Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping Professors and Supervisors

Eva Munck af Rosenschöld WiklandView profile

Professor

Karolinska InstitutetSweden

Eva Munck af Rosenschöld Wikland is a Professor affiliated with the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology at Karolinska Institutet, specializing in the Division of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. Her work bridges clinical research and oncology, with a focus on head and neck cancers. Research Interests: Her research spans HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers, tumor immunology, molecular biomarkers, and surgical outcomes. She investigates prognostic factors such as HPV status, p16 expression, immune cell infiltration, and genetic markers in tonsillar and base of tongue cancers. Her work also addresses complications like osteoradionecrosis and reconstructive surgery outcomes. The recent publications (2020–2023) highlight her focus on immune responses in tumor-draining lymph nodes, sentinel node analysis, FGF11 as a prognostic marker in HPV-positive cancers, and the role of brachytherapy and microvascular reconstruction in managing complications. These works reflect interdisciplinary collaboration across immunology, virology, and surgical oncology. Scientific Awards: No specific awards listed in the provided text. Advising and Grants: While no formal list of students or grants is provided, her extensive co-authorship on multicenter studies and clinical trials suggests active mentorship and involvement in funded research projects. She has contributed to prospective randomized trials and large epidemiological studies on HPV and cancer outcomes. Labs and Teams: She collaborates closely with research groups at Karolinska Institutet focused on virology (Dalianis group), tumor immunology, and head and neck oncology. Her work is integral to studies on HPV diagnostics, cancer of unknown primary, and biomarker validation.

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Jörg TraubView profile

Lecturer

Technical University of MunichGermany

Dr. Jörg Traub is a Senior Researcher and Lecturer at the Chair for Computer Aided Medical Procedures & Augmented Reality at Technische Universität München (TUM). He holds academic roles as a Lecturer in courses such as 'Innovation Generation in the Healthcare Domain' and 'Medical Augmented Reality', and serves as a Senior Affiliate Lecturer/Research Scientist. His research focuses on navigation systems, augmented reality in medicine, and hybrid surgical interfaces. Currently, he is also a Project Manager at Bayern Innovativ GmbH and Managing Director of Forum Medtech Pharma eV. Dr. Traub's work bridges academic research and industry innovation. He has supervised numerous theses on topics like electromagnetic tracking error correction, navigated bronchoscopy, and surgical navigation systems. His 2005 diploma thesis on augmented reality navigation tools earned him the Werner von Siemens Excellence Award. He has contributed to projects such as heARt (enhanced cardiac surgery via AR), PORT (robotic cardiovascular surgery navigation), and STENT (endoscopic stent implantation). His teaching spans over a decade, with courses in computer-aided medical procedures, surgical robotics, and medical imaging. He actively organizes academic events, including workshops at MICCAI and ISMAR conferences. His research outputs include pioneering work on freehand SPECT, mobile C-arm systems, and fusion imaging techniques for clinical applications. Dr. Traub collaborates with institutions like the German Heart Center Munich (DHM) and leads teams in labs such as the NARVIS Lab. His contributions span from fundamental research to clinical translation, emphasizing workflow-driven evaluation and user-centric design in surgical technologies.

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Stephanie ChamView profile

Assistant Professor

University of California, San FranciscoUnited States

Dr. Stephanie Cham is an Assistant Professor at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. As an NIH Women’s Reproductive Health Research scholar, her work focuses on reducing disparities in gynecologic cancer care, particularly for frail and elderly patients, through healthcare services research and technology-driven interventions. Education: MD from UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine (2015), Residency at Columbia University (2019), Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (2022) Her research spans perioperative care optimization, frailty assessment in gynecologic oncology, and addressing insurance inequities in cancer treatment. Recent work examines fragmented care, risk prediction tools, and prehabilitation strategies for aging populations. Publications appear in high-impact journals like JAMA Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology. She has received multiple awards for teaching, mentoring, and research, including the Society of Gynecologic Oncology BRIDGES Scholar (2024) and ASCO Young Investigator Award (2022). Her clinical focus includes surgical excellence and training future physicians.

