Featured Physicians

Michael Awad, MD, PhD is a specialist in minimally invasive surgery. He has a particular interest in natural orifice surgery, which he describes as the holy grail of surgery because there are no scars and the recovery is quicker.

St. Louis native, David Balzer, MD, specializes in interventional pediatric cardiology. He is excited about the exponential growth in therapeutic capabilities of the heart catheterization lab in recent years. Procedures that previously required open heart surgery can now be done through small catheters in veins.

Nationally recognized ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist, Edward Barnett, MD, PhD, is a leader in performing trabeculotomy, a new and less invasive surgical treatment for glaucoma.

Susan Bayliss, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of Pediatric Dermatology loves her job. She enjoys spending time with children of all ages. Children are open and honest and she likes the challenge of their individual dermatologic problems.

Dr. Anjali Bhorade is an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. She became interested in medicine while growing up and seeing her family deal with various eye conditions.

Melvin Blanchard, MD, became fascinated by medicine and its power to heal on the day his little sister critically injured her abdomen on a hook at their home in St. Kitts.

Dr. Steven Brandes is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery, the Division of Urologic Surgery. In addition to treating male and female urologic conditions with the full range of medical and surgical options, he is one of the few subspecialists in reconstructive urology in the Midwest.

Gregory Branham, M.D. is the division chief of facial plastic surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology. He specializes in cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty, mini facelifts, traditional facelifts, browlifts and blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery.

Rheumatologist Richard Brasington, MD specializes in the investigation of new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. This allows him to offer his patients treatments that are not yet generally available -- and for some that’s made a huge impact on their quality of life.

Robert Brophy, MD, is a specialist in sports injuries. He says his most important achievement is the gratitude of his patients – that matters more than any plaque on the wall.

Kim Carmichael, MD, FACP, whose specialties include diabetes and endocrinology, enjoys the life-long relationships he develops with his patients. Working with the staff of the Washington University Diabetes Center, he is able to offer care to his patients that includes so much more than just drugs and pills.

Nationally known geriatric specialist, David Carr, MD serves as a consultant and collaborator for Driving Connections – a driving assessment program for older and medically impaired drivers. He enjoys working with older adults and considers geriatrics a care, not a cure field.

Murali Chakinala, MD, is a pulmonary and critical care medicine specialist. He says that in the last decade, one-half of all of the newly approved medical therapies for lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, have been in his area of interest -- pulmonary hypertension.

Dr. Chapman heads up the abdominal transplant service at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and is chief of Washington University Abdominal Transplantation Section. His specialty is liver disease, liver transplantation and has a special interest in image-guided surgery.

Taiwan born, Chien-Huan Chen, MD, PhD specializes in gastroenterology. He believes some of the best advice was given to him by his PhD thesis advisor, who told him to “follow his heart” and not be afraid to take risks.

Roberto Civitelli, MD is the Sydney M. and Stella Schoenberg Professor of Medicine. When he started in the field of bone and mineral health, estrogen was the only therapy available for preventing osteoporosis. He says there are new drugs being developed with the potential to not only stop the breakdown of bones, but actually stimulate bone growth.

Anne Connolly, MD, has a particular interest in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rapidly-worsening form of muscular dystrophy with symptoms that usually appear before age six. She is trained in both pediatric and adult neurology – so she and her patients never have to outgrow each other. Her field has been revolutionized over the last 10-15 years with the understanding of what genes cause which problems in the muscles and nerves.

East coast native, Lynne Anne Cornelius, MD, is chief of the Division of Dermatology. She says people of all ages, particularly young girls and women, do not realize how dangerous tanning beds are – the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently categorized UV-emitting devices such as tanning beds, as Class 1 carcinogens, the same as tobacco and ionizing radiation. If you must have a tan, then get a spray tan.

Neurologist Anne Cross, MD, is the Manny and Rosalyn Rosenthal – Dr. John Trotter MS Chair in Neuroimmunology. She chose multiple sclerosis (MS) as her specialty after several close friends were diagnosed with the disease. She wanted to use her career to add pieces of the puzzle to MS treatment and research.

Philip Custer, MD, a specialist in oculoplastic surgery, says cosmetic surgery is becoming more accepted for all ages of both men and women.

Themistocles Dassopoulos, MD has a special interest in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). He believes that a cure for IBD in our lifetime would be the greatest success.

Thomas De Fer, MD, FACP considers himself terrifically lucky that events came together early in his career which allowed him change his focus from internal medicine to medical education. He gets great enjoyment in helping medical students figure out what’s important to them as they choose their specialties.

Otolaryngologist Nick Debnath, MD, specializes in sinus surgery, sinus disease and allergies. Because he also suffers from allergies and sinus problems, he is better able to appreciate a patient’s symptoms. He enjoys investigating the underlying conditions of his patient’s symptoms and figuring out the best resolution– whether it’s with medications or surgery.

Susan Deusinger, PhD – PT, is a professor of physical therapy and neurology, director of the Program in Physical Therapy and director for On the Move™ -- a physical therapy series with expertise in managing physical activity and exercise needs associated with obesity. Dr. Deusinger says we’re training for life – exercise has to be regular and it has to be forever.

