Speakers
Kaylin Carey is a PhD candidate at Morehouse School of Medicine specializing in cancer biology, with a focus on high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Her research integrates real-world data with RNA sequencing analysis to characterize mRNA subtypes that significantly impact clinical outcomes. Kaylin has co-authored publications in prestigious journals such as Nature Biotechnology, Nature Scientific Reports, and BMC Medical Genomics.
In addition to her scientific pursuits, she is also a passionate advocate for translational science and policy, focusing on reducing health disparities in the Black community and restoring health justice. Kaylin performed a preliminary landscape analysis at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, assessing R2 HBCU capacity and showcasing their capabilities in cancer research to enhance the understanding of how to improve engagement and authentic partnerships with these institutions. Kaylin’s work has contributed to significant dialogues with leaders in STEM diversity at events such as the UNCF UNITE Conference.
Kaylin is committed to leveraging novel technologies to redefine disease management and democratize scientific access and sustainability, with a vision to pioneer revolutionary medical device technology that transforms global health outcomes.
Dr. Hernandez-Boussard is an Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics), Biomedical Data Sciences, Surgery and Epidemiology & Population Health (by courtesy) at Stanford University. With a rich background and vast expertise in biomedical informatics, health services research, and epidemiology, she is at the forefront of advancing healthcare through the development, evaluation and application of innovative methods. Through her research, she aims to effectively monitor, measure, and predict equitable healthcare outcomes. By leveraging real-world data, her team works diligently to construct a solid body of evidence that can significantly enhance patient outcomes, streamline healthcare delivery, and provide valuable guidance for health policy decisions.
In addition, Dr. Hernandez-Boussard focuses intensively on mitigating bias and enhancing equity within artificial intelligence applications in healthcare settings. Through her research and evaluation of AI technology, she seeks to advance healthcare practices while ensuring that diverse populations receive equitable resources, care, and outcomes.
Kristin Higgins, M.D., is chief clinical officer for City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta, where she oversees clinical care and hospital operations. Dr. Higgins — who was inspired to pursue medicine by her mother’s career as a nurse — also holds the position of professor of radiation oncology, with a particular focus on lung cancer.
Prior to joining City of Hope, Dr. Higgins spent 15 years at Emory University, where she built an international reputation as a lung cancer expert, developing numerous clinical trials focused on combination radiotherapy treatments for patients with non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. Her many research leadership positions include serving as principal investigator of NRG/Alliance LU005, an international, phase 3 clinical trial investigating the use of immunotherapy alongside standard chemoradiation for lung cancer patients.
After earning her medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Dr. Higgins completed an internship in internal medicine and a residency in radiation oncology, both at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, which named her chief resident. She then moved to Atlanta, where she spent 15 years at Emory University, earning an international reputation for her expertise in lung cancer.
Dr. Higgins is a member of multiple boards and committees in the lung cancer advocacy community, including the National Lung Cancer Roundtable Survivorship Task Group and the NRG Oncology Lung Cancer Core Committee, and the board of directors for NRG Oncology and RTOG Foundation. She has also co-chaired the World Conference on Lung Cancer and is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. Her work has been recognized by numerous awards, including the ASCO Bradley Stuart Beller Foundation Merit Award, the Radiological Society of America’s Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award and Emory’s Clinic Gold Provider.