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Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Current Fellows

3rd Year Fellows (2023-2026)

  • Kelly Torosian, MD

    Kelly Torosian, MD

    Chief Fellow

    Hometown: Fresno, CA

    Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine  

    Residency: UC San Diego

    Research Interests: Alcohol related liver disease, MASH, transplant hepatology

    Hobbies: Traveling, reading, pilates, baking

    Why UCSD: I came to UCSD for residency and had an excellent experience with the clinical training and collegial environment, so I knew I wanted to stay for GI Fellowship. The faculty in the GI program are great teachers and mentors, and the fellows are engaging and kind. I am interested in transplant hepatology and UCSD offers an expedited fellowship where you can do GI + transplant hepatology in 3 years which is a bonus. 
  • Juliana da Silva, MD

    Juliana da Silva, MD

    Chief Fellow

    Hometown: Madera, CA

    Medical School: Loyola University Chicago 

    Residency: University of Chicago 

    Research Interests: Esophageal cancer 

    Hobbies: Ping pong, trying new restaurants, golf, true crime, drums, bird watching 

    Why UCSD: I chose the UC San Diego Gastroenterology Fellowship because of the people. From my very first interaction, I was struck by how kind, approachable, and fun the faculty and fellows were, while also being deeply intelligent and accomplished. Their genuine camaraderie and passion for teaching made me feel like I could thrive both personally and professionally here. 
  • Kurren Mehta, MD

    Kurren Mehta, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Cary, North Carolina     

    Medical School: Duke

    Residency: Duke

    Research Interests: Therapeutic/interventional endoscopy, procedural outcomes, AI in gastroenterology, and device innovation

    Hobbies: Traveling, attending live concerts, trying new restaurants, bhangra dancing, golf, board games, and watching Duke Basketball

    Why UCSD: I was looking for a well-rounded program that offered oustanding training across all GI subspecialties, the opportunity to care for a diverse patient population, and the chance to learn from exceptional faculty. As someone new to the area, I've felt incredibly welcomed. The support from my co-fellows and faculty has exceeded all expectations. And of course, living in beautiful San Diego is an added bonus!
  • Harrison Penrose, MD, PhD

    Harrison Penrose, MD, PhD

    Research Fellow

    Hometown: Auburn, California

    Medical School: Tulane 

    Residency: UC San Diego

    Research Interests: Inflammatory bowel disease, mucosal immunology, metabolism, translational therapeutics

    Hobbies: Surfing, traveling

    Why UCSD: I chose UCSD for its outstanding clinical training and unparalleled research environment. The collaborative and supportive culture among fellows and faculty makes it a truly exceptional place to train and launch a career as a physician-scientist. 
  • Srishti Saha, MD

    Srishti Saha, MD

    Research Fellow

    Hometown: Mumbai, India

    Medical School: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India

    Residency: UT Southwestern, Dallas

    Research Interests: Translational Research, hepatology, microbiome

    Hobbies: Trying out new baking recipes, impressionist painting, singing, and cozying up with a novel

    Why UCSD: UCSD GI fellowship had all the elements that I was looking for: excellent research opportunities, strong and diverse clinic training, world-class faculty mentors, and a supportive work environment. My impression on interview day was of a program in which fellows enjoyed working with each other and were genuinely happy. And living in San Diego is certainly a dream come true! 

2nd Year Fellows (2024-2027)

  • Maria Abraham, MD

    Maria Abraham, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Mumbai, India

    Medical School: Harvard Medical School

    Residency: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

    Research Interests: TBD

    Hobbies: Taking long walks, watching cute puppy videos, listening to music, experimenting with cooking, taking care of my plants, spending quality time with family

    Why UCSD: I wanted to be close to my husband (we were long distance in residency, on opposite coasts), and I loved the community here at UCSD on my interview day! Strong clinical training and great colleagues. 
  • Omar Belfaqeeh, MD

    Omar Belfaqeeh, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Abu Dhabi, UAE

    Medical School: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

    Residency: Icahn School Of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Morningside/West)

    Research Interests: Advanced Endoscopy, quality improvement in ERCP

    Hobbies: Spending time with my family, visiting theme parks and the zoo, exploring SoCal nature, and trying new restaurants

    Why UCSD: UCSD offers an exceptional and supportive training enviornment and is renowned as a leading center for research and innovation.
  • Jonathan Dounel, MD

    Jonathan Dounel, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: New Providence, NJ

    Medical School: Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

    Residency: UC San Diego

    Research Interests: Early detection and risk stratification for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and colorectal cancer 

    Hobbies: Checking out coffee shops, exploring new restaurants, working out, hiking, Peloton-ing, and binging reality TV

