Fellows

First Year Fellows

Image of Martina Chirra.

Martina Chirra, MD

Education: Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' Facoltà di Farmacia e Medicina

Residency: University of Cincinnati

Image of Sudhamsh Desai.

Sudhamsh Desai, MD

Education: Christian Medical College

Residency: Albert Einstein

Image of Rachel DiLeo.

Rachel DiLeo, DO

Education: LECOM, Seton Hill

Residency: Allegheny Health Network (AHN)

Image of Arslan Irfan.

Arslan Irfan, MD

Education: King Edward Medical College

Residency: UPMC

Image of Zhexi Lu.

Zhexi “Jersey” Lu, MD

Education: Penn State University College of Medicine

Residency: UPMC (Women’s Health Track)

Chris Marino, MD

Chris Marino, MD

2025-2026 Palliative Care Fellow

Education: The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

Residency: UPMC

Image of Salamatu Momoh.

Salamatu “Sally” Momoh, MD

ASH Fellow

Education: West Virginia University School of Medicine

Residency: Vanderbilt

Image of Chadane Thompson.

Chadane Thompson, MD

Education: The University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences

Residency: Hackensack University Medical Center

Second Year Fellows

Image of Aya Agha.

Aya Agha, MD

Barbara Westerberg Leukemia Fellow

Education: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Residency: Oregon Health and Science University

Prior Fellowship: Penn State, Hematology Oncology

Sean Doerfler, MD

Sean Doerfler, MD

2024-2025 Palliative Care Fellow

Education: University of Pittsburgh

Residency: Duke

John Flickinger, Jr, MD, PhD

John Flickinger, Jr, MD, PhD

Education: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Residency: UPMC (Research Pathway)

Allison Gradone, MD

Allison “Ali” Gradone, MD

Education: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Residency: University of Michigan

Padma, Katikaneni, MD

Padma, Katikaneni, MD

Education: MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences

Residency: UPMC

Ishara Lareef, MD

Ishara Lareef, MD

Education: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Residency: Temple

Mariah Ondeck, MD

Mariah Ondeck, MD

Education: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Residency: Cleveland Clinic

Third Year Fellows

Anumita “Anu” Chakraborty, MD, MS

Anumita “Anu” Chakraborty, MD

Education: MD – State University of New York Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine

Residency: Temple

Research Interests: Cancer Disparities, Real-world Outcomes, and Health Systems

Nosakhare “Nosa” Ilerhunmwuwa, MBBS, MSc

Nosakhare “Nosa” Ilerhunmwuwa, MD, MSc

Education: MD – University of Benin, Nigeria

Residency: Brookdale

Research Interests: Melanoma, Tumor Immunology, Opioid Signaling in Cancer, Immunotherapy Resistance, and Cancer Outcomes

Yu Jen “Alex” Jan, MD

Yu Jen “Alex” Jan, MD

Education: MD – National Taiwan University College of Medicine

Residency: Mount Auburn

Research Interests: GI malignancy, GU Malignancy, and Circulating Biomarker

Randolph “Randy” Lyde, MD, PhD

Randolph “Randy” Lyde, MD, PhD

Chief Fellow

Education: MD – Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, PhD – University of Pennsylvania

Residency: UPMC

Research Interests: Malignant Hematology and Clinical Trials

Ryan Sweeney, MD

Ryan Sweeney, MD

Chief Fellow

Education: MD – Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine

Residency: Allegheny Health Network (AHN)

Research Interests: GI Cancers, Immunotherapy

Victor Zibara, MD

Victor Zibara, MD

ASH Fellow

Education: MD – LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine Lebanon

Residency: Mt. Sinai West

Research Interests: Hemostasis/rare Bleeding Disorders and Women’s Health