Associate Junior Faculty Scholars

Dr. Zhen Gooi is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and fellowship in advanced head and neck surgical oncology at the Johns Hopkins Hopsital. His clinical focus is on patients with head and neck cancers. He has a special interest in the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques to preserve speech and swallowing function in the treatment of these patients. Dr. Gooi believes that head and neck cancer care is most effective when delivered in a multi-disciplinary setting. In this regard, he is an active collaborator in novel treatment de-intensification protocols to reduce the side effects of head and neck cancer treatment with University of Chicago medical and radiation oncologists. He is passionate in raising the profile of head and neck cancer in the larger medical community and is involved in efforts to increase the awareness of national guidelines pertaining to the treatment of head and neck cancers. Dr. Gooi is currently on staff at The Queens Health System in Honolulu, HI.

Dr. Shilpa Iyer is an Assistant Professor of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) in the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. She first completed a joint degree in medicine and public health with a focus on epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She then completed her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the combined program at Massachusetts General Hospital/ Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She then returned to Chicago to complete a fellowship in FPMRS at the University of Chicago before joining the faculty in July 2017. Her clinical focus is pelvic organ prolapse, overactive bladder, stress incontinence, bladder pain, fistulas, and other complex pelvic floor disorders. She often has medical students, residents, and fellows in her clinic and operating room and enjoys clinical and surgical teaching. Her research interests include the pathophysiology and treatment of overactive bladder and bladder pain as well as long term clinical outcome measures. She has presented at national and international meetings, published in urogynecology journals, and is most proud of mentoring trainees in their research endeavors. Dr. Iyer is currently a faculty member at The University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Skondra, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the University of Chicago. Dr. Skondra is the Director of the J. Terry Ernest Ocular Imaging Center who focuses on the medical and surgical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases. She in an expert in delivering care for diabetic eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, retinal detachment, retinal vein occlusions, eye trauma, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and intraocular infections, with advanced training and expertise in surgical repair of complex diabetic retinal detachments.

As a physician-scientist, Dr. Skondra is dedicated to investigating methods to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies for retinal conditions with special focus on the role of microbiome in age related macular degeneration and retinal disorders. Throughout her career, Dr. Skondra has received several prestigious awards for her translational research on diabetic retinopathy, ocular angiogenesis and age related macular degeneration, including the Retina Society Raymond Margherio Award, Harvard /Alcon Clinical Scholar Award, AUPO Research Award, ARVO/Alcon Early Career Clinician Scientist Award, Joslin/Tonseth Research Fellowship Award and the Knights Templar Award. She trained at Weill Cornell Medical College (residency) and Harvard Medical School (postdoctoral research fellowship and vitreoretinal surgical fellowship). Dr. Skondra is currently the Vice Chari of Research for Ophthalmology at NYU.

Dr. Saara Kaviany is a Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Physician at UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, where she cares for children with cancer, immune deficiencies, and bone marrow failure. Known for her warm, relationship-centered approach, she sees every patient as family and is committed to supporting both medical outcomes and quality of life.

Dr. Kaviany leads the Comprehensive Immune Deficiency and Dysregulation (CIDD) Clinic, a multidisciplinary program that provides coordinated, cutting-edge care for children with complex immune disorders. She chose Comer for its collaborative environment and shared vision of compassionate, comprehensive care. As of July, 2025, Dr. Kaviany will be departing UChicago Medicine.

Dr. Mary Kate Erdman is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon and Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitative Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, followed by orthopaedic surgery residency training at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. She then completed a fellowship in orthopaedic traumatology at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington.

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, Dr. Erdman serves as co-director of the Trauma Limb Salvage Program. She is also the Simon Diversity Scholar in her department and a member of the Pritzker School of Medicine Admissions Committee. Her research focuses on ballistic trauma of the extremities and pelvis, outcomes following traumatic injury, and innovations in surgical technique.

Deeply committed to education, Dr. Erdman teaches and mentors learners at every level of training. She is an active member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, Foundation of Orthopaedic Trauma, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and Mid-America Orthopaedic Association.

Nathaniel J Glasser, MD, MPP is a general internist, pediatrician, and health researcher in the Section of General Internal Medicine. Clinically, he practices primary care for both pediatric and adult patients, and hospital medicine for adults. He loves partnering with patients to develop healthcare plans that are both evidence-based and tailored to individual needs and values.

His research focuses primarily on how health behaviors convey information about people’s identities and, relatedly, how people tailor their health behaviors to convey information about their identities to others. Often, his research focuses on masculinity, exploring how social pressures on boys and men to fit in occasionally wind up at odds with the recommendations of health professionals. His work investigates new and innovative ways to help engage boys and men across the life course in preventive healthcare.

He also works as an educator, helping train the next generation of health professionals, including medical students and residents.

Board-certified surgeon, Justin Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE, specializes in trauma surgery and surgical critical care. With his expertise in complex emergency surgery, Dr. Hatchimonji provides exceptional care for patients facing acute medical conditions.

Because he understands that trauma centers can be scary and intimidating to people, Dr. Hatchimonji works closely with his patients and their families, making sure they are well-informed and comfortable with every step of their care plan. Dr. Hatchimonji believes in treating the immediate medical issue, as well as supporting the overall well-being of his patients through comprehensive care and clear communication.

Dr. Leung brings a unique global health perspective, informed by her work on co-creation methods and adolescent mental health interventions in Ghana. Her expertise in human-centered design and implementation science enables her to develop solutions tailored to the needs of underserved populations. Dr. Leung’s focus on reciprocal innovation—adapting strategies from resource-limited settings to high-resource settings—aligns with the center’s mission to address systemic inequities in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Perry Morocco is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at the University of Chicago, where he cares for children with blood disorders and cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. His clinical focus includes benign bleeding disorders and anemias, and he performs procedures such as lumbar punctures and bone marrow biopsies as part of his comprehensive approach to patient care.

A member of the Children’s Oncology Group, Dr. Morocco is actively involved in clinical trials aimed at improving and optimizing treatments for pediatric cancer patients. His research interests center on medical education, reflecting his dedication to advancing both clinical practice and physician training.

Driven by a passion for patient-centered care, Dr. Morocco emphasizes guiding families through what he calls “a marathon, not a sprint.” He takes a holistic view of each patient’s journey, considering not only medical needs but also personal goals—whether returning to sports or attending meaningful family events—helping young patients and their families navigate cancer treatment with compassion and support.

Dr. Tomas Ignacio Munoz is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Neonatology at the University of Chicago. He is board-certified in Pediatrics, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, and Adult and Pediatric Sleep Medicine.

He received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña in the Dominican Republic, completed his pediatric residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in New York, and his fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center. He later completed fellowship training in Adult and Pediatric Sleep Medicine at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science System.

At the University of Chicago, Dr. Munoz provides clinical care in neonatology and pediatric sleep medicine. His research focuses on sleep and respiratory control in premature infants and infants born with craniofacial malformations, including the Premature Recovering Infant Sleep Metrics (PRISM) study, supported by a grant from the Little Giraffe Foundation. His scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and invited editorials on neonatal and pediatric sleep medicine. He also serves as a reviewer and editor for pediatric and sleep medicine journals.