How Do Expert Contributors Help Patients?
Expert contributors work with mesothelioma patients and researchers daily. Their unique perspectives help patients, caregivers and loved ones better understand mesothelioma, treatment options and how to improve their prognosis.
The medical experts who work with Asbestos.com are well-respected health professionals in their fields. Their work has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals, textbooks and other publications such as U.S. News & World Report, WebMD, the Tampa Bay Times and more.
Medical Experts
These medical experts are at the forefront of mesothelioma treatment and research. Through their affiliations with top cancer treatment centers, these physicians have access to the latest advancements in mesothelioma care.
Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a thoracic surgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, where he heads up the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center. He specializes in minimally invasive robotic surgery and aggressive surgeries for mesothelioma.
Dr. Andrea Wolf is the Director of the New York Mesothelioma Program at Mount Sinai in New York City. She focuses on multidisciplinary treatment, clinical research, community outreach and education.
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva is chief of thoracic surgery and medical director at AdventHealth Cancer Institute in Orlando, Florida, where he has built a mesothelioma specialty program.
Dr. Raja Flores is chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital and a professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. He is a world leader in the treatment of pleural mesothelioma.
Dr. Paul Sugarbaker is chief of the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program and director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Malignancies at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. He is an international expert on surgical oncology.
Dr. Velotta is a leading thoracic surgeon and pleural mesothelioma specialist at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and a Clinical Assistant Surgical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. With more than 15 years of experience, he leads research efforts in minimally invasive lung cancer surgery, pain management post-thoracic surgery and multimodal mesothelioma treatment. He is recognized for advancing image-guided surgical techniques and improving regional access to specialized mesothelioma care.
Surgical oncologist and peritoneal specialist Dr. W. Charles Conway is director of surgical oncology at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center in Santa Barbara, California. He specializes in gastrointestinal cancers and peritoneal surface malignancies, including mesothelioma.
Dr. Rodney Landreneau is a world-renowned thoracic surgeon specializing in pleural mesothelioma.
Dr. Wickii Vigneswaran is a thoracic surgeon at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. He is also a professor at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Vigneswaran is an internationally recognized expert in the surgical management of diseases affecting the lungs, mediastinum and pleura. He is the former director of the Lung and Lung-Heart Transplantation team at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Nestor Villamizar leads the multidisciplinary program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Michele Carbone is a world-renowned authority on genetic mutations and the development of mesothelioma cancer.
Dr. Brian Pettiford leads the pleural mesothelioma program at New Orleans’ Ochsner Cancer Institute.
Radiation oncologist Dr. Charles B. Simone specializes in mesothelioma research and clinical trials.
Dr. Jennifer Suga is an oncologist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vallejo, California, specializing in clinical trials to advance cancer treatment.
Dr. Edmund K. Moon leads the pleural mesothelioma immunotherapy research initiative at Penn Medicine.
Dr. Rupesh Kotecha is a renowned radiation oncologist in leadership roles at Miami Cancer Institute. He is an associate professor at Florida International University’s college of medicine and an adjunct faculty member at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Chuong Hoang
Thoracic Surgeon, Scientist & Contributing Writer
Dr. Chuong Hoang is a thoracic surgeon researching mesothelioma surgical advancements at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Landau is the Medical Director of Virtual Hematology at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he leads programs that expand access to cancer care through telehealth. With more than 18 years of experience in oncology and hematology, he specializes in hematologic and genitourinary cancers, including bladder, prostate and kidney cancers. He has held multiple leadership roles in cancer program development and previously served as section chief of hematology and oncology at Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center, where he founded its telehealth program.
Dr. William Breen is an innovative radiation oncologist in Rochester, Minnesota, at the much-acclaimed Mayo Clinic, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for more than 40 years.
Dr. Estelamari Rodriguez is an oncologist and hematologist specializing in mesothelioma at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Loic Lang-Lazdunski is a world-renowned thoracic surgeon who built his reputation in the United Kingdom as one of Europe’s foremost authorities on pleural mesothelioma surgery. He is a professor and thoracic surgeon at Genolier Clinic in Switzerland.
Sean Fitzgerald, PG, is a research geologist specializing in asbestos environmental studies.
Kristopher Bunting, M.D., is a researcher and medical author who formerly served as a medical director for the U.S. Army and as research fellow at Augusta University. His research has focused on PTSD, memory and learning in behavioral and molecular neuroscience.
Yvonne Waterman, Ph.D., is the founder of the European Asbestos Forum and a specialist in asbestos litigation. Waterman has worked to build a global network of professionals fighting for a future without asbestos exposure and disease.
Peter J. Wild, M.D., is the director of the Dr. Senckenberg Institute for Pathology at the University Hospital Frankfurt in Germany. He is corresponding author of the latest study exploring chemotherapy resistance in pleural mesothelioma.
