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Faculty

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division
Kathy Gonzalez, M.D.

Kathy Gonzalez, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Kathy Gonzalez was born and raised in Miami, FL. She received her medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and completed her vascular surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She subsequently joined the vascular surgery faculty at the University of Miami.
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Zhao-Jun Liu, Ph.D.

Zhao-Jun Liu, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Surgery
Publications
Biography: Dr. Liu is Professor and Director of Vascular Research Laboratory at Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also the Associate Director of Vascular Biology Institute. He obtained his PhD. from Osaka University, Japan. His research interests span both vascular biology and cancer biology. His interest in the field of vascular biology...
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Laisel Martinez

Laisel Martinez, Pharm.D., M.S.

Research Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Laisel Martinez was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States at the age of 17. She pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, followed by a Master’s in Biology with a track in molecular biology and population genetics at the same institution. Her undergraduate and graduate research focused on genetic...
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Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron, Ph.D.

Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron, Ph.D.

Professor of Surgery
Publications
Biography: I am a Tenured Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Senior Research Scientist at the Miami VA. My research goal is to make a highly significant scientific contribution to the field of vascular biology that will accelerate the discovery of effective therapies to treat and prevent proliferative vascular diseases. Early in my career,...
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Roberta Lassance-Soares, Ph.D.

Roberta Lassance-Soares, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

Biography: I have been conducting research since 2002, when during my college period I joined a research lab at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). At that time, I was awarded with a scholarship and actively participated in research projects studying the regulation of collagen expression during lung mechanical stress. After my undergraduate degree, I applied for a Master’s...
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Marwan R. Tabbara, M.D.

Marwan R. Tabbara, M.D.

Associate Professor of Surgery
Clinical Profile
Biography: Medical School at the American University of Beirut
General Surgery Training at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami
Vascular Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
Associate Professor of Surgery at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
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Omaida Velazquez, M.D.

Omaida C. Velazquez, M.D., FACS

Professor of Clinical Surgery
Clinical Profile
Biography: Omaida C. Velazquez, M.D., F.A.C.S., Professor of Surgery, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine; David Kimmelman Endowed Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University of Miami
Dr. Omaida Velazquez is a nationally and internationally renowned surgeon-scientist, recognized within her field and the broader community of physician scientists,...
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Voluntary Faculty

Jose Almeida, M.D.

Jose Almeida, M.D., FACS, RPVI, RVT

Voluntary Professor of Surgery

Biography: Dr. Jose Almeida is a veteran academic vascular surgeon who practices Endovascular Venous Surgery and serves as Voluntary Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Dr. Almeida did his general surgery residency at the University of Miami- Jackson Memorial Hospital in 1996 and fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Missouri- Columbia in 1998. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery in both Vascular Surgery and General Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Distinguished Fellow of the American Venous Forum.