2026-2027 Global Cancer Program Fellows
Tumusime Musafiri, MPH is a Patient-Centered Cancer Care Research Program Manager at Partners In Health/Inshuti Mu Buzima in Rwanda, where he leads and supports research focused on improving cancer care delivery and patient outcomes. He holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Disease Control from Mount Kenya University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Rwanda. His research interests include patient-centered cancer care, serious illness communication, oncology and palliative care, implementation research, and health systems research in resource-constrained settings. He has experience conducting epidemiologic and mixed-methods research, managing clinical and research data, and evaluating interventions in cancer care. His work has included the cultural adaptation of serious illness communication interventions for the Rwandan context, research on oncology and palliative care services, and multicountry global health research. His findings have been disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international scientific conferences. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship, he aims to strengthen his expertise in implementation science and clinical research and apply these skills to generate evidence that informs equitable, patient-centered cancer care in Rwanda and across Africa.
Duoc Do, MD is a dedicated pediatric oncologist at K Hospital, Vietnam National Cancer Hospital. Their clinical work and research focus on improving survival outcomes, optimizing chemotherapy regimens, and minimizing treatment-related toxicities for pediatric cancer patients in resource-constrained settings. Driven by a long-term vision to bridge front-line clinical practice with rigorous global health research, Dr. Do aims to leverage the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship to gain advanced training in clinical research methodology and implementation science. Through this program, they seek to establish context-appropriate supportive care frameworks and sustainable pediatric oncology research infrastructure in Vietnam.
Kenneth Joseph Mlay, MD, MMED is an Otorhinolaryngologist–Head and Neck Surgeon at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and also serves as a Lecturer at KCMC University. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College and completed postgraduate training at the same university. He then pursued advanced specialization in head and neck oncologic surgery at Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), the Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (KORL-HNS), the Global OHNS Initiative, and the Tanzania ENT Society (TENTS). He was the 2025 Global CARE Grant award winner from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in recognition of his outreach efforts to improve access to head and neck cancer screening in underserved communities in Tanzania. Dr Mlay has published multiple peer-reviewed papers on Head & neck oncology and Otorhinolaryngology in general, his current research focuses on Optimizing ENT Care and head & neck Cancer screening in Outreach Clinics in Tanzania: Diagnostic, Educational, and Service Delivery Innovations. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship, he hopes to acquire the skills, mentorship, and collaborative network necessary to become a leader in global head and neck oncology and to contribute meaningfully to reducing cancer disparities in Tanzania and across sub-Saharan Africa.
Karim Bayanzay, MD is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF whose work focuses on strengthening cancer systems in Afghanistan through research, program development, and multidisciplinary collaboration. His portfolio includes national assessments of cancer care delivery, studies examining diagnostic and treatment delays, and the development of patient navigation and referral models for low resource oncology settings. Karim also works with an international tumor board that connects Afghan oncologists with diaspora specialists to improve clinical decision making and provider support, and he leads initiatives that build research capacity among Afghan clinicians through structured mentorship and scientific review. In addition to coordinating complex cancer care for Afghan patients through partnerships with major cancer centers, he works closely with NGOs to support oncology and hematology infrastructure. His work reflects a commitment to creating sustainable, context specific cancer control solutions in fragile and underserved environments.
Theresia Thadeus Mushi, MD, MMed is an Anatomical Pathologist and Lecturer in the Department of Pathology at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), and also serves as a Pathologist at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she practices in histopathology and cytopathology. She is an alumna of the UCSF–ORCI– MUHAS D43 research training programme and an active member of the NCI Global Cancer Community of Practice. Her prior academic work has been presented at international scientific forums, including the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology Annual Meeting. Her research focuses on cervical cytology and strengthening diagnostic systems to support earlier detection of cervical cancer and timely access to care. Through her current work, she plans to explore tele-cytology to strengthen quality assurance and diagnostic capacity at MNH. Her commitment is rooted in the many women with cervical cancer she encounters in her routine pathology practice and the desire to shift diagnosis toward earlier, more treatable stages by expanding access to reliable screening and timely care. She is committed to advancing cervical cancer prevention and diagnostic capacity in Tanzania and looks forward to further developing as a Pathologist, researcher, and global cancer health professional through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship.
Precious Bwembya, RN is a Global Cancer Fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, with 19 years of nursing experience — 11 years in Zambia and 8 years in the United Kingdom, including 6 years specialising in endoscopy. She is the creator of the Precious Model — a unified, nurse-led care pathway designed to eliminate delays in oesophageal cancer diagnosis and treatment. During her fellowship, she will pilot and evaluate the paper-based version, specifically adapted for low-resource settings. Building directly on those findings, she will then launch the fully digital version — which expands into a universal self-triage and direct referral system. Both versions integrate colour-coded triage, nutrition guidance, mandatory patient safeguards, and streamlined workflows to reduce waste and strengthen health systems without requiring additional staff. Her broader goal is to evaluate both models side-by-side, so every patient — regardless of setting — may receive timely, life-saving care.
