Register Now

Faculty

Pediatric Robotics Symposium

Mohan S. Gundeti, MD

Mohan S. Gundeti, MD

Program Director

Ardavan Akhavan, MD

Ardavan Akhavan, MD

Read Bio
Dr. Akhavan is one of the country’s most experienced pediatric robotic surgeons. With robotic surgery, Dr. Akhavan strives to optimize patient outcomes while minimizing discomfort, length of hospitalization, and time to return to normal activities. While Dr. Akhavan offers both minimally invasive and open surgery options for all disorders of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and genitals, Dr. Akhavan has particular expertise in robotic surgery for infants and children with disorders associated with hydronephrosis, including vesicoureteral reflux and ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
Ciro Andolfi, MD, FACS

Ciro Andolfi, MD, FACS

MS Ansari

MS Ansari

Linda Baker, MD

Linda Baker, MD

Read Bio

Linda A. Baker, MD is a Board-certified Pediatric Urologist and Co-Director of the Kidney and Urinary Tract Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Professor of Urology at Ohio State University.  After UVA urology residency (1989-1995), she was an American Foundation for Urological Disease Research Scholar (1995-1997) and completed a pediatric urology postdoctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (1997-1999). After working for 23 years in Dallas, TX at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health, she moved to Columbus, OH in 2022.  Clinically, she specializes in complex genitourinary surgical reconstruction and contributes to new discoveries for children with prune belly syndrome; kidney stones, disorders of sexual development; cryptorchidism; testicular torsion; and congenital female vaginal anomalies.  Since 1999, she has spearheaded a thriving pediatric urology research program that has been NIH-funded since 2001.  With a personalized medicine approach, she recruits individuals affected with genitourinary disorders and uses cutting edge DNA next generation sequencing technologies to discover their causes.  Her service includes numerous ad hoc and standing NIH study sections, Society for Pediatric Urology Research Grants Committee chair, AUA Practice Guidelines Committee, and past chair of the AUA Research Grants and Investigator Support Committee. She has authored 23 book chapters and >120 publications, has a medical device patent, has held 32 national/international visiting professorships, and coauthored the 2014 AUA Cryptorchidism Practice Guidelines.  As a national leader in corrective vaginal surgery, she has been Course Director since 2013 for the international live surgery training course webinar, “Vaginoplasty for Birth Defects of Surgical Complications and the Oral Buccal Mucosa Technique.”  While in Texas, she was a Castle Connolly “Top Doctors” 2014-2021, a Texas Monthly magazine’s “Texas Top Doctors” 2010–2021 and a D Magazine “Best Pediatric Specialists in Dallas” 2004-2021.  Dr. Baker now lives in Upper Arlington, Ohio, USA with her dear husband and has two beautiful grown children.

Alfredo Berrettini, MD, PhD, FEAPU

Alfredo Berrettini, MD, PhD, FEAPU

Mahendra Bhandari, MS, M.Ch (Uro), FNASc, FAMS D.Sc (Hon), MBA

Mahendra Bhandari, MS, M.Ch (Uro), FNASc, FAMS D.Sc (Hon), MBA

Read Bio
Beginning his academic career as a lecturer at the Sawai Manitoba Singh Medical College and Hospital in Jaipur, Bhandari would eventually rise to become the Head of the Department of Urology and Kidney Transplantation at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow, India. He was the Vice Chancellor of King George”s Medical University, Lucknow.

Here, Bhandari mentored leading robotic surgeon, Doctor Ashutosh Tewari, until Tewari”s graduation in 1991.

Vinaya Bhatia, MD

Vinaya Bhatia, MD

Anna Bujons, MD, PhD

Anna Bujons, MD, PhD

Read Bio
Dr. Bujons is a Pediatric Urologic Surgeon specializing in the treatment of bladder exstrophy, spina bifida, sexual development anomalies (DSD) and pediatric lithiasis through minimally invasive surgery techniques such as laparoscopy, robotics and endourology with flexible instruments and lasers.
She obtained her degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Barcelona (UB) and then completed her Urology Residency at Fundació Puigvert. She has a PhD in Sexuality in Spina Bifida from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
Berk Burgu, MD

Berk Burgu, MD

Pawan Chalise, MS, MCh (Urology and Kidney Transplant Surgery)

Pawan Chalise, MS, MCh (Urology and Kidney Transplant Surgery)

Miguel Castellan, MD

Miguel Castellan, MD

Read Bio
Dr. Castellan Miguel is a pediatric urologist within the Division of Pediatric Urology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Dr. Castellan Miguel earned his medical degree from University of Rosario, Argentina. He then completed a residency in Urology at University of Miami, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Urology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. His clinical interests include minimally invasive surgery, reconstructive pediatric urology, hypospadias repair and robotic surgery.
Douglass Clayton, MD

Douglass Clayton, MD

Read Bio
Dr. Clayton has dedicated the last 10 years of his career to basic science research in the area of bladder inflammation. He has been funded by the National Institutes of Health through a K08 Career Development Award.
Nicholas Cost, MD

Nicholas Cost, MD

Read Bio

Dr. Nicholas Glenn Cost, MD currently serves as an Associate Professor at Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. He was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Urology at the University of Colorado – School of Medicine, concentrating his clinical and research efforts in the areas of Urologic Oncology and Pediatric Urology. Within this realm, he focuses on testicular cancer and kidney cancer, specifically in the pediatric, adolescent, and young adult populations and those with hereditary renal malignancy syndromes. Nick’s dedication to the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Oncology population derives largely from his own personal experience as a cancer patient as a young adult.

Daniel DaJusta, MD

Daniel DaJusta, MD

Read Bio
Daniel G. DaJusta, MD, is a member of the Section of Urology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Faculdade de Medicina in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. He completed a urology residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, followed by a two-year pediatric urology fellowship at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Dr. DaJusta is interested in all aspects of urologic problems in children, including minimally invasive and robotic surgery, continuing care for adults with pediatric urologic conditions, fertility issues related to cancer therapy and other conditions, kidney stones, hypospadias, spina bifida and other complex pelvic and urinary issues.
Sudip Dasgupta

Sudip Dasgupta

Ciro Esposito, MD, PhD, MFAS

Ciro Esposito, MD, PhD, MFAS

Read Bio
Prof. Ciro Esposito is Surgeon-in-Chief and Director of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Surgical residency at the Timone Children Hospital, University of Marseille (France) and NIH Bethesda (USA). He is Honorary Member of French Academy of Surgery (Paris). His research activities include applications of Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial intelligence (AI) and Telementoring in Pediatric MIS; Robotic Surgery, Endourology and new techniques in minimal invasive surgery. Ciro Esposito is reviewer of a variety of surgical peer-reviewed journals and Editors of 10 Books of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric MIS. C.E.O. and Past President of European Society of Pediatric Endoscopic Surgery (ESPES),. He is the Director of MIS and Robotic Pediatric Courses at University of Naples (Italy) since 2006. He is lecturer and expert in Pediatric MIS a IRCAD/EITS of Strasbourg (France) since 1996.
Nicolas Fernandez, MD, PhD, FACS

Nicolas Fernandez, MD, PhD, FACS

Read Bio
Dr. Fernandez is an assistant professor at the University of Washington and Pediatric Urologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He obtained his medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota Colombia.

His surgical and urological training was completed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana where he graduated as a Urologist. He also graduated cum laude and received a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) in Genetics. Dr. Fernandez obtained his pediatric urology title from the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto where he also completed a 1-year Post-Doctoral position. He is the current director of Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery at Seattle Children’s hospital.

