Faculty & Staff - UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Mary Maish, MD, MPH
Surgical Director
UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders
Dr. Mary Maish, a thoracic surgeon with a specific interest in esophageal disorders, is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, a medical degree from Rush Medical College, and a master's in public health from Harvard University.
Dr. Maish received her thoracic surgery training at Baylor College of Medicine/MD Anderson Cancer Center, and completed an esophageal fellowship at the University of Southern California.
Dr. Maish has special clinical and research interest in diseases and disorders of the esophagus, including: esophageal cancer, achalasia, GERD, hiatal hernia, paraesophageal hernia, Zenker's diverticulum, Barrett's esophagsus and motility disorders of the esopahgus.
Current Projects:
The occurence of Esophageal cancer is rapidly rising in the United States. The UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders is dedicated to finding new treatments and approaches to curing esophageal cancer. To this end, investigations involving protein analysis or molecular testing are conducted on both normal and diseased tissue in an attempt to understand the biology of esophageal cancer better. In addition, general information regarding health and medical therapy is tracked in a confidential database. Using these samples and information, investigators hopes to establish new diagnostic tests for esophageal cancer and for predicting how the cancer will grow or spread. This may lead to recommendations for the best treatment options for individual patients in the future.
The esophageal laboratory is also investigating how to stimulate the immune system to attack the cancer by using dendritic cells (special immune cells) and genetic immunotherapy. It is possible to grow dendritic cells in the laboratory and to load them with signals to direct the immune response against the cancer. The dendritic cells are then programmed to attack the cancer.
Dr. Maish's lab is also in the process of growing new, healthy esophageal tissue to use as a replacement when the esophagus needs to be removed. Currently, the stomach or a piece of the intestine is used to re-create the esophagus. Initial efforts involve taking normal esopahgeal cells and combining them with growth factors in order to stimulate them to reproduce in the lab. Initial results have been promising and investigators are now seeking seed grants to do further work in this area.
Bennett Roth, MD
Medical Director
UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders
Dr. Bennett Roth, a medical specialist in gastroenterology, is a clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his medical degree at Hahnemann Medical University, post-graduate training in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a gastroenterology fellowship at UCLA.
He is currently chief of clinical affairs in the Division of Digestive Diseases, director of the UCLA Digestive Disease Center, and medical director of UCLA's Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center.
CLINICAL COORDINATOR
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Becky Allegretto, RN, MBA
Clinical Coordinator |
Becky Allegretto, RN, BSN, MBA
Clinical Coordinator
UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders
Becky is the clinical coordinator for the UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders. She has developed a comprehensive program for patients undergoing esophageal surgery. She co-authored the P.E.A.C.E. Program with Dr. Maish, which is a comprehensive pre-operative education program which includes an educational video. She is involved in clinical & psychosocial care, support groups, education, coordination of treatment/surgery and close follow up with all patients who come through the center. She is currently in her second year of the acute care nurse practitioner master's program at UCLA.
PROGRAM PHYSICIANS
| Digestive Diseases/Gasroenterology: |
| Derezin, Marvin, MD |
| Farrell, James , MD |
| Getzug, Terri, MD |
| Gitnick, Gary, MD |
| Madani, Navid, MD |
| Weinstein, Wilfred, MD |
| Oncology: |
| Hecht, Joel, MD |
| Wainberg, Zev, MD |
| Pathology: |
| Cortina, Galen, MD |
| Dawson, David, MD, PhD |
| Dry, Sarah, MD |
| Radiation Oncology: |
| Lee, Steve,MD |
| Radiology: |
| Kadell, Barbara, MD |
| Selch, Michael, MD |
| Surgery: |
| Cameron, Robert, MD |
| Chhetri, Dinesh, MD |
| Hines, Joe, MD |
