AUTUMN 2025
Understanding how our organizations in healthcare have moved from complicated to complex may seem like a distinction without merit, but that would be entirely incorrect in my opinion. For those of us who work within the system, we see this shift every day. This is the subject of a recent book by author and executive coach, Dr. Michael Hein, entitled, “Shifting Toward Unorthodoxy.” There is much to like about this book, but the chapter on complexity is the main lesson I wish to discuss here. Namely, "Healthcare Organizations are Complex, Not Just Complicated." Why do we often feel “stuck” within the confines of the system? This book helps answer that, and posits that the traditional tools we have used to solve complicated problems in a world that has shifted towards complexity will have diminishing, ineffectual returns. In that sense, this is the timeless advice from financial investing: “Past success is not a reliable predictor of future returns.”
Complicated problems can often be effectively managed because they tend to be predictable, reducible (you can understand the system by understanding how the parts work), stable, and even controllable. Complex problems, however, are quite the opposite. They are often ambiguous, uncertain, and not reducible. Sound familiar? That’s modern healthcare, and in particular, academic medicine. The author argues that to combat this transition, our mindsets must change. Such adaptation is difficult, but an increasingly necessary currency. If we are trying to solve problems in a system that has evolved to something else, how successful do we expect to be using our traditional methods? This reminds me of the famous quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Dr. Hein offers ten “unorthodox” ways we can view our work, and covers a lot of ground related to managing ambiguity and uncertainty with a focus on excellent results. Along the way, he stresses the importance of investing in our resilience, our relationships, and other aspects of our humanity. It is ironic that it would be these things that would be “unorthodox!” Perhaps, we are also not dealing in absolutes or polarities with these matters. There is likely a spectrum here, but “complexity-fitness” feels like an important topic, as does the necessity for a connection to the purpose of our work, intellectual curiosity, and the recognition that change is inevitable and necessary. I look forward to exploring these concepts with you further, as Dr. Hein has graciously agreed to give Grand Rounds later this academic year. Until then, I send you autumnal well wishes and encourage you to peruse this edition of Team Rounds. As always, please reach out and congratulate our amazing physicians, providers, trainees, and staff for their well-deserved accolades. The strength of our Department is our people.
| | The Department of Internal Medicine will welcome a new Chief of the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition this December | | |
Dr. Vanderveldt brings to USF an extraordinary breadth of experience spanning military service, academic leadership, clinical excellence, and even an early career in banking and finance with institutions such as Fidelity Investments.
A trained advanced endoscopist, Dr. Vanderveldt joins USF from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), where he held multiple leadership positions. He served as Fellowship Director of the Advanced Endoscopy Program, Medical Director of the health system’s largest regional medical center—overseeing the clinical practice of 13 subspecialties—and most recently as Clinical Chief of Digestive and Liver Diseases, where he successfully guided the clinical operations of UTSW’s large and comprehensive digestive disease practice.
Dr. Vanderveldt completed medical school at East Tennessee State University, followed by internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, and advanced endoscopy training at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Dr. Vanderveldt has proudly served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for more than 17 years, where he is currently Commander of a Medical Squadron in Wichita. In this role, he recently led a joint U.S.–Canadian mission to Suriname, where his team partnered with local professionals while delivering care to hundreds of patients. He has also completed three deployments, including two tours in Afghanistan.
With his unique combination of military leadership, academic distinction, and clinical expertise, Dr. Vanderveldt is exceptionally well prepared to lead the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition into its next chapter of growth and innovation. Please join us in welcoming him to USF.
