CAHON Connect Newsletter
December 2024
Message from the President and Chair of Board
Dear CAHON Members, Colleagues, and Friends,
It is our great honor and privilege to introduce the first issue of CAHON Connect, our official quarterly newsletter, which serves as a platform to celebrate the remarkable achievements, vision, and contributions of our CAHON community.
As we approach 2025, marking 20 years since CAHON’s founding, we celebrate the unity, growth, care, and collaboration of our organization. This inaugural newsletter marks another milestone in CAHON’s journey to connect and empower hematologists and oncologists across the globe. It is a testament to our growth as a professional society, our commitment to mentorship, and our shared dedication to advancing research, education, and clinical care in hematology and oncology.
In each issue, CAHON Connect will feature:
- Key updates on CAHON events, programs, and initiatives.
- Spotlights on our members’ groundbreaking contributions to science and patient care.
- Opportunities for professional development, awards, and mentorship—such as our Young Investigator Award and the Junior Investigator Award- recognize the extraordinary promise of early-career physicians, scientists, and aspiring medical and high school students.
Most importantly, we also celebrate you—our members and supporters—who are the driving force behind CAHON’s success. Together, we have created a unique network that bridges countries, cultures, and disciplines, uniting us in the fight against cancer and blood disorders. Looking ahead, we remain committed to strengthening this platform for knowledge exchange, fostering the next generation of leaders, and amplifying CAHON’s global impact.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and CAHON leadership, we extend our deepest gratitude to each of you for your support and dedication. We hope CAHON Connect inspires, connects, and fosters collaborations within our growing community.
Together, we are CAHON. Together, we make a difference.
Liang Deng, MD PhD, CAHON President and Jing-Zhou Hou, MD PhD, CAHON Board Chair
Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON)
Committee Corner
Thank you to our Executive Team volunteers for their dedication during the 2024-2026 term. Each of our committees has outlined their goals and action plans for their term, which are detailed below.
Academic Committee
Hong Zheng, MD, PhD (Chair)
Wanqing Iris Zhi, MD, PhD (Co-Chair)
Minggui Pan, MD, PhD
Huichun Zhan, MD, MS
Elizabeth Budde, MD, PhD
Jeffrey Pu, MD, PhD
The Academic Committee is dedicated to engaging new members and supporting their academic pursuits through targeted educational initiatives. Efforts include attracting members via symposiums, journals, newsletters, and hosting roundtable discussions on academic careers during networking events. Post-symposium surveys will gather feedback to guide future activities. Collaboration with other committees will enhance medical education, including coordinating 1–2 annual webinars focused on cutting-edge advancements in hematology/oncology and featuring expert CAHON members as speakers. Additionally, the organization is committed to recognizing talent by selecting awardees for young and junior investigators, reviewing candidates with great potential to join CAHON in the future.
Career Development Committee
Hongtao Liu, MD, PhD (Chair)
Mary Li, MD, PhD (Co-Chair)
Jane Liu, MD
Lei Deng, MD
Haoran Li, MD, PhD
Eric Chen, MD, PhD
The Career Development Committee is dedicated to fostering professional growth and supporting members at every stage of their careers. Our objectives include establishing mentorship pools, offering personalized one-on-one mentorship opportunities, and connecting members with resources tailored to their development needs. To further support career progression, we are incorporating career development zones and focus tables into key CAHON events, such as the Summer and Winter Symposiums and New York Oncology Forum (NYOF), providing attendees with guidance on navigating career pathways and workplace environments.
Our mentoring initiatives emphasize hosting webinars and events featuring speakers from diverse professional backgrounds, maintaining an online directory of experienced CAHON members organized by specialty, and facilitating meaningful mentor-mentee pairings. Career development is supported through resources like the “What I Wish I Knew” guide, along with career-specific workshops and sessions.
To celebrate member achievements and ensure all members, including trainees, are empowered to succeed, our newsletter highlights accomplishments and shares valuable career resources. Together, these initiatives aim to equip members with the tools and support needed to thrive in their chosen career paths.
