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Office
3855 Health Sciences Dr
La Jolla, CA 92093Phone+1 800-926-8273Fax+1 212-731-6017
Summary
- During residency, I was drawn to the specialty of hepatobiliary and pancreatic oncology—the treatment of cancers that affect the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas—and liver transplantation, which led me to pursue a fellowship in transplantation. I chose to focus specifically on hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, and today, my interest in hepatobiliary and pancreatic oncology clinical care and research continues to grow.
As director of the Liver Tumor Program, my aim is to establish a multidisciplinary approach to treating people who have liver cancer. Together, we are a team of hepatobiliary surgeons, gastrointestinal medical oncologists, hepatologists, interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, and nurses, who collaborate to provide the highest level of care. We manage cancers that originate in the liver and bile ducts, as well as cancers that spread to the liver.
I also participate in a multidisciplinary pancreatic cancer program. We develop innovative strategies to allow more patients to ultimately undergo surgical resection.
I conduct translational research and clinical research that is primarily focused on liver cancer. I also collaborate with other researchers to identify new areas of biology to target therapeutically and ways to optimize existing therapies. The results of our recent study led to FDA approval for nivolumab, a targeted drug that shrinks liver tumors or slows their growth by activating the immune system.
I am a member of the ACS, ILCA, ASCO, ASTS, AASLD, and AHPBA.
Education & Training
- University of Michigan Health SystemFellowship, Abdominal Transplant Surgery, 2005 - 2007
- University of MichiganResidency, Surgery, 1999 - 2005
- University of Michigan Medical SchoolClass of 1999
- University of Michigan RackhamMasters, 1992 - 1994
- University of Michigan Medical SchoolB.S., Biology, 1987 - 1991
Certifications & Licensure
- CA State Medical License 2024 - 2026
- NY State Medical License 2017 - 2025
- MI State Medical License 1999 - 2018
- American Board of Surgery Surgery
Awards, Honors, & Recognition
- CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 Certification EpicCare Ambulatory EMR, Epic Systems Corporation, 2012-2013
- Translational Research Award Society of University Surgeons, 2010
- Finalist, AAS Joel J. Roslyn Faculty Research Award 2009
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Clinical Trials
- Intraoperative Glucose Control in Liver Transplant Start of enrollment: 2008 Jul 01
- Study of Tocilizumab in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Undergoing Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Start of enrollment: 2017 Jul 01
- Nivolumab Combined With BMS-986253 in HCC Patients Start of enrollment: 2019 Sep 12
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Publications & Presentations
PubMed
- 28 citationsHistotripsy for Non-Invasive Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Tumor in a Subcutaneous Xenograft Murine ModelTejaswi Worlikar, Eli Vlaisavljevich, Tyler Gerhardson, Joan M. Greve, Shanshan Wan
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference. 2018-07-18 - 46 citationsNon-Invasive Ultrasound Liver Ablation Using Histotripsy: Chronic Study in an In Vivo Rodent ModelEli Vlaisavljevich, Joan M. Greve, Xu Cheng, Kimberly Ives, Jiaqi Shi
Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. 2016-08-01 - 17 citationsInhibition of aortic aneurysm development in blotchy mice by beta adrenergic blockade independent of altered lysyl oxidase activityMohammed M. Moursi, Hugh G. Beebe, Louis M. Messina, Theodore H. Welling, James C. Stanley
Journal of Vascular Surgery. 1995-05-01
Journal Articles
- Comprehensive and integrative genomic characterization of hepatocellular carcinomaThe Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network, Cell, 1/1/2017
- Individualized adaptive stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver tumors in patients at high risk for liver damage: A phase 2 clinical trialFeng M, Suresh K, Schipper MJ, Bazzi L, Ben-Josef E, Matuszak MM, Parikh ND, Welling TH, Normolle D, Ten Haken RK, Lawrence TS, JAMA Oncol, 1/1/2017
- Non-invasive liver ablation using histotripsy: preclinical safety study in an in vivo porcine modelVlaisavljevich, E, Gabe O, Lundt M, Teofilovic D, Ives K, Duryea A, Bertolina J, Welling TH, Zhen X, Ultrasound Med Biol, 1/1/2017
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Books/Book Chapters
Abstracts/Posters
- Nivolumab in sorafenib-naive and-experienced patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): survival, hepatic safety, and biomarker assessments in CheckMate 040.Sangro B, Crocenzi TS, Yau T, Melero I, Welling TH, Kudo M, Hsu C, Trojan J, Kim T, Choo S, Meyer T, Kang Y, Yeo W, Chopra A, Baakili A, dela Cruz C, Lang L, Neely J, ..., American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Annual Meeting, Presidential Plenary: Clinical Session, 1/23/2017
- Nivolumab in sorafenib-experienced patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with or without chronic viral hepatitis: Checkmate 040 study.Sangro B, Yau T, Hsu C, Kudo M, Crocenzi TS, Choo S, Meyer T, Welling TH, Yeo W, Chopra A, Baakili A, dela Cruz C, Lang L, Neely J, Melero I, El-Khoueiry AB, and Trojan J, The International Liver Congress (EASL), Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1/21/2017
- Nivolumab dose escalation and expansion in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: the checkmate 040 study.Melero I, Sangro B, Yau T, Hsu C, Kudo M, Crocenzi TS, Kim T, Choo S, Trojan J, Meyer T, Welling TH, Yeo W, Chopra A, Anderson J, Delacruz C, Lang L, Neely J, Tang H, ..., American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, San Francisco, CA, 1/19/2017
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Lectures
- A phase II, randomized, controlled trial of nivolumab in combination with BMS-986253 or cabiralizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium - San Francisco, CA - 1/24/2020
- "Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma"Princeton Pike, NJ - 1/12/2017
- "Tumor Associated Macrophages and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression"University of Michigan - 1/21/2016
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Press Mentions
- New Program Targets Cancers Affecting the Liver and Bile DuctsNovember 7th, 2017
Grant Support
- Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells in Liver CancerDepartment of Defense2017–2020
Professional Memberships
- Member
- Member
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