Meet Our Residents

Alessio Beffa, MD
AP /CP
Alessio was born and raised in St. Louis. He received a B.S. in Biochemistry from The University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. He then attended Saint Louis University School of Medicine during which he completed a Post-Sophomore Fellowship in the Department of Pathology. During his PSF year, he enjoyed the diversity of cases and opportunities for teaching which led him to pursue a career in pathology. After earning his M.D. in 2024, he was excited to join the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University as an AP/CP resident with current interest in surgical pathology. He enjoys triathlons and spending time with his family including his wife, son, and two Saint Bernards, Ellie and Banks. 

Jennifer Bentz, MD
AP/CP 
Jennifer was born and raised in East Tennessee. She graduated from Berea College in Kentucky with a BA in Biology and earned her medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis. She is an AP/CP resident with broad interests and is looking forward to exploring the many career options pathology has to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys doting on her two dogs, acrylic painting, and exploring St. Louis restaurants and parks with her partner and friends. 

Rebecca Crowther, MD, PhD 
AP/PSTP
Becca hails from West Deptford, New Jersey. She graduated summa cum laude from Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She completed her MD and PhD degrees as part of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program. She earned her PhD in Immunology, studying metabolic changes in immune cells during tuberculosis infection in the labs of Joseph Qualls, PhD and Sing Sing Way, MD, PhD at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. As part of the Physician-Scientist Training Program, she plans to continue studying the immune response to infections. In her spare time, she enjoys cross stitching, cooking, and playing board games with her wife, Kaitlyn. 

Maryam Mohammed, MBBS 
AP/CP
Maryam was born in Sudan and grew up between Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. She attended medical school at the University of Khartoum, Sudan. Her passion for pathology goes back to her pre-clinical years,  where she won prizes for the best performances in Clinical Immunology and Pathology. Inspired by her mentors, she completed several attachments, including at the National Hemophilia Center, Sudan’s leading center for bleeding disorders. During her time in Canada, she cofounded a tele-health clinic with the Sudanese Canadian Health Professionals association, which provided medical relief to people affected by the recent conflict in Sudan since April 2023.  She is currently an AP/CP resident and is excited to explore her interests in pathology. Maryam is an avid journaler, an amateur calligrapher, and loves fountain pens and Japanese stationery. 

Nila Palaniappan, MD
AP/CP
Nila was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. She attended the BA/MD program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for her undergraduate and medical education. She took a gap year in medical school to pursue research at WashU in Dr. Urano’s lab studying Wolfram Syndrome and ultimately returned to WashU to begin pathology residency training in AP and CP.  She initially found the field of pathology growing up, as her best friend’s dad was a dermatopathologist. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, exploring the national parks, practicing yoga, and finding new restaurants to try.

Alexa Powers, MD 
AP/CP
Alexa was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a certificate in Italian Language and Culture, while competing as a member of the Women’s Varsity Swim Team. She attended medical school at Saint Louis University where she also completed a Post-Sophomore Fellowship. During medical school, she developed an interest in teaching, leading her to pursue a distinction in medical education while helping to augment the preclinical curriculum. She is currently an AP/CP resident with an interest in surgical pathology. In her free time, she enjoys running, farmer’s markets, gardening, traveling, and drinking coffee. 

Julia Rockcole, DO
AP/CP 
Julia hails from Metro Detroit, Michigan where she spent her formative years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and later pursued her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University in Clearwater, Florida. Between undergrad and medical school, Julia worked at a dermatology office where she first gained exposure to pathology. Although Julia does like dermatopathology, she is also currently interested in GI and medical renal pathology.  
Julia is thrilled about her residency at Washington University in St. Louis, where she looks forward to delving into various aspects of pathology as an AP/CP resident while learning from experts in this field. Beyond medicine, Julia enjoys listening to music and attending concerts, staying active with her Peloton bike, bowling, or unwinding at home while cheering on the Detroit Red Wings! 

