Starting her career as a research physician at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, clinical oncologist Loretta Itri, MD, headed pharmaceutical development departments at large drug manufacturers, including Ortho Biotech, Inc. Outside of her role in clinical research, Dr. Loretta Itri enjoys international travel. She has visited far-off destinations such as South Korea. Less touristy than its neighbors Thailand, China, and Japan, South Korea possesses intriguing culture and natural beauty that attract millions of visitors every year. One of the country’s most popular events is the Lotus Lantern Festival, held annually for more than 1,300 years. The holiday celebrates the Buddha’s birthday, an important date for Korean Buddhists, who make up about 15 percent of the population. From mid-April until early May, illuminated paper lanterns line every street in the capital city of Seoul. During this time, dozens of traditional dance and music performances display the best of Korean culture.
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Loretta Itri, MD, has spent over two decades in the pharmaceutical and research industry. Beyond her professional accomplishments in oncology, Dr. Loretta Itri has also traveled extensively. Her most recent trip included several South American countries, which are home to raccoon-like coati.
The South American coati is a small mammal native to forested areas in Uruguay, Argentina, Columbia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Coati are very social animals. Female coati and their offspring live together in large groups, known as bands, which can contain up to 30 members. While older males are solitary, they often demonstrate nurturing behaviors, such as grooming females. While bands can enter into territorial conflicts, coati are just as likely to perform social behaviors when interacting with other groups. Coati also protect their band members by sounding a vocal alarm to warn of nearby predators. Coati living in areas with urban development have grown accustomed to humans. People should refrain from feeding or standing too closely to them. While young coati can bond with humans and make good pets if given the proper conditions, they are not domesticated animals. |
AuthorAs chief medical officer and president of pharmaceutical development at a public biotech company, Dr. Loretta Itri oversaw the worldwide development of a number of important drugs, including Tesetaxel, a novel oral taxane used in the treatment of breast, gastric, and prostate cancer. Archives
October 2019
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