Fellows

Monica Lieberman-Ulm, M.D.

Medical School: University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
Residency: Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Miami, FL
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Maria Jose Pesantez Borja, M.D.

Medical School: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Facultad de Medicina
Residency Program: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Doctors Hospital at Renaissance
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Maria Jose Pesantez Borja, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad de Carabobo Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Valencia
Residency: AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital Evanston, IL
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Ayse Canturk, M.D.

Medical School: Kocaeli University School of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey
Residency: Steward Carney Hospital Dorchester, MA
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: Dr. Atil Kargi
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Lipid Disorders, Pituitary Diseases, Diabetes Technologies, Bone Disorders, Adrenal Diseases.

Claudia Cottone, M.D.

Medical School: Università degli Studi di Palermo Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia, Palermo, Italy
Residency: RFUMS (Rosalind Franklin), NORTH CHICAGO, IL
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Fatty Liver, Thyroid, Obesity

Miguel Jara Palacios, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Internacional del Ecuador Facultad de Ciencias Médicas y de la Salud
Residency Program: Wellstar Atlanta MedicalCenter, Atlanta, GA
QI Projects: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Diabetes & Obesity

Paola Rios Florez, M.D.

Chief Endocrinology Fellow
Medical School: Universidad El Bosque, Escuela Medicina Colombiana
Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: thyroid, pituitary diseases

Fatima Al-yatama, M.D.

Medical School: Kuwait University
Residency: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital
UM Research Project: Miami VAHS secondary fracture prevention program.
Mentors: Silvina Levis, MD and Violet Lagari, DO

Mario Bustos, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (Colombia) Internal Medicine
Residency: University of Miami Miller school of Medicine at Holy Cross Hospital
QI Project: The Liraglutide study on the Epicardial fat inflammatory genes
Mentor: Dr. Gianluca Iacobellis

Luis E. Bermudez, M.D.

Medical School: Texas Tech University School of Medicine
Residency: NYU Langone - Brooklyn, NY
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Incorporation of technology for optimization of diabetes management

Rafael Caputi Pino, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil Facultad de Ciencias Médicas
Residency: Saint Peter's University Hospital/Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ                 
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Lila Chertman, M.D.

Medical School: University of Miami
Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami, Florida
Research Project: N/A
QI Project: Assessment of Osteoporosis risk factors in kidney transplant patients at Miami VA Hospital.
Mentor: Violet Lagari D.O.

Daniela M. Dicenso, M.D.

Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, KC, MO   
Residency Program:  Internal Medicine Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL
QI Projects: Screening for endocrinopathies in melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: PCOS, Fertility

Francisco Barrera Echegoyen, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Managua
Residency: AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital, Evanston, IL
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Luis Borges Espinosa, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad de Panamá Facultad de Medicina
Residency Program:  Mount Sinai Hospital,  Chicago, IL
QI Projects: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: N/A

Mark Jara, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay
Residency: New York State University at Buffalo
QI Project: Assessment of Osteoporosis risk factors in kidney transplant patients at Miami VA Hospital.
Mentor: Violet Lagari D.O.
Where are they now? Dr. Mark Jara is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, Division of Endocrinology.

Maria Linares, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Católica de Santa María Facultad de Medicina Humana, Peru
Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center 
Project: Occurrence of Paillary Thyroid Cancer and Primary Thyroid Lymphoma
QI Project: N/A

Maria Luzuriaga, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad Internacional del Ecuador; Magna Cum Laude
Residency: Internal Medicine Program University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center-Case Western Reserve University
QI Project: N/A
Mentor: N/A
Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes Management

Carlos Andres Penaherrera, M.D.

Chief Endocrinology Fellow
Medical School: Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador
Residency: Morristown Medical Center (Atlantic Health System). Morristown, New Jersey
QI Project: Improving outpatient steroid replacement for patients with immunotherapy-induced adrenal insufficiency. Mentors: Dr. Rodriguez, Dr. Valderrabano
Mentor: Dr. Gianluca Iacobellis
Research: 

• DPP4 inhibitors in COVID-19 diabetic patients
• Effect of liraglutide on genetic inflammatory markers in the epicardial fat

Other Clinical/ Research Interests: Demographics of type 2 diabetes, checkpoint inhibitor induced endocrinopathies

Elys Perez, M.D.

Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine
Residency: Pennsylvania Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Research Project: Using acethylcholinesterase inhibitors to promote insulin secretion in human beings.
Mentor: Pilar Solano, MD
QI Project: Assessment of Osteoporosis risk factors in liver transplant patients at Jackson Memorial Hopital.
Mentor: Bresta Miranda MD

Daniela Pirela, M.D.

Medical School: Universidad del Zulia Facultad de Medicina, Venezuela
Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center 
Research Projects: Association of Aromatase Inhibitor Treatment and Skeletal Fracture in Women with Breast Cancer     
Mentor: Dr. Rodrigo Valderrabano                                                      
QI Project: Optimizing patient access to our institution's community diabetes clinic

Gracielena Rodriguez, M.D.

Medical School: University of Miami Medical School 
Internal Medicine Residency: Jackson Memorial Hospital Residency 
QI Project: Under-Recognition of Fractures as Osteoporosis Indicators
Mentor: Dr. Violet Lagari
Poster: AACE 2020-Impact of a Multidisciplinary Team Approach in Osteoporosis Management

Anu Thekkumkattil, M.D.

Undergraduate: University of Miami, Neuroscience Major
Medical School: University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
Residency: Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Internal Medicine Residency, Miami FL
Research Project: Performance of ATA Sonographic Risk and Afirma/Thyroseq in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules with Indeterminate Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology.
Mentor: Atil Kargi, MD                   
QI Project:

1. Analysis of hypoglycemic events in Jackson Memorial Hospital and proposal of interventions to reduce rates of hypoglycemia.
   Mentor: Bresta Miranda MD
2. Development of Standardized Thyroid FNA training using a simulation model and other tools for Endocrine Fellows, to improve skills and knowledge and also to reduce rates of non-diagnostic sampling.
   Mentor: Zeina Hannoush, MD

Alexandra C. Villasante Fricke, M.D.

Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College
Internal Medicine Residency: Brown University Rhode Island Hospital 
QI Project: Examining the relationship between body composition and bone health
Mentor: Dr. Rodrigo Valderrábano 
Articles:

• Epicardial Adipose Tissue: Clinical Biomarker of Cardio-Metabolic Risk.
• Effects of Semaglutide Versus Dulaglutide on Epicardial Fat Thickness in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Megan Zalesky, M.D.

Medical School: Ross University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Florida
Research Project: Effects of Dapagliflozin on Epicardial Fat in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes.
Mentor: Gianluca Iacobellis.
QI Project: Assessment of Osteoporosis risk factors in liver transplant patients at Jackson Memorial Hospital. 
Mentor: Bresta Miranda MD