Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.
Department of Biostatistics
Deukwoo Kwon, Ph.D.
Deukwoo Kwon, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Biostatistics as a Professor. Dr. Kwon received his doctoral degree in statistics from Texas A&M University in 2005. Before his recruitment to UAMS, he served at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and UTHealth Houston for over 14 years.
Dr. Kwon has extensive experience conducting statistical analysis in various areas, including the application of statistical methods to clinical trials and epidemiologic studies related to cancer, novel approaches to the statistical design and analysis of phase I and phase II clinical trials, survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, Bayesian inference, and high-dimensional data analysis.
As Director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Dr. Kwon leads statistical support for the institute’s investigators. He participates in the Protocol Review & Monitoring Committee as a statistical reviewer. He also serves as Associate Director of the Statistical and Data Analysis Center for the AIDS Malignancy Consortium, which is an NCI-supported international clinical trials group, a role he has held since 2023.
Department of Emergency Medicine
Gitansh Bhargava, D.O.
Gitansh Bhargava, D.O., has joined the Department of Emergency Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Bhargava received his medical degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York in 2020. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Inspira Health Network in Vineland, New Jersey.
With an interest in teaching and practicing in academic medicine, Dr. Bhargava went on to complete a fellowship in advanced emergency medicine ultrasonography at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. His professional interests include emergency ultrasound and physician wellness.
Cynthia Simmons, M.D.
Cynthia Simmons, M.D., has joined the Department of Emergency Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Simmons brings over 25 years of experience in emergency care and leadership to UAMS. Originally from Texas, she has served as the Medical Director and in other leadership and attending physician roles for large EMS systems in Arlington and Dallas along with other emergency departments across eastern Texas. Dr. Simmons also has extensive experience in disaster response preparedness and overseeing special event EMS operations for major gatherings including the Superbowl and World Series.
Dr. Simmons received her medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 1994. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center-Jacksonville.
Department of Geriatrics
Deanna Cochran, M.D.
Deanna Cochran, M.D., has joined the Department of Geriatrics as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Cochran received her medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She moved to Arkansas in 2021 to begin a residency in internal medicine at White River Health in Batesville. After completing her residency in 2024, she continued her training with a fellowship in geriatrics at UAMS.
Dr. Cochran practices in the Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic in the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging.
Department of Neurology
Shitiz Sriwastava, M.D., M.S.
Shitiz Sriwastava, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Associate Professor. A neuroimmunologist with expertise in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and treatment, Dr. Sriwastava comes to UAMS from The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and before that, West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Dr. Sriwastava received his medical degree from Manipal College of Medical Science in Pokhara, Nepal. He completed his neurology residency and a fellowship in neuroimmunology at Wayne State University in Detroit. Later, he earned a master’s degree in clinical and translational science from West Virginia University.
Dr. Sriwastava has special interest in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system. His clinical and research focus includes multiple sclerosis, myelitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD), myasthenia gravis, immune-mediated and inflammatory neuropathies, myositis and autoimmune encephalitis, among other areas.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
W. Cody Grammer, M.D.
W. Cody Grammer, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation as an Assistant Professor practicing in Northwest Arkansas. Dr. Grammer received his medical degree and completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at UAMS. He practiced general orthopaedics for 11 years, first in Batesville and then in Rogers, before returning to UAMS for a fellowship in joint reconstruction.
Specializing in joint reconstruction of both the hip and knee, Dr. Grammer served patients in Northwest Arkansas for more than 16 years. He directed two successful joint replacement programs prior to joining UAMS. His special interests include direct anterior hip replacement, partial knee replacement, low- or no-opioid joint replacement, and same-day joint replacement procedures.
Dr. Grammer is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS) and a Fellow of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (FAAHKS). He currently serves as the elected Arkansas Representative to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Councilors. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Dr. Grammer served as an officer, pilot and flight instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Department of Pathology
Sidra Zaheer, M.D.
Sidra Zaheer, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Zaheer received her medical degree from Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, and completed her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Westchester Medical Center in New York. She subsequently pursued fellowships in hematopathology at NYU Langone Health and in molecular genetic pathology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York.
Dr. Zaheer will serve in the hematopathology and molecular pathology services at UAMS. In addition to her clinical and academic focus in these areas, she is passionate about global health. Dr. Zaheer has contributed to educational initiatives aimed at expanding access to hematopathology and has collaborated with institutions in resource-limited settings to advance diagnostic capacity.
Department of Pediatrics
Caitlin Cunningham, M.D.
Caitlin Cunningham, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Section of General Pediatrics. Dr. Cunningham received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. She completed her pediatrics residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Cunningham practiced at the Complex Care Clinic at Dallas Children’s and at the Little Rock Children’s Clinic prior to joining UAMS. Her professional interests include serving underrepresented communities and providing compassionate, equity-driven care for patients and their families.
Julie Holstead, M.D.
Julie Holstead, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Section of General Pediatrics. Dr. Holstead received her medical degree at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Holstead worked in private practice prior to joining UAMS. Her focus as a general pediatrician is the comprehensive health of children from birth to young adulthood, including physical, emotional and social wellbeing.
Department of Radiation Oncology
Sondos AlKhatib, M.D.
Sondos AlKhatib, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. AlKhatib received her medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University, in Amman, Jordan. She completed her clinical internship and radiation oncology residency at King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, serving as Chief Resident in her final year. She continued her training there with a fellowship in radiation oncology, focusing on lung, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers.
After relocating to the United States, Dr. AlKhatib completed an additional internship and residency in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, where she served as Chief Resident in 2023-2024. Dr. AlKhatib’s honors include receiving a competitive Global Health Scholar Grant from the American Society of Radiation Oncology, after being selected for an internship at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Department of Radiology
Dhanush Amin, M.D.
Dhanush Amin, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neuroradiology. Dr. Amin earned his medical degree (MBBS) from Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences in India. He completed his residency (M.D.) in radiodiagnosis at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India. Dr. Amin subsequently pursued a clinical fellowship un neuroradiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Nivedita Radder, M.D.
Nivedita Radder, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neuroradiology. Dr. Radder received her medical degree from S.S Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre in Karnataka, India. She completed her residency in radiology at the University of Central Nicaragua. Dr. Radder continued her training with fellowships in neuroradiology and musculoskeletal imaging/Body MRI at UAMS.