| | Congratulations to Fadi Matar, MD, for his permanent appointment as the Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. | | Pushpak Taunk, MD, was appointed to be the Treasurer for the Florida Gastroenterological Society. | | In recognition of her leadership, contributions, and excellence in cardiovascular care, Christina Cardy, AGACNP-BC, FACC, was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. | | Asa Oxner, MD, Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and Vice President and Associate CMO of Ambulatory Services for Tampa General Hospital, was named a Rising Star: 100 Healthcare Leaders under 40 by Becker's Hospital Review. | | Brent Forget, MBA, was recently recognized with a 2025 USF Outstanding Staff Award. | | Sally Alrabaa, MD, was named the recipient of The George W. Hyatt Memorial Award by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). It is awarded annually to an outstanding individual scientist who has demonstrated superior performance in all three domains: research, teaching, and service in the fields of tissue banking, tissue transplantation, or transplantation medicine. | |
| | The IDSA Foundation is excited to announce the opening of the second annual virtual art auction, featuring six new original paintings generously created and donated by returning artist and ID physician Ana Velez, MD, FACP. Place your bids online before the auction closes Tuesday, October 21, at 11:45 p.m. ET during IDWeek 2025. | | | | Dr. Ishna Poojary-Hohman, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, spoke with FOX 13 about the increase in youth vaping | |
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Leen Al Saleh, MD
Akram Audi, MD
Francesca Benedetti, PhD, MBA
Sarah Burbank, MD
Jason Cummings, MD
Adiac Espinosa Hernandez, MD
Laura Harrison, MD
Michelle Lyman, MD, MPH
Scott Manski, MD
Moshe Miller, MD
Ngoc Uyen Nhi Nguyen, PhD
Natasa Pejcic, MD
Samuel Slone, MD
| | | | The USF Hemophilia Treatment Center participated as one of the sponsors of the 18th Super Hero Walk at Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. The event is dedicated to raising awareness and funds to support individuals and families in the bleeding disorders community. | | |
As your Vice Chair of Education, one of my greatest joys is fostering community around our shared commitment to teaching and learning. Medical education is at the heart of who we are as a department, and I want to ensure that our mission reflects the needs and aspirations of our faculty, trainees, and staff. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas about resources, support, or opportunities that would be most meaningful to you.
It has been a privilege to meet with leaders across our educational missions as I’ve settled into this role, and I look forward to continuing our work together. I am especially proud of the strong presence our divisions maintain at national conferences, as highlighted throughout this newsletter.
Looking ahead, I am beginning to envision our next Department of Medicine Educational Retreat in spring 2026, and I welcome collaborators with innovative ideas that could benefit our entire department. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to consider submitting to this academic year’s MedEd Symposium—a wonderful opportunity to showcase the outstanding educational work happening across our divisions.
Candice Mateja, DO, FACP
Professor and Vice Chair of Education
| | Recognition in the Education Mission | | |
USF Department of Internal Medicine Education leaders were accepted to present two workshops at the February 2026 ACGME Annual Education Conference in San Diego.
Helen Memoli, Brittany Burrell, Dr. Candice Mateja, and Dr. Elimarys Perez-Colon "Harnessing AI: Meeting Programmatic Requirements and Exploring Future Possibilities."
Helen Memoli, Dr. Candice Mateja, Dr. Ju Hee Katzman, and Caroline Kuehling "AI for Special Reviews: Workshop on Enhancing Oversight of Underperforming Programs."
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Helen Memoli, Dr. Candice Mateja, Dr. Elimarys Perez Colon, and Brittany Burrell will lead a breakout session titled "Harnessing AI: Meeting Programmatic Requirements and Exploring Future Possibilities" at the AHME Institute in Reno, April 29-May 1, 2026.
