Nicola J. Nasser, M.D., Ph.D., DABR, is a board-certified radiation oncologist and faculty member at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. He previously served as Director of Radiation Oncology at Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he advanced the department into a state-of-the-art facility. Dr. Nasser earned his M.D. at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his Ph.D. (summa cum laude) in evolutionary biology and cancer angiogenesis at the University of Haifa and the Technion. He trained in medical oncology at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, completed residency in Radiation Oncology at Rabin Medical Center, and pursued fellowships at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
Dr. Nasser has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications spanning clinical oncology, tumor biology, and translational imaging research and is an inventor on multiple patents. He serves as a peer reviewer for oncology journals and is a member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). His current research focuses on developing algorithms to enhance tumor cell kill by strategically timing chemotherapy and radiation with treatments that drive tumor cells into mitosis, AI-driven imaging, and novel medical devices to improve cancer care.
Loor Nasser is a rising senior at Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy in New York City. She has developed interests in science and medicine through coursework, participation in Science Olympiad, and a research internship at Columbia University. She is also a coinventor on multiple medical innovations. For this project, she contributed to researching the topic and to the preparation of scientific figures. She plans to pursue premedical studies in college with the long-term goal of becoming a physician.
Zahra Shafaee is a surgical oncologist and hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon at Elmhurst Hospital. She earned her medical degree from Mashhad School of Medicine, Iran, and completed her residency in general surgery at Harlem Hospital and her surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Chicago. She carried out a minimally invasive HPB fellowship at Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed papers. She is the Chief of Division of Surgical Oncology and Chair of the Cancer Committee and Tumor Board at Elmhurst Hospital. Her areas of interest include hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeries, endocrine surgeries, and surgeries for gastrointestinal and soft tissue cancers.
Dr. Baoqing Li is a board-certified radiation oncologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology at the Weill Cornell Medical College. After earning his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Miami School of Medicine in 2000, Dr. Li received his M.D. at New York Medical College in 2005. He completed his residency training in radiation oncology at the University of California, Davis Cancer Center, Sacramento, California, where he was also Chief Resident from 2009-2010. In July 2010, Dr. Li joined the Faculty of Radiation Oncology at the Weill Cornell Medical College and was appointed Assistant Professor in August 2011. Dr. Li is a full-time Assistant Attending Physician at New York Presbyterian Queens, where he also serves as the Clinical Director. His clinical specialties are head and neck, lung, breast, GI, and prostate cancers. He has an extensive publication record in both clinical and basic science research in first-tier peer-reviewed journals. He has been actively involved in teaching and mentoring intern physicians, radiation oncology residents, and dental residents. Dr. Li is a member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and has received two prestigious awards from the ASCO Cancer Foundation and the American Radium Society.