Alicia Vagnozzi, MD, PhD
AP/NP/PTSP
Alicia grew up in Okemos, Michigan – and yes, she will use her hand to show you where in the state that is. She completed her undergraduate studies at Northwestern University, where she started out in the Integrated Science Program, but quantum physics quickly made her switch to biology. After college, she worked for several years as a research technician at the University of Michigan with Dr. Sunny Wong, where she studied the role of various stem cell populations in wound healing. It was here where she realized that bench research was her true passion.  She completed her MD and PhD degrees at Case Western Reserve University, working in Dr. Polyxeni (Pola) Philippidou’s lab to explore the molecular mechanisms of respiratory neural circuit development. She is excited to become involved in the neuroscience research at WashU, both as a future neuropathology fellow and as part of the Physician Scientist Training Program. In her spare time, Alicia enjoys watching documentaries, gardening, and completing home improvement projects. 

Tay Wilson, MD, PhD
CP/PSTP 
Tay was born, raised, and lived her entire life until residency in Memphis, TN. She attended Rhodes College for her undergraduate studies where she majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She completed her MD and PhD degrees at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) through a partnership between UTHSC and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. During her PhD, she analyzed regulatory T cell receptor repertoires, classified the immune microenvironment of glioblastoma, and identified a transcriptional signature unique to highly effective CD19-specific CAR-T cells. During this time, she recognized her passion for cellular therapies and decided upon clinical pathology to further her career. Tay is a CP resident with main interests in Transfusion Medicine and Molecular Pathology but is excited to learn all facets of clinical pathology. She would like to continue immunotherapy research during the PSTP. Outside of work, Tay enjoys reading fantasy novels, discovering new (and old) music, and hanging out with her husband, Treston, and puppy son, Bartholomew.

Hongnan (Amanda) Xu, MBBS 
CP
Hongnan Xu was born in Heilongjiang, China. She completed her medical degree at Harbin Medical University. In 2014 she moved to Long Island NY and began working on her master’s degree in clinical laboratory sciences. She worked as a laboratory technologist and developed great interests in blood banking and transfusion medicine, which solidified her choice to pursue a career in clinical pathology. In her free time, she enjoys jogging, swimming, and Zumba classes, then after a good workout she likes to try different cuisines and come home to spend time with her cats.   

Margaret Axelrod, MD, PhD
AP/PSTP
Maggie was raised in New Jersey. She attended Georgetown University for her undergraduate studies. She completed her MD and PhD degrees as part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Scientist Training Program. During her PhD, she studied one of the deadliest side effects of anti-cancer immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor associated myocarditis. As part of the PSTP, she plans to continue doing research in tumor immunology. Outside of work, she enjoys biking, reading, rock climbing and hiking.

Xin Duan, MBBS, PhD
AP/CP
Xin, originally from Guangzhou, China, is a PGY-2 resident in the Pathology department. Guangzhou, known for its delectable Cantonese cuisine and vibrant blend of overseas and local cultures, is where Xin completed his medical degree at Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine. After completing his residency in sugery, Xin moved to the United States to pursue his PhD and postdoctoral training in orthopedic surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. Xin’s research focuses on bone and soft tissue diseases, specifically the inflammation and autophagy pathways in cartilage injury and the interventions to prevent chondrocyte damage using a nanoparticle-based in-vivo drug delivery system. During his research year, Xin worked closely with many pathologists at Washington University in St. Louis and developed a passion for pathology, leading him to pursue pathology residency training at the same institution. Outside of work, Xin enjoys spending time outdoors hiking or jogging, as well as weightlifting, playing board games and RPGs with friends.

El Harith Elsiddig, MD
AP/CP
Harith was born in Philadelphia, PA, but spent most of his formative years in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he considered a pre-medical track, but instead majored in accountancy. Harith worked as an auditor and then as a consultant at one of the “big four” accounting firms. It was during these years that he realized the urge for medicine never dissipated. He enrolled in a post-bacc program at Dominican University, stayed in Chicago for medical school at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine, and graduated in May 2023. During Medical school, he was awarded a research grant by the Illinois Society for the prevention of Blindness for work with the Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology. It was during this period that he realized his passion for pathology and research. Harith is currently an AP/CP resident with wide interests. During his free time, he enjoys basketball, soccer, learning video animation, and exploring St. Louis with his wife and daughter.

Margaret Fink, MD
AP/CP
Margaret was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She completed her BS in neuroscience at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She then worked at the NIH for two years in a clinical research group investigating the genetics behind very rare pediatric neuromuscular disorders, where she had her first experience in pathology looking at muscle biopsy slides. She came back home to Chicago to attend medical school at Northwestern University. In her free time she enjoys riding her Peloton bike, doing jigsaw puzzles, listening to podcasts (specifically the podcast Spilled Milk), and has a goal to walk every possible path in Forest Park.

Ahmad Hedayat, MD
AP/NP
Born in Kabul, Ahmad completed his MD degree at Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine in Antalya, Turkey. Following medical school, he embarked on a postdoctoral research fellowship, delving into the intricate realms of atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease at Mayo Clinic, Yale University, and recently Rush University Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Currently, Ahmad is an AP/NP resident with a keen interest in Alzheimer’s Disease and brain tumors. Outside of work, he finds joy in exploring new places with his wife and son, indulging in soccer and biking, and expressing his creativity through graphic designing.

Rohan Kodgule, MD
CP
Rohan was born and raised around western India’s majestic and beautiful Sahyadri mountain range. He completed his medical education at KIMS Karad and pursued his anatomical and clinical pathology residency at INHS Asvini Mumbai. Curious to learn more about cancer genetics, he worked at the Tata Memorial Center, focusing on hematologic malignancies. Subsequently, he embarked on postdoctoral research at UMICH and later at WashU. His primary interest lies in understanding the functional genome of hematological malignancies. Outside of work, Rohan finds joy in spending time with his family, following cricket and tennis (especially when Djokovic is playing), savoring spicy food, watching action movies, and listening to desi music. Whatever free time he has after attending to his daughter, he happily spends doing whatever his wife wants him to do.

Carly Maucione, MD
CP
Carly was born and raised in central New Jersey, where she also attended undergraduate school at Rutgers University. After getting her degree in biological sciences, she went on to attend medical school at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She sought out clinical experiences in blood bank and transfusion medicine as well as hematopathology, which solidified her choice to pursue a career in clinical pathology. She enjoys anything outside, especially the beach. If it involves antiquing, art, or plants, she’s interested! She is hoping to add some more national parks to her list in the near future.

Ruth Melka, MD
AP/CP
Ruth was raised in Georgia and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Duke University. She attended medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. She is excited to explore her interests in pathology as an AP/CP resident. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching tv/movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Grace Perkins, DO
AP/CP
Grace moved to St. Louis from Greenfield, Indiana. She grew up there in the country with 4 siblings and tried out many sports growing up. She attended Indiana University- Bloomington and received a B.S. in Microbiology. She then attended Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis and received her D.O. in 2023. Throughout her undergraduate career and medical school she participated in microbiology research, with a focus in emerging biotechnology and new identification methods for pathogens. She has a 5 year old Pitbull named Echo, who has won the owner-appointed award ‘Most Handsome Dog’ many times (by a landslide). When she is not playing with Echo, she can be found reading mystery books, exercising, and tending houseplants.

Ana Villanueva, MD
AP/CP
Ana was born and raised in Comerío, Puerto Rico. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico. She then attended medical school at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. After finishing medical school, she joined a Research Lab at Washington University in St. Louis and worked with a multidisciplinary team of pathologists, scientists, cardiologists, and radiologists to study the immune signatures in mouse and human cardiac sarcoidosis. After living in St. Louis for some time, she is happy to stay in Missouri and join the AP/CP program at WashU. Outside of work Ana enjoys outdoor activities, kayaking, gardening, traveling, sudoku puzzles, and spending time with family and friends.

Katherine Williams, MD
AP/CP
Katherine was raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and attended Salem College for her undergraduate studies in biochemistry and cell and molecular biology. After college she spent two years working in the molecular infectious disease laboratory at the LabCorp center for esoteric testing where she performed qualitative and quantitative analysis of HIV, HCV, and HBV. While there her love of laboratory medicine grew and she chose to pursue medical education with the intention of pursuing pathology. She went on to attend the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill where she sought out experience in a variety of areas within pathology. In her free time she enjoys oil painting, reading, doing puzzles, hiking, and spending time with her many animals.

Franklin Woode, MD
AP/CP
Franklin is from Barnhart, Missouri, a small town about 25 miles south of Saint Louis. He graduated from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey with a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology before returning to Missouri to work as a STEM specialty tutor at Harris-Stowe State University in Saint Louis and attend medical school at the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Medicine. It was there that he discovered his interest in pathology, leading him to complete a Post-Sophomore Fellowship in the department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences. He is very excited for the opportunity to explore his interest in pathology with some of the most respected figures in the field as an AP/CP resident at Washington University, as well as the opportunity to reacquaint himself with Saint Louis, which he visited often throughout his childhood. Although he is keeping an open mind regarding what area of pathology he would like to pursue, he is certain he would like teaching and medical education to play a prominent role in his future career. Outside of medicine, he likes to spend his time lifting weights, biking, walking his dogs, cooking, exploring Saint Louis, and learning to play the guitar.