Clinical Practice Committee
Shuang Fu, MD, PhD (Chair)
Joyce Huang, MD, PhD (Co-Chair)
Yongli Ji, MD, PhD
Vincent The-Luc Ma, MD
Fengming Zhong, MD, PhD
The Clinical Practice Committee is dedicated to advancing evidence-based clinical practice and career development to enhance patient care. Key initiatives include hosting the Community Oncology Forum (COF) meeting at National Harbor, featuring CME, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, supported by the Event & Education Committee and CAHON staff. The committee also focuses on community engagement through webinars, mentoring, and encouraging younger member participation as presenters at the COF and flagship events. Communication efforts aim to share updates and advancements within hematology/oncology via newsletters. The overarching goal is to provide a platform for Asian American hematologists and oncologists to exchange knowledge, stay updated on best practices and technologies, and improve cancer care delivery.
Clinical Research Committee
Tian Zhang, MD, MHS (Chair)
Bo Wang, MD (Co-Chair)
Ronan Hsieh, MD, MS
Jingsong Zhang, MD, PhD
Feng-ming (Spring) Kong, MD, PhD
Xiaolin Zhu, MD, PhD
The Clinical Research Committee is focused on increasing trial opportunities with sponsors to enhance research capabilities across affiliated practices. The goal is to establish a baseline of available trials at each site and work towards expanding offerings by 5-10% annually. This growth will benefit patient outcomes, bolster Principal Investigator careers, and elevate CAHON’s reputation within the research community.
Key actions include assessing current trial availability, categorizing studies by cancer indications, and defining metrics for success, such as trial growth and patient accrual rates. The initiative emphasizes collaboration with sponsors to expand site selection and access to advanced compounds, starting with a pilot program involving a limited sponsor partner and select sites, such as Illinois Cancer Care. Additionally, the network will leverage its strength in biomarker and molecular-based trials, highlighting the prevalence of driver mutations in its patient populations to attract sponsor interest.
By enhancing trial access and fostering sponsor relationships, CAHON aims to advance cancer research and improve patient care.
Event and Education Committee
Yucai Wang, MD, PhD (Chair)
Christine Ye, MD, MS (Co-Chair)
Richard J. Lin, MD, PhD
Charles Jiang, MD, MPH
Gary Lu, MD, PhD
The Events and Education Committee aims to strengthen CAHON's educational impact both within the organization and globally, with a special focus on expanding CAHON’s presence in the US and China. The committee's primary goal is to increase the educational value and attendance at CAHON events. Key action plans to achieve this include launching virtual post-ASH and post-ASCO updates. These webinars will initially feature expert CAHON speakers, with plans to expand to collaborative events involving both internal and external speakers, engaging audiences in both the U.S. and China. If successful, the series will transition to hybrid in-person and online formats. Additionally, the committee plans to add CME accreditation for CAHON’s flagship meetings (COF, NYOF) and the new webinar series to enhance their educational value.
Another major goal is to strengthen collaboration across CAHON’s committees, particularly in the areas of education and career development. The committee will work closely with organizing bodies for key events such as COF, NYOF, and the summer/winter symposiums to elevate these traditional gatherings. By fostering inter-committee collaboration, the committee aims to ensure that CAHON’s educational events are more successful and impactful. Furthermore, the committee will prioritize the inclusion of career development and fellow-focused sessions—such as coaching, mentoring, and networking—at all CAHON meetings, ensuring that trainees and early-career professionals have ample opportunities for growth and professional connection.
Through these efforts, the Events and Education Committee seeks to enhance CAHON’s educational offerings, improve collaboration among committees, and provide meaningful career development opportunities for members at all stages of their careers.
Fellow Committee
Zhengrui Xiao, MD (Chair)
Chen Zhang, MD (Co-Chair)
Xiao Hu, MD, MPH
Tien-Chan Hsieh, MD
Emily Liang, MD
Xiaocao Xu (Haze), MD
The Fellow Committee is dedicated to enhancing CAHON’s visibility, increasing trainee engagement with CAHON’s activities, building partnerships with other trainee organizations, and strengthening career development opportunities for CAHON trainees.
