Speakers
Orly Alter is a Utah Science, Technology, and Research (USTAR) associate professor of bioengineering and human genetics at the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute and the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, a scientific advisory board member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) -DOE Cancer Moonshot collaboration on predictive oncology, and the chief scientific officer (CSO) and a co-founder of Prism AI Therapeutics, Inc. Alter received her Ph.D. in applied physics at Stanford University and her B.Sc. magna cum laude in physics at Tel Aviv University. Her Ph.D. thesis, which was published by Wiley, is recognized as crucial to gravitational wave detection and quantum computing.
Inventor of the "eigengene," Alter formulates comparative spectral decompositions, physics-inspired multi-tensor generalizations of the singular value decomposition, to (i) compare and integrate any data types, of any number and dimensions, and (ii) scale with data sizes. Her models (iii) are interpretable in terms of known biology and batch effects and (iv) correctly predict previously unknown mechanisms. Her prospective and retrospective validation of a genome-wide pattern of DNA copy-number alterations in brain tumors proved that the models discover predictors of survival and response to treatment that are (v) the most accurate and precise, (vi) clinically actionable in the general population based upon as few as 50–100 patients, and (vii) are consistent across studies and over time. She discovered this, and patterns in lung, nerve, ovarian, and uterine tumors, in public data. Such alterations were recognized in cancer, yet all other attempts to associate them with outcome failed, establishing that Alter's artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) is uniquely suited to personalized medicine.
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.
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.