As I mentioned in a prior post (“Fourth Pillar, Here We Come!”, Jan 9), the response to WCIO call for volunteers was astounding.
For the two open Board positions alone, there were 24 nominations from seven countries, including nine full professors, 13 division/section chiefs, and two department chairman. The nominations committee had the unenviable task of winnowing through this global the list of IO luminaries to present a final ballot for lively discussion at the Board of Directors meeting.
There are no honorary positions in WCIO. Board members must have a passion for IO. They must be willing to devote hours each month to supporting our mission to promote IO globally as the fourth pillar of cancer care, attend all board meetings in the US and Europe, and engage our corporate partners. Picking two from the list was tough. Fortunately there are many opportunities to participate in WCIO through committee chairmanships and as Consultants to the Board, with transition to the Board as positions rotate each year.
I am excited to announce our new Board members:
Riad Salem, MD MBA, Professor and Chief of Interventional Radiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, USA, is a pioneer in the clinical discipline of interventional oncology. Riad was among the first to create a dedicated Interventional Oncology Section within the division of interventional radiology, an IO Fellowship and residency track, conferences on IO for Fellows and medical students, and radioembolization training courses for practitioners. His 155 PubMed citations reflect his expertise in radioembolization and in imaging assessment of tumor response. Riad served on the WCIO Program Committee for the past 4 years, chairing the 2012 meeting in Chicago.
Afshin Gangi, MD, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine and Chief of Interventional Radiology at Hôpital Civil in Strasbourg, France. An eminent educator and regular WCIO faculty member, Afshin brings expertise in spine and musculoskeletal interventions to WCIO. As Afshin noted in his application, “WCIO has become a key organization in the development of interventional radiology practice, affording opportunities to exchange ideas, educate ourselves and each other, and advance our own practice. It provides leadership, and a platform for advancement of cancer treatment, across the inter-disciplinary practices that must collaborate on behalf of our patients.”