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, MD, FACS, FICS,
Division Chief
Transplant Services - Surgical Staff
Sharon R Loerzel, PA
315 464-5413
315 464-5413
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments
Immunocompromised Patient and Surgery; Renal Failure; Renal TransplantAssociations/Memberships
- American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
Reza F Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS
315 464-8668
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; moreResearch 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
315 464-5290
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)
315 464-6786
315 464-6786
Education & Fellowships
- Fellowship: Northwestern University, 2018, Transplant Immunology
- PhD: Israel Institute of Technology, 2011, Immunology
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments
HistocompatibilityAssociations/Memberships
- European Federation for Immunogenetics
- American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)
- American Society of Transplantation (AST)
Dongmei Huang, MD
315 464-6340
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
315 464-5290
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; moreResearch Interests
Outcome of therapeutic decisions in dialysis and transplantation
Clinical Interests
- Dialysis, transplantation, general nephrology
Travis S Myers, PA
315 464-5413
315 464-5413
Diseases/Specialties/Treatments
Renal Failure; Renal TransplantAssociations/Memberships
- American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
Sriram S Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP
315 464-5290
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; moreResearch Interests
Cardiovascular disease in patients with end stage renal and chronic kidney disease
Clinical Interests
- Clinical transplantation, dialysis, general nephrology
Scott J Schurman, MD
315 464-6340
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; moreAssociations/Memberships
- American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
Reeba Thankachan, MS FNP-C
315 464-5413
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 TransplantationAssociations/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
315 464-6340
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 TransplantTransplant 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