Current Residents

Undergrad: University of Michigan - Dearborn
Med School: Oakland University William Beaumont SOM

Dr. Moleca M. Y. Ghannam was born in Detroit, Mich. She graduated early, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a double major in biology and anthropology. There she researched miRNA markers in glioblastoma multiforme. She received her medical degree from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Her interest in tumor research carried into medical school where she used novel brain imaging segmentation analysis to compare meningioma grade. She also looked at proteomics data and miRNA networks that impact neuronal growth and regeneration.

Dr. Ghannam has a strong interest in global neurosurgery. She spent time at Harvard University where she studied theories in globalization and development. She worked as a health advocate and researcher looking at the rates of tobacco and hookah use in the Arab and Chaldean American communities on a project sponsored by the Michigan State Department of Health. She founded Hakeemah, a virtual library of resources to improve positive health seeking behaviors in Muslim women by addressing the intersectionality of medicine and faith without compromising either.

Her clinical interests include central and peripheral nervous system tumors. In her free time, she enjoys traveling across the United States with her family. She has visited over 30 states and is working on seeing all 50. She also enjoys horseback riding and calligraphy.

Med School: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Dr. Asham Khan was raised in Buffalo, N.Y. and completed his medical education at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland where is passion for neurosurgery was ignited. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Khan obtained a research fellowship with the department where he published extensively in the realm of spine surgery, in particular, robotic spine surgery. His clinical interests include complex spine surgery and skull base neurosurgery, in the future hopes to complete fellowships in these fields, and advance research in these fields. Dr. Khan also has a keen interest in business and is co-founder and CEO of Fusion Medical Software, a startup company aiming to improve patient flow, simplify clinical practice and connect neurosurgeons for the betterment of patient care. In his spare time, he enjoys playing chess, basketball, and spending time with family and friends.

Undergrad: University of Texas
Med School: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

Dr. Elizabeth Nyabuto was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in Texas. She has always had a desire to become a doctor and took advantage of all opportunities growing up to achieve this goal. Prior to completing undergraduate education, she attended the Texas Academy of Mathematics & Science, an early college entrance program for gifted high school aged students interested in STEM. Afterwards, she received her Bachelor of Science and Arts in Biochemistry from the University of Texas in Austin, where she spent two years and worked as a Biostatistics Teaching Assistant in her final semesters. She then went on to complete medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, serving as the Vice President of the Class of 2020 for her last two years and graduating as a Global Health Track Scholar. She spent 4 weeks observing neurosurgeons in Cape Town, South Africa prior to beginning residency, and hopes to utilize the skills she acquires to help people in her family’s hometown in Kenya. Her research interests include indications for intracranial pressure monitoring for various neurologic disorders. Her clinical interests include vascular and pediatric neurosurgery, and central nervous system tumors. Dr. Nyabuto enjoys volleyball, singing, playing guitar and piano, and watching random Youtube videos. She also loves meeting new people and spending time with her family and friends

Undergrad: Tufts University
Med School: Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine

Dr. Matt Moser is originally from Northern Virginia, he completed his undergraduate education at Tufts University where he majored in Biochemistry, volunteered as an EMT, and played varsity baseball all four years as a pitcher and shortstop. He then attended Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine in Richmond, Va., where he earned the Internal Medicine Clerkship award along with being inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. During medical school, his research and publications included peripheral nerve repair techniques using processed acellular nerve allografts along with improvements in operative techniques for frame-less fiducial-less DBS surgery using a poised cannula technique. His neurosurgical interests are broad and include critical care, open and endovascular surgery, neurosurgical oncology, and functional neurosurgery.

Undergrad: Cornell University
Med School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo 

Dr. Kyungduk Rho grew up in Albany, N.Y., and completed his undergraduate education at Cornell University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2015. He continued his education at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society, ultimately earning his Medical Doctorate summa cum laude with Honors in Research. In medical school, Dr. Rho actively pursued research on cerebrovascular disease, endovascular therapies, and robotic spine surgery. His clinical interests include open and endovascular neurosurgery, as well as neurosurgical oncology. Dr. Rho enjoys playing golf, basketball, traveling, and spending time with his friends and family.

