Current Residents

Chief Residents

  • Courtney Connelly, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Rochester, NY
    Undergraduate: Tufts University
    Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
    Future plans: Gynecologic Pathology fellowship (MSKCC)
    Academic Interests: Women’s health, HPV-associated malignancies
    Hobbies: Hiking, gardening, trying new restaurants 

    Connelly Courtney

  • Niyati Desai, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Surat, Gujarat, India
    MBBS: Government Medical College, Surat, India
    MD: C.U. Shah Medical College, India
    Future Plans: Cytology and Thoracic Pathology fellowships (MSKCC) 
    Academic Interests: Thoracic Pathology,  biomarker discovery 
    Hobbies: Taking long walks, gardening, reading books, art and craft -including minakari stone work on glass

    Niyati Desai

  • Yin Guo, MD, PhD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Henan, China
    Undergraduate: Zunyi Medical University, China 
    Medical School: Zunyi Medical University, China
    Graduate School: Vanderbilt University 
    Future plans:  GI/Liver Pathology fellowship (Columbia)
    Academic Interests: Cancer Immunotherapy, IBD pouch study 
    Hobbies: Lake fishing, camping, hiking, painting, and growing different kinds of succulents

    Yin Guo

PGY4

  • Sepideh Besharati, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY4

    Hometown: Rasht and Baltimore
    Undergraduate: Azad University
    Medical School: Azad University
    Future plans:  GI/Liver Pathology fellowship (Columbia)
    Academic Interests: Cancer Immunotherapy
    Hobbies: Painting, Watching movies, Sightseeing

    Sepideh Besharati, MD

  • Michael Daniel, MD, PhD

    • AP/CP, PGY4

    Hometown: Anaheim, CA
    Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles
    Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    Future plans:  Hematopathology and Molecular Pathology fellowships (Columbia)
    Academic Interests: Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Cancer, Personalized Medicine
    Hobbies: Guitar, Video Games, Board/Card games, Cooking

    Michael Daniel, MD, PhD

  • Jonathan Tepp, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY4

    Hometown: Fair Lawn, NJ
    Undergraduate: Queens College, CUNY
    Medical School: Sackler School of Medicine-Tel Aviv University
    Future plans:  Oncologic Surgical Pathology fellowship (MSKCC), Dermatopathology fellowship (UTMB)
    Academic Interests: GI pathology, dermatopathology
    Hobbies: Running, hiking, biking, cooking 

    Jonathan Tepp, MD

  • Jeffrey Thomas, DO

    • AP/CP, PGY4

    Hometown: Flemington, NJ
    Undergraduate: Rutgers University
    Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Future plans:  Hematopathology fellowship (Columbia)
    Academic Interests: Hematopathology
    Hobbies: Baking, Cooking, Piano, Video Games, Astronomy

    Jeffrey Thomas, DO

PGY3

  • Courtney Connelly, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Rochester, NY
    Undergraduate: Tufts University
    Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
    Future plans: Gynecologic Pathology fellowship (MSKCC)
    Academic Interests:Women’s health, HPV-associated malignancies
    Hobbies: hiking, gardening, trying new restaurants 

    Connelly Courtney

  • Niyati Desai, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Surat, Gujarat, India
    MBBS: Government Medical College, Surat, India
    MD: C.U. Shah Medical College, India
    Future Plans: Cytology and Thoracic Pathology fellowships (MSKCC)
    Academic Interests: microbiology, molecular diagnostics, biomarker discovery, repeat RNA, RNA- in situ hybridization
    Hobbies: taking long walks, gardening, reading books, art and craft -including minakari stone work on glass

    Niyati Desai

  • Michelle Garlin, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela.
    Undergraduate and medical school: Jose Maria Vargas School of Medicine, Universidad Central de Venezuela.
    Future plans: Cytopathology and Thoracic Pathology fellowships (MSKCC)
    Academic interests: Pulmonary pathology, cytopathology, breast pathology, tumor microenvironment
    Hobbies: Art, yoga & meditation, cats.

    Michelle Garlin

  • Yin Guo, MD, PhD

    • AP/CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Henan, China 
    Undergraduate: Zunyi Medical University, China 
    Medical School:  Zunyi Medical University, China
    Graduate School: Vanderbilt University 
    Future plans: GI/Liver Pathology fellowship (Columbia) 
    Academic Interests: Cancer Immunotherapy, IBD pouch study  
    Hobbies: Lake fishing, camping, hiking, painting, and growing different kinds of succulents 

    Yin Guo

  • Ian Mellis, MD, PhD

    • CP, PGY3

    Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
    Undergraduate: Amherst College
    Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
    Future plans: Research, Transfusion Medicine fellowship (NYBC/Columbia)
    Academic Interests: systems biology, host-pathogen interactions, cell and gene therapies
    Hobbies: Cooking, traveling, languages

    Ian Mellis

  • Maelle Saliba, MD

    • AP, PGY3

    Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
    Undergraduate: Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth
    Medical School: Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth-Faculté de médecine
    Future plans: Thoracic Pathology fellowship (MSKCC)
    Academic Interests: Thoracic Pathology, Head and Neck Pathology
    Hobbies: Classical piano, painting and traveling

    Maelle Saliba

  • Evan Waldron, MD, PhD

    • CP, PGY3

    Hometown: Nutley NJ
    Undergraduate: Vassar College
    Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Future plans: Establish a research lab
    Academic Interests: Understanding disease on the molecular scale using structural biology and biochemistry.
    Particular interests: membrane proteins, receptors, protein-protein/protein-nucleic acid complexes. The development of protein based therapeutics and diagnostics
    Hobbies: Springboard diving, tailoring, violin, baking, anime/manga, and animals.

    Evan Waldron

PGY2

  • Zhe Ran "Susan" Duan, MD, PhD

    • AP, PGY2

    Hometown: Toronto
    Undergraduate: Cornell University
    Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College
    Future plans: Surgical Pathology fellowship (Columbia)
    Academic Interests: GI pathology
    Hobbies: bouldering, reading, exploring food and the arts in NYC

    Susan Duan, CUIMC pathology resident

  • Esma Karlovich, MD

    • AP/NP, PGY2

    Hometown: Hatay
    Undergraduate: Hacettepe University School of Medicine
    Medical School: Hacettepe University School of Medicine
    Future plans: TBD
    Academic Interests: Neuropathology
    Hobbies: Drawing, playing piano, sewing

    Esma Karlovich, CUIMC pathology resident

  • Vladislav Korobeynikov, MD, PhD

    • AP/NP, PGY2

    Hometown: Novosibirsk, Russia
    Undergraduate and Medical School: Novosibirsk State University, Department of Medicine
    Future plans: Neuropathology, Research
    Academic Interests: Nervous system disorders and neurodegeneration in particular
    Hobbies: Growing various orchid species

    Vladislav Korobeynikov, CUIMC pathology resident

  • Tianye Liu, MD, PhD

    • AP/CP, PGY2

    Hometown: San Francisco, CA
    Undergraduate: Cornell University 
    Medical School: Zucker School of Medicine
    Future plans: TBD
    Academic Interests: AP/CP
    Hobbies: Anime, Mongolian history, competitive mahjong, music composition

    Tianye Liu, CUIMC pathology resident

  • Sarah Merl (Nee Sabrudin), MBBS

    • AP/CP, PGY2

    Hometown: Malaysia
    Undergraduate: Sunway College, Malaysia
    Medical School: Manipal University, India
    Future plans: Dermatopathology, Surgical Pathology 
    Academic Interests: Transplant and Immunology
    Hobbies: Cooking, traveling, and running 

    Sarah Merl, CUIMC pathology resident

  • Miriam Snow, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY2

    Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
    Undergraduate: Barnard College
    Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Future plans: TBD
    Academic Interests: Breast and GI
    Hobbies: Running in Central Park, hanging out with my 6-month-old baby!

    Miriam Snow, CUIMC pathology resident

PGY1

  • Tyler Cooke, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY1

    Hometown: Atlanta, GA
    Undergraduate: Emory University
    Medical School: Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
    Future Plans: Clinical Informatics fellowship
    Academic Interest: Informatics, molecular pathology, medical education
    Hobbies: Reading, board games, playing clarinet

    Tyler Cooke, MD, CUMC pathology resident

  • Helen Ellsworth, MD

    • AP/NP, PGY1

    Hometown: Plymouth, NH
    Undergraduate: University of Chicago
    Medical School: Stony Brook University School of Medicine
    Future Plans: Neuropathology, Forensics
    Academic Interest: Autopsy, neurodegenerative disease
    Hobbies: Classical music, painting, Wikipedia

    Helen Ellsworth, MD, CUMC pathology resident

  • Victoria Iannarone, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY1

    Hometown: Jenkintown, PA
    Undergraduate: Connecticut College
    Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Temple University)
    Future Plans: TBD
    Academic Interest: Women's Health
    Hobbies: Figure skating, biking, hiking, & meditation

    Victoria Iannarone, MD, CUMC pathology resident

  • Jordan Metz, MD, PhD

    • AP/CP, PGY1

    Hometown: Goldens Bridge, NY
    Undergraduate: McGill University, Montreal, QC
    Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
    Future Plans: Molecular pathology and possibly microbiology fellowships
    Academic Interests: Computational biology, programming, transcriptional and translational regulation
    Hobbies: Foraging and fermenting, botany and mycology, video and board games, and adventuring with my beagle, Butters

    Jordan Metz, MD, PhD, CUMC Pathology resident

  • Barbara (Bobbie) Pelham-Web, MD, PhD

    • CP, PGY1

    Hometown: Reston, VA
    Undergraduate: Princeton University
    Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College
    Future Plans: Transfusion medicine, research
    Academic Interests: Cell & gene therapy, regenerative medicine, women's health, immunogenetics
    Hobbies: Running, hiking, live music, reading sci-fi & fantasy

    Barbara (Bobbie) Pelham-Web, MD, PhD, CUMC pathology resident

  • Zhe (Jason) Zhu, M.Med

    • AP/NP, PGY1

    Hometown: Liuzhou, China
    Undergraduate: Guangxi Medical University
    Medical School: Guangxi Medical University
    Future Plans: Neuropathology, surgical pathology
    Academic Interest: Neuro-oncology, clinical trials
    Hobbies: Jogging, hiking, biking

    Zhe (Jason) Zhu, M.Med, CUMC pathology resident

  • Michael Zimmerman, MD

    • AP/CP, PGY1

    Hometown: Baltimore, MD
    Undergraduate: Salisbury University
    Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine
    Future Plans: TBD
    Academic Interests: AP/CP
    Hobbies: cartography, highpointing, meteorology

    Michael Zimmerman, MD, CUMC pathology resident

Oral Pathology

  • Dennis Shem, DMD

    • OP, PGY3

    Hometown: El Cerrito, CA
    Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
    Medical School: Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry
    Future Plans: Academic dentistry and oral pathology
    Academic Interests: Oral dysplasia; predoctoral education; oral complications of cancer therapy
    Hobbies: Thrifting CDs and records; dog-sitting; exploring the arts, culture, and food scene of NYC

    Dennis Shem

  • Monica Kowalski, DMD

    • OP, PGY2

    Hometown: Chicago, IL
    Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago
    Medical School: Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health
    Future plans: TBD
    Academic Interests: Predoctoral education; Oral Pathology; Oral Cancer Pain and Implications for Clinical Therapy
    Hobbies: weightlifting, volleyball, creating flower arrangements, candle making, yoga

    Monica Kowalski, DMD