Atta Taseh, MD (Staff)

Lead FARIL Multidisciplinary Research: FARIL-Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Initiative

Atta is an MD Graduate from Iran, interested in rehabilitation medicine. He is currently exploring his passion for the field at the intersection of pedobarography and orthosis development, deep learning in medical image processing, and prevention of fall-induced injuries.

Willem Koenders, MSc, PhD Candidate

Willem is a biomedical engineer from the Netherlands. He earned his B.Sc. in Life Science & Technology and M.Sc. in Medical Device Design from the University of Groningen. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Ghent-FARIL Ph.D. program, co-mentored by Dr. Arne Burssens at Ghent University and Dr. Soheil Ashkani at FARIL. His research interests include biomechanics, medical device innovation, and computational modeling, with a focus at FARIL on foot and ankle biomechanics.

Mohamad Al Masri, MD, MSc

Mohamad is an orthopedic surgeon from Syria. He has completed his residency program at Damascus University faculty of medicine hospitals and obtained a Postgraduate Studies Certificate MSc in orthopedic surgery. He has work experience in Syria and UAE and is interested in foot and ankle surgery, trauma, sport injuries and reconstructive surgery.

Carl Rai, MD

Carl is a research postdoctoral fellow from Lebanon. He graduated as an MD from the University of Balamand and is passionate about Family Medicine. His focus lies in leveraging Sports Medicine and Artificial Intelligence to enhance healthcare and prevent injuries. His research integrates advanced technologies to improve patient care and develop innovative prevention strategies. Carl is eager to explore research opportunities in sports science and AI to drive impactful healthcare advancements and improve patient well-being. He is also a great soccer athlete!

Manon Pigeolet, MD, MSc, MPH, MMed (Ortho)

Manon is an orthopaedic surgeon from Belgium with an interest in pediatric foot and ankle pathology. At FARIL She will focus on how Finite Element analysis and biomechanical modeling can help improve care for congenital malformations in the foot and ankle in pediatric patients.

Samir Ghandour, MD

Lead FARIL Multidisciplinary Research: FARIL-Radiology Initiative

A Syrian medical graduate coming from Lebanon, Samir is an aspiring radiologist interested in musculoskeletal/vascular imaging techniques and improving their clinical applications in lower extremity arterial/venous disease, soft tissue injuries, and joint disease. His current focus is on imaging modalities such as ultrasound and weight-bearing CT.

Alireza Ebrahimi, MD, MBA

Alireza is an MD, MBA from Iran. Having worked in surgical oncology as a postdoc, his interests include experimental, diagnostic and prognostic clinical research in surgery and orthopedics. His research at FARIL is focused on developing innovative diagnostic methods for the detection of common foot and ankle injuries, using novel examination and imaging techniques. 

Kourosh (Mohammad Hossein) Chegini-Kord, MD

Kourosh is an orthopaedic surgeon from Iran with years of international experience in trauma surgery, foot and ankle surgery, arthroscopy, and orthopaedic research. He was a faculty of several academic and private hospitals in Iran and has joined FARIL-MGH as a research fellow and scientist to follow his dreams in foot and ankle research and innovation.

Matthias Peiffer, MD
(University Hospital of Ghent, Belgium)

4^th year Orthopaedic Surgery Resident – PhD fellow from Ghent, Belgium. Matthias has a great interest in the computer-aided analysis and treatment of ankle pathologies, in particular traumatic syndesmotic injuries. He is currently investigating the influence of syndesmotic lesions on the three-dimensional anatomy and articular mechanics of the ankle joint.

Siddhartha Sharma, MD, PhD
(PGIMER, Chandigarh, India)

Dr. Siddhartha Sharma, from India, works as an Associate Professor of Orthopedics at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. His research interests include clinical prediction models, biomechanical studies, animal models of bone defects and distraction osteogenesis, and cadaveric studies. His research at FARIL will focus on innovative diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for the management of ankle fractures, syndesmotic injuries, and Lisfranc injuries.  

Bedri Karaismailoglu, MD
(Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, CAST, Turkiye)

Bedri works as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics & Traumatology at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa (Turkey) and doing his PhD in the field of anatomy. His research interests include cadaveric and biomechanical studies, gait analysis, 3D anatomic models, and innovative designs in the field of foot & ankle. His research at FARIL will focus on finding a patient-specific method for ideal syndesmotic fixation and validity & safety analyses of various surgical techniques. 

Lercan Aslan, MD (Koç University, Turkiye)

Lercan is an orthopaedic surgeon coming from Koc University Hospital in Turkey. He has completed his residency at İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, Department of Traumatology, and is interested in Foot-ankle surgery, traumatology, and, Sports injuries and surgery.

Alexandra Flaherty

Alexandra completed her undergrad in mechanical engineering at MIT and medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She is now an Orthopaedic Resident at Albany Medical College. She is involved in several projects, with topics including fifth metatarsal fracture non-unions, Lisfranc joint injuries, perspectives on critical portions of surgical procedures, and lower extremity fall injuries.

Noopur Ranganathan

Noopur is a second year medical student at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She has been at the lab since her senior year of undergrad at MIT and is very interested in pursuing orthopaedic surgery. She is involved in projects that deal with venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic patients with lower extremity fractures, Lisfranc joint injuries, and AITFL avulsions in ankle fractures.

Dorien Winckelmans

Dorien received her BSc degree from Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium in Psychology and she is currently studying as a medical student in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She is interested in various fields of research including foot and ankle and sports. She enjoys diving (dry suit), field hockey, windsurfing, and diction.

Colin O’Neill

Colin is a 4th year medical student from the University of Washington who has expanded his education to pursue a year-long research internship. He is hopeful to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery, with an interest in sports medicine and pediatric orthopaedics. Colin’s research interests are broad but include social determinants of health and the interface between AI and orthopaedic surgery.

Robin Hu

Robin is currently a medical student at Harvard Medical School. She received a BA in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. Between college and medical school, Robin taught English in Taiwan as a Fulbright U.S. Student Scholar. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors, baking, and spending time with friends!

Raveena Joshi

Raveena is a 2nd year medical student from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She is very interested in pursuing orthopedic surgery. She is involved in projects that deal with Talus Neck AVN, Lisfranc and 5th metatarsal fractures, and Fall Risk.

Gergo Merkely, MD

Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program

David Bernstein, MD, MBA, MEI

Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program

Aaron Lechtig, MD

Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program

Alexandra Flaherty

Alexandra completed her undergrad in mechanical engineering at MIT and medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She is now an Orthopaedic Resident at Albany Medical College. She is involved in several projects, with topics including fifth metatarsal fracture non-unions, Lisfranc joint injuries, perspectives on critical portions of surgical procedures, and lower extremity fall injuries.

Iris Hoffmann

Iris, originally from Luxembourg and Norway, completed her Bsc in Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and is now pursuing her Master’s in Medical Technology at the same university. Her research interests are centered around developing innovative rehabilitation devices for patients affected by mobility issues stemming from injuries or chronic diseases, as well as gait analysis and biomechanics. In her leisure time, she plays basketball, goes skiing and spends time with friends and family.

Okan Ghedri

Okan, originally from Iraq, is a final-year medical student at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands.  With a strong passion for orthopedics, he is eager to deepen his research knowledge and make impactful contributions. Alongside his medical pursuits, he is passionate about policy making and has excelled in international Model United Nations competitions. His drive to combine clinical practice with research and policy reflects his ambition to advance healthcare in meaningful ways. Okan’s journey is defined by a commitment and vision for improving patient care, particularly those of underrepresented groups. 

Tara Shelby

Tara is a medical student at Keck School of Medicine of USC. She received her BSc in electrical engineering and computer science from Stanford University. Tara has a great experience in experimental research and has aimed to conduct clinical research in orthopaedic surgery. She can speak three languages, English, Spanish, and Arabic, and is interested in Crew and Golf.

Amir-Ali Shah

Amir is a senior undergraduate student at UMass Amherst majoring in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. He is interest in sports medicine and am currently helping with research regarding the Medial Clear Space in the ankle. In his free time he enjoys playing sports, watching movies, and traveling. 

