Dr. Tyler's clinical practice focuses on GI cancers, melanoma, and sarcoma. He has pioneered neoadjuvant approaches using chemotherapy and/or radiation to tumors of the stomach and pancreas as well as the application of minimally invasive surgery to tumors of the GI tract. He is an expert in the management of regionally advanced and in-transit melanoma and oversees novel clinical trials to manage this form of disease. Dr. Tyler also has extensive experience managing retroperitoneal and abdominal wall sarcomas.

Orepheus M. Hamilton is a Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. She is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and is licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing. As a member of the UTMB Department of Surgery, Ms. Hamilton works in the areas of colorectal and general surgery.

Ms. Hamilton completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012 at the Chamberlain College of Nursing in Downers Grove, IL. She went on to complete the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program in 2015 at the Maryville University in St. Louis, MO. As an AGPCNP student, she performed clinical rotations at Memorial Hermann-Southeast in Houston, TX.

Ms. Hamilton has over 17 years of nursing experience and is also a member of the American Nurses Association, District TX09.

Dr. Vaghjiani complete his undergraduate education at Brown University with a Sc.B. in neuroscience. He received his M.D. from Brown University and completed general surgery residency at the Albert Einstein COM/Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. During that time, he also completed a thoracic surgery research fellowship focusing on solid tumor immunology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He received subspecialty clinical training in complex general surgical oncology at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY before joining the faculty at UTMB.

His clinical interests include the treatment of a wide variety of cancers including: gastric, esophageal, small bowel, pancreas, bile duct, adrenal, thyroid/parathyroid, sarcoma, melanoma, and breast. He is also well versed in minimally invasive/robotic techniques.

Dr. Vaghjiani is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, and the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family (including his dogs Mango and Chutney), camping, and cars.

Dr. V. Suzanne Klimberg is a Professor and the Division Chief of Surgical Oncology and Colorectal Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She is a board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeon with three decades of experience in breast surgical oncology. Dr. Klimberg holds the Courtney M. Townsend, Jr., M.D., Distinguished Chair in General Surgery and is Clinical Director of the UTMB Cancer Center and Medical Director of the Breast Cancer Service Line.

After her PhD candidacy in Biochemistry at the University of Miami Howard Hughes Medical Institute (1977-1980), Dr. Klimberg earned her medical degree with honors in 1984 at the University of Florida (UF) in Orlando, Florida. She remained at UF to complete her general surgery internship (1984-1985) and residency (1985-1988) as well as a clinical oncology fellowship (1988-1989). Dr. Klimberg went on to complete a breast diseases fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas, from 1990-1991.

During her fellowship at UAMS, Dr. Klimberg became a faculty member in the Department of Surgery. She remained at UAMS for 27 years where she became a respected leader in breast surgical oncology. During her time at UAMS, Dr. Klimberg held several leadership positions, including Director of the Breast Cancer Program and Division Director of Surgical Oncology. She was also honored with the Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology and with her own named lectureship at the Rockefeller Cancer Institute by her colleagues and friends.

Dr. Klimberg joined UTMB in 2017. That same year she earned her PhD in Clinical and Translational Sciences from the University of Arkansas.

In her career, Dr. Klimberg has pioneered innovative breast cancer treatment methods and holds several patents in surgical treatment methods. She has authored over 260 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 49 book chapters in surgical textbooks as well as served as editor of 13 surgical textbooks. Additionally, Dr. Klimberg is Chair of the Oncoplastic Breast Skills Course at the American College of Cancer, has held over 30 editorial board positions for surgical journals and publications, has won over 75 awards in teaching, research, and clinical care, and is the past president of three major American surgical organizations. She has also been funded by the NIH, American Cancer Society, Merit Review, and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York.

Dr. Klimberg's clinical interests include prevention of lymphedema using Axillary Reverse Mapping (ARM) technique; needleless breast surgery; minimally invasive breast surgery; treatment of breast cancer with radiofrequency ablation; diagnosis of breast cancer with tears; high-risk management; breast pain; and chest wall pain after surgery.

Her numerous list of honors include Top Doctors in Texas, Texas Monthly, 2018, 2019; Super Doctors®, 2019; Best Doctors in America, Best Doctors List; America's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly, 2017; One of America's Top 1% Most Honored Professionals, American Registry, 2017; Compassionate Doctor 5-Year Award, Vitals, 2017; America's Top Doctors for Cancer 2017, Castle Connolly; and Exceptional Women in Medicine 2017, Castle Connolly.

Dr. Klimberg is also actively involved in many professional medical organizations and journals. Her responsibilities include Deputy Editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology; Associate Editor of the Journal of Surgical Oncology; Editorial Board Member for the Annals of Surgery, Surgery, and The Breast Journal; Treasurer of the Southern Surgical Association; Fellow of the American College of Nutrition; and Member of the American Surgical Association, the Society of University Surgeons, and the Association for Academic Surgery.

Dr. Alexander Perez is a Professor of Surgery, Vice Chair of Quality for the Department of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive and Foregut Surgery, the Surgical Director of the Sealy and Smith Laboratory for Surgical Training Assessment and Research at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and Adjunct Professor at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Perez was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. He completed his Research Fellowship and Internship in General Surgery at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He then did his Residency in General Surgery at Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine and his Fellowship in Endosurgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Perez received his Medical Degree at the Bosque University Colombian Medical School in Bogota, Colombia.

Dr. Alexander Perez is board-certified in Surgery, fellowship-trained in Endosurgery and specializes in minimally invasive general and oncologic surgery - hernias, gallbladder, stomach, spleen, adrenal, and pancreas. He has authored over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 10 book chapters in surgical textbooks. Dr. Perez has been honored with several awards for teaching and clinical work and is active in scientific organizations.

Dr. H. Colleen Silva is currently a Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch where she also attended medical school and completed an internship in General Surgery. She completed her residency in General Surgery at Columbus Hospital, an affiliate of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois and her fellowship in Surgical Oncology at The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Silva is Director of Breast Health and Medical Director at the UTMB Health Breast Health and Imaging Center. Dr. Silva's special and research interests include the treatment of breast disease and breast cancer.

Dr. Silva has received awards and honors, which include Houstonia Magazine Top Doctors and an American Cancer Society Physician Award for Outstanding Cancer Care. She is author or co-author of various publications and abstracts in several medical journals specializing in cancers.