Dr. Chelsea Alvarado earned her doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. She received a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Temple University in Philadelphia. She currently works as a freelance medical writer and is passionate about making medical science accessible to all.
Dr. Mark Onaitis is a board-certified thoracic surgeon and professor of surgery at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health in California. He has experience in malignant and benign conditions, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and esophageal cancer.
Not only are the medical professionals we work with affiliated with leading mesothelioma treatment centers, such as Moffitt Cancer Center, Ochsner Cancer Center and Orlando Health, many of them are also educators. Among our experts are professors at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania, for example.
Our experts’ professional affiliations also include organizations including The American Society of Clinical Oncology, Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators and The American Thoracic Society. Connections to organizations such as The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer help these professionals stay on the forefront of both national and global mesothelioma advances.
Latest from Our Medical Experts
Survivors and Caregivers
Asbestos.com is fortunate to have these mesothelioma survivors and caregivers share their personal experiences in support of mesothelioma patients and their loved ones. Their stories inspire others to live fuller and healthier lives.
Tamron Little, a participant in the president’s Cancer Moonshot Goals Forum at the White House, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2007 when she was just 21 years of age. Little shares her experiences to support others recently diagnosed with this rare, asbestos-related cancer.
Michael Cole is a seven-year pleural mesothelioma survivor in Fort Worth, Texas. His mesothelioma journey includes a stunning diagnosis at age 46, surgery performed by the late Dr. David Sugarbaker and immunotherapy. Cole hopes to help others by telling his story.
Emily Ward
Cancer Advocate & Long-Time Mesothelioma Survivor
Emily Ward was a registered nurse and pleural mesothelioma survivor. She wrote about her experience battling the disease as well as how her outlook on life changed following her diagnosis.
Lorraine Kember is the author of “Lean on Me,” an inspirational personal account of her husband’s courageous battle with mesothelioma. She is an accomplished public speaker in Australia and is passionate about sharing her journey with cancer.
Kasie Coleman is a wife and mother of two boys. She was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma on July 1, 2010. From that day on, she decided to fight and win her battle with cancer. Today she is the proud owner of Sugarbelle, a neighborhood cupcake bakery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Melanie has a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of the Cumberlands and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Phoenix. She maintains a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA) licensure to serve families in southeastern Kentucky and is pursuing full licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and a Registered Play Therapist (RPT).
Latest from Our Survivors and Caregivers
Health Experts
Our health experts ensure that mesothelioma patients are enriched with knowledge about important issues like mental health and nutrition. Their expertise can improve the minds and bodies of survivors in the midst of their cancer journey.
Dana Nolan
Mental Health Counselor & Contributing Writer
Dana Nolan, MS, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor who leads The Mesothelioma Center’s monthly support group. She specializes in working with people affected by cancer. Dana has experience with inpatient and outpatient counseling, and clinical research in the U.S. and Australia. Dana practices in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Tejal Parekh
Registered and Licensed Dietitian & Contributing Writer
Tejal Parekh is a registered and licensed dietitian in Florida. As a writer for The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com, the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource, she uses her knowledge of nutrition to help mesothelioma cancer patients.
Veterans Contributors
Asbestos.com offers its expertise to members of the military who may have been exposed to asbestos during their time serving our country. Our veterans contributors have unique and specialized experience to better serve veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
Retired Culinary Specialist and Senior Chief Nathan Pinner uses his extensive naval leadership, including service at the White House, to better serve other veterans.
Legal Contributors
Our team of legal contributors provides perspectives on asbestos litigation, asbestos legislation and bans.
Our legal contributors have nationwide expertise, with Juris Doctor degrees and affiliations with leading legal organizations and societies.
Samuel Meirowitz represents plaintiffs across the United States in mesothelioma and asbestos legal cases. He is a partner at the Manhattan-based Meirowitz & Wasserberg law firm.
Daniel Wasserberg represents plaintiffs across the country in mesothelioma and other asbestos cases. He is a partner at the Meirowitz & Wasserberg law firm based in New York City.
Joe Lahav is a lawyer and legal advisor at The Mesothelioma Center, where he also served as a Patient Advocate for seven years. Joe lost his mother to cancer and understands the emotional toll mesothelioma can have on families.
William A. Davis is an attorney specializing in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis in health care disputes, at a firm he founded in Washington, D.C. He also serves as senior counsel at The Peterson Firm.
Karen Marshall has more than 17 years of legal experience and is an attorney with The Peterson Firm. She has been contributing to The Mesothelioma Center since 2011 and writes about asbestos-related legal issues and blogs for Asbestos.com.
Latest from Our Legal Contributors
Interested in Becoming an Expert Contributor?
Asbestos.com welcomes inquiries from qualified medical and health experts who would like to become professional contributors. Your unique perspectives benefit mesothelioma patients and loved ones who are seeking the best, most qualified online information about the mesothelioma community.