Stephen Duntley, MD, neurologist and director of the Sleep Medicine Center at Washington University, says that the understanding of sleep and the ability to treat sleep disorders is a rapidly evolving field. A person that is completely disabled by sleepiness could have his or her life transformed with the proper treatment.

Christopher Eagon, MD specializes in weight-loss (bariatric) surgery. He says the most interesting phenomenon of weight-loss surgery is the psychological impact on his patients. They lose weight because they physically are not hungry -- giving them improved self-esteem and self control.

Mitchell Faddis, MD, PhD, is head of the section of cardiac electrophysiology. He was drawn to his specialty by the demanding atmosphere of the cardiac intensive care unit and the fact that many cardiac problems are treatable.

Victoria Fraser, MD, a specialist in infectious disease, recalls some of the best career advice she’s received -- to slow down and try not to fix everything immediately. Medicine is a marathon, not a sprint. Many short-term fixes don’t last, you have to be focused on the right fix – and that takes time.

William Gillanders, MD, a specialist in breast and endocrine surgery, believes it is important to have compassionate physicians to care for women with breast cancer. He says that breast cancer research over the last decade has made a great deal of progress towards the development of breast cancer vaccines.

Joel A. Goebel, MD, FACS, FRCS has been named a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for his ongoing work and lectures to specialists in the United Kingdom. He has also been influential to specialists in Thailand, Egypt and Taiwan. Dr. Goebel is an otolaryngologist and director of the Washington University Dizziness and Balance Center.

Dennis Hallahan, MD, FASRO is a nationally known specialist in the field of radiation oncology. His work includes developing new technology and drugs to treat cancer. He finds it very rewarding to be a part of the world-renowned physicians at Washington University.

Mark Halstead, M.D. a sports medicine physician, treats injuries in adolescents, weekend warriors, and professional athletes. He believes in listening to his patients. It puts them at ease and leads to a better diagnosis.

William Hawkins, M.D. is assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, specializing in benign and malignant diseases of the liver, biliary tract, pancreas and stomach. Dr. Hawkins also focuses on the management of soft-tissue sarcomas.

Neurologist R. Edward Hogan specializes in epilepsy. He says inpatient video EEG monitoring is an invaluable tool because it allows observation of the patient during a seizure. This gives added insight from a neurologic perspective and is very helpful when making a diagnosis.

Dr. Hurst, a specialist in dermatologic surgery, uses the latest advances in laser technology to give skin cancer patients a better outcome after their treatment.

As director of the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart and Vascular Center in South County, Sudhir Jain, MD, FACC, treats the full range of cardiac conditions. The convenient location makes it easy for him to serve his patients in the southern Illinois, southern Missouri and south St. Louis County.

Andrew Kates, M.D., cardiologist and long distance runner, believes physical activity is one of the most important ways to reduce the risks of heart disease.

Orthopedic surgeon, Jay Keener, who began his career as a physical therapist, believes rehab after surgery makes all the difference in a patient's recovery.

Pennsylvania native, Jennifer Lawton, MD, FACS, specializes in cardiothoracic surgery. She finds it rewarding to be able to improve someone’s health dramatically as a result of heart surgery. She is also a Barnes-Jewish Hospital “Caring Spirit Award” recipient – given to doctors and staff who show compassion and empathy.

Philadelphia native George Macones, MD, MSCE is the Mitchell and Elaine Yanow Professor and Head of obstetrics and gynecology. He fell in love with his specialty during medical school and now enjoys helping women, who have had a history of difficult pregnancies, optimize their chances for a good pregnancy outcome.

Dr. Mahoney, a specialist in hospital medicine, works in partnership with a patient's primary physician to diagnoses and treat patients who are admitted to hospitals. In good hands, the patient's care is coordinated using all the hospital and medical consultant resources available.

Soe Soe Mar, M.D., pediatric neurologist, finds it very rewarding to see children get better with the correct medicines and lifestyle changes.

Dr. Brent Matthews is an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery. His special interest is minimally invasive surgery of the foregut and solid organs (GI tract, pancreas, gall gladder, liver) and esophageal motility disorders.

Nephrologist Brent Miller, MD, is the medical director of home dialysis for Washington University. One of the reasons he chose his specialty was because both of his grandfathers suffered from kidney failure. The advances in home dialysis offer flexibility to patients and he is trying to make the process just one of life’s annoyances rather than a devastating, life-changing event.

Barbara Monsees, MD, is the Ronald and Hanna Evens Professor of Women’s Health. She says breast cancer screening using mammography has been proven to save lives. Her interests include identifying which women may benefit from additional screening with other modalities, and tailoring those exams to the individual.

Daniel Mullady, MD, specializes in gastroenterology and endoscopy. He believes that spending extra time with his patients to talk about their diagnosis will have a positive impact on their journey into battling cancer. He tries to put himself in their place – in the hospital bed instead of standing next to it.

Dr. David Mutch heads a team of five gynecologic oncologists and a number of dedicated support staff who work everyday to help women overcome and survive gynecologic cancer.

