Incoming Pathology PGY-1 Residents Class of 2026
Please join us in welcoming our incoming Pathology PGY‑1 Class of 2026! We are excited to welcome such an outstanding group of future pathologists to our community. We are honored that you have chosen us for your residency training and look forward to supporting your growth and success throughout this journey. Welcome to your Pathology home!
Emily Ballard, M.D., Ph.D.
Emily received her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas with a BS in Biochemistry. Upon graduation in May from UT Southwestern, she will receive a combined MD/PhD with a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology. Her PhD 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, M.D.
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 currently lives in the DFW metroplex and works as a pathology image consultant. She has previously done research examining cytomorphologic, imaging, molecular findings, and clinical outcomes in patients with thyroid follicular lesions.
Chinedu Ezekekwu, M.D.
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 Kingdom. He has an extensive publication history primarily focused in hematologic disorders, particularly hemoglobinopathies in Nigerian patients.
Josue Fonseca, M.D.
Josue received his undergraduate degree from UT Dallas with a BS in Premedical Studies followed by a Master of Public Health from the UT Houston. He will receive his MD from UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine in May. He has an impressive publications/presentation history highlighting health care disparities, particularly within the LGBTQ community.
Ana Gomez Camacho, M.D.
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.
Nianyi received both her PhD in Hematology as well as her medical degree from Shanghai Medical College at Fudan University in China. She currently is doing 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.
Alfonso received his medical degree from Panamerican University School of Medicine in Mexico. He is currently completing 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.
Renesa received her medical degree from Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in Bangladesh. She later received her PhD in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. her PhD thesis studied the molecular mechanisms of neuronal mRNA localization underlying synaptic plasticity and memory. She has an extensive peer-review publication list in the area of molecular biology.