Patricio Gargollo, MD

Patricio Gargollo, MD

Read Bio

Gargollo, M.D., is a pediatric urologist at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN Campus. His clinical areas of focus include:

  • Minimally invasive and robotic assisted surgery
  • Genitourinary oncology including rhabdomyosarcoma, testicular cancer, Wilm’s tumor, and pediatric kidney tumors
Pablo Gomez, MD

Pablo Gomez, MD

Parviz Hajiyev

Parviz Hajiyev

Andrew Hung, MD

Andrew Hung, MD

Micah Jacobs

Micah Jacobs

Emilie Johnson, MD, MPH, FACS

Emilie Johnson, MD, MPH, FACS

Andrew Kirsch, MD, FAAP, FACS

Andrew Kirsch, MD, FAAP, FACS

Paul Kokorowski, MD, MPH

Paul Kokorowski, MD, MPH

Read Bio

Dr. Paul Kokorowski specializes in Urology, currently practicing in Los Angeles and Torrance, California. Paul recieved his first degree from Keck School of Medicine, USC in 2003. He went on to complete and internship and residency at the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. After that, he attended the Harvard School of Public Health and completed a fellowship at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. Dr. Kokorowski is board certified in both adult and pediatric urology.

Yegappan Lakshmanan

Yegappan Lakshmanan

Read Bio

Yegappan Lakshmanan specializes in pediatric urology.

  • Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Residency: Royal College of Surgeons
  • Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Internship: University of Massachusetts Medical Center
  • Medical School: Madras Medical College University of Madras
  • Residency: Memorial Medical Center
Rosalia Misseri, MD

Rosalia Misseri, MD

Read Bio

Dr. Rosalia Misseri earned her medical degree at State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. She then completed an Urology residency at State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY and Pediatric Urology fellowship at Indiana University School of Medicine-Riley Hospital for Children.

Dr. Misseri’s primary location is Riley Pediatric Urology in Indianapolis. She also sees patients at offices in Riley at IU Health North, Lafayette, Northwest Indiana, and Fort Wayne.

Sameer Mittal, MD, MSc

Sameer Mittal, MD, MSc

Read Bio
Sameer Mittal, MD, MSc, FAAP, is an attending pediatric urologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and assistant professor of urology and surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an active member in multiple professional societies, such as the American Urological Association, the Societies for Pediatric Urology, the Society for Fetal Urology and the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Mittal focuses on the most up-to-date treatment options. His research interests are broad within the field of pediatric urology and have included work in minimally invasive urologic reconstruction, hypospadias, pediatric oncology, differences in sex development and pediatric stone disease.
Kentaro Mizuno, MD, PhD

Kentaro Mizuno, MD, PhD

Juan Manuel Moldes Larribas, MD

Juan Manuel Moldes Larribas, MD

Read Bio
  • 2013 . Integrant – Eq. – Pediatric Kidney and Ureter Transplantation
  • 2022 . Deputy Chief of Service – Pediatric Surgery
  • 2005 . Staff Physician – Pediatric Surgery
  • 2007 . Member – Child Urinary and Fecal Incontinence Center
Mario Navarrete-Arellano, MD

Mario Navarrete-Arellano, MD

Read Bio
Dr. Mario Navarrete Arellano, doctor specialized in Pediatric Surgery at the ABC Medical Center. He trained as a Surgeon and Midwife at the Army and Air Force University.
Kalpana Patil

Kalpana Patil

Read Bio
I possess a considerable experience in Paediatric Urology and Paediatric Surgery with a good background in General Surgery. My experience spans over two decades and I have been fortunate enough to gain experience in 3 different countries, India, Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom. My graduation and initial specialisation took place in Bombay (India). I subsequently performed as an independent Consultant Paediatric Surgeon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for more than four years before I retrained myself to British standards by successfully completing SpR rotation leading to accreditation in Paediatric Surgery. I chose to pursue a career in Paediatric Urology and to this end I have spent two and a half years in the Department Of Paediatric Urology at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Following this I have been a sessional Consultant Paediatric Urologist prior to taking up the Consultant Paediatric Surgeon/Urologist position in Lewisham and Guy’s & Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Hospital. Since 2005 the Paediatric Urology services are based within the department of nephrourology in Evelina Children’s Hospital.
I kept up with my Personal Development Plan by attending the ESPU, AAPU, AUA BAPU meetings.
My career ambition is to establish good communication with the South London Paediatric Urology services and provide comprehensive care for the patients from fetal through to adolescence services. This will provide a useful link with the robust adult urology services in Guy’s hospital..
I have now retired from full time NHS commitments but continue attending fetal urology clinics in St Thomas’s Hospital and Kings College Hospital with my paediatric urology colleagues in an honorary capacity except for during the current COVID period of isolation.
I continue providing Paediatric Urologic care for private patients in Portland Hospital on a regular basis.
Krishna Patil, MBBS, MS, MCh, FRCS, FEBU, FRCS

Krishna Patil, MBBS, MS, MCh, FRCS, FEBU, FRCS

Read Bio

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Nov 2006 FRCS (Urol)
Intercollegiate Speciality Board, UK

Jun 2003 FEBU
European Board of Urology, Paris, France

Jun 1992 FRCS
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland

EDUCATION AND DISTINCTIONS

Dec 1986 MCh (Urol)
Grant Medical College, University of Bombay, India

Apr 1981 MS
Grant Medical College, University of Bombay, India

PRESENT POSITION

Nov 2012- till date
Consultant Urologist with specialist interest in Robotic Prostate & Bladder Cancer Surgery
Royal Surrey Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford Surrey GU2 7XX

Intuitive approved proctor for Robotic Prostatectomy and Cystectomy.

Michael Ost, MD

Michael Ost, MD

Read Bio
Dr. Michael C. Ost is a urologist who treats a wide array of urologic conditions in both adults and children. He is skilled in minimally invasive surgery, utilizing robotics, laparoscopy, and endourologic techniques. His areas of expertise include the treatment of kidney cancer, congenital renal anomalies, ureteral injuries and abnormalities, and complex stone disease.
Prashant Pattnaik, MS, MCh

Prashant Pattnaik, MS, MCh

Read Bio
  • M.B.B.S., M.S(Surgery), M.Ch.(Urology) from Bombay University
  • Successfully managed the 1st Lihtotripsy Center of India soon after its inception until recent past considered as pioneer in the field in Asia.
  • Member of Society International Urology, American Urological Association, International endourological Society, European Association of Urology & Indian Urological Association.
    Consultant visiting urologist S A A R C countries.
  • Recipient of several awards including most prestigious S.I.U. Scholarship
Pramod Reddy, MBBS

Pramod Reddy, MBBS

Read Bio
As a pediatric urologist, Pramod Reddy, MBBS, practices general pediatric urology and fetal urology. I treat children with spina bifida, neurogenic bladder and posterior urethral valves. In addition, he performs surgeries for complex genitourinary reconstruction, renal transplantation and hypospadias. When possible, he offers laparoscopic or robotic surgery as an option.
Arieh Shalhav, MD

Arieh Shalhav, MD

Read Bio
Arieh Shalhav, MD, is a pioneer in minimally invasive laparoscopic/robotic urologic surgery. He has extensive experience in laparoscopic surgery of the kidney. He is also an expert in performing prostate cancer surgery with the Da Vinci Surgical System – a robotic device used to perform minimally invasive surgeries. Dr. Shalhav was the first urologic surgeon in the region to use this advanced technique for prostate cancer surgery.
Kunj Sheth, MD

Kunj Sheth, MD

Read Bio

Professional Education

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 05/24/2012

Internship

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 06/30/2013

Residency

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Urology Residency, Dallas, TX, 06/30/2017

Fellowship

Baylor College of Urology Fellowships, Houston, TX, 07/10/2019

Board Certifications

Pediatric Urology, American Board of Urology

Urology, American Board of Urology

Aseem Shukla, MD, MCHI

Aseem Shukla, MD, MCHI

Read Bio

Dr. Aseem R. Shukla is the Endowed Chair and Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Professor of Surgery in Urology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Shukla’s clinical and research interests include robot-assisted laparoscopy and the bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex, and also spans hypospadias, urinary reflux, hydronephrosis and complex urinary tract reconstruction. He is active in developing pediatric urology as a discipline globally.

