Seattle Myeloma Roundtable

Jennifer Ahlstrom

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.

Andrew Cowan, MD

Dr Cowan is an assistant professor at UW and Fred Hutch in the division of medical oncology where he focuses on care and research of patients with multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis. His primary interests lie in helping bring new therapies to patients in the clinic, and helping improve understanding of the global state of multiple myeloma through research collaborations with colleagues abroad.

Rahul Banerjee, MD, FACP

Dr. Banerjee’s clinical interests are in multiple myeloma, AL amyloidosis, and CAR-T therapy. His research interests are in toxicity management, digital health, and the patient experience.

Rebecca Silbermann, MD, MMS

“A cancer diagnosis is often complicated, frightening, and confusing. I try to help my patients understand their disease and their treatment choices so that we can work towards the best possible outcomes together.” Dr. Silbermann is a physician-scientist with expertise in multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders. She has a particular interest in myeloma bone disease and a research program focused on maintaining and improving bone health in myeloma patients. Dr. Silbermann has two children and spends her free time exploring the Portland area with her family.

Kara Cicero, MD

After graduating Cum Laude from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, Dr. Kara Cicero volunteered with AmeriCorps. Faced with the reality of health-related inequities, she was motivated to pursue a career focused on minimizing health disparities. Accordingly, she attended Tulane University School of Medicine and obtained a Master of Public Health in Global Health Systems and Development, in addition to her Medical Degree. There, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and was honored with the Harry and Rose Caplovitz Internal Medicine Award. She also received the Jack Ling Travel Award and Penny Jessop Travel Fund for teaching local healthcare workers in Malawi. Dr. Cicero returned to her home state of New York to complete residency in Internal Medicine at Columbia University, New York Presbyterian, and was inspired to pursue a career in oncology. She remained at Columbia for her clinical fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology, where she was granted multiple awards for her research in global oncology, including the American Association for Cancer Research Cancer Disparities Fellowship, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award, and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Trainee Associate Member Postdoctoral Pilot Award. Following training, Dr. Cicero was drawn to the Pacific Northwest’s active, outdoor culture, and more specifically, University of Washington’s collaborative environment of compassionate faculty. She joined the Myeloma program in the Division of Hematology, where she cares for those with multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and other plasma cell disorders. She continues to be involved in research endeavors focused on health disparities, such as leading an international, multidisciplinary team on a project assessing the prevalence of MGUS in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to deepen the epidemiologic understanding of MGUS and multiple myeloma in an understudied population that is also most likely to be affected.