About Us

Andreas Tzakis, M.D., Ph.D. is one of the top transplant surgeons in the world, as well as a preeminent educator and research scientist. As Chief of the Division of Liver and GI Surgery, Dr. Tzakis directs a program that performs more than 250 life-saving surgeries each year and has achieved an unusually high degree of organ survival.

A pioneer in multi-organ transplant, Dr. Tzakis was one of the first surgeons to transplant the intestine and has been instrumental in making the University of Miami home to one of the most active intestine and multi-visceral transplant programs in the country.

Dr. Tzakis is the Director of the newly established Miami Transplant Institute, a joint program at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Institute's research is focused on tolerance, the immunobiology of organ and tissue transplantation, the preservation of organs and the transplantation of new organs. The Institute is considered to be the leading transplant center worldwide with a major role in kidney, liver, intestinal, heart, and pancreas transplantation, and in more unique transplant programs such as multi visceral transplants and the transplants of insulin-producing cells used to treat diabetes.

Born and raised in Greece, Andreas Tzakis attended the University of Athens Medical School and served in the medical corps of The Greek Air Force before coming to the United Sates, in 1977. He spent the next six years as a resident, first at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and then at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

In 1979, Dr. Tzakis became a surgical fellow with the world-renowned transplant team of Dr. Thomas E. Starzl at the University of Pittsburgh. While at Pittsburgh, Dr. Tzakis transformed himself into, the words of Dr. Starzl, "one of the best surgeons in the world."

Dr. Tzakis is not only a great surgeon, having performed more than 2,000 liver transplants; he has been a trailblazer in innovative techniques that have advanced transplant surgery in general. He won international acclaim in 1994 by performing two transplantations of baboon livers into humans. Since that time, he has led the way in successfully transplanting insulin-producing cells from the pancreas and performing intestinal and multi-visceral organ transplantations.

Dr. Tzakis' accomplishments have made a major impact on thousands of people throughout the world. Those advances have been not only because of his skill as a surgeon but because of his landmark research. Dr. Tzakis is now focusing on the two major challenges faced by transplant patients: tolerance and research methods to preserve donor organs. New immunosuppressive drugs are continually tested to determine whether they can prevent rejection without causing long-term toxic damage to the organ. Through the conduct of important immunological research in the School's laboratories, Dr. Tzakis hopes to improve both the quality of life and life expectancy for patients.

Dr. Tzakis is recognized by his peers throughout the world as a brilliant surgeon, and he has earned his U.S. peers' votes for many years as a "Best Doctor in America."  Best Doctors are esteemed in their field of expertise.  Dr. Tzakis’ colleagues and patients alike are also impressed by his humanitarianism.

The Andreas G. Tzakis Chair in Transplant Surgery, which was recently funded, will guarantee that the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has the resources to continue Dr. Tzakis' commitment to improving transplant education and research -- and that will improve the lives of transplant patients here and throughout the world.

David M. Levi, M.D. is a transplant surgeon at Miami Transplant Institute, where he specializes in liver and GI transplantation, liver donor liver transplantation, and hepatobiliary surgery. He is also an associate professor of clinical surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he works with the Department of Surgery's Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency.

Dr. Levi is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the National Board of Medical Examiners. A graduate of University of Miami School of Medicine, Dr. Levi completed both his residency and a post-doctoral fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

Dr. Levi's research interests are liver transplants for malignant diseases and live donor liver transplantation.

Seigo Nishida, M.D., Ph.D., is associate director of the adult intestinal transplant program, specializing in liver and GI transplantation. He is also associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Nishida is board certified with the Japanese Board of Surgery and Board of Gastrointestinal Surgery. He completed his medical studies and medical residency at Japan's renowned Kagoshima University. He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

Dr. Nishida's clinical interests are liver transplantation and small bowel transplantation. His research interests include preservation of the liver and rejection of the small bowel.

Jang I. Moon, M.D. is associate professor of clinical surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also director of the Post Graduate Educational Program in abdominal organ transplant. As a member of the renowned team of researchers and surgeons at Miami Transplant Institute, Dr. Moon specializes in liver and gastrointestinal transplantation.

