Hematology & Medical Oncology Fellowship

Nakhle Saba, MD

PGYIV

Dr. Saba received his Bachelor of Experimental Science from orthodox National School in 1998.  In 2005, Dr. Saba earned his MD degree from Lebanese University Faculty of Medical Sciences.  Dr. Saba completed two years of his Internal Medicine Residency at East Tennessee State University and the 3rd Year as a Research Fellow at Tulane University School of Medicine.  Dr. Saba will be completing his research fellowship in January 2010, at which time, he will continue as a clinical fellow for the duration of his fellowship. 

Publications:

• Saba NS, Kosseifi SG, Charaf EA, Hammad AN. Adalimumab-induced acute myelogenic leukemia. South Med J. 2008 Dec;101(12):1261-2, published.
  
  
• Saba NS, Hammad A, Salman H, Campbell S, Krishnan K.  Vitamin E Isoforms inhibit Cell Proliferation and Downregulate Homeobox Protein Expression in the Leukemic KG-1 Cells. Blood 2007 Nov; 110(11):Abstract #4304, published.
  
  
• Saba NS, Huda Salman, Hammad Ahmad, Chuan Xing Ho, Koyamangalath Krishnan and Sharon Campbell.  Vitamin E modulates homeobox expression resulting in growth inhibition and differentiation in human leukemia cells, in preparation.

Cherian Verghese, MD

PGYIV

Dr. Verghese earned his MD degree from the University of Kerala in 1996.  In 1998, Dr. Verghese joined the faculty of Touro College School of Health Sciences in the Division of Anatomy & Cell Biology as an Assistant Professor.  In 2004, Dr. Verghese completed his Internal Medicine Residency training at Long Island College Hospital.  After completion of his Residency in 2004, Dr. Verghese joined the faculty of Tulane University School of Medicine as a Hospitalist at Huey P. Long Medical Center in Alexandria, Louisiana.  In January 2009, Dr. Verghese began his Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine where he is currently a 1st Year Fellow.  In addition, Dr. Verghese is currently pursuing a MPH in International Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.  In 1993, he was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship Grant from the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research of the Government of India.  His professional interests relate to malignant hematology.  His research interest is in the monitoring of minimal residual disease in leukemias.

Publications:

Verghese C, Boulmay B. Acute Myeloid Leukemia- Current concepts in treatment and molecular/cytogenetic prognostication. In Progress.  

• Verghese C, Mageed A.  Potential for NF-kB activity as a marker of metastatic potential in Prostate Cancer. Completed  

• Verghese C, Blaya M.  Prognostic value of newer molecular tumor markers in Colorectal cancer. Submitted 2009.  

• Guzman E, Khan IA, Verghese C, Cohen R. Left Bundle Branch Block in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A sign of Advanced Cardiovascular Involvement. Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology 2004; 9(4):362-365.  

• Srivastava M, Verghese C, Sepkowitz D.  Acute Reversible Heart Failure with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. Am J Therapeutics 2004; (11):323-325.

Ying Zhuo, MD

PGYIV

Dr. Zhuo received a Master of Science degree in Tumor Molecular Biology from Hunan Medical University in 1997.  In 1994, Dr. Zhuo earned her MD in Clinical Medicine degree also from Hunan Medical University.  In 2004, Dr. Zhuo joined Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary Diseases as a laboratory director and research instructor.  In 2009, Dr. Zhuo completed her Internal Medicine Residency training at Tulane University School of Medicine.  In July 2009, Dr. Zhuo began her Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine where she is currently a 1st Year Fellow.

Publications:

• Shan B, Yao TP, Nguyen HT, Zhuo Y, Levy DR, Klingsberg RC, Tao H, Palmer ML, Holder KN, Lasky JA. Requirement of HDAC6 for transforming growth factor-beta1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Biol Chem 2008; 283(30):21065-73.  

• Shan B, Morris CA, Zhuo Y, Shelby BD, Levy DR, Lasky JA.  Activation of proMMP-2 and Src by HHV8 vGPCR in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells.  J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2007; 42(3):517-25.  

• Shan B, Yao TP, Zhuo Y, Nguyen HT, Klingsberg RC, Lasky JA, “Regulation of Histone Deacetylase 6 by TGF b in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition”, Aspen Lung Conference, Aspen, CO, Jun 2007.

• Klingsberg RC, Lasky JA, Flemington E, Nguyen HT, Zhuo Y, Holder K, Shan B, “Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 induces epithelial-mesechymal transition by acting synergistically with transforming growth factor-1 in human lung epithelial cells”, American Thoracic Society Meeting, San Francisco, CA, May 2007.

Brian Lewis, MD

PGYV

Dr. Lewis received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, with a minor in Chemistry from George Mason University in 1997.  In 2000, Dr. Lewis earned his MD degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and a MPH in Epidemiology from Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine.  In 2008, Dr. Lewis completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Tulane University School of Medicine.  In July 2008, Dr. Lewis began his Hematology/Oncology Fellowship where he is currently a 2nd Year Fellow.

Publications:

• Boulmay BC, Fitzgerald R, Lewis B, Lopez FA. A32-Year-Old Woman With Chest Pain, Hematemesis, and Thrombocytopenia.  Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society.  May/June 2009; 161:130-135.

• Sokol T, Lewis B, Straif-Bourgeois S, Talati G, Ratard R.  Hepatitis C in Louisiana.  Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society March/April 2005; 157(2):98-102.  

• Reynolds K, Lewis B, Nolen J D, Kinney G L, Sathya B, He J. Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Stroke: A Meta-analysis.  JAMA 2003; 289(5):579-588.

Ashish Udhrain, MD
PGYV

Dr. Ashish Udhrain graduated from University of Arizona with a Bachelor's degree in Biology.  In 2004, he earned his MD degree from Ross University School of Medicine and graduated with honors.  In 2007, Dr. Udhrain completed his internal medicine residency.  Dr. Udhrain completed an additional year as chief medical resident in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Arizona in 2008.  In July 2008, Dr. Udhrain began his Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine where he is currently a 2nd Year Fellow.  Dr. Udhrain has published a review on Kaposi's sarcoma.  Dr. Udhrain is interested in solid tumors, especially lung, breast and GI.  Dr. Udhrain is currently in the process of developing a phase II study on limited stage small cell lung cancer.  He is also currently writing a case report and literature review on malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.

Publications:

• Udhrain A, Skubitz KM, Northfelt DW.  “Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in the treatment of AIDS–related Kaposi’s sarcoma.”  International Journal of Nanomedicine 2007; 2(3):345-352

Chancellor Donald, MD

PGYVI

Dr. Donald received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in 1998 where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.  In 2003, he earned his MD degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine.  In 2006, Dr. Donald completed his Internal Medicine Residency training at Tulane University School of Medicine.  Dr. Donald completed an additional year as chief  resident in Internal Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine in 2007.  In July 2007, Dr. Donald began his Hematology/Oncology fellowship where he is currently a 3rd Year Fellow.

Publications:

• Perez CA, Donald CE, Raez, Santos ES. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Pathway as Therapeutic Development in Head and Neck Cancers: Present and Future. Oncology Reviews. 2009 Sept;3(3):137-48.

• Donald CE, Kahn MJ. Successful Treatment of Hypereosinophilic Syndrome with Cyclosporine. American Journal of the Medical Sciences 2009 Jan; 337(1):65-6.  

• Santos ES, Perez C, Donald CE, Raez LE. Targeting Important Pathways in Head and Neck Cancer: From the Bench to the Clinic. Expert Review Anticancer Therapy 2008 Nov; 8(11):1819-35.