Education

2016 JJM Medical College, India
2020 University of Pittsburgh Medical Center McKeesport, PA, Residency
2022 Chief Resident

Bio

Tissa grew up in Bangalore, India, and completed her medical education in South India. After completing her intern year, she moved to Pittsburgh for her internal medicine residency at UPMC McKeesport.

Tissa had a keen interest in rheumatology right from her medical school days. She is actively engaged in myositis research projects at UPMC. During her residency, Tissa has been involved in quality improvement projects focused on gout and osteoporosis, showcasing her dedication to enhancing patient care and outcomes. She was also the chief resident at her residency program.

She is excited to remain in Pittsburgh and continue her training at UPMC. Her interests include MSK ultrasound, medical education and general rheumatology. When she is not working, she enjoys biking, travelling and spending time with her family.

Education

2018: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, MD
2022: Geisinger Medical Center – Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency

Bio

Alex was born and raised in Pittsburgh and attended the University of Pittsburgh for her undergraduate education where she developed an interest in human development while participating in research on embryogenesis. During medical school this flourished into the study of human growth and developmental stages throughout life leading to completion of a combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency.

During residency she had the opportunity to work with a combined adult and pediatric rheumatologist who inspired her interest in chronic autoimmune diseases and their progression over time as well as differences in disease manifestations between childhood and adult onset rheumatologic conditions. She had the opportunity to serve as a chief resident which also allowed her to develop an interest in undergraduate and graduate medical education.

She is excited to return back to her hometown to pursue training at UPMC in a combined adult and pediatric rheumatology fellowship while working with renowned experts in the world of rheumatology. Her professional interests include adults with pediatric onset rheumatologic conditions, quality improvement in transitions of care, and medical education. She hopes to pursue a future career in academic medicine and medical education.

Outside of work she enjoys playing tennis, swimming, traveling, playing video games, having board game nights, and spending time with family and friends.

Bio

Mehmet was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkiye. He attended Istanbul University School of Medicine where he developed an interest in immunology and worked as a research assistant in Dr. Saruhan-Direskeneli`s lab studying B and T cell co-stimulation pathways in myasthenia gravis.

After graduation, he further trained as a research fellow at Mayo Clinic under mentorship of Dr. Duarte-Garcia and Dr. Crowson. His research focused on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported lupus national registry called Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN) studying the incidence, prevalence, healthcare utilization and comorbidities of lupus spectrum disorders.

Subsequently, he continued his clinical training in internal medicine at the University of Maryland where he continued his research training under the mentorship of Dr. Hong studying genetic epidemiology of rheumatic conditions in biobanks across the globe such as UK Biobank and Finngen.

His research work has been published in high impact journals including Arthritis & Rheumatology, Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, Autoimmunity Reviews and Mayo Clinic Proceedings. He has received Medical Resident Research Award and Resident Research Preceptorship from Rheumatology Research Foundation.

Outside of medicine, Mehmet is interested in international travel, reading and hiking.

Education

2018 – Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, India; MBBS
2023 – MedStar Georgetown University – Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Internal Medicine Residency

Bio

Namitha was born in Thiruvananthapuram, India. Since childhood, she has been a globetrotter and has already lived in five different continents. After obtaining her medical degree from Kasturba Medical College, India, she moved to the US and completed her residency in Internal Medicine from MedStar Georgetown University Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC.

While in medical school, she was intrigued by the diversity of autoimmune diseases and she continued to gain exposure in rheumatology during residency through clinical rotations and research. Namitha is greatly looking forward to train at UPMC and learning the science and art of rheumatology by working with leading professionals in the field. She is interested in academic medicine and hopes to pursue a career in it after completing fellowship.

Outside of work, she likes to sing and dance and enjoys travelling with her husband. She also indulges in cooking traditional recipes from various parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Education

2008 University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, Sri Lanka, MD
2018 University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO, Residency

Bio

Suguni was born in Minsk, Belarus to Sri Lankan physician parents and was raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka. While in medical school in Colombo, she developed an interest in public health which led her to contribute to a case study on eliminating Malaria in her home country of Sri Lanka.

After completing her intern year in Sri Lanka, she moved to the US to start her residency at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. During residency, she developed an interest in the field of Rheumatology especially pertaining to patients with obesity. Suguni used this interest, along with her previous drive towards public health, to put together several research and QI projects. These projects encompassed vaccinations in rheumatologic patients as well as the impact of bariatric surgery on rheumatological conditions.

Suguni is greatly looking forward to train at UPMC and working with leading professionals in the field of rheumatology. Her interests include rheumatologic care of the obese, public health initiatives, quality improvement and empowering the roles of women in medicine. Outside of work, she enjoys watching soccer, listening to music, and travelling with her husband.

Education

2018 – Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, MD
2021 – Loyola University Chicago Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency

Bio

Magdalena was born in Wroclaw, Poland and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She completed her Bachelors in Biology and Masters in Medical Science at Loyola University Chicago. She continued on to her medical training at Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine where she stayed for her Internal Medicine Residency, and became the Chief Resident of Research.

Although she will miss the Windy City she is excited to continue her search for the best pierogi in Steel City. When she’s not working she enjoys cooking, testing her cocktail recipes on friends and family, and traveling.

Education

2013- Fatima Memorial Hospital College of Medicine and Dentistry- MD
2019- Yale New Haven Health- Bridgeport Hospital – Residency

Bio

Mehreen grew up in Brooklyn, New York before moving to Pakistan, where she attended medical school at FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry. She returned to the US to complete her Internal Medicine residency at Yale New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital. Mehreen is motivated to help those with rheumatological diseases through understanding the immunological mechanisms that cause them.

To pursue this goal after residency, she completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. Deepak Rao. Her research focused on identifying biomarkers of treatment response by using high-dimensional mass cytometry to define the changes in circulating immune cells in patients with systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. During her time as a post-doctoral fellow, she obtained a clinical research certificate through the Harvard Medical School Catalyst Program. As Mehreen pursued her academic activities, she continued to work as a hospitalist to gain more clinical experience.

She is excited to train at UPMC. Outside of work, Mehreen enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Education

2012 Wake Forest University School of Medicine, MD
2017 Indiana University School of Medicine, Residency

Bio

Shashank spent many of his formative years in North Carolina. He completed his undergraduate studies at Davidson College before moving on to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His interest in Rheumatology began late in residency when he happened to switch into a rotation in the specialty, and he instantly felt at home.

Since graduating from residency, Shashank has been working in private practice as a primary care internist, while working on research in scleroderma and myositis under the strong mentorship of UPMC Rheumatology faculty.

Outside of medicine, Shashank enjoys cooking, eating, and listening to the classical music of India. He encourages everyone to friend him on Peloton: his profile is ANA1240.