Dr. Moon is certified with the Korean Board of Surgery. He completed his medical degree and general/transplant surgery training at Yonsei University Medical Center in Seoul, Korea. He continued his transplant surgery training and research as a fellow at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

Dr. Moon's research interests include organ donor, clinical liver/intestine transplant and transplant immunology.

Eddie R. Island, M.D. is a general surgeon and a member of the transplant team working in the areas of liver transplantation, live donor liver transplantation, laparoscopic liver surgery, pediatric liver and intestinal transplantation, and hepatobiliary surgery.

Dr. Island is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. A graduate of Princeton University with degrees in biology, ecology and evolution, he completed his medical studies at Yale University School of Medicine and a residency at UCSF's East Bay Surgery Residency Program where he was Chief Surgical Resident. He also completed a clinical fellowship in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong and a liver transplant fellowship at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.

Dr. Island's research interests are transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma, minimally invasive liver surgery, living donor liver transplantation, split liver transplantation, and pediatric liver and intestinal transplantation.

Gennaro Selvaggi, M.D., is currently associate professor of clinical surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he serves as surgical director of the pancreas islet cell transplant program. At the Miami Transplant Institute he specializes in liver and gastrointestinal transplant surgery both adult and pediatric. He is also the associate director of liver transplant services at Broward General Medical Center.

Dr. Selvaggi is certified by the American Board of Surgery. He completed his medical studies at the University of Bari in Italy, and worked at the Diabetes Research Institute as an NIH-funded research fellow in the field of islet cell transplantation for two years. He proceeded to complete his residency in general surgery and a fellowship in abdominal transplantation surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

During the last few years, he has been in charge of developing and maintaining the intestinal transplant database. He has also undertaken several clinical studies in liver and intestinal transplantation, especially regarding the use of new immunosuppressive agents. These studies aim to improve patient and graft survival over the long-term post-transplantation, while at the same time working toward the achievement of tolerance. His numerous studies have been published in leading medical journals, including the American Journal of Transplantation, Transplantation, and Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Akin Tekin, M.D. is assistant professor of clinical surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

A native of Turkey, Dr. Tekin received is medical degree from the University of Hacettepe School of Medicine in Ankara, Turkey. He finished his general surgery training at JMH/UM and did his clinical fellowship in Liver/GI/Kidney/Pancreas transplantation in Miami Transplant Institute. 

Dr. Tekin specializes in liver and gastrointestinal transplantion and has an interest in liver tumors and laparascopic liver surgery. With his colleagues at MTI, Dr. Tekin has participated in numerous studies which he has co-authored for papers published in the Official Journal of the Transplantation Society.

>> Click here for more information on research studies by Dr. Tekin

Eugene R. Schiff, M.D., is a Leonard Miller Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he also serves as director of UHealth Hepatology and director of the Schiff Liver Institute/Center for Liver Diseases.

Dr. Schiff earned his B.A. at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and his M.D. at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. After graduating, he completed his internship at Cincinnati General Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his residencies in internal medicine at Cincinnati General Hospital and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. His fellowship in Gastroenterology was conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Dr. Schiff is the co-editor of the Tenth Edition of Schiff’s Diseases of the Liver and has authored and co-authored more than 350 articles, books, and book chapters concerning liver diseases and related topics. His articles have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, Liver Transplantation, New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.

He is the past President of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, past Chairman of the Biliary Section of the American Gastroenterological Association. Dr. Schiff is a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology, a Master of the American College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Fellow of the American Gastroenterology Association. He was a member of the Gastroenterology Subspecialty Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine and former Chair of the FDA Advisory Committee on gastrointestinal drugs.

Dr. Schiff is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Florida Laureate Award presented by the American College of Physicians and the Distinguished Service award of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Paul Martin, M.D., F.A.C.P., is a professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he also serves as chief of the Division of Hepatology.  Dr. Martin earned his medical degree from University College in Dublin, Ireland.  He is certified in Internal Medicine by the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and the American Board of Internal Medicine.  He is also certified in Gastroenterology by the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and American Board of Internal Medicine, as well as in Hepatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Martin served on the academic faculties of Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), UCLA School of Medicine (Los Angeles, CA), and Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY), prior to his appointment in Miami.  Dr. Martin's extensive list of peer-reviewed publications includes articles on the management of hepatitis B and C in organ transplant recipients.  He has collaborated with colleagues in many clinical and research settings to provide cutting-edge diagnostic care for chronically ill patients.

