University of Miami Nephrology Fellowship Training Program

Sandra Merscher, PhD

Using a basic science and translational research approach, Dr. Merscher’s laboratory is focused on elucidating and understanding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of proteinuria in kidney disease with a focus on focal segmental glomerulorsclerosis (FSGS) and diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Gabriel Contreras, MD MPH

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: General nephrology, hypertension/resistant hypertension/ isolated systolic hypertension, glomerular disorders, renal vascular diseases, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, renal transplantation, endstage renal disease/chronic renal insufficiency, kidney and liver diseases, critical care nephrology and renal replacement therapy in the ICU Research Interests: Hypertension, chronic kidney disease, lupus nephrtis

Alessia Fornoni, MD PhD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: Diabetic nephropathy, glomerular diseases, inherited nephropathies, chronic kidney disease. Research Interests: Podocytes and mechanisms of proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, Diabetes and diabetic complications, lipid biology and insulin signaling, drug development, target identification.

Warren Kupin, MD

Fellowship: Henry Ford Hospital Clinical Interests: Transplant Nephrology Research Interests: Transplant immunosuppression, medical education.

David Roth, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interest: Kidney Transplantation Research Interests: Kidney transplantation, Hepatitis C virus infection in CKD and post kidney transplantation.

Oliver Lenz, MD MBA

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: Acute and chronic kidney disease, glomerular diseases, and dialysis Research Interests: Glomerulonephritis, progression of chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic kidney disease

Giselle Guerra, MD

Fellowship: Shands Hospital at the University of Florida (2005-2006) Clinical Interests: Transplant nephrology, living kidney donation Research Interests: Living kidney donation outcomes, recurrence of glomerulonephritis and HIV in kidney transplants.

Jair Munoz-Mendoza, MD

Fellowship: Stanford University Clinical Interests: Acute and chronic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis, hypertension, nephrolithiasis, conventional hemodialysis, long nocturnal hemodialysis, renal care post-nephrectomy. Research Interests: Dialysate sodium, volume overload and hypertension in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, residual renal function in ESRD on hemodialysis, outcomes on hemodialysis, long nocturnal hemodialysis, glomerulonephritis, renal function post-nephrectomy.

Mariella Ortigosa-Goggins, MD

Fellowship: Henry Ford Hospital Clinical Interests: Transplant nephrology Research Interests: Transplant nephrology outcomes, APOL1 genotype and renal function in donors.

Zain Mithani, MD

Fellowship: Cornell/New York Presbyterian Clinical Interests: Onconephrology and Medical Education Research interests: Onconephrology

Marco A. Ladino Avellaneda, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hopsital Clinical Interests: Chronic kidney disease, end stage renal disease, kidney transplant, hypertension. Research Interests: Hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease, tele-medicine, medical education.

Marie A. Sosa, MD - Interim Division Chief

Fellowship: Tufts University Clinical Interests: Chronic kidney disease, hyponatremia Research Interests: Quality improvement

Juan Duque, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital (2017-2019) Clinical Interests: Intervention Nephrology Research interests: Vascular Access

Adriana Dejman, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital (2015-2017) Clinical Interests: Chronic kidney disease, end stage renal disease, dialysis, peritoneal dialysis. Research interests: Peritoneal dialysis.

Adela Mattiazzi, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical interests: highly sensitized patients; desensitization treatments, prevention and treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and transplant glomerulopathy. Recurrence of glomerulonephritis and HIV in kidney transplants, therapeutic plasma exchange in solid organ transplants, pulmonary hypertension in CKD. Research interests: Desensitization, AMR prevention and treatment, UTI, kidney biopsy, HIV. Pulmonary hypertension in CKD.

Javier Pagan, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: Transplant nephrology Research Interests: Kidney transplant outcomes, acute and chronic rejection, recurrent glomerulonephritis after transplant, pregnancy, chronic kidney disease and transplantation.

Yelena Drexler, MD

Fellowship: Columbia University Medical Center, New York Clinical Interests: Glomerular disease, hypertension, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, chronic kidney disease Research Interests: Glomerular disease and Hypertension

Lumen Mendez-Castaner, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami Division of Nephrology/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: Transplant nephrology Research Interests: Kidney transplant outcomes, acute and chronic rejection

Efren Alejandro Chavez Morales, MD

Fellowship: New York Presbyterian - Columbia Medical Center Clinical Interests: Glomerular Disease, ADPKD, peritoneal dialysis, hypertension Research Interests: Obinutuzumab in lupus nephritis, Phase 3 study

Hassan Al-Ali PhD

Dr. Al-Ali is a biochemist with expertise in biological, chemical, and computational sciences. He is an expert in assay development, including biochemical and cell-based assays for screening applications. He has extensive knowledge in the application of informatics and machine learning to early-stage drug discovery. At UM, Dr. Al-Ali leads several projects within the areas of CNS.

Ivonne Hernandez Schulman, MD

Fellowship: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinical Interests: Hypertension Research Interests: Cardiovascular and renal molecular biology, stem cell culture techniques, and the design and implementation of stem cell preclinical studies and clinical trials for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and frailty.

Vasuki Venkat, MD

Fellowship: University of California, San Diego Clinical interests: Acute kidney injury Research Interests: Renal microbiome in chronic kidney disease

Alan Rose, MD

Training: Albert Einstein New York Clinical interests: Trade off hypothesis and intact single nephron theory and medical education.

Our Faculty

Navigate

Message from the Chief

Our Division

Research Professor

Sandra Merscher, PhD

Professors

Gabriel Contreras, MD MPH

Alessia Fornoni, MD PhD

Warren Kupin, MD

David Roth, MD

Oliver Lenz, MD MBA

Giselle Guerra, MD

Associate Professors

Jair Munoz-Mendoza, MD

Mariella Ortigosa-Goggins, MD

Zain Mithani, MD

Marco A. Ladino Avellaneda, MD

Marie A. Sosa, MD - Interim Division Chief

Juan Duque, MD

Assistant Professors

Adriana Dejman, MD

Adela Mattiazzi, MD

Javier Pagan, MD

Yelena Drexler, MD

Lumen Mendez-Castaner, MD

Efren Alejandro Chavez Morales, MD

Research Assistant Professors

Hassan Al-Ali PhD

Voluntary Faculty

Ivonne Hernandez Schulman, MD

Vasuki Venkat, MD

Alan Rose, MD

Our Faculty

Navigate

Message from the Chief

Our Division

Research Professor

Sandra Merscher, PhD

Professors

Gabriel Contreras, MD MPH

Alessia Fornoni, MD PhD

Warren Kupin, MD

David Roth, MD

Oliver Lenz, MD MBA

Giselle Guerra, MD

Associate Professors

Jair Munoz-Mendoza, MD

Mariella Ortigosa-Goggins, MD

Zain Mithani, MD

Marco A. Ladino Avellaneda, MD

Marie A. Sosa, MD - Interim Division Chief

Juan Duque, MD

Assistant Professors

Adriana Dejman, MD

Adela Mattiazzi, MD

Javier Pagan, MD

Yelena Drexler, MD

Lumen Mendez-Castaner, MD

Efren Alejandro Chavez Morales, MD

Research Assistant Professors

Hassan Al-Ali PhD

Voluntary Faculty

Ivonne Hernandez Schulman, MD

Vasuki Venkat, MD

Alan Rose, MD

Social Media