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Downtown campus units

Our Team

Upstate’s Adult Kidney, Pediatric Kidney, and Pancreas Transplant Programs are comprised of a multidisciplinary team of specialists who manage their patients' care throughout the entire transplantation process. Their goal is to provide the highest quality of care, so that patients can quickly return to their daily routines, while maintaining a healthy balanced life.

Reza Saidi


Reza Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
,
Division Chief


Transplant Services - Surgical Staff

Samir Iskhagi, MD
Samir Iskhagi, MD
315 464-5413

Sharon R Loerzel, PA
Sharon R Loerzel, PA
315 464-5413

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Immunocompromised Patient and Surgery; Renal Failure; Renal Transplant

Associations/Memberships

  • American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)

Reza F Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
Reza F Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
315 464-8668

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: Harvard Medical School, 2009
  • Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital, 2009

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Surgery; Transplant; Bile Duct Cancer; Bile Duct Injuries; Diabetes; Gallbladder Cancer; more

Research Interests

  • Ischemia reperfusion injury

    Transplant outcomes

Clinical Interests

  • Solid Organ Transplantation (Liver, Kidney, Pancreas)

    Hepatobiliary Surgery

    General Surgery

Associations/Memberships

  • American Society of Transplantation (AST)
  • International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA)
  • American College of Surgeons (ACS)
  • American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
  • International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS)
  • American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)
  • Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
  • Association for Academic Surgery
  • Middle East Society of Organ Transplantation (MESOT)
  • Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons

Transplant Services - Medical Staff

Brian J Gallay, MD, PhD
Brian J Gallay, MD, PhD
315 464-5290

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: Oregon State University, 1999, Clinical Transplantation Medicine
  • Fellowship: University of Washington Medical Center, 1998, Research Nephrology
  • Fellowship: University of Washington Medical Center, 1997, Immunology
  • Fellowship: University of Washington Medical Center, 1997, Nephrology
  • Residency: University of California at San Diego, 1993, General Internal Medicine
  • Internship: University of California at San Diego, 1991, General Internal Medicine
  • MD: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1990
  • PhD: Columbia University, 1990, Genetics

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Internal Medicine; Nephrology

Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD F(ACHI)
Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD F(ACHI)
315 464-6786

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: Northwestern University, 2018, Transplant Immunology
  • PhD: Israel Institute of Technology, 2011, Immunology

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Histocompatibility

Associations/Memberships

  • European Federation for Immunogenetics
  • American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)
  • American Society of Transplantation (AST)

Dongmei Huang, MD
Dongmei Huang, MD
315 464-6340

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2014, Pediatric Nephrology
  • Residency: Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, 2011, Pediatrics

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Pediatrics; Pediatric Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Congenital Genitourinary Tract Abnormalities; Hypertension; Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones); more

John E Leggat Jr, MD
John E Leggat Jr, MD
315 464-5290

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Nephrology
  • MPH: University of Michigan
  • MPH: University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1996, Epidemiology
  • Residency: University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, 1994, Medicine
  • MD: Dartmouth Medical School, 1991

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Acute Renal Insufficiency; Chronic Kidney Disease; Chronic Kidney Failure; Hypertension; more

Research Interests

  • Outcome of therapeutic decisions in dialysis and transplantation

Clinical Interests

  • Dialysis, transplantation, general nephrology

Travis S Myers, PA
Travis S Myers, PA
315 464-5413

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Renal Failure; Renal Transplant

Associations/Memberships

  • American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)

Sriram S Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP
Sriram S Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP
315 464-5290

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: University of California at San Diego, 1994, Nephrology/Hypertension
  • Residency: Bay State Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 1992, Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
  • MD: University of Michigan Medical School, 1988

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Medicine; Pediatrics; Nephrology; Transplant; Hypertension; Immune Abnormalities; more

Research Interests

  • Cardiovascular disease in patients with end stage renal and chronic kidney disease

Clinical Interests

  • Clinical transplantation, dialysis, general nephrology

Scott J Schurman, MD
Scott J Schurman, MD
315 464-6340

Education & Fellowships

  • Residency: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Pediatric Nephrology
  • Residency: Children's Mercy Hospital, Pediatrics
  • MD: Ohio State University College of Medicine, 1987

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Pediatric Nephrology; Pediatric Nephrology; Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Chronic Kidney Disease; Hypertension; more

Associations/Memberships

  • American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

Reeba Thankachan, MS FNP-C
Reeba Thankachan, MS FNP-C
315 464-5413

Education & Fellowships

  • FNP: Upstate University Hospital, 2015, Nursing
  • MSN: SUNY Upstate Medical University, 2015, Nurse Practitioner
  • BS: Keuka University, 2010, Nursing
  • RN: Onondaga Community College, 2005, Nursing

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Transplant; Renal Transplant; Kidney Transplantation; Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation

Associations/Memberships

  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  • Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI)
  • American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

Heather L Wasik, MD, MHS
Heather L Wasik, MD, MHS
315 464-6340

Education & Fellowships

  • Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Hospital, 2019, Pediatric Nephrology
  • MHS: Johns Hopkins University, 2018, Clinical epidemiology
  • Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, 2016, Pediatrics
  • MD: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2013

Diseases/Specialties/Treatments

Pediatric Nephrology; Pediatric Kidney Disease and Transplant

Transplant Interim Administrator:

  • Mini Malhotra, FACHE, MBA, MHA

Donor Advocate:

  • Caitlin Zimmerman, LMSW

Financial Coordinators:

  • Nyellka Jemmott, CTFC
  • Lisa Donovan, CTFC

HLA Laboratory:

  • Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD, D(ABHI)

Medical Assistant: 

  • Annette Birch, CMA
  • Lisa Arcaro, CMA
  • Michele Wanamaker, CMA

Assistant Director of Nursing:

  • Pamela Haines, MS, RN

Clinic Nurse:

  • Jeannette Jackson, RN

Office Manager:

  • Amanda Demperio

Receptionist:

  • Darleen Rex
  • Zaquia Stanley

Secretary:

  • Vacant

Transplant Administrative Assistant:

  • Vacant

Transplant Coordinators:

  • Lavell Jones, MSN, RN, CCTC, Living Donor Coordinator
  • Galina Rivera, BSN, RN, CCTC, Pre-Transplant Coordinator
  • Heidi Smileuske, BSN, RN, CCTC, Post-Transplant Coordinator
  • Ashley Ryan, BSN, RN, Pre-Transplant Coordinator
  • Tanya Mercurio, MSN, RN, Post-Transplant Coordinator

Transplant Data Coordinators:

  • Alondria Jeffrey

Transplant Nutritionist:

  • Terry Podolak, RD

Transplant Outreach Coordinator:

  • Linda Curry

Transplant Pharmacist:

  • Christine Yang, PharmD, BCPS, BCTXP
  • Zachary Hayes, PharmD, BCPS

Transplant Quality Assurance Supervisor:

  • Angela Ball, MHA, CPHQ

Transplant Referral Specialist:

  • Becky Dickinson

Transplant Social Worker:

  • Megan Mcpeak, LMSW
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