The Division of Hepatology has earned an international reputation in the care of patients with liver disease, has been a leader in clinical research, and has trained many of the current leaders in hepatology in the United States and around the world.  The Division has an extremely active clinical practice at the hospitals and clinics on the medical campus of the University of Miami. The Division has a large clinical research program whose members are at the forefront of the development of new therapies and diagnostic tests for viral hepatitis and other forms of liver disease.

Dr. Martin was elected to America's Top Doctors in 2001 and is the recipient of the American Liver Foundation's Charles M. Trey, M.D., Chapter Leadership Award.

Lesley J. Smith, M.D., is director of Pediatric Hepatology and the pediatric medical director of liver & small bowel transplantation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Smith earned her medical degree from the University of Manchester in the U.K., and she completed a fellowship at the Universite de Montreal in Montreal, Canada.  She later earned an MBA in Health Administration from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.  Dr. Smith is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Gastroenterology, and the American Board of Pediatrics/Transplant Hepatology. 

Dr. Smith's clinical interests in pediatric hepatology include viral hepatitis, NAFLD, autoimmune hepatitis, acute liver failure, neonatal cholestasis and metabolic liver disease.  Areas of interest in the field of pediatric liver & small bowel transplantation include long term outcomes after transplantation and lipid absorption and metabolism after transplantation.  She remains active in intestinal rehabilitation for patients with short bowel, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

George W. Burke, III, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he holds the Joshua Miller MD Chair in Transplant Surgery. Dr. Burke is a board certified surgeon. He is Chief of the Division of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation and Director of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Renal Transplantation Center, where he has worked in both a clinical and research capacity since September 1, 1987.

Dr. Burke completed his residency at New England Deaconess Hospital as well as a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

He is the principal investigator or co-investigator of several funded research programs. For the past three years he has been P.I. of an R01 NIH grant in collaboration with Dr. Alberto Pugliese of the DRI, studying the recurrence of type 1 diabetes after kidney/pancreas transplantation that occurs in a small number of kidney/pancreas transplant recipients.

He is also currently studying novel approaches to therapy to prevent recurrence of proteinuria in children who receive kidney transplants for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Along with Dr. Alessia Fornoni, and the recently arrived (University of Miami Nephrology) leaders in the field of FSGS research, Drs. Jochen Reiser and Peter Mundel, he has submitted a grant to the IRDI (University of Miami) to fund these studies. He plans a clinical trial utilizing novel therapeutics in collaboration with this world class group of cell and molecular biologists.

The third area of his research lies with those patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the Metabolic Syndrome (obesity, hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia) who may benefit from weight loss (bariatric) surgery prior to kidney transplantation. A randomized prospective trial including bariatric surgery ± omentectomy with multiple tissue biopsies and serum samples from different physiologic compartments is in progress. Funding sources are also being investigated.

Dr. Burke has had an interest in the clinical utility of basic science research, and the role of cytokines in transplantation immunobiology, specifically looking at the relevance of serum cytokines in transplant recipients who are clinically tolerant.

Dr. Burke is the author and/or co-author of over 380 peer-reviewed articles in the field of solid organ transplantation and research in pancreas, liver and kidney transplantation. He has presented numerous papers at national and international scientific congresses.

Gaetano Ciancio, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., is the director of urologic transplant surgery and associate director of the division of kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation at Miami Transplant Institute. He also holds the unique position of professor of surgery and urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and has been at the forefront of ground-breaking studies and surgical procedures.

Dr. Ciancio completed his residency and a multi-organ transplant fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami. He was the recipient of the Miracle Maker Award (1997), the Dean’s Senior Faculty Clinical Research Award (2000), the Honorary Citizen, National Award, Italy (2000). In 2001 he received the Transplant Foundation Honoree Award. He earned the "Attending of the Year"(for 1998-1999, 2002-2003, and 2004-2005) Award of Excellence for the outstanding dedication and commitment to patients, colleagues and residents. He also received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award (2002) for his contribution in health care, and was named Best Doctor in America for 2005-2006 and 2007-2008.

He is diplomat of the American Board of Urology as well as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and The Society of University Surgeons. He also is a member of The American Urological Association, The Transplantation Society, Urologic Society for Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association, American Society of Transplant Surgeons and Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He has written or co-written more than 300 articles published in medical journals for topics involving the field of solid organ transplantation and urologic oncology. He is the recipient of the Brandon and Kyle Simonsen Endowed Chair in Transplant Surgery.

Dr. Ciancio has been at the forefront of ground-breaking studies in transplantation and development and design of multiple surgical procedures in urology. He has the largest series of renal cancer and other non-renal cancer cases with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus, making the University of Miami the only place where these tumors can be removed without cardiopulmonary bypass. One first-of-its-kind case, reported in the journal Urology, involved the removal of a cancerous kidney tumor that had spread through the patient's inferior vena cava (vein system) into the right atrium of his heart. Dr. Ciancio and his team were able to remove the tumor without putting the patient on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine.

"Using cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest were not options because the patient had other serious medical conditions, so we needed to come up with another way to perform the surgery," said Ciancio. Dr. Ciancio has used these ground-breaking techniques during countless transplant operations. For example, they have been able to successfully move the liver out of the way and clamp off the right atrium, thereby isolating the section where the tumor was located. "We are able to then open up the vena cava for complete tumor removal, while the heart was still beating on its own," explains Dr. Ciancio.

These kinds of unique procedures that avoid the use of the heart-lung machine and circulatory arrest – unmatched in the medical world, or at best 'rare' – offer the patient a much better chance at a successful outcome.

Linda J. Chen, M.D., is assistant professor of clinical surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and surgical director of the Live Kidney Donor Program.

Dr. Chen is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. She received her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and completed her residency in general surgery at the University of California San Francisco-East Bay, during which time she earned the outstanding resident teacher of the year award. She subsequently completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Stanford University in transplant immunology, followed by a multi-organ transplant fellowship.

Her primary interest and research goals currently lay in the area of de-sensitization of highly-sensitized patients and novel immune suppression approaches to antibody-mediated rejection. This allows patients who would not otherwise be transplanted to undergo transplant.

Professionally, Dr. Chen is committed to the growth and expansion of the Live Donor Program through service excellence and superior outcomes. Live donor kidney transplant serves to fast-track patients toward transplantation instead of enduring long wait times on the deceased donor list.

Junichiro Sageshima, M.D., is assistant professor of clinical surgery in the division of kidney and pancreas transplantation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Sageshima is certified with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and Japan board of surgery.

He received his medical degree from the Showa University School of Medicine in Tokyo. He completed his residency at Tokyo Womens Medical College Hospital, followed by clinical transplant fellowships at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

He has participated in numerous investigations at MTI. His team has also been expanding the donor pool without compromising results, so that more transplant candidates can get access to kidney and pancreas transplant sooner. Those results have been presented in the American Transplant Congress and the annual congress of The Transplantation Society.

Warren L. Kupin, M.D., is a professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Kupin earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and completed his Internal Medicine residency and Nephrology fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. He is Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Nephrology. Dr. Kupin serves as associate director of Transplant Nephrology and is involved in clinical immunosuppression protocol development and monitoring.

Giselle Guerra, M.D. is assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she serves as the transplant fellowship director in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension. Dr. Guerra is also medical director of the Living Kidney Donor Program at Miami Transplant Institute.

Dr. Guerra received her medical degree from the Universidad Central del Caribe in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She completed her residency in internal medicine in Boston at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, an affiliate of Tufts University, where she earned both the Frederick Stohlman Award and the Internship Excellence Award. Dr. Guerra also earned the distinction of chief nephrology fellow at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. There she completed post-residency fellowships in nephrology and hypertension, and in transplant nephrology. 

