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. J. Patrick Walker is a Professor in the MIS/Foregut Surgery Division in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. Dr. Walker holds the James C. Thompson, MD, Distinguished Chair in Surgery, is Vice Chair for Surgical Operations and is Surgical Director of Perioperative Services.

He completed his internship and residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch where he became Chief Resident. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology and his Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Walker earned his MD at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Dr. Walker is a member of the Southern Surgical Association, the Texas Surgical Society, the Texas Medical Association, and the American College of Surgeons. He is a past Director of the American Board of Surgery and a current Governor of the American College of Surgeons. He has been honored with the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Arthur Ellenberger Award from the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Walker's special interests include surgical education, rural/community surgery, endoscopy, acute care surgery, evaluation of abdominal complaints, gall bladder disease, hernias, colorectal surgery and complex surgical problems.

Dr. Lauren McTaggart, MD is a board-certified general surgeon. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She returned to pursue a career in medicine obtaining her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean. She completed her internship and residency in General Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. She accomplished a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Advanced GI and Bariatric Surgery at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

Dr. McTaggart’s surgical interests include: Minimally Invasive Surgery of the Foregut, Bariatric, and General Surgery. She has experience in bariatric and revisional bariatric surgery, foregut surgery, including esophageal motility disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal and paraesophageal hernias, and gastroparesis. She also has an interest in endoscopy, benign gallbladder disease and abdominal and inguinal hernias. She utilizes minimally invasive surgical techniques through a robotic and laparoscopic approach.

Dr. Lauren McTaggart is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Association of Women Surgeons, and the American Hernia Society.

Lastly, Dr. McTaggart is passionate about patient care and her community. She is dedicated to helping her patient’s understand disease processes and achieve a better quality of life.

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. Richard Lu is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Minimally Invasive and Foregut Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. He also serves as an Associate Program Director for the General Surgery Residency Program and the James E. Thompson, MD, Distinguished Professor in Surgical Simulation. He completed his internship and residency in general surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. During his residency he demonstrated a keen interest in minimally invasive surgery as well as teaching, and has been honored with various awards including the LSTAR Resident Surgical Olympics PGY-5 Champion, Golden Apple Award in Stimulation, Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching, the Thayer Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was also elected as a Raleigh Ross Scholar and a nominee for the institution's best resident.

Following residency, Dr. Lu completed a fellowship in Advanced GI and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland. During his time there, he trained with world-renowned experts in abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia repair as well as foregut surgery.

Dr. Lu is a diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Texas Surgical Society, and the International Hernia Collaboration.

Dr. Lu's clinical interests include minimally invasive abdominal wall reconstruction, ventral hernia repair, inguinal hernia repair, mesh complications, and benign biliary disease.

His personal interests outside of surgery include spending time with his family, racquetball, cooking, photography, and working on cars.

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. Ruth L. Bush is a professor of vascular surgery and the Associate Dean for Educational Affairs at the John Sealy School of Medicine-UTMB. She is board certified in both general and vascular surgery. She has over two decades of experience in vascular surgery and undergraduate (UME) and graduate medical education (GME). Prior to joining the faculty at UTMB, she was the founding Associate Dean for Medical Education and Professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine. She has also held leadership roles at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M College of Medicine where she was the former Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, holding tenured professor rank at both institutions.

A native North Carolinian, Dr. Bush graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, medical degree from University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, juris doctorate from William Taft Law School, and masters in public health from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Dr. Bush completed residency at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA where she also spent an additional two years doing vascular surgery research. Following completion of general surgery residency, she completed a vascular surgery fellowship at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA. She practiced in the VA healthcare system for 18 years and recently retired from federal service. She also has practiced in private and academic settings. Over the past decade, her clinical practice has focused primarily on venous disorders including chronic venous insufficiency, venous ulcerations, and post-thrombotic syndrome.

She is a member of several prestigious professional organizations and was elected in 2018 to the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. Additionally, the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum have awarded her Distinguished Fellow status. Dr. Bush is past president of the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society (formerly known as the PVSS) and is president-elect (2023) of the American Venous Forum. She is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Vascular Surgery – Venous and Lymphatic Disorders.

She has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles, >35 book chapters, and is on the editorial board of several medical journals. Dr. Bush has been an invited speaker and led workshops/courses at more than 200 national and international programs. She also is involved with her community as a volunteer at Dress for Success Houston, as a member of the American Heart Association’s Circle of Red which promotes cardiovascular health in women, and as a global volunteer to Haiti providing much needed primary care and general surgical procedures. She is passionate about medical education at all levels, patient care and barriers to care, and studying and improving health disparities in venous care.

No Biography details to display.

No Biography details to display.

Christina is a Nurse Practitioner in the UTMB Health Department of Surgery.

Christina Guarin grew up in San Antonio, TX and always knew she wanted to be in healthcare. In high school she joined the Health Occupations Students of America and became a Certified Nursing Assistant at the age of 16. She worked in a Skilled Nursing facility until after graduation when she enlisted in the US Navy. After bootcamp she was attached to a Marine Corps Unit and did 2 tours in Iraq as a MedEvac corpsman. After completing her enlistment, she challenged the state board and was approved to take the NCLEX for LVN. Christina then worked as an LVN in an outpatient surgery center while taking pre-requisites to get into nursing school. After graduating with her BSN, she worked one year in a Critical Care Stepdown Unit before transferring to the Intensive Care Unit where she would stay until completing her master's degree and becoming an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.

Christina Guarin is Board Certified by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

In her free time, Christina enjoys traveling with her husband, and chasing after her ever-energetic children.