Current Fellows


Interventional Fellows

Maeve Jones-O’Connor, MB B.Ch BAO

Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Medical School: University College Dublin, Ireland
Clinical Interest: Cardiac critical care
Research Interest: Prevention, digital health

Maeve is a native of Dublin, Ireland, where she completed her medical degree at the University College Dublin. She completed her transitional intern year at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, before moving to Boston for an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. From there, she has made the move southward to Baltimore to complete her cardiology training. She has a particular clinical interest in cardiac critical care, and in developing this subspecialty as it integrates the leading edges of cardiology, cardiac surgery, critical care and medical device technology. She also plans to develop her research interests in prevention and digital health during her fellowship years. Outside of the hospital, she spends as much time as possible hiking, cycling, running or traveling.
cardiology fellowship johns hopkins - image of Maeve Jones-O’connor

Juan Rico Mesa, M.D.

Hometown: Medellin, Colombia
Medical School: Universidad CES
Clinical Interest: Cardiogenic shock, mechanical cardiac support, left main PCI, peripheral interventions
Research Interest: Radiation safety, use of MCS for complex interventions and during early stages of cardiogenic shock

I was born and raised in Colombia, where I had the pleasure of getting my medical training and learning about healthcare disparities. My goal was always to become a cardiologist, so I embarked on this magnificent journey that I enjoy every day! For the last eight years of postgraduate training, I have spent one year at Mayo Clinic (cardiac imaging research), followed by a phenomenal internal medicine residency training at UT San Antonio, where I spent the best three years of my life. At UT San Antonio, I learned the skills necessary to become an eager proceduralist and critical-thinking physician. I decided to stay in Texas for personal reasons and pursued my cardiology training at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. During my training, I pursued several different teaching tracks, mentored several students, spent a great amount of time in the Cathlab and CCU, and helped on the fellows planning committee of the First Critical Care Cardiology (CCC) Educational Summit at the University of Minnesota. Despite my passion for CCC, my goal is to become an interventional cardiologist and hopefully create my cardiology practice one day. Outside of medicine, I love grilling, mountain biking and watching Formula 1. My family lives in Colombia, and I am very lucky to have a sister who will become a plastic surgeon one day. A few words that describe me: passionate, hardworking, resilient and intellectually curious. I am excited about my new training at Hopkins, and I am excited to provide exceptional care during my next two years of training.
A photo of Juan Rico Mesa, M.D.

Kelechi Weze, M.D.

Hometown: Aba, Nigeria
Medical School: Ahmadu Bello University
Clinical Interest: Structural cardiology and mechanical circulatory support
Research Interest: Disparities in cardiovascular disease outcomes and access to advanced therapy

Born and raised in Nigeria, Kelechi moved to the United States to study public health at the Harvard Chan School, where he completed a master’s degree in global health and a doctorate in public health. He subsequently moved to Washington, D.C., for an internal medicine residency at Howard University Hospital and then to Atlanta for a cardiology fellowship at Morehouse School of Medicine. His research interests focus on outcome disparities in thromboembolic cardiovascular diseases. He is interested in a career that combines clinical work in interventional cardiology with leadership roles in the public and private health-care sectors. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures, reflecting his global outlook and commitment to diverse experiences.
A photo of Kelechi Weze, M.D.

Structural Fellow

Seyed Hossein Aalaei-Andabili, M.D.

Hometown: Andabil/Talesh, Iran
Medical School: Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science
Clinical Interest: Interventional and structural cardiology
Research Interest: Innovative techniques in cardiac procedures, clinical trials

Hossein is originally from Andabil, a small village in northwest Iran. After completion of his medical school in Tehran, he moved to the United States and established a productive interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery research center at the University of Florida. Hossein completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and general cardiology fellowship at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He is very passionate about complex coronary procedures and innovation in structural heart techniques.
headshot of Seyed Hossein Aalaei-Andabili

Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellows

Babken Asatryan, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: Yerevan, Armenia
Medical School: Yerevan State Medical University, Armenia (M.D.), University of Bern, Switzerland (Ph.D.)
Clinical Interest: Cardiac electrophysiology, cardiovascular genomics and precision medicine, multimodality cardiac imaging
Research Interest: Inherited heart diseases, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation, sudden cardiac arrest/death, genomics, multi-omics, big-data, multimodality imaging, artificial intelligence

Babken was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia, and obtained his M.D. from Yerevan State Medical University. He completed his residency at Heratsi N1 Hospital Complex in Armenia and a cardiology fellowship at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, in Switzerland. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Bern, focusing on the genetic basis of unexplained cardiac arrest and the epidemiology of sudden cardiac death in Switzerland. He then completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins ARVC program and subsequently joined the Johns Hopkins Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program. His research focuses on differentiating normal genetic variation from genetic heart disease, deciphering disease mechanisms, refining nosology and developing novel risk assessment and precision-based therapies for patients with inherited arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies.
A photo of Babken Asatryan, M.D., Ph.D.

