Great Lakes Breast Cancer Research Symposium 2025 Poster Meetup
Dates:
Sunday, August 24 at 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm &
Monday August 25 at 5:20 pm – 6:20pm local Eastern Time
Location: The Assembly Pittsburgh – Click for Map
In-Person Poster Meetup Guidelines
Instructional Videos
Meet Your Mentors & Scientists
Mentor: Christine Hodgdon, M.S.
Christine Hodgdon, a former conservation biologist, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in 2015. She co-founded GRASP in 2019 in honor of a dear friend who passed from MBC. To address the unmet needs of patients living with brain metastases, she created the BCBM Initiative: Marina Kaplan Project and co-developed MBCBrainMets.org. Christine serves as the Johns Hopkins patient advocate representative for the TBCRC and co-leads the Hopkins INSPIRE Research Advocacy Program.
Twitter:Â @christeeny513; Bluesky:Â @christeeny513
Mentor: Julia Maués
Julia Maués was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 while pregnant. After giving birth to a healthy baby boy, she learned the cancer had spread to her brain, liver, and bones. Following many setbacks, her disease eventually responded to treatment. Cancer is part of Julia’s life but doesn’t define her. She works to make cancer research inclusive and innovative, ensuring progress is driven by the needs of those living with the disease.
Twitter:Â @itsnot_pink; Bluesky:Â @itsnot_pink
Scientist: Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D.
Dr. Oesterreich’s research centers on endocrine resistance and metastatic breast cancer, focusing on mutations and epigenetic changes that undermine hormonal therapies. Her lab has a special focus on invasive lobular cancer, an understudied subtype affecting up to 39,000 U.S. patients annually. In recognition of her groundbreaking work redefining this disease subtype, she received the 2024 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research. She works in multidisciplinary teams to translate discoveries using molecular models and clinical samples.
Twitter:Â @oesterreichs
Scientist:Â Dionisia Quiroga, Ph.D.
Dionisia Quiroga is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and medical oncologist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her clinical expertise is in treating all types of breast cancer. Her laboratory and clinical research focuses on breast cancer immunology and immunotherapy as well as how obesity/fat tissue can affect breast cancer outcomes. She is also passionate about racial/ethnic disparities in cancer care and improving diverse representation in clinical research. She has presented her work at several national and international conferences. She has received multiple national grants for her research and serves on an American Society of Clinical Oncology advisory board to improve opportunities for trainees and early-career oncologists. During her free time, she loves to cook new dishes, go for runs, and explore parks with her husband and son.
Twitter:Â @quirogad
Scientist: Abdalla Wedn, Ph.D. Candidate
Abdalla Wedn is a PhD student at the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program (MPGP), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He studies invasive lobular breast carcinoma in the laboratory of Dr. Adrian Lee and Dr. Steffi Oesterreich. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Pharmaceutical sciences and a Master’s degree in Pharmacology from Alexandria University in Egypt. Abdalla has work experience in clinical pharmacy and academic teaching.Scientist: Dr. Michelle M. Williams, Ph.D.
Dr. Williams earned her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University studying therapy resistance in luminal breast cancer and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado on tumor immunology. Now at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, her research examines immune suppression and tumor signaling in breast cancer liver metastasis. She deeply values mentorship and collaboration with clinicians and patient advocates.