Dr. Guerra specializes in internal medicine and nephrology. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Internal Med-Nephrology.  

David Roth, M.D., is the Wm. Way Anderson Professor of Nephrology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  Dr. Roth also serves as medical director of renal transplantation and director of clinical services.

Dr. Roth received his medical degree from State University of New York, NY.  He completed a residency and fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.  He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Internal Med-Nephrology.

His clinical and research interests cover a wide range of topics.  Clinical concerns include general nephrology, renal transplantation, end stage renal disease/chronic renal insufficiency, kidney and liver diseases and hepatic C virus infection.  Research interests consist of hepatitis C virus infection in renal transplantation and outcome in kidney transplantation.

Carolyn L. Abitbol, M.D., is professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she is also medical director of pediatric dialysis.

Dr. Abitbol received her medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. She completed her residency at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals in Atlanta, followed by a fellowship at the University of California at San Francisco. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephrology.

Her clinical and research interests cover a broad range of areas.  Clinical interests include pediatric dialysis, growth and nutrition in chronic kidney disease, renal tubular disorders: diagnosis and management, obstructive uropathy, proteinuria, oligonephropathy of prematurity, obesity and glomerulosclerosis.  Specific research investigations include growth and nutrition in children with chronic renal failure, oligonephropathy of prematurity, proteinuria, obstructive uropathy, renal tubular abnormalities: diagnosis and treatment.

Gaston Zilleruelo, M.D., is a professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric nephrology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. 

Dr. Zilleruelo received his medical degree from the University of Chile in Santiago.  He completed his residency at Luis Calvo-Mackenna Children's Hospital, also in Santiago, followed by a fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.  He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Nephrology.

His clinical and research investigations cover a broad range of subjects.  Clinical interests include urinary tract infections and congenital G-U anomalies, nephrotic syndrome, chronic renal failure and dialysis in children, hypertension and HIV nephropathy.  Dr. Zilleruelo's research studies have explored lipid disorders in renal diseases, HIV associated nephropathy, use of L-carnitine in dialysis, management of FSGS and drug use in hypertension. 

Jayanthi Chandar, M.D., is an associate professor of clinical pediatrics in the division of pediatric nephrology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.   

Dr. Chandar earned her medical degrees from Stanley Medical College at the University of Madras in Madras, India, where she completed a compulsory rotating internship.  She also completed an internship in pediatrics at Lincoln Hospital and Westchester County Medical Center in affiliation with New York Medical College, followed by a residency and fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.  She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephrology.

Her current clinical and research interests are angiotensin blockade in renal disease, and renal function and post-transplant complications in children.

Wacharee Seeherunvong M.D., is assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.    

Dr. Seeherunvong earned her medical degree from Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. She completed residencies in pediatrics at Songklanakarind University in Songkla, Thailand, and at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. She also completed a fellowship in pediatric nephrology at the University of Miami. Dr. Seeherunvong is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Nephrology.

Her clinical and research topics cover a wide range of areas in renal disease. Clinical interests include pediatric dialysis, preventive of complications of chronic kidney disease such as mineral bone disease, anemia, cardiomyopathy, pediatric kidney transplantation, hypertension, critical care nephrology, Lupus nephritis and tubulointerstitial disease. Research subjects consist of anemia and mineral bone disease in children with chronic kidney disease and dialysis, vitamin D and its analog for kids with kidney disease. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Si M. Pham, M.D. is director of Heart/Lung Transplant and Artificial Heart Programs at Jackson Memorial Hospital and professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Pham's heart transplant program is widely recognized as one of the best for its patient survival and innovations. In 2000, Dr. Pham performed the first heart-lung transplant in South Florida. His team's first heterotopic heart transplant in Florida was done two years later. Recently, Dr. Pham and his team performed a unique operation in which a failed transplanted heart (after 12 years) was removed and the patient was supported with two heart assist machines for 48 days until a donor heart became available.

Dr. Pham is certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, and holds a subspecialty certification from the American Board of Surgery in Surgical Critical Care. He is also trained in Ventricular Assist Device implantation.

