Speaker Biographies
Emil Abdulhayoglu, M.D.
Dr. Abdulhayoglu graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine, received his internal medicine training at the University of Pittsburgh and completed his renal fellowship at The University of Michigan. In addition to his boards in Internal medicine and Nephrology, he is board certified for Hemodialysis Vascular Access and is a member of the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology. Additionally, he has a Masters degree in Business Administration.
Charles Crumb , MD
Charles K. Crumb MD received his medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He completed an Internal Medicine residency from Wayne County General Hospital, Eloise, Michigan and a Fellowship in Nephrology from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology.
Appointments include past Chief of Staff , Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest, Chief Renal Services (27 years) Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest, past teaching faculty University of Arkansas School of Medicine, past faculty Baylor College of Medicine as well as Chief Renal Services Ben Taub General Hospital, and current teaching staff University of Texas Medical Branch, Houston, Texas.
Awards include being elected Doctor of the Year 1999, Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest, and named a Top Doctor in Nephrology (Houston) for 2004, 2006, and 2007.
George Dolson, M.D.
Dr. Dolson is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and being in practice for over 30 years. He attended medical school at St Louis University, Mo., and graduated in 1979. In 1980, he completed his internship at Herman Hospital, Houston, Texas, where he also completed his residency. He completed his Fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1986.
Kim Dunn, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Dunn received an MD and PhD in 1990 from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She completed residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas including selection as the Chief Medical Resident. In 1995 she was recruited by UTMB as Vice Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine where she established new program for Correctional Healthcare Management for Internal Medicine Services, initially for inpatient services for 150,000 inmates with primary care services provided at over 100 prison units across Texas in a managed care contract for inpatient and specialty services. She provided physician leadership to organize the telemedicine program in the Texas Prison System by developing training, outcomes, technology assessment tools. She also lead the Correctional Outcomes Research and Management Program. In 1998 she began commercializing telemedicine and distributed healthcare in collaboration with the School of Health Information Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston where she is an Assistant Professor and served as the Associate Dean from 2003-2006.
Your Doctor Program, L.P. was founded in 2003 after her father became ill in 2001. During that time, it was apparent how broken the healthcare system was, resulting in avoidable medical errors and the need for physician intervention to achieve even the simplest of communication for a patient. Her father, who had been a leader in using accountability practices in the petrochemical industry in the 1970’s and 1980’s, worked with her to develop a system that would assure access, provide a culture of accountability for patient outcomes, and improve communication among a network of practitioners for a patient. It built on many of the lessons that Dr. Dunn had learned while transforming Internal Medicine Services in the Texas Prison System in the 1990’s. In 2008, Dr. Dunn established the HealthQuilt Project, www.healthquilt.org at UT-SHIS to use the medical home model and the YDP physician management and telemedicine program as a mechanism for establishing a sustainable health information exchange.
Whitson B. Etheridge, M.D.
In 1980, Dr. Etheridge joined Renal Specialists as the second physician to become a member of the practice. A graduate of Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Etheridge became board-certified in Internal Medicine in 1981 and Nephrology in 1982.
John Foringer, MD
John Foringer, MD is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a specialty in internal medicine and Nephrology. He graduated from University of Texas Medical Branch in 1996 and completed his internship in 1997. He became a fellow in 2000. He has practiced for over 13 years in the Houston area.
A. Osama Gaber, M.D.
Dr. Gaber is the Director of Transplantation and Vice Chair for Administration and Faculty Affairs in the Department of Surgery in The Methodist Hospital Physician Organization in Houston, TX. Before joining The Methodist Hospital Physician Organization in May, 2007, he was a Professor in the Department of Surgery and Director of the Transplant Division at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, and is still currently a Professor in the College of Nursing and Pharmacy of the University of Tennessee in Memphis. He also held the Chair of Excellence in Transplantation for the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation. He received his medical degree from the Ainshams University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt and completed an internship and residency in general and pediatric surgery at Ainshams University Hospital. He also completed a residency in general surgery at Boston University Medical Center and clinical and research transplant fellowships at the University of Chicago in Illinois.
Dr. Gaber has had a long career in transplantation research including being the Principal Investigator of several NIH-funded research projects, including the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes by Gene Therapy Approaches. Dr. Gaber has extensive clinical experience in managing and designing immune suppression protocols. He has also led several multicenter clinical studies, phases II-IV. Dr. Gaber was also a Councilor at Large for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He serves on the editorial boards of Transplantation, Cancer Molecular Biology, and Graft. Dr. Gaber is a two-time recipient of the Gift of Life Award by the National Kidney Foundation West Tennessee Chapter and the recipient of the 2002 Memphis Business Journal Health Care Physician Hero Award. Dr. Gaber has authored or co-authored more than 200 journal articles, 13 book chapters, and almost 300 abstracts that have been presented and/or published. He is an invited lecturer and presenter at numerous US and international meetings.
Personal History : Dr. Gaber is married to one of the country's leading transplant pathologists, Dr. Lillian W. Gaber, and the father of 5 (Sherief, Nadia, Nora, Yousef and Lilah). Since the untimely passing of their 2nd daughter Nora, Drs. Osama and Lillian Gaber have founded an organization dedicated to their daughter's memory called "Nora's Life Gift Foundation". The Foundation's projects included operating Nora's Home. Nora's Home is a hospitality home similar to Ronald McDonald's House, specializing in care for transplant patients and their families. Drs. Osama and Lillian Gaber are currently in the process of building a second Nora's Home in Houston that will provide care for transplant patients and their families.
Dr. Richard J. Knight, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Richard Knight’s primary focus is Pancreas & Kidney Transplantation. Dr. Knight earned his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine and completed postgraduate training and residency in General Surgery and Surgical Transplantation Laboratory at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He completed a clinical fellowship in Immunology and Organ Transplantation at The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas as well as a clinical fellowship in Pancreas Transplantation at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He currently serves as Director of Pancreas Transplantation in The Transplant Center of Excellence at The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Robert Leggington, MD
Dr. Leggington has practiced medicine at University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, where he was also a Nephrology Fellow, and is currently employed.
William Mitch, M.D.
Dr. Mitch graduated from Harvard Medical School and was an intern and resident at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He received fellowship training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and at the National Institutes of Health. He has served on the faculty of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Emory University School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine. He has always been interested in the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease and especially approaches to improve the nutritional status of these patients. Dr. Mitch has received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Heart Association, the Robert H. Herman Award from the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, The National Torchbearer Award from the American Kidney Fund, the David Hume Award from the National Kidney Foundation and the Thomas Addis Award from the International Society of Nutrition and Metabolism in Kidney Disease. He has served as the Treasurer of the International Society of Nephrology and as President of the American Society of Nephrology. Currently, Dr. Mitch serves on the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. His research is funded by the NIH with a MERIT Award and is Director of the Nephrology Division of Baylor College of Medicine.
Donald A. Molony, M.D.
Donald A. Molony, M.D. is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, in the Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, and Professor of Medical Subspecialties at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In addition, he serves as Director for Problem Based Learning and Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine. He has also served as Associate Professor of Toxicology at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Associate Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology at UT-Houston.
George Nassar, M.D.
Dr. George Nassar, obtained his M.D. from the American University of Beirut in 1988. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1992 and his fellowship in Nephrology in 1995 from Emory University, Atlanta, GA. He has served as Assistant Professor at Medical College of Virginia and McGuire Veterans Affairs Hospital, Richmond, VA, and Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX. Currently he serves as Clinical Associate at Weill-Cornell University, Professor at The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, and Medical Director at Dialysis Access Management Centers, Houston, TX. Dr. Nassar’s bibliography relevant to Interventional Nephrology is quite extensive and his past itinerary of Clinical Lectures and Grand Rounds related to Dialysis Access Procedures include a worldwide list of cities and medical professional audiences.
Dr. Eric K. Peden
Dr. Eric K. Peden, received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas in 1993. He completed his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a subsequent vascular surgery fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Peden also went on to do an additional Endovascular Fellowship at Texas Tech in Houston.
In July 1999, Dr. Peden accepted a position as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. In 2004, Dr. Peden accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine. In May 2007, Dr. Peden accepted a position of Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center and subsequently named Chief of Vascular Surgery in 2008.
As both a surgeon and clinical instructor, Dr. Peden has received multiple awards including the A.O.R.N. Distinguished Surgeon Award in 2008 and Attending Teaching Award (Vascular Surgery Fellows). Prior to joining Methodist as an Assistant Professor in 2006, Dr. Peden was an Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. In 2008 he was appointed Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, The Methodist Hospital Houston, Texas.
Dr. Peden's clinical expertise is in limb salvage, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Dialysis Access, Aortic Disease Management, Aneurysms, Varicose Vein Treatment, and Visceral Revascularization. Dr. Peden also focuses time and attention to research in various areas including Dialysis Access, Arterial Occlusive and Aneurismal Disease Advancement, and Advanced Venous Disease.
James L. Phillips, M.D.
Dr. James L. Phillips is Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Pediatrics Clinical Service Area Pediatrics and Contagious Diseases. His specialty is Pediatrics. He is Board Certified by The American Board of Pediatrics. He attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland OH and completed his residency in Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Fellowships include a teaching fellow in Pediatrics.
Jeff Ross, D.P.M., M.D., F.A.C.F.A.S.
Among other things, Jeff is Associate Clinical Professor, Baylor College of Medicine; Chief, Diabetic Foot Clinic, Ben Taub County Hospital; Fellow, American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons; Diplomate, American Board of Podiatric Surgery; Fellow, American College Sports Medicine; Fellow and Past President, American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine; Associate Chief of Foot Service, St. Luke’s Hospital; Co-Chair of Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness; member of Houston Mayor’s Wellness Council; Vice-Chair, Texas Department of State Health Services Council; and member of Practicing Physicians Advisory Council to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.F.P.
Dr. Eduardo Sanchez serves as a vice president and the chief medical officer of BCBSTX. Dr. Sanchez previously served as director of the Institute for Health Policy, School of Public Health, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He is a former Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) and the Texas Department of Health (TDH).
As TDSHS Commissioner from 2004 to 2006, Dr. Sanchez oversaw the operations of the 11,500 -employee state agency responsible for public health, mental health, and substance abuse - including Texas ’health and medical responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As TDH commissioner from 2001 to 2004, Dr. Sanchez oversaw the development of the agency’s bioterrorism preparedness capacity following September 11, 2001, and the anthrax scare, directed the agency’s efforts to heighten awareness about overweight and obesity issues in Texas, and led the formation of the TDSHS from four agencies.
Dr. Sanchez, who has been a member of BCBSTX's Affiliate Board and the Caring for Children Foundation of Texas Board, has received numerous honors from many health-related organizations such as the Texas Health Institute, American Heart Association, and American Academy of Family Physicians. Currently, he is chair of the National Commission on Prevention Priorities, chair of the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and a member of numerous organizations including the Texas Medical Association, the Texas and American Academies of Family Physicians, and the Texas and American Public Health Associations.
Dr. Sanchez, a graduate of UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, holds master’s degrees in public health from The University of Texas School of Public Health and in biomedical engineering from Duke University. He graduated from Boston University with bachelor ’s degrees in biomedical engineering and chemistry.
Anil U. Sheth, M.D.
Anil Sheth is a nephrologist who has been practicing in the West Houston area for the past 27 years. He is currently the senior partner of Houston Nephrology Group, consisting of six nephrologists. Dr. Sheth received his basic medical degree MBBS (MD equivalent) and MD (Internal Medicine Board equivalent) from Bombay University, India. Upon arriving to USA, he completed residency in Internal Medicine in New York, NY and later moved to Houston for a fellowship in Nephrology at the Baylor College of Medicine. He is board certified both in Internal Medicine and Nephrology.
He is currently serving as section chief of Nephrology and peer review board member at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital. From January 2003 to December 2004 he served as the chief of the department of Internal Medicine at the same institution. His other appointments include medical directorship of the Memorial, Katy and Cyfair Davita dialysis centers. Additionally he was a member of Davita Physician's council during the year of 2004.
Dr. Sheth has been involved in clinical research for Nabi (Staphvax and Phoslo), Amgen (Cinacalcet) and Abbott (SEEK study) and has been invited to give presentations by various pharmaceutical companies such as Amgen, Abbott, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is board certified both in Internal Medicine and Nephrology.
Wadi N. Suki, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Born in Khartoum, Sudan, of Lebanese parents Dr. Suki received his elementary education in the Sudan and subsequently went to Lebanon for his high school, university and medical studies. Graduating from the American University of Beirut School of Medicine, he received his post-doctoral training in Internal Medicine and in Hypertension and Nephrology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. After serving for 3 years on the faculty of Southwestern Medical School, he was recruited in 1968 to head the Renal Section of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, where he was until July 31, 2000, a Professor of Medicine and of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.
Dr. Suki has served as a consultant to, or member of the Board of Directors of, a number of governmental agencies, voluntary health organizations and professional organizations. He also has served, or continues to serve, on the Editorial Boards of a number of scientific journals. Widely published, Dr. Suki has written over 200 scientific publications dealing with many aspects of renal physiology and disease including hypertension and diabetes. His research had been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He has been listed in Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, The National Register of Prominent Americans and International Notables, The Best Doctors in the U.S., The Best Doctors in America, The Best in Houston, America's Top Doctors and Guide to Top Doctors. His contributions have been recognized by such awards as the President's Medal of the American Society of Nephrology in 1991, The David M. Hume Award of the National Kidney Foundation in 1994, and President of the American Society of Nephrology, 1997-1998. Dr. Suki is presently in practice with Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Associates, and carries the title of Clinical Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
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