Undergrad: University of California, Davis
Med School: University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Dr. Tanya Singh grew up in San Mateo, Calif., and completed her undergraduate degree under and independent major program at the University of California, Davis where she studied cognitive neuroscience and statistics. She completed a master’s in biophysics and physiology at Georgetown University and went on to earn her MD from the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Singh subsequently completed her internship and PGY-2 year in general surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her clinical interests remain broad, and she has a particular interest in providing surgical care to the developing world. She is considering specialized training in pediatric neurosurgery, skull base neurosurgery, and cerebrovascular surgery. Outside of the hospital, Tanya enjoys spending her free time travelling with family and friends, running and reading.

Undergrad: Binghamton University
Med School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Alexander Fritz grew up in Buffalo and completed his undergraduate education at Binghamton University where he volunteered as an EMT and graduated magna cum laude with degrees in biology and philosophy. He went on to medical school at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. In medical school, Dr. Fritz pursued research in spine and endovascular neurosurgery. He additionally engaged in volunteer work with UB HEALS, an outreach organization group that aims to facilitate medical care for the homeless population of Buffalo. Dr. Fritz’s clinical interests include endovascular and skull base neurosurgery. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching the Bills, golfing and traveling.

Undergrad: Florida State University
Med School: Florida State University

Dr. Devan Patel was born and raised in Seminole, Fla. He completed his undergraduate training at Florida State University and studied biology and chemical engineering. He remained at Florida State University for medical school. During medical school, he co-founded Leadership in Medicine, a four-year leadership development program for medical students and other health care professionals. The program received multi-year grant funding from the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He also conducted basic science research on inflammation in brain aneurysms at the University of Florida in Dr. Brian Hoh’s lab. During his research time, he received grant funding from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Following medical school, he completed his general surgery internship at the University of North Carolina. Upon graduation, he received the Department of Surgery’s Outstanding Intern of the Year award and Excellence in Pediatric Surgery award. His research efforts have focused on novel treatments for cerebrovascular diseases. His clinical neurosurgery interests remain broad. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his family and is an avid Tampa Bay sports fan.

Undergrad: Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
Med School: Hamdard University Karachi, Pakistan 

Dr. Muhammad Waqas completed his medical education at Hamdard University, Karachi as a gold medalist. He went on to graduate from the Aga Khan University neurosurgery program before moving to Buffalo to pursue his passion for academic neurosurgery. He published well over 100 manuscripts and dozens of book chapters related to cerebrovascular neurosurgery, during his stay with UB Neurosurgery, first as research and then as a clinical fellow. He is a junior editor for the journal “Interventional Neuroradiology.” His research interests include arteriovenous malformation, stroke, and aneurysm treatment and outcomes. He has been actively working to explore and address heath care disparities with regards to access to stroke care in the United States. He wishes to optimize stroke systems of care to ensure equal access to all irrespective of gender, race and geography. Dr. Waqas enjoys music, poetry, traveling and spending time with his friends and family.

Undergrad: University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Med School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Dr. Katy Locke grew up in Santa Monica, Calif., and completed her undergraduate studies in physiology and neuroscience at The University of California San Diego. Prior to medical school she completed a master of science studying spinal cord injury and regeneration of the respiratory circuit at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She stayed at Drexel University for medical school where she continued her research diving deeper into spinal pathway regeneration under the mentorship of Michael Lane, PhD. During her time at Drexel, she served as the president of the Surgery Interest Group, won several awards for her contribution to spinal cord injury research and was ultimately elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society for her achievements. During her free time she enjoys farmers markets, volleyball, hiking, reading outside, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Med School: Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas) Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Brazil

Undergrad: University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.
Med School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Dr. Terry Xia grew up in Cheshire, Conn., and completed undergraduate education at University of Connecticut where he graduated magna cum laude with his Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Neurobiology. He went on to medical school at Drexel University where he found his passion for neurosurgery during the end of his third year. His clinical interests include cerebrovascular neurosurgery and spine. Outside of work, his hobbies include spending time with his wife and two dogs, video games, and steak.

Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh
Med School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Dr. Michael Moran grew up in Erie, Pa., just 90 minutes from Buffalo, N.Y. and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Pittsburgh, graduating magna cum laude. His interest in neurosurgery was born early during his undergraduate years while working as a patient care technician on the neurosurgical step-down unit at UPMC Presbyterian. He completed two post-baccalaureate research years at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) studying febrile seizures and epilepsy in young children at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. From there, he moved to Philadelphia, Pa. and graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine. After unfortunately not matching into neurosurgery during his first application cycle, he completed a preliminary intern year in General Surgery at Penn St. Health in Hershey, Pa. before finally matching into neurosurgery here at UBNS. Dr. Moran’s clinical and research interests are broad and include, but are not limited to, functional neurosurgery and epilepsy, pediatric neurosurgery, skull base, and neuro-critical care. He enjoys spending time with his German Shepherd (Rudy), watching professional and college football, golfing, and visiting his nephews back home in Erie, Pa. during his free time.

