Introducing our Speakers for #BCT2027
The Annual Scientific Meeting brings together Breast Cancer Trials (BCT) members, breast cancer researchers, and those involved in the conduct of clinical trials, to learn more about recent advances in breast cancer research worldwide, and the developments in BCT-conducted clinical trials.
Ines Vaz-Luis
Medical Oncologist
Ines Vaz-Luis
Medical Oncologist
Dr Ines Vaz-Luis (MD, PhD) is a medical oncologist and researcher at Gustave Roussy, one of Europeâs leading cancer centers, where she specialises in cancer survivorship. Her career has been dedicated to bridging cutting-edge oncology with patient-centered research, with a particular focus on long-term outcomes, quality of life, and the integration of digital health into survivorship care.
Dr Vaz-Luis obtained her medical degree in Lisbon, Portugal, before moving to the United States for advanced training. She joined the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston, where she was faculty and deepened her expertise in breast oncology and survivorship. During her time at DFCI, she also pursued academic training, completing a masterâs in clinical research at Harvard and subsequently obtaining her PhD. This transatlantic background gave her a unique perspective on cancer care, combining rigorous clinical research methodology with a strong focus on patient-centered outcomes.
She is a principal investigator of CANTO, a landmark cohort study in France that follows tens of thousands of cancer survivors to understand the long-term effects of cancer and its treatments. Through CANTO, Dr Vaz-Luis and her team have generated crucial insights into toxicities, late effects, and survivorship outcomes, helping to shape both clinical guidelines and supportive care strategies.
Beyond cohort-based research, she has developed and led clinical and implementation studies aimed at transforming survivorship care. She is the principal investigator of PATH-FOR-YOUNG, a pioneering program that addresses the specific needs of young women with breast cancer, from treatment decisions to long-term quality of life. Her vision extends beyond cancer-centered decisions to include fertility preservation, psychological well-being, and the management of physical and social side effects, ensuring that survivorship care is holistic and patient-centered.
At the forefront of her research is the development and deployment of digital health solutions. Dr Vaz-Luis leads the WeSHARE platform, a digital health infrastructure designed to support research. In addition, she was involved in the creation of the startup âResilience of Patient Remote Monitoring and Digital Therapeuticsâ. By harnessing digital tools, she aims to improve accessibility, coordination, and efficiency in survivorship programs while empowering patients to play an active role in their care.
Her work has been widely published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences, contributing to the development of survivorship guidelines and policy frameworks. She is an active member of European and international consortia focused on survivorship, young womenâs oncology, and digital health innovation.
She is also actively involved in the Breast Cancer Trials OPT-PEMBRO clinical trial, which is currently being activated in Australia.
Hope Rugo
Medical Oncologist
Hope Rugo
Medical Oncologist
Professor Hope Rugo, M.D., is division chief of breast medical oncology and a professor of medical oncology and therapeutics research at City of Hope. She also serves as director of the Womenâs Cancers Program for City of Hopeâs national network of cancer centers.
She is a world-renowned expert in breast cancer and clinical trial design and execution; Professor Rugo oversees all womenâs cancer research initiatives and clinical care at City of Hope. She is focused on expanding breast cancer clinical trials, advancing translational research, and standardising care to improve patient outcomes.
She is deeply committed to improving access to innovative new therapies for breast cancer patients everywhere and takes a compassionate, collaborative approach in her work. Professor Rugo has been directly involved in numerous projects that have established new standards of care for breast cancer.
She has served on the steering committees of multiple clinical trials that led to the approval of agents such as PARP inhibitors, CDK4/6 inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, checkpoint inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates, among others. Additionally, Professor Rugo has led several studies aimed at minimising therapy-related toxicity, contributing to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationâs approval of scalp cooling caps to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss and a steroid mouthwash to alleviate stomatitis caused by targeted therapies.
She also served as co-chair of the Triple Negative Working Group of the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium, where she spearheaded groundbreaking multicenter clinical trials in collaboration with researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and clinical providers.
As a physician-scholar with more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, Professor Rugo served on the
editorial board of the American Society of Clinical Oncologyâs Education Committee, which included cochairing the creation of new guidelines for the hormonal treatment of metastatic breast cancer. She is an Associate Editor for the ASCO meeting annual educational manuscripts, committed to educating patients and medical providers on the latest in breast cancer treatment. Professor Rugo has presented on her work at conferences around the world.
Along the way, sheâs been recognised with numerous awards, including the Bank of America Gianini Foundation Award and the European Society for Medical Oncologyâs 2024 Breast Cancer Award.
After earning her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Rugo completed a residency in internal medicine and primary care and a fellowship in hematology and oncology, both at the University of California, San Francisco.
Mylin Torres
Radiation Oncologist
Mylin Torres
Radiation Oncologist
Mylin Torres, MD, is a board-certified radiation oncologist who specialises in the treatment of breast cancer.
Dr Torres is a Professor and serves as the Vice Chair of Academic Operations and the Director of the Division of Health Services Research, Outcomes, and Policy in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr Torres also co-leads the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, where she coordinates and promotes all cancer prevention and control-related research activities. She previously served as the Director of the Glenn Family Breast Center.
Her research program is dedicated to understanding the biology underlying treatment-related side effects, including chronic inflammation, radiation-induced skin changes, and cancer-related fatigue, and to developing interventions that will improve the life quality of breast cancer survivors. She is also examining ways that radiation can be used to help women with metastatic disease.
Dr Torres has written and co-authored a number of publications and abstracts. She has received highly competitive grants from the National Cancer Institute, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (now NRG Oncology), Winship Cancer Institute, and Susan G. Komen to support her research on the detection and treatment of breast cancer therapy-induced toxicities.
For her outstanding care of patients, Dr Torres was awarded the Atlanta Business Chronicleâs Healthcare Heroes Rising Star, the Winship Cancer Institute Above and Beyond Award, and the Winship Annual Mentorship Award. Atlanta Magazine also named her as one of the âWomen Making a Markâ in the Atlanta community. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr Torres graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a bachelorâs degree in biology. She then went on to receive her medical degree from Stanford University before completing her training in radiation oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.