Meet the team
Amal Isaiah, MD, DPhil, MBA
Dr. Amal Isaiah is a Professor of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He has secondary appointments in the Departments of Pediatrics and Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine. He also serves as the Innovation Lead at the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing.
Dr. Isaiah graduated from St. John’s Medical College in Bangalore, India. He was elected a Rhodes Scholar in 2006, following which he completed a DPhil (PhD) in Neurophysiology at Oxford University, England, focusing on developmental plasticity associated with cochlear implantation. Dr Isaiah then completed residency training in Otolaryngology at University of Maryland, and a clinical fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Children’s Health Dallas. He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology. Dr. Isaiah completed an executive MBA from the University of Maryland Smith School of Business, where he was chosen as the Poets and Quants Best and Brightest MBA graduate.
Dr Isaiah’s clinical interests include ear, nose and throat disorders in infants and children with focus on sleep disorders, airway-related problems, ear infections and hearing loss. With over 70 peer-reviewed publications, 7 book chapters, 5 patents, and numerous national and international presentations, the Isaiah Lab is a productive research group investigating brain outcomes of pediatric sleep disordered breathing. He is funded by an R01 research grant from the National Institutes of Health/the National Heart Lung Blood Institute and a Maryland Innovation Initiative grant from TEDCO. His work in this area has received international attention.
Sergio Novi, PhD
Dr. Sergio Novi is a Research Scientist in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in Science from the University of Campinas (2022) and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the same institution (2017).
As a postdoctoral researcher at Western University (2022 and 2023), Dr. Novi led projects focused on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), known as the optical equivalent of fMRI. He subsequently worked as a technical lead at Samsung Research Brazil (SRBR), where he led projects at the intersection of human metabolism, signal processing, and embedded artificial intelligence. Dr. Novi developed novel technologies to reduce noise in fNIRS due to motion artifacts, physiological noise, and probe positioning. These contributions earned him the CAPES Thesis Award in Physics and Astronomy, the Grand CAPES Thesis Award in Exact, Technological, and Multidisciplinary Sciences in 2023, and the CIHR postdoctoral fellowship by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Currently, Dr. Novi is advancing applications of fNIRS in developmental neuroscience, where he studies cognitive and neural development from early childhood through adolescence, specifically mapping brain changes associated with sleep disorders. He also explores the use of fNIRS for predicting recovery outcomes of patients in the ICU, investigating early brain development, and examining fatigue’s effects on decision-making.
Sophia Uddin, MD, PhD
Sophia has been a University of Maryland ENT resident since 2021. She is from the Baltimore area. She went to college at Swarthmore and earned her MD and PhD from the University of Chicago before coming back home near her family for residency.
In graduate school, Sophia used high-density EEG to explore cortical auditory processing and top-down influences on perception. She spent her residency research block in Dr. Isaiah’s lab, using fNIRS to characterize effortful listening in pediatric ENT patients. In the future, she plans to continue using multiple neuroimaging modalities to study auditory processing. She hopes to combine research and general ENT in an academic setting after graduating in 2026.
In her spare time, she enjoys playing violin, baking and decorating plant-based sweet treats, and spending time outdoors doing things like gardening, camping, hiking, and foraging for wild mushrooms and berries with her husband Gabriel.
Adway Kanhere, MSE
Adway is a Research Engineer in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the University of Maryland – Institute for Health Computing. He received his Master’s in Science and Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University and School of Medicine. His interests lie at the intersection of machine learning, computational neuroscience, and medical imaging.
His work involves building data analysis pipelines and infrastructure for the hospital system and collaborating on industry related projects for translational applications in medical imaging. As an aspiring entrepreneur, Adway was the Co-founder and CTO of FarmPlus, a startup pioneering IoT monitoring solutions for dairy farm operations in the US and India. FarmPlus was the winner of the Johns Hopkins NewVenture Challenge in 2022 and was incubated at the Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures Spark Incubator. When he is not writing about himself in the third person, Adway enjoys hitting the gym, hiking, exploring new places, jazz, theatre and spending time with friends and family.
Nithya Navarathna, BS
Nithya is a Research Project Coordinator at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Currently, Nithya is interested in exploring the intersection of machine learning and clinical medicine, particularly in ENT, imaging, and pediatric sleep research. She aspires to become a physician scientist to leverage her computational expertise to advance medical research and patient care. In her spare time, Nithya enjoys singing, crocheting, and traveling with family and friends.
Audrey Zauher, BS
Audrey received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and her MPH in Epidemiology from Emory University. She is currently a fourth-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Prior to attending medical school, Audrey’s public health career included work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Arizona state and local health departments. Through projects such as the tympanostomy tube impacts study, she hopes to combine her background in public health with her interest in otolaryngology. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and volunteering at Baltimore City community health events.
Charlyn Gomez, BS
After studying Public Health at the George Washington University and completing a post-baccalaureate program at the University of Pennsylvania, Charlyn Gomez joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine (Class of 2026). She grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland. Charlyn became fascinated with otolaryngology early in her training. She is involved in head and neck cancer, sleep surgery, and pediatric otolaryngology research. In the latter area, she has contributed to Dr. Isaiah’s projects on direct laryngoscopy bronchoscopy and pediatric sleep apnea. Her goal is to one day lead clinical research efforts focused on surgical health disparities. In her free time, Charlyn enjoys attending hot yoga, trying new restaurants, and exploring the outdoors with her dog, Crispy.
Daniel Fong, BS
Daniel received his dual bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is currently a second year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine interested in otolaryngology. Prior to attending medical school, Daniel spent time at the NIDCD exploring inner ear gene therapy for deafness restoration and the UMSOM Division of Cardiology understanding congenital dilated cardiomyopathy using an induced pluripotent stem cell model. In college, Daniel worked with the PG County Health Department and co-founded Terrapin Think Tank, UMD’s first health policy incubator. In his free time, he enjoys playing his guitar, singing, tennis, and hiking.
Sarah Yang, BS
Sarah is a first-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine interested in otolaryngology. She is from Ellicott City, MD and received dual degrees in Philosophy and Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to medical school, Sarah worked as a medical assistant at a Mohs surgery center. Her interest in otolaryngology was piqued there as she assisted physicians during facial reconstruction surgeries. At UMSOM, Sarah serves as secretary of the Student Government Association and is president of the ENT Interest Group. In her free time, she enjoys teaching piano, reading, learning to knit, and spending time with family.
Sabrina Nusraty, BS
Sabrina graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with dual degrees in Government and Politics and Biology. She is a first-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine interested in pediatric otolaryngology. Before medical school, Sabrina spent time at the NINDS conducting research on therapeutic strategies targeting glioblastoma and the UMSOM Department of Neurology studying mechanisms of epilepsy. Sabrina has served as the coach of several youth soccer and lacrosse teams and enjoys volunteering with the UMSOM pediatrics department in the Baltimore community. She currently serves as the UMSOM Student Council President and enjoys leading the UMSOM Run Club, hiking, going to the beach, and spending time with friends/family.
Fleesie Hubbard, MS
Fleesie Hubbard is a Regulatory Affairs Specialist with over 20 years of experience in global health and regulatory affairs. Her expertise includes clinical trial implementation, project management, and domestic and international regulatory compliance. Fleesie has contributed to behavioral and clinical research, with peer-reviewed publications in oncology, immunology, and public health. She has led multi-site clinical trials and has extensive experience in population and community health interventions. A global health advocate, she has visited over 40 countries and conducted humanitarian work in Fiji, Uganda, and Vietnam. She co-founded Maryland Ear, Nose & Throat Abroad (MENTA), a nonprofit focused on global surgical care. Fleesie holds an M.S. in Health Systems Management and has specialized training in international health policy and clinical research ethics. In her free time, Fleesie enjoys visual arts and live music.