Dr. Cox comes to UTMB after 13 years at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. Prior to that, he spent 13 years on active duty in the United States Air Force, with multiple wartime deployments. He is well-known for handling the most severe and unusual cases of arterial and venous disease, utilizing minimally invasive and traditional surgical treatment options. His academic focus has been the study and implementation of novel endovascular procedures, initially in a combat setting, and subsequently for high-risk patients with aneurysmal and arterial occlusive disease. Dr. Cox has a strong interest medical education and the development of programs to train highly competent vascular surgeons that can perform the full range of vascular procedures. He enjoys working with the talented and compassionate vascular surgical team at UTMB, and coordinating professionals with many areas of expertise to deliver optimal treatment for patients with vascular conditions.

Interests: Complex aneurysmal disease including thoraco-abdominal aneurysms, branched aortic endografting and re-do aortic procedures. Salvage of vascular surgery complications such as infected bypass grafts, endoleaks, and endovascular device failure. High-risk carotid surgery. Vascular Trauma. Mesenteric arterial disease. Thoracic outlet syndrome. Creation of dialysis access in patients with multiple failed fistulas. Central venous occlusions. Congenital vascular anomalies, and unusual vascular conditions in young patients. Vascular resection and reconstruction during cancer operations. Limb salvage options for critical limb ischemia in high-risk patients. Exposure of the lumbar spine for neurosurgical and orthopedic procedures. Device trials for novel endovascular and surgical therapies.

Dr. Whittington grew up in Austin, Texas, attended Baylor University earning a BS in Neuroscience before obtaining his medical degree at Texas A&M College of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee followed by a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.

He has returned to Texas with a focus on treating the broad field of vascular disease with special interest in both open and endovascular surgical repair of complex aortic pathology, renal and mesenteric ischemia, carotid disease, dialysis access, and peripheral arterial disease.

Dr. Michael Silva was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, earned his BA from The University of Texas, Austin, Texas and his MD from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston where he completed his Residency in General Surgery. He also completed fellowships at Columbus Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois and UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.

Dr. Silva is currently The Fred J. and Dorothy E. Wolma Professor in Vascular Surgery, Professor of Radiology, Chief in the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, and Director of the Texas Vascular Center. He is an active member of various committees, which include The International Society for Vascular Surgery, The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery/Society for Vascular Surgery, American Board of Vascular Surgery and the Society of Vascular Surgery. He is the principal investigator on numerous funded grants. Dr. Silva's interests include the innovations in vascular and endovascular training, carotid angioplasty and stenting, endovascular intervention for aneurysmal disease, occlusive disease, traumatic injury and pediatric indications.

Dr. Silva received awards and honors which include UTMB Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2014, Houston's Best Doctors in 2013, and Best Doctors in America from 2008-2013. He is an editorial board member for Vascular, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, and Perspectives in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. His research has been published in various journals such as Journal of Vascular Surgery, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and has authored chapters in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and Sabiston's Textbook of Surgery.

Dr. Jani Lee grew up mostly in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating with a Biochemistry degree from New York University, she completed her medical school education at Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Lee graduated from General Surgery Residency training from Mount Sinai West-Morningside Hospitals, and graduated from Vascular Surgery Fellowship training from The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Dr. Lee has been well trained in all open and endovascular aspects of Vascular Surgery including complex aortic repair, peripheral artery disease, carotid disease, mesenteric disease, dialysis access, and venous disease. She is fluent in Korean and familiar with Spanish.

Dr. Christine Shokrzadeh received her MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed her residency in Vasculary Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Clinically her interests relate to aortic disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, venous disease, hemodialysis access creation and management, endovascular and minimally invasive vascular surgery.

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. Sarah Samreen is the Surgery Clerkship Co-Director and the Director of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.

Dr. Samreen earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan. She completed her internship in General Surgery at Berkshire Medical Center in Berkshire, Massachusetts and completed her residency in General Surgery at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania where she was an Administrative Chief Resident. She accomplished her fellowship in Advanced GI, Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dr. Samreen is a member of the Association of Women Surgeons, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Samreen's clinical interests include complex esophageal motility disorders including achalasia, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), paraesophageal and hiatal hernias, bariatric surgery, gall bladder disease, inguinal hernias, and ventral hernias. She uses a minimally invasive approach through laparoscopy and robotic surgery.

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.

Dr. Zaidi's practice specializes in treating vascular disease with comprehensive treatment options including medical management, minimally invasive endovascular procedures including balloon angioplasty, atherectomy, stent procedures, and open surgical repair including bypass. His interests also include carotid disease, peripheral arterial disease, aortic aneurysms, and complex venous disease. Dr. Zaidi also provides comprehensive dialysis access care including fistula creation and maintenance.