COLLEGE OF MEDICINE - Key Persons
Abby Clark to Attend Medical School at Wright State in Fall 2020: Abby Clark was accepted into the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University as part of their Early Decision Program. Congratulations to Abby for her outstanding work not just in BUCL but throughout her time at UC!
Abby Clark Presents at OPS: Abby Clark, a fourth-year medical sciences major presented her work on microfluidic droplet manufacturing at the 2019 Ohio Physiological Society meeting. The work was performed as part of Abby's summer WISE program.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Al Rifai Joins BUCL: Following completion of her doctoral studies under Nicolas Taulier in the Laboratoire D'Imagerie Biomédicale at Sorbonne University, Nour Al Rifai has joined BUCL as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her studies will focus on emulsion manufacturing techniques and understanding the risk of gas embolization from acoustic droplet vaporization.
Job Titles:
- Senior Admissions Counselor
Job Titles:
- Dean
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs & Development & the Department Chair of Environmental Health & Public Health Sciences
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Career Development Director
Job Titles:
- Program Director Academic
Job Titles:
- Clinical Surgical Research
Job Titles:
- Nephrology & Hypertention / Professor / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Director of Medical Student Research Initiatives
- Director, Office of Medical Student Research
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Health Affairs & Dean
Job Titles:
- Program Dir / Academic & Associate to Alex Lentsch
Job Titles:
- Associate to, Academic Research Services
Job Titles:
- Program Director Academic
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education
- Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs & Program Director
- Program Director and Professor / University of Cincinnati
Dr. Menon is a molecular geneticist by training and has a special interest in human genetics, human health, wellness, and human disease. He was a member of the team that identified the genes for two different cancer syndromes and, more recently, is one of the founding members of the medical sciences program. His interests outside science include philosophy, education, classic rock, and motorcycles.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Clinical / Executive Vice Chair
Anwesa Basa wins SURF Award: Anwesa Basa, a rising 3rd year in the UC Medical Sciences program won the first place award for her presentation of her Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship presentation as part of the American Heart Association funded program.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology / Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Program Director Academic
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean
- Associate Professor
- Member of the Office Leadership Team
Bi Awosika, MD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, became assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion with a focus on medical education, on March 18, 2023. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology at Stanford University and matriculated at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, earning her Doctor of Medicine. Dr. Awosika pursued her residency training in Internal Medicine at Boston University Medical Center, where she was asked to serve as Chief Medical Resident. She was on faculty at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital serving as an Academic Hospitalist in the Department of Medicine for a few years prior to coming to Cincinnati.
A member of the college's faculty since 2016 and a hospitalist at UC Medical Center, Dr. Awosika helped form the Implicit Bias Improvement Group in 2019, which has since transformed into the Medical Community Advocates for Representation, Equity and Social Justice (MedCARES). She is the faculty champion of MedCARES, which works toward improvement in recruitment practices within the Internal Medicine Residency Program as well as explore educational opportunities that embrace diversity and inclusion. She also is chair of the Resident Clinical Competency Committee, serves as an advisor to the Resident Diversity Leadership Program and is an advisor to under-represented minority third- and fourth-year medical students. Dr. Awosika previously served as the faculty advisor for the Minority Housestaff Association.
