Our Team

Meet the Team

Dr. Josh Korzenik, MD, Director of the Crohn's and Colitis Center and the Resnek Family Center for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Research at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Korzenik earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College in 1980 and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, in 1987. He was a resident at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston from 1987 to 1990 and fellow in gastroenterology and clinical epidemiology at Yale University School of Medicine Hospital from 1991 to 1994. He is currently an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Oksana Mykhaylyk

Danish Mahmood

Danish graduated from Aga Khan University Hospital in 2018 with a degree in Medicine (M.B.B.S). He has previously worked on research involving minimally invasive surgical techniques for intracranial lesions, outcomes of cardiac surgery for patients with myocardial infarction, and patient educational content during the peri-operative period. As a Project Manager, Danish works closely with our team members as well as collaborators to advance our efforts in biobanking and translational research.

Sophie Mitchell

Sophie graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 2022 with a degree in Public Health. Her previous experience includes an internship in community health as well as working in mental health and recovery services. At the Resnek Center, Sophie works on recruitment, consenting and data collection for various studies.

Omid Yazdani, M.D.

Dr. Omid Yazdani graduated from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2021 with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Before joining our team, he served as a research fellow in the Gastroenterology department at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, focusing on clinical and translational research in gastrointestinal disorders. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also provided essential care as a family physician.
Currently, as a researcher, Dr. Yazdani is particularly interested in the association between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and conditions like Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). His work emphasizes identifying biomarkers that can predict the course of these diseases and contribute to developing targeted treatment strategies, aiming to improve patient outcomes.

Siani Ellis

Samruddhi Nitin Patwardhan

Samruddhi graduated with a Master’s in Regulatory Affairs degree from Northeastern University in 2024. Before joining the team, she worked as a clinical pharmacist at Kingsway Hospital, specializing in intensive care, and at Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, in India, where she focused on general medicine and published her research on post-surgical pain management.
With a strong background in both regulatory affairs and clinical research, Samruddhi is particularly passionate about rare diseases, including primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Working alongside Dr. Korzenik and the team, she contributes to advancing a holistic approach to the treatment of PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), integrating dietary strategies and exploring diagnostic advancements for PSC detection.
As a Research Assistant II, Samruddhi is involved in various clinical, translational, and biobanking studies. Her work spans both the research and regulatory domains, including submissions to regulatory agencies, ensuring compliance, and facilitating research that bridges scientific innovation with patient care.

Romina Esbati, M.D.

Romina graduated from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2021 with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. She has worked as a physician and research fellow in the Gastroenterology Department at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Her research experience spans both clinical and laboratory settings, with a focus on immune-mediated gastrointestinal and liver diseases.
Romina is particularly interested in the relationship between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). At the Resnek Family Center, she is involved in a large-scale research project assessing biomarkers in a diverse cohort of patients with IBD. Her work focuses on identifying early risk and protective factors that may contribute to the development of PSC, supporting the Center’s mission to improve early detection, personalize treatment strategies, and enhance outcomes for patients affected by PSC.