Our Doctors

Abraham Schwarzberg, MD, formerly a clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital’s department of medical oncology, has an ongoing commitment to academic medicine and clinical research. Dr. Schwarzberg received his medical oncology and hematology training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and his internal medicine training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, both in Boston.

Dr. Schwarzberg is the Senior Vice President of Network Development & Chief of Oncology at Tampa General Hospital. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
George Washington University School of Medicine
(Washington, D.C.)

INTERNSHIP
Brigham & Women’s Hospital
(Boston, Massachusetts), Internal Medicine

RESIDENCY
Brigham & Women’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts)

FELLOWSHIP
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, Massachusetts),
Hematology and Medical Oncology

Talya Schwarzberg, MD, is a former clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital’s department of medical oncology. She received her medical oncology and hematology training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and her internal medicine training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, both in Boston.

Dr. Schwarzberg is currently seeing patients with different types of cancers, with a focus on breast and gynecologic cancers. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
SUNY Upstate Medical University
(Syracuse, New York)
George Washington University School of Medicine
(Washington, D.C.)

INTERNSHIP
Brigham & Women’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts)

RESIDENCY
Brigham & Women’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts)

FELLOWSHIP
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston,
Massachusetts), Hematology and Medical Oncology

Before joining the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, Raymond Tsao, MD, served as an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, where his duties included cancer care, medical education and enrolling patients in clinical trials. His research on pancreatic cancer and lymphoma has been published and presented during national cancer meetings. Dr. Tsao completed his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, and has been a member of multiple national cancer research organizations, including Southwest Oncology Group and National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project.

Dr. Tsao is board certified in medical oncology and hematology. He is currently seeing patients with all types of cancer, with a focus on hematologic and gastrointestinal malignancies, including esophageal, stomach, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Dr. Tsao is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
(Camden, New Jersey)

INTERNSHIP
Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island),
Internal Medicine

RESIDENCY
Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island),
Internal Medicine

FELLOWSHIP
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, Ohio),
Hematology and Medical Oncology

Sujal Shah, MD is a former assistant professor of medicine at the University of Texas at Austin and an associate instructor of clinical medicine at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire. Dr. Shah completed his internal medicine residency and his hematology and oncology fellowship at Tulane University Hospital and Clinics in New Orleans.

Dr. Shah is currently seeing patients with different types of cancers, with a focus on lung cancer and head and neck cancers. Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
Rush University Medical College (Chicago, Illinois)

POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING
Tulane University Hospital and Clinics
(New Orleans, Louisiana), Department of Medicine

RESIDENCY
Tulane University Hospital and Clinics
(New Orleans, Louisiana), Internal Medicine

FELLOWSHIP
Tulane University Hospital and Clinics
(New Orleans, Louisiana),
Hematology and Oncology

Dr. Vijay Narendran, MD, MBA, trained in internal medicine at University Hospitals Case Western Reserve University and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Cleveland. Dr. Narendran continued his graduate medical studies at New York University School of Medicine by pursuing a clinical fellowship in hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Narendran later conducted research in hematologic malignancies and went on to become an assistant professor at Hofstra University School of Medicine in Hempstead, New York. Dr. Narendran also worked at Monter Cancer Center in North New Hyde Park, New York, focusing on hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma, and a variety of benign blood disorders. Before joining the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, Dr. Narendran also practiced medicine in the Pacific Northwest, working primarily in cancers of the lung, and the head and neck.

Dr. Narendran treats a variety of cancers and has a special interest in gastrointestinal and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Narendran is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
School of Medicine (Lubbock, Texas)

INTERNSHIP
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
(Cleveland, Ohio), Internal Medicine

RESIDENCY
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
(Cleveland, Ohio), Internal Medicine

FELLOWSHIP
New York University School of Medicine
(New York, New York), Hematology and Medical Oncology

Mayer Fishman, MD, PhD, has more than 20 years of experience in medical oncology, specializing in urologic oncology. With a focus on creating longitudinal plans for patient care, Dr. Fishman utilizes emerging therapies and medication options to coordinate chemotherapy, medical therapy, radiation and surgical services. Dr. Fishman provides second opinions, consultations and treatments for:

Kidney cancer • Bladder cancer • Prostate cancer • Penile cancer • Testicular cancer • Urethral cancer

Dr. Fishman’s expertise in innovative care is matched by his teaching and administrative experience. In addition to spending more than 18 years on the medical staff and in different committees at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, he also served as a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. Over 80 fellows have rotated through his clinic.

