Fellow’s Highlight
Fernando Diaz, MD
Dr. Fernando Diaz is currently a third-year hematology and oncology fellow and a T32 post-doctoral fellow in the Cancer Health Disparities Program at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Dr. Diaz has a strong passion for cancer disparities affecting the Hispanic community and is intent on becoming a national leader in this area. He is the recipient of the 2022 ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation – Harry F. Bisel, MD, Endowed Young Investigator Award where his research will focus on disaggregating the monolithic Latino cancer population by constructing the first North Carolina Hispanic Cancer Registry. Dr. Diaz is also a part of the CIPHR New Investigator Program, a unique program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center that leverages data from existing cancer registries such as SEER and Medicare, to perform cancer outcomes research in the Hispanic communities across the state.
In addition to these prestigious awards, Dr. Diaz’s unwavering commitment to cancer education and equity in the Hispanic community allowed him to be chosen as a 2022 Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education (GRACE) – Patient Education Ambassador. As an ambassador, he will work with national leaders to develop current and effective online content for the Spanish-speaking Hispanic cancer patients. This closely mirrors his ongoing work at the institutional level. As the former Vice-President for DEI of the UNC House Staff Committee, Dr. Diaz has worked closely with the UNC Health Care Office of DEI for the past year as the co-director of an initiative to produce informative videos in Spanish on preventative medicine for UNC Health’s social media platforms.
In his free time. Dr. Diaz proudly serves as a member of the ASCO Trainee & Early Career Council (formerly the ASCO Trainee Council) to support early career initiatives and volunteers at a non-profit community clinic dedicated to serving the Hispanic community.
Dr. Diaz enthusiastically credits his success to the synergy created from the hematology-oncology fellowship program, strong mentorship from nationally recognized faculty, and support from UNC leadership. His accomplishments have undoubtedly placed him on a direct path towards achieving his professional goals and as a future leader in Hispanic cancer research.
Joannie Ivory, MD
Dr. Joannie Ivory is currently a third-year Hematology/Oncology fellow and NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow in the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. She is originally from New Orleans, LA and received her Doctor of Medicine from Meharry Medical College. Her research interests include addressing disparities in breast cancer mortality and increasing minority participation in clinical trials. Recently, she was awarded the 2022 ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer and UNC Lineberger Innovation Award to fund research, investigating the relationship between race, age and molecular subtypes of breast cancer, and its effect on treatment decisions.
In addition to research, Dr. Ivory holds multiple leadership roles. She is currently Chief Fellow and an active member of UNC Lineberger Equity Council. As part of this committee, Dr. Ivory works directly with the cancer hospital’s leaders to address barriers to care and devise ways to improve the inclusion of people from marginalized populations in clinical research. She is also working with multiple principal investigators on patient recruitment strategies to optimize accrual to ongoing breast cancer clinical trials.
Dr. Ivory credits her success and track record largely due to the structure of the fellowship program and phenomenal support of her mentorship team. During the second and third years of fellowship, Dr. Ivory has a minimum of 60% protected research time which has enabled her to explore her interest and hone in on research skills to successfully develop research projects and apply for competitive grants. She is currently mentored by renowned faculty members, Dr. Lisa Carey and Dr. Katherine Reeder-Hayes, who are equally invested in ensuring that she has a successful and fulfilling career.