| | Third-year Internal Medicine Resident, Francisco Pascual, MD, received the Exceptional Educator Award for August 2025, supporting our learners and being a true champion of MCOM's educational mission. | | Shreya Narayanan, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Digestive Diseases & Nutrition, was invited by the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology to teach the Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy course to fellows-in-training and advanced practice providers. | | Spotlight on the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) | | |
Building the Future of Regenerative Medicine at USF
The Center for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) is an initiative within the Morsani College of Medicine, operating in close partnership with the USF Health Heart Institute (HI). The Center is designed to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research focused on approaches to tissue and organ regeneration. Under the leadership of Dr. Da-Zhi Wang (pictured left), the initial focus of the CRM has been cardiac regeneration; this approach takes advantage of the rich research history of regeneration studies of the heart as well as the expertise of Dr. Wang himself. Located in the state-of-the-art facility at 560 Channelside Drive in downtown Tampa, the CRM provides faculty and trainees access to cutting-edge resources, including multiple floors of laboratory space, advanced small animal imaging and physiology cores, and a histology core; in addition, a stem cell core under the directorship of Dr. Kunhua Song, an Associate Professor in the CRM, is currently being established. Dr. Song is a well-recognized researcher known for his studies of direct cell reprogramming of non-muscle heart cells to cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells), a technique that has important implications for approaches to the treatment of heart disease. Already, faculty have initiated productive collaborations with colleagues across USF—including Engineering, Arts and Sciences, and Pharmacy, as well as the Moffitt Cancer Center, strengthening USF’s role in innovation and translational science. One highlight is the study directed by CRM investigator Dr. Zhigao Wang, who together with Dr. Jianfeng Cai from the Department of Chemistry, has developed a new small molecule with the potential to prevent the cell death associated with myocardial infarction. Since heart muscle cells do not typically regrow, the use of this molecule could have a tremendous impact on patients with cardiac events to preserve their heart function.
Dr. Wang continues to recruit new faculty to expand the research portfolio of the CRM. Dr. Ajit Magadum joined the CRM as an Assistant Professor in Spring 2025, bringing an exciting program focused on modified mRNA therapeutics and lipid nanoparticle delivery systems for cardiovascular regeneration. Dr. Nhi Nguyen, a rising investigator with an impressive track record in cardiac and cardiomyocyte regeneration, also joined this summer as an Assistant Professor. Trained under Dr. Hesham Sadek, a global leader in studies of approaches to heart muscle repair, Dr. Nguyen is establishing a compelling vision for her own independent program in the CRM. Later this year, in December, Dr. Jenny Zhou from Yale will also join the CRM. She brings an NIH-funded research program that studies angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and vascular disease pathobiology, and has made groundbreaking insights into the brain vascular anomaly Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM).
Together, the program and team being assembled with the established and newly recruited faculty represent a significant step in building a world-class regenerative medicine program at USF, advancing discovery and innovation at the interface of cardiovascular biology and regenerative therapeutics.
Research Highlights in the CRM and HI
CRM Director Dr. DaZhi Wang Awarded NIH R01 Grant to Study Congenital Heart Defects via CDK13 Pathways
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Wang and his USF colleagues have been awarded a new NIH R01 grant (R01HL177546) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The award - totaling $2.77 million - will support pioneering research into the role of the CDK13 gene in the development of congenital heart defects.
With the support of this grant, the USF team will combine in vivo mouse models and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)–derived cardiomyocytes to interrogate how mutations in CDK13 disrupt RNA processing and lead to structural and functional abnormalities in the developing heart. The project aims to illuminate molecular mechanisms underlying CDK13-related cardiac anomalies and identify potential therapeutic targets or diagnostic biomarkers.
This grant marks a major milestone for the USF CRM and Heart Institute missions to translate fundamental discoveries in cardiovascular genetics into strategies that can ultimately improve patient care. The award reflects the recognized excellence of our faculty and the strength of our institutional support in fostering innovative, high‐impact cardiovascular research.
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Nhi Nguyen (CRM and HI) – Advancing Cardiac Regeneration and Disease Models
Dr. Nguyen contributed to three high-impact studies this year. Her co-first author work in J Mol Cell Cardiol revealed how paracrine IGFBP3 coordinates IGF signaling to induce myocardial regeneration in mice. In J Clin Invest, she helped demonstrate that an FDA-approved drug can structurally and phenotypically correct the K210del mutation in cardiomyopathy models. Most recently, her collaboration published in Circulation described how induced cytokinesis generates highly proliferative cardiomyocytes, shedding light on the balance between proliferation and contractility.