Dr. Fishman has more than 100 publications to his credit and has been invited to speak on a variety of oncology topics at lectures and seminars. He is a current member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

RESIDENCY
Internal Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine
(St. Louis, Missouri)

FELLOWSHIP
Medical Oncology and Hematology
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and USF Health
Morsani College of Medicine
(Tampa, Florida)

Dr. Sotomayor is the director of the newly established Cancer Institute at Tampa General Hospital. He is a pioneer in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy and an internationally renowned expert in lymphoma research and treatment. Prior to joining Tampa General, he was the director of the George Washington University Cancer Center with responsibility and authority over all aspects of cancer care and research at GW and affiliated health systems. He was also a professor of medicine in the division of hematology/oncology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr. Sotomayor has returned to Tampa, where he previously had a highly productive 15-year tenure with Moffitt Cancer Center. He served as the Susan and John Sykes Endowed Chair of Hematologic Malignancies and chair of the department of malignant hematology. In addition, he was the scientific director of the DeBartolo Family Personalized Medicine Institute at Moffitt Cancer Center. He also guided future medical professionals as a professor in the University of South Florida College of Medicine’s departments of oncologic sciences, and pathology and cell biology.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
Federico Villarreal National University School of Medicine
(Lima, Peru)

RESIDENCY
Jackson Memorial Medical Center, University of Miami School of Medicine
(Miami, FL)

FELLOWSHIP
Medical Oncology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)

Cancer Immunology Research
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Miami School of Medicine
(Miami, FL)

Dr. David Swoboda is a hematologist oncologist at Tampa General Hospital who specializes in malignant hematology. Prior to joining Tampa General, he was a chief hematology-oncology fellow at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa after serving as a chief resident at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Swoboda received his medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee, where he was the president of the Internal Medicine Interest Group.

Dr. Swoboda enjoys developing a close relationship with his patients and their families, building trust and gaining a full understanding of each disease in order to provide personalized, comprehensive care. His research is directed toward acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and myeloproliferative disorders. He has published several entries in peer-reviewed journals and has participated in numerous scientific abstract presentations. Dr. Swoboda has memberships with the Society for Hematology Oncology, American Society of Hematology and American Society of Clinical Oncology.

RESIDENCY
Chief Resident, Internal Medicine
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital (Washington, D.C.)

FELLOWSHIPS
Chief Fellow, Hematology/Oncology
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute (Tampa, Fla.)

Dr. Jamie McKenzie is a hematologist-oncologist at Tampa General Hospital who specializes in breast cancer. She is a compassionate physician who utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to providing patients with comprehensive care and rehabilitation before and throughout the treatment process. Prior to joining Tampa General Hospital, she had a clinical practice with New England Cancer Specialists at community sites in Maine and New Hampshire. Dr. McKenzie also was a presenter and Breast Cancer Tumor Board participant at Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire.

In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. McKenzie has followed her passion for educating patients and instructing future professionals around the world throughout her medical career. While working as a hematologist and medical oncologist at Lahey Medical Center in Massachusetts, she participated in the multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic and also served as an internal medicine resident teacher. Years before, she was a teaching assistant for doctor-patient communication and physical diagnosis at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, where she graduated with honors. Following post-graduate training, Dr. McKenzie began her career as a hematologist and medical oncologist in Washington state with Providence Regional Cancer System in 2013.

Dr. McKenzie is board certified in medical oncology, hematology, hospice and palliative medicine and internal medicine. She is a current member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She has a particular interest in the care of young women with breast cancer and the role that lifestyle factors/modification play in the prevention and management of breast cancer.

RESIDENCY
Internal Medicine
Massachusetts General Hospital
(Boston, Mass.)

FELLOWSHIPS
Hematology-Oncology
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
(Boston, Mass.)

Palliative Medicine
Harvard University: Massachusetts General Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
(Boston, Mass.)

Dr. D. Alan Kerr is a hematologist-oncologist and physician scientist with Tampa General Hospital, where he previously conducted continuity clinic work with a focus on malignant hematology. He specializes in benign and malignant hematology as well as solid tumor oncology.

Prior to joining Tampa General, Dr. Kerr treated patients in a private community practice at Advanced Cancer Treatment Centers (ACTC) in Brooksville, Fla., after completing a three-year hematology and medical oncology fellowship program with Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida. Before that, he completed an internal medicine residency program at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he served as a chief medical resident. In the same department, he followed his passion for teaching future medical professionals as an assistant professor from 2015-16. Dr. Kerr received his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Louisville.

Dr. Kerr is a site investigator for numerous active clinical trials and his primary clinical interests include lymphomas and myeloid diseases. Well-versed in translational research and clinical research protocols, Dr. Kerr is credited with several publications, oral presentations and abstracts on a wide range of oncology topics. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine and has memberships with the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

GRADUATE SCHOOL
University of Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)

RESIDENCY
Internal Medicine
University of Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)

FELLOWSHIPS
Hematology and Medical Oncology
Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida (Tampa, Fla.)

Kelly Foster, MD, is a former medical oncologist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, where she provided quality care to patients with all types of cancer. Dr. Foster completed her internal medicine residency and her medical oncology and palliative medicine fellowship training all at Northwestern University. She received her undergraduate degree at UCLA and completed medical school at Loyola University Chicago.

Dr. Foster is board certified in medical oncology, internal medicine and palliative medicine. She is currently seeing patients with all types of cancer, with a focus on breast and gastrointestinal cancers (gastric, esophageal, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, colon, anal). She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

INTERNSHIP
Northwestern University (Chicago, Ill.)

RESIDENCY
Northwestern University (Chicago, Ill.)

FELLOWSHIP
Northwestern University (Chicago, Ill.)
Medical Oncology and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Noman Ashraf is a hematologist-oncologist with Tampa General Hospital who specializes in solid tumor oncology. He has been an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine since 2019. Additionally, he has been actively involved with the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Moffitt Cancer Center.

Prior to joining Tampa General, Dr. Ashraf served as the assistant chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa after completing his hematology and medical oncology fellowship with USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Moffitt Cancer Center in 2012. He completed his internal medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and received his medical degree with honors from The Aga Khan University in Pakistan.

Dr. Ashraf has been an invited speaker and presenter at regional, national and international conferences, including many throughout Tampa. He has formally trained more than 80 post-graduate fellows, including many current TGH medical staff members. Dr. Ashraf has also served as a principal investigator for clinical trials and is credited with several peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and presentations in his areas of expertise.

Dr. Victoria Rizk is a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in the care and treatment of patients with breast cancer. Prior to joining Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, Dr. Rizk worked as a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where she provided comprehensive care, support, and education for patients with breast cancer. Additionally, she was as an instructor in medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, where she taught and mentored medical students. Aspiring to become an oncologist from a young age, Dr. Rizk graduated from an accelerated, six-year B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. She then completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the University of South Florida/Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Skilled in clinical research, Dr. Rizk is credited with several peer-reviewed publications, abstracts and presentations. She has received numerous honors, including the Merit Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation and induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society at the UMKC School of Medicine. Dr. Rizk has memberships with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the European Society for Medical Oncology, the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.

MEDICAL SCHOOL
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
(Kansas City, Missouri)

RESIDENCY
University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (Tampa, Florida),
Internal Medicine

FELLOWSHIP
University of South Florida/Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, Florida),
Hematology and Medical Oncology

Dr. Nikesh Shah is a hematologist/oncologist at Tampa General Hospital who specializes in hematologic malignancies, particularly lymphomas. Prior to joining Tampa General, Dr. Shah served as a chief fellow for the hematology/oncology fellowship program at Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of South Florida in Tampa. He completed the J. Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta after receiving his medical degree from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine in Miami, FL.

