Speakers

Sancy A. Leachman, MD, PhD, FAAD

Professor of Dermatology, Vice Chair of Faculty Engagement; Department of Dermatology, University of Utah

Dr. Leachman is a physician-scientist and a dermatologist using basic science research and state-of-the-art technology to combat skin cancer. Her clinical interests include skin cancers, especially melanoma, pigmentary disorders that result from abnormalities of melanocytes such as vitiligo, and genetic disorders that involve the skin such as pachyonychia congenita, Cowden syndrome, and other cutaneous cancer syndromes. Dr. Leachman’s research interest is in the prevention, early detection and chemoprevention of melanoma, with an emphasis on novel early detection technologies and strategies. She is currently continuing to fight the “War on Melanoma” in Oregon where she is performing a statewide public health experiment to determine if melanoma education can decrease mortality and cost of the disease.

Daniel S. Gareau, PhD

Founder, SurgiVance Inc.

Dr. Gareau is an engineer and entrepreneur who has dedicated his career to advancing the field of dermatology through innovative research and technology development. He earned his Ph.D. from Oregon Health & Science University, focusing on in vivo confocal microscopy, and completed postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  His expertise lies in biomedical optics, image processing, and artificial intelligence, areas he leverages to create novel diagnostic tools and therapies for skin cancer.

He founded SurgiVance Inc., a company commercializing his inventions for advanced surgical pathology, showcasing his ability to translate research into clinically impactful solutions. His leadership extends to roles, including as a visiting scientist at The Rockefeller University, reflecting a commitment to both research innovation and mentorship.

Hossein Akbarialiabad, MD, MSc, HMBA

Research Fellow; University of Utah

Dr. Akbarialiabad is a physician-scientist exploring how the skin can serve as a gateway to understanding the entire body. He works at the cutting edge of digital twins, closed-loop wearable systems, and skin-on-chip technologies, transforming skin into a living biosensor capable of detecting early signs of disease. With clinical and research experience across different countries,  he brings a global and interdisciplinary lens to healthcare innovation. Hossein is also involved in NASA-affiliated research, investigating how skin health and diagnostics can be optimized for extreme environments — from underserved communities to long-duration space missions. His mission is to move from reactive care to predictive, personalized health — using the skin as a smart interface.

David Huang, MD, PhD

Director of Research & Associate Director, Casey Eye Institute; Wold Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Imaging & Professor of Ophthalmology & Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health Sciences University

Dr. Huang is Professor of Ophthalmology & Biomedical Engineering, OHSU Dr. David Huang is the Director of Research of Casey Eye Institute, the Wold Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Imaging, and Professor of Ophthalmology & Biomedical Engineering at the Oregon Health & Science University.  He is a co-inventor of optical coherence tomography (OCT), for which he received the Lasker Award and the National Medal of Technology & Innovation. His research group, the Center for Ophthalmic Optics & Lasers (www.COOLLab.net), comprises more than 40 researchers who develop novel imaging and laser therapeutic technologies and apply them to eye diseases. Notable innovations include corneal OCT, OCT angiography, and OCT optoretinography. 

Gabriel Sanchez, PhD

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Enspectra Health

Dr. Sanchez is the cofounder and CEO of Enspectra Health, the pioneer of AI-powered virtual biopsies for dermatology and skin health. Enspectra’s imaging technology, VIO^TM, is the first FDA-cleared imaging modality in over 25 years and generates high-resolution digital images in skin for AI models to noninvasively detect cancers and quantify key health biometrics. Gabriel received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from MIT, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. Following his Ph.D., Gabriel was an instructor in the Stanford University Bioengineering department. Gabriel launched Enspectra out of Stanford University where he invented the underlying technology for Enspectra’s innovation. Enspectra is currently a company in residence at the prestigious Fogarty Innovation center in Mountain View, CA. 

Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD

Professor of Dermatology, Stanford University; Director of the Stanford Skin Cancer Genetics Program, Stanford Cancer Institute

Dr. Sarin is a Professor of Dermatology and is the Director of the Stanford Skin Cancer Genetics Program at the Stanford Cancer Institute. She has an academic interest in Precision Medicine, focused on the integration of genetic, imaging and clinical patient data to inform susceptibility, prognosis, and treatments in skin cancer and other rare dermatologic disorders. Her lab applies cutting-edge sequencing and imaging technologies to better understand skin cancer and rare genetic skin diseases.

Howard Maibach, MD

Professor, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Maibach is a dermatologist with expertise in treating contact dermatitis and occupational dermatitis. His specialties include allergic skin disorders and skin conditions caused by exposure to toxic substances. He also has an interest in dermatopharmacology, the study of medications for skin disorders.

Dr. Maibach earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed a residency as well as a fellowship in dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He has served on the editorial boards of more than 30 scientific journals and is a member of 19 professional societies, including the American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco Dermatological Society and International Commission on Occupational Health.

Whitney Menzel

Senior Research Engineer, OHSU Bio-Innovations Lab; Engineering Manager, Astoria Pacific

Whitney Menzel is a Senior Research Engineer at OHSU's Bio-Innovations Lab and Engineering Manager at Astoria Pacific. With nearly two decades of experience designing in-vitro medical diagnostic devices for neonatal blood analysis used worldwide, his research at OHSU focuses on applying hyperspectral imaging and machine learning to classify various medical conditions. Whitney developed SkinDEEP, a software platform that analyzes spectral data to classify skin conditions through supervised training. Current applications include burn assessment with area mapping and surface area calculations. Additional capabilities include high-resolution 3D dermal scan processing for growth monitoring. His mission is to build a comprehensive high-spectral resolution hypercube library of healthy and unhealthy skin samples. This resource will enable researchers using different hyperspectral cameras to accelerate medical device development through standardized reference data.