Richard Battafarano, M.D., Ph.D., joins the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery as director of the Division of General Thoracic Surgery and the first regional director of general thoracic surgery. He comes to Johns Hopkins from University of Maryland Medical System, where he was chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Battafarano specializes in the treatment of benign and malignant diseases and lesions of the chest, including minimally invasive operations such as video-assisted thoracscopic surgery (VATS) for lung and esophageal cancers. He also has a special interest in treating Barretts esophagus, emphysema, mesothelioma and paraesophageal hernias. The focus of Dr. Battafaranos basic and translational research includes outcomes in the surgical management of early stage lung cancer patients with neuroendocrine histology, optimal management of lung cancer patients with mediastinal lymph node metastases, and the effect of survivin overexpression in the development of esophageal cancer. Dr. Battafarano sees patients at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Centers at Green Spring Station and at White Marsh. Dr. Battafarano is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Thymic Epithelial Tumor, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Gastrectomy, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Lee is a specialist in Interventional Pulmonary and serves as the Wang Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship Director. His areas of clinical expertise include interventional pulmonology, pleural disease, minimal invasive diagnostics and lung cancer at Johns Hopkins. He also has extensive experience in the minimally invasive management of malignant airway obstruction, complex airway management and difficulty airways. In addition, he specializes in the diagnosis and management of pleural diseases and symptom relief with minimally invasive procedures. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and the Johns Hopkins Master of Education for Health Professionals. Dr. Lee is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Pleural Effusion, Lung Nodules, Lymphofollicular Hyperplasia, Endoscopy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Dr. Yarmus is a Professor of Medicine and Oncology and the director of Interventional Pulmonology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as well as the Vice Chair of Medicine for Strategy and Finance. He is an expert in the minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and he leads the Interventional Pulmonary research program at Johns Hopkins with research investigating innovative minimally invasive device development and early-stage bronchoscopic treatments. He also has extensive experience in the minimally invasive management of malignant airway obstruction, complex airway management, pleural diseases and symptom relief with minimally invasive procedures such as indwelling pleural catheters and pleurodesis. Dr. Yarmus is a member of the Fleischner Society and a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Thoracic Society. Dr. Yarmus is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Pleural Effusion, Lung Nodules, Lymphofollicular Hyperplasia, Endoscopy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Jeffrey Thiboutot is a primary care provider, practicing in Pulmonary Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Thiboutot is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Lung Nodules, Pleurisy, Lymphofollicular Hyperplasia, Lung Cancer, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Stephen C. Yang is a professor of surgery and medical oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital. In October 2008 he was named the first recipient of The Arthur B. and Patricia B. Modell Professor in Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Yang is an extreme supporter of medical students, being the only surgeon (amongst 20 chosen from the School of Medicine) for the medical student advisory Colleges system, and is the faculty sponsor for the Surgery Interest Group and the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association. Dr. Yang graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in Chemistry and received his M.D. degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and finished his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia. He also completed a 3 year thoracic surgical oncology research fellowship at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He currently serves on the Postgraduate Affairs, Medical School Admissions, Educational Policy, and Curriculum Reform Committees in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He served on numerous national and international committees for these organizations, and is the Taskforce Chair on the Looking to the Future Residency Scholarships for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons He is Editor of Practical Reviews in Chest Medicine and guest editor/ reviewer for numerous peer review journals. He is co-editor of the book Current Therapy in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, edited the esophageal surgical section in the 2nd edition of Atlas of Gastrointestinal Surgery with John Cameron, M.D., and series editor-in-chief of The Early Diagnosis of Cancer also editing the book volume of The Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer. In 2001, he and his lung transplant team were featured in the ABC series 24/7 and is currently also being followed in the sequel to that series focusing in on resident and medical student teaching. This series as well as other experiences are still shown on the Discovery Channel. The extensive work in preparing an esophageal cancer patient for surgery on the BBC and the Discovery Channel. Dr. Yang's laboratory research interests include using molecular techniques for lung cancer screening and for molecular staging of micrometastasis to predict recurrence following surgical resection. His clinical practice and research covers the breath of general thoracic surgery in pulmonary and esophageal surgery, video-assisted and robotics thoracic surgery, mediastinal and pleural work, lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema, and work in geriatric thoracic surgery. Dr. Yang is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Endoscopy, and Thymectomy.

