James Bussel, MD
Dr. James Bussel is Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Obstetrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. His training was initiated at Yale, continued at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, then he completed a Pediatric Residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and a Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the combined Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering program. The great majority of Dr. Bussel’s publications are centered around diagnosis and especially management of patients with ITP, including children with ITP, adults with ITP, pregnant women with ITP, HIV infected patients with thrombocytopenia, and fetuses affected by autoimmune and alloimmune thrombocytopenia. He has worked with IVIg, IV anti-D, rituximab, and most recently the thrombopoietic agents. Dr. Bussel also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.
Andra James, MD
Dr. Andra James is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, where she directs the Women's Hemostasis and Thrombosis Clinic. Dr. James graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina, and completed her Fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Duke. Her practice, research, and advocacy pertain to reproductive issues among women with hematologic disorders. She is Chair of the Women’s Issues Scientific Subcommittee of the International Society on Haemostasis and Thrombosis, serves on the Women's Task Force and Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Hemophilia Foundation, and serves on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia. Dr. James also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.
Pamir Kiciman, BA, RM, CHt
Pamir Kiciman is a Life Enrichment educator and is the founder of Oasis Reiki in South Florida. He specializes in healing and mindbody wholeness, providing Reiki Training and Healing services to those seeking self-empowerment andlongterm wellness. He has worked with a variety of conditions in 15 years of practice including time spent at Imperial Point Medical Center in South Florida, both as a practitioner and Reiki teacher. Pamir has also conducted Reiki Training at Florida Atlantic University's College of Nursing. Recently, he was selected as a Featured Voice on Intent.com, an online publication that includes the likes of Deepak Chopra. Pamir has spent the last 15 years training in energy medicine, intentional healing, holistic health, meditation, and spiritual psychology. When teaching and practicing Reiki and mindbody techniques, his approach is an integration of Eastern and Western models, centered around the individual's needs and self-healing. Pamir is passionate about all-around wellness and educates people through various channels, including his own Reiki Help Blog.
Howard Liebman, MD
Dr. Howard Liebman is a Professor of Medicine and Pathology and is Section Head, Hematology, Division of Cancer Medicine and Blood Diseases at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. He serves as Medical Director of the Special Hemostasis Laboratory at USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and is interim chief of the section of hematology.Dr. Liebman received his medical degree from USC and completed his postgraduate training, including a Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowships in Medical Oncology and Hematology, at Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center.Dr. Liebman completed a Research Fellowship at Tufts University - New England Medical Center, Boston, MA and held faculty positions at Tufts University and Boston University, before returning to USC.Dr. Liebman’s research interests include clinical management and characterization of haemostatic and thrombotic disorders, management of autoimmune blood disorders, and clinical therapy of HIV and AIDS. He has authored or co-authored 72 peer-reviewed publications and 24 reviews and chapters. Dr. Liebman also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.
Lisa Lavine Nagy, MD
Dr. Lisa Nagy of Vineyard Environmental Health, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, graduated from The University of Pennsylvania and then from Cornell Medical College in 1986. After a surgical internship she completed an Emergency Medicine residency at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City. She then practiced in Los Angeles until becoming severely ill (Addison’s Disease, Mitochondrial Myopathy, Dysautonomia) as a result of a complex medical condition known as Chemical Sensitivity or Environmental Illness. Her story of survival and journey of discovery, which led her to determine what made her so ill, inspired ABC’s ‘Nightline’ to interview her and many newspapers and magazines to feature the story of her recovery. Dr. Nagy’s illness was due to toxic mold and for others it is due to pesticide or chemical exposure. She explains that the environmental medicine approach is to focus on finding the causes of symptoms and diseases including genetic, hormonal, nutritional, allergic, and those related to environmental exposures. She is now board eligible in Environmental Medicine and named a delegate to the Massachusetts Medical society for her efforts in bringing traditional medicine and environmental medicine together. Dr. Nagy is now president of Preventive and Environmental Health Alliance, which is a group focused on educating medical students, doctors, the AMA, Congress, the public, and assists patients to find help nationwide.
Robert H. Phillips, Ph.D.
Dr. Robert Phillips, founder and director of the Center for Coping in Hicksville, NY, is a licensed psychologist who has been in private practice since 1975 and who has published and spoken widely on coping with physical ailments and other psychological topics. He has published more than 30 books and presented over 500 papers and talks at seminars, conventions, and meetings throughout the United States and internationally. Dr. Phillips has served on the Board of Directors of the national Lupus Foundation of America and the Nassau Chapter of the American Heart Association, as well as on the national scientific advisory board of the American Autoimmune and Related Diseases Association and on the medical advisory boards of, and is the psychologist for, a number of major local and national organizations. Dr. Phillips has appeared on dozens of television and radio programs, and has been the long-time host of "Coping Conversation", a popular nationally available audio-streamed radio talk show.
John W. Semple, PhD
Dr. John Semple received his PhD in Immunology from Queen’s University in 1986 and trained as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research of the C.H. Best Institute, University of Toronto from 1986-1990. He joined St. Michael's Hospital in 1990 and is currently the Director of Transfusion Medicine Research of the Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group and a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Semple has published over 120 papers on platelet immunology. His research activities include several areas including anti-platelet T cell responses in patients with acute and chronic ITP, the analysis of how platelet antigens are recognized by the immune system, and how platelets may act as immune-like cells that are responsible for initiating and perpetuating their own autoimmune demise. Dr. Semple also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.
Michael Tarantino, MD
Dr. Michael Tarantino is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine-Peoria. He received a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Wisconsin School in 1987. He completed an internship and residency at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and a Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. Dr. Tarantino first became interested in ITP during his residency in 1988. Since that time he has designed and/or participated in numerous clinical investigations related to ITP and other platelet disorders. He has authored numerous publications relevant to the diagnosis and management of ITP, especially as it occurs in children. Dr. Tarantino is also active in hemophilia and other bleeding disorders research. Currently he is Medical Director of the Comprehensive Bleeding Disorders Center in Peoria, Illinois. Dr. Tarantino also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.
* Subject to Change