Dr. Shah is dedicated to developing close relationships with his patients and their families, providing them with a full understanding of each disease and determining the best personalized care for each patient. He enjoys conducting clinical research to identify the most cutting-edge treatment options available and has been credited with several peer-reviewed publications, presentations, abstracts, and book chapters in areas of his expertise.

Dr. Shah has memberships with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, American Association for Cancer Research, Florida Society of Clinical Oncology and the Florida Medical Association.

RESIDENCY
Internal Medicine, Emory University (Atlanta, GA)

FELLOWSHIP
Chief Fellow, Hematology and Medical Oncology
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute (Tampa, FL)

Varun Gupta, MD, FACP is a Board-Certified Medical Oncologist specializing in Prostate and other Genitourinary Cancers. Prior to moving to Florida, Dr. Gupta served as the Director of Genitourinary Cancers and Director Medical Oncology at Eisenhower Health in California, where he practiced for more than 15 years. Dr. Gupta brings experience and a calm approach in managing various other cancers as well and strives to personalize treatments depending on tumor characteristics and patient’s wishes and needs. Dr. Gupta has been active in Clinical Research and Teaching as well.

Dr. Gupta enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with his family.

INTERNSHIP
Long Island College Hospital, SUNY, New York

RESIDENCY
Long Island College Hospital, SUNY, New York

FELLOWSHIP
North Shore University Hospital, NYU, Manhasset, New York

Dr. Ivan M. Borrello is a hematologist oncologist and renowned physician-scientist who serves as Medical Director of the Myeloma, Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) and Cell Therapies program within the TGH Cancer Institute. Fluent in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, Dr. Borrello is recognized as a leader in the field of immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies (leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myeloma) as well as bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

Dr. Borrello joined TGH Cancer Institute from the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he was the Medical Director of the Cell Therapy Lab, a member of the Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, member of the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program and an Associate Professor of Oncology. He built a premier Multiple Myeloma Program and served as its director before joining Tampa General. Dr. Borrello received his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Chicago and fellowship in Medical Oncology at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Borrello’s clinical research interest is in developing immune-based therapies primarily for the treatment of multiple myeloma — cancer of the plasma cells but his research also extends into other disease. His published works include his participation in more than 100 peer-reviewed original research articles including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine and Science Translational Medicine and is credited with numerous inventions, patents and copyrights in areas of his medical expertise. Dr. Borrello has memberships with the American Association of Cancer Research, the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the Society for Biological Therapy.

FELLOWSHIP
Medical Oncology – Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.)

Dr. Sajeel A. Chowdhary is an esteemed neuro-oncologist and the Director of Translational Research/Neuro-Oncology with the Cancer Institute at Tampa General Hospital who takes a multidisciplinary/multi-modality approach to delivering world-class care. He returns to Tampa General, where he was a staff neuro-oncologist and neurologist from 2004–2009. He was also an Assistant Professor of Neuro-Oncology and Neurology at the Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of South Florida (USF) between 2004 – 2009.

Before re-joining Tampa General Hospital, Dr. Chowdhary served as the Director of Medical Neuro-Oncology at the Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Director of Medical Neuro-Oncology and Neurology at both the Marcus Neuroscience Institute and the Lynn Cancer Institute from 2015 – 2023 in Boca Raton, Florida.

Earlier in his career, he was also the Program Director of Neuro-Oncology and Neurology at AdventHealth Cancer Institute and an Associate Professor of Neuro-Oncology and Neurology at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando from 2009–2015.

Since 2015, Dr. Chowdhary has been a Professor of Neuro-Oncology and Neurology at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine/Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton. Dr. Chowdhary has guided over 30 clinical trials focused on GBM and other brain cancers. He has been cited in numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, editorials, and manuscripts. A five-time Castle Connolly Top Doctor award winner, Dr. Chowdhary is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Neurology, the Society for Neuro-Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Brain Tumor Association, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and the NRG Oncology Clinical Trials network.

FELLOWSHIP
Neuro-Oncology – University of Calgary, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute (formerly Tom Baker Cancer Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada)