Our Doctors
Our physicians are nationally and internationally recognized experts in all areas breast health and disease. Their expertise is based on years of intense focused research, and treatment of thousands of patients diagnosed with breast cancer. They are known for bringing innovative treatment approaches from the laboratory to clinical trials for improved patient outcomes. As principal investigators and collaborators on National Cancer Institute funded grants and national clinical trials, they contribute to the most up to date information on breast cancer.
Medical Oncologists
Powel Brown, M.D., Ph.D., is professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the cancer prevention section of the Smith Breast Center. Dr. Brown directs the section on genetic testing and prevention and oversees clinical trials of new prevention strategies. His clinical focus is on breast cancer prevention, risk management and genetics. His research interests include identification and testing of cancer preventive agents. Dr. Brown earned his medical degree from New York University. He completed his internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C., and his fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a subspecialty in medical oncology.
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Jenny Chang, M.D., is a professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and medical director of the Smith Breast Center. Dr. Chang focuses on clinical research of new biologic therapies as well as translational research to identify molecular factors that predict response to various endocrine and chemotherapy treatments. She is particularly interested in identifying markers to predict response to neoadjuvant treatments. Dr. Chang earned her medical degree at Cambridge University in England. She completed her residency in internal medicine at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia, and her fellowship in medical oncology at Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Dr. Chang is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the United Kingdom Board Accreditation Medical Oncology.
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Rita Kramer, M.D., is an associate professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research interest is the prevention of breast cancer, the management of risk of developing the disease and genetic susceptibility to breast cancer. Dr. Kramer earned her medical degree at the University of Kentucky and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hematology & Oncology there as well. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.
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Garrett Rush Lynch, M.D., focuses on both breast and clinical oncology and is head of the Oncology Fellowship Program. Dr. Lynch earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed his residency at Boston City Hospital and his fellowship at Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty in medical oncology.
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Mothaffar Rimawi, M.D., is assistant professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr Rimawi's research interest is targeted therapy for breast cancer and mechanisms of treatment resistance. He earned his medical degree summa cum laude from the University of Jordan School of Medicine. He did his residency in internal medicine, a combined fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology, and an advanced fellowship in breast cancer at Baylor College of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, and Hematology.
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C.
Kent Osborne, M.D., is professor of Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Biology and director of the Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine. Clinically, Dr. Osborne is primarily interested in new treatment strategies, including the development and testing of new hormonal treatments for breast cancer and the development of gene therapy for treatment and prevention. He earned his medical degree at the University of Missouri Medical School in Columbia. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, and his fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD. Dr. Osborne is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty of medical oncology.
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Heather F. West, M.D., MSc, is an assistant professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and an investigator at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Health Services Research Center of Excellence. Her research interest is in provider-patient communication issues in breast cancer. She earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. She completed her residency at the University of Washington in Seattle, and her fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.
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Radiologists
Emily Sedgwick, M.D., is assistant professor of Radiology at Baylor College of Medicine and director of breast imaging at the Smith Breast Center. Dr. Sedgwick focuses on the continual advancement of the breast imaging program, as well as research studies that include working with oncologists to determine the appropriate use of breast MRI. Dr. Sedgwick earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco. She completed postgraduate training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, in Boston, Mass., where she completed an internship in general surgery, a residency in diagnostic radiology, and a breast imaging fellowship. She served as chief resident (1999-2000) at Harvard School of Medicine, and was named Radiologist of the Year (2004) while at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. Dr. Sedgwick is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.
Breast Surgeon
F. Charles Brunicardi, M.D., F.A.C.S., is DeBakey/Bard Professor and chair of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He also serves as a consultant and attending surgeon at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ben Taub General Hospital, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. A board-certified surgeon, Dr. Brunicardi’s areas of specialty include breast surgery, minimally invasive surgery, pancreas surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, and endocrine surgery. Dr. Brunicardi earned his medical degree from Rutgers School of Medicine in New Jersey before becoming a resident and later chief resident in general surgery at the State University of New York (SUNY) Health Sciences Center in Brooklyn. He also spent a three-year research fellowship in pancreatic physiology at SUNY, receiving national and international awards for this work.
Plastic Surgeon
Lior Heller, M.D., is an associate professor of Surgery in the division of Plastic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He specializes in reconstructive surgery in oncologic patients and particularly in breast reconstruction. The method of reconstruction is usually tailored to the individual needs of each patients and include breast reconstruction with own tissue such as DIEP, TRAM and muscle sparing TRAM, reconstruction with implants and breast reconstruction with a combination of patient tissue and implants. Dr. Heller‘s training include a two-year fellowship in reconstructive plastic surgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, a one year training in microsurgical oncologic reconstruction at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as well as a one-year fellowship in minimally invasive and endoscopic aesthetic surgery of the face with Dr. Oscar Ramirez in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Radiation Oncologist
Hsin H. Lu, M.D., associate professor of Radiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Lu focuses on radiation treatment for breast cancer and breast disease. Dr. Lu earned her medical degree at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She completed her internship at Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Ill., and her residency in radiation oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. She is board certified with the American Board of Radiology, Radiation Oncology.
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Clinical Psychologist
Mary Rose, Psy.D., C.B.S.M., is the director of Psycho-Oncology at the Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Rose helps patients adjust to the diagnosis and management of cancer. She is also an assistant professor in the department of Medicine, division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, at BCM. Dr. Rose earned her doctor of psychology degree from the Virginia Consortium, a joint program sponsored by The College of William and Mary, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University and Norfolk State. She completed residency training in clinical psychology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, followed by a fellowship at Shriners Burns Hospital for Children, UTMB-Galveston. Dr. Rose also completed a sleep fellowship at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Her clinical and research interests focus on emotional and social adjustment to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and disease-related complications such as insomnia, fatigue and sexual dissatisfaction. Dr. Rose is certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine in Behavioral Sleep Medicine, with expertise in dealing with psychological issues related to sleep. She is the only clinician in Houston with this certification and one of only 88 clinicians worldwide.
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Collaborating Clinical Faculty
A number of other clinical faculty actively participate in the care of patients in the Smith Breast Center. These physicians represent a variety of disciplines, as follows:
Surgery
Michael Coselli, M.D.
Karl Tomm, M.D.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Jeff Friedman, M.D.
Aldona Spiegel, M.D.
Radiation Oncology
Bin Teh, M.D.
Pathology
Carolina Gutierrez, M.D.
Mary Schwartz, M.D.
Genetics
Powel Brown, M.D., Ph.D.
Sharon Plon, M.D., Ph.D.
Mari Rude, R.N., A.N.P.