Faculty Profiles

Daphne Avgousti, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Daphne Avgousti is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and also a member of the Cancer Epigenetics group at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry at Tufts University in 2006 and her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biophysics at Columbia University in 2012 where...
View Full Profile >

Defne Bayik, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Defne Bayik is a cancer immunologist focused on uncovering host regulatory pathways as targets for brain tumor immunotherapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in the Bilkent University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and received her Ph.D. in 2016 through the National Institutes of Health-Bilkent University Graduate Partnership Program. Her dissertation...
View Full Profile >

Eleonore Beurel, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Publications
Biography: I earned my Ph.D. in 2005 from the University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France, studying the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) in regulating apoptosis associated with the use of chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of liver cancer. I then joined the laboratory of Dr. Richard Jope, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a postdoctoral fellow. In Dr....
View Full Profile >

Bonnie B. Blomberg, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Biography: Dr. Bonnie B. Blomberg, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami is a cellular and molecular immunologist doing scientific research on aging and cancer involving inflammation and decreased immune response especially with B (bone marrow-derived) cells in mice and humans. Our laboratory has developed cellular/molecular...
View Full Profile >

George W. Burke III, M.D., FACS

Professor of Surgery, Transplant Surgery
Clinical Profile
View Full Profile >

John Burnett, Ph.D.

Assoc. Professor of Microbiology and Immunology - Pending Rank
Publications
Biography: I graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and the University of California, Berkeley with a Ph.D. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. My doctoral training as an engineer and my postdoctoral training in molecular biology and virology prepared me with the knowledge and skills to translate biological tools in the laboratory...
View Full Profile >

Roberta Brambilla, Ph.D., M.S.

Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery
Publications
Biography: Roberta Brambilla is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at the Miami Project To Cure Paralysis, a center of excellence in neuroscience research of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. After obtaining her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Milan, Italy, she moved to the University of Miami where she trained as a post-doctoral fellow before...
View Full Profile >

Rana Chakraborty, M.D.

Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Infectious Disease
Publications
Biography: Rana Chakraborty, M.D., D.Phil., is Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Health System in Miami, FL. His clinical focus includes expertise in the management of HIV in children and perinatal infections.
His NIH-funded laboratory investigates the impact of maternal...
View Full Profile >

Zhibin Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Chen is an immunologist. He studies the mechanisms of autoimmune diseases, infection and cancer, to understand the diseases and discover new interventions. His lab focuses on mucosal immunology and cancer immunology. Dr. Chen received his clinical medicine training in Luzhou Medical College (now Southwest Medical University) in China. He obtained his PhD training in...
View Full Profile >

Dmitry V. Ivanov, Ph.D.

Professor of the Department of Ophthalmology
Publications
Biography: In his early research career, Dr. Ivanov was a pivotal actor in numerous international research efforts and scientific networks that have led to the discovery of genes related to the development of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most frequently occurring type of leukemia in the Western world. This knowledge gives new opportunities for diagnosis and potential...
View Full Profile >

Norma Sue Kenyon, Ph.D.

Vice Provost for Innovation, University of Miami and Chief Innovation Officer, Miller School of Medicine, Cellular Transplantation
Publications
Biography: Norma Sue Kenyon, Ph.D. is The Martin Kleiman Professor of Surgery, Microbiology & Immunology, Biomedical Engineering and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami. Dr. Kenyon and her research team have focused on ways to transplant insulin producing cells, in both clinically relevant islet transplant models and in...
View Full Profile >

Wasif N. Khan, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
View Full Profile >

Michael A. Kolber, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine, , Infectious Diseases
Publications
Biography: Michael Kolber, PhD, MD is Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Operations in the Department of Medicine, and he has secondary professorial appointments in the departments of Public Health Sciences, and Microbiology/Immunology. He received his MD from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency at the George Washington University Hospital in...
View Full Profile >

Robert Levy, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Robert B. Levy is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and member of the Tumor Biology section of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He obtained his MS/PhD at the Ohio State University and completed his post-doctoral training at the Immunology Branch at the NCI, NIH with Dr. Gene Shearer investigating MHC-restricted T cell antigen recognition...
View Full Profile >

Mathias G. Lichtenheld, M.D.

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
View Full Profile >

Thomas Malek, Ph.D.

Professor and Chairman of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Thomas Malek received his Ph.D. in 1977 after training with Dr. Katherine Knight at the University of Illinois Medical School in Chicago. After postdoctoral training with Ethan Shevach at the NIH, he joined the faculty of the University of Miami in 1985, where he currently is Professor and Chair in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. His research has a long-standing...
View Full Profile >

Darlene Miller, D.H.Sc., M.P.H., C.I.C.

Research Professor of Ophthalmology

Biography: Dr. Miller has a broad and interdisciplinary background with specialist training in medical microbiology, epidemiology, public health, infection prevention and laboratory diagnostics. Undergraduate degree in Medical Technology and master’s degrees in Microbiology and Public Health were completed at the University of Miami. The Doctor of Health Sciences degree was awarded...
View Full Profile >

George P. Munson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
View Full Profile >

Savita Pahwa, M.D.

Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Publications
Biography: I am a Professor in the department of Microbiology and Immunology with secondary appointments in Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, USA. I am a physician scientist, graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi, India. After completing a Pediatric internship and residency, I trained as an immunologist at the Memorial...
View Full Profile >

Ricardo Pastori, Ph.D.

Research Professor of Medicine, Immunology, and Microbiology, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

View Full Profile >

Camillo Ricordi, M.D.

