Faculty and Staff

Markus Bredel M.D., Ph.D.

Chairman and Sylvester Professor of Radiation Oncology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Bredel is Chairman and Sylvester Professor of Radiation Oncology of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Bredel is a board-certified, German-American physician-scientist who focuses clinically and scientifically on central nervous system (CNS) tumors and movement and other functional disorders of the brain....
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Brandon A. Mahal, M.D.

Vice Chair of Academic Programs
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Brandon Mahal is a physician-scientist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (MSOM)-Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC). Dr. Mahal treats prostate and genitourinary cancers. Dr. Mahal obtained his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) with Honors at Harvard Medical School, completed an internal medicine internship at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and...
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Nesrin Dogan, Ph.D.

Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: Dr. Nesrin Dogan is a Professor, Vice Chair and Chief of Medical Physics Division in the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Dogan is board certified by the ABR in Therapeutic Radiologic Physics. Dr. Dogan received her Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI in 1993. After completing...
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Scott M. Welford, Ph.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Publications
Biography: In 2021, I became a Professor of Radiation Oncology (with tenure) and Biology Division Chief at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (Miller School) Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester). As Division Chief, I oversee seven basic-science faculty and joint efforts to promote translational, multidisciplinary science. I am also the coordinator of radiobiology...
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Matthew C. Abramowitz, M.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Abramowitz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He obtained a BA in biochemistry from Colgate University in 1998 where he was also a member of the men's rowing team and spent 6 months at NIH researching 3D protein structures using NMR (MRI)....
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Gregory A. Azzam, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Azzam has joined the University of Miami as faculty in the Department of Radiation Oncology as an Assistant Professor. He received a combined M.D., Ph.D. from Drexel University in Philadelphia in 2015. During his graduate years, he worked in the laboratory of Dr. Maureen Murphy at Fox Chase Cancer Center and The Wistar Institute, where he investigated a polymorphism...
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Jonathan B. Bell

Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Jonathan Bell is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He specializes in the treatment of tumors of the central nervous system (brain and spine) and head and neck.

Dr. Bell has experience treating patients using innovative technologies...
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Alan Dal Pra, M.D.

Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Alan Dal Pra is an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He also serves as Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Sylvester at Coral Gables, The Lennar Foundation Medical Center.
Dr. Dal Pra obtained his Medical Degree from the Federal University...
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Laura M. Freedman, M.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Laura Freedman, M.D., is Director of Radiation Oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Deerfield Beach. She is also an assistant professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She received her medical degree from University of Michigan Medical School and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

Dr. Freedman’s clinical...
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Morgan E. Freret

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Derek M. Isrow, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Isrow joined the University of Miami Department of Radiation Oncology faculty in 2018 where he is clinically focused on treating both pediatric and lymphoma patients as well as gastrointestinal and breast cancer patients. He is trained in state-of-the-art radiation therapy techniques including proton therapy, MRI-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery,...
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William Jin, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Jin is Early Stage Investigator and Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine - Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he treats patients with gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers. Dr. Jin graduated from the University of South Florida with distinctions in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society...
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Gregory J. Kubicek, M.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Kubicek specializes in head and neck cancer, sarcoma, and central nervous system cancers, he is considered an expert in these disease sites with over 60 publications, 5 book chapters and multiple presentations at national conferences. He has developed and completed several clinical trials to further improve patient outcomes. Dr. Kubicek has received multiple awards...
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Eric A. Mellon, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Mellon decided to become a doctor after watching the struggles of several family members with cancer and other serious medical illnesses. He approaches every patient with the promises he made to his sick parents: explain everything clearly to non-doctors, take as much time as needed to answer all questions, and treat patients as if they were family.

