10 Faculty Members Join 6 Medical School Departments

By Dirk Hoffman

Viveka C. De Guerra MD, is a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Allergy/Immunology and Rheumatology.

She completed an adult and pediatric allergy and immunology fellowship at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

De Guerra also completed an internship and pediatrics residency at the Jacobs School.

Chanel J. Fernandez, MD, is a clinical assistant professor of medicine.

She completed a pulmonary critical care fellowship at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Fernandez completed an internal medicine residency at the Jacobs School.

She received her medical degree from the Medical University of the Americas.

Benny L. Joyner Jr., MD, is the A. Conger Goodyear Professor and Chair of pediatrics.

Joyner also serves as pediatrician-in-chief for Oishei Children’s Hospital, chief of service for pediatrics for Kaleida Health, and president and CEO of UBMD Pediatrics.

Joyner is renowned for his pioneering work in simulation training and innovative medical education.

He has held significant national leadership roles and has a strong background in medical education.

Joyner's research focuses on developing novel simulation strategies using high-fidelity technology to enhance medical training. His efforts address the challenges of rare, high-stakes events in patient care and the implementation of advanced technologies in resource-limited settings.

He completed a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Joyner completed his pediatric residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Pediatric Residency Program at Montefiore Medical Center. He also served as chief resident in pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Pediatric Residency Program in Bronx, NY.

Joyner earned his medical degree from the UNC School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health degree from the university’s School of Public Health.

Navpreet Rana, DO, is a clinical assistant professor of medicine.

She completed a gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition fellowship at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Rana completed an internal medicine residency at the Jacobs School and a general surgery residency at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania.

She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Nahel Altaf Tunio, MD, is a clinical assistant professor of medicine.

She completed a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth Medical Center, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Tunio completed her residency training in internal medicine at Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

She earned a medical degree with honors in research from Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar.

Thomas Zervos, MD, is a clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery.

He is a practicing pediatric neurosurgeon at Oishei Children’s Hospital 

He completed a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Additionally, Zervos received specialized fellowship training in pediatric spinal deformities within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. 

Zervos completed his residency training in neurosurgery at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan.

He earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

The biographical information in the faculty profiles of the following new hires was incomplete at the time of publication:

Cynthia Chen, MD, is a clinical assistant instructor of emergency medicine.

Hasan Fattah, MD, is a clinical assistant professor of medicine.

Nadia N. Khalil is a clinical instructor of biotechnical and clinical laboratory sciences.

Xiaoxia Liu is an assistant professor of biomedical informatics.