Current Residents 2026-2027

Andrew Gerber, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Carleton College, Northfield, MD
• Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Andrew did his undergraduate training at Carleton College, Northfield, MN, where he received a BA in Biology. He received his medical training at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. Andrew received the American Rheumatology Convergence Med Student Achievement Award. His honors thesis was, "Exploring the effects of malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) protein adducts on macrophage polarization and disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis. Andrew's hobbies are Music production & mixing; ultimate frisbee; golf; running & exercising.

Nikitha Samy, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Texas, Dallas
• Medical School: McGovern Medical School at UT Health Science Center Houston

Director's Profile:

Nikitha did her undergraduate training at UT Dallas where she earned a BS in Biology. She received her medical training at McGovern Medical School at UT Health Science Center Houston. Nikitha earned 2nd place in the Healthcare Innovation Challenge. She has done a chart review analysis of opioid use and risk factors in patients with cancer. Nikitha's hobbies include cooking, puzzle solving, watching meteor showers, and roller coasters.

Lina Han, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China

Director's Profile:

Lina received her medical training at Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China, followed by her doctorate in hematology. Afterwards, she studied at Groningen University Medical Center, Netherlands, where she earned a doctorate in leukemia. Lina has multiple publications on the treatment of leukemia, particularly stem cell and other targeted therapies. Her hobbies include walking, jogging, watching tv drama series and time with family.

Lena Hasson, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: University of Baghdad, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq

Director's Profile:

Lena received her medical training from Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq. She was one of the Top 10 medical graduates in Iraq in 2013. Lena has published multiple manuscripts on the outcomes of valvular heart interventions/surgeries. Her hobbies include Mediterranean cooking, reading ancient Arabic poetry, teaching Arabic, time with family, and hiking.

Ginna Hernandez Velasquez, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: College of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Faculty of Medicine, Columbia

Director's Profile:

Ginna received her medical training at College of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Faculty of Medicine, Colombia. She helped establish a pediatric epidemiologic database in Colombia. Ginna's hobbies include cooking (trying new recipes weekly), especially Columbian, Italian and S. Korean; drawing; painting (oil, acrylic & watercolor).

Joshua Mehr, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Johns Hopkins University
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Joshua did his undergraduate training at Johns Hopkins University where he earned a BA in Economics. He received his medical training at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Joshua has been involved in multiple research projects including demineralized bone matrix grafting in primary ACL reconstruction, tenosynovitis department distribution in MRI scans, and lumbosacral plexus MR neurography in Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. His hobbies include Ice hockey, baking; reading and crossword puzzles.

David Ayaram, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Louisville College of Arts & Sciences
• Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Director's Profile:

David did his undergraduate studies at the University of Louisville College of Arts & Sciences, where he received a BS in Biology. He received his medical degree from University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Following medical school, he completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. Following residency, he joined a private emergency medicine group in Arlington, TX. After several years in practice, he decided that he was better suited for pathology and made the decision to switch where he ultimately matched into our program. His interests include community outreach, teaching medical students and his church.

Jackson Douglas, M.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: Baylor University
• Medical School: University of Arkansas College of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Jackson did his undergraduate studies at Baylor University, where he received a BBA in Finance. He received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. His hobbies include volunteering at low-income free clinic, community outreach, tennis, pickleball, Kombucha brewing, cycling, piano and guitar.

Joseph Genco, M.D.

• Training Track: AP
• Undergraduate School: University of Arizona
• Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Joseph (Joey) did his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona, where he received a BS in Biomedical Science. He received his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Upon receipt of his medical degree he matched into a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency. Before beginning his residency, he made the decision to temporary step away from medicine to focus on his life and family. During this time he expanded his personal business of trading/selling Pokemon cards which became very successful. However, he soon realized that he missed medicine, particularly the field of forensic pathology. He ultimately joined our program as an anatomic pathology resident with an goal of completing a forensic pathology fellowship.

Aloysus Lawong, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: Cleveland State University
• Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Director's Profile:

Aloysys did his undergraduate training at Cleveland State where he earned a BS in Chemistry and Biology. As part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center he received his medical degree as well as earning his doctorate. Albert has multiple publiations in the area of antimalarial treatment, specifically P. Falciparum. His hobbies include global health, MedWish International, civic engagement and soccer.

Mohamed Moustafa, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: M.D. and Ph.D., Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine in Egypt

Director's Profile:

Mohamed (Mo) received his Ph.D. in forensic placental pathology and his medical training at the Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine in Egypt. His hobbies include community outreach to homeless children, forensic pathology, and toxicology.

Van Nguyen, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in Vietnam

Director's Profile:

Van received his medical training at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in Vietnam. During his medical training he received the "Doctor of the Year" award at the 2019 Global Health Workshop in Vietnam. He was team captain of his university's soccer team when they placed first 2017. His hobbies include volunteerism/community outreach, teaching medical students, and coaching soccer.

Shahzaib Saleem, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Cornel University
• Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Director's Profile:

Shahzaib did his undergraduate studies at Cornell University, where he received a BA in Biology; Chemistry; and Near Eastern Studies. He received his medical degree at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, NY. He is passionate about medical education, spending a significant amount of time in medical school teaching and mentoring. Outside of medicine, he is involved in his local Muslim community with an interest in studying Qur’anic commentary. In his free time, he enjoys playing cricket and volleyball, watching NFL, playing video games, and cooking.

Colin Treager, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Alabama
• Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Colin did his undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama, where he received a BS in Chemistry. He then obtained an MBA from the University of Alabama. He received his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Upon receipt of his medical degree he began a general surgery residency at Dell Medical School in Austin, TX. During residency, he realized that his real passion was pathology. He therefore made the decision to switch to pathology and ultimately matched here at UT Southwestern. His hobbies include digital pathology and volunteering at free health clinic.

Qiong Wu, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Graduate School: The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth
• Medical School: Anhui Medical University Faculty of Medicine, China

Director's Profile:

Qiong received her medical degree from Anhui Medical University Faculty of Medicine, China. She received her Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX. Her doctoral research interests examined the function of FosB in the nucleus of the solitary tract in chronic intermittent hypoxia induced hypertension. Her postdoctoral fellow research investigated the Parvalbumin and GABA microcircuits in the mouse superior colliculus to understand their roles in attention and decision making. Her hobbies include Chinese calligraphy, swimming, traveling and time with family.

Maria Clara Alves Moreira, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Universidade Federal do Goias, Brazil

Director's Profile:

Maria did her medical training at the Federal University of Goias Faculty of Medicine in Brazil. She did her post-graduate medical training in pediatrics followed by a fellowship in neonatology. Following her medical training, she was on staff as an attending neonatologist in Brazil.

Sanjay Gadasalli, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Rice University
• Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Director's Profile:

Sanjay pursued his undergraduate studies at Rice University, where he received a BA in Biochemistry & Cell Biology. He completed his medical training at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In between medical school and residency, he spent multiple years working for various development-stage life science companies. His interests within pathology include surgical pathology, neuropathology, and digital pathology. He currently serves on a committee at the Digital Pathology Association. He enjoys yoga and meditation, staying active, and exploring vegan dishes at restaurants. You can find him on Path Twitter, username @SSGadasalliMD.

Jimena Gimenez Acuna, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador

Director's Profile:

Jimena did her medical training at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. Prior to joining residency at UTSW, she was actively involved in research at the Mayo Clinic studying pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies, with a focus on anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Her hobbies include Paraguayan cooking, swimming and painting.

Geethanjali Gude, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Rangaraya Medical College, India

Director's Profile:

Geethanjali did her medical training at Rangaraya Medical College in India where she was the recipient of multiple national academic awards. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, with a focus on germ cell and soft tissue tumors. Her hobbies include fitness, she is a licensed Zumba instructor, herb and hydroponic gardening, and watching psychological thriller movies.

Paul Haines, D.O.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Monmouth University
• Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, NJ

Director's Profile:

Paul did his undergraduate studies at Monmouth University, in West Long Branch, NJ, where he received a BS in Public Health. He completed his medical training at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. While in medical school he completed a one-year post-sophomore fellowship at UCLA Medical Center. He is a member of the Sigma Sigma Phi honorary society. His hobbies include competitive regattas and recreational sailing and visiting national parks.

Ward Maaita, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan

Director's Profile:

Ward did his medical training at the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine where he was the recipient of multiple national academic awards, including Outstanding Academic Performance. He has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications on multiple topics, including placenta accreta spectrum, glaucoma and thyroid carcinoma. His hobbies include rock guitar, soccer, reading, his cat Lumi, and binge-watching tv with family.

Joshua Schwartzenburg, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Louisiana State University
• Medical School: Louisiana State University, School of Medicine in New Orleans

Director's Profile:

Joshua did his undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he received a BS in Biology. He received both his Ph.D. and medical degree at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He has multiple peer-reviewed publications, focusing on mitofusions and congressions of damaged mitochondria, and neuropathological outcomes in traumatic brain injuries (Ph.D. thesis). His hobbies include reading science fiction, journaling, video games, playing piano and making espresso-based drinks.

