Page 2 - Best Melanoma doctors: TOP 92 doctors

Dr. Michael Lotem leads the Melanoma and Cancer Immunotherapy Center at Hadassah Medical Center. He specializes in advanced immunotherapy for melanoma. He is known for his research on SLAM receptors and their role in anti-cancer immune responses. Dr. Lotem has published widely in leading medical journals.

He heads a multidisciplinary team that uses clinical data and patient samples to advance research. Under his leadership, the center has improved patient outcomes with new therapies. The center is now recognized as a leader in cancer immunotherapy.

• Education: 
•  
• 2001-2007: University of Ioannina Medical School, Greece.
• 2007: Degree in Medicine.
• 2013: Doctoral degree from the Medical School of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt (Dr. Med)
• 09.2016 – Today: Master’s in Healthcare Business Studies.

Professional experience:

04.2009 – 04.2013: Resident in the Department for Radiation Oncology, Klinikum Offenbach

05.2013 – 12. 2015: Senior physician in the Department for Radiation Oncology, Klinikum Offenbach

• 01.2016 – 06.2017: Senior physician in the Department of interventional Radiation Oncology, Medical Center Athens
•  
• 07.2017 – Today: Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the German Oncology Center, Limassol, Cyprus.

• Specializes in melanoma treatment with a focus on immunotherapy at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital.
• Participated in pivotal trials leading to the approval of Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab, and Ipilimumab for metastatic melanoma.
• Utilizes standard melanoma treatments: surgery, radiation, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
• Has international experience at medical institutions in Spain.
• Member of the Melanoma Unit at Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).

Prof. Dr. Sezer Sağlam is a medical oncologist at Gayrettepe Florence Nightingale Hospital. He specializes in gastrointestinal and breast cancers. He has contributed to cancer care through research, especially with his study on the best timing for surgery after neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer. This work has influenced global treatment protocols.

Dr. Sağlam has led clinical trials in targeted therapies and precision medicine. His research on liver-transplanted patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was nominated for the 2024 International Best Researcher Award. He is a member of ASCO, ESMO, and ENET. Dr. Sağlam provides personalized and evidence-based oncology care.

Dr. Christiane Thallinger is an Austrian dermatologist and venereologist. She focuses on skin cancer and oncologic dermatology. She began her medical career in 1999. She completed dermatology training at the Medical University of Vienna. She later served as a senior physician in its Department of Dermatology.

Her expertise includes diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. She performs dermatosurgery, cryotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. She also manages skin side effects caused by cancer treatment.

She is active in patient care and academic research. She is recognized for her patient-centered approach and for advancing dermatologic oncology in Austria.

Associate Professor Dr. Yusuf AÇIKGÖZ
Specialization: Medical Oncology

Education:

• 2004-2011: İnönü University Faculty of Medicine
• 2011-2016: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine
• 2017-2022: Health Sciences University, Medical Oncology

Professional Experience:

• 2016-2017: Bingöl City Hospital, Internal Medicine
• 2021-2022: Health Sciences University, Medical Oncology
• 2022-2023: Kastamonu Education and Research Hospital, Medical Oncology
• 2023-2024: Ohio State University, Medical Oncology
• 2024-Present: Lokman Hekim University, Medical Oncology, Ankara Hospital

Clinical Trials, Courses, Certifications:

Clinical Trials:

• 2017-2021: Phase III, CheckMate-649 Study (Assistant Investigator)
• 2022-Present: Phase III, Fortitude-101 Study (Assistant Investigator)

Courses:

• 2018: Medicres Basic and Advanced Biostatistics Training Program (ongoing), Istanbul-Vienna
• 2019: Immuno-Oncology Education Course, March 1-2, 2019, Vienna, Central European Cooperative Oncology Group (CECOG)
• 2018: Good Clinical Practice Certification, April 7-8, 2018, Ankara, Health Sciences University
• 2017: Basic Oncology Training Program, November 25-26, 2017, Adana, Clinical Oncology Society
• 2016: Basic Ultrasonography Course (10 hours theoretical + 10 hours practical), September 24-25, 2016, Ankara, Turkish Emergency Medicine Association