    Why UCSD: Emphasis on well-rounded clinical training, abundant scoping exposure both inpatient and outpatient, mentorship with a focus on individual career goals, and amazing connections that I built with fellows and faculty here as a resident were key factors that drew me to stay at UCSD for fellowship.
  • Katherine Jordan, MD

    Katherine Jordan, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Darnestown, MD

    Medical School: Washington University in Saint Louis 

    Residency: Duke

    Research Interests: Overlap between technology/AI and hepatology

    Hobbies: Running, board game nights, exploring San Diego

    Why UCSD: I was impressed on my interview day by the depth and breadth of clinical training, as well as the ability to train at four different hospitals. UCSD is also uniquely positioned in the middle of one of the biggest biotech hubs in America, which was a huge draw as someone interested in device design/healthcare innovation. Finally, the weather. 
  • Sa Do Kang, MD, PhD

    Sa Do Kang, MD, PhD

    Research Fellow

    Hometown: Seoul, Korea

    Medical School: Penn State 

    Residency: Hopkins Bayview 

    Research Interests: Proteomics, microbiome, IBD

    Hobbies: Exploring local restaurants, hiking 

    Why UCSD: As I was applying to the research track, I wanted a program that provided both rigorous, well-rounded clinical training as well as various research opportunities. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be as UCSD GI/hepatology is a leader in both clinical practice and research.  In terms of location: great weather year-round, accessible nature, proximity to Orange County and LA, and great Asian food scene are highlights of living in San Diego.

1st Year Fellows (2025-2028)

  • Gloria Lin, MD

    Gloria Lin, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

    Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin

    Residency: University of Texas Southwestern

    Research Interests: IBD, clinical trials in therapeutics, CRC screening

    Hobbies: Running, hiking, scuba diving/snorkeling

    Why UCSD: I wanted to have a balance of strong clinical training and ample opportunities for research in IBD. The warm hospital environment (and weather!) as well as engaging attendings during my interview day also helped me select UCSD. 
  • Kelli Liu, MD

    Kelli Liu, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Pasadena, CA

    Medical School: Wake Forest Univeristy

    Residency: UC San Diego

    Research Interests: GERD, LPRD, Belching Disorders, Disorders of Gut-Brain Axis

    Hobbies: Running, Hiking, Eating Pastries

    Why UCSD: I absolutely LOVED the people I worked with during residency and had a wonderful GI research and mentorship experience. On top of the training experience at multiple different sites, UCSD also sees rare, complex, and routine pathologies as a tertiary care center that set up fellows with a very strong base of knowledge and experience. 
  • Danielle Mirda, MD

    Danielle Mirda, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Napa, CA

    Medical School: George Washington University

    Residency: University of Pennsylvania

    Research Interests: Colon cancer, health equity & health disparities, QI

    Hobbies: Tennis, hot yoga, reading, baking, NYT games 

    Why UCSD:  I was drawn to UCSD for its outstanding clinical training, commitment to underserved populations, and strong mentorship. I am interested in colorectal cancer prevention and health equity, and UCSD offers the patient population and resources to make a meaningful impact through both clinical work and research. The genuine warmth and collaborative spirit I experienced on interview day have continued to be a defining part of my experience here so far.
  • Maria Mironova, MD, MHSc

    Maria Mironova, MD, MHSc

    Research Fellow

    Hometown: Moscow, Russia

    Medical School: Lomonosov Moscow State University 

    Residency: Capital Health RMC

    Research Interests: Multi omics of fatty liver disease, artificial intelligence in hepatology

    Hobbies: reading with my kids, weightlifting, skiing, traveling 

    Why UCSD:  During my hepatology fellowship at the NIH, I looked for a program to build solid gastroenterology skills and advance my hepatology research. UCSD appealed to me for its mentorship, diverse clinical experience, and strong research support. The way UCSD integrates clinical care and research made it the right fit for me to grow as a clinician‑investigator. The San Diego weather is a nice bonus.
  • Nivita Sharma, MD

    Nivita Sharma, MD

    Clinical Fellow

    Hometown: Kennesaw, GA

    Medical School: Weill Cornell Medicine

    Residency: Duke 

    Research Interests: IBD and women's health, gender representation within the GI workforce

    Hobbies: Crafting (jewelry making, candle making, everything DIY), reading rom coms, baking, scenic walks with my partner, trying new restaurants and recipes with my partner

    Why UCSD:  The faculty and fellows on interview day instantly felt like family. Every person I have met so far has been an excellent teacher as well. The range of hospital settings we train in provides high clinical volume, diverse patient populations, and incredibly complex clinical cases that are paramount to my learning within three years.