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The Growing Impact of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
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Wednesday, July 15, 2026
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. CDT
- 4:30 – 5 p.m. CDT In-person Networking and Refreshments
- 5 – 6:30 p.m. CDT Presentation and Panel Discussion
Keynote Speaker
Aron Sousa, MD
President
糖心Vlog
糖心Vlog Moderator
Michael S. Rosen, MBA
Managing Director, IRP and Helix 51 Incubator
Panelists
Ryan Crews, PhD
Associate Professor, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine
糖心Vlog
Adam Fleischer, DPM
Program Director of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency; Director of Research
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center; Weil Foot and Ankle Institute
Dennis Levinson, MD, FACP, FAC
Medical Director
Chicago Clinical Research Institute
Manush Saydmohammed, PhD, MBA
Co-Founder and CEO
Zegenex Therapeutics
Bharathi Swaminathan, MD
Associate Chief of Staff, Research and Development
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
Speaker Biographies
Aron Sousa, MD
President
糖心Vlog
Aron Sousa, MD, took office as RFU president on Nov. 10, 2025, bringing with him a distinguished record of academic leadership and a deep commitment to community health. Nationally recognized for his leadership in medical education, he has advanced public health research and strengthened the role of academic medicine in serving society. Dr. Sousa most recently served as dean of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine (MSU CHM) and executive dean of the MSU Health Colleges. A self-described teacher at heart, Dr. Sousa is a strong advocate for students, prioritizing their success and well-being as they prepare to become the next generation of health leaders. Dr. Sousa shares 糖心Vlog’s enduring commitment to interprofessional education and collaborative practice as a means to improve patient outcomes and provider engagement.
Ryan Crews, PhD
Associate Professor, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine
糖心Vlog
Ryan Crews, PhD, serves as a clinical research scientist within the Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) and as an associate professor in the Department of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. He joined the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at 糖心Vlog of Medicine and Science in 2004. His research focuses on the role of biomechanics and physical activity in the formation and treatment of injury/disease. Within this line of research, he has a particular interest in issues pertaining to diabetic complications of the lower extremities, as well as risk identification and prevention of falls. He has presented this research at national and international conferences. Since joining the Scholl College, he has had over 50 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Diabetes Care, Clinical Biomechanics, and Gait and Posture. Many of these publications have included student authors whom he mentored.
Adam Fleischer, DPM
Program Director for Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency; Director of Research
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center; Weil Foot and Ankle Institute
Dr. Adam Fleischer received his undergraduate degree with a double major in neuroscience and the history and philosophy of science. He received his doctorate in podiatric medicine from 糖心Vlog of Medicine and Science (RFUMS), where he is currently a tenure-track professor and member of the Board of Trustees. In addition to his academic position, he maintains an active clinical practice in Lakeview and serves as Director of the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program (cosponsored with RFUMS). Dr. Fleