One of the strongest assets of our program is our faculty. We are very proud of the outstanding educational experience they provide. They not only enjoy teaching but also serve as strong role models and mentors in residents' professional careers. Read a sampling of spotlight profiles from our faculty.
Associate Professor and Program Director, Residency Program, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Texas Children's Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
My subspecialty is Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, with a focus on coagulation, patient blood management, and hemostasis in critically ill children. I love pediatric transfusion medicine because there are still so many unanswered questions, and I enjoy helping multidisciplinary teams solve complex clinical problems.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
I chose BCM because of the collegial culture I experienced during fellowship and the deep support systems for pathology across the Texas Medical Center. BCM offers amazing clinical training and broad exposure so residents and fellows can grow into the pathologists they want to become.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing trainees grow into confident, independent pathologists. I love helping residents work through difficult concepts, think through challenging cases, and discover their own professional interests. Clinically, I find it very rewarding to contribute to urgent care decisions in hemostasis where thoughtful laboratory guidance immediately impacts patient care.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Stay curious and seek knowledge in everything you do (and every rotation you have). Residency is full of opportunities to help you grow into an amazing independent pathologist – take advantage of them.
What's your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
I love Houston’s food scene – there is always a new restaurant or cuisine to explore.
What type of cell would you be and why?
I would be a macrophage because I love to eat! Macrophages clean up, solve problems, and help coordinate the emergency response, which feels like an appropriate job description for a transfusion medicine physician.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
My favorite tumor histology is clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The clear cytoplasm and distinctive morphology make it striking and very satisfying to diagnose. Plus, you can see the biconcave discs of the red cells in the vasculature!
Professor and Associate Program Director for Anatomic Pathology, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Ben Taub Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Subspecialty: Cytopathology. I was attracted by the possibility of diagnosing disease with a small amount of material in a way to minimize pain and expense for the patient. I also saw it as a way to sharpen my skills for application in surgical pathology.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
I was drawn to our department as a resident applicant because of the wealth of excellent conferences for residents, the depth and breadth of specimens in multiple vastly different hospital settings, the many fellowships available and the number of deeply committed faculty.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is really two-fold:
- It is gratifying to be able to play a role in providing the best care possible to the underserved population in Harris County.
- It is very enjoyable and rewarding to work with residents, fellows and medical students due to the level of interest and eagerness they show and the ability to watch the growth and maturity trainees attain over time.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
My advice would be to work hard, but don’t panic. The residency is four years for a reason – learning is sometimes incremental.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Favorite spot – actually two: the zoo and the Museum District, but particularly the Menil Museum.
What type of cell would you be and why?
The plasma cell is my favorite due to the lovely lavender cytoplasm (on Diff-Quik stain).
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
Pheochromocytoma is attractive for a tumor – abundant cytoplasm and relatively easy to diagnose when combined with immunohistochemistry.
Associate Professor and Associate Program Director, Clinical Pathology, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Transfusion & Cardiovascular Pathology - I chose these subspecialties because I am fascinated by the body's main pump and the product it transports. No cell in the body receives the blood, nutrients or oxygen it needs to function if the heart cannot pump blood effectively or if the blood cannot be delivered effectively through the blood vessels to the organs where it is needed.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology?
I trained here for fellowship and worked with a supportive group of faculty, peers and support staff. It was easy to make the decision to return to BCM as faculty when the opportunity came up.
Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
The collaboration, healthy competition and diverse patient population among the various institutions here in the Texas Medical Center and the camaraderie within the BCM community make this a conducive environment for learning and innovation.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Issuing timely pathology reports that inform patient care decisions, facilitate timely intervention and improve patient outcomes.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Keep an open mind in the beginning and embrace every learning opportunity that comes your way.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
The diverse culinary landscape.
What type of cell would you be and why?
An endothelial cell. These cells line the heart and all blood and lymphatic vessels in the body. They are highly adaptable and wear many hats. They help regulate the transport of blood and fluids from one part of the body to the other, protect the brain from toxins by connecting tightly to each other to form the blood-brain barrier, facilitate the formation of new blood vessels to supply blood to growing tissue, and produce many molecules, including nitric oxide, prostaglandins and tissue factor, to help modulate blood flow and blood pressure, inflammation and blood hemostasis, among other functions.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
A cardiac myxoma - it's a benign tumor with one of the most variable histologic features.
Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
I chose to practice both general surgical pathology and clinical pathology. My training at BCM gave me the necessary tools and confidence to practice both confidently.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
This is a BIG multi-institutional program with collaborations with many other institutions across the Texas Medical Center. This makes BCM a unique place to learn pathology.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Developing my skills and learning new things every day.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Take advantage of all the possibilities the program gives you. You have only four years to learn.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Micro Center and Best Buy…I am a geek.
What type of cell would you be and why?
A red blood cell – running free and oxygenating everything.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
Renal cell carcinomas are very photogenic.
Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
My specialty has always been Cytopathology. I have my Cytopathology Boards and began the FNA service here at the Houston VAMC over 30 years ago. I serve as the National Cytopathology Consultant for National Veteran Affairs. Besides Cytopathology, I began the Flow Cytometry Service here back in the 1990’s with a National VA grant for HIV patients. I have changed organ specialties over the years as a GI pathologist, Liver pathologist and now a Thoracic and Pulmonary pathologist. I am the Chairman of the Thoracic Tumor Board here at the M.E. DeBakey VAMC.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
Baylor drew me because of the diversity of the hospitals, including private, children-directed, public-supported and federally supported programs, with a mix of diverse diseases. This is one of the strengths of this program for training pathology residents. The diversity of tumors, infections and other pathologic diseases is not seen in other programs.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is serving Houston Veterans and providing the superior Pathology Services that they deserve. I also love teaching the residents and students of the BCM family.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
My advice to incoming residents is to remember to have a balanced lifestyle with time for outside activities, family and friends to refresh yourself to concentrate fully when you are performing your duties.
What type of cell would you be and why?
If I were a cell, I would be a neuron, waiting for the next big charge to light up my enthusiasm.
Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
While I sign out general surgical pathology and autopsies, my subspecialty is genitourinary pathology. Early in my career at the New York VAMC, I saw a lot of prostate cancer. Some work in basic science research I was doing in my lab at the time was relevant to prostate cancer, and so I began focusing on this area and have carried out an active research program in prostate cancer for the last 27 years. I also enjoy the broad range of diseases you see in genitourinary pathology and the active interactions with the clinicians.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology?
I was drawn to BCM by the outstanding research in prostate cancer and the strong basic research overall. Dr. Tom Wheeler was the pathologist for the Prostate Cancer SPORE program, and he had established a strong infrastructure to integrate pathology and basic science research.
Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
We have an extremely diverse array of specimens, practice venues and outstanding pathologists that will prepare you well for anatomic pathology practice. The clinical pathology training is also outstanding.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Making a difficult or unusual diagnosis. I also enjoy signing out with residents and watching their skills progress through the years.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Read, study, think, question (but have some fun as well).
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Uchi has exceptional Japanese food.
Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Ben Taub Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Subspecialty: Hematopathology. I chose it because it spans both AP and CP and makes heavy use of cutting-edge ancillary testing modalities like flow cytometry, FISH, molecular, etc.
What drew you to the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
BCM is a world-class academic center, the faculty and trainees of which work and train at large area hospitals that serve varied patient populations. BCM is also located within close proximity to other leading academic centers like MD Anderson, providing ample opportunities for collaboration and joint work. Pathology applicants should pick BCM residency for these reasons, and because our program offers them comprehensive training in different hospitals, with different practice models and patient populations that better prepares them for the real world once they start practicing. Our program is also resident-centric, with residents leading and driving a significant part of the decision-making process that shapes our program and their education and training.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Knowing that I’m actively participating in the education of the next generation of pathologists. Also very rewarding, at Ben Taub, is the fact that we serve as a safety net hospital for patients who have no other healthcare options.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Be ready for an exciting ride for the next four years, at the end of which you will become a pathologist!
Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Texas Children’s Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
I am the director of Clinical Chemistry and Point of Care Technology; I love the excitement of developing new technologies and love to be helpful to clinicians from varying disciplines who take care of our patients.
What drew you to the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
The camaraderie of the colleagues, expertise in different divisions of BCM pathology, the opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, the wide variety of patients throughout the different hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, and most of all, the awesome staff and faculty at BCM make it a top choice.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Being inspired and inspiring young minds.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Hard work is always rewarding, but make sure you have fun!