A native of Vietnam, Dr. Pham migrated to the U.S. on the day Saigon fell (April 30, 1975) as one of the "boat people." After six months in different refugee camps, Dr. Pham was accepted to Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA and graduated magna cum laude. He received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and completed residency training in general surgery, cardiac surgery and surgical research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Before joining the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Heart/Lung Transplant Program, Dr. Pham was the director of the Adult Heart Transplant Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and director of thoracic transplant research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh. He was on the team that performed the successful combined heart/liver transplant operation on Robert Casey, Sr., the late Governor of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Pham has published many scientific papers in leading medical journals on heart and lung transplantation and ventricular assist devices. He has received grants from the national institute of health (NIH), the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and the Transplant Foundation for his research. He has served on several NIH expert panels to review projects on transplantation and stem cell therapy.

Dr. Pham has made several seminal contributions to the field of heart/lung transplantation. His team was the first to use tacrolimus (Prograf) to prevent rejection in heart/lung transplant recipients. Dr. Phams team also pioneered in the use of donor bone marrow to prevent rejections in heart and lung recipients.

As a tribute to his achievements, Dr. Pham was granted the Award for Excellence in Medical Research by the Vietnamese American Medical Research Foundation in 2005, and the Health Care Heroes Award by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in 2007.

Eliot R. Rosenkranz, M.D. is associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a leading surgeon at the Miami Transplant Institute, specializing in thoracic surgery and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Rosenkranz is a graduate of the University of California School of Medicine in San Diego. He completed his medical residency at UCLA and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in London, England. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Rosenkranz's clinical interests include pediatric heart surgery, neonatal heart surgery, adult congenital heart surgery, heart transplantation and arrhythmia surgery. His research includes investigations in myocardial preconditioning, developmental changes in myocardial ischemia tolerance, development of cardioplegia solutions, and neonatal heart metabolism.

Anthony L. Panos, M.D. is the associate director of the Thoracic Transplant Section of the Miami Transplant Institute and associate professor of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Panos is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is also trained in Ventricular Assist Device implantation.

Dr. Panos graduated from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, where he attended its school of medicine and completed his medical residency and a post-doctoral fellowship.

Dr. Panos' clinical interests include adult cardiac surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery and transplantation. He has participated in numerous research investigations, including those in myocardial protection, cardiovascular physiology, and use of computers in surgery.

Marco Ricci, M.D., Ph.D., is associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he also serves as director of pediatric cardiac surgery.

Dr. Ricci is a graduate of the University of Rome, Italy. He completed his medical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami, and subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, England. Dr. Ricci is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Ricci's specialties include pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and thoracic surgery. These areas have been the focus of several clinical trials and research investigations to which Dr. Ricci has contributed. Additional research areas include congenital heart disease, myocardial protection, aortic root surgery, and adult congenital heart surgery.

Ray E. Hershberger, M.D., is professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he serves as associate chief of the cardiovascular division and director of Advanced Heart Failure Therapies Program and Translational Cardiovascular Genetic Medicine.

Dr. Hershberger earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska in Omaha, followed by training in internal medicine at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed fellowships in cardiology at the University of Utah and cardiac transplant at the Utah Cardiac Transplant Program in Salt Lake City. Before joining the University of Miami, Dr. Hershberger served as the director of cardiac transplantation and professor of medicine in cardiology at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. He is the founder and principal investigator of the Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research Project that seeks to identify and understand the genetic causes of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine-Cardiovascular Disease.

His numerous studies concerning cardiac transplantation, cardiomyopathy and cardiovascular genetic medicine have been published in leading medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, the American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal of the American College of Cardiology and others. Over the years he has been honored with awards and recognition for his work in the areas of heart failure, heart transplantation, and genetic/familial cardiomyopathies.

Paolo G. Rusconi, M.D., is associate professor of clinical pediatric at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he is also medical director of Pediatric Heart Transplant and Cardiac Failure.

Dr. Rusconi graduated from medical school with the highest honor at the University of Pavia in Pavia, Italy, and completed a pediatric residency at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. His fellowship training in pediatric cardiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine led to his subsequent faculty position. Dr. Rusconi is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Cardiology.