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Ajit Magadum (CRM and HI) – Pioneering mRNA-Based Cardiovascular Therapies
Dr. Magadum has emerged as a leader in mRNA-based therapeutics. He authored an Executive ViewPoint in Medical Tech Magazine titled “Using mRNA to Rethink Cardiovascular Therapy: A New Era in Precision Medicine.” He also delivered invited talks at major meetings including PEGS Boston and the OPT Oligonucleotide & mRNA Congress. His group’s recent publications span novel metabolic and repair pathways, including Theranostics on the role of PSAT1 in cardiac repair after MI, and Extracellular Vesicles Circ Nucleic Acids on inhalable exosomes as a strategy for targeted cardiac repair.
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Ganesh Halade (HI) – Defining Injury Responses in Heart Failure
Dr. Halade’s group published a landmark study in Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol comparing permanent coronary ligation (macroinjury) and ischemia-reperfusion (microinjury) models in mice. Using advanced echocardiographic speckle-tracking and lipid mediator profiling, they showed that the magnitude of initial myocardial injury dictates long-term remodeling, fibrosis, and heart failure progression. These findings provide essential guidance for preclinical model selection and illuminate new mechanisms of inflammation-resolution signaling in heart disease.
| | Recognition in the Research Mission | |
Dr. Kami Kim heads a team to investigate more efficient treatments for staph infections
A team of University of South Florida researchers hopes to treat severe staph infections in the hospital and home by using a simpler and more efficient technique with far less stress to patients than traditional treatment.
The treatment tested use of an antibiotic called dalbavancin — also known under its brand name, Dalvance — as a possible alternative to antibiotics that must be administered intravenously over weeks and even months. The drug shows promise in fighting Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, the leading cause of death by bloodstream infections worldwide.
The study included evaluating patients with MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an especially severe form of staph infections that resist treatment with many standard antibiotics.
The multi-site study, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found dalbavancin to be as safe and effective as the current standard of care for treatment of complicated staph infections, said Kami Kim, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
Written by: Kurt Loft
| | Deborah Cragun, PhD, Jolan Walter, MD, PhD, and Narasaiah Kolliputi, PhD, were awarded two CREATE awards in the amount of $5000 each for their proposals entitled Caregiver Engagement and Decision-Support in Pediatric Gene Editing Trials and Predictive Immune Profiling to Explain Variability in Gene Editing Outcomes. | | |
The USF Health Office of Research awarded Jose Herazo-Maya, MD, Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, a 2025 Spatial Transcriptomics Pilot Grant to investigate whether increased expression of genes of the 230-gene signature
in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, are observed in areas of tissue fibrosis, such as active fibroblastic foci and areas of honeycombing, and
not in areas of normal lung on the same tissue slide, a finding that is associated with pulmonary fibrosis severity.
| | Dr. Robert Gallo, James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease and Founding Director of the USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation, was inducted into the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL). The induction will take place during the Annual Meeting of the Academy to be held this November in Orlando. | | |
The Infectious Disease USF-TGH team (Kartik Cherabuddi, MD; Suzane Silbert, PhD, Kim Atrubin, MPH, Heinz Salazar, MS, Kristen Zeitler, PharmD) have been asked to present at the CARB-X Global AMR Innovators Conference in London, October 1-3, 2025 on how multidisciplinary teams can work together to prevent the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Dr. Cherabuddi was also invited to speak at the 2025 CARB-X Product Developers Conference on September 30, 2025, at Imperial College London.
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership which supports the early development of innovative antibiotics, vaccines, rapid diagnostics, and other products to combat the urgent global health threat of antibiotic resistance. CARB-X partners include the UK Government, the Welcome Trust, the U.S. BARDA, the Gates Foundation, and others.
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The Infectious Disease Antibiotic Stewardship Team led by Dr. Jose Montero will present at two meetings:
• Midathala G, Cordero-Baez F, O’Neal M, Coughlin A, Montero J. Cutaneous ulcers as the first manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a young male: an interdisciplinary diagnostic challenge. American College of Gastroenterology 2025 Annual Meeting, Phoenix.
