Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative: Leadership

Brooks practices at Eastern Maine Medical Center and oversees their clinics at the Mt. Desert Island Hospital, the Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital, and the Blue Hill Memorial Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology caring for patients in all areas of medical oncology, hematologic oncology and benign hematology. He received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine then completed his medical residency at the University of Pennsylvania-Presbyterian Medical Center. Following that, he completed a three-year fellowship in hematology/oncology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Brooks arrived at Eastern Maine Medical Center’s Oncology program in 1980 and has held many leadership positions over those years. He spent two and a half years in China as Sr. Vice-President of Medical Affairs and Chief of Oncology Development for United Family Healthcare and returned to Eastern Maine Medical Center in 2011. He now lives with his wife, Astri, in Bar Harbor, ME.

Georges practices oncology at York Hospital in Southern Maine. He holds board certification in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. Georges received his M.D. from Georges University School of Medicine in Grenada; West Indies followed by an internship and residency at University of Massachusetts. He completed his fellowship in hematology-oncology at MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

Erickson practices at Hematology-Oncology Associates in Lewiston, Maine. She is board certified in hematology and medical oncology. She received her M.D. from Medical College of Virginia followed by a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship with the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in hematology-oncology.

Inhorn is the Chief of Oncology at Mercy Hospital in Portland, ME. A native Madisonian, he studied mathematics and molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the M.D./Ph.D. program at Washington University Medical School. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital followed by a medical oncology fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Inhorn practiced in St. Louis for seven years, where he was associate director of hematology/oncology at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, prior to relocating to Maine. He has a special interest in breast cancer and clinical trials.

Kumar is a medical oncologist and hematologist who sees patients at the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care and the Alfond Center for Health in Augusta. A member of MaineGeneral Medical Center's active staff, he joined the cancer staff in July 2017 after completing a hematology/oncology fellowship at Georgetown University/MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. He received his medical degree from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India and then did his internal medicine residency and chief residency at Georgetown University/MedStar Washington Hospital Center. His interests include targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

Liaukovich provides medical oncology and hematology services to patients as part of the Northern Light Cancer Care team in Presque Isle. He earned his medical degree from Grodno State Medical University in Belarus. He completed his Internship in Brest Regional Hospital, also in Belarus. His residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology were completed at the Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Medical Oncology and Hematology. Liaukovich is passionate about the field of oncology. He finds it rewarding to be part of prolonging both life and quality of life. He stays up to date on the latest treatments and technology so that he can provide the best care possible for his patients. He grew up in a small village in Belarus which enjoyed four-season weather and was based in agriculture, particularly potatoes. He was happy to find that same atmosphere in Aroostook County, Maine. Liaukovich enjoys cross country skiing, biking, hiking and restoring old cars.

Lu-Emerson is a board-certified neuro-oncologist at Maine Medical Center. Her experience includes the development and conduction of phase 2/3 trials for brain tumor patients with current research focus on the mortality and morbidity associated with brain tumors and associated treatments. Lu-Emerson received her M.D. from New York University School of Medicine, followed by a residency at University of Washington in Seattle and a Fellowship in the Neuro-Oncology program at Massachusetts General Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA.

Rasmussen is Director of Molecular Genetics at Spectrum Medical Group. She has extensive experience in Clinical Molecular Genetics: development and interpretation of molecular genetic assays, including next-generation sequencing and gene expression profiling. Rasmussen has provided cancer genetic counseling in the community oncology setting. She also has experience in tumor tissue banking for research and has worked in cancer molecular genetic research, primarily identifying mutational or gene expression profiles of tumors for prognosis or prediction of response to therapy. Rasmussen received her Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire followed by a fellowship in clinical molecular genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Rubin practices oncology at SMHC Cancer Care Center and is Medical Director. He is board certified in hematology and medical oncology. Rubin received his M.D. from University of Calgary followed by residencies at University of Calgary, University of Western Ontario and University of Western Ontario-Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. He also held a fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.

Sanyal is the Senior Medical Director for the Medical Oncology Group at Maine Health. Following an MBBS, he earned his medical degree from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India followed by becoming a Member of the Royal College of Physicians at Peterborough District Hospital, UK. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics, Madison, WI. Most recently he earned a Master of Health Care Delivery Science (MHCDS) from Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. Sanyal is an active in oncology research activities and is the recipient of multiple grants and awards as well as being the author of several scientific publications.

Sinclair is the Director of the Clinical Research program and a hematologist/oncologist at Northern Light Cancer Care. She is board certified in Hematology and Oncology. Her interests include breast cancer, clinical research and genomic medicine. Sinclair received her D.O. from University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine followed by a residency at University of Connecticut School of Medicine in internal medicine, and a fellowship with the National Cancer Institute in hematology/oncology.

Thomas joined New England Cancer Specialists as a physician and the Director of Clinical Research in 2012. His clinical focus is on thoracic cancers (lung cancer, esophageal cancer) as well as GU cancers (prostate, testicular, bladder and kidney cancers). He also serves as an advisor to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society and CMS/Medicare. Thomas completed his medical school training in Frankfurt, Germany and an internal medicine residency and hematology/oncology fellowship at Colombia University in New York City.

Anna Niegowska is an oncologist and hematologist who sees patients at the Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine. Prior to being a member of Mercy’s active staff, she completed a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, NY. She received her medical degree from the Medical University of Lublin in Lublin, Poland and then did her residency at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens, NY.

Dr Chodkiewicz practices oncology at Northern Light CancerCare of Maine in Brewer, ME and St Joseph Hospital in Bangor, ME. Her experience includes work in the development of clinical protocols and she has served and the PI on a number of clinical trials sponsored my major academic centers and pharmaceutical companies. Dr Chodkiewicz completed her medical school training as well as an internship and residency at Bobigny School of Medicine, University of Paris XIII followed by an Internal Medicine Residency at Graduate Hospital, University of Pennsylvania and a Clinical Fellowship in Medical Oncology and Hematology with Kaplan Comprehensive Cancer Center at New York Medical Center.

Stanley Chaleff is a pediatric oncologist and hematologist who sees patients at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program at MaineHealth. A member of Maine Medical Center's active staff, he joined the cancer staff in 2008 after completing a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. He received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine and then did his pediatric at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.