Shortly...
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Jessica J. Meshman, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Jessica Meshman is a board-certified Radiation Oncologist at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Meshman earned her medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She completed her internship in internal medicine at UCLA Olive-View prior to radiation oncology...
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Alan Pollack, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Pollack is Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Miami and later graduated from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Ph.D. to M.D. program. He did an internal...
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Lorraine Portelance, M.D., FASTRO

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: After graduating from a residency in Radiation Oncology from University of Montreal in 1998, Dr. Portelance completed a Fellowship at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St-Louis Missouri. She was then recruited in the McGill University network where she worked for ten years before joining the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center department of Radiation Oncology...
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Benjamin J. Rich, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Benjamin Rich is an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He specializes in treating cancers arising from the head and neck, central nervous system and genitourinary tract. He has expertise in cutting-edge modalities including stereotactic radiosurgery (both Gamma Knife and linac-based), proton beam radiotherapy,...
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Amanda Rivera, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Rivera’s research focuses on treatment optimization for gynecologic cancers, the patient experience, and workforce diversity. She has previously collaborated with the American Cancer Society and the NFL Crucial Catch Project to improve cervical cancer screening rates in the Bronx. She aims to study the interplay of resource availability and how to combat the perpetuation...
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Stuart Samuels, M.D.

Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: I went to Columbia University for college and am an alumni of the University of Miami where I received my MD, PhD degree. My PhD was in the neuroscience program in the department of physiology and biophysics. I studied under the mentorship of Ken Muller investigating the role of gap junctions, known as Pannexons, in the neuro-immune response to injury. It was during my...
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Benjamin Spieler, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Spieler is a board-certified radiation oncologist with a clinical and research focus on genitourinary (GU) cancers, gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, and metastatic disease. At the University of Miami (University) NCI-designated Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester), Dr. Spieler is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and a member...
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Matthew Studenski, Ph.D., DABR

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: I was first exposed to the field of Medical Physics while in graduate school at the University of Michigan studying Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Science. As I transitioned to graduate school in 2005, I was interested in the field of Health Physics. My research project at that time was focused on the shielding design for a Cs-137 irradiator facility, but I always...
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Crystal Seldon Taswell, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Crystal Seldon Taswell is a physician-scientist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (MSOM)-Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC). Dr. Taswell treats breast and musculoskeletal cancers. Dr. Taswell obtained her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from Morehouse School of Medicine. She was a recipient of the Coca Cola Medical Scholarship. She completed...
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Cristiane Takita, M.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Takita is a Professor and Vice Chair of Education of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Sylvester C. Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She obtained her medical degree at University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a Radiation Oncology Residency at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis. She joined University...
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Aaron H. Wolfson, M.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Prior to joining the faculty in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine on July 1, 1989, I trained as a resident in Radiation Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) from July 1, 1986 until June 30, 1989. From July 1, 1985 until June 30, 1986, I served as a General Practitioner in Palm Beach Gardens,...
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Raphael L. Yechieli, M.D.

Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Yechieli is an Associate Professor in Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami and Medical Director for the department of Radiation Oncology at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He specializes in treating patients with sarcoma, lung cancers, brain metastases, genitourinary tumors and keloids. He has experience and expertise in the use of multiple treatment techniques...
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Beth Bossart, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Publications
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Joseph Both, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

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Michael Butkus, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

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Alberto De La Zerda, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

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Rodrigo Delgadillo, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: I was born in Bolivia and moved to the USA at the age of 3 years old. I grew up in South Florida. After high school, I attended the University of Florida where I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. I stayed at the University of Florida to obtain a Master of Science in Physics degree working in the LISA and LIGO group....
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Olga Maria Dona Lemus, PhD

Assistant Professor of Clinical

Biography: Olga M. Dona Lemus, PhD, DABR, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami, where she brings a wealth of experience in medical physics and radiation oncology. With a career spanning academic, research, and clinical roles, she specializes in advanced radiation treatment techniques, particularly online adaptive radiotherapy.
...
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Chet Ford, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: My career in medical physics began with a PhD in Physics at University of Connecticut where my thesis involved Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, followed by training as NIH Post-doctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania where I became expert in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). I remained on the faculty at PENN in the Radiology department for ten years and was successful...
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Robert Kaderka, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: Robert Kaderka works as a Medical Physicist and Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. His research focuses on knowledge-based planning and automation in both photon and proton therapy.
He holds Master of Science degrees in both Physics and Mathematics. He obtained his PhD at the GSI Helmholtz Center of Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany. At GSI,...
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Ivaylo Mihaylov, Ph.D.

Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology
Publications
Biography: I obtained a MS degree from Sofia University, Bulgaria in 1996. In 2003 a received a PhD in Theoretical Astrophysics from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. Following my graduate studies from 2003 to 2006 I was a postdoctoral associate at the Department of Radiation Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University. After finishing my postdoctoral studies, I obtained...
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Siamak P. Nejad-Davarani, Ph.D.

Asst. Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: Siamak P. Nejad-Davarani received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2014, and did his post-doctoral fellowship at the Radiology Department at the University of Michigan Hospital in 2016. He also received an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Wayne State University....
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Kyle R. Padgett, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: Kyle R. Padgett, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering with a specialty in Medical Physics from the University of Florida in 2005. Immediately following his Ph.D. he joined the faculty at the University of Miami in the department of Radiology to create and run the “High-Field MRI Bio-Medical Research Facility” which focused in the following areas of research;...
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Levent Sensoy, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Clinical Radiation Physics

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Garrett Simpson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

Biography: Dr. Simpson is a Medical Physicist and Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics at Christopher Newport University in 2014, then a Master of Science and Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering with a specialty in Medical Physics at the University of Miami in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Dr. Simpson’s PhD thesis...
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Yunze Yang, PhD

Assistant Professor of Clinical

Biography: Yunze Yang is an Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology. He received his PhD in electrical engineering at Arizona State University. After that, he worked at Mayo Clinic Arizona as a Research Fellow in proton therapy, focusing on the high LET of protons and related patient outcomes. He finished his residency in Medical Physics at the University of Miami. His research...
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Fei Yang

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology

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Anis Ahmad, Ph.D.

Research Asst. Professor
Publications
Biography: Over the past decade, Dr. Ahmad has demonstrated remarkable expertise and skills in various scientific research and biomedical discovery domains. His knowledge encompasses fundamental scientific principles and practical applications, complemented by well-developed administrative, communication, and leadership abilities essential for successful research endeavors. With...
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Sandra Gaston, P.h.D.

Research Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Publications
Biography: I am a molecular biologist trained at Duke University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. I have a longstanding interest in the biology and molecular genetics of prostate cancer. With grant support from the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Innovative Technologies for the...
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Chiara La Tessa, Ph.D.

Research Assoc. Professor of Radiation Oncology_Pending Rank

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Priyamvada Rai, Ph.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Rai received her Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the California Institute of Technology. She did her PhD research at University of California, Berkeley in the field of biophysics with Dr. Stuart Linn and Dr. David Wemmer as her co-advisors. She was a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Robert Weinberg at the Whitehead Institute...
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Junwei Shi, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: I completed my doctoral studies at the Biomedical Engineering Department of Tsinghua University (China), where I obtained training on optical molecular tomography under the mentorship of Prof. Jing Bai (fellow of IEEE, IAMBE, and AIMBE) who pioneered the cancer molecular imaging. After my PhD training, I joined in the Department of Radiation Oncology at University of Miami...
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Radka S. Stoyanova, Ph.D.

Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Stoyanova is Professor and Director of Imaging and Biomarkers Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami. Dr. Stoyanova received her Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Sofia, Bulgaria, and her Ph.D. in Pattern Recognition at the Imperial College, London.
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Xiangxi Xu, Ph.D.

Professor of Radiation Oncology

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Elsa M. Serrano, MBA

Sr. Administrative Officer, Radiation Oncology

Richard Fitterer, B.S., R.T.(R)(T)

Associate VP, Radiation Oncology Services

Rebecca Barreiro, AGACNP-BC

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Radiation Oncology

Emily A. Delgado, MPAS, PA-C

Physician Assistant, Radiation Oncology

Ricardo Diaz Perez, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, RN

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Radiation Oncology

Chiena H. Levine, MCMSc, PA-C

Physician Assistant, Radiation Oncology

Priscilla M. Perez, MSN, FNP-BC

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Radiation Oncology

Samar A. Raad, PA-C, MMSc

Physician Assistant, Radiation Oncology

Edna Shifteh, PA-C

Physician Assistant, Radiation Oncology

Devora L. Stone, MSPA, PA-C

Physician Assistant, Radiation Oncology