• Piccicacco N, O’Neal M, Zeitler K, Simmons C, Soares L, Becker D, Talbert C, Silbert S, Montero J. Utility of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) gene identification for moderate risk inducible ampC enterobacterales infections. MAD-ID 2026 Conference, Orlando.
| | Narasaiah Kolliputi, PhD, reached a significant milestone of 100+ publications. His laboratory was also awarded two patents, and he was elected to the USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), with a dedicated brick in Inventors Commons. | | |
Dr. JuHee Katzman will present “Guardians of the Grafts: Navigating Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Threats in Tissue Banking,” October 14, at the American Association of Tissue Bank (AATB) 2025 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
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| | Emily Felton and Dr. Lindsey Shaw were featured in a recent USF Health news release. The CAMR is a multidisciplinary effort that involves colleagues at TGH, VA, Moffitt, CAS, MCOM, and COPH. | | | | Eleni Markoutsa, PhD, Assistant Professor in Translational Research, was the sole USF nominee for the Searle Scholars Award. | | | |
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Foundation, Inc. (AAAAI Foundation), chose Juan Carlos Cardet, MD, as one of the recipients of the 2025 AAAAI Foundation Award to Sustain Research Excellence for his project entitled “Genetic variation in the RGS pathway, airway smooth muscle mechanophenotypes, and asthma morbidity outcomes."
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 | | On September 9-10, 2025, USF researchers, led by Dr. Charurut Somboonwit, attended the Miami Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Engage & Connect conference to highlight the value of working together across different fields and institutions in HIV research. The team included members from USF’s Colleges of Medicine (Dr. Bernice McCoy, Dr. Lisa Sanders), Nursing (Dr. Deanne Turner), and Behavioral and Community Sciences (Dr. Stephanie Marhefka, Associate Dean of Research, and PhD student Karah Greene). They joined the University of Miami partners for a lively researcher roundtable. The event showed how USF’s partnerships across colleges help advance science by bringing together clinical, nursing, pediatric, behavioral, and community health experts. By taking part in panels, training sessions, and the researcher tabling event, USF demonstrated its commitment to reducing HIV disparities, building strong community partnerships, and creating research networks with Miami CFAR that support innovation and better outcomes for this priority population.
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Principal Investigator, Robby Wu, DO, receives $100,000 in support from the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Matching Grants Research Program for his project entitled “New Approaches to detecting Decompensating Congestive Heart Failure."
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Drs. Thomas McDonald (Cardiology), Aarti Patel (Cardiology) and Theresa Zesiewicz (Neurology) presented as part of a panel explaining research advances in Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) at the annual FA research reception held at USF on September 27, 2025. Dr. McDonald is PI of a Department of Defense program grant that examines heart disease in FA patients. The project recruits FA patients followed by Dr. Patel & Dr. Zesiewicz in the neurocardiology clinic. They were joined by coinvestigators Dr. Kami Kim (ID/IM) and Dr. Sami Noujaim (molecular pharmacology) at the FARA CLEAR ball that raised $1.7 million for FA research.
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Nephrology Division Expands Focus on Complex Disease Clinics
Our Nephrology Division continues to grow and broaden its expertise by developing specialized clinics for complex kidney diseases.
Dr. Elias Doumit, Dr. Jia Yi and Dr. Ramon Lopez are leading our Glomerular Diseases Program, with Dr. Doumit recently launching a Comprehensive Lupus Nephritis Clinic in collaboration with our USF Rheumatology colleagues. Dr. Yi will be opening a similar clinic in the coming months, further strengthening our multidisciplinary approach.
In addition, Dr. Claude Bassil, a founding member of the American Society of Onco-Nephrology and a member of the Onco-Nephrology guidelines committee, is leading our Onco-Nephrology Program in collaboration with Dr. Akram Audi and Dr. Doumit. This program has become a regional and national referral center for complex kidney diseases related to cancer therapies, including immunotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, and CAR-T cell therapy.
Dr. Narayanankutty also serves on the Executive Committee of the Florida Society of Nephrology, where he plays a key role in planning and organizing the society’s annual meetings, highlighting our division’s strong regional leadership.
On the research front, our senior faculty member and worldwide expert in volume homeostasis and hyponatremia recognized, Dr. Jacques Durr, is currently preparing an NIH grant proposal to further advance our research mission.
Claude Bassil, MD, FACP, FASN
Associate Professor, Morsani School of Medicine
Division Director, USF Nephrology and Hypertension
Medical Director, Onco-Nephrology
| | Nephrology Division faculty dinner | | Day one of fellowship orientation | | |
Research abstracts accepted by the American Society of Nephrology - Kidney Week 2025
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Diabetic and hypertensive nephropathy masquerading as ifosfamide nephrotoxicity in a young patient: A case report. Vaishnavi Jayakumar, Anish Shah, Claude Bassil
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Concurrent AA and AL amyloidosis in a patient with latent tuberculosis: A rare overlap syndrome. Jasmine Nadayil, Anish Shah, John Amerson, Steven Persaud, Claude Bassil
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A watch and wait can turn nephrotoxic: A case of CLL-associated granulomatous AIN. Anhthu Trinh, Anish Shah, Rushika Malhotra, Daniel Antonius, Claude Bassil
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A rare overlap of recurrent PLA2R-positive Membranous Nephropathy (MN) with concomitant Tubulointerstitial Nephritis and Uveitis (TINU): A case report. Steven Persaud, Aditya Patel, Ruchika Malhotra, Claude Bassil, Naveen Narayanankutty
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Everolimus induced acute on chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) in a patient with neuroendocrine tumor. Ruchika Malhotra, Umar Chaudhary, Naveen Narayanankutty, Jia Yi, Ramon Lopez
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Acute on Chronic Interstitial Nephritis linked to a Novel IRF2BP2 Variant of Uncertain Significance. Ruchika Malhotra, Nahomie Veguilla Rivera, Serena Shaffren, Jolan Walter, Bo Chen, Jia Yi
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An interesting case of IgA Nephropathy (accepted for publication on the ASN/JASN website, but has not been accepted for poster presentation). John Amerson, Aditya Patel, Ruchika Malhotra Naveen Narayanankutty
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A case of fibrillary glomerulonephritis. Nahomi Veguilla, Eliana Bencosmi, Naveen Narayanankutty
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Computational pathogenicity prediction of autosomal recessive aquaporin 2 (AQP2) mutations (ArM). Jacques Durr, Esteban Rodriguez
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Left (L) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with L renal vein tumor thrombus (TT) presenting as new onset L varicocele (LV): missing causative imagery in English language ca? Jacques Durr, Nahomie Veguilla Rivera
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Sodium-Glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) as the only viable treatment option for hyponatremia in a cirrhotic patient with ascites. Steven Persaud, Gabriel Coimbra, Jacques Durr.
| | Recognition in the Clinical Mission | | |
Dr. Hiram Bezerra, Director of the TGH Interventional Cardiology Center of Excellence and professor at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, recently led an exclusive hands-on training with Abbott at Tampa General.
As the only U.S. physician chosen to train peers in Abbott’s OCT Clinical Pathway Program, Dr. Bezerra partnered with co-leads Dr. Donald Quimby and Darrin Crosby, MBA, RRT, RCIS to guide participants through advanced techniques using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Ultreon™ 2.0 Software. Since the program’s launch in 2024, more than 40 physicians across 28 states have been trained to help address the growing need for more precise imaging and improved resolution in cardiology. (Source: TGH LinkedIn)
| | The Center for Bronchiectasis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections at USF, headed by Dr. William Miller and Dr. Chakrapol Sriaroon, was accepted into the Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network (CCN). This designation will reduce the time to diagnosis and support high-quality bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease care. | | Under the directorship of Dr. Robby Wu, the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center at TGH/USF was officially designated an HCMA (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association) Center of Excellence. The center is one of the very few centers in the state of Florida and the only center on the entire west coast of Florida to achieve this designation. | | |
American Heart Association Leader of Impact
Robby Wu, DO
Leaders of Impact shines a spotlight on heart health as heart disease is the No. 1 killer worldwide, and stroke ranks second globally. Participants use their collective influence to educate their communities on the symptoms and warning signs of heart disease, raise critical dollars to help fund lifesaving research and advocate for the health and well-being of all.