Hang Nguyen, MD is a radiation oncologist at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi- Vietnam; specializing in head and neck, pediatric, and central nervous system malignancies. She completed her oncology residency in 2021 and has clinical experience in modern radiation therapy techniques, including IMRT, VMAT, stereotactic radiosurgery, and stereotactic body radiotherapy. Her professional interests include advancing high-quality, evidence-based cancer care, particularly radiotherapy, and strengthening multidisciplinary cancer treatment and research in Vietnam. She is also actively involved in clinical research and international collaboration, with a strong interest in improving cancer outcomes and reducing disparities in cancer care in low- and middle-income settings.
Tung Nguyen Thanh, MD, MMed is a medical oncologist at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Before joining K Hospital, he spent four years at Hanoi Medical University, where he was involved in clinical work, medical education, and research. For the past seven years, he has worked in hematologic oncology, with a particular focus on caring for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. His interest in research has grown naturally from his daily clinical practice and from the questions he encounters while caring for patients. He has participated in numerous clinical research projects and published his work in both Vietnamese and international peer-reviewed journals. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Hanoi Medical University to further develop his clinical and research expertise. Dr. Tung believes that patient care and research should go hand in hand. He hopes to learn from colleagues around the world, share his experience from Vietnam, and build meaningful international collaborations that can ultimately lead to better treatment and care for patients in Vietnam and contribute to improving cancer care globally.
Do Quynh Chi, MPharm is a researcher at the Research Department of the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. She graduated from the Biotechnology program at VNUUniversity of Science, specializing in Biomedical Sciences. She then pursued a Master’s degreein Pharmaceutical Biochemistry at Hanoi University of Pharmacy. She received training in cancerbiology at the Vietnam Military Medical Academy and has hands-on research experience in solidtumors, particularly colorectal and lung cancers. Currently, her research focuses on optimizingearly cancer detection and developing targeted therapeutic strategies, with a particular interestin melanoma, to advance precision medicine and improve patient outcomes.
Diego Martinez Mendiola, BA is a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) with interests in surgical oncology, global cancer care, and health equity. Prior to medical school, he spent several years in clinical cancer research, including early-phase trials across a range of solid tumors. His global oncology work examines how cancer care is organized and delivered in settings with limited oncology resources. In Vietnam, he has worked with collaborators to study clinical trial implementation across multidisciplinary cancer centers and identify barriers to expanding research capacity. His current research focuses on pancreatic cancer. He is studying patterns of care and outcomes across a national cohort of safety-net hospitals and is also involved in translational research on biomarkers for pancreatic cyst risk stratification, with the goal of making accurate diagnostic assays more broadly accessible. As a UCSF Global Cancer Fellow, Diego is interested in applying geospatial methods to study access to specialized cancer surgery in Latin America. His proposed work would use
geocoding to characterize referral patterns, travel burden, and geographic barriers to complex oncologic surgery, with the goal of identifying gaps in referral networks and opportunities to improve access.
Mariam Uledi, MD, MCO is a Clinical Oncologist at Bugando Medical Centre in Tanzania. She has also served as a research mentorship scholar with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and contributes as a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Case Reports and the Annals of Medicine and Surgery. An active member of leading professional bodies including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the Tanzania Oncology Society (TOS), her academic interests span in Gastrointestinal malignancies, women's health, cancer prevention, and supportive care.
Peter Muhoka, MD, MMed is a Clinical Oncologist at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Tanzania. He earned both his undergraduate medical degree and Master’s degree in Clinical Oncology from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS). He is a former Head of the Adult Oncology Unit at MNH and was a recipient of the 2019 ASCO IDEA award. His work is guided by a strong commitment to improving the quality of life of people living with cancer through locally relevant research, evidence based practice and patient centered care. His clinical and research interests include Gastrointestinal malignancies and Lymphoma, with a particular focus on addressing the factors that influence outcomes across the cancer care continuum, including timely diagnosis, access to treatment, supportive care and survivorship. Through his clinical work and research, he seeks to strengthen cancer services and advance more equitable and effective care for patients affected by cancer in Tanzania.
Frederick Richard Lyimo, MD, MMed is a cardiovascular and thoracic radiologist serving as Head of the Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Department at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He is currently a 2026–2027 Global Cancer Fellow at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and a Research Scholar at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Lyimo holds academic appointments as an Honorary Lecturer at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and an Adjunct Professor of Radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. His clinical and research efforts focus on global oncology, advanced cardiothoracic imaging, and the implementation of artificial intelligence in resource-constrained settings. He actively contributes to these fields as a member of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Artificial Intelligence Task Force. Deeply committed to health- system capacity building, Dr. Lyimo focuses on bridging diagnostic pathways and mentoring the next generation of Tanzanian radiologists.