Dr. K. Ranh Voong specializes in thoracic malignancies, including lung, esophageal, thymic cancers, and mesothelioma. She treats patients at both the Johns Hopkins Thoracic Center of Excellence at Johns Hopkins Bayview and at the Proton Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital. She has extensive expertise in proton therapy, SBRT, IMRT for tumors involving the chest. She is the Principal Investigator on grants from Lung Cancer Research Foundation and Hopkins-Wellspan. She is the Principal Investigator of a prospective study evaluating the immunogenic effects of SABR alone on systemic T cell response in patients with stage I NSCLC. She is the principal investigator of a multi-institutional prospective trial showing that routine review of patient-reported outcome measures informs radiation on-treatment toxicity burden assessment and care delivery. She was the Quality of Life Co-chair of a Phase III Randomized Trial of Pleurectomy/Decortication Plus Chemotherapy With or Without Adjuvant Hemithoracic Intensity-Modulated Pleural Radiation Therapy (IMPRINT) For Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (NRG-LU006). She has been invited to participate in national and regularly lectures on thoracic malignancies and protons for thoracic malignancies therapy. In her research, Dr. Voong is dedicated to improving the outcomes of patients with thoracic malignancies, by exploring avenues to better understand and optimize the delivery of radiotherapy. Dr. Voong is also the Program Director for the Radiation Oncology Residency Program. She mentors residents, medical students. Make A Gift. Dr. Voong is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

Dr. Wise is a pulmonary, critical care physician. He is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with obstructive lung disease, including those with asthma and COPD. He is a consultant for patients with scleroderma and interstitial lung disease. He has expertise in pulmonary physiology and lung function testing. Dr. Wise’s research focus is the conduct of multi-center clinical trials in airway diseases and related translational research. Dr. Wise is the co-director of the Pulmonary T32 Multi-disciplinary Training Program in Pulmonary Disease. Dr. Wise is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), Interstitial Lung Disease, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, and Sarcoidosis.

Russell Hales, M.D., is an assistant professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also is director of the thoracic multidisciplinary clinic. His research focuses on reconstructing health delivery models to enhance value and improve clinical outcomes. He also studies the effect of immunotherapy and RT in thoracic tumors. Dr. Hales was awarded an R21 grant to study the use of dynamic MRI in predicting tumor motion in patient with lung cancer. Taken together, his research focuses on optimizing patient outcomes using resources from physics, engineering, biology and health delivery systems. Dr. Hales’ efforts extend beyond radiation oncology and clinical management. He has helped to lead in the thoracic oncology program, which includes 20 faculty members and nearly 50 staff, to help chart a vision for this program’s future. In the last four years, the program has gradually transitioned from The Johns Hopkins Hospital campus to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Dr. Hales was tasked to head the building and design committee that worked with architects to create a structure conducive to 21st century oncology care. His work extends beyond the bricks and mortar of the new cancer center today to team development within the thoracic oncology program. Simply put, the thoracic oncology move was designed to conceptualize the transition of care from department-based to disease-based medicine. As such, Dr. Hales has worked to integrate the efforts of specialists in medical oncology, thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology, pathology and radiology. These experts share a clinical space focused on thoracic malignancies and bring a patient-centered model of care to their group. Dr. Hales graduated from Brigham Young University Summa Cum Laude and Valedictorian in 2001. He attended Johns Hopkins Medicine and graduated with an M.D. in 2005. He trained on the Osler Medical Service and attended residency at Johns Hopkins. He joined the faculty at Hopkins in 2010. Dr. Hales focus in program building, research and clinical endeavors is robust, but he understands the key role of academia in training future leaders in medicine. He has been awarded Teacher of the Year in the department of radiation oncology at Hopkins for three of the last six years. He is a well-respected lecturer and travels nationally to speak at conferences and educational workshops about novel therapies in lung and esophagus cancer. Make A Gift. Dr. Hales is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), Thymic Epithelial Tumor, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), and Endoscopy.

Malcolm V. Brock, M.D., a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins general surgical residency program and the Johns Hopkins fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery, is a specialist in thoracic oncology, and is a Professor of Surgery and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In additional to clinical thoracic oncology, his clinical interests include surgery for palmar, axillary and pedal hyperhidrosis. Dr. Brock is a surgeon who conducts cancer research at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, specializing in applying innovative basic science research to patient care. His main research interests are in developing novel molecular biomarkers for solid tumors that can help clinicians diagnose cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. He has studied using DNA-based methods to predict which patients will develop recurrent lung cancer, even after successful surgery, and to predict patients with esophageal cancer who will be sensitive to certain chemotherapy. Dr. Brock has published over 70 original research papers, book chapters and review articles, and has presented often at national and international conferences. He has been the recipient of research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research Excellence, the American College of Surgery Oncology Group and the Society of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Brock is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Tissue Biopsy, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Howard Steiner is an instructor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He has been practicing pulmonary and sleep consultative medicine since 1989. In his role as a diagnostician, he guides the evaluation and management of respiratory problems including infectious, malignant, allergic, autoimmune, and sleep-related disorders. He has been part-time faculty in the Johns Hopkins Pulmonary Division since 1991, is a Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians, and mentors medical students, residents, and pulmonary fellows training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Contact for Research Inquiries 10755 Falls Road Pavilion I, Suite 200 Lutherville, MD 21093 Phone: (410) 583-7124 Selected Publications Lwebuga-Mukasa JS, Steiner H. Monoclonal antibody to rat lung Maclura Pomifera agglutinin (MPA) lectin binding glycoprotein localizes apically on rat and human type II pneumocytes and Clara cells. J Cell Biol 107:71a, 1989. Roberts PJ, McBean GJ, Steiner H, Kohler C, Schwarcz R. Lesioning Effects of Ibotenate in the immature rat brain and protection by 2-amino-7 phosphonoheptanoic acid. Soc Neurosci Abst 9:261, 1983. Steiner H, Ingbar DI. Mechanisms of lung injury and repair. In: Matthay RA, Matthay MA, Wiedemann HP eds. Annual Review of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Hanley & Belfus (Philadelphia, 1989), pp 205-223. Steiner H, Lwebuga-Mukasa JS. A549 cells display distinct functional and morphologic properties depending on their culture substratum. J Cell Biol 107:71a, 1989. Steiner H, Lwebuga-Mukasa JS. A549 cells produce a factor which is Mitogenic for human lung fibroblasts. Amer Rev Resp Dis 139:A492 1989. Steiner H, McBean GJ, Kohler C, Roberts PJ, Schwarcz R. Ibotenate Induced neuronal degeneration in immature rat brain. Brain Research 307:117-124, 1984. Dr. Steiner is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Bronchiectasis, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Lung Metastases, and Interstitial Lung Disease.