South Dakota native Matthew Mutch, M.D. never thought of choosing anything other than surgery as a career. Now he is part of the team of colorectal surgeons at Washington University and finds his high expectations met.

Terry Myckatyn, MD, approaches new innovations in his field of plastic and reconstructive surgery with excitement and caution. He balances the best interests of his patients with the latest developments that are available in the market.

Anjali Pathak, MD, believes that the eyes are the window to the general health of the body. She feels the most interesting aspect of her practice is knowing when she’s impacted a patient’s life by improving their vision.

Dr. Piccirillo is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, with a wealth of experience in all phases of ear, nose and throat conditions. In his spare time he is a chef, at home.

Neurologist, Brad Racette, MD, says genetic research is giving us a better understanding of Parkinson’s disease. He believes the next important advance in the management of people with Parkinson’s disease will be medicines aimed at slowing its progression.

Craig K. Reiss, M.D., is nationally recognized as a gifted cardiologist and teacher. He sees the use of less invasive methods of diagnosing and treating heart disease as some of the most exciting developments in the field of cardiology.

K. Daniel Riew, M.D. the Mildred B. Simon Professor or Orthopaedic Surgery, chief of the Cervical Spine Center and director of the Cervical Spine Institute finds balance between work and family.

New York native Daniel Rosenbluth, MD, is a well-respected expert in pulmonary medicine and is a specialist in adult cystic fibrosis (CF). He says it’s an exciting time for CF drug development, and recent discoveries will change the way treatment is approached through medications.

Eugene Rubin, MD, PhD is a professor in the department of psychiatry. He is co-author of “Demystifying Psychiatry, A Resource for Patients and Families” – a book written to help the reader understand practical issues about psychiatry and psychiatric care, as well as how to navigate today’s psychiatric system.

The best advice dermatologist David Sheinbein, M.D. received was that life is short and you don't know what will happen from day to day. With that in mind, he finds time to balance both his work and his family.

Barry Siegel, M.D. is professor of radiology and chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine (Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology). Dr. Siegel is a pioneer in the development of the PET scan-positron emission tomography. His clinical expertise includes nuclear medicine, radionuclide imaging and radiodine treatment.

Carla Siegfried, MD, is a glaucoma specialist who has a passion for her patients and sees ophthalmology as her calling. She is one of two doctors in the area who are skilled in performing ab interno trabeculotomy with the Trabectome™– a new and less invasive surgical treatment for glaucoma.

Steven Strasberg, MD, is the Pruett Professor of Surgery; he is known throughout the world as a specialist in hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery. Influenced by his family’s doctor, who made house calls, he can’t remember ever wanting to be anything else but a physician.

As the EMS Section Chief for the division of Washington University Emergency Medicine, Dr. Tan works with ambulance crews and firefighters out in the field, even going on calls with them. He stresses the importance of having direct medical oversight for emergency workers – it greatly improves patient care.

Premal Thaker, MD, MS is a specialist in the field of gynecologic oncology. She enjoys the long-term relationships she develops in her specialty, and finds it particularly rewarding because she feels her patients give more to her than she gives back to them.

Dr. Wade Thorstad combines knowledge with his passion for helping his patients in working as a radiation oncologist. He is a specialist in the radiologic treatment of cancers of the head, neck and thorax.

Originally from New York, Dr. Valente is now a converted Midwesterner. His specialty is adult audiology and helping patients overcome hearing loss through hearing aid technology. The loves of his life are his wife and two daughters.

Gregory Van Stavern, MD is a neuro-ophthalmologist who specializes in diseases that affect the visual system. He enjoys merging the different aspects of ophthalmology with neurology to help diagnose and treat his patients.

Suresh Vedantham M.D. is a professor in the department of radiology. He specializes in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins. Dr. Vendantham believes the best advice he has received was "to look beyond my own subspecialty and focus on how I can use my abilities to improve patient care in a collaborative fashion".

Brad Warner, MD, is the Jessie L. Temberg, MD, PhD Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery and chief surgeon for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. As a pediatric surgeon, he specializes in short bowel syndrome. He chose a career in medicine over music as the result of a phone call to his dad when he was in high school.

Jason Wellen, MD, specializes in transplant surgery, specifically kidney and pancreas. He says the teamwork involved in making just one transplant happen was one of the factors that attracted him to his specialty. It’s an unbelievable coordination of resources that come together to achieve one goal.

As a specialist in geriatric medicine, Consuelo Hopkins Wilkins, MD, MSci, enjoys getting to know her patients and spending one-on-one time with them. Dr. Wilkins believes we have to change society’s mindset that poor health comes with growing older-- we can still be healthy, no matter what our age.

Neill M. Wright, M.D. is the H. Lourie Professor of Neurological Surgery. He has pioneered new techniques in minimally invasive neurological and spine surgery.

Rick W. Wright, MD, team physician for the St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Blues, has a special interest in ACL revision reconstruction.

Neurosurgeon and Red Bud, Illinois native, Gregory Zipfel, MD, says Washington University is one of the leaders in the field for using the new, less invasive, endoscopic approaches to remove pituitary tumors and other tumors of the skull base.