Anne-Françoise Spinoit, MD, PhD, FEBU, FEAPU

Anne-Françoise Spinoit, MD, PhD, FEBU, FEAPU

Arun Srinivasan, MD, MRCS

Arun Srinivasan, MD, MRCS

Read Bio
Arun K. Srinivasan, MD, MRCS, is an attending pediatric urologist in the Division of Urology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is also a staff urologist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and an associate professor of urology in surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Venkat Sripathi, MBBS, MS, MCh, FRACS, FEBPU

Venkat Sripathi, MBBS, MS, MCh, FRACS, FEBPU

Read Bio

Dr. Venkat Sripathi is a Senior Consultant Pediatric Urologist & Robotic Surgeon. He started out his medical schooling in India, at Stanley Medical College, for his MBBS and MS. After that he continued education in India and Australia, later on becoming certified in Robotic Sugery in the USA.

Santiago Vallasciani, FEAPU,MD

Santiago Vallasciani, FEAPU,MD

Read Bio
Dr Santiago Vallasciani joined Sidra in January 2018 as Senior Attending Physician. He was formerly the Chief of Pediatric Urology Division in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After his graduation in the Medical School in Argentina, Dr Vallasciani moved to Italy where he developed his career in Pediatric Urology as subspeciality of Pediatric Surgery. He has a special interest in Genito-Urinary reconstruction and Minimally invasive surgery. Dr Vallasciani published over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and more than 100 congress abstracts. His interest covers also research either clinical, basic and public health and received international awards for that. Medical Education is another of his interests with Faculty position in Al Faisal University in Riyadh and currently as Assistant Director of the Pediatric Urology Fellowship in Sidra.
Benjamin Whittam, MD, MS

Benjamin Whittam, MD, MS

Read Bio
Dr. Benjamin Whittam is a board-certified pediatric urologist specializing in reconstructive surgery to correct congenital abnormalities. He utilizes minimally invasive surgical techniques to provide excellent outcomes with less pain, smaller scars and shorter hospital stays. In addition, he uses the latest surgical technologies to provide a new and more cost-efficient option for patients. He is also an Associate Professor of Urology at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Duncan Wilcox, MBBS, MD

Duncan Wilcox, MBBS, MD

Read Bio

Dr. Duncan Wilcox is the Surgeon-in-Chief at Children’s Hospital Colorado. He specializes in treating patients with hypospadias, undescended testicles and patients with complex bladder anomalies. Dr. Wilcox has recieved his MD and BSc from the University of London, in addition to completing an internship, residency program, and fellowship between 1995 to 1998.

Dan Wood, PhD MB.BS FRCS

Dan Wood, PhD MB.BS FRCS

Read Bio
Dr Dan Wood is a Professor of Urology and Chief of Surgical Transition, based at Children’s Hospital Colorado and working across the Anschutz Medical Campus. He has previously worked at University College London Hospitals and an honorary consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital. His major interest and work is in adolescent and reconstructive urology – with an expertise in adult complex reconstruction, surgical aspects of bladder exstrophy, cloacal exstrophy, posterior urethral valves, disorders of sex development and neuropathic bladder.

He qualified from St Bartholomew’s Medical College (London, UK) in 1994, did a PhD, at UCL, looking at smooth muscle physiology and completed his higher training at the Institute of Urology where he was first appointed as a consultant in 2008.

He maintains an active research interest and is widely published, he served as a senior editor of the Journal of Paediatric Urology and has been an invited speaker as visiting professor across the US and Europe and at many international meetings.

Rebecca Zee, MD, PhD

Rebecca Zee, MD, PhD

Read Bio

Dr. Rebecca Zee specializes in:

  • Prenatal hydronephrosis
  • Robotic urologic surgery
  • Urinary tract obstruction (e.g. UPJ obstruction
    UVJ obstruction)
  • Renal duplication anomalies
  • Undescended testis
  • Hypospadias
  • Vesicoureteral reflux
  • Resident education

She attended Boston University school of medicine, continuing an internship and residency at the University of Virginia Health System, completing her fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center.