Vol. 3 Issue 1
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Letter from Chair | Promoted Faculty | Clinical Spotlight |Research Spotlight | Welcome New Faculty | Philanthropy | Service Excellence | Resident Updates | Archive
Letter from the Chair
As we end the first quarter of the new academic year, I look forward to Fall's arrival and all that it brings. The Department is thriving and transforming as we continue to grow and expand our footprint across Maryland. With the arrival of our new Dean, Dr. Mark T. Gladwin comes a time of great excitement throughout the School of Medicine. Dr. Gladwin's visionary ideas to grow the tripartite mission (clinical, research, and education) will strengthen the School of Medicine and help drive initiatives system-wide, with the School of Medicine at the forefront. I look forward to introducing him to the faculty at our upcoming mini-retreat in October.
As a Department, we are entering a historical change phase, beginning with the retirement of long-time Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Roger Voigt, MBChB. While Dr. Voigt will be hard to replace, I am delighted to welcome Kimberly Lumpkins, MD, MBA, as the newly appointed Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery and the Surgeon-in-Chief of the University of Maryland Children's Hospital. I am confident she will lead the division to new heights and wish her much success in these roles.
Additionally, in July, we said farewell and congratulations to former Chief of the Division of General and Surgical Oncology, John Olson, Jr., MD. It was a proud moment to see him appointed Chair of Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Dr. Olson has been a great friend and colleague to me over the past several decades and this is an amazing honor for him to return to lead the Department that trained him. Stepping into the role as Interim Division Chief is Jonathan Pearl, MD. Dr. Pearl's successful leadership at our Midtown Campus and VA Hospital will benefit him as he begins his leadership of the Division of General and Surgical Oncology.
I am pleased to have completed another successful promotion and tenure cycle in the Department. We once again had great success with our outstanding faculty reaching new heights of academic success. Please congratulate them when you see them.
We will continue to transform and grow as a Department and an organization. I look forward to where we are going and continuing all of our successes as we embark on another academic year. I look forward to seeing us thrive in FY23.
Best wishes,
Christine Lau, MD, MBA
Recently Promoted Faculty
Faculty were promoted to the titles listed below their name.
Chandra S. Bhati, MS, MBBS
Chief, Transplant Surgery
Kimberly M. Lumpkins, MD, MBA
Chief, Pediatric Surgery
Rajabrata Sarkar, MD, PhD
Executive Vice Chair, Department of Surgery
Kristopher Barrett Deatrick, MD
Associate Professor, Cardiac Surgery
Rao N. Jaladanki, Ph.D
Professor, General and Oncologic Surgery
Rena D. Malik, MD
Associate Professor, Urology
Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, MD, MBBS
Professor, Cardiac Surgery
Avneesh Kumar Singh, PhD
Associate Professor, Cardiac Surgery
Tianshu Zhang, MD, Ph.D
Assistant Professor, Cardiac Surgery
William Chiu, MD
Professor, Trauma Surgery
Sarah B. Murthi, MD
Professor, Trauma Surgery
Kathleen B. To, MD, FACS, FCCM
Associate Professor, Trauma Surgery
Clinical Spotlight
Khanjan Nagarsheth, MD, MBA, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Vascular
Collaboration and Innovation Saving Quality of Life and Limb
Khanjan Nagarsheth, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery and Co-Director of the Limb Preservation Program and his colleagues focus on helping more patients avoid amputation. Through a unique surgical approach and partnership with a wound clinic founded and run by vascular nurses, Dr. Nagarsheth and his team make a difference one limb at a time.
Through a limb-salvage procedure called deep vein arterialization (DVA), certain veins in the lower leg and foot turn into arteries for individuals whose original arteries can no longer deliver the blood they need. “We can save 40% to 50% of limbs by performing DVA,” Dr. Nagarsheth said. “If we save the limbs of 40% of people referred for amputation, that’s significant because every one of them needs amputation without this procedure.”
Severe peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition where plaque builds up in the arteries outside of the heart, puts the population of patients who undergo DVA at risk of amputation. This generally occurs in the legs and feet and over time the plaque can narrow the arteries and reduce, or even stop, blood flow to these areas. As a result, the individual may develop extremely difficult to heal wounds as the limb lacks the necessary blood and oxygen.
Patients with chronic wounds run higher risk for hospitalization. The complexity of these wounds and the care required precipitated the creation of a vascular wound clinic by a vascular surgery advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and vascular registered nurse (RN). The nursing led wound clinic offers a single point of contact for patient’s vascular surgery and wound care needs. This continuity of care and resulted in the healing of complex wounds and decreased the need for readmission and/or re-operation.
