Tampa Myeloma Roundtable

Dr. Doris Hansen is an Assistant Member in the Moffitt Cancer Center Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy. Dr. Hansen earned her MD from St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada. She completed an Internal Medicine Residency and a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Dr. Hansen completed a Fellowship in Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Hansen’s clinical interests include autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for disease processes such as leukemia and multiple myeloma in addition to Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy (CAR-T) for plasma cell dyscrasias. Dr. Hansen’s research interests include identification of strategies for longer survival, relapse prevention based on minimal residual disease (MRD) and development of a multiple myeloma CAR-T database to advance research efforts for the prevention and cure of cancer.

Dr. Grajales-Cruz received his MD from Universidad Central del Caribe in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Veterans Administration Caribbean Healthcare System, where he also served as Chief Resident. Most recently, he completed a Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida. Dr. Grajales-Cruz’s clinical and research interests include plasma cell dyscrasias, such as multiple myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, plasmacytoma, primary systemic amyloidosis and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

Dr. Castaneda Puglianini is an Associate Member in the Blood & Marrow Transplant & Cellular Immunotherapy (BMT CI) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida. He earned his MD from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, and completed an Internal Medicine residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He completed a Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University/Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center followed by a Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Castaneda Puglianini has previously served as the Director of the CAR T-cell Therapy Program in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Castaneda Puglianini's clinical interests are in the treatment of hematological malignancies with a focus on plasma cell neoplasms using modalities such as autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as well as adoptive cellular and non-cellular immunotherapy. His research areas of interest include prognostic factors associated with progression, the role of minimal residual disease (MRD) and clinical trials investigating novel cellular immunotherapeutic approaches for multiple myeloma.

David Coffey, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Myeloma at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a computational oncologist focused on precision medicine approaches for multiple myeloma. His research examines how myeloma cells interact with the immune system using advanced single-cell and genomic analyses to understand treatment resistance and identify strategies to strengthen immune-based therapies.

I am a hematologist-oncologist and physician-researcher who specializes in treating plasma cell disorders and has additional expertise in cellular therapies. Plasma cell disorders include a wide range of cancerous and non-cancerous conditions, including but not limited to: Multiple myeloma (the second most common blood cancer) Smoldering myeloma Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) Plasmacytomas Plasma cell leukemia Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia Light chain (AL) amyloidosis, and POEMS syndrome Together with my colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), I offer a variety of treatment options. This includes standard-of-care medications, like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and cellular therapies, and the latest cutting-edge clinical trials available at MSK — one of the world’s oldest and best centers for cancer care. A cancer diagnosis abruptly transforms the lives of both patients and their loved ones. Each patient, their support systems, and environment are unique; my goal is to holistically think about all of these elements and, together with my patients, decide what treatment approach is best, based on their individual needs, wishes, and goals. I value communication and place high importance on patients and their caregivers understanding the disease process, treatment options, benefits, risks, and alternatives.

Myeloma survivor, patient advocate, wife, mom of 6. Believer that patients can help accelerate a cure by weighing in and participating in clinical research. Founder of the HealthTree Foundation.