Planning Committee Members

Hani Babiker, MD

Pancreaticobiliary, GI Oncology

Early Phase Therapeutics, and Senior Associate Consultant

Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL

Dr. Hani Babiker is an Oncologist with board certification in Oncology and Hematology and initial certification in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics and Gerontology. He held academic appointments at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the University of Arizona. Prior to joining the Mayo Clinic, he was the Director of the Early Phase Clinical Trials Program and Co-Chair of DSMB at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. His research interests are in new drug development and in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers with an emphasis on pancreatic cancer. He completed a drug development scholarship at the Virginia G Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials/HonorHealth Research Institute in Scottsdale where he served as the principal investigator in many early phase clinical trials in solid tumors and participated in trials that led to drug approvals. He also has an interest both in developing new biomarkers and targeted therapies in pancreatic cancer. Dr. Babiker is currently the Associate Director, Clinical Research Operations Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, FL.

Dr. Babiker earned his M.D. with High Honors from Univerzita Komenskeho, Slovakia, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Geriatrics and Gerontology at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Babiker was an instructor in medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Phoenix. He also completed a Hematology and Medical Oncology fellowship at the University of Arizona where he also served as Chief Fellow. Dr. Babiker is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, and the American College of Physicians. He has authored several abstracts and peer review manuscripts and has a passion for teaching and mentoring students and trainees.

Jeremy C. Jones, MD

Assistant Professor of Oncology Vice Chair

Clinical Practice Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology

Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL

Jeremy C. Jones, is a medical oncologist and hematologist who specializes in treating gastrointestinal malignancies.

His clinical focus includes:
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Anal cancer

His research interests include cancer therapeutic trials as well as studying the underlying molecular genetics that drive gastrointestinal malignancies.

Rutika Mehta, MD, MPH

Medical Oncologist

Moffitt Cancer Center Tampa, FL

Dr. Rutika Mehta is an Associate Member in the Department of GI Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center and Assistant Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences at University of South Florida. She is extremely passionate in helping patients with GI cancers especially esophageal and gastric cancers with new and cutting edge clinical trials. Her research interests are in cancer genomics and cancers in ethnic minorities and the intersection of genomics and ethnicity. She also serves on the medical advisory board for Debbie’s Dream Foundation which is a non-profit organization that supports patients with gastric cancer.

Mohamedtaki Tejani, MD 

Medical Director

GI Oncology Program

Advent Health Cancer Institute Orlando, FL

Mohamedtaki A. Tejani received his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude from Amherst College. He later earned his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Tejani went on to complete his residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT, achieving the rank of Chief Resident. Following this, he completed his fellowship training in hematology/oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple University in Philadelphia.

An award-winning physician, Dr. Tejani has authored numerous oncology-related publications. His research experience and areas of interest include gastrointestinal cancers, biomarkers and therapeutics, patient-provider communication and the culture of medicine.  Dr. Tejani firmly believes that patient care is a privilege. Listening and responding to a patient's unique story is critical in helping that family on their cancer journey. Originally from Tanzania (East Africa), he is fluent in Swahili, Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.