Med School: Cairo University Faculty of Medicine, Egypt

Dr. Mohamed Soliman began his journey by completing his neurosurgery residency at Cairo University in 2017. Dr. Soliman earned his master's degree in Neuroscience in 2015 and completed his PhD in Neuroscience in 2018. His extensive training includes electives at Dalhousie University and Western University in Canada, where he received exceptional evaluations, followed by a three-year clinical fellowship at Western University and an additional one and a half years at the University at Buffalo. His clinical and research interests are centered on spinal surgery and hydrocephalus.

Dr. Soliman's expertise is recognized internationally, having lectured at major conferences such as the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons Congress, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, Global Spine Congress, and North American Spine Society Annual Meeting. His contributions to the field have been honored with several awards, including the Angelika F. Hahn Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching from Western University, Excellence in Teaching Siegel Award from University at Buffalo and the Journal of Neuro-oncology Best Abstract Award from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

He is also distinguished as a North American Spine Society 2024 Class of 20 Under 40 honoree and served in various influential roles, including as Chairman of the Non-Annual Meeting Education Taskforce for the North American Spine Society, member of the Young Neurosurgery Committee of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, member of the Membership Committee of the North American Spine Society, and as part of the AO Spine Knowledge Forum. Additionally, Dr. Soliman serves as member of the early career advisory council of the North American Spine Society. His editorial responsibilities include serving as an editor for journals such as Nature: Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Neurology, and World Journal of Clinical Cases.

Dr. Soliman has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications and conducted more than 250 peer reviews for leading journals including the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, The Spine Journal, Spine, Global Spine Journal, and Operative Neurosurgery. He has secured more than $250,000 in research grants, reflecting his dedication to advancing neurosurgical and spinal care. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Soliman enjoys playing soccer with his son, exploring new places with his family, and has a background in professional handball, where he has won several tournaments. 

Undergrad: Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
Med School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh
Med School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Angeleah Carreras was raised in Hatfield, Pa., and graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College, where she developed a strong interest in neurosurgery and became actively involved in endovascular research. During her time at SKMC, Dr. Carreras was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and received the Dr. James D. and Jennie M. Beach Memorial Scholarship in recognition of her academic excellence and community involvement. Her clinical interests include endovascular neurosurgery and spine surgery. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, exploring the culinary scenes of Buffalo and Canada, and spending quality time with her family.

Undergrad: Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Ill.
Med School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - Traverse City

Dr. Morgan McCririe-Balcom grew up in rural Michigan. She completed her undergraduate education in sociology. After spending seven years working in inpatient psychiatric care, she studied biomedical science at Grand Valley State University. She completed her MD at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, with a certificate in Leadership in Rural Medicine. She also was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and the Gold Humanism honor society, and received the AMWA Glasgow-Rubin citation for academic achievement. Dr. McCririe-Balcom’s clinical interests remain broad and include functional neurosurgery, pediatric neurosurgery, and neurosurgical trauma. Outside the hospital she enjoys spending time with her family, running, reading, and playing board games.

Med School: Universidad CES Escuela de Medicina, Colombia

Dr. Esteban Quiceno Restrepo completed his medical education at CES University before training in neurosurgery at the University of Antioquia in Colombia. Driven by his interest in complex spine surgery, he pursued a clinical fellowship at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, UK, followed by a clinical spine fellowship at University at Buffalo Neurosurgery.

During his research and clinical training, Dr. Quiceno published numerous papers and book chapters. His current work focuses on advancing the field of adult spinal deformity, with an emphasis on improving surgical outcomes and innovation in spine surgery. Outside of medicine, he enjoys cycling, traveling, and spending time outdoors.

Undergrad: Baylor University
Med School: Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Ashley Ricciardelli grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and completed her undergraduate education at Baylor University where she graduated as a University Scholar. Notable accomplishments included working as an EMT and completing a thesis on technology’s influence of medical ethics. She then went on to complete medical school at Baylor College of Medicine during which she explored several research topics including the utility of AI in operative planning for metastatic spinal fractures as well as the role and therapeutic implications of inflammation in AVMs. Dr. Ricciardelli’s clinical interest include endovascular and skull based neurosurgery. Her hobbies include horseback riding, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.