Drew Erali, MD, MPH

Specialty: Surgical Oncology
Department of Surgical Oncology

Specializing In:

  • Surgical Oncology

Research Interests:

  • Application of patient-derived tumor organoids
  • Peritoneal surface malignancies
  • HPB

Biography

I am one of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellows at Roswell Park. I obtained my BS in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee and MD from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. I went on to complete my general surgery residency at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. During my professional development time in residency, I obtained my Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. I also was a research fellow at the Wake Forest Organoid Research Center (WFORCE) in the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine. At the WFORCE, I worked with Dr. Konstantinos Votanopoulos creating patient-derived tumor organoid models from multiple different GI tumors to predict response to cancer treatments. My clinical interests are in esophageal, gastric, hepatopancreatobiliary, and peritoneal surface malignancies.

Positions

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Surgical Oncology Fellow
  • Department of Surgical Oncology
  • Complex General Surgical Oncology

Background

Education and Training

  • 2013-2017 - MD - University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
  • 2020-2021 - MPH - Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Residency

  • 2017 - 2024 - General Surgery - Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, NC

Professional Memberships

  • Society of Surgical Oncology
  • American College of Surgeons

Honors & Awards

  • 2024 - House Officer Surgery Teaching Award - Wake Forest University School of Medicine
  • 2023 - Most Outstanding Consultant - Emergency Medicine Residency - Wake Forest University School of Medicine
  • 2023 - Top Oral Abstract, Peritoneal Surface Malignancies - Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting
  • 2023 - Finalist, James Ewing Harvey Baker Traveling Fellow Award - Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting
  • 2023 - Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (ACPMP) Travel Award - Society of Surgical Oncology, Advanced Cancer Therapies Annual Meeting
  • 2022 - First Place, Cancer Paper Competition - North & South Carolina Chapters - American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting
  • 2021 - Silver Award, Basic Science - Surgical Sciences Research Day - Wake Forest University School of Medicine
  • 2021 - Finalist, Resident/Fellow Essay Contest - Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting
  • 2011 - Magna cum laude, Biomedical Engineering - University of Tennessee

Publications

  Full Publications list on PubMed

1. Erali RA, Forsythe SD, Gironda DJ, Schaaf CR, Wajih N, Soker S, Votanopoulos KI. Utilizing Patient-Derived Organoids in the Management of Colorectal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases: A Review of Current Literature. J Gastrointest Cancer. 2022 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s12029-022-00891-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36447085

2. Wajih, N., Erali, R. A., Forsythe, S. D., Schaaf, C. R., Shen, P., Levine, E. A., Soker, S., Morris, D. L., & Votanopoulos, K. I. (2024). Enhancing the Efficacy of HIPEC Through Bromelain: A Preclinical Investigation in Appendiceal Cancer. Annals of surgical oncology, 10.1245/s10434-024-15355-0. Advance online publication. https://doi-org.wake.idm.oclc.org/10.1245/s10434-024-15355-0

3. Forsythe SD, Erali RA, Edenhoffer N, Meeker W, Wajih N, Schaaf CR, Laney P, Vanezuela CD, Li W, Levine EA, Soker S, Votanopoulos KI. Cisplatin exhibits superiority over MMC as a perfusion agent in a peritoneal mesothelioma patient specific organoid HIPEC platform. Sci Rep. 2023 Jul 19;13(1):11640. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38545-4. PMID: 37468581; PMCID: PMC10356916

4. Forsythe SD, Erali RA, Sasikumar S, Laney P, Shelkey E, D'Agostino R Jr, Miller LD, Shen P, Levine EA, Soker S, Votanopoulos KI. Organoid Platform in Preclinical Investigation of Personalized Immunotherapy Efficacy in Appendiceal Cancer: Feasibility Study. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 Sep 15;27(18):5141-5150. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-0982. Epub 2021 Jul 1. PMID: 34210684; PMCID: PMC8720262

5. Erali RA, Pu T, Vu TM, Mangieri CW, Jee Y, Wise JS, Perry KC, Hsu FC, Levine EA, McNatt MH, Chiba A. Pivotal Role of Genetic Counselors in the Uptake of Germline Genetic Testing in Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer and the Impact of Testing on Surgical Decision Making. Am Surg. 2023 May 15:31348231175097. doi: 10.1177/00031348231175097. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37183417