A NEWSLETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

April 2025

Leadership Transitions in the Department of Surgery

We are pleased to announce several new leadership appointments within the Department of Surgery:

• Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS, Professor, has been named Chief of Surgery at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. We extend our gratitude to Tien C. Ko, MD, FACS, Professor, for his years of dedicated service in this role.
• Thaddeus J. Puzio, MD, MS, FACS, Assistant Professor, is now Chief of Surgical Critical Care and Medical Director of the Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit at the Red Duke Trauma Institute. We thank Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS, Professor, for her leadership.
• Michael W. Wandling, MD, MS, FACS, Assistant Professor, has officially assumed the position of Chief of Trauma and Trauma Medical Director at the Red Duke Trauma Institute. We thank Michelle K. McNutt, MD, FACS, Professor and Memorial Hermann Chair, for her leadership and service.
• David E. Meyer, MD, MS, FACS, Associate Professor, is the new Program Director for the Acute Care Surgery, Trauma, and Surgical Critical Care Fellowships. Our sincere thanks to Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH, FACS, Professor, and John B. Holmes Professor in Clinical Sciences, for his impactful tenure in this role.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding faculty members on their new roles and in thanking their predecessors for their contributions and leadership.

Rashtak Named Physician of the Year at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital

We are proud to announce that Shahrooz Rashtak, MD, Assistant Professor in Interventional Gastroenterology has been awarded Physician of the Year at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital! This prestigious recognition is given to physicians who exemplify excellence in patient care, teamwork, and the Partners in Caring Philosophy.

Rashtak, along with Asha C. Kuruvila, MD, Assistant Professor in Interventional Gastroenterology was among several outstanding physicians nominated by colleagues and hospital leadership for their dedication to creating memorable experiences for patients, visitors, and staff. Their nominations reflect their commitment to the highest standards of medical care.

The Physician and Employee of the Year Celebration took place on December 12, 2024, at Memorial Hermann Northeast, where all nominees were honored for their exceptional contributions.

Congratulations to Dr. Rashtak on this well-deserved recognition and to Dr. Kuruvila for being recognized among this distinguished group!

Inaugural UTHealth Houston Colorectal Cancer Symposium Showcases Innovations & Advocacy

The UTHealth Houston Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research (CHPPR) hosted the Inaugural UTHealth Houston Colorectal Cancer Symposium on March 24, 2025. Attendees learned about the current state and future of Colorectal Cancer Prevention from various perspectives, including providers, researchers, and former patients. The Symposium featured a panel discussion moderated by Maria E. Fernandez, PhD, Vice President of Population Health and Implementation Science at UTHealth Houston, Professor of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Co-Director of UTHealth Houston Institute for Implementation Science, and the Director of CHPPR. She was joined by Nirav Thosani, MD, MHA, Director of the Center for Interventional Gastroenterology at UTHealth (iGUT) at McGovern Medical School and practicing gastroenterologist, who spoke about innovations in early detection of colorectal cancer using artificial intelligence. Rounding out the panel was Allison Rosen, MS, a colorectal cancer survivor and the Director of Project ECHO at the American Cancer Society, who spoke about her experiences as an advocate for colorectal cancer awareness and screening. 

Meet the 2025-2026 Surgical Intern Class

Celebrating Our New Surgical Interns and the Success of Our Graduating Student Class

We are thrilled to introduce the incoming class of Surgical Interns for the 2025–2026 academic year at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. These accomplished individuals are set to begin their residencies this summer, and we eagerly anticipate the energy and dedication they will bring to our programs.

General Surgery

Categorical: Kenyon Agrons; Julia Dansby; James Eagleton; Katherine “Katie” Grobengieser; Daniel London; Jasmine Peng; Shephaly Soni; Byron Todd; Jesse York.​

Preliminary: Benjamin “Ben” Abraham; Sarah Altamimi; Zachary “Zack” Arambula; Adam Fisher; Noora Jabeen; Michelle Mathew; Justin Nguyen; Samantha Redden Chirinos; Yuming “Ren” Ren; Holden Wagner.​

Plastic Surgery

Jose Barrera; Lauren Weis.​

Urology

Adithya “Adi” Chandrasekaran; Hoi Duc Doan; Tharun Somasundar.

