Speaker Profile
M.D., Ph.D., Co-Director, Magee Womens Cancer Program, UPMC
Biography
Dr. Marija Balic is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where she specializes in hematology and oncology. She holds key leadership roles as the Co-Director of the Magee Womens Cancer Program and the Clinical Co-Leader of the Womens Cancer Research Center (WCRC). In these capacities, Dr. Balic focuses on the treatment and research of womens cancers, with a particular emphasis on breast and gynecologic cancers.Additionally, Dr. Balic serves as the Scientific Director of the NSABP Foundation Translational Research Program, where she is involved in the oversight of research initiatives aimed at translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications. Her academic training is complemented by an MBA, which enhances her ability to integrate clinical practice with healthcare management. Dr. Balics work is central to advancing personalized medicine and improving outcomes for patients with womens cancers.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2025 Silicon Valley
Track Chair: Adrian Lee, UPMC
- PMWC Award Ceremony
Pioneer Honoree: Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins
Luminary Honoree: Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich
- Keynote: Early Detection of Cancer using Cell-free DNA Fragmentomes
- Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins - Keynote: The Power of a Blood Sample: Predictive Diagnostics and Transforming Healthcare
- Matthew Rabinowitz, Natera - Improving Sensitivity of MRD and MCED - Tumor-agnostic vs. Tumor-informed ctDNA Approaches
Chair: Adrian Lee, University of Pittsburgh
- Marija Balic, UPMC
- Ola Carl Landgren, University of Miami
- Carl Barrett, Precede Biosciences
- Jonathan Beer, BMS
- Innovative Approaches in Liquid Biopsy
Chair: Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins
- Adam Widman, MSKCC
- Brian Hashemi, Novigenix
- Sequencing Accuracy in Early Detection and MRD (PANEL)
Chair: Alex Sockell, PacBio
- James Hadfield, AstraZeneca
- Keynote: Keynote: Circulating Tumor Cells
- Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich - Circulating Tumor Cells: The New Frontier
Chair: Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich
- Min Yu, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Matteo Ligorio, UTSW - Precision Liquid Biopsies: Innovations Across the Cancer Continuum – From Early Detection to Long-Term Monitoring
Chair: Tom Beer, Exact Sciences
- Elizabeth (Betsy) O’Donnell, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Arnaud Papin, Merck
- PMWC Showcase
- Wendy Winckler, Droplet Biosciences - Multi-Cancer Early Detection: Innovations and Real-World Evidence (PANEL)
Chair: Peter Bach, Delfi Dx
- Joshua Cohen, Haystack
- Lauren Leiman, BLOODPAC
- Eric Klein, Grail Bio
- Tom Beer, Exact Sciences - PMWC Showcase
- Varsha Rao, Claret Bio - PMWC Award Ceremony and Keynote
Luminary Honoree: Matthew Rabinowitz, Natera