Meet The Faculty

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At Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, the allergy and immunology faculty has expertise in asthma, allergies and immunology problems.

While seeing the full spectrum of cases within the field of allergy and immunology, faculty members have areas of special interest and expertise such as disorders of the upper and lower airways including:

Severe rhinosinusitis
Severe asthma and AERD
Food allergy eosinophil and mast cell disorders
Science of Health Care Delivery

In addition to the clinical faculty, fellows have access to world-renowned clinical and research laboratories.

From the program directors

The Allergy Divisions of Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital invite you to strongly consider our program for what may be the most important part of your post-graduate training experience.

Our committed staff, diverse patient populations, balanced adult and pediatric caseloads and track record of clinical excellence ensure exposure to the full breadth and depth of diseases cared for by allergists/immunologists. Ample time is allowed for patient consultations and staffing; limited time is spent on activities that don’t directly enhance the educational experience. We are supported by a full array of other subspecialists and multi-disciplinary (eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, severe asthma, complex dermatology and immunohematology) clinics.

Our didactic program has evolved over the years to incorporate a comprehensive basic immunology curriculum alongside Tri-Site Conference, Tuesday Report, Journal Club, Clinical Worksheets and Lunch and Learn with subspecialty guest colleagues. We also have the unique privilege of caring for patients beyond Mayo Clinic/Phoenix Children’s Hospital as part of a two-week rotation in Tuba City, Camp Not-A-Wheeze and at our monthly St Vincent de Paul clinic in downtown Phoenix.

Fellows and staff work together in a very supportive, collegial manner and there are multiple academic, social, and support services available, including opportunities to participate in Mayo’s quality academy, clinician-educator track, and health equity curriculum in collaboration with Arizona State University, to name but a few.

There are ample opportunities for clinical and basic research at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. The internationally renowned Hirohito Kita, M.D., leads a basic and translational research lab with a focus on allergic and immune mechanisms of diseases with unparalleled expertise in eosinophil disorders. Many of our faculty members at both Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children’s Hospital are recognized nationally for their work in the following areas: food allergies; eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases; airway diseases; drug allergies; skin diseases and immunodeficiency.

Phoenix is the most rapidly growing metropolitan area in the nation and offers a wealth of activities and beautiful weather. The state of Arizona is home to magnificent deserts, lakes, mountains, forests, and of course, the Grand Canyon.

Thank you for your interest in our program. We look forward to meeting you virtually over the coming weeks to learn more about you and your career goals, and how our program might be a great fit for you in realizing those dreams.

Catherine "Kate" Freeman, M.B., B.Ch.
Program Director
Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Cindy Bauer, M.D.
Site Director
Phoenix Children's Hospital

Faculty

Our faculty are dedicated to maintaining a supportive learning environment and consider fellow education as one of the most rewarding parts of their careers. In addition to holding many leadership positions within Mayo Clinic, our faculty members hold or have held many national leadership positions as well.

You have direct access to our faculty throughout your training in the Allergy and Immunology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona.

	Catherine Freeman, M.B., B.Ch. Mayo Clinic Program Director, Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Residency: Internal Medicine, Pennsylvania Hospital, University of PA Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ Interests: Primary immunodeficiency View full profile
	Alex Wonnaparhown, M.D. Mayo Clinic Associate Program Director, Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Residency: Internal Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Interests: Personalized medicine, genetics and functional studies of immune deficiency View full profile
	Cindy Salm Bauer, M.D. Phoenix Children's Hospital, Site Director Department Chair Residency: Internal Medicine, Aurora Health Care, Sinai, and St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI Interests: Food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, primary immunodeficiency, asthma, atopic dermatitis View full profile
	Matthew Rank, M.D. Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's Hospital Division Chair, Allergy Residency: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN Interests: Chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma, Science of Health Care Delivery View full profile
	Alexei Gonzalez-Estrada, M.D. Mayo Clinic Residency: Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Fellowship: Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Cleveland Clinic Interests: Drug allergy, perioperative anaphylaxis, anaphylaxis View full profile
	Hirohito Kita, M.D. Mayo Clinic, Research Residency: Pediatrics, Shizouka Children's Hospital; Pediatric Allergy, Mie National Hospital Fellowship: Pediatrics, Mie University; Post-Doctoral Fellowship Immunology and Internal Medicine; Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, MN Interests: Immunobiology of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s); mechanisms of asthma, sinusitis, hay fever, peanut allergy, and EoE; regulatory mechanisms for IgE antibody production View full profile
	John Lewis, M.D. Mayo Clinic, Founding Fellowship Program Director Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Fellowship: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Interests: Mast cell disorders, eosinophil disorders, asthma and cough View full profile
	Christine Rukasin, M.D. Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's Hospital Residency: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, San Diego Medical Center, University of California, San Diego, CA Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN Interests: Drug and food allergies, utricaria and angioedema, anaphylaxis, rhinosinusitis, atopic dermatitis, immunodeficiencies, asthma View full profile
	Benjamin Wright, M.D. Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's Hospital Residency: Pediatrics, Primary Children's Medical Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC Interests: Food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, primary immunodeficiency View full profile
	Brenna LaBere, M.D. Phoenix Children’s Hospital Residency: Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard University, Boston, MA Interests: Immune deficiency, immune dysregulation, autoinflammation, urticaria, food allergies
	Michell Lozano Chinga, M.D. Phoenix Children’s Hospital Residency: Pediatrics, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Interests: Immunodeficiencies and immune dysregulation
	Ifat Krase, M.D., PharmD Phoenix Children’s Hospital Residency: Internal Medicine, Banner University Medical Center, Tucson, AZ Fellowship: Allergy and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ Interests: Asthma, allergic rhinitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, food allergy and oral immunotherapy, immunodeficiency