April News Update

Message from the Chair

As April comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the significance of Donate Life Month—a time to honor the generosity of organ, eye, and tissue donors and the lives transformed through their selfless gifts. Here at MUSC, we are deeply privileged to be part of this life-saving mission. I want to extend my gratitude to all in our transplant teams and surgical units who support this work with extraordinary compassion, skill, and dedication. Your impact reaches far beyond the operating room.

In that same spirit of recognition, we’re also looking ahead to one of our most meaningful departmental events: Awards Day, coming up in May. This annual tradition is an opportunity to celebrate the excellence, leadership, and hard work of our faculty, residents, students, and staff. From educational achievements to clinical distinction and research innovation, Awards Day highlights the many ways our department continues to lead and inspire.

Thank you for all you do every day to serve our patients, support one another, and uphold the highest standards of our profession. I look forward to celebrating with you all next month.

Warm regards,

Baliga

MUSC Leadership and Faculty Play Key Role at International College of Surgeons - United States Chapter Meeting

The International College of Surgeons (ICS)held the86th Annual Surgical Update of the ICS-United States Section Meeting in Charleston, bringing together leading minds in surgery from across the nation.

‌Prabhakar Baliga, M.D. had the distinct honor of delivering the Keynote Address, setting the stage for an exciting lineup of presentations and discussions, and Patrick Cawley, M.D., CEO of MUSC Health, inspired attendees with his Convocation Address.‌

Several of our faculty and trainees were invited presenters, including Andrea Abbott, M.D., MSCR, Mike M. Mallah, M.D., Steven Hanish, M.D., Jeffrey Sutton, M.D. and Rana Pullatt, M.D.‌Surgical Critical Care Fellow Riley Grogan, M.D., presented in the Hot Topics in Rural Surgery Session.‌‌

‌‌During the ICS US Section's annual Research Scholarship Competition, Eric Klipsch, M.D., PGY-3 and medical student Lauren Cox, a member of the Global Surgery Program, presented their research.‌Lauren Cox took third place.

‌During the meeting, ‌Dr. Mallah was inducted as a Fellow of the ICS. ‌

Watch TEDx Charleston Live Stream

In case you missed it, TEDx Charleston is live on YouTube. Dr. Gavrilova's talk "Transforming Burn Recovery Through Mental Health" begins at 1:10 and Dr. Scalea's talk "Four Reasons to Live" begins at 4:14. These are two talks you won't want to miss! 

Meet the Newest Members of the MUSC Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors! 

Mathew Wooster, M.D., Adam Tanious, M.D., and Sanford Zeigler, M.D., were inducted into the MUSC Chapter of The NAI for their patent that provides a new option for aortic arch repair in people with aneurysms. Vascular surgery resident Ryan Gedney, M.D. is also on the patent.

Surgeon patents new option for aortic arch repair in people with aneurysms

Evert Eriksson MD Appointed President of the Chest Wall Injury Society

Evert Eriksson, M.D., an internationally recognized leader in chest wall trauma, has been appointed President of the Chest Wall Injury Society (CWIS) for the 2025–26 term. The announcement was made during the CWIS Annual Summit, a premier gathering of experts driving innovation in rib fracture research and treatment. CWIS plays a vital role in shaping the future of the field by fostering collaboration, research, and mentorship among leading clinicians and investigators.

Read more about Dr. Eriksson and view all the presenters.

David J. Taber, Pharm.D.,  was honored with an invitation to present Burdens of Therapy: AST’s National Patient Survey of Unmet Immunosuppressant Needs as the opening plenary session at the World Transplant Congress. ‌‌‌The World Transplant Congress is a significant event in the field of organ transplantation that brings together leaders from around the globe to discuss the latest innovations, best practices, achievements and challenges in the field of transplantation.

Aaron Lesher, M.D., MSCR, and Colleen Donahue, M.D. have been named to the MUSC College of Medicine Faculty Council, which is a component of the shared governance of the College of Medicine and serves as an advisory body to the Dean. 

Mike M. Mallah, M.D., was an invited speaker at the 2025 Phoenix Surgical Symposium and Indian Health Services Surgeons Annual Meeting. ‌He also co-presented the MUSC Neurosciences Grand Rounds Global Surgery talk with Ramin Eskandari, M.D.‌

Clinical Trialists Stephanie Schorr and Hannah Culpepper presented at the 2025 Association of Clinical Research Professionals annual conference in New Orleans. Their session focused on transforming overwhelming workdays into a purposeful and productive day with proven strategies for burnout prevention, team support, and efficient onboarding.

Congratulations to the Heartbeat Tech team, led by Kristen Quinn, M.D., PGY-5, CEO of Heartbeat Tech, and medical student Joshua Kim, MS, Chief Design Officer. The team won the SCRA Pitch competition during the SCRA Annual Summit.