July, 2012 Incoming GI Fellows – Welcome and Introduction
Koushik Das, M.D., GI Fellow
Born in New York, Koushik remained there for his undergraduate studies at Columbia University, with a double major in
Economics & Biological Sciences. Koushik attended Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons for medical
school, then did his Internal Medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. With an eye towards a career in
academic gastroenterology, Koushik plans to combine his interests in clinical medicine with translational and basic
science research. Specifically, he is interested in developing better molecular tools to identify at-risk lesions and
improve therapeutic outcomes with more timely diagnoses.
David Leiman, M.D., GI Fellow
David hails from Washington, DC., and attended Johns Hopkins University as an undergraduate, majoring in Near
Eastern Studies, focusing on Egypt and Mesopotamia. David attended medical school at Vanderbilt University and did
his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania, and research with Dr. Jim Lewis. David has had a
longstanding interest in IBD, with a desire to pursue a career in academic medicine.
Brian Riff, M.D., GI Fellow
California born, Brian studied political science and biological sciences as an undergraduate at the University of Southern
California, Los Angeles. He attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Brian
did his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently doing research with Dr. Yu-Xiao
Yang evaluating the association between proton pump inhibitors and Clostridium Difficile infections. Brian is interested
in pursuing epidemiological studies in IBD, combined with a career as an academic clinician.
Kirk Wangensteen, M.D., PhD, GI Fellow
Born in San Francisco, Kirk did his undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences at Northwestern University. He then
received his MD PhD from University of Minnesota, followed by a 2 year Internal Medicine residency at the University of
Vermont, and is part of the Penn physician-scientist pathway. Kirk is currently working in the lab of Dr. Klaus Kaestner at
Penn, where he will continue to do research throughout his fellowship. Kirk is interested in exploring liver regeneration
– specifically alternatives to whole-liver transplantation.
Xiao Zhao, M.D., GI Fellow
Xiao was born in Changsha, China and grew up in New York. Xiao did her undergraduate education at New York
University, studying Biology. Xiao attended medical school at Mt. Sinai. While there, her main research project studied
the role of Kruppel-like factor 6, a tumor suppressor gene, in liver development using embryonic stem cells. Xiao did her
Internal Medicine residency at Yale University. One of her non-academic interests is Chinese calligraphy. Xiao’s plans
to pursue a physician-scientist pathway in Gastroenterology/Hepatology.
Frank Scott, M.D., MSCE, Advanced IBD Fellow
Frank studied Biology at the University of Pennsylvania as an undergraduate. He attended Temple University
School of Medicine and subsequently did his Internal Medicine residency at New York-Presbyterian/Weill
Cornell. Frank completed a GI fellowship and the MSCE program at the University of Pennsylvania and will
continue doing research (under an NIH K08 career development award) as he starts an IBD fellowship in July.
David Goldberg, M.D., MSCE, Advanced Transplant Hepatology Fellow
At Brown University, David’s undergraduate work focused on Judaic Studies. He attended Mt. Sinai School of
Medicine prior to doing his Internal Medicine residency at New York Presbyterian-Columbia University
Medical Center. David completed a GI fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and has spent the
past year doing research examining the current organ allocation policies for patients on the liver transplant
waitlist. David begins a Transplant Hepatology Fellowship this July under an AASLD fellowship.
Alireza Sedarat, M.D., Advanced Endoscopy Fellow
Ali is returning to Penn following his GI fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ali completed
his undergraduate education at the Stevens Institute of Technology. He attended medical school at the
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey followed by an Internal Medicine residency at the
University of Pennsylvania. Ali will be an advanced endoscopy fellow.
Amit Raina, M.D., Advanced Endoscopy Fellow
Amit earned his medical degree from Government Medical College, Srinagar & M.P. Shah Medical College,
India. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and GI fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Amit
will be an advanced endoscopy fellow. His research focuses on pancreatic disorders and nutritional therapy
in pancreatitis, with special interests in autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis.