The Department of Internal Medicine is pleased to introduce some of the department’s newest members, most of whom joined us between July and October 2026 (start dates in parentheses). More new providers will be announced in the coming weeks. We are happy to welcome them to the department.
Dr. Amir Abidov joined the Division of Immunology as a clinical assistant professor after completing his allergy/immunology and rheumatology (dual certification) fellowship here. He received his MD from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, followed by an internal medicine residency at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, where he also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Abidov’s research and clinical interests include medical education, immune dysregulation, and secondary immunodeficiency. He enjoys cooking, gardening, spending time with his wife, and being harassed by his two cats in his free time.
Dr. Yahya Alsawaf joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as a clinical assistant professor after completing his internal medicine residency at MedStar Health Georgetown University Internal Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his MD from the University of Damascus in Syria. Dr. Alsawaf’s clinical interests focus on bringing good evidence to the bedside in hospital medicine, with a particular interest in liver disease and the non-invasive tools used to assess it. Before residency, he spent time as a research fellow at Mayo Clinic, where he worked on systematic reviews that informed national practice guidelines. Outside the hospital, he enjoys hiking and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Joe Berei joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as a clinical assistant professor after completion of his internal medicine residency at UI Health Care. Dr. Berei received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford, Illinois. His clinical interests include gastroenterology and hepatology, quality improvement, and evidence-based medicine. When he isn’t working, Dr. Berei enjoys spending time with his wife and family, cooking, traveling, and staying active through running and other outdoor activities.
Dr. Martin Borissov joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as a clinical assistant professor, where he will care for patients at the UI Heath Care Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the Medical University of Sofia Faculty of Medicine in Bulgaria, followed by a residency in internal medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where he also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Borissov’s clinical interests focus on pulmonology, critical care, and ultrasonography. Outside medicine, he likes to play sports–tennis and soccer–and he enjoys cooking for his friends and family.
Dr. Elio Castro Filho joined the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology as a clinical associate professor after practicing as a gastroenterologist and endoscopist at Hospital Copa D’Or and Hospital Quinta D’Or in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He also previously served as supervisor of the Digestive Endoscopy Unit at Hospital Glória D’Or. He received his MD from Petrópolis Medical School, completed his internal medicine residency at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and completed his gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy training at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). He also pursued additional fellowship training in gastrointestinal motility and functional gastrointestinal disorders at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, Brazil. He earned his MSc in Medical Sciences from UERJ and his PhD from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). His clinical interests include gastrointestinal motility disorders, esophageal diseases, particularly eosinophilic esophagitis, and advanced endoscopic procedures. His academic interests include teaching and clinical research, with a focus on gastrointestinal motility, esophageal disorders, and endoscopic approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and exploring new places with his family.
Dr. Charu Debnath joined the Division of Immunology as a clinical assistant professor after completing her allergy and immunology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. She received her MBBS from Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Karnataka, India, followed by an internal medicine residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. Dr. Debnath’s clinical and research interests include allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria, and health disparities in allergic diseases. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and watching mysteries and thrillers, following competitive cooking shows, exploring new restaurants, and traveling.
Dr. Francini joined the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation as a clinical associate professor. Before joining the University of Iowa, he held successive academic appointments at the University of Florence, serving as an adjunct professor in its medical oncology residency program, a tenure-track assistant professor of medical oncology, and then an associate professor of medical oncology. He earned his medical degree from the University of Siena and completed an internship in oncology at Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese in Siena and another in molecular oncology at Policlinico Umberto I in Rome. His postgraduate training included a residency in medical oncology at Sapienza University of Rome and three fellowships: one in oncology at Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, one in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and one in genitourinary oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School. He earned a PhD in methodology of clinical and experimental research in oncology from Sapienza University of Rome and served as a visiting professor at the University of Southern Switzerland. He practiced as a medical oncologist at Misericordia Hospital in Grosseto, Careggi University Hospital in Florence, and the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland. Dr. Francini cares for patients with genitourinary cancers, particularly prostate cancer. His research focuses on clinical and molecular factors that can inform treatment selection and sequencing for advanced prostate cancer. He developed a prognostic classification system for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in collaboration with Dr. Christopher Sweeney. The system predicts survival based on the timing of metastatic presentation and disease volume and is currently used in clinical practice and incorporated into national and international treatment guidelines. His work also includes developing liquid-biopsy biomarkers, including circulating cell-free DNA, to improve cancer care. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities, spending time in nature, and traveling.
Dr. Xin Jin has been appointed as an instructor within the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension from his position as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Chou-Long Huang’s laboratory. Dr. Jin received his PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds in the UK. His research interests include neuroscience and kidney research, with a specific focus on how the WNK1 pathway controls water homeostasis and central osmolality sensing. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, running, and fitness.
Dr. Vinit Joseph Gilvaz joined the Division of Immunology as a clinical assistant professor after serving on the faculty at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He received his medical degree from the Amrita School of Medicine in Kerala, India, followed by an internal medicine residency at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he also served as Chief Resident. He subsequently completed a rheumatology fellowship at Brown University (Rhode Island Hospital). Dr. Gilvaz’s clinical and research interests focus on autoimmune skin conditions. He is passionate about medical education and finds great fulfillment in guiding the next generation of physicians through clinical mentorship and bedside teaching. In his free time, he enjoys grilling, hiking, and playing pickleball.
Lauren Wilson joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as a Physician Associate, where she cares for patients as a hospitalist. She received a BA in biology: biomedical from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, followed by an MMSc from Cedarville University in Ohio. She likes to spend her free time with family and friends, reading, and traveling.
Dr. Jason Wirtz joined the Division of Infectious Diseases as a clinical assistant professor from his position at St. Paul Infectious Disease Associates, Ltd, in Maplewood, Minnesota. He earned his MD from University of Iowa, followed by an internal medicine residency and infectious disease fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals in Milwaukee. His clinical interests include the overuse of antibiotics and influenza, and his research interests are focused on long term acute care facility antibiotic stewardship. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors golfing, fishing, skiing, running and frisbee golf at Sugar Bottom. On rainy days, he reads articles and watches documentaries. His daughter is a dancer, and his son is a five-sport athlete.
Dr. Jeffrey Wunderlich returns to Iowa as a clinical assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine from his position as the palliative care medical director at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He previously held a faculty position in the Department of Psychiatry at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Dr. Wunderlich completed his MD from the Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee, followed by an internal medicine residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He subsequently completed fellowships in hospice & palliative medicine and addiction medicine at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. His clinical and research interests include opioid-related topics within the realms of palliative medicine and addiction medicine. He likes to play pickleball, downhill ski, follow numerous sports, travel, tend to his cats, and spend time with his family and friends in his free time.