Keva Garg, M.D. — Chief Fellow 

Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Preventative cardiology
Research Interest: HIV-related cardiac disease

Keva is a Maryland native. She earned her undergraduate degree at Columbia University and returned to the area for her master's and medical degree from Georgetown University. She completed her residency at Duke University Hospital and has returned home to complete her training in cardiology. Her clinical passion lies in preventative cardiology, with a special academic interest in HIV’s impact on the risk for ischemic cardiac disease. Ultimately, she hopes to work as an academic cardiologist, working to improve preventative cardiac care to marginalized populations locally and abroad.

headshot of Keva Garg

Chang Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea; San Diego, California
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University
Clinical Interest: General cardiology, prevention, cardiac imaging
Research Interest: Big data, risk modeling, machine learning/artificial intelligence

Chang was born in Seoul and grew up in San Diego. He pursued his M.D. degree in upstate New York, followed by internal medicine training and hospitalist work at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Anticipating a paradigm shift toward precision medicine enabled by big data and artificial intelligence, he pursued a Ph.D. in biomedical informatics at Rutgers University, applying machine learning to the electrocardiogram for long-term cardiovascular risk prediction. Following his cardiology fellowship, Chang plans to further pursue his clinical and research interests as an academic cardiologist.
cardiology fellowship johns hopkins - image of Chang Kim

Steven Liskov, M.D.  

Hometown: Kingston, Pennsylvania   
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine 
Clinical Interest: Cardiac electrophysiology  
Research Interest: Cardiac pacing and resynchronization therapy, cardiovascular hemodynamics, atrial fibrillation, innovative technologies

Steven attended Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine for medical training. He completed his internal medicine training at University of Maryland Medical Center and cardiology training at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Steven’s research interests include cardiac pacing and resynchronization therapy, hemodynamic properties of conduction system pacing, and atrial fibrillation.

headshot of Steven Liskov

Renato Quispe Ayala, M.D.

Hometown: Lima, Peru
Medical School: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Peru)
Clinical Interest: General cardiology, prevention, heart failure
Research Interest: Prevention, lipids, risk modeling, big-data, machine learning/artificial intelligence, genomics

Dr. Renato Quispe is a cardiology fellow interested in preventive cardiology and lipidology. Using big-data and epidemiologic approaches, his research has focused on the role of coronary calcium score in refining prediction of cardiovascular risk, the metabolism of different lipoproteins and its effect on atherosclerosis, and the importance of emerging lipid markers such as remnant particles and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Dr. Quispe obtained a master of health science in graduate training in clinical investigation from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (JHSPH) in 2016. He has been a finalist for the AHA Elizabeth Barrett-Connor Research Award in 2018 and Samuel A. Levine Young Investigator Award in 2020. Dr. Quispe is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in clinical investigation at JHSPH, with a focus on machine learning/artificial intelligence and genomics in cardiovascular disease. His training and research have been supported by the Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional Research Training Program (T32) and the Trone Family Foundation.

Renato Quispe Ayala image

Nestor Vasquez, M.D.

Hometown: Lima, Peru
Medical School: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Peru)
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, critical care
Research Interest: Lipoprotein (a), lipids, cardiovascular disease in Hispanics/Latinos
 
I was born and raised in Lima, Peru. I completed medical school at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, after which I joined the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Center of Excellence at Johns Hopkins to investigate left atrial myopathy in HCM patients with atrial fibrillation. I subsequently moved to Dallas for a residency at the University of Texas Southwestern, becoming very interested in cardiovascular disease prevention, particularly using lipids and lipoprotein (a) to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. I plan to pursue a career in academic cardiology focusing on clinical research. Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my dog, grilling and trying new restaurants.
 
cardiology fellowship johns hopkins - image of Nestor Vasquez

Advanced Echocardiography and Imaging Fellow


Heart Failure Fellows

Fabiola Sigua Arce, M.D.

Hometown: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Medical School: Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES)
Clinical Interest: Advanced heart failure
Research Interest: Pulmonary hypertension

I was born in Mexico City and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I did my medical school at Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo. I moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, for my internal medicine residency at William Beaumont Hospital. After that, the next stop was Cleveland, Ohio, for cardiology training at MetroHealth/Case Western Reserve. My goal is to become an advanced heart failure cardiologist. Outside of medicine, I am a huge soccer and Barcelona fan.
A photo of Fabiola Sigua Arce, M.D.

Jana Lovell, M.D. 

Hometown: Lutherville, Maryland
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Advanced heart failure
Research Interest: Translational research, heart failure, immunology
 
Jana was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She completed medical school at Johns Hopkins. During medical school, she participated in translational research involving primary immunodeficiency disorders through the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program. She then completed internal medicine training in the Osler Medical Residency Program. Her clinical and research interests include advanced heart failure and immunology.
 
Jana Lovell image

Preventive Fellows

Semenawit Burka, M.D.

Hometown: Gondar, Ethiopia
Medical School: University of Gondar
Clinical Interest: Preventive, imaging cardiology
Research Interest: Cardiovascular outcome research with a focus on Prevention, health equity, and elderly population

Seme was born and raised in Ethiopia and earned her medical degree from the University of Gondar. She then moved to the United States to pursue a research fellowship in global health research, where she had the privilege of closely collaborating on international, multicenter research studies. Seme subsequently completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Health System, where she further cultivated her passion for cardiovascular disease. She then pursued a geriatrics cardiology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Seme has a special interest in cardiovascular health equity research and was awarded a career development award from Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue her dreams in making a difference in this field. She has a clinical interest in prevention and imaging cardiology. Outside of medicine, she enjoys running, traveling, visiting national parks and cooking Ethiopian dishes.
A photo of Semenawit Burka, M.D.

Yara Jelwan, M.D.

Hometown: Byblos, Lebanon
Medical School: Lebanese American University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, multimodality imaging
Research Interest: Primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, risk factor management, digital health, cardiometabolic health, coronary artery calcium score

Yara was born and raised in the port city of Byblos. She received her bachelor of sciences in biology and her medical doctorate from the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon. She later moved to Paris, France, to pursue a master's in public health at Université Paris-Saclay, specializing in methodology and statistics in biomedical research. She then relocated to the United States to complete her internal medicine residency in St. Louis, Missouri. Her passion for preventive cardiology and cardiac imaging prompted her to join the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, where she plans to develop her research interests and expand her clinical expertise. Outside of medicine, Yara enjoys swimming, skiing and traveling. She speaks four languages and loves to explore different kinds of art. She takes pleasure in cooking and trying new cuisines.
A photo of Yara Jelwan, M.D.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellow

Guillermo Torres-Viera, M.D.

Hometown: San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Adult congenital heart disease
Research Interest: Outcomes research in congenital heart disease, transition practices

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I completed my medical studies and training as part of the first combined internal medicine/pediatrics residency program on the island. Knowing the relevance of research in the treatment of adults with congenital heart disease, I pursued a master's in science in clinical and translational research to further aid in integrating research into my career development. I decided a solid foundation in the diagnosis, surgical management and treatment of congenital heart disease would be imperative in the future management of adults with congenital heart disease. Due to a lack of pediatric subspecialty training in Puerto Rico, I moved to the United States, choosing Johns Hopkins for training due to its pioneering role in pediatric cardiology, along with its embracement and fostering of diversity in its clinical practice. Within Hopkins, I was involved in research endeavors looking at prognostic biomarkers in pulmonary arterial hypertension, also completing a T32 grant through the Pediatrics Department with a focus on congenital cardiac MRI training. The potential for growth and mentorship from leaders in ACHD, as well as the opportunity to continue to propel this field, are some of the reasons why I chose to continue ACHD training at Hopkins.
A photo of Guillermo Torres-Viera, M.D.

Cardiovascular Disease Fellows

Year 1

Shannon Anderson, M.D., M.S.

Hometown: Fort Washington, Maryland
Medical School: Howard University College of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Cardio-obstetrics
Research Interest: Peripartum cardiomyopathy, health-care disparities

Shannon was born and raised in Fort Washington, Maryland, into a loving home with her parents, brother and two sisters. With two physicians as parents, Shannon was inspired early on to pursue medicine. However, she developed her unique passion for healing others through her love of science, community service and advocacy. She attended the illustrious Hampton University, where she graduated with a bachelor of science in biology while enjoying time as captain of the cheerleading team. She went on to complete a master of science in physiology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is a proud alumna of Howard University College of Medicine, where she continued her aim to serve the underserved as vice president of community service for four years. She went on to complete her internal medicine training in the Osler medical residency as a member of the Janeway Firm. She has a clinical interest in cardio-obstetrics with a specific focus on cardiovascular disease in African American women. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys reading a good mystery novel and running with her goldendoodle, as well as catching the latest horror film in theaters.
A photo of Shannon Anderson, M.D.

Sean Gaine, M.B.B.Ch.

Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Medical School: Trinity College Dublin
Clinical Interest: Cardiac electrophysiology
Research Interest: ARVC

Sean was born in Baltimore and grew up in Dublin, Ireland, with his three brothers. He attended medical school at Trinity College Dublin in Dublin's city center and completed his medical residency training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He developed a keen interest in cardiology as an Osler resident. He is interested in clinical research in electrophysiology and is eager to continue to work with the ARVC group during his fellowship. Outside of medicine, he is an avid Liverpool soccer fan and music fan.
A photo of Sean Gaine.

Milan Kaushik, M.D.

Hometown: Novi, Michigan
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Vascular medicine, heart failure, critical care
Research Interest: Endothelial dysfunction, vascular biology, clinical trials

Milan was born in Ohio but shortly thereafter moved to Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he grew up. He graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in biochemistry and biophysics. While in Detroit for medical school at Wayne State University, he spent one year at MIT studying aortic stenosis calcification patterns through the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation. Milan then completed his internal medicine training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he developed both clinical and research interests in vascular medicine. Outside of work, he enjoys playing chess, mountain biking and spending time with his amazing wife Gemma and his two cats.
A photo of Milan Kaushik, M.D.

Marinos Kosmopoulos, M.D.

Hometown: Kalamata, Greece
Medical School: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School
Clinical Interest: Cardiac electrophysiology, cardiac critical care
Research Interest: Ventricular arrhythmias, extracorporeal mechanical support, cardiac arrest

I was born in Kalamata, Greece, and grew up by the Mediterranean coast. At age 18, I started my journey in medicine, receiving my medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. While a medical student, I developed an interest in cardiac electrophysiology and ventricular arrhythmias and was involved in clinical research. After graduation, I moved to the United States and continued my research at the University of Minnesota, where I studied the management of cardiac arrest and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in both the translational and clinical setting and was one of the junior investigators of the ARREST clinical trial. After completion of my research fellowship, I stayed in Minnesota for an internal medicine residency, during which I continued my research on cardiac critical care and also studied a novel mechanism of syncope. When I am not in the hospital, I love playing basketball, reading and traveling.
A photo of Marinos Kosmopoulos, M.D.

Daniel Matasic, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Medical School: University of Iowa
Clinical Interest: Electrophysiology, critical care
Research Interest: Ion channel biology, molecular mechanisms of arrhythmias

Dan was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He attended Pennsylvania State University, earning his B.S. and M.B.A. He then joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Iowa, where he received his M.D. and Ph.D. in 2021. His Ph.D. research focused on understanding the influence of metabolism on the cardiac sodium channel, Nav1.5. Dan completed his internal medicine training in the Osler Medical Residency Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He plans to continue his career as a physician-scientist, studying the role of ion channels in cardiovascular physiology while providing excellent clinical care for his patients and their families.
A photo of Daniel Matasic, M.D., Ph.D.

Jenna Milstein, M.D.

Hometown: Leesburg, Virginia
Medical School: University of Virginia
Clinical Interest: Electrophysiology in adult congenital heart disease patients
Research Interest: Ventricular tachycardia in tetralogy of Fallot, imaging predictors of atrial fibrillation ablation outcomes, cardiovascular medical education

Jenna grew up in northern Virginia and received her undergraduate degree from the College of William & Mary, where she completed a Monroe scholarship project in medical illustration. She subsequently attended the University of Virginia School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine training in the Johns Hopkins Osler residency program. As a resident, she founded the Osler Cardiology Interest Group, aimed at developing cardiovascular education, mentorship and research opportunities. She also served as vice president of Johns Hopkins Women in Cardiology. She is currently a representative on the Maryland ACC Fellows-In-Training (FIT) committee. Jenna has held a longstanding passion for cardiac electrophysiology, and this has grown into a strong career interest in managing arrhythmia in the adult congenital heart disease population. She has conducted research related to atrial fibrillation ablation outcomes, as well as the approach to various arrhythmia management within the adult congenital heart disease population. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, baking and sampling Baltimore’s food scene (especially ice cream parlors).
A photo of Jenna Milstein, M.D.

Allison Peng, M.D.

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Prevention, imaging, critical care, heart failure
Research Interest: Prevention, cardiovascular imaging, risk assessment and prediction using large datasets

Allison grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering at Columbia University in New York City, graduating summa cum laude with her major in industrial engineering/operations research and minor in entrepreneurship. Afterward, she attended medical school at Johns Hopkins, where she first developed her interest in preventive cardiology while researching coronary artery calcium and cardiovascular risk prediction at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. She completed her internal medicine residency at Stanford, where she continued her research focused on utilizing artificial intelligence in CT imaging to detect subclinical ASCVD and inform risk stratification. She is thrilled to return to Hopkins for her cardiology fellowship and is interested in cardiovascular prevention, imaging and critical care. Outside of the hospital, Allison enjoys exploring the different neighborhoods of Baltimore and the amazing food scene.
A photo of Allison Peng, M.D.