Certifications:

• Ongoing: ECFMG Certification
• 2024: CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (The Ohio State University)
• 2024: CITI IACUC-Laboratory Animal Research (The Ohio State University)
• 2024: CITI Human Subjects Protection (The Ohio State University)
• 2024: CITI Good Clinical Practice (The Ohio State University)
• 2023: Occupational English Test (OET)
• 2019: International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Total Score: 6.5, May 26, 2019, Ankara, British Council
• 2017: USMLE Step 2 CK Exam; Score: 244, February 7, 2017
• 2016: USMLE Step 1 Exam; Score: 215, August 25, 2016

Memberships:

• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) - 2022
• Turkish Society of Medical Oncology - 2020

Dermatologist

Eli Shpreher  is a Head of the Department of Dermatology, Ichilov Medical Center - Sourasky.

• Specializes in comprehensive melanoma treatment including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and molecular diagnostics.
• Has international training and has practiced at medical institutions in Germany and the USA, focusing on advanced cancer research.
• Member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Onkologie und Hämato-Onkologie GDHO and the American Association for Cancer Research.
• Chief Physician at the BKZ Solingen Cancer Center since 2021, leading interdisciplinary melanoma treatment initiatives.
• Expert reviewer for scientific journals, ensuring up-to-date, evidence-based melanoma treatment practices.

Dr. Inta Jaunalksne is an experienced immunologist with more than 30 years in the field. She specializes in virotherapy. She graduated from Riga Medical Institute and completed an internship in Internal Medicine. Dr. Jaunalksne is recognized as an expert in immunology.

She leads the Clinical Immunology Center at Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital. Dr. Jaunalksne has played a key role in advancing virotherapy and immunological research. Her work has improved treatment results and introduced new therapies. She is well respected in clinical immunology.

Education

• (2004 – 2011), Faculty of Medicine/ Inonu University/ Malatya, Turkiye
• (2011 – 2015), Department of Radiology/ Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital/ Istanbul, Turkiye

Career

• (2016 – 2020), Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist/ Mus State Hospital/ Mus,Turkiye
• (2020 – 2022), Assistant Professor of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology/ Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital/ Sakarya, Turkiye
• (2023 – 2024), Associate Professor of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology /Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital/ Sakarya, Turkiye
• (2024 - Present), Associate Professor of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology /Medipol University Hospital/ Istanbul, Turkiye

Education

Sep 2009 – Jun 2014      Medical Degree - Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MD)

                                                University of Malta

Sep 2006 – Jun 2009      Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSc Honours)

                                                University of East Anglia (United Kingdom)

Work Experience and Training

Aug 2021 – Aug 2022   Senior Skin Cancer Fellow

                                               St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals

                                               King’s College London, UK

Sep 2017 – Sep 2020    Dermatology and Venerology Specialty Trainee

                                               Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer

                                               Tel-Aviv, Israel

Sep 2016 – Aug 2017   Senior House Officer in Ortho-Geriatrics

                                               Colchester University Hospital, NHS Foundation trust

Aug 2015 – Aug 2016   Year 2 Doctor

                                               NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

                                               Rotations in the following specialties: 

                                               General Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Trauma & Orthopaedics

Aug 2014 – Aug 2015   Year 1 Doctor

                                               NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

                                               Rotations in the following specialties:

                                               General Medicine, General Surgery (skin cancer clinics and minor ops)

Other activity

• Clinical Tutor: 

1. Demonstrator - skin biopsy course
   St John’s Derm-academy London (June 2022)
2. Lecturer for the topic: Non-melanoma skin cancer for the MSc Dermatology, King’s College London (Aug 2021)
3. Instructor and tutor responsible for the St. George’s, University of London (Cyprus campus) and Tel-Aviv University medical students on rotation at the Dermatology department, Sheba medical centre (Sep 2018 – present) 
    