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Rafi SheikhView profile

Associate Professor

Lund UniversitySweden

Rafi Sheikh serves as Associate Professor and Senior Consultant at Lund University's Department of Ophthalmology, with affiliations to the Ophthalmology Imaging Research Group, LTH Photon Science and Technology Profile Area, and LU Light and Materials Profile Area. His research bridges clinical ophthalmology with advanced imaging technologies. Specializing in non-invasive imaging techniques , Sheikh's work focuses on photoacoustic imaging for oxygenation measurements, laser speckle contrast imaging for perfusion mapping, and thermographic analysis in oculoplastic procedures. His fingerprint reveals significant contributions to Perfusion (100%), Photoacoustic Imaging (57%), Blood analysis (51%), and Eyelid Surgery (49%) research domains. Recent publications demonstrate consistent innovation in ophthalmic diagnostics , particularly for uveal melanoma vascular mapping, diabetic retinopathy biomarkers, and prosthetic eye complications. His work integrates engineering solutions with clinical ophthalmology to address unmet diagnostic needs. Sheikh actively supervises doctoral candidates including Hector, S. on hyperspectral imaging for diabetic complications, and participates in six major research projects spanning breast cancer diagnostics, giant cell arteritis detection, and flap monitoring during reconstructive surgery. His laboratory work centers on the Ophthalmology Imaging Research Group where novel optical techniques are translated to clinical applications.

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ÖMER DEMİRView profile

Associate Professor

Karadeniz Technical UniversityTurkey

Assoc. Prof. ÖMER DEMİR serves as a faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Karadeniz Technical University's Faculty of Medicine since 2019. His clinical and academic work focuses on surgical medicine within women's healthcare. His educational background includes undergraduate medical training at Istanbul University (2006-2012), followed by specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Istanbul Medical Faculty (2012-2017). He is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Karadeniz Technical University's Institute of Health Sciences. Dr. Demir's research spans Obstetrics and Gynecology with emphasis on clinical medicine, surgical innovations, and women's health. His work explores gynecologic oncology, minimally invasive techniques, and pregnancy-related complications, contributing to 120 Web of Science publications with significant citation impact (h-index 7 in WoS, 9 in Scopus). His publication trends reveal concentrated expertise in endometrial cancer management, sentinel lymph node mapping, and advanced hysterectomy techniques, demonstrating consistent contributions to surgical gynecology literature. Dr. Demir has supervised 2 thesis students, guiding research in medical sciences through structured academic mentorship.

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Nirupama AnneView profile

Associate Professor

Penn State College of MedicineUnited States

Nirupama Anne, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Penn State College of Medicine. She is a fellowship-trained, board-certified breast surgeon specializing in surgical oncology with expertise in breast cancer management, image-guided biopsies, and complex general surgical oncology procedures. Her clinical focus encompasses Breast Cancer , Inflammatory Breast Cancer , Breast Lymphoma , and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy techniques. She previously served as Medical Director of the Breast Surgery Program at Prisma Health in Columbia, South Carolina, and contributes to national guideline development through the American Society of Clinical Oncology Expert Panel. Analysis of her research output (2005-2011) reveals concentrated expertise in breast oncology and rare metastatic patterns, with significant contributions to understanding pneumatosis intestinalis in transplant patients and diagnostic challenges in breast lymphoma mimicking inflammatory breast cancer. Her work demonstrates strong clinical-translational focus with multiple high-impact publications in surgical oncology journals. Gold Medalist in Academic Achievement, New York University Summa Cum Laude, New York University Syracuse Health Science Center Medical Alumni Foundation Scholarship Award Teaching Scholars Award, National Science Foundation ASCO Guideline Expert Panel for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (2023-present) Society of Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Committee (2024-present) Dr. Anne actively mentors through the American College of Surgeons Women in Surgery Committee mentorship subcommittee and serves as a key contributor to national surgical oncology training standards. Her clinical practice spans the Penn State Health Breast Center in Hershey and the Century Drive Cancer Center in Mechanicsburg, where she provides comprehensive breast disease management including ultrasound and stereotactic guided procedures.

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Giordano LeoneView profile

Professor

Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityItaly

Giordano Leone is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery , Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. He is a Full-time Medical Director and Senior Medical Director at the Otorhinolaryngology Operating Unit, IRCCS Istituto San Raffaele, Milan, with over 5000 ENT surgeries performed. Education: MD from University of Pavia (1995), Specialist in Otolaryngology (University of Turin, 2000), Master’s in Aesthetic Surgery (University of Milan, 2011/2012) His clinical and research focus spans head and neck oncological surgery , reconstructive microsurgery (local/pedicled/revascularized flaps), and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring . He also leads studies on sentinel lymph node biopsy and nutritional support during cancer treatment. Recent publications highlight innovations in indocyanine green fluorescence angiography , autofluorescence for parathyroid preservation , and multimodal imaging protocols . His work bridges surgical technique optimization with patient quality-of-life outcomes. Scientific Awards: Premio Migliore Dissezione (2003) Premio AOOI Francesco Marzetti (2022) Premio per miglior video chirurgico Prix Poster Cancerologie (2022) As a Principal Investigator , he leads studies like NIMED (spinal accessory nerve monitoring) and innovative head/neck reconstructive protocols. He serves on editorial boards for Global Journal of Otolaryngology and Otolaryngology Open Access Journal .

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Anthony B. CostalesView profile

Assistant Professor

Baylor College of MedicineUnited States

Anthony B. Costales, M.D. serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine's Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. His clinical practice focuses on providing comprehensive medical and surgical care for women with gynecologic cancers, with expertise in minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic procedures for uterine and early-stage ovarian cancers. Dr. Costales completed his BS in Cell and Molecular Biology and Chemistry from Missouri State University (2008), followed by his MD from The University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School (2012). He completed his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at UTHealth (2016) and a Gynecologic Oncology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (2019). His research interests center on surgical clinical trials to optimize gynecologic cancer outcomes, with particular emphasis on hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for advanced ovarian cancers and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Analysis of Dr. Costales' publication record reveals a strong concentration on HIPEC applications and minimally invasive surgical approaches for gynecologic malignancies. His work spans ovarian cancer treatment optimization, cervical cancer management innovations, and surgical technique refinement, with recent studies focusing on comparative effectiveness between minimally invasive and open surgical approaches for advanced disease. Dr. Costales has received professional recognition including: 2020 Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars 2021 Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars He actively contributes to significant research initiatives including the MIID-SOC trial investigating minimally invasive interval debulking surgery in ovarian cancer and the MAN-U Trial examining uterine manipulation during minimally invasive surgery for early stage endometrial cancer. His participation in the Robotic Training Network Curriculum demonstrates commitment to advancing surgical techniques through professional development. As part of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Costales collaborates within a multidisciplinary team approach to cancer care, integrating cutting-edge research with clinical practice to advance treatment options for women with gynecologic cancers.

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Kristine WiddersView profile

Assistant Professor

Pennsylvania State UniversityUnited States

Kristine Widders, MD serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery within the College of Medicine at Pennsylvania State University, specializing in General Surgery and Surgical Oncology at the Penn State Cancer Institute. Her research focuses on critical aspects of breast cancer survivorship and diagnostics, including: Mechanisms of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence and surgical management Sociodemographic disparities affecting rehabilitation outcomes Advanced imaging techniques for rare breast tumors like granular cell neoplasms Arm function restoration protocols post-mastectomy Analysis of her publications reveals a concentrated trajectory in breast oncology since 2016, with increasing emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches integrating surgical oncology, radiology, and rehabilitation science. Her 2024 work demonstrates innovative cross-application of prostate cancer imaging technology to breast diagnostics. Dr. Widders actively collaborates with national research teams across institutions, with her 2022 review on work reintegration disparities accumulating significant scholarly attention (40 Mendeley readers). Her laboratory and clinical teams focus on: Longitudinal tracking of breast cancer survivorship metrics Optimizing sentinel lymph node biopsy success rates Developing disparity-sensitive rehabilitation frameworks

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Emily M HinchcliffView profile

Assistant Professor

Northwestern UniversityUnited States

Emily M Hinchcliff, MD, MPH, serves as Assistant Professor in Gynecologic Oncology within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. She maintains active clinical and research roles at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, focusing on translational gynecologic cancer research and patient care. Her educational background includes: BS from Haverford College (2008) MD from Harvard Medical School (2013) Physician Educator Certificate from The University of Texas McGovern Medical School (2018) MPH from The University of Texas School of Public Health (2019) Dr. Hinchcliff's research centers on molecular mechanisms in gynecologic cancers, with emphasis on immunotherapy biomarkers, surgical optimization, and precision treatment approaches. Her work integrates clinical oncology with public health methodologies to address disparities in cancer care delivery and survivorship outcomes. Her 2025 publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory examining molecular-pathological correlations in ovarian cancer (including NTRK fusions and PPP2R1A mutations), intraoperative diagnostic accuracy, and prehabilitation protocols. These studies demonstrate her dual focus on laboratory-based biomarker discovery and pragmatic clinical interventions. She leads three major clinical trials: NRG GY026 (HER2-targeted therapy for endometrial cancer), NRG CC010 (sentinel lymph node mapping to reduce limb dysfunction), and NU MDA24G03 (PP2A targeting in ovarian clear cell carcinoma). These trials address critical gaps in treatment efficacy, surgical morbidity, and molecularly guided therapy. As part of Northwestern's Gynecologic Oncology team, she collaborates with multidisciplinary specialists across pathology, medical oncology, and surgical innovation programs to advance comprehensive cancer care models.

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Birgitte Wittenborg CharabiView profile

Associate Clinical Professor

University of CopenhagenDenmark

Birgitte Wittenborg Charabi serves as a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Her clinical practice and research are centered within Otorhinolaryngology, with specialized focus on head and neck oncology and surgical innovation at the Capital Region of Denmark (Region Hovedstaden). Her research program emphasizes: Head and Neck Oncology, particularly squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for cancer resection Intraoperative imaging techniques including 3D ultrasound and sentinel node mapping Diagnostic performance of novel staging methodologies Long-term functional outcomes and quality of life after cancer treatment Epidemiology and prognostic factors in rare head and neck malignancies Analysis of her 78 research outputs (2023-2025) reveals consistent focus on improving surgical precision and diagnostic accuracy in head and neck cancer management. Her work demonstrates strong translational impact, with publications referenced in clinical guidelines and significant Mendeley readership, reflecting relevance to clinical practice. No scientific awards are documented in the available information. While specific student advisement records are not provided, her extensive collaborations (particularly with the DAHANCA group) indicate active mentorship within multidisciplinary research teams. Her work receives institutional support through the University of Copenhagen and Capital Region of Denmark affiliations. Dr. Charabi operates within the head and neck oncology research ecosystem at Rigshospitalet, collaborating closely with the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group on national studies and contributing to clinical guideline development through evidence-based surgical research.

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Traci FoxView profile

Associate Professor

Thomas Jefferson UniversityUnited States

Traci Fox serves as Associate Professor and Program Director for Diagnostic Medical Sonography at Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Department of Radiology. She maintains clinical certifications through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in abdomen, obstetrics/gynecology, breast, and vascular specialties, and holds ARRT certification in radiography. Her educational background includes: EdD from Drexel University (2014) MS from Thomas Jefferson University (2007) BS from Thomas Jefferson University (1993) Dr. Fox's research centers on innovative ultrasound applications, with primary focus on subharmonic imaging/SHAPE techniques and photoacoustic research for early cancer detection. She investigates sentinel lymph node mapping in pancreatic and breast cancer, developing sonographic protocols for tumor characterization and treatment monitoring. Her work bridges advanced imaging physics with clinical oncology applications. Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent contributions to diagnostic sonography, with recurring themes in vascular abnormalities, cancer imaging, and educational methodologies. Key trends include translational research from animal models to clinical practice, vascular pathology case documentation, and distance education innovations for sonography training programs. Professional recognition includes: Fellow of the Society for Vascular Ultrasound (FSVU) Senior Member status in the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine As Program Director, Dr. Fox oversees curriculum development and student training in diagnostic medical sonography while maintaining active hospital appointments. Her professional society affiliations drive national standards development in ultrasound education and clinical practice, though specific grant details are not provided in source materials. She maintains active roles in seven professional organizations including the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, Society for Vascular Ultrasound, and Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences, contributing to committees focused on vascular imaging standards and educational accreditation.

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