Aaron Troy, M.D.

Hometown: Chevy Chase, Maryland
Medical School: New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Geriatric cardiology, general cardiology
Research Interest: Health equity in high-risk older adults with cardiovascular disease

Aaron Troy grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, then completed a B.A. in biology with a minor in history at Cornell University. He graduated from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he was a member of the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and obtained an M.P.H. in health policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He completed an internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as a member of the clinician educator track. Aaron plans to pursue a career in geriatric cardiology, improving cardiovascular outcomes in older adults through patient-centered care, research and advocacy. He lives in Pikesville with his wife and son and enjoys hiking and travel.
A photo of Aaron Troy, M.D.

Sohail Zahid, M.D., Ph.D.

Home state: New Jersey
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Clinical Interest: General and preventive cardiology
Research Interest: His clinical and research interests are in understanding how obesity and novel obesity medicines impact cardiometabolic health.

Sohail completed his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, his M.D. at Harvard University and internal medicine residency at New York University Langone Health. His previous work has been applying artificial intelligence, genomics and proteomics to understand the mechanisms of atrial fibrillation, genetic underpinnings of obesity, arrhythmogenic risk of adipose tissue, and atheroprotective consequences of bariatric surgery.
A photo of Sohail Zahid, M.D., Ph.D.

Year 2

Rishi Chandiramani, M.B.B.S.

Hometown: Mumbai, India 
Medical School: Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, India
Clinical Interest: Interventional and structural cardiology 
Research Interest: Antiplatelet strategies in complex coronary artery disease patients; cardiovascular risk assessment; primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease

Rishi was born and raised in Mumbai and earned his medical degree from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College. He then moved to the United States to pursue a research fellowship in interventional cardiology and clinical trials at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where he had the privilege of closely collaborating on international, multicenter, randomized trials focusing on novel antiplatelet strategies in high-risk patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Rishi subsequently completed his internal medicine residency at the Jacobi Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine program, where he further cultivated his passion for cardiovascular disease. He has a clinical interest in interventional and structural cardiology, aiming to explore innovative approaches and techniques in the field as an academic cardiologist. Outside of medicine, he enjoys soccer, tennis, exploring global cuisines and watching documentaries.

headshot of Rishi Chandiramani

Omar Chehab, M.D., M.Sc.

Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon  
Medical School: American University of Beirut 
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, heart failure and cardiac imaging  
Research Interest: Microvascular disease, coronary artery disease, myocardial fibrosis and what determines cardiac aging

Omar received a bachelor of science in biology and doctor of medicine from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. During this time, he contributed to significant projects, such as the development of a preoperative cardiac risk calculator and exploring the relationship between podocyturia levels, a new novel biomarker, and cardiovascular disease. Following his initial education, Omar moved to the United Kingdom, where he pursued a master's in preventive cardiology at Imperial College London and graduated with distinction. He was also the recipient of the Philip Poole-Wilson Award for academic excellence. In 2018, Omar relocated to the United States to complete his internal medicine residency. He then joined the Johns Hopkins University Hospital to pursue training in advanced cardiac imaging under the mentorship of Dr. Joao Lima. His work at Hopkins has led to him being a finalist for the American College of Cardiology Young Investigator Award and a recipient of the Jay D. Coffman Young Investigator Award. When not engaged in his professional pursuits, Omar is an avid traveler, often spending his weekends exploring new places and hiking with his wife.

headshot of Omar Chehab

Jae-Hoon Chung, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: Pupyeong, South Korea   
Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine  
Clinical Interest: Critical care, heart failure, interventional 
Research Interest: Cardiac muscle physiology, hemodynamics

Jae was born in South Korea and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He studied chemistry at Northwestern University, where he developed an interest in research. He attended The Ohio State University College of Medicine, where he completed his combined M.D./Ph.D. d0egrees. In graduate school, he studied the kinetics of contraction and relaxation in intact human cardiac muscle, which was supported by the American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship. He then pursued an internal medicine residency at The Ohio State University, where he confirmed his passion in cardiology. When he’s not working, Jae likes to play tennis and spend time with his wife and son. He also likes to watch Tottenham Hotspur games in the Premier League.

Jae-Hoon Chung

Ian Everitt, M.D.

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina 
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine 
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, heart failure, LGBTQ+ health 
Research Interest: Cardiovascular epidemiology, health equity

Ian grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He subsequently obtained a master of public health in epidemiology from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine before completing residency training in internal medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. His clinical and research interests include preventive cardiology with a focus on heart failure prevention, cardiovascular risk reduction in sexual and gender minorities, and the utilization of population-based cohorts and electronic medical record data to enhance risk prediction and guide the implementation of new health policies and programs. Outside of medicine, Ian spends most of his time at Trader Joe’s or traveling.

headshot of Ian Everitt

Essa Hariri, M.D.

Hometown: Sour (Tyre), Lebanon and Charlotte, North Carolina 
Medical School: Lebanese American University School of Medicine (Byblos, Lebanon) 
Clinical Interest: Cardiovascular prevention, coronary and aortic valve calcification, multimodality imaging  
Research Interest: Understanding the pathophysiology and natural history of calcific aortic valve disease. Leveraging prospective and diverse cohort studies to unravel modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Using cardiac imaging to guide early detection of coronary and valve diseases. Investigating medical interventions for calcific aortic valve disease.

I was born in Charlotte, then moved to Lebanon at the age of 6, where I grew up and received my undergraduate and medical education at the Lebanese American University. I moved back to the United States in 2016 to pursue a postdoctoral TL1 research fellowship and a master's in clinical investigation at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester. I then moved to Cleveland to do my residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and stayed for an additional year as a chief medical resident, overseeing the ambulatory care training of more than 150 residents and precepting them in the outpatient continuity clinics and inpatient medicine services. 

I chose Johns Hopkins for my cardiology fellowship due to its rigorous clinical and research training, supportive and collegial environment, and limitless opportunities for growth and mentorship from leaders in cardiovascular medicine. 

I plan to leverage the collaborative and diverse academic environment at Johns Hopkins to grow as a clinician-scientist, with a clinical focus in cardiovascular imaging and research focus in the pathophysiology and modifiable risk factors of coronary and valvular calcification. Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my better half, my wife Jessica, who joined me in my journey at Hopkins as a GI fellow. We love to travel and explore the world together. I also enjoy cooking, watching soccer and playing tennis.

Essa Hariri

Shengyuan Luo, M.B.B.S.

Hometown: Canton, China 
Medical School: Sun Yat-sen University 
Clinical Interest: General cardiology 
Research Interest: Cardiorenal disease 

Shengyuan was born and raised in Canton, China, and went to medical school there. Aspiring to become a physician scientist, he earned his master’s degree in cardiovascular disease and clinical epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health prior to completing an internal medicine residency at Rush University. After general cardiology training, he would like to focus on fostering improvement in the prevention, diagnosis and management of cardiorenal diseases. Outside of the hospital, Shengyuan enjoys photography and classical music.

headshot of Shengyuan Luo

Srikanth Palanisamy, M.D.

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College 
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, general cardiology 
Research Interest: Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, coronary artery calcium scoring, cardiometabolic mediators of atherosclerosis

Sri was born in India and raised in Pittsburgh (go Steelers!). He completed a research post-baccalaureate year at the NIH and then received his M.D. at Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed his internal medicine training at Stanford before making his way back east for a  cardiology fellowship. His research interests include the role of coronary artery calcium scoring in diverse populations; he is also interested in the role of cardiometabolic risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys hiking, brewery tours and 10K races.

headshot of Srikanth Palanisamy

David Polhemus, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: San Francisco, California 
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine 
Clinical Interest: General cardiology, heart failure 
Research Interest: Translational research in heart failure and vascular biology

David was born and raised in San Francisco, into a loving home with his older sister, mom and dad. He graduated from Emory with bachelor's degrees in economics and chemistry, and he quickly fell in love with translational cardiovascular research. David then completed his Ph.D. in pharmacology in the lab of Dr. David Lefer at LSU in New Orleans. Following graduate school, he entered medical school (also at LSU), with the career goal of becoming an academic physician scientist. He then came to Hopkins, where he was an Osler internal medicine resident.  David, his amazing wife (Jordan) and daughter love adventurous travel, staying active and being involved in their church. 

headshot of David Polhemus

Year 3

Rawan Amir, M.D.

Hometown: Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Medical School: University of Dammam
Clinical Interest: Adult congenital heart disease, electrophysiology
Research Interest: Advancing care and improving outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease

Rawan Amir received her medical degree from the University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia and completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a special interest in adult congenital heart disease and hopes to be one of the first Saudi physicians to specialize in the field and to one day start a robust ACHD program back in Saudi Arabia. Rawan, under the guidance of her physician parents, has been involved in research from a very young age and aims to further advance her career as a physician scientist. She is also very committed to trainee wellness and served as the wellness chair for her residency program for two years. Outside of work, she enjoys scuba diving, playing tennis and training her pet parrots.
Rawan Amir

Matthew Belanger, M.D.

Hometown: Stamford, Connecticut
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, lipidology, cardiovascular imaging
Research Interest: Diet and nutrition, exercise, biomarkers

Matt grew up in Connecticut and received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where he majored in English. While a member of the UC Berkeley springboard diving team, he developed a passion for health and wellness, exercise, and nutrition. He completed medical school at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and then moved to Boston for his internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. His clinical interests are related to preventive cardiology, lipidology and cardiovascular imaging. Matt plans to continue research on the prevention of cardiovascular disease through nutrition, exercise and lifestyle interventions.
Matthew Belanger

Chloe Duvall, M.D.

Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania
Medical School: University of Maryland
Clinical Interest: Prevention, heart failure, cardiac imaging
Research Interest: Cardiac sarcoidosis

Originally from western Pennsylvania, Chloe moved to Baltimore to complete her medical degree at the University of Maryland, followed by an internal medicine residency in the Osler Medical Residency Program. Here, she had the opportunity to foster her interests in both prevention and heart failure through involvement with the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and the Cardiac Sarcoidosis Program, where her research focused on sex and race differences in cardiac sarcoidosis. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys running, traveling and spending time with her husband.
Chloe Duvall

Michael Goetsch, M.D.

Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama
Medical School: The University of Alabama School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Comprehensive cardiovascular prevention, hypertension, clinical lipidology, cardiovascular imaging, digital health and medical education
Research Interest: Clinical research in early cardiovascular risk assessment and stratification, digital health, and optimization of ASCVD risk factors

Michael grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he graduated with honors and degrees in biology and Spanish. He earned his M.D. at the University of Alabama in Birmingham before completing his internal medicine training in the Osler medical residency as a member of the Thayer Firm. He is interested in a career in preventive cardiology. His clinical and research interests include effective risk stratification, early intervention and risk-factor modification to prevent coronary artery disease; cardiovascular imaging; and medical education. Outside of the fellowship, he enjoys taking his dog for walks, cooking and hosting friends for dinner, hiking, fishing, and white-water rafting. He is also an avid fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Michael Goetsch

Jelani Grant, M.D.

Hometown: Cumuto, Trinidad and Tobago
Medical School: The University of the West Indies, Trinidad Campus
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology, cardiovascular imaging
Research Interest: Cardiometabolic risk reduction, health-care disparities and the application of deep machine learning for assessing coronary calcification

I was born in Trinidad and Tobago, where I completed my medical degree with distinction at the University of the West Indies. I completed internal medicine at the University of Miami/ Jackson Memorial Hospital, where I served as the first non-U.S. medical school graduate to be a chief medical resident at Jackson Memorial Hospital. My clinical interest includes preventive cardiology with a focus on cardiometabolic risk reduction. My research interests include outcomes research using large datasets, assessing the role of health-care disparities in cardiovascular disease and utilizing deep-machine learning to assist with reporting coronary calcification. Following my cardiology fellowship, I plan to pursue a career in academic cardiology, further my research interests and utilize my training to assist with preventive efforts in my home country. Outside of medicine, I am a huge soccer and Manchester United fan (GGMU!).
Jelani Grant

Kellen Knowles, M.D.

Hometown: Nassau, Bahamas
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Clinical Interest: Preventive cardiology
Research Interest: Medical devices, mHealth, application of mHealth and medical devices to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies

I was born and raised on New Providence, a 7x21-mile island off the coast of Florida, which is a part of the 700-island archipelago of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. I attended Purdue University, where I studied biomedical engineering, and during graduate school, I realized I had an interest in clinical medicine. It was in medical school that I discovered a love of cardiac physiology and a desire to combine my interests in engineering with cardiology. I love to travel and met my wife in Germany. We have two children. My wife is definitely the secret of my success and my children inspire me to keep fighting to maintain balance in my career pursuits. Besides traveling, I enjoy scuba diving, backpacking, snowboarding, tennis, volleyball, playing board games, lifting weights and quality time with friends.
Kellen Knowles

Hassan Mirbolouk, M.D.

Hometown: Rasht, Iran
Medical School: Shahid Beheshti Medical University
Clinical Interest: Prevention, arrhythmias, cardiovascular imaging
Research Interest: Cardiovascular epidemiology

Hassan was born and raised in Rasht, Iran. After graduating from medical school, he joined Johns Hopkins’ Ciccarone center for a research fellowship, followed by an internal medicine residency in Yale. His clinical and research interests include population health, risk prediction, cardiovascular imaging, arrhythmias and data science. Hassan’s hobbies include soccer, Olympic wrestling and literature.
Hassan Mirbolouk

Mohammad R. Ostovaneh, M.D.

Hometown: Salmas, Iran
Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Clinical Interest: Advanced cardiac imaging, prevention and electrophysiology
Research Interest: Cardiac imaging, clinical trials, machine learning and its utility in clinical trials

Originally from Salmas in northwest Iran, Mo earned both his medical degree and master of public health at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. He then spent two years working on a large clinical trial of fixed-dose combination therapy (polypill) for cardiovascular prevention in rural areas of Iran, which was ultimately published in the Lancet. Later, he joined Dr. Joao Lima’s research lab at Johns Hopkins University and worked on several clinical trials and other epidemiological studies. He was a finalist for the AHA Melvin Judkins Early Career Investigator Award in 2020. Before returning to Johns Hopkins for a clinical cardiology fellowship, Mo completed his internal medicine residency at Pennsylvania State University. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with friends, traveling and watching documentaries.
Mohammad R. Ostovaneh

Anjali Wagle, M.D.

Hometown: Gadsden, Alabama
Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine
Clinical interest: Electrophysiology
Research interest: Procedural skill acquisition in trainees, atrial fibrillation

Anjali grew up in the Southeast, most recently living in Alabama. She attended UAB SOM for medical school and the Johns Hopkins Osler Internal Medicine Program for residency. She plans to pursue a career in electrophysiology. She enjoys hiking with her dog Bella and fiancé Michael!
Anjali Wagle

Year 4

Xuan Ding, M.D., Ph.D. — Chief Fellow

Hometown: Houston, Texas
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh
Clinical Interest: Cardiovascular imaging
Research Interests: Ultrasound imaging, acoustics, technology development
 
Xuan grew up in Houston and attended medical and graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh. He completed residency at Vanderbilt University. His clinical and research interests include cardiovascular imaging, especially with echocardiography, as well as development of novel ultrasound imaging technologies. Outside of medicine, he enjoys cooking and trying out new restaurants.
A photo of Xuan Ding, M.D., Ph.D.

Joseph Goldenberg, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: San Diego, California
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
Clinical Interest: Advanced heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular disease prevention
Research Interests: Myocardial recovery in heart failure, interactions between myocardial and systemic metabolism, obesity and cardiovascular disease, pulmonary hypertension
 
Joseph was born and raised in southern California. He studied biochemistry and cellular biology at the University of California, San Diego, where he developed an interest in metabolism. This led him to focus on myocardial fatty acid metabolism in heart failure for his graduate doctoral thesis during medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He continued his medical training at the University of Chicago internal medicine residency program, where he cultivated his passion for cardiovascular disease. He continued heart failure research and studied the occurrence of myocardial recovery after LVAD implantation. He plans to focus on understanding the connections between systemic and cardiac metabolism to achieve myocardial recovery and improve heart failure outcomes.
cardiology fellowship johns hopkins - image of Joseph Goldenberg

Mariam Meddeb, M.D., M.S.

Hometown: Tunis, Tunisia; Strasborug, France
Medical School: University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
Clinical Interest: Cardiac critical care, heart failure
Research Interest: Molecular mechanisms of decompensated heart failure, novel therapeutic approaches for the acutely failing heart, gene editing
 
Mariam earned her medical degree and master of science at the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, where she also completed clinical pathology training and cultivated her passion for translational research. Pursuing her interest in becoming a physician scientist, Mariam moved to the United States in 2016, where she completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland, while working on gene-editing approaches. After her general cardiology fellowship, she intends to pursue additional training in cardiac critical care. For her research, she is interested in working on better understanding the molecular mechanisms of the acutely failing heart and proposing novel therapeutic approaches for heart failure.
Mariam Meddeb image

Edwin Yoo, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: Millbrae, California
Medical School: Temple (M.D.), University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D.)
Clinical Interest: HFpEF, pulmonary hypertension, RV failure, preventative cardiology
Research Interest: Cardiovascular pharmacology, biomarkers, proteomics, epigenetics
 
Edwin was born and raised in San Francisco, California, and went on to study biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego, followed by medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia. During a summer research internship at the University of Pennsylvania, Edwin discovered a novel drug target in smooth muscle, which led him to develop a passion for translational research. He completed a Ph.D. in pharmacology at UPenn, where he was awarded an NIH NRSA grant, a patent and several publications on his thesis research. Edwin subsequently completed residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where he confirmed his aspirations to become a physician-scientist in cardiology. Outside of the hospital, Edwin enjoys spending time with his wife and playing the electric guitar.
A photo of Edwin Yoo, M.D., Ph.D.