Dr. Rusconi's clinical and research interests cover a broad spectrum. Clinical areas of interest include heart failure in children and adults with congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, cardiac transplant, cardiac complications in children with end stage renal disease, hypertension and preventive cardiology in children. His experience with the use of carvedilol and innovations in the management of heart failure in children has been published in world-renowned scientific journals, and the results of his research have been presented at national and international meetings. Other areas of research include the roles of biomarkers in heart failure, and role of exercise in children with cardiac disease.

Christopher Ratnasamy, M.D., is assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Ratnasamy's medical training includes a pediatric residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City, as well as fellowships in pediatric cardiology at the University of Miami and pediatric electrophysiology at Duke University Medical Center.  He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Cardiology.

His clinical and research interests include long term follow-up of children with implantable pacemakers and defibrillators and mechanism of pacing induced cardiomyopathy. 

Debra P. Fertel, M.D., is medical director of heart-lung lung transplantation programs at Miami Transplant Institute and Jackson Health System, as well as medical director of the pulmonary arterial hypertension program at Jackson Health System. 

Dr. Fertel earned her medical degree from Southwestern University in Texas.  Her residency at University of South Carolina/Mount Sinai Medical Center was followed by a fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.  She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Disease.

Her clinical and research areas of interest include pulmonary transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis.

Shirin Shafazand, M.D., is associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. 

Dr. Shafazand received her medical degree and completed her residency from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.  She completed her fellowship training at Stanford University in Stanford, CA.  She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Med-Critical Care Medicine and American Board of Internal Med-Pulmonary Disease.

Her clinical and research interests include a wide range of subjects.  Clinical interests include pulmonary hypertension, lung transplant, critical care medicine and sleep medicine.  Research interests include health related quality of life, health policy, health economics and outcomes research.

Michael Light is professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  Dr. Light graduated from Guy’s Hospital, London, in 1967.  After residency he spent three years in continental Europe, followed by a fellowship in pediatric pulmonology and critical care at the Brompton Chest Hospital, London.  He was recruited by the University of Hawaii in 1973, and during the next 16 years Dr. Light was medical director of NICU (four years), PICU (14 years) and pediatric pulmonary medicine (14 years). 

In 1989, Dr. Light went to the University of California, San Diego, and in 1992 he was appointed pediatric pulmonology division chief and CF Center director at UCSD. There he participated in phase II and phase III studies of human recombinant DNAase (Pulmozyme) and was one of the original members of the North American Scientific Advisory Group, which conducted the phase IV studies of Pulmozyme. Dr. Light also participated in the phase III TOBI trials and was a member of the CFF Consensus Conference for inhaled antibiotics.

Dr. Light joined the faculty of the University of Miami in 2000, in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology.  His major interest has been the epidemiology of RSV, particularly the seasonality in Southeast Florida.  On August 1, 2008, he joined the faculty of the Miller School’s Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care as professor of clinical medicine.  He is now 50% time at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and 50% at St. Mary’s Hospital, West Palm Beach, concentrating on adult cystic fibrosis.

Dr. Light is board certified in Pediatrics and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.  He is the immediate past-chairperson of the Section of Pediatric Pulmonology of the American Academy of Pediatrics, having served on the Executive Committee since 2002.  He was a member of the AAP Subcommittee that developed guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis.

Andrew R. Colin, M.D. is a tenured professor of pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Colin is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Pulmonology. He received his M.D. at Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, and completed his pediatric training in hospitals related to that medical school. He trained in Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Intensive Care at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and subsequently at Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School. He subsequently was a member of the faculty of pediatric pulmonology at Children’s Hospital Boston for 15 years and served as the clinical chief of the division during his last years of tenure there.

Dr. Colin's medical, teaching, and research background is varied and includes development and directorship of the only Infant Pulmonary Function Lab in New England and, currently, the only such lab in Florida. He also heads the pediatric pulmonology training program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.

Dr. Colin has broad clinical and research interests in pediatric respiratory diseases. He continues to publish extensively, is a regular participant in the leading international respiratory meetings and lectures internationally. His expertise includes: asthma, cystic fibrosis, structural and functional development of the respiratory system and related problems including lung diseases of prematurity, pediatric bronchoscopy, inflammatory and infectious diseases of the lung and respiratory physiology of infants and children including infant pulmonary function testing.