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
I love the different kinds of food that the diversity of Houston brings.
What type of cell would you be and why?
I would be a monocyte-macrophage. I fight when I need to, but hey, I can get inflamed too!
Professor and Program Director of Cytopathology Fellowship
Works primarily at: Ben Taub Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Cytology and GI. Cytology to me is like solving the ultimate mystery! Imagine that you have to reach a diagnosis just by looking at a few cells. When you know your cells, close and personal, you will become more comfortable with histology. Gastrointestinal pathology is another interesting area. It is one of the most common specimens that a pathologist receives, as GI disorders are very common. The correlation of what you see on the slide with the patient's signs and syndromes is phenomenal.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
Baylor College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier academic health science centers and is known for excellence in education, research, healthcare, and community service. BCM is affiliated with multiple educational, healthcare, and research affiliates.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
I am passionate about teaching and teaching various subjects, and teaching on the microscope and unknown conferences are the most satisfying parts of my job.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Do your best.
What's your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Museum District, The Houston Zoo, Brazos Bend State Park and the Houston Symphony.
Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Texas Children’s Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Molecular Genetic Pathology. I chose this specialty because it’s a great blend of anatomic and clinical pathology.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
The opportunity to work at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Texas Medical Center and contribute to a dynamic, growing molecular genomic enterprise. An applicant should choose our program because of the breadth and depth of training.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Working with residents and fellows.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Pick a program where the residents are entering diverse fellowships/jobs after graduating. This speaks to the educational breadth and mentorship available at the program. Follow your passion!
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Spots – Rice University, Natural History Museum
Restaurants – Teotihuacan, Goode Company Seafood
Events – Houston Rodeo, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Zoo Lights
Teams – Astros, Dynamo, Houston Symphony
What type of cell would you be and why?
A pericyte. They’re vitally important, but very few people know what they do. Kind of like pathologists.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
Viable tissue without decalcification or necrosis because it yields the highest quality nucleic acid.
Professor, Pathology & Immunology/Dermatology
Works primarily at: Main Baylor Campus & Ben Taub Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
Dermatopathology. There is an amazing variety of diagnoses and it a very satisfying, rewarding specialty. It’s like being in a museum almost every day.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
The extraordinary variety of cases, the camaraderie and collegiality of wonderful colleagues, excellent trainees and students.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
It’s hard to say. It’s a mix of things: cases, colleagues, students.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Try to see as much as you can. The more you see, the better you will be as a pathologist.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
I like blue nevi. They remind me of Van Gogh’s paintings.
Assistant Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Texas Children’s Hospital
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
My subspecialty is pediatric and perinatal pathology, with a particular focus on placental pathology. I was drawn to the field because the placenta is a unique organ that provides a window into both maternal and fetal health. I enjoy the detective work involved in piecing together clinical history, gross findings, and histology to answer important questions for clinicians and families. The combination of diagnostic pathology, teaching, research, and multidisciplinary collaboration makes it an incredibly rewarding area of practice.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
BCM offers something that very few programs can match: exceptional pathology training across a diverse group of hospitals and patient populations within the Texas Medical Center. Residents see an extraordinary breadth of pathology while learning from faculty who are deeply invested in education and mentorship. As someone who trained elsewhere and later joined the faculty, I was particularly drawn to the collegial culture, collaborative environment, and commitment to resident education. It is a place where trainees are challenged, supported, and given opportunities to grow into whatever type of pathologist they aspire to become.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Teaching. Whether I am working with medical students, residents, fellows, or practicing pathologists visiting for placental pathology training, I love helping others develop confidence in diagnostic pathology. It is especially rewarding when a diagnosis provides answers for a family or helps guide management for a current pregnancy.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Don't be afraid to be wrong. Some of the cases that have taught me the most are the ones where I initially missed something or arrived at the wrong answer. You tend to remember those lessons far more vividly than the cases you diagnosed correctly from the start. Residency is a time to learn, ask questions, make mistakes in a supervised environment, and develop the habits of lifelong learning that will serve you throughout your career.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
One of my favorite places in Houston is Memorial Park. I enjoy running there, and it's a great way to recharge outside of work. As a parent, I also love spending time in the Museum District, especially at the Children's Museum. Houston's diversity, energy, and family-friendly attractions make it a wonderful place to live.