In 2021, Dr. Awosika was selected as one of the National Minority Quality Forum Forty Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health to represent the next generation of thought leaders in reducing health disparities and serve as role models. At the College of Medicine, she has received the Richard Vilter Award in the Department of Internal Medicine and was a 2021 recipient of the college's Excellence in Mentoring Award.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Professional Education and Assessment
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice Dean, Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Research & Chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine / Senior Associate Deans
Job Titles:
- Director of Alumni & Donor Experience, UC Alumni Association
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Medical Education
- Professor - Educator / Department of Medical Education, Vice - Chair
- Professor - Educator Department of Medical Education, Vice - Chair, Associate Dean for Medical Education
Job Titles:
- Director of Research Experiences
A physiologist, Dr. Mackenzie was educated in Scotland and trained as a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA and Harvard. Dr. Mackenzie's research program revolves around iron transport and homeostasis-the processes by which the human body regulates systemic iron levels to ensure a sufficient supply for red-blood cell production and other vital roles that iron plays. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency worldwide. Meanwhile, several common hereditary conditions (including hereditary hemochromatosis and beta-thalassemia) are associated with iron overload, which leads to toxic damage to vital organs. Research in the Mackenzie lab is focused on the molecular physiology of iron transporters (DMT1, ferroportin, ZIP14) that are responsible for iron absorption, iron uptake into specific cell types, and iron recycling from aging red-blood cells. These transporters are potential drug targets for the treatment of iron disorders. Work in the Mackenzie Lab utilizes transport assays in RNA-injectedXenopusoocytes expressing iron transporters, and examining iron transport and homeostasis in genetically modified mouse models. Dr. Mackenzie oversees undergraduate research experiences for MSBP students who have access to cutting-edge biomedical research labs at UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He directs the Biomedical Research Rotation course, the two-semester senior Biomedical Research Capstone course, and Statistics & Experimental Design for the Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Mackenzie is the deputy editor-in-chief ofAdvances in Physiology Education, a leading international journal that promotes and disseminates educational scholarship in order to enhance teaching and learning of physiology and medical sciences.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health & Diseases / Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Professional
Job Titles:
- Research Scientist Academic Research Services
Job Titles:
- Director of SURF - MedEx and Informatics Experiences
Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Wu received his masters and doctoral degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research draws on human-computer interaction, machine learning, information retrieval, natural language processing, and visual analytics to maximize the value of clinical data stored in electronic health records and further improve care quality and outcomes. Dr. Wu was inaugurated as a fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association (FAMIA) in 2021. He enjoys mentoring students and creating informatics experiences for future clinicians.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Service Experiences
As a microbiologist, Dr. Askew is fascinated with the entire microbial world and has a lab dedicated to understanding how some species of fungi cause human disease. His unplaceable accent is a result of living in three countries: England, Canada, and the United States. He's a big fan of cooking and enjoys studying Italian and French. Each fall, Dr. Askew leads undergraduate students on a study tour to Paris, France where they visit the Institut Pasteur and get to know the city.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
- Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program
erkeleyDr. Wieczorek is a molecular geneticist whose research focuses is on understanding cardiac function and disease. More specifically, he explores the molecular pathways in the development of hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. He teaches in the Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics course and the Human Medical Genetics course. Outside of work, he enjoys reading and cooking, especially preparing the vegetables that he grows in his garden.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Program Director, Office of Medical Student Research
Job Titles:
- Development Coordinator, College of Medicine the UC Foundation
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Medical Student Admissions and Special Programs
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Member of the Office Leadership Team
Dr. Swati Pandya joined the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine family in August 2016 as a medical education learning specialist. She provides learning and study strategies for academic success as well supplemental based instruction in the basic and clinical sciences. In this position, she also facilitates test-taking and learning strategies for USMLE Step 1, 2CK, and 3.
Dr. Pandya worked in medical education consultation prior to joining University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, conducting workshops and courses at University of Arkansas Medical School, Little Rock, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and Yale School of Medicine. She also has worked in clinical neurophysiology and on various clinical research projects for patient education and literacy.
Dr. Pandya obtained her Bachelors of Science Degree from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT and her medical degree from Luton, England.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Professor of Clinical / Vice Chair, Education
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Education Program Manager, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Professor / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
: Based on his research, teaching, and service work at the university of Cincinnati, Kevin Haworth was promoted to Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Medicine Research
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Endowed Chair & Professor
Israa Malik Wins Communication Award: Israa Malik received an Excellence in Research Communication award based on her poster presentation at the UC Undergraduate Scholarly Showcase.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- M3 / M4 Career Advisor / Medical Sciences Building / Room G353 - D
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Job Titles:
- Administration / Senior Business Administrator
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Professional
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Professor Educator - Affiliate / Vice Chair, Faculty Affairs
Jenny grew up in southeastern Wisconsin, where most of her family still resides. She attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, where she enjoyed competing as a NCAA student-athlete in basketball (1 year) and cross country and track and field (4 years). Upon graduating, she competed professionally with a post-collegiate Olympic development program sponsored by Brooks Running, Inc., in Michigan. Following a decision to end her professional running career, Jenny pursued her Masters in Higher Education Leadership and Athletic Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she also helped coach the cross country and track and field teams. She found her way to the University of Cincinnati in 2019, working in Student-Athlete Support Services for two years, and she looks forward to calling Cincinnati home for the foreseeable future. She's passionate about helping/empowering students to be at their best in all facets of their lives. In her spare time, Jenny still enjoys running half and full marathons, as well as weight lifting, yoga, coffee, traveling, watching sports (go Packers, Brewers, Bucks, and Bearcats!), and spending time with friends and family (including her husband Mike, who's a Cincinnati native).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Internal Medicine / Department Chair
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Hospital Medicine / Associate Professor of Clinical / Vice Chair, Clinical Hospital Medicine
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Professional
Job Titles:
- Executive Director / Executive Vice Dean
Karla Mercado-Shekhar Receives Two Travel Awards to Present at the Acoustical Society of America Meeting: Karla Mercado-Shekhar, PhD received a Young Investigator Travel Grant from the Committee on Women in Acoustics and an Early Career Travel Award from the ASA to present her abstract on "Clot stiffness is inversely correlated with rt-PA thrombolytic efficacy in vitro" at the 175th Meeting of the ASA.
Karla Mercado-Shekhar Receives Early Career Travel Award: Karla P. Mercado-Shekhar was awarded a travel award by the Acoustical Society of America to support the presentation of her work on the effect of fluid parameters on ADV at the Acoustics '17 meeting.
Job Titles:
- URC Graduate Student Summer Stipend
Kate Stone wins UC Sigma Xi Grant-in-aid of Research: Kate Stone, a graduate student in BUCL, was awarded a Grant-in-aid of Research based on her proposal "Determining magnitudes of oxygen scavenging from whole blood with acoustic droplet vaporization to treat myocardial reperfusion injury."
Kate Stone wins URC Graduate Student Summer Stipend: Congratulations to Kate Stone, a PhD Candidate through the Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine graduate program, on being one of four College of Medicine graduate students to win a URC summer research stipend.
Stone Joins BUCL: Kateryna Stone, a graduate student in the Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine program has joined BUCL for her doctoral studies. Her studies will focus on oxygen scavenging in the presence of hemoglobin.
Job Titles:
- M1 / M2 Senior Academic Advisor / Medical Sciences Building / Room E - 450F
Job Titles:
- Member of the Office Leadership Team
- Program Manager
Keisha Easley joined the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine family in February 2021 as the program coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is currently the program manager. She manages the department's communications, student group budgets and events and serves as a liaison for students and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion faculty.
Keisha graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Northern Kentucky University in 2010 and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Mount St. Joseph University in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Administration Executive Director of Business and Administration
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Research Core Facilities
: Kevin J. Haworth, PhD, has received a four year American Heart Association Award to investigate ultrasound-mediated oxygen scavenging to inhibit reperfusion injury.
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
- Director of Data and Analytics
Having always enjoyed science and teaching, Dr. Haworth went to college with the goal to become a high school physics teacher. He ended up loving his physics classes so much he continued on to a PhD. With a dual interest in research, Dr. Haworth got his degree in applied physics while doing research in a radiology department. At UC, Dr. Haworth enjoys working in a clinical department (Internal Medicine- Cardiology) where he pursues interdisciplinary research and brings a unique perspective into the classroom. Outside of the lab, Dr. Haworth spends time with his wife and two young girls. He's a big Michigan Wolverine sports fan and enjoys downhill skiing and trail running.
: Kevin J. Haworth, PhD was elected to serve as the Vice President and President-Elect of the UC Chapter of Sigma Xi for the 2016-2017 academic year. Haworth will serve as President of the chapter during the 2017-2018 academic year.
Job Titles:
- Assistant VP of Development, College of Medicine and UC Health the UC Foundation
Job Titles:
- Administration / Chief of Staff
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Job Titles:
- Manager Special Projects and Programs
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Dean of Operations and Finance
Job Titles:
- Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Maddy is originally from Columbus, Ohio, where most of her family still resides. She attended the University of Cincinnati for her undergraduate studies where she majored in Neurobiology and minored in Entrepreneurship and Family Business. Maddy was involved in competitive swimming from age 7 until graduating from UC and still enjoys swimming on her own. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and cat. She is also an avid baseball fan. Her favorite baseball teams are the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Diego Padres and of course, the Cincinnati Reds.
