Building Global Partnerships to Advance Breast Cancer Care
Global Breast Cancer Seminar Series
Hosted by the University of Minnesota
Addressing a Critical Global Need
Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. While it is often curable in high-income countries, it remains largely fatal in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This disparity is not inevitable—it is reversible through education, training, and access to emerging therapies.
With rapid advancements in breast cancer treatment and growing availability of cancer therapies across the globe, physicians in LMICs are increasingly seeking opportunities to learn about the latest evidence-based approaches. To deliver the best possible care, these providers need continuing medical education tailored to their practice environments.
Our Response
The University of Minnesota Global Breast Cancer Seminar Series was created to meet this need. Our monthly seminars provide:
-
Multidisciplinary education grounded in the latest research and clinical practice.
-
Practical insights on incorporating new treatments into patient care.
-
A collaborative community of physicians committed to advancing breast cancer care in LMICs.
Together, we aim to equip physicians with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to improve outcomes for women with breast cancer worldwide.
Seminar FAQs
- Who can participate in the Global Breast Cancer Seminar Series?
- What areas of advanced breast cancer therapies will be covered?
- What is the schedule and format of the seminars?
- Who are your global partners in this work?
- Do you have promotional materials that I can share about the seminar series?
Physicians who care for breast cancer patients in LMICs, including those who have or have not undergone fellowship training, are welcome to participate. General practitioners, internal medicine, medical oncology, clinical oncology, radiology, radiation oncology, pathology and surgeons are the intended audience of the seminar.
- Breast-conserving surgery and radiation techniques
- Systemic therapies (chemotherapy, endocrine, HER2-directed, targeted therapies)
- Diagnostic tools (genetic testing, mammography, ultrasound)
- Post-treatment therapies (palliation, rehab)
- Additional topics by participant request
The free seminar series begins Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and will take place on the first Tuesday of each month. Each 60-minute session starts at 7:00 a.m. Central Time (GMT-5, United States).
Sessions will be held live via Zoom, recorded, and posted below for future reference. Participants only need to register once to attend any session in the series.
This education is best carried out by established global health partnerships who have long term professional relationships based on mutual respect and cultural humility. The University of Minnesota partners on breast cancer care with teams in Honduras, Tanzania, Mongolia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. These partnerships have focused on basic breast cancer education amongst providers and patients, breast surgery fellowship training, clinical care and research. The seminar will be incorporated into these existing programs with the goal of advancing breast cancer knowledge to the next level.
Visit this link to download a Global Breast Cancer Seminar Series flyer (pdf).
Seminar Schedule & Recordings
Tuesday, May 6th: Seminar Introduction, Challenges & Opportunities of Breast Cancer in LMICs
Tuesday, June 3rd: Breast Cancer Genetics and Risk-Reduction Strategies
Tuesday, July 1st: Basics of breast imaging and utilization for common breast complaints in the United States and Kenya
Tuesday, August 5th: Mastectomy, Breast-Conserving Surgery and Reconstruction
Key Publications:
Contemporary Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction: Abdominally Based Flaps
Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction
Improving Results in Oncoplastic Surgery
Seminar Recording: Watch Here
Tuesday, September 2nd: Breast Cancer Radiation and Surgical Nodal Management
Tuesday, October 7th: Breast Cancer Pathology and Diagnosis, Management & Outcomes of DCIS
Kelly Hewitt, MD FACS is an Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Utah with fellowship training and a clinical focus in breast surgical oncology. Two of her main research interests are minimizing overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and the role of large academic centers in facilitating and advocating for care in resource poor settings. When not working, you can find her out on the trails running, biking or snowboarding with her family.
Molly Klein, MD is a pathologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, specializing in breast and gynecologic pathology. She has been a close collaborator with breast and gynecologic oncology groups in clinical care, research and education. She is the director of the University of Minnesota's gynecologic and breast pathology fellowship, and works also to educate clinical trainees on pathology’s impact on their practice.
Nov 2025: HER2+ & Triple Negative Breast Cancer
HER2+ Breast Cancer
Dr. Douglas Yee is the past director of the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He is a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology. His laboratory research is focused on the growth regulation of breast cancer biology by insulin and the insulin-like growth factors and clinical translation of these findings. Dr. Yee has a leadership role in the I-SPY 2 trial which is designed to validate investigational therapies in the neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer. He is co-chair of the I-SPY 2 Agent Selection Committee and serves on its Executive and Data Access and Publication Committees. Dr. Yee’s curriculum vitae includes over 250 publications. He also maintains an active clinical practice in breast medical oncology at the Breast Center, University of Minnesota Medical Center. Dr. Yee graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago, and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and completed his fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. Before coming to the University of Minnesota, he held faculty positions in the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Damé Idossa, M.D., is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer. She has particular interest and expertise in:
- Triple negative breast cancer
- Early onset and/or post-partum breast cancer
- Survivorship
- Clinical trials
In addition to her clinical activities, Dr. Idossa is active in research focused on cancer care delivery, symptom management, quality of life, and improving access to clinical trials. Her work has been published in prestigious medical journals. She is the principal investigator for numerous studies and serves on national committees focused on symptom management and improving clinical trial accessibility.
Dec 2025: Quality of Life - Physical Therapy & Cancer Survivsorship in Breast Cancer
Physical Therapy in Breast Cancer
Linda Koehler, PhD, PT, CLT-LANA, is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Division of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science. She is a licensed physical therapist and a certified lymphedema therapist with the Lymphology Association of North America with over 25 years working with breast cancer survivors. Her research is focused on cancer survivorship, lymphedema, and axillary web syndrome.
Cancer Survivorship in Breast Cancer: Resource-Stratified Approaches to Supportive Care
Dr. Tara J. Rick, PhD, PA-C is a Research Associate in Cancer Survivorship at the University of Minnesota and a Physician Associate in Hematology/Oncology with M Health Fairview. Her research focuses on improving quality of life, sexual health, and menopause care among cancer survivors. She earned her PhD in Radiotherapy from Erasmus University in the Netherlands, where she studied radiotherapy access and cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa. She serves on the board of the Foundation for Cancer Care in Tanzania and remains engaged in global oncology research examining barriers to treatment and workforce development.
Recommended Reading
Practical Management of Endocrine Therapy
Seminar Co-Directors
