My bio
I have been captivated by how the body works since childhood and distinctly remember playing with anatomy models while my schoolmates played with toy trains and cars. I attended medical school at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and went on to complete an internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. I then trained in infectious diseases at UT Southwestern and did a second fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Michigan.
Since 1999, I have practiced as a board-certified pulmonary and critical care physician. My clinical area of expertise is lung disease and ICU medicine, and I particularly focus on interstitial lung diseases and sarcoidosis 鈥� a group of uncommon and complex illnesses that result in inflammation and scarring of the lungs.
In addition to seeing patients, I have a research laboratory, where my colleagues and I study mechanisms of lung injury and fibrosis. I find the combination of seeing patients and studying their illnesses in the lab deeply fulfilling. My practice of medicine is informed by the underlying science, and my work as a scientist is motivated by the patients I care for.
I serve as the chief of the University of Florida Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine. Our goal as a division is to deliver outstanding medical care to our patients via specialized clinical programs, perform cutting-edge research by fostering collaboration between clinicians and investigators, and to train the next generation of doctors and scientists in our discipline.
I have published many research papers and hold two patents. My laboratory has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health. I am a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigators, an honor society for physician-scientists. Among my proudest achievements are the well young doctors and investigators that I have trained who have gone on to successful careers as clinicians and scientists.
Outside work, I enjoy long-distance running and cooking.
Board certifications
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Critical Care Medicine
ABIM
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Pulmonary Medicine
ABIM
Education
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Research Fellowship
Schering-Plough Research Institute, 2000
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Research Fellowship
University of Michigan, 1997-2000
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Fellowship - Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
University of Michigan, 1996-1999
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Fellowship - Infectious Diseases
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 1995-1996
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Residency - Internal Medicine
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 1992-1995
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Medical Degree
University of Nottingham, 1986-1991
Specialties
Additional languages
- Farsi
Gender
Male
Accomplishments
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Attending of The Year
University of Virginia, 2016
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Americas Top Doctors in Pulmonary Disease
Americas Top Doctors, Castle Connolly, 2015-2020
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Fellow
American College of Chest Physicians, 2015
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Department of Medicine Research Award
University of Virginia, 2013
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Inductee
American Society of Clinical Investigation, 2013