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Clinical Surgical Research
Job Titles:
- Clinical Medicine Research
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism / Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs & the Chair of Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Job Titles:
- Co - Director of Curriculum
Dr. Lieberman grew up on the east coast - born in New York City and raised outside of Philadelphia. Dr. Lieberman did a post-doctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, had his first faculty position at the Harvard School of Public Health, and came to UC College of Medicine in 1983. While at UC, Dr. Lieberman has served as the Dean of Instructional Computing, the Interim VP and CIO of the University, and is now the Chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology.
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Advising
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Experiential Education
Michele grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati. She was a student athlete most of her life and still enjoys athletics. Previously, Michele worked at Cincinnati Children's in several divisions including Graduate Medical Education where she found her passion for higher education. She is a self-proclaimed DIY'er and enjoys working on projects in her free time. Michele also enjoys walking her dogs and spending time with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Executive Administrative Assistant
Job Titles:
- Associate Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Clinical
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Operations and Finance
Newsha Jahanpanah Receives Grant: Newsha Jahanpanah received a Grant-in-Aid of Research from the National office of Sigma Xi. The funds will be used to further her investigations on how acoustic droplet vaporization can change blood oxygen saturation levels.
Newsha Jahanpanah Receives Young Award: Newsha Jahanpanah was awarded a Robert W. Young Award for Undergraduate Student Research in Acoustics from the Acoustical Society of America in October 2018. Newsha wrote a proposal to investigate changes in blood oxygen saturation due to acoustic droplet vaporization.
Job Titles:
- Departmental Trainee Research Award
Nour Al Rifai wins Departmental Trainee Research Award: Nour Al Rifai, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in BUCL, was awarded a the Trainee Award for research from the Department of Internal Medicine based on her proposal "Assessing oxygen scavenging using PFC nanoemulsion in cardiac reperfusion injury."
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Associate Dean / Associate Professor of Medical Education
- Associate Dean of Medical Education
Associate Dean | Associate Professor of Medical Education
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Dean of Educational Affairs & the Department Chair of Medical Education
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Professor / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Rachel Benton Receives Acceptance to Attend Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine: Rachel Benton was accepted into the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, the founding institution of osteopathic medicine in the world. Congratulations to Rachel for her outstanding work not just in BUCL but throughout her time at UC!
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor, Educator
- Public Health Program Director & Associate Professor in CECH
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Associate Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program
Job Titles:
- Clinical Medicine Research
Job Titles:
- Program Director Academic
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Medical Education Research and Innovation
Job Titles:
- M3 / M4 Career Advisor / Medical Sciences Building / Room G353 - D
Job Titles:
- Hospital Medicine / Associate Professor of Clinical / Division Chief
Job Titles:
- Data Reporting Analyst
- Data Reporting Analyst / Medical Science Building
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Clinical Surgical Research
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Dean
- Member of the Office Leadership Team
- Senior Associate
- Member of the Dean 's Cabinet
- Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Steven Kniffley Jr., PsyD, became Senior Associate Dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience on May 8, 2023. Previously, he served as chief diversity officer at Spalding University in Louisville and as an associate professor at its School of Professional Psychology.
A native of Louisville, Dr. Kniffley completed doctoral and master's degrees in clinical psychology at Spalding University, where he was selected as Spalding's first American Psychological Association Minority Fellow. He also completed a master's degree in public administration at Wright State University. Dr. Kniffley was a postdoctoral psychology fellow at Cambridge Health Alliance at Harvard Medical School and is board certified in clinical psychology. He has written numerous books, chapters and articles on Black male mental health, Black males and the criminal justice system, and academic achievement. He is a frequent public speaker at seminars and training workshops on these issues.
A member of the Dean's Cabinet, Dr. Kniffley is a child, adolescent and family psychologist specializing in working with Black male youth by providing spaces of evidence-informed and culturally humble healing for racial trauma, anger and aggression, and racialized masculinity exploration and development. He also conducts research into youth racial trauma, with a focus of developing clinical interventions and assessments for the treatment of racial trauma in Black, Indigenous and people of color youth.
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Continuous Professional Development / CME
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- M1 / M2 Senior Academic Advisor / Medical Sciences Building / Room E - 450C
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Dean for Basic and Translational Research Associate Deans
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Director
- Associate Dean of Graduate Education
Job Titles:
- Director of Medical Education
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Health Informatics
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Job Titles:
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Clinical Medicine Research
Job Titles:
- Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism