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Upstate University Hospital
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

Brian J Gallay, MD, PhD
Brian J Gallay, MD, PhD
315 464-5290
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Internal Medicine; Nephrology
Education: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Matthew J Hanlon, MD
Matthew J Hanlon, MD
315 464-7329
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Transplant
Education: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD
Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD
315 464-6786
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Histocompatibility
Education: Israel Institute of Technology
Associations/Memberships: European Federation for Immunogenetics; American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)
Dongmei Huang, MD
Dongmei Huang, MD
315 464-6340
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Pediatrics; Pediatric Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Congenital Genitourinary Tract Abnormalities; Hypertension; Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones); more
Samir Iskhagi, MD
Samir Iskhagi, MD
315 464-5413
John E Leggat Jr, MD
John E Leggat Jr, MD
315 464-5290
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Acute Renal Insufficiency; Chronic Kidney Disease; Chronic Kidney Failure; Hypertension; more
Education: Dartmouth Medical School
Research Interests:

Outcome of therapeutic decisions in dialysis and transplantation

Clinical Interests: Dialysis, transplantation, general nephrology
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)
Sriram S Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP
Sriram S Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP
315 464-5290
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Medicine; Pediatrics; Nephrology; Transplant; Hypertension; Immune Abnormalities; more
Education: University of Michigan Medical School
Research Interests:

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

Clinical Interests: Clinical transplantation, dialysis, general nephrology
Reza F Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
Reza F Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
315 464-8668
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
Scott J Schurman, MD
Scott J Schurman, MD
315 464-6340
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Pediatric Nephrology; Pediatric Nephrology; Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Chronic Kidney Disease; Hypertension; more
Education: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Associations/Memberships: American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
Eman M Shaban, MD
Eman M Shaban, MD
315 464-5290
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Nephrology; Renal Transplant; Kidney Transplantation
Rauf Shahbazov, MD, PhD
Rauf Shahbazov, MD, PhD
315 464-5413
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Transplant; Acute Pancreatitis; Bile Duct Cancer; Bile Duct Injuries; Bile Duct Stricture; Chronic Pancreatitis; more
Research Interests:

Transplant immunology, clinical outcome studies in abdominal solid organ transplantation, islet cell transplantation research

Education Interests:

Application of minimal invasive techniques in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery

Clinical Interests:

Kidney, pancreas, islet and liver tranplant surgery

Hepato pancreato biliary sugery

Total pancreatectomy and auto islet transplantation

Associations/Memberships: American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS); International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA); Clinical Robotic Surgery Association; Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh (RCS ED); Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association; European Liver and Intestinal Transplantation Association (ELITA); European Society of Organ Transplantation (ESOT); Middle East Society of Organ Transplantation (MESOT); American Medical Association
Reeba Thankachan, MS FNP-C
Reeba Thankachan, MS FNP-C
315 464-5413
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)

Transplant Administrator:

Janine Morris

Janine Morris, RN, BSN, MPH

Donor Advocate:

  • Caitlin Zimmerman, LMSW

Financial Coordinators:

  • Nyellka Brown, CPC
  • Lisa Donovan, BPS

HLA Laboratory:

  • Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD, D(ABHI)

Medical Assistant: 

  • Annette Birch, CMA
  • Tosha Cuadra, CMA
  • Michele Wanamaker, CMA

Nurse Manager:

  • Pamela Haines, MS, RN

Clinic Nurse:

  • Jeannette Jackson, RN

Office Manager:

  • Amanda Demperio

Receptionist:

  • Darleen Rex
  • Zaquia Stanley

Secretary:

  • Tammy Fetcie

Transplant Administrative Assistant:

  • Terra Lawler

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:

  • Alexis Rodriguez

Transplant Interim Patient Care Services Manager:

  • Pamela Haines, MS, RN

Transplant Nutritionist:

  • Terry Podolak, RD

Transplant Pharmacist:

  • Christine Yang, Pharm. D., BCPS
  • Zachary Hayes, Pharm. D.

Transplant Quality Assurance Supervisor:

  • Angela Ball, MHA, CPHQ

Transplant Social Worker:

  • Megan Mcpeak, LMSW
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