Clayton Smith, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Baylor University
• Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Director's Profile:

Clayton did his undergraduate studies at Baylor University, where he received a BS in Biology & Biochemistry. He completed his medical training at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he received several awards, including the Dorothy Lee Scholarship. He has multiple peer-reviewed publications, with his research focusing on breast and GI pathology. His hobbies include trivia games, Dungeons & Dragons, videogames, skeet and long-rang shooting and travel, especially to national parks.

Elizabeth Gonzalez Dominguez, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Elizabeth received a combined M.D./Ph.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine. Her research is investigating the activity of metarrestin, an anti-cancer agent that reduces PNC prevalence in pediatric Ewing Sarcomas. She was the first in her family to receive either a medical or doctoral degree. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, with a focus on pediatric malignancies, as well as multiple book chapters. Her hobbies include cooking and baking, especially traditional Mexican dishes, running and lifting weights, podcasts, especially true crime, and getting creative with makeup especially around Halloween and Day of the Dead.

Davinder Singh, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh India

Director's Profile:

Davinder did his medical training at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications, primarily in neuro-ophthalmology. In 2022, he presented his research findings at the World Ophthalmology Congress in Amsterdam. His hobbies include cooking Indian cuisine, gardening, fishing, traveling, badminton, dance and biking/hiking.

Emily Ballard, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Kansas
• Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Director's Profile:

Emily received her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas with a BS in Biochemistry. She graduated from UT Southwestern Medical School with a combined M.D. and Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology. Her Ph.D. thesis aimed to characterize and overcome the cell-cell adhesion incompatibility between pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) from evolutionarily distant species. She has multiple peer-reviewed publications and was recently named the 2026 recipient of the Vernie A. Stembridge Award, given to a fourth-year UTSW medical student pursuing a pathology residency.

Somayeh Boshagh Cheghazali, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Iran

Director's Profile:

Somayeh received her medical degree from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. She then completed an AP/CP residency in Iran after which she served as surgical pathologist from 2017-2025. She has previously done research examining cytomorphologic, imaging, molecular findings, and clinical outcomes in patients with thyroid follicular lesions.

Chinedu Ezekekwu, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: University of Nigeria Faculty of Medicine Nigeria

Director's Profile:

Chinedu received his medical degree at the University of Nigeria Faculty of Medicine followed by an AP/CP residency in Nigeria. He then completed a myeloma fellowship at the Briston Hematology/Oncology Center in the United Kingdon. He has an extensive publication history primarily focused in hematologic disorders, particularly hemoglobinopathies in Nigerian patients.

Josue Fonseca, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Texas Dallas
• Medical School: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Director's Profile:

Josue received his undergraduate degree from UT Dallas with a BS in Premedical Studies followed by a Master of Public Health from UT Houston. He received his M.D. from UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. He has an impressive publications/presentation history highlighting health care disparities, particularly within the LGBTQ community.

Ana Gomez Camacho, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Universidad Del Norte Programa de Medicina Columbia

Director's Profile:

Ana received her medical degree from the University of North Medicine Program in Columbia followed by a Medical Genetics and Genomics residency and finally an Oncogenetics Fellowship. She has worked as a medical geneticist in Columbia since 2012 as well as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry from 2013-2019. She has an extensive list of peer-reviewed publications in molecular oncogenetics.

Nianyi Li, M.D., Ph.D

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Shanghi Medical College, Fudan University China

Director's Profile:

Nianyi received both her Ph.D. in Hematology as well as her medical degree from Shanghai Medical College at Fudan University in China. She completed graduate studies in hematopathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She has done extensive research in leukemias, lymphomas and CAR-T cell therapy with multiple peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.

Alfonso Rodriguez, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Universidad Panamerica Escula de Medicina Mexico

Director's Profile:

Alfonso received his medical degree from Panamerican University School of Medicine in Mexico. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in hematology at Beth Isreal Deaconess Hospital in Boston. He has an impressive research background in the areas of thrombosis/hemostasis and transfusion medicine with publications in prestigious journals such as Blood, JAMA and Nature Communications.

Renesa Tarannum, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Dhaka Medical College and Hospital Bangladesh

Director's Profile:

Renesa received her medical degree from Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in Bangladesh. She later received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. She studied the molecular mechanisms of neuronal mRNA localization underlying synaptic plasticity and memory for her Ph.D. thesis. She has an extensive peer-review publication list in the area of molecular biology.