Phillip Ruiz, M.D., Ph.D., is professor of pathology and surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also medical director of the transplant laboratories and director of immunopathology.

Dr. Ruiz is an internationally recognized expert in transplantation-pathology, immunology, and immunopathology. He received his Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Florida, his M.D. from George Washington University, and his residency (pathology)/fellowship training at Duke University. He has been at the University of Miami since 1989.

Dr. Ruiz's research interests include immune tolerance, subclinical rejection, and the interaction of inmate immunity with alloreactivity. He has written more than 330 peer-reviewed journal articles and numerous chapters and is a frequently invited speaker at worldwide meetings. He is on the editorial board and/or a reviewer of numerous journals and a member of many professional organizations.

Michele I. Morris, M.D., F.A.C.P., is assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  She also serves as director of the immunocompromised host section in the division of infectious diseases.

Dr. Morris received her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.  She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and completed her fellowship training in Infectious Diseases at Harbor-University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center in Torrance, CA.  She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Internal Med and Infectious Diseases.

Her clinical interests include infectious diseases of the immunocompromised host, transplant infectious diseases, and invasive fungal infections.  She currently has active clinical research projects investigating cytomegalovirus in solid organ transplant recipients, invasive opportunistic fungal infections, and fungal diagnostics.  She is co-chairperson of the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice (AST ID-COP) committee on Donor Derived Infections, and a member of the executive board of the AST ID-COP.

Arthur E. Betancourt, PsyD, is an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. 

Dr. Betancourt's specialty is clinical psychology.  Specific clinical interests are mood and psychological disorders, adjustment to chronic medical conditions, psychological evaluations, psychological testing and psychotherapy.

David C. Adams, Ph.D., is a voluntary assistant professor of psychotherapy at Miami Transplant Institute and a psychotherapist in the transplant department at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  In addition to providing individual and couple’s psychotherapy in his office in the Highland Building on the medical campus, he serves transplant patients at Jackson Memorial Hospital.  Dr. Adams had a liver transplant at this institution in 1995 and is therefore in a position to provide counseling from a patient’s as well as a practitioner's point of view.  In addition, he serves on the board of Miami Transplant Institute.

Dr. Adams received his doctorate in psychology from Walden University and has trained in Central Area Neighborhood Clinics and Harborview Hospital in Seattle. From 1970 until 1993, he maintained a private practice in Seattle as a certified mental health counselor.

Dr. Adams has been an active member and an officer in the C.G. Jung Society in Seattle and has lectured on the psychology of Jung at the University of Washington.

Judith McCullough, Ph.D., is a voluntary assistant professor in psychiatry/behavioral sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  Dr. McCullough also serves as the supervising pediatric psychologist for Holtz Children's Hospital, Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she provides psychological consultation services to children and families, including those patients associated with Miami Transplant Institute.

Dr. McCullough earned her doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Denver, CO, where she studied child clinical psychology and minored in statistics and research design.  She then completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  She is a licensed psychologist in the states of Florida and Georgia.

Her research and clinical interests cover a range of health issues for children and families, including asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and other pulmonary illnesses, as well as a particular interest in the way parents and children communicate about and work together to manage chronic illnesses.

Jorge Luis Sotelo, M.D., F.A.P.M., is assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Sotelo earned his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine, where he also completed a psychiatry residency in conjunction with Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami.  He also completed a consultation psychiatry fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, followed by a neuropsychiatry fellowship at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.  Dr. Sotelo is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology.  He also has board certification in the psychiatric subspecialty of Psychosomatic Medicine and is a Fellow of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine.  While working as a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in the year 2007 he was awarded the Ed Messner Faculty Award by the residents from Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital in recognition of exemplary teaching.

Dr. Sotelo's clinical and research interests encompass a range of topics.  Clinical concerns include consultation psychiatry, neuropsychiatry and transplant psychiatry.  Research interests include consultation psychiatry and transplant psychiatry.