Through collaborative efforts between a unique surgical approach and innovations to patient care, Dr. Nagarsheth and his team improved the quality of life and limb for the patients in our community.
Research Spotlight
Bradley S. Taylor, MD, MPH
Division Head, Division of Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Joseph S. and Irene P. McLaughlin Professorship in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Director, System Integration University of Maryland School of Medicine Co-Director, Aortic Center University of Maryland Medical Center
UM Center for Aortic Disease at the Forefront of Innovation in the OR with Trial Research
The Endo-Bentall procedure is a groundbreaking step forward in aortic root/ascending aortic repair and means that more people can survive these devastating Type A dissections in a less invasive manner,” says Bradley S. Taylor, MD, MPH, the Dr. Joseph S. and Irene P. McLaughlin Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Professor of Surgery, and Chief of Cardiac Surgery at UMSOM. “This kind of innovation is a testament to the incredible teamwork and collaboration we are fortunate to enjoy here at the University of Maryland Medical Center.”
Led by co-directors, Brad Taylor, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery and Vice Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery and Shahab Toursavadkohi, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, the University of Maryland Center for Aortic Disease is among the nation's top tier of centers for the treatment of aortic dissection and aneurysm. The Center's comprehensive array of aortic clinical trials helps ensure University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) surgeons provide definitive treatment for every patient presented to them with aortic disease including the more complex in nature. Only an elite group of the nation's hospitals currently offer access to as many state-of-the-art, investigational aortic repair devices as available at UMMC through participation in a clinical trial. For many patients, these early feasibility trials and pivotal trials are the reason they are alive today.
The following current prominent University of Maryland (UM) Center for Aortic Disease trials investigate leading-edge devices to supply a full gamut of minimally invasive, endovascular solutions for disease along any portion of the aorta, including the ascending aorta and the aortic arch. As such, these trials well-equip UM surgeons to provide definitive care, and ultimately hope, for all patients regardless of their case complexity or ability to tolerate surgery.
This operation represents the new frontier in endovascular repair of the aortic root, aortic valve and ascending aorta and significantly diminishes the physiologic demands of recovery for the patient. It is a testament to the team of cardiac, vascular, and interventional cardiologists whose collective intelligence was used to solve a complex problem for patients now and into the future.
Published Study
Recent Awards
The Office of Technology Transfer presented Rajabrata Sarkar, MD a Technology Advancement Award for his Handheld Central Arterial and Femoral Puncture Device presented at the Medical Device Sprint pitch.
The Office of Technology Transfer presented Khanjan Nagarsheth, MD a Technology Advancement Award for his AR Mirror Therapy Device presented at the Medical Device Sprint pitch.
Welcome New Faculty
Benjamin D. Powers, MD, FACS, FSSO
Assistant Professor, Division of General and Oncologic Surgery
Dr. Powers obtained his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2009. He completed his general surgery residency in 2016 from Temple University Hospital where he was Chief Resident. He completed a two-year Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship from Moffitt Cancer Center, where he was asked to join the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine.
Assistant Professor, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Care
Dr. Krause obtained a juris doctor degree in 2008 from the University of Michigan Law School and his medical degree in 2012 from the University of Michigan Medical School. He started his internship here at the University of Maryland Medical Center from 2012-2015 and spent two-years in Surgical Critical Care Fellowship program at the University of Pennsylvania, before returning in 2017 to complete his Integrated Thoracic Surgery Residency here at the University of Maryland.
Assistant Professor, Division of Thoracic Surgery.
Dr. Egyud obtained his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 2013. He completed his general surgery residency, including a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, from Boston Medical Center in 2020, serving as Administrative Chief Resident. He completed a two-year fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Texas Heart Institute of Baylor’s College of Medicine in July 2023.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery
Dr. Harding obtained his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2017 graduating summa cum laude. He was a recipient of a four-year Health Professions Scholarship from the United States Air Force and was later chosen as the Vascular Surgery Resident of the Year and recipient of the Society of Clinical Vascular Surgery Scholarship in 2022.
Instructor, Division of Vascular Surgery
Dr. Gupta obtained his MD from the American University of Antigua, College of Medicine in 2016 graduating magna cum laude. He completed his general surgery residency at Saint Agnes Hospital Center in Baltimore in 2021 serving as Administrative Chief Resident.
Associate Professor, Division of General and Oncologic Surgery
Dr. Sundaram obtained his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1990. He completed his General Surgery Residency in 1995 from Christiana Care and his Surgical Oncology Fellowship in 1997 from the University of Miami. He received his MBA in Health Care Administration from the University of Miami in 2001.
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Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Belyayev obtained his medical degree from Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his General Surgery Residency from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2021. In addition, he completed a one-year Transplant Immunology Fellowship from MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute at Georgetown University in 2019, and a two-year Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency from Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School in July 2023.
Professor, Division of Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Massey obtained his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia Augusta in 1990. He completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Residency from the University of Texas Southwestern, and Heart and Lung Transplantation Fellowship from Duke University Medical Center.
Joseph & Corinne Schwartz
Transforming the Future Through Philanthropy
Remembering Joseph and Corinne Schwartz
On February 6th, Valeria R. Mas, MS, PhD was invested as the inaugural Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Professor of Surgical Sciences Research in Transplantation. This $1.5 Million endowment was given to the University of Maryland School of Medicine by the late Joseph M. Schwartz and Corinne "Peachy" Schwartz, to support discovery and advancement in transplantation science.
Joseph and Corinne believed in philanthropy’s power to influence lasting social change. They made an impact by generously donating more than $6 million to the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Medical Center during their lifetime. They established the Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Division of Transplantation, the Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Professorship in General Surgery held by Jian-Ying Wang, MD, PhD, the Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Surgical Suite, and the Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Stroke and Brain Injury Center.
As a 1939 Baltimore City College graduate, Joseph had a remarkable life that included serving in World War II, where he flew 31 bombing missions over Germany as the lead navigator for his squadron. In the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he built an impressive real estate portfolio, constructing 1,500 apartment units and large townhome developments in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. He also played a role in the revitalization of Fells Point, including the development of Thames Point Apartments. He had diverse interests including owning the San Diego Mariner hockey team and a racehorse named Sudanese.
After Joseph 's passing in November 1999, Corinne continued the family legacy by making generous donations to many organizations like St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the National Aquarium in Baltimore until her passing in 2018.
Joe and Corinne made an enduring legacy that will impact thousands of lives for generations. We are grateful for their significant contributions to the advancement of medicine, academic research and education.
Service Excellence
What’s New in FY24?
Every year, FPI reviews the current Service Excellence goals to ensure they are still in line with the organization’s focus and what matters most to our patients. Creating positive patient experiences and gaining loyalty to drive the likelihood of recommending our practices to others is what we strive for each day.
As we enter FY24, Likelihood to Recommend will remain our overall goal and we will continue to track Staff Worked Together and Care Provider Concern for Questions/Worries. In lieu of Wait Time, we are now focusing on How Well Staff Protected Safety. This is something that has proven important to our patients and a key driver. We are off to a strong start and have the ability to achieve our goals in FY24. Strive for excellence in all that you do and gain the loyalty of our patients to keep them coming back.
Surgical Education Updates
The University of Maryland Department of Surgery continues to enjoy great successes, and has become a destination for surgical education.
Ten students from the senior class of Maryland medical students have applied for general surgery residency this year. This represents about 7% of the graduating class. The national Match Day for our students is Friday, March 15, 2024.
The residency program also remains incredibly popular, and we received nearly 2,000 applications for our six positions. The University of Maryland attracts almost double the number of applicants as an average surgery residency program. Part of the appeal is that our residents are incredibly academically productive: over the first six months of this academic year, the residents combined for a phenomenal 51 peer-reviewed publications! It is no surprise that all of our chief residents matched into premier fellowship positions:
Megan Birkhold, Pediatric surgery, University of California San Diego
Laura Cooper, Colon and rectal surgery, Pennsylvania State University
Richa Kalsi, Vascular surgery, University of Maryland
Olivia Martin, Surgical oncology, Roswell Park
Neerav Patel, Minimally invasive surgery, University of Maryland
Nikhil Prasad, Cardiothoracic surgery, Brigham and Womens Hospital.
A number of donors have recognized the impact of our surgical trainees. We are grateful to report that individual donors pledged over $500,000 in donations this year to support resident education and research.
Department of Surgery Highlights
The Grand Opening of our state-of-the-art Office-Based Lab in Largo, MD.
At this new location, faculty physicians from the University of Maryland School of Medicine are providing expert vascular and surgical care to residents of Prince George’s County and surrounding areas.