Chesnie Josephine Cheung

Chesnie is from Palo Alto, CA and is currently in her third year at Tufts University. She is an aspiring medical student studying Biology and on the swim team. She hopes to become an exclusive Sports Medicine Physician for a professional sports team, such as the Warriors. In her free time, she likes to go to the beach, surf, cook and spend time with friends and family.

Sora Sohn

Sora is a second year undergraduate student from Tufts University concentrating in Cognitive Brain Sciences and Economics. She is an aspiring medical student with interests in sports medicine, orthopedics, and neurology. In her free time she enjoys surfing, traveling, and spending time with family!

Tamara Munoz

Tamara is a second year at Northeastern University majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology on the pre-med track. At FARIL, she will be working on a project regarding osteochondral lesions in the talus. She hopes to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery due to prior sports-related injuries in her foot. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and playing soccer.

Emi Rae Suyama

Emi is a second year health science major minoring in global health and environmental studies on a pre-med track at Northeastern University. Her personal experiences have led to an appreciation and admiration for the field of orthopaedics. At FARIL she is working on clinical research related to Mortons Neuroma.

Jackson Woodrow

Jack completed his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University and is currently a second year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. His research interests include surgical device design and development, tendon fixation and reconstruction, improving patient outcomes, and the role of artificial intelligence in medicine. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, cooking, hiking, and fixing cars. 

Sarah Hearns

Sarah is a professional athlete, and a member of the Colby College Lacrosse team. She is an experienced coach with a demonstrated history of working in the sports industry. Skilled in research, public speaking, and leadership, to graduate from Colby College in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry.

Suhas Velichala

Suhas, originally from Los Angeles, holds a Global Health degree from UC San Diego and is currently a medical student at VCU School of Medicine. His research interests are centered around social determinants of health and value-based medicine, particularly as they relate to orthopedic outcomes. Suhas is involved in various studies aimed at improving patient care and health equity through innovative healthcare solutions. Suhas also enjoys playing a variety of recreational sports, building PCs, and spending as much time in the water as possible.

Jaehyung (Tyler) Shin

Jaehyung (Tyler) completed a BS in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and is now an aspiring medical student and graduate researcher at FARIL. He aims to improve his medical knowledge and research skills for future endeavors. His research mainly focuses on orthopaedics, non-invasive treatments, and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) to improve patient care. He enjoys playing golf, hanging out with friends, and running.

Abhinav Bhamidipati

Abhi graduated from Drexel University with a degree in biological sciences. He is currently a second-year medical student at the Drexel University College of Medicine. His research interests include several topics including social determinants of health, examining post-operative outcomes, orthobiologics, venous thromboembolisms, and more. Abhi also enjoys playing tennis and basketball, travelling, music, and exploring new cuisines. 

Bo Pilarczyk

Bo is an undergraduate student at Tufts University majoring in mechanical engineering. Her research interests include experimental medical device prototyping, bone plate computational analysis, and computer-aided design and manufacturing of orthopedic implants. An appreciation for mobility, for instance through dance and weight-lifting, drew Bo towards the medical applications of engineering to orthopedics.

Aayush Mehta

Aayush graduated from Drexel University with a degree in biological sciences. He is currently a second year medical student at the Drexel University College of Medicine. His research interests span several topics such as a venous thromboembolisms, orthobiologics/implants, sociodemographic disparities, examining MIS outcomes, and more. Outside of medicine, Aayush enjoys skiing, traveling, and is a foodie.

Nandini Lal

Nandini Lal is an undergraduate student at Barnard College, studying physiological and organismal biology. She has a variety of interests such as dance medicine, surgery and neuromuscular disorders. A dancer herself, she aspires to go into medicine after having developed an athletic and artistic sense of the body. She is currently involved in several projects at the lab that study different aspects of foot and ankle injuries/operations, including peroneal tendon repairs, plantar plate ruptures, and bunion surgeries.

Hannah McLeod

Hannah, who recently obtained her BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Clark University, has joined the team as a graduate researcher. She is interested in Orthopaedic research, and is aspiring medical student. At FARIL, she is actively engaged in several studies evaluating the application of novel technologies to improve the outcomes of patients receiving care for foot and ankle injuries. In her leisure time, she indulges in skiing, surfing, and exploring new culinary experiences.