Our action plan includes hosting a biannual public lecture series. In the spring, we will offer guidance on fellowship applications, and in the fall, we will provide insights into the job search process. These events will be open to the public, reaching not only CAHON trainees but also a wider audience, thereby extending CAHON’s impact.
We also plan to establish a mentor-mentee pairing program within CAHON to offer personalized guidance. This program will connect trainees with experienced, world-renowned professionals, creating long-term mentorship relationships to support their career growth.
Additionally, the Fellow Committee will work closely with the Career Development Committee to ensure fellows have access to valuable resources for career advancement, aligning our strategies and resources effectively. At CAHON’s Winter and Summer Symposiums, we will also highlight recipients of the Young Investigator Awards on CAHON’s Twitter (X), showcasing their research accomplishments and professional profiles. This initiative celebrates the achievements of awardees and reinforces CAHON’s commitment to supporting emerging leaders in the field.
Industry Committee
Jianda Yuan, MD, PhD (Chair)
Ke Liu, MD, PhD (Co-Chair)
Yufeng Li, PhD
Chung-Han Lee, MD, PhD
Zhaohui Jin, MD
Oliver Kong, MD
Jerry Huang, MD, PhD, MBA
The Industry Committee is committed to fostering collaboration between CAHON committees, including academic, clinical research, and career development, to advance shared goals. A key initiative is to create a platform for sharing industry Letters of Intent (LOIs) for Investigator-Initiated Trials (IITs) and learning about CAHON members’ clinical and research interests to support innovative projects like drug discovery, translational research, and clinical studies.
Additionally, the committee aims to enhance industry career development by sharing knowledge about diverse roles, clinical development requirements, and mentorship opportunities. Plans include hosting virtual seminars or forums featuring guest speakers, open Q&A sessions, and introductions to industry jobs and education, providing valuable insights for members exploring industry-related career pathways.
Membership Committee
Yong Ji, MD, PhD (Chair)
Haixia Qin, MD, PhD (Co-Chair)
Zach Liu, MD
Yiyi Yan, MD, PhD
Deng Zhang, MD, PhD
The Membership Committee is focused on updating and improving membership policies to enhance recruitment and retention efforts. This includes clarifying and revising bylaws related to membership criteria, such as updating categories, qualifications, and terms.
To retain current members, the committee is extending membership terms for trainees, reevaluating Lifetime Membership models, and analyzing feedback from member surveys and non-renewing members. Engagement opportunities will be expanded to strengthen connections within CAHON and encourage long-term membership.
Public Relations Committee
Ligeng Tian, MD, PhD (Chair)
Faye Yin, MD, FACP (Co-Chair)
Peter Q Jiang, MD, PhD
Hui Chen, MD, PhD
Yumeng Zhang, MD
The Public Relations Committee is focused on promoting CAHON to younger generations and the broader Asian community while strengthening its influence in academic and community settings. Efforts include creating engaging materials, such as photos, interviews, and bilingual e-books, to share meeting reports and publications on CAHON’s website and social media platforms, including official CAHON X and LinkedIn accounts.
The committee aims to bridge generational gaps and expand CAHON’s reach locally, nationally, and internationally, fostering connections with the medical community in China and supporting underserved patients. Plans are underway to form a junior PR committee to assist with these initiatives and manage the growing workload effectively.
Recent Events
Summer Symposium
On June 1st, 2024, the Summer Symposium was held at the Metropolitan in Willis Tower in Chicago, IL.
Event Photos
New York Oncology Forum (NYOF)
On October 5th and 6th, 2024, the 11th Annual New York Oncology Forum was held at the Sheraton in Flushing, NY.
Event Photos and Event Report
Winter Symposium
On December 6th, 2024, the Winter Symposium was held at The University Club Atop Symphony Towers in San Diego, CA.