In addition to welcoming our new interns, we are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of our graduating students. This year, McGovern Medical School successfully matched a significant number of students into various surgical specialties, reflecting our commitment to excellence in surgical education:

• General Surgery (Categorical): 15
• General Surgery (Preliminary): 12
• Orthopedic Surgery: 13
• Urology: 3
• Plastic Surgery: 3
• Vascular Surgery: 3
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: 3
• Neurosurgery: 2
• Otolaryngology (ENT): 1
• Thoracic Surgery (Integrated): 1
• Ophthalmology: 4

These impressive match results underscore the dedication of our students and the quality of education they receive at McGovern Medical School. We look forward to the contributions our new interns will make and celebrate the continued success of our graduates as they advance in their medical careers.

Celebrating the Career of Daniel J. Freet, MD

After years of dedicated service, Daniel J. Freet, MD, FACS, former Professor in the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery has retired from UTHealth Houston. Throughout his career, Freet has been a trusted physician, mentor, and colleague, making a lasting impact on both his patients and the department. His commitment to excellence and compassionate care will not be forgotten.

Friends and colleagues recently gathered to celebrate his remarkable contributions and wish him well in this new chapter.



View photos from his retirement celebration: Flickr Album

The Phone Call That Saved a Life: A Colon Cancer Screening Success Story

When a routine screening led to an unexpected diagnosis, one patient’s journey took a life-changing turn. Thanks to early detection and the expert care of Amit Agarwal, MD, his story is a powerful reminder of why regular screenings matter.

Read the full story...

Lift in Bloom After Minimally Invasive Surgery

For men experiencing the frustrating symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), advanced treatment options can make all the difference. Learn how Rodrigo Donalisio da Silva, MD, and the expert team at UT Physicians are helping patients regain comfort and confidence.

Read the full story…

Ready to Give

The countdown is on – we are 1 week away from #UTHealthHoustonGivingDay! Join us on Tuesday, April 8 for 24 hours of generosity that will shape the future of medicine. One day can make a big difference when we give together to further groundbreaking research, life-changing patient care, and world-class education. This year, our goal is to rally 500 donors to make an even bigger impact. Can we count you in? Mark your calendars and check out go.uth.edu/GDMMS25 to get excited for next week’s celebration!

Publications of Note

Maiga AW, Ho V, Morris RS, Kodadek LM, Puzio TJ, Tominaga GT, Tabata-Kelly M, Cooper Z. Palliative care in acute care surgery: research challenges and opportunities. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2025 Mar 18;10(1):e001615. doi: 10.1136/tsaco-2024-001615. PMID: 40124208; PMCID: PMC11927415.

Dhanani NH, Lyons NB, Lee KH, Olavarria OA, Arakelians AR, Holihan JL, Kao LS, Siddiqui A, Hogan C, Anwoju T, Ali Z, Liang MK. Synthetic Versus Biologic Mesh for Complex Open Ventral Hernia Repair: 3-Year Follow-Up of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. HCA Healthc J Med. 2025 Feb 1;6(1):43-50. doi: 10.36518/2689-0216.1761. PMID: 40071184; PMCID: PMC11892401.

Francis JJ, Kashkoush AI, Ho VP, Roach MJ, Kelly ML; American Association for the Surgery of Trauma GERI-TBI Study Group (S.Adams, Podbielski JM, Murry J, Patel N). Predictors of withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies in older adults with TBI and a modified frailty index score. J Clin Neurosci. 2025 Mar 18;135:111191. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111191. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40107005.

Moheimani H, Sun X, Ozel M, Darby JL, Ong EP, Oyebamiji T, Kar UK, Yazer MH, Neal MD, Guyette FX, Wisniewski SR, Cotton BA, Cannon JW, Schreiber MA, Moore EE, Namias N, Minei JP, Barrett CD, Das J, Sperry JL, Billiar TR; SWAT study group. High-dimensional analysis of injured patients reveals distinct circulating proteomic profiles in plasma vs. whole blood resuscitation. Cell Rep Med. 2025 Mar 18;6(3):102022. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102022. PMID: 40107243.

IN THE NEWS

GRAND ROUNDS

SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

uth_surgery Thanks to @intuitivesurgical for letting us practice taking out some gallbladders! #roboticsurgery

utplastics: PGY-3 David T. Mitchell, MD, giving a great presentation on Abdominal Wall Reconstruction at the Texas Hernia Center Journal Club! @uth_surgery

Editorial Team: Dr. Lillian S. Kao, Dr. Casey B. Duncan, Dr. Peter A. Walker, and Dr. Elias A. Chamely

For content submissions, email Sophia.M.Solis@uth.tmc.edu.