What type of cell would you be and why?
A trophoblast. Trophoblasts are remarkably adaptable cells that communicate, invade, remodel, and support the growth and development of an entirely new life. They are much more fascinating than most people realize and are responsible for some of the most impressive biology in medicine.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
This may not be the most predictable answer from someone obsessed with placentas and trophoblasts, but it's granular cell tumor. It's a great example of "instant pattern recognition" in pathology because it has such characteristic microscopic features. Once you've seen a classic granular cell tumor, it's hard to forget. I still enjoy the satisfaction of recognizing one almost immediately under the microscope.
Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
GI and Hepatobiliary Pathology. I chose it because of its diversity, spanning cancer, infection, inflammation, and complex medical liver diseases. The diagnostic challenges and variety make it especially rewarding.
What drew you to the BCM Department of Pathology & Immunology? Why should a pathology applicant pick BCM for residency?
I wasn’t a resident at BCM, but it’s the program I would have chosen. The diverse hospital system, high case volume, and strong training in both surgical and clinical pathology provide exceptional learning opportunities. What stands out most is the collaborative and supportive resident culture I’ve witnessed over the past 11 years.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
After 12 years at BCM, I’m still learning every day. Pathology keeps me sharp, and the residents keep me young. Every year I learn new diagnostic criteria and a few new slang terms. The challenge is figuring out which one changes faster.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
There are easy days and hard days, but there are no bad days if you’re learning and growing. Be honest, communicate well, stay sincere, and remember that every challenge makes you a better physician and pathologist.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Trader Joe’s and YMCA
What type of cell would you be and why?
I’d be an interstitial cell of Cajal, the pacemaker of the GI tract (C-Kit pos.). I like keeping things moving, connecting people, and helping maintain the rhythm behind the scenes.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
GIST. It’s usually easy to diagnose, but getting the mitotic count right can keep everyone on their toes. It’s the tumor that reminds residents that pathology is in the details!
Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Works primarily at: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
What is your subspecialty and what made you choose it?
My subspecialty is GI and hepatobiliary/pancreatic pathology. What drew me to this field is the sheer variety it offers — I'm working across multiple organ systems, each with its own distinct architecture, disease processes, and diagnostic challenges. No two days look the same, and that breadth keeps the work endlessly interesting.
What is the most rewarding/best part of your job?
Without question, it's teaching. There's nothing quite like watching a resident or fellow have that moment of recognition under the scope — when something finally clicks — and knowing I helped get them there. Passing on what I've learned over the years feels like the truest measure of a career well spent. A close second is a project I'm genuinely passionate about: building out digital pathology in GI. Over the past five years, I've been scanning the best, most representative examples of every disease I encounter, slide by slide, to build a comprehensive digital database. It's slow, deliberate work, but I see it as a resource that will outlast any one of us — a teaching and reference tool for generations of pathologists to come.
What advice would you give to incoming residents?
Take every rotation seriously, even the ones that don't excite you right away — and read while you're in it. It's tempting to tell yourself you'll catch up later, but the truth is, once you move on to the next rotation, that window closes. The time to learn a subject deeply is while you're immersed in it, not after.
What’s your favorite thing and/or spot in Houston?
Honestly, my favorite place isn't in Houston at all — it's Galveston. I love heading to Katy's Seafood Market for brunch, where I can watch pelicans dive-bombing for fish at the market next door while the local fishing boats pull in with the day's catch. There's something wonderfully unhurried about it. I also love hopping on the free ferry to Bolivar Peninsula — not even to get anywhere in particular, just to watch the dolphins race alongside the boat. It's one of the simplest, most reliable joys around.
What type of cell would you be and why?
I'd be a neuron. It's arguably the most consequential cell in the body — everything we think, feel, and do runs through it — and yet there are relatively few of them compared to other cell types. Quality over quantity, in a sense.
What is your favorite tumor histology and why?
I can't pick just one favorite, but hepatocellular carcinoma always stands out to me. It's remarkable how many distinct architectural patterns it can present — trabecular, pseudoglandular, macrotrabecular, steatohepatitic, and more. It's genuinely one of the most photogenic tumors under the microscope.