SleepTalker May 2021

James P. Dilger, PhD

   We extend a warm welcome to our newest faculty member, Saleem Akbar Zaidi, MD, FCCP who joined the department last month. Dr. Zaidi received his medical school training in Karachi, Pakistan and spent a few years practicing there as well. He came to the US as a PGY-1 resident in Internal Medicine in Stony Brook's program. He transferred to our department for his PGY-2 in 1995, but moved to the University of Texas at Houston to complete his residency. He followed this with a one year fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at UT.

   Dr. Zaidi remained in Houston, first as a faculty member at UT, then at Baylor, then at UT again. (According to Google maps, they are only one block away from each other, so he probably didn't have to reprogram his gps each time!). He then moved to the Houston Methodist Hospital where he was Medical Director at the Neurosurgical ICU for two years and the Resident/Fellows Program Director from 2008 until this year. Until his recent move, he maintained adjunct appointments at both UT and Baylor, with some visiting professor association with Karachi Medical School.

   As the Resident/Fellows Program Director, Dr. Zaidi was heavily involved in teaching and curriculum development. He has also served as the PI on several institutional grants. He conducted a long-term project to study glycemic control in patients in the CVICU, in order to update institutional insulin protocols. Recently, he submitted a proposal to study SARS-CoV-2 Infection severity risk for those with diabetes.

  Dr. Zaidi will work in the Critical Care section of the General Anesthesia Division. We are delighted to have him back at Stony Brook!

   Vamiq Mustahsan, a PhD student who is working in Srini Pentyala’s lab, is the recipient of SBU Presidential Dissertation Completion Award. This fellowship provides stipend support for an advanced doctoral student and allows the student to complete the degree requirements without adding any additional service or teaching duties. Vamiq’s main research focus is developing biocompatible, biomimetic artificial bones and fabricating pre-surgical guides for bone tumor resection. Though his background is in mechanical engineering, Vamiq mastered all the needed skills to work in the area of bone biology and orthopedic surgical techniques. Using his expertise in CAD and 3D printing, under the guidance of Srini, Dr. Fazel Khan and Dr. David Komatsu (Orthopedics) and Dr. Imin Kao (Mechanical Engineering,) Vamiq has succeeded in developing novel techniques and tools in the area of bone biology and orthopedic surgery. Vamiq has been working in our Anesthesiology department research labs since 2017 and is expected to get his doctorate degree by the end of this year.

Melissa A. Day, MS, CRNA, CCRN

   Please join me in welcoming Katrina McCluskey, Anesthesia Technician to our Anesthesia Technician Team. Katrina joins us with over 9 years of Anesthesia Technician experience working at Level 1 Trauma and Teaching hospitals. Welcome to our Anesthesia Technician Team Katrina!!!

   Brittney Ayala will be attending the Royal Veterinary College in London this Fall! Best wishes!

   Dr. Duran Mitchell became a dad! London Beau Mitchell arrived weighing 8 lbs 6 oz. Baby London, Mom and Dad are all doing well. Congratulations!

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