Advisory Committee

Pavani Chalasani is currently a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC). She specializes in breast cancer and is very active in clinical and translational research. Her key research interest is in development of biomarkers- imaging, blood based or tissue. She is dedicated to taking care of patients with breast cancer and is passionate about improving their standard of care and outcomes.

Dr. Chalasani is the Principal Investigator on several investigator-initiated, industry sponsored, and co-operative group protocols. She is the medical oncology study chair on a NCTN study for patients with inflammatory breast cancer.  She leads the Breast Cancer Clinical Research Team at the UACC. In addition, she is the Chair for the Scientific Review Committee and interim co-program lead for the Clinical and Translational Oncology Program (CTOP) at the UACC. She is also the Program Director of Hematology-Oncology fellowship at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Chalasani completed her medical school at Gandhi Medical College in India and completed her Internship, Residency and Fellowship in Hematology-Oncology at the University of Arizona.

She was awarded the prestigious NCI’s Clinical Cancer Investigator Team Leadership Award in 2020.  She has received research funding from NIH/NCI, American Cancer Society, Better Than Ever, DOD and The University of Arizona Cancer Center-pilot funding mechanism.

Justina Frimpong, PharmD, BCOP is a Clinical Assistant Professor within the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Temple University School of Pharmacy (TUSP). Her clinical practice site resides in the outpatient setting with Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center located at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia.

Dr. Frimpong holds active roles in local, state, and national pharmacy organizations. Her clinical and research areas of interest include oral antineoplastic therapy education, toxicity management/related supportive care, in addition to drug-drug and drug-disease interactions with oral antineoplastic agents.

Tammy Smith is a family nurse practitioner. She works at Virginia Cancer Specialists where she specializes in both medical and surgical oncology for the treatment of cancer. She is an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner and a certified breast care nurse.