Dr. Wu is raising awareness of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) within the Tampa Bay community and beyond. CLICK HERE to support Dr. Wu and AHA Leaders of Impact by November 5.
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A USF delegation (Arlene Calvo, John Adams, Kami Kim, Tricia Penniecook) representing the Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Public Health and the Center for Global Health and Inter-Disciplinary Research went to Panama for the September 12, 2025 inauguration of the Regional Center for Vaccine and Biopharmaceuticals (CRIVB AIP) the at the invitation of the Panama minister of Science, Dr. Eduardo Ortega-Barria.
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USF-TGH Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention Program offers novel and innovative options for patients
The USF-TGH Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention Program is a multidisciplinary initiative that goes beyond traditional risk scoring by integrating advanced imaging (such as coronary CT angiography) and AI-driven plaque analysis to detect and monitor arterial disease earlier. Their team—comprising preventive cardiologists, endocrinologists, dietitians, pharmacists, and lifestyle specialists—delivers personalized, longitudinal care to prevent heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and related conditions.
We welcome your patient referrals to help identify at-risk individuals and provide them with comprehensive, preventive care.
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Leen Alsaleh MD
Assistant Professor
Rheumatology
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Marsha Antoine MD
Assistant Professor
Pulmonary/Critical Care
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Julie Bjerring PhD
Post-Doctoral Research
Cardiovascular Sciences
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Ashley Buck MSN AGPCNP-C
Instructor
Cardiovascular Sciences
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Christopher Chew MD
Assistant Professor
Critical Care
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Anongruk Chim-Ong PhD
Research Associate
Infectious Disease
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Steven Chisolm PhD
Post-Doctoral Research
Cardiovascular Sciences
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Sarah Coughlan DO
Assistant Professor
Hospital Medicine
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Bianca Dominguez MD
Assistant Professor
Pulmonary/Critical Care
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Emily Dzoba MD
Assistant Professor
Allergy & Immunology
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Hannah Fitterman-Harris PhD
Clinical Health Psychology
Sleep Medicine
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Thomas Foley
Office Manager
Allergy & Immunology
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Jean-Claude Guidi MD
Assistant Professor
General Internal Medicine
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Charlzetta "Charli" Hall
Administrative Specialist
Pulmonary/Critical Care
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Dana Jorgenson DO
Assistant Professor
Hospital Medicine
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Baynazir Kabir MSN APRN
Instructor
Digestive Disease & Nutrition
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Shiwani Kamath MD
Assistant Professor
Critical Care
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Neil Khoury MD
Assistant Professor
Gastroenterology
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Nhi Luu DO
Assistant Professor
Critical Care
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Eleni Markoutsa PhD
Assistant Professor
Translational Research
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Clare McGrane MBA
Office Manager
Pulmonary/Critical Care
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Ashley Perry MD
Assistant Professor
Hospital Medicine
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Kamron Robinson MD
Assistant Professor
General Internal Medicine
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Alexandra Sarau MD
Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular Sciences
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Anna Shah MD
Assistant Professor
General Internal Medicine
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Purav Shah MD
Assistant Professor
Pulmonary/Critical Care
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The American Heart Association’s 2025 Tampa Bay Heart Walk is scheduled for Saturday, November 15, co-chaired this year by USF President Rhea Law and Mr. Frank Morsani, and I would like to encourage all of you to participate in this worthy cause.
Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM
Executive Vice President, USF Health
Dean, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
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2025 Southwest Florida Cardiovascular Symposium
November 14-16, 2025
This symposium aims to provide a detailed understanding of advanced imaging applications in different cardiovascular medicine specialties. The focus will be on the role of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, in cardiac CT and MRI. The event will enable attendees to engage in in-depth discussions, interact with panels, and network with professionals based on their interests and expertise.
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Alumni Giving Update
The Department began a philanthropic effort last academic year directed toward our residency and fellowship programs to allow alumni to contribute to the incredible training programs that we have in the department. Our intent was to strengthen the sense of belonging of our graduates with the renewed sense of community we are attempting to foster. In doing so, we hope to connect the past with the present, in hopes of supporting a bright future for our training programs. Drs. Lezama worked with the Morsani College of Medicine Alumni Foundation and the program directors to both cultivate existing donation accounts and establish new ones for programs that never had gone into this financial endeavor. Departmental giving exceeded $12,000 last year with an anonymous donation that covered the entire cost of the graduation ceremony at the Tampa Club (the first time that the residency held a graduation at that fine venue). Alumni donors included the following:
Adam Waldman (2002 IM, 2006 Cardiology)
Daron Digulio (2000 IM)
Jason Stibich (2000 IM),
Sendhil Krishnan (2011 IM, 2014 Cardiology),
Priyanka Bhat Krishnan ( 2011 IM, 2013 Endocrinology)
Dan Orlando ( 2001 IM, 2004 Pulmonary/Critical Care)
Pat Demarco (2003 IM, 2005 Allergy/Immunology)
Laura Sutton Arline (2004 Med-Peds)
Jacqueline Okere (2012 IM)
Brendan Malik (2017 IM)
Eknath Naik (2005 IM, 2007 ID)
Nicholas Shah (2009 IM 2011 Nephrology)
Natalia Regales (2012 IM, 2014 Endocrinology)
Alejandro Ramirez (2014 Endocrinology)
Marla Sevilla Alsina (2018 Endocrinology)
Claude Bassil (2014 Nephrology )
Ramon Lopez del Valle (1992 IM, 1994 Nephrology)
Dr. Joanne Valeriano-Marcet gave the first donation to start the Rheumatology philanthropy account in honor of her 17 years as program director of Rheumatology. Dr. Valeriano trained close to 35 fellows as program director and continues as an active faculty member here at USF.
Dr. Natalia Regales-Weare, program director of Endocrinology, joined other Endocrine faculty in establishing the philanthropy account in Endocrinology. Endocrinology has eight former fellows on its faculty at James Haley VA Hospital and Tampa General Hospital.
Two alumni of Pulmonary-Critical Care gave sizeable anonymous donations to start the Pulmonary-Critical Care philanthropy account.
We thank all those that donated and ask forgiveness for any omissions. Your financial support is vitally important to ensure the foundational and experiential knowledge and exposure of our trainees to world-class educational content. Your donations created reliable sources of support for activities such as national scholarly presentations, grand rounds external speakers, and faculty/staff retreats with their residents and fellows. It has also allowed us to focus more on wellness activities that have helped to promote resiliency in our trainees.
Dr. Lezama will continue to lead our departmental alumni giving efforts. He will ensure that our alumni remain connected to our current trainees, so they benefit from hearing about the rich history of our department, as well as the clinical and life wisdom of our program graduates. This year we will feature the return of several alumni to give Grand Rounds sessions. This includes Mindy Sampson, MD, Academic hospital epidemiologist at Stanford University, and Stephanie Parks Taylor, MD, Endowed Chair and Chief of Hospital Medicine at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
We would like to thank the many alumni who have generously given back to support these activities. There are more than 300 internal medicine residency/fellowship alumni in our database that have communicated with us in the past year based on our communication efforts with Team Rounds. We look forward to continuing to increase our database and welcome back alumni to their USF Bulls training home! Please note the QR code below that links to our departmental fund, and please contact Jennifer Newcomb (Jdn@usf.edu) for the pathway for the fellowship accounts. We cannot thank you enough for your support of our trainees and educational programs.
Joe Lezama, MD, MACP
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Mark Moseley, MD, MHA
Department Chair
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