Lilian Salingwa, MD, MMED is a Clinical Radiologist and Lecturer at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Her journey into cardio-oncology began at her working station, where she witnessed challenges faced by breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and the silent but devastating impact of cardiotoxicity. Trained in Radiology, she combines her clinical expertise with a passion for research and mentorship. Dr. Salingwa has contributed to studies on cardiovascular complications in people living with HIV, carotid atherosclerosis in diabetes (supports by THET and SIDA respectively), and imaging in chronic lung disease, sharing her findings at national scientific conferences. She is committed to bridging the gap between cancer care and cardiovascular health in low-resource settings. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship, she hopes to grow as a clinician-scientist, advance evidence- based cardio-oncology practices, and mentor the next generation of researchers in Tanzania and beyond.
Dinna Gabriel, MD is a Medical Doctor and Tutorial Assistant in Clinical Pharmacology at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), and Private Primary healthcare leader in Tanzania. Her work is driven by a commitment to improving outcomes for children with blood cancers, with a particular focus on reducing delays in diagnosis, referral, and treatment that contribute to preventable deaths. Through the Global Cancer Fellowship, she seeks to strengthen her capacity to identify and address health-system barriers and develop context-appropriate, sustainable strategies to improve timely access to lifesaving pediatric cancer care and ultimately increase survival among children with hematologic malignancies in resource-limited settings.
Thi Hoa Le, MD, MSc is a radiation oncologist at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi, Vietnam. She completed her residency and master’s training in oncology at Hanoi Medical University and has a clinical and research focus on head and neck cancers, particularly nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Her current research focuses on evaluating diffusion-weighted MRI and apparent diffusion coefficient (DWI/ADC) imaging in comparison with PET/CT for the assessment of residual and recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma after treatment. Through her clinical and research work, she has become interested in improving access to evidence-based and resource-appropriate cancer care in Vietnam. As a UCSF Global Cancer Fellow, she hopes to strengthen her skills in clinical research and implementation science and develop her research into a practical cancer-control strategy that can improve cancer diagnosis and care in resource-limited settings.
Hoang Thu Trang, MD is a medical oncologist and Deputy Head of the Department of Pediatric Medical Oncology and Rare Cancers at K Hospital (the National Cancer Hospital of Vietnam). She specializes in the treatment of childhood cancers, with particular interests in sarcomas, neuro-oncology, and hematologic malignancies. In addition to her clinical practice, she is actively involved in clinical research, including multicenter clinical trials, and is pursuing a PhD focused on biomarkers and treatment outcomes in osteosarcoma. Dr. Trang is committed to improving access to evidence-based cancer care, strengthening pediatric oncology research capacity, and fostering international collaborations to advance cancer care in low- and middle-income countries. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship, she hopes to expand her expertise in global oncology, implementation research, and multidisciplinary cancer care, while contributing to the development of sustainable pediatric cancer programs in Vietnam.
Duc Nguyen Dinh, MD is a radiation oncologist in the Department of Head and Neck Radiation Oncology at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi, Vietnam. He received his medical degree and completed a three-year residency in oncology at Hanoi Medical University. His clinical and research interests include head and neck cancers, central nervous system tumors, pediatric oncology, and thoracic oncology. Dr. Dinh has authored and contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications on head and neck malignancies, radiotherapy outcomes, and EGFR-mutant lung cancer with brain metastases, including several publications as corresponding author. His current research evaluates dynamic plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA kinetics as a minimally invasive biomarker for treatment response prediction and risk stratification in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Fellowship, he aims to strengthen his expertise in clinical research methods and develop as an independent clinician- scientist. His long-term goal is to lead collaborative research and advance evidence- based, equitable, and context-appropriate cancer care in Vietnam and other resource- constrained settings.
Chu Thi Trang, MD is a general pathologist at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital), Vietnam. She graduated from Hanoi Medical University and subsequently completed her residency training and master’s degree in Pathology. She currently works at the Pathology and Molecular Biology Center at K Hospital. Her academic and professional interests are in hematopathology, particularly the diagnosis of lymphoma and other lymphoproliferative disorders. Through her work on the lymphoma consultation service, she has developed an increasing interest in integrating morphology, immunohistochemistry, clinical findings, and molecular diagnostics in challenging hematopathology cases. Her research interests include EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and improving the application of advanced diagnostic methods in Vietnam. She hopes to further develop her training in hematopathology and contribute to strengthening diagnostic practice, research, and capacity building in Vietnam.