Justin Burk, DO
AP/CP
Justin grew up in Poland, Ohio. He completed his BS in neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. He went on to complete the post-baccalaureate program at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and subsequently earned his DO from LECOM. Justin enjoyed being a peer tutor and an author for the Truelearn question bank during his time in medical school. He is currently an AP/CP resident and is excited to learn everything that WashU has to offer but has particular interests in cytology and cardiothoracic pathology. In his free time, Justin enjoys reading, watching sports, video games, skiing, golfing (poorly), and exploring the city. 

Kyle Goodman, MD, PhD
AP/CP
Kyle was born in upstate New York but raised in Cary, North Carolina. He attended North Carolina State University for his undergraduate studies and earned degrees in chemical engineering and psychology through the interdisciplinary Benjamin Franklin Scholars Program. He then spent a year at the NIH in a post-baccalaureate research fellowship prior to joining the MSTP at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He conducted his dissertation research with Dr. David Hendrixson on bacterial signal transduction pathways in Campylobacter jejuni that modulate host colonization. Kyle is currently a third year AP/CP resident and will be staying at WashU for the combined renal and genitourinary pathology fellowship. Outside of work, he enjoys playing hockey, ice skating, bowling, weightlifting, and drinking coffee. 

Zita Hubler, MD, PhD
CP/PSTP
Zita was raised in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In college, Zita worked on several projects spanning image segmentation, biophysics, and CRISPR-based molecular modification at UIUC, Northwestern University, and Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Next, she joined the Case Western Reserve University Medical Scientist Training Program, where she obtained her MD and Ph.D. degrees. Her graduate work involved the development of small-molecule-based remyelinating therapies that resulted in two patents and numerous awards. After discovering her passion for Clinical Pathology, she published work that characterized an adaptable workflow for SARS-CoV-2 variant genotyping. As a Clinical Pathology resident in the Physician Scientist Training Program, she plans to focus on Molecular Genetic Pathology and develop therapies for genetic diseases. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, running, trying new restaurants, and cooking.

Maloree Khan, DO
AP/CP
Maloree grew up in the Midwest and completed her undergraduate training at University of Missouri Columbia where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. She completed medical school at Kansas City University where received her D.O. degree. Throughout college and medical school she stayed involved with research projects ranging in topics from cardiovascular physiology to immunotherapy. In her free time she enjoys reading, poetry, running, and spending time with loved ones.

Jiannan Li, MD, PhD
AP/CP
Jiannan was born and raised in Heilongjiang, China, which is famous for its winter wonderland. She completed her medical school in Sichuan University and pursued a PhD in autoimmune kidney disease in Peking University, China. Her thesis focuses on the disease mechanism and epidemiology of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease. She came to the U.S. for her postdoctoral research training at the Cleveland Clinic, she utilized her research skills to unravel potential medications for Crohn’s disease intestinal fibrosis, and her research was funded by Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. In the meantime, she worked closely with GI pathologists at the Cleveland Clinic, and fell in love with pathology, thus deciding to pursue the pathology residency training at Washington University in St. Louis. She is an incoming AP/CP resident and most interested in GI/liver pathology. Outside work, she enjoys yoga, swimming, handcrafting, planting flowers and cooking. 

Clay Marolt, DO
AP/CP
Clay was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology at Truman State University and his master’s degree in Biomedical Science at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, MO. He attended medical school at Kansas City University in Kansas City, MO, where he also completed a post-sophomore teaching and research fellowship in Clinical Anatomy. He is currently an AP/CP resident interested in Hematopathology. In his free time he enjoys hiking & camping, cooking, exploring National Parks with his wife, Megan, and spoiling his dog, Ginger. 

Christopher Snyder, MD, PhD
CP
Christopher was born and raised in Houston, Texas, before initially moving to St. Louis for his undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis. He completed a double major in biomedical engineering and applied Mathematics and received a minor in electrical engineering. He cultivated a passion for both mathematics and medicine and began a MD/PhD at the University of Texas where, in addition to his medical curricula, he studied machine learning, image processing and focused on deep learning interpretability and generalizability for his doctoral thesis. Now returning to Washington University in St. Louis after having completed his MD/PhD, he hopes to use clinical pathology residency training as a unifying umbrella with which to bridge and apply his training thus far– ideally in the pursuit of academic research. His casual interests include space, generally, planetary science and astrophysics especially, as well as history–classical and 20th century. Recreationally, he loves chess, tennis, breadmaking and snowboarding.

Lauren Stark, DO
AP/CP
Lauren spent her pre-residency life in and around Kansas City, Missouri. She completed her undergraduate degree at William Jewell College, where she earned a B.A. in Biology. She spent a year substitute teaching in Kansas City public schools before being accepted to Kansas City University for medical school. She did a post-sophomore pathology fellowship at the University of Missouri during her medical training. Lauren is a first-year AP/CP resident. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, working out, hanging out with her two cats, and exploring local coffee shops and breweries. 

Madison Tichenor, DO
AP/CP
Madi, a Missouri native, was born and raised in Springfield. She attended Drury University, earning her BS in Biology, and later obtained her medical degree from Kansas City University. Her interest in pathology began early in life after an inspiring shadowing experience with a pathologist in high school, which led to a lasting mentorship during medical school. She aspires to follow in his footsteps. Madi is currently a third-year AP/CP resident and eagerly anticipates an upcoming fellowship in Dermatopathology. In her free time, she enjoys playing RPGs, indulging in Harry Potter marathons, exploring local cuisine, and spending time with loved ones (including her fur babies, Adnexa and Gyrus). 

Homayemem Weli, MD, PhD
CP
Homayemem (Homa) was born and raised in the coastal city of Port Harcourt known as the “garden city” in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. She completed her medical school training from the University of Ilorin College of Health Sciences followed by a Master of Science degree in Cell and tissue engineering from University of Keele United Kingdom. Her interest in laboratory medicine and cell therapies led to her subsequent pursuit of a PhD in Cell and tissue engineering at the same university, studying the role of advanced glycation end products, ageing and biomechanical changes within the pelvic tissue in pregnancy and urogenital prolapse. Following completion of these, she joined her family in the United States. She continued to carry out research at the Washington University in St Louis, where she studies the impact of point of care glycated hemoglobin testing implementation on pregnancy care and outcomes. She looks forward to joining the pathology community here at the Washington University in St Louis for residency training. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her kids and husband, singing, and listening to music, pencil drawing and doing simple outdoor sports. 

Melissa Limia, MD
AP/CP
Melissa was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Florida and later earned her medical degree from USF’s Morsani College of Medicine. During medical school, she enjoyed teaching pre-clinical students as part of USF’s Doctoring curriculum and hopes to continue teaching further on in her career. Currently, she is an AP/CP resident and will be the Gastrointestinal/Hepatobiliary fellow in 2025-2026. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, kayaking, pretending that doing paint-by-numbers counts as having artistic talent, and throwing money at the Lego corporation every quarter. 

David Sadegh, MD
AP/CP
David was born and raised in New Jersey, where he became fascinated with pathology through a high school internship at Hackensack University Medical Center. He graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Human Biology, Health, and Society. After college, he assisted in orthopedic research at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He then worked as a public health advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supporting New York City’s health department as a tuberculosis case manager. David went on to study at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Currently, he is an AP/CP resident interested in expanding pathology’s role in public health. Outside of work, David enjoys exploring St. Louis, running, hiking, and archery in Forest Park.

Callie Torres, DO
AP/CP
Callie Torres was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri. She attended medical school at Kansas City University in Joplin, Missouri. Callie is participating in the Air Force’s Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and looks forward to working as an active duty pathologist following the completion of residency. In her free time Callie likes to play volleyball, hike, read, cook, and garden.

Francesca Vacca, MD
AP/CP
Francesca was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. She completed her undergraduate degree in biological engineering at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri where she also researched cardiac and skeletal muscle hypertrophy in congenital disease. She completed her medical doctorate at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she also completed a post-sophomore fellowship in pathology. Currently, she is an AP/CP resident interested in pediatric pathology. Outside of work she enjoys watercolor painting, fly-fishing, playing guitar, spelunking, and traveling.