4. Delivering weekly tutorials to 5th year medical students of the University of Glasgow. Topic:  Skin cancers and melanoma (Jan 2015 – Aug 2016)

• Medical Student – Scholarship: University of Oxford, fully funded Clinical Elective at the department of Plastic Surgery – John Radcliffe University Hospital (Sep – Nov 2013)
  
   
• Medical Student – Elective: International Medical students Association funded elective, Plastic surgery – Ljubljana University Hospital (Sep 2012)
  
   
• Conferences and Courses

May 2022                      British Society of Skin Care in Immunosuppressed Individuals

                                          Update on skin diseases in immunosuppressed - London

Oct 2021                        British society of dermatological surgery course – London 

Sep 2021                        St John’s Academy dermoscopy course - London

Dec 2019                        International nail disorders conference – Tel-Aviv

Sep 2019                        Annual Dermoscopy course – Tel-Aviv

Sep 2018                       27th  EADV congress - Paris

Feb 2016                        Basic Surgical Skills course

                                           Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd)

Aug 2015                       Training the Clinical Teacher Diploma 

                                           University College London (UCL)

Sep 2013                        Head and neck flap course - NHS Oxford Deanery

Memberships and Registration

• Cyprus Medical Council
• Dermatology and Venereology specialist register
•  
• General Medical Council, UK
• Full registration 
•  
• European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)

Specializations

Cancer Surgery

Pancreatic Surgery

Bile Duct Surgery

Bariatric Metabolic Surgery

Oncological Surgery

Breast Surgery

Gastric cancer

Colon cancer

Thyroid Cancer

Obesity Surgery

Diabetes Surgeries

Education

Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine (1991)

KTÜ Faculty of Medicine Farabi Hospital (Specialization.1998)

Istanbul University Çapa Faculty of Medicine (Laparoscopic Surgery Training, 2002)

Istanbul University Çapa Faculty of Medicine (Laparoscopic Antireflux Surgery Training, 2006)

Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine (General Surgery Clinic Advance Laparoscopic Surgery, Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery, Morbid Obesity and Oncological Cancer Surgery Training, 2010i)

2017: Oticon Medical Scientific Center Copenhagen Denmark.
2016: ICLO Teaching Center New Endoscopic Approaches to Lateral Skull Base, Inner Ear and Cerebello-Pontine Angle, Verona Italy
2016: World Hearing Center, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw,Poland
2015: Cochlear Science and Research Center Berlin Germany.
2014: Cochlear implant Center Medel Company Innsburck, Austria.
2014: Hannover Medical School. Clinic for Laryngology, Rhinology and Otology, Hannover, Germany
2014: Academy of Hearing Aid Acoustics (Akademie für Hörgerate-Akustik), Lübeck, Germany.
2013: International European Sialendoscopy Training Center, Geneva, Switzerland.
2012: University clinic of ORL, Head and Neck Surgery, klinikum der Universitat, Munchen, Germany.
2012: University clinic of ORL, Head and Neck Surgery, Bern, Switzerland.
2011: University clinic of ORL, Head and Neck Surgery, klinikum der Universitat, Munchen, Germany.
2007: The Ohio State University, Medical Faculty, Department of Otolaryngology, Division of Otology and Neurotology. Columbus, Ohio, USA.
2006: University of Würzburg, Department of Otolaryngology, Division of Otology and Neurotology. Würzburg, Germany.
1999-2003 İnönü Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı
1993-1999 İstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi

Turkish Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Association

Turkish Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Foundation

Turkish Rhinology Society

Tigris-Euphrates Basin Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Association

Gaziantep Otorhinolaryngology Association

Turkish Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Qualification Board

Turkish Otology Association

Malatya Otorhinolaryngology Association

American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Mediterranean Society of Otology and Audiology

International Vertigo Association

Specialist in Oncodermatology

Radiotherapist