Professor of Surgery and Medicine, Cellular Transplantation

Biography: Camillo Ricordi, M.D. is Professor of Surgery, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami (UM), Florida, where he serves as Chief of the Division of Cellular Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Director of the Cell Transplant Center and Director Emeritus of the Diabetes Research...
View Full Profile >

Richard L. Riley, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Richard Riley first joined the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 1985 in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. Previously, Dr. Riley received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Virginia and did post-doctoral study at the Scripps Research Foundation in La Jolla, CA. Dr. Riley's research has focused on the functions of antibodies...
View Full Profile >

Joseph D. Rosenblatt, M.D.

Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology, Hematology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., Professor of Medicine Division of Hematology and SCCC Associate Director for Faculty Development, is a physician scientist with a long track record of clinically relevant translational research and experience in mentoring young researchers. Dr. Rosenblatt has been the institutional PI on the ACS IRG since 2006. Dr. Rosenblatt...
View Full Profile >

Sabita Roy, Ph.D.

Professor of Surgery, Oncology Molecular Therapeutics (OMT)
Publications
Biography: Sabita Roy is a Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Surgery, at the University of Miami. She received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Kansas and pursued postdoctoral training in Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco. After completion of her post-doctoral training, she was recruited as an Assistant Professor and rose...
View Full Profile >

Kurt Schesser, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: After obtaining my Ph.D. at Oregon State University, I completed my postdoctoral training in host-pathogen interactions under the mentorship of Prof. Hans Wolf-Watz at Ume? University, Sweden. I then held a junior faculty position in the Immunology Section at Lund University, Sweden in which I developed an independent research program. In 2001 I moved to the Department...
View Full Profile >

Paolo Serafini, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Paolo Serafini, Ph.D. is a Tenured Associate Professor in Microbiology and Immunology and in Otolaryngology at the University of Miami and the Translational leader of the Head and Neck Site Disease Group at the NCI-designated Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Miami Florida. Dr. Serafini was formally educated with a Laurea (BS and master) in Genetic and Molecular...
View Full Profile >

Noula Dattu Shembade, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Noula Shembade is a basic and translational virologist, associate professor tenured at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami (UM). His research focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of pathogenic infection-induced uncontrolled inflammation, which leads to autoimmune diseases...
View Full Profile >

Erietta Stelekati, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: I joined the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami as an Assistant Professor in January 2020. My interest in Immunology started early during my undergraduate studies in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. I joined the Department of Immunopharmacology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, as an exchange student and completed a 9-month...
View Full Profile >

Mario Stevenson, Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases

Biography: Dr. Mario Stevenson is a Professor in the Department of Medicine, Director of the Institute of AIDS and Emerging Infectious Diseases (IAEID), Director of the Global Virus Network, and Co-Director of the Miami Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) at the University of Miami. Prior to 2020, Dr. Stevenson was the David Freelander Chair for AIDS Research at the University of Massachusetts...
View Full Profile >

Natasa Strbo, M.D., D.Sc.

Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Natasa Strbo is a basic and translational immunologist, assistant professor on a tenure-track at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami. She pioneered research on molecular and cellular mechanisms of heat shock protein gp96 and developed vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and cancer that are based on...
View Full Profile >

Alfred J. Tector, M.D.

Professor of Clinical, Transplant Surgery

View Full Profile >

Emmanuel Thomas M.D., Ph.D., FAASLD

Associate Professor
Publications
Biography: Having been raised in Miami-Dade county, in the underserved community of West Perrine, I have a strong commitment to improving the health of our local community. I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (FAASLD). I am the Board Chair for the National Advisory Board of the American Liver Foundation and was on the editorial board of Hepatology....
View Full Profile >

Marjana Tomic-Canic, Ph.D.

Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery

Biography: Dr Tomic-Canic is internationally recognized scientist, inventor and leader in a field of skin biology, with particular focus on understanding mechanisms that control tissue repair and regeneration. She has over 25 years of experience and has authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers in her fields of research. Dr Tomic-Canic completed her doctoral and postdoctoral training...
View Full Profile >

Michal Toborek, M.D., Ph.D.

Leonard M. Miller Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Toborek is the Miller Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Toborek is double Doctor Honoris causa by the Silesian Medical University and the Academy of Physical Education in his native Poland. He is proud to be an alumnus of the SRP, as...
View Full Profile >

Alejandro V Villarino, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Villarino was born in Caracas, Venezuela and emigrated to the United States at age 5. Both his primarily and secondary education took place in New Jersey, culminating in a bachelor’s degree from Drew University. His interest in cytokine biology began as a PhD student in the laboratory of Dr. Christopher Hunter at the University of Pennsylvania. There, he first encountered...
View Full Profile >

Kevin Van der Jeught, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Microbiology & Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Kevin Van der Jeught was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium. In 2012 he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Biomedical Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. He started a PhD in Medical Sciences on the topic « use of mRNA-based adjuvants to stimulate cancer-specific immune responses » at the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy under the...
View Full Profile >

Matthias G. von Herrath, MD

Director Diabetes Research Institute, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Biography: A native of Germany, Dr. von Herrath earned his medical degree in 1988 from Freiburg Medical School, where he also completed a Ph.D. equivalent thesis on biochemistry. His postdoctoral training included an intensive care residency at Diakonie Hospital, Freiburg; a fellowship in medicine/immunology at Freiburg Medical Center; and a fellowship in virology at Scripps Research...
View Full Profile >

Dionysios Watson, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology, Medical Oncology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Dionysios Watson is a physician-scientist dedicated to elucidating and therapeutically targeting tumor microenvironment interactions in solid tumor malignancies. He leads the NIH-funded DiscoverTME research laboratory as part of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and his clinical practice focuses on lung and head/neck cancers. Dr. Watson conducted his PhD training...
View Full Profile >

Victor Perez, M.D.

Professor of Ophthalmology
Director of Cornea Research
Higgins Clark Chair in Ophthalmology