endoscopic Management of patients with polyposis syndromes, and has taken part to those dedicated to patients affected by Lynch Syndrome. Furthermore, for 14 years he has also coordinated the colon cancer screening program at the Bologna University Hospital.

His dedication to this patient’s population has given him the opportunity to establish a research program and clinical studies with specific focus on colon cancer prevention.