Medical Advisors

Dr. Robert Seeger

The late Robert Seeger, M.D., Ph.D., was Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine, Director of Cancer Research Program of the Saban Research Institute, and Division Head for Basic and Translational Research of the Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Seeger is considered one of the leaders in the fight against neuroblastoma. He has been involved in every major advancement in treating neuroblastoma. Dr. Seeger’s current therapeutic research deals with immunotherapy strategies that seek to maximize natural killer (NK) cell activity with tumor cell targeting antibodies and with agents that modify the tumor microenvironment milieu to minimize NK suppressive effects of monocytes/macrophages producing IL-6 and TGFβ1

Dr. Seeger helped establish End Kids Cancer. He dedicated himself to reducing and eliminating​ the suffering caused by childhood cancer. His compassion and kindness were constantly present in his interactions with others, manifesting in his unwavering commitment to helping young patients and their families. It has been a true privilege and honor to know Dr. Seeger. He gave all he had to this noble cause, and his impact on countless lives stands as his lasting legacy. He is severely missed..

Dr. Malcolm K. Brenner

Malcolm K. Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., is the director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and The Methodist Hospital. He is also director of the Shell Center for Gene Therapy at BCM and a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Section of Hematology-Oncology.

Before coming to Baylor, he was one of the pioneers in the field of gene therapy at St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Center in Memphis. Dr. Brenner is a co-editor of the journal Molecular Therapy, a member of the American Society of Gene Therapy and a principal investigator or co-investigator on five NIH grants. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 professional articles in his field. He was the first to cure a child with
neuroblastoma using T cells.


 

Dr. Paul Sondel

Paul Sondel, M.D., Ph.D., is the Reed and Carolee Walker Professor in Pediatric Oncology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Sondel has been a leader in scientific policy through multiple national committee roles, including the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), and the National Cancer Institute, where he was a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors, and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, where he was the Chair of their Scientific Advisory Committee and is now chair of their cancer center’s external advisory board. Due to his extensive background in genetics and tumor immunology, Dr. Sondel led his team to dramatically change the treatment for neuroblastoma, and, in turn, the survival rate for children with this high-risk disease.

Dr. Philip Landrigan

Dr. Philip Landrigan, is a pediatrician and epidemiologist at Boston College. Dr. Landrigan is considered the leading expert in understanding the connections between toxic chemicals and human health, especially the health of infants and children.  His landmark research in the ’70s prompted the EPA removing lead in gasoline and household paint. In the 1990’s at the National Academy of Sciences, he also defined children’s unique susceptibilities to pesticides and other toxic chemicals and catalyzed fundamental revamping of US pesticide policy. He served for 15 years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). His leadership of a National Academy of Sciences Committee on pesticides in children’s diets secured passage of the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996, a major U.S. federal pesticide law and the first environmental statute to contain specific protections for infants and children. 

Dr. Shakeel Modak

Dr. Shakeel Modak, M.D., Ph.D., joins us from the Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Dr. Modak is a pediatric oncologist who specializes in the treatment of children and young adults with neuroblastoma.

Dr. Modak along with his colleague Dr. Brian Kushner just recently reported the results of their groundbreaking clinical trial in which a vaccine was utilized. They reported an 80% reduction in relapse rates (or increased survival from a 30% survival rate to a 54% survival rate) for children fighting neuroblastoma. This number has been holding - six years out. Not only was the increased efficacy huge, but just as important, they used a vaccine a non-invasive, non-toxic treatments with no short term and long term life-threatening side effects. 

Dr. FERNANDO STEIN

Dr. Stein, is the former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a founding member of the Section of Critical Care, the Council of Sections Management Committee and the Committee on Membership of the AAP. As a member of the technical advisors of the Pan American Health Organization for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), he has been extremely active in advocacy for children in impoverished environments at the global level. He is a leader in the area of chronically-ill children as survivors of intensive care. More than 1300 residents have rotated through the unit he has directed for the past 35 years. Residents under Dr. Stein's Progressive Care Unitlearn the intricacies of caring for children with technological dependency and the complexities of chronic care, re-imbursement and social and educational re-incorporation of this ever-increasing group of patients.

Dr.RENE’BRAVO,M.D.,F.A.A.P.

Dr. René Bravo is a pediatrician, having lived and practiced pediatrics here on the Central Coast of California since 1986. A graduate of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Dr. Bravo did his internship and residency at Stanford University Medical Center. A longtime advocate for children and families, Dr. Bravo is currently in private practice in San Luis Obispo. Active in many community endeavors, he has served as the Chief of Pediatrics at Sierra Vista and French Hospitals. He was the past Chief of Staff at SLO General Hospital.

DR. CHRYSTAL LOUIS

Dr. Chrystal Louis is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who is passionate about bringing novel therapeutics to patients with serious conditions. With more than two decades of experience across academia and industry, Dr Louis is currently the Chief Medical Officer at TScan Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of T cell receptor engineered cellular therapies for the treatment of patients with cancer.

Prior to joining TScan, she was Senior Vice President of Hematology Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Zentalis Pharmaceuticals.Dr. Louis held roles of increasing responsibility within medical affairs at CRISPR Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS), and Celgene Corporation (acquired by BMS), as well as clinical development and project leadership at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals.

Throughout the course of her career, she has been responsible for the design and oversight of clinical programs, medical strategy, and pre-commercialization and launch activities of novel therapeutic agents that have spanned small molecules to cell and gene therapeutics. Prior to joining industry, Dr. Louis was an Assistant Professor at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Baylor College of Medicine, where she worked on the early development of CAR-T cell therapy products for solid tumor malignancies. She completed her pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and her general pediatrics residency at the University of California at Davis. Dr. Louis received her M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine, her Masters Degree in Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, in addition to her B.A. in Political Science and B.S. in Chemistry from Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX.

Non-Medical Advisors

SCOTT WALL, ESQ.

Mr. Wall is Chairman of the Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Practice Group and is a member of the Business and Real Estate Transactions Practice Group. He is certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. Before starting his law practice, he was a Certified Public Accountant He received his J.D. degree from the University of California–Hastings College of Law in 1986.

Board

WILLIAM YOAST, HONORARY CHAIRMAN

Mr. Yoast is the honorary chair of the board of directors for the End Kids' Cancer Foundation. A legendary high school football coach with a career spanning more than 40 years, Yoast is best known for being portrayed in the 2000 film Remember the Titans.

GUY RATHBUN, board

Mr. Rathbun is a radio host at KCBX Public Radio, Public Radio     Exchange, Independent producer for Public Radio Exchange, and former Program Manager for KCBX Public Radio, 1986-2011. Guy began his career in broadcasting as a field reporter in 1975. From 1983 to 1991 and again between 1999 and 2011, he taught Broadcasting, Audio Production and Broadcast Writing at Cuesta College