Established in 2020
Worldwide audience in 50+ Countries
Meet the Hosts
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Afreen Shariff, MD
HOST, PRODUCER
Dr. Afreen Shariff is an Endocrinologist, the Co-founder of Citrus Oncology and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. Her clinical and research focus is in improving care for endocrine disorders in cancer patients. Dr. Shariff has created and led several successful initiatives over the years. A few of these include, the Duke Endo Oncology Program, Cancer Therapy Toxicity Program, founding the Onco-Endocrinology Special Interest Group (SIG) through The Endocrine Society and creating a novel AI model to effectively predict hospitalizations from immunotherapy related adverse events up to 2 weeks in advance of the expected event. In addition to her work with cancer patients, Dr. Shariff is deeply committed to educating the future work force and mentors residents, fellows and medical students. She decided to leverage the impact and outreach of podcasts as a medium to advance her educational mission and started Checkpoint NOW in 2020.
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Pauline Funchain, MD
HOST
Dr. Funchain is a medical oncologist specializing in melanoma, high risk skin cancers, immunotherapy toxicities, and hereditary cancer genetics. She started in oncology at the Cleveland Clinic, where she served as Director of both Melanoma Oncology and Cancer Genomics. In Cleveland, she developed and led the first irAE tumor board established in the US in 2017 and launched the Management of Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Toxicity conference in 2020, the longest running clinical care and research conference on irAEs. She moved with her family to Stanford Cancer in 2023. At Stanford, Dr. Funchain codirects the Immunotherapy Toxicity (IOTOX) Working Group as well as the Skin Cancer Genomics Program. Nationally, Dr. Funchain co-chaired the inaugural American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Guidelines Panel on Systemic Therapy in Melanoma and serves on the ASCO Guidelines Panel on the Management of irAEs. Dr Funchain joins the Checkpoint NOW podcast in 2024 to continue the conversation on irAE management and research with the greater community of patients and medical providers.
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Tian Zhang, MD
HOST (2020-2024)
Tian Zhang, M.D., M.H.S., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary malignancies, including kidney, prostate, bladder, and testicular cancers. She serves as the study chair for PDIGREE, a phase III trial in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Dr. Zhang is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). She serves on numerous committees, including as Co-chair of the National Cancer Institute Genitourinary (GU) Steering Committee Renal Task Force and as Chair of the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON) Academic Committee. She is a member of several ASCO clinical management guidelines committees as well as the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, GU Oncology, and Immuno-Oncology Committees. Dr. Zhang was the co-host of Checkpoint NOW since its inception in 2020 till 2024.
Checkpoint NOW Medical Podcast Series
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Checkpoint NOW Medical Podcast Series .
The podcast where you learn from the experts about the latest evidence, practice guidelines and opinions on managing complex Immune Related Toxicities.
Our discussions focus on dialogue and shared decision making between oncologists and subspecialty experts.
Checkpoint NOW Podcast is sponsored by Citrus Oncology. Visit citrusoncology.com for more information.
Episodes
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Episode 1
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors have been transformative for cancer care. What have we learnt so far?
Hosts- Dr. Afreen Shariff, MD, Endocrinologist, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Dr. Tian Zhang, MD, Genito-Urinary Oncologist, Assistant Professor of Medicine. Duke University Hospital.
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Episode 2
Immune Related Thyroid Toxicities
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss challenges encountered in the diagnosis and management of commonly encountered Immune related thyroid toxicities.
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Episode 3
Breaking down the diagnosis and management of Immune Hypophysitis.
Join our host Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss all things Immune Hypophysitis and what you need to know to get better at managing this complex adverse event.
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Episode 4
Immune mediated Inflammatory Arthritis: Challenges in diagnosis and management.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Rheumatologist Dr. Sophia Weinmann.
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Episode 5
Episode 5: Immune mediated Myositis and Myalgia's: Diagnosis & management for the non-Rheumatologist.
Hosts: Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Rheumatologist Dr. Sophia Weinmann.
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Episode 6
Episode 6: Rheumatic adverse events: Discussions on biomarkers, collaborations and more.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts and rheumatologists Dr. Leonard Calabrese and Dr. Cassandra Calabrese from Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Alexa Meara from Ohio State University about budding collaborations and scientific discovery in Immune Mediated Rheumatic Adverse Events.
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Episode 7
Immune Mediated Colitis and lessons learnt from multidisciplinary team based management.
Learn from the experts about the clinical diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of Immune Mediated Colitis. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts- medical Oncologist Dr. Kerry Reynolds and Gastroenterologist/ Immunologist Dr. Micheal Dougan from Massachusetts General Hospital for an informative and high yield discussion.
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Episode 8
Immune Mediated Colitis- Novel discoveries and novel therapies.
Learn from the experts about the latest in scientific trials and novel therapies in the pipeline for management of Immune Mediated Colitis. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts- Medical Oncologist- Dr. Kerry Reynolds, Gastroenterologist/ Immunologist- Dr. Micheal Dougan from Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Nazli Dizman from Yale for an informative and high yield discussion.
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Episode 9
Immune Mediated Cardiac Toxicities: Diagnostic challenges, management and novel discoveries.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert Dr. Javid Moslehi, MD, Cardiologist, Associate Professor of Medicine and an expert in immune-mediated cardiotoxicities at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Moslehi is also the Director of Cardio-Oncology at Vanderbilt now at UCSF.
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Episode 10
Immune Mediated Pulmonary Toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Oncologist, Dr. Jarushka Naidoo about the complex and challenging diagnosis of Immune mediated Pneumonitis. with guest expert Dr. Jarushka Naidoo.
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Episode 11
Onco-Nephrology and Immune Mediated Nephrotoxicities.
Learn from the experts about the latest in Onco- Nephrology and Immune Mediated toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts and Nephrologists Dr. Matt Sparks and Dr. David Ortiz-Melo.
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Episode 12
Skin Toxicities from Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (PART 1): Common and perplexing.
Learn from the experts about the latest in Onco- Dermatology and Immune skin Mediated toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Dermatologist Dr. Meenal Kheterpal.
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Episode 13
Skin Toxicities from Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (PART 2): Common and perplexing.
Learn from the experts about the latest in Onco- Dermatology and Immune skin Mediated toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Dermatologist Dr. Adela Rambi Cordones.
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Episode 14
Immune Mediated Liver Injury.
Learn from the experts about the latest in Immune Mediated Liver Toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Transplant Hepatologist Dr. Lindsay King.
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Episode 15
Neuro-toxicities from Immune checkpoint Blockade: Rare and complex (Part 1).
Learn from the experts about immune mediated neurological toxicities. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Neurologist Dr. Andrew Mammen.
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Episode 16
Learning about Immune mediated Adverse events from a trainees perspective.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with resident physicians Dr. Harsh Patolia, Dr. Nathan Hirshman and Dr. Michelle Ferriera who share their experience and tips for fellow residents in training on managing immune mediated adverse events.
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Episode 17
Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts and endocrinologists Dr. Ole-Petter Hamnvik and Dr. Le Min from Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
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Episode 18
Immune mediated neurological toxicities (Part 2).
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts- medical Oncologist Dr. Kerry Reynolds, and expert neurologists Drs. Amanda Guidon and Leeann Burton from Massachusetts General Hospital.
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Episode 19
ICI use in Special Populations.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they talk to expert oncologists Dr. Sharon and Dr. Nagash to learn about Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in special populations. Dr. Elad Sharon and Dr. Rafeh Naqash.
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Episode 20
Patient experience, advocacy and immune toxicities.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with Dena Battle from KCCure- an evidence based, patient driven advocacy organization. Dena shares her deep insight on patient, caregiver experiences around toxicity management.
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Episode 21
Thyroid disease in cancer patients. What you need to know as a patient!
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts and thyroidologists Dr. Trevor Angell and Dr. Anupam Kotwal as they discuss information regarding thyroid disease in cancer patients for patients and caregivers.
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Episode 22
Germline Variants, Toxicities and ICI.
Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts from Dana Farber Cancer Institute, GU Oncologist Dr. Toni Choueiri and Quantitative Geneticist Dr. Sasha Gusev.
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Episode 23
Emotional impact of side effects on patients and caregivers.
Join host Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest expert and Psychologist, Dr. Rebecca Shelby about the emotional impacts like stress, depression, and anxiety associated with side effects from cancer treatments.
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Episode 24
Costs of adverse events in Renal Cell Carcinoma.
Learn from the experts about the costs associated with irAEs in patients treated for Renal Cell Carcinoma. Join our hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Tian Zhang as they discuss with guest experts- medical Oncologists Dr. Daniel Geynisman and Dr. Bradley McGregor, MD.
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Episode 26
Cancer treatments and the Heart.
Learn about the effect of cancer treatments on the heart. Who needs to see a cardiologist before, during and after cancer treatment- the When and Why with oncologist Dr. Susan Dent and cardio oncologist Dr. Robert Copeland-Halperin.
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Episode 27
ASPirE- The International Alliance for Support and Prevention of immune related Events.
Join the Executive Committee of ASPirE- Dr. Afreen Shariff, Dr. Pauline Funchain, Dr. Kerry Reynolds, Dr. Alexa Meara and Dr. Elad Sharon as they discuss the new international Initiative.
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Episode 28
Alliance Clinical Trial for Immune Mediated toxicities.
Join hosts Dr. Afreen Shariff and Dr. Pauline Funchain as they discuss with Dr. David Kozono, a radiation oncologist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the chair of the ALLIANCE clinical trial to set up a national Biorepository to Study Immunotherapy Side Effects.
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Episode 29
Balancing conversations about toxicities.
Join hosts Drs. Afreen Shariff and Pauline Funchain as they discuss with health care communications expert Dr. Timothy Gilligan from Cleveland Clinic about the delicate balance between the fear of toxicities and providing meaningful information for patients.