Understanding the PROMISE and PCROWD Studies with Dana Farber

Audrey joined the HealthTree Foundation as the Myeloma Community Program Director in 2020. While not knowing much about myeloma at the start, she has since worked hard to educate herself, empathize and learn from others' experiences. She loves this job. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.

As a clinical research coordinator on the PROMISE Study, her primary responsibilities are to oversee the Positive Cohort and lead our Black Community Engagement effort. Her career goal is to work as a physician decreasing the current gaps in our healthcare system that disproportionally affect minority populations. She joined the PROMISE Study in August of 2020 primarily because of the work the study is doing to decrease barriers to accessing care, but also because people of African descent have 2-3 times the risk for Multiple Myeloma and its precursor conditions. She is grateful for the opportunity to improve the patient care experience and connect with their wonderful study participants.

As a Clinical Research Coordinator with the PCROWD and IMPACT studies, her main responsibilities are to manage the day-to-day operations, patient communication, and assist in data management with their lab techs and PHD fellows. Her career goal is to become a physician. She joined the Ghobrial Lab in August of 2020 because of the work the Lab is doing to increase awareness surrounding Multiple Myeloma and the importance of screening. Her family, like so many others, have dealt with the repercussions when diagnoses are discovered too late and our Lab and the studies she works with are trying to screen and treat patients before they become symptomatic. She is so thankful to be a part of this team and work with their study participants!

Marjorie Marto is a Physician Assistant at Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s Center for Prevention of Progression. She graduated from the Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program and soon thereafter, launched a career in oncology. Beginning in bone marrow transplant, Marjorie moved to a community oncology practice for many years before returning to focus again on hematologic malignancies and disorders. She joined Dana Farber’s precursor clinic in Jan 2022 because of the exciting research opportunities to learn how we can intercept these conditions before they progress to malignancy and ultimately, make impactful changes to the current standard of patient care.