NEPHROLOGY ASSOCIATES OF WESTERN NEW YORK - Key Persons

Dr. Marinides was born and raised in Greece where he finished Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo and a fellowship in Nephrology at SUNY at Buffalo from 1984-1985. He continued with a research fellowship (experimental work) at the University of Utah Medical School in Salt Lake City, UT for 3 years. He received a Ph.D. in experimental Nephrology in 1990. In 1990, he became an Assistant Professor at the Medical School of SUNY at Buffalo, Division of Nephrology. He did research as well as patient care at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Buffalo for 4 years. He was the director of the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit in that hospital during that time. In 1994, he joined Nephrology Associates of WNY and has been a partner of the group since then. He is the medical director of the Suburban Dialysis Unit in Amherst NY. He has maintained an affiliation with the SUNY at Buffalo Medical School as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and has been active in teaching residents and medical students. He has published original articles, and reviews in various medical journals, and has written medical book chapters. He has lectured repeatedly to physicians, other health professionals and the public. He is the recipient of the 2008 Gift of Life Award from National Kidney Foundation, WNY chapter, and of the 2013 Gift of Life Award of the Northeast Kidney Foundation of Greater Buffalo.

Dr. Wheat was raised in Syracuse, NY. She received her B.A. in Biology and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994. She completed an undergraduate honors thesis in the Department of Neuroscience, studying dopamine and serotonin regulation in the brain. She continued her research in the field of neuroscience for two years at the University of Colorado following her undergraduate education. Dr. Wheat then returned to medical school and received her MD from the Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY in 2000. She returned to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado to complete her residency in Internal Medicine. Following her residency, Dr. Wheat joined the University of Buffalo Internal Medicine Department and served as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine for two years. She then went on to complete her Nephrology fellowship at the University of Buffalo. Dr. Wheat joined Nephrology Associates of Western NY in 2007 where she is currently in practice. She treats a wide variety of patients in the inpatient and outpatient settings with acute and chronic kidney disease, electrolyte disorders, kidney stones, and hypertension. She lives in Amherst, NY with her husband and two children.

Dr Ahmed joined Nephrology associates in Feb 2018. He is board certified in Nephrology and board certified in internal medicine. Dr Ahmed is a native of Punjab, Pakistan. He received his medical degree from National university of Science and Technology (Army medical college) , Pakistan . He completed his internship at Mercy hospital of Buffalo, NY and completed his residency training at University Hospital, Syracuse, NY where he also served as the chief resident . Dr Ahmed received his fellowship training at University of Rochester, Rochester NY 2007 - 2009. After his fellowship in Nephrology, Dr Ahmed joined a private practice in Michigan where he also worked as a Transplant Nephrologist for 8 years before moving back to Buffalo , NY . Dr Ahmed is affiliated with both Kaleida and Catholic health systems and provides inpatient care at multiple facilities.

Job Titles:

• Medical Director of the Davita Dialysis Center

James E. Ryan grew up in Hudson Falls, NY, a small town in the Adirondacks. He received his college and medical training locally at Niagara University and SUNY at Buffalo. Dr Ryan completed his medical residency in Internal Medicine at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital in 1987. As a graduating resident, Dr. Ryan was awarded the Philip Goldstein M.D. Memorial award for demonstrating the "Highest Degree of Humanitarian Qualities in the approach to the Treatment of patients." He then completed a nephrology fellowship between 1987-1989 at the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston Texas under the tutelage of Dr. Wadi Suki. During that timeframe he was given the award as the "Outstanding Renal Fellow." Dr. Ryan returned to Western New York in 1989 to begin work as a nephrology attending at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital as well as Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. Over the next few years, he was awarded for his excellence in teaching and given the J. Frederick Painton M.D. in 1991, 1993 and 1994 by the medical residents at Millard Fillmore. Mercy Hospital medical residency program also appreciated his teaching excellence and granted him teaching towards in 1999 and 2003. Dr. Ryan is board certified in Nephrology , he is also Chief of Nephrology at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo and is the Subspecialty Educational Coordinator in Nephrology for the Internal Medicine training program for the Catholic Health System. He works as a consulting nephrologist mainly at Mercy Hospital and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. Dr. Ryan is currently the medical director of the Davita Dialysis Center in Orchard Park NY and is also a member of the medical board for Gowanda Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Over the past 3 consecutive years, Dr. James Ryan, has been identified by his peers, as one of the "Top Docs of Western NY" published by The Buffalo Spree Magazine.

Dr. Bhatnagar is now working with Nephrology Associates of WNY and is currently affiliated with Millard Fillmore Suburban, Mount St. Mary Hospital, Niagara Falls Memorial hospital, ECMC, Buffalo General, Kenmore Mercy, and South Buffalo Mercy hospital. Dr. Bhatnagar was identified by her peers as one of the "Top Docs of Western NY" in 2021,2022 and 2023 published by The Buffalo Spree Magazine. Her expertise is both in inpatient and outpatient, Acute & Chronic Kidney disease, peritoneal and hemodialysis, Hypertension, Electrolyte disorders and Kidney Stones, ICU nephrology.

Dr. Matteson is a Western New York native who has settled in the Buffalo area. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Recombinant Gene Technology and Chemistry at SUNY Fredonia, where she graduated summa cum laude. After attending Fredonia she completed a Master of Science in Microbiology at the University of Buffalo. While at UB, she became interested in pursuing medicine. While living in Jamestown, NY she attended the Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine graduating first in her class. She returned back to Buffalo and to complete her internal medicine residency at Sisters of Charity Hospital and continued on at the University of Buffalo to pursue her fellowship in Nephrology. Since graduation she has been practicing at Nephrology Associates of WNY, LLP. She is currently a managing partner of the group. She especially enjoys the areas of Acute Kidney Injury, ICU nephrology and dialysis. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four children. The Matteson family enjoys swimming, biking and staying active.

Job Titles:

• Partner at Nephrology Associates of Western NY

Dr. Richard Steinacher received his medical degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, Illinois. Following medical school, he completed a Traditional Rotating Internship at Tempe St. Lukes Hospital in Tempe, AZ, followed by an Internal Medicine Residency at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. He then went on to complete his Nephrology Fellowship at SUNY Buffalo. Dr. Steinacher is currently a partner at Nephrology Associates of Western NY where he has been practicing since 2005.