Dr. Rameen J. Molavi is part-time on the medical faculty as an instructor in medicine in the division of General Internal Medicine within the Department of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His area of clinical expertise is internal medicine. Dr. Molavi is also the managing physician and chair of Park Medical Associates, a member of Johns Hopkins Regional Physicians. He is the recipient of the 2025 Samuel P. Asper Award for excellence in medicine from the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Molavi holds a B.A. in biology from Rice University in Houston, TX. He earned his M.D. at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in categorical internal medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. He began medical practice in Lutherville in 1999 and joined Park Medical Associates in 2009. His practice focus is on primary care for adults of all ages. Recent News Articles and Media Coverage Dr. Rameen Molavi: COVID-19 Testing Realities, WYPR (April 28, 2020) Samuel Asper Award, American College of Physicians (2025). Dr. Molavi is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Mesenteric Venous Thrombosis, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Familial Hypertension, and Hypertension.

Stacey-ann Brown is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Lutherville, Maryland. Dr. Brown is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. Her top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, and Cholesterol Pneumonia.

Dr. Mohamad Allaf is Professor of Urology and Oncology, as well as Director of the Department of Urology and the Brady Urological Institute and Urologist-in-Chief of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Allaf is a world renowned surgeon-scientist having performed more than 2,000 robotic procedures and published over 250 peer reviewed research papers in the field's best journals. As one of the busiest robotic radical prostatectomy surgeons in the world, he aims to achieve the best outcomes for his patients. Having trained with Dr. Patrick Walsh, Dr. Allaf has used Dr. Walsh's method of radical prostatectomy as the basis for his own anatomic method to this complex operation. Dr. Allaf is also amongst the leaders in kidney cancer surgery, having served on the American Urological Association Guideline Committee for Kidney Cancer. He led a team who performed the rigorous analysis to help inform the most recent guidelines that was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). He is best known for his ability to save the kidney and remove the tumor in patients with kidney tumors. Dr. Allaf runs a research endeavor aiming to decrease the morbidity associated with the treatment of cancer, and he has mentored numerous leaders in academic urology. He is actively involved in fund raising for research and education, and believes in expanding our base of support in order to advance our important mission. Dr. Allaf is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC), Renal Oncocytoma, Prostate Cancer, Nephrectomy, and Prostatectomy.

Jinny Ha is a Thoracic Surgeon in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Ha is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Nodules, Esophageal Cancer, Fibrosing Mediastinitis, Lung Transplant, and Osteotomy.

Syed Nasir is a Hematologist and an Oncologist in Towson, Maryland. Dr. Nasir is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Familial Colorectal Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Lynch Syndrome, and Paget Disease of the Breast.

Ari Zaiman is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Towson, Maryland. Dr. Zaiman is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Cerebral Hypoxia, Pulmonary Hypertension, Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Endoscopy.

Ji Rhee is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Towson, Maryland. Dr. Rhee is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. Her top areas of expertise are Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Lung Metastases, Asthma, and Asthma in Children.

William Karkowsky is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Karkowsky is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Aspergilloma, Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis, Bronchiectasis, and Aspergillosis.

Matthew Woodford is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Towson, Maryland. Dr. Woodford has been practicing medicine for over 18 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Emphysema, Bullae, Pneumonia, and Acute Interstitial Pneumonia.

Donald Slack is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Slack is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Nodules. His top areas of expertise are Pneumonia, Lung Metastases, Interstitial Lung Disease, Thyroidectomy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.