To view photos from the event visit here. View Event Report
Upcoming Events
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New! Virtual Post ASH Update
February 8, 2025 -
Community Oncology Forum
March 29, 2025
National Harbor, MD -
New! Spring Symposium & Reception (during AACR)
April 25, 2025
Chicago, IL -
New! CAHON/JHO ASCO Premium Educational Event
May 30, 2025 (tentative)
Chicago, IL -
Summer Symposium & Reception (during ASCO)
May 31, 2025
Chicago, IL -
New! Virtual Post ASCO Update
Date TBD -
12th New York Oncology Forum
CAHON’s 20th Anniversary Gala
October 4-5, 2025 -
Winter Symposium & Reception (during ASH)
December 6, 2025 (tentative)
Orlando, FL
CAHON Awards
Since 2015, CAHON has proudly presented more than 155 prestigious awards.
- Young Investigator Awards: 75+
- Junior Investigator Awards: 20
- CAHON-CSCO Travel Awards: 20+
- NYOF Young Investigator Travel Awards: 40+
We would like to recognize the awardees from the past two CAHON events.
CAHON Young Investigator Awardees – 2024 Summer Symposium and Reception
Congratulations to our Young Investigator Award recipients, Drs. Vincent Ma - University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Xin (Kevin) Wang - Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Yuhang Zhou - University of Texas at Austin.
*** (not pictured) Drs. Zhaohui Arter - University of California, Irvine, Jennifer Huang - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center/University of Washington.
CAHON Junior Investigator Awardees – 2024 NYOF
One of CAHON's core missions is to mentor and inspire the next generation of hematologists and oncologists. In 2024, seven exceptional high school and college students were honored with the CAHON Junior Investigator Award at the 11th Annual New York Oncology Forum. Congratulations to Josephine Chang, Ryan Chen, Jocelyn Cribbs, GanQian Hou, Susan Jiang, Julianna Wu, and Yuxin Yang.
Award Presenters: Hong Zheng, MD, PhD - Pennsylvania State Hershey Cancer Institute and Wanqing (Iris) Zhi, MD, PhD - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Leadership: Liang Deng, MD, PhD - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Jing-Zhou Hou, MD, PhD - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cancer Center.
CAHON Young Investigator Travel Awardees – 2024 NYOF
CAHON is proud to support our members’ growth through our educational programs and mentorship opportunities. Congratulations to our Fellow and Resident Travel Award recipients at the 11th Annual New York Oncology Forum, Drs. Cho Han Chiang - Mount Auburn Hospital, Simo Du - Jacobi Medical Center, Yening Feng - Geisinger Medical Center, Lingzhi Hong - MD Anderson Cancer Center, Wern Lynn Ng - UPMC Harrisburg, Yating Wang - Ascension Providence Hospital, Yuan Yao - Mayo Clinic, Annie Xiao - City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Xiaocao Xu - University of Vermont, and Jerry Wu (BS) - Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.
Award Presenters: Hong Zheng, MD, PhD - Pennsylvania State Hershey Cancer Institute and Wanqing (Iris) Zhi, MD, PhD - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
CAHON Young Investigator Awardees – 2024 Winter Symposium
Congratulations to our Young Investigator Award recipients, Drs. James Fan Wu - Medical College of Wisconsin, Yuan Yao - Mayo Clinic, Xia (Yaya) Wu - Tufts Medical Center, Cho Han Chiang - Mount Auburn Hospital, Yumeng (Julia) Zheng - H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, and Jun Liu (not pictured) - Mass General Brigham. This prestigious award recognizes the scientific excellence of abstracts accepted to the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.
Award Presenter: Hong Zheng, MD, PhD - Pennsylvania State Hershey Cancer Institute.
Leadership: Liang Deng, MD, PhD - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Jing-Zhou Hou, MD, PhD - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cancer Center.
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Member Highlights
Lei Zheng, MD, PhD
Dr. Lei Zheng. MD PhD, previous CAHON President from 2018-2020, and CAHON Board Chair-Elect, was appointed Executive Director of the Mays Cancer Center and Vice President for Oncology for the Health Science Center on September 1, 2024. He was recruited from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as a professor and director of the Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program. Dr. Zheng received his medical degree from Peking Union Medical College in China and his PhD from UT Health Science Center San Antonio. He finished his postdoctoral training at Rockefeller University, internal medicine residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and medical oncology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins.
Read More
Zihai Li, MD, PhD
Dr. Zihai Li, the founding director of the Pelotonia Institute for Immunology-Oncology at the Ohio State University received a new R01 from the NCI to develop a novel cancer immunotherapy strategy targeting GARP, a mechanism related to latent TGFbeta activation in the tumor microenvironment. Dr. Li is currently funded with 4 R01s and 1 PPG as principal investigator or project leader.
Read more
Jia Ruan, MD, PhD
Dr. Ruan chaired the Highlight of ASH this year. Highlights of ASH is an ASH education program to showcase the top hematology research presented at the ASH annual meeting, and provide a forum to discuss rapidly evolving developments to improve patient management and care strategies in hematology practice.
Read More
Jing-Zhou Hou, MD, PhD
Dr. Jing-Zhou Hou and team presented groundbreaking results from a first-in-human phase I trial at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, California. The data highlighted AZD0486, a bispecific T-cell engager, achieving 85% CR in R/R follicular lymphoma.
Read More
Liang Deng, MD, PhD
Dr. Liang Deng’s innovative recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) platform for cancer immunotherapy is making strides toward clinical application. The first-generation virus, MQ710, entered a Phase I clinical trial for solid tumors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in August 2023 (NCT05859074). Thus far, four patients with Kaposi sarcoma have completed treatment, with three achieving complete clinical and pathological responses and one demonstrating a partial response. This exciting work was presented at the International Oncolytic Virus Conference in Rotterdam in October 2024.
Read More
Linda Ning Liu, PhD
Dr. Linda Liu, a lifetime member of CAHON, was honored for her expertise in biopharmaceutical drug development by Marquis Who’s Who. Dr. Liu is a senior Vice President of Biologics Discovery at Zai lab.
Link to Article: Marquis Who's Who Honors Linda Ning Liu, PhD, for Expertise in Research and Development
Emily Liang, MD
Dr. Liang was selected to be in CAHON Fellow Committee for the 2024-2026 term. She was awarded ASCO Young Investigator Award and Swim Across America Hartwell Innovation Fund for her research project: "Characterization of the biological effects of prophylactic anakinra in patients undergoing CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy with lisocabtagene maraleucel"
Liang EC, Huang JJ, Albittar A, Portuguese AJ, Ortiz-Maldonado V, Wuliji N, Wu Q, Torkelson A, Kirchmeier D, Chutnik A, Pender B, Hill JA, Kopmar NE, Banerjee R, Cowan AJ, Green D, Gopal AK, Poh C, Shadman M, Hirayama AV, Till BG, Kimble EL, Iovino L, Chapuis AG, Otegbeye F, Cassaday RD, Milano F, Turtle C, Maloney DG, Gauthier J. Development and validation of predictive models of early immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity (eIPMs). Blood Advances. 2024 Dec; in press. PMID: 39626349.
Read More
Do you have member highlights or news? Please submit them to info@cahon.org for a chance to be featured in the next CAHON Newsletter.
The Journal of Hematology & Oncology (JHO) - Official Journal of CAHON
The Journal of Hematology & Oncology provides a forum for top-quality research and is the leading title in hematology and oncology, with an Impact Factor ranked in Q1 in both categories. The journal also publishes reviews and research highlights from leading experts in the field. Research is shared with fast turnaround times in an open access format among laboratory scientists, physician scientists, hematologists and oncologists.
Prof Delong Liu, Editor-in-ChiefJournal of Hematology & Oncology
Impact factor 29.9!
Link to articles: https://jhoonline.biomedcentral.com/articles
Looking Ahead to 2025
In February 2024, the CAHON Board of Directors participated in a professionally facilitated Strategic Planning Retreat during which FOUR key priorities were identified for the next 3-5 years.
•Expand and deepen COLLABORATION with global oncology organizations
•Elevate CAHON’s IMPACT on patient care and the global oncology community
•Promote CAREER DEVELOPMENT and expand members’ professional network in the global oncology community
•Enhance stakeholder ENGAGEMENT
CAHON Social Media
In October 2024, CAHON officially launched its X and LinkedIn accounts. Follow us for member highlights, updates, and more.
We also have an exclusive Members-Only WeChat group. To join, please send the following details to info@cahon.org.
- Your WeChat ID (adjusted to reflect your professional name, affiliation or location, and specialty)
- A short introduction that includes your current role/position, and ALL prior education and work experience
Please review our social media policy: Social Media Policy
Promoting Career Development of Future Hematologists and Oncologists
As part of our strategic plan, Dr. Cynthia Ma, the Vice President of CAHON, is collaborating with the Career Development and Fellow Committees to create impactful mentorship initiatives. The initial phase of this effort involves gathering valuable data from our members who are interested in mentoring.
If you are a CAHON Member interested in being a Mentor, please fill out this short survey.
Mentor Survey
If you are CAHON Member interested in being a Mentee, please fill out this short survey.
Mentee Survey
Growing Membership
In the last four years, CAHON membership has grown significantly. With expanded opportunities for engagement and career development, there has never been a better time to be a member of CAHON.
Membership Updates
We welcome new members to join CAHON!
Associate Member: Dues Waived, including first year as a regular member (Chinese American Medical Students, Residents, Oncologist/Hematologist-in-Training and Future Oncologist/Hematologist residing in North America)
Regular Member: $100.00 (USD) annually
Allied Member: $100.00 (USD) annually (Health professionals in cancer field)
Lifetime membership status will be conferred to regular or allied members if they have maintained their membership for at least eight years!
For more information on membership categories and to apply for membership, visit here.
Welcome to our new members in 2024!
Associate Members:
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Zhaohui L. Arter, MD |
Xiao Hu, MD |
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Guo Cheng, MD |
Jennifer J. Huang, MD |
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Jie Chi, MD |
Sherri Huang, MD, MBA |
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Cho Han Chiang, MD |
Chunjie Li, MD |
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Simo Du, MD, MHS |
Linjie Luo, MD |
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Mengni Guo, MD |
Lay She Ng |
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Lingzhi Hong. MD |
Wern Lynn Ng, MD |
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Xinhe Shan, MD |
Kevin Wang, MD |
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Fei Song, MD |
Xin Wang, MD, PhD |
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Xiaojin Song, MD |
Gongwei Wu |
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Po-Lan Su, MD, PhD |
Jerry Wu, BS |
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Jinger Y. Sun, MD |
Annie Xiao, MD |
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Derek Tai, DO |
Jiazhang Xing, MD |
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Zhiting Tang, MD |
Li Zhao, MD |
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Binbin Zheng, MD |
Yuhang Zhou, MD |
Regular Members:
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Ilya Blokh, MD Michael Hwang, MD |
Jingjing Hu, MD Kit Y. Lu, MD |
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Yubao Wang, MD, PhD |
Qian Wu, MD |
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Jianjun Jay Zhang, MD, PhD Professor |
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Allied Members:
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Shuhua Cheng, PhD, MS |
Laura QM Chow, MD |
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Kazuharu Kai, MD, PhD |
Guang Yang, MD, PhD |
We Need Your Support - Consider a Donation to CAHON
Easy Ways to Support:
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Visit https://www.cahon.org to make a tax-deductible donation
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Request a Corporate Match - Many companies will match a donation if you provide them with CAHON tax ID number
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Include CAHON in your Donor-Advised Fund providing CAHON tax ID number