Fellows
3rd Year Fellows
Harry Balanta Murcia, MD
Hometown: Santiago de Cali, Colombia
Medical School: Universidad del Valle School of Medicine, Santiago de Cali, Colombia
Residency: Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Why did you choose UH? I chose the Hematology and Oncology fellowship at the UH because, in this hospital, I have found professors and mentors with outstanding human qualities. Our educators are extraordinary human beings, dedicated to teaching their fellows high-quality medicine to treat a community that needs and hopes sub-specialists concerned about the speedy recovery of their patients and with the ability to deliver a lot of love, understanding for the patient with cancer, and with the conviction that the comprehensive treatment is essential to achieve excellent quality of life and in many cases the cure. Therefore, my training as a hematology and oncology fellow in our UH hospital will lead me to achieve a highly scientific and humanistic healthcare perspective, with incomparable experience in managing and treating our patients with malignancies. In addition, the fantastic research experience, mentorship, and vast cultural diversity, both in the patient's community and in the professional group taking care of patients, will provide me with a unique clinical background. I perceive our program as entirely committed to delivering outstanding knowledge and generating an environment of human development so that its fellows can prosper and joyfully achieve these crucial objectives: Help, Protect, and Heal patients with cancer, providing optimal treatments and the comfort of excellent quality of life.
Interests: GU Oncology
Hobbies: I love going with my family to the parks around Cleveland to get fresh air, walk in nature, and play soccer with my son and basketball with my daughter. I treasure learning different languages and about cultures. I enjoy to play the violin at family gatherings at Thanksgiving and in December.
Ho Jun Lee, MD
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Medical School: Wayne State University
Residency: Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Why did you choose UH? I very much enjoyed my residency training and the people I got to work with at CWRU/UH making it an easy choice. I also dislike moving.
Interests: Still relatively undifferentiated but leaning towards solid oncology (perhaps GI or GU) with a focus on cancer related thrombosis
Hobbies: Avid NBA fan, Toronto sports fan (Raptors, Jays, Leafs), computer games, food
Kanchi Patell, MD
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Medical School: K.J Somaiya Medical College, India
Residency: St Vincent Charity Medical Center - University Hospitals
Why did you choose UH? PHENOMENAL mentorship! The clinical exposure is broad and empowering with lots of clinical research opportunities.
Interests: GI oncology, immune checkpoint inhibitors
Hobbies: Traveling to explore different cultures and cuisines, Bollywood dancing
2nd Year Fellows
Carley Mitchell, MD
Hometown: Saegertown, Pennsylvania
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency: University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University
Why did you choose UH? This program is highly supportive of all fellow interests and I was lucky to find amazing mentorship working with the faculty here. The program also provides a broad and complete clinical experience with the opportunity to develop your own continuity clinic which was very important in my decision.
Interests: Thoracic oncology, palliative care in oncology
Hobbies: Figure skating, downhill skiing, boating & waterskiing. But day to day, I love nothing more than morning coffee and weekend brunch with family & friends.
Annie Zhang, MD
Hometown: Dublin, OH
Medical School: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Residency: Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Why did you choose UH?& As a resident at UH, I had the opportunity to work with incredibly supportive mentors who were role models for patient care at the bedside and leaders in research and education!
Interests: Solid oncology, lung cancer screening, population health, health disparities
Hobbies: Hiking, camping, biking, and hosting summertime bonfires
Abdul Al-Armashi, MD
Hometown: Damascus, Syria
Medical School: Syrian Private University
Residency: St. Vincent Charity Medical Center - Northeast Ohio Medical University, Cleveland, OH
Why did you choose UH? UH Seidman's Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, renowned oncologists, and exceptional research opportunities, coupled with a supportive community and Cleveland’s vibrant charm.
Interests: Solid oncology
Hobbies: I enjoy photography, videography, fashion, and social media, fueled by a passion for visual arts and design.
Eric Irons, MD, PhD
Hometown: Hong Kong, China
Medical School: University at Buffalo
Residency: University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University
Why did you choose UH? I have found UH to be a great place to train. It is well-rounded in offering excellent clinical training, a variety of research opportunities, and a humanistic orientation to service. Many of the clinicians I have met here balance world-class expertise with a dedication to educating those in training.
Interests: Malignant hematology and transplantation
Hobbies: Travel, language, cooking, piano, gardening
Julian Doolittle (Woo Kyung Lee), MD, PhD
Hometown: Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, Korea (a beautiful port city on the south coast of Korea)
Medical School: Yonsei University College of Medicine (The first modern hospital as well as the oldest university in Korea)
Residency: Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, I also did an IM residency and Endocrinology/Metabolism fellowship at Yonsei University College of Medicine/Severance Hospital.
Why did you choose UH? World-renowned clinical excellence, huge/exuberant research network in Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a very supportive atmosphere by amazing people
Interests: I did not decide what to do but I am currently interested in rare aggressive endocrine cancers, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, endocrinopathies in cancer patients, and clinical studies. Also, I have a keen interest in translational research about cancer/immune metabolism.
Hobbies: Traveling/hiking with my husband and our dog, weight training, learning cooking/baking, listening to electronic/house music, playing piano/video games.
1st Year Fellows
Praveena Thiagarajan, MD, PhD
Hometown: Chennai, India
Medical School: Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, India
Residency: Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Why did you choose UH? I chose UH Case Western Cleveland Medical Center for its strong academic reputation, comprehensive clinical training, and commitment to cutting-edge research in hematology and oncology. The program’s seamless integration of exceptional patient care with expert subspecialty training, along with its collaborative environment and strong mentorship, deeply resonated with me. With diverse clinical exposure and robust research opportunities, UH offers the ideal setting to develop as a well-rounded clinician and contribute meaningfully to the field.
Interests: I have a broad interest in hematology and oncology and am eager to explore various subspecialties before determining my focus area.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time outdoors—whether it's hiking or just taking in the fresh air to unwind. I also enjoy gardening and photography.
Rohit Rao, MD, PhD
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Medical School: University of Cincinnati
Residency: Case Western University/ University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Why did you choose UH? I was attracted by the many opportunities to get involved in clinical and translational research. Also working here as a resident, I found the oncologists here to be incredibly supportive and willing to teach.
Interests: Still undifferentiated but leaning towards solid oncology with a focus on the tumor immune microenvironment
Hobbies: Traveling to new places, hiking, reading fantasy/science fiction books, occasionally going to comedy shows
Michael Sheu, MD
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Medical School: Saint Louis University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic
Why did you choose UH? For the Land! Cleveland is an incredible, vibrant city brimming with an abundance of (affordable) entertainment and dining options. From world-class museums and theaters to live music, sports, restaurants, and parks, there’s always something to explore. As someone who grew up in a big city, I admit I was initially skeptical about moving to Cleveland. But, after spending the last 4 years here, I’ve come to truly appreciate everything Cleveland has to offer. I’m thrilled to stay for the next three years for fellowship—and who knows, maybe 30 more years after that!
Interests: Hematology
Hobbies: Rock climbing, disc golf, dancing, tennis, collecting sports cards
Vasu Munjapara, MD
Hometown: Strongsville
Medical School: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan
Why did you choose UH? It is a strong program that gives me the flexibility of exploring both a variety of heme/onc pathologies while also continuing the research that I have been conducting since medical school. Being close to my hometown and my family is a huge bonus!
Interests: Medical Oncology, CNS metastases
Hobbies: Reading, Videogames (MMORPGs, MOBAs, FPS), Magic the Gathering
Dan Qu, MD
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Residency: University of Miami / Jackson Health System
Why did you choose UH? I really enjoyed my rotations at UH when I was a medical student, and I worked with hematology/oncology faculty who were fantastic teachers. Because UH is an amazing training environment, I was excited to come back for fellowship.
Interests:Malignant hematology, health disparities
Hobbies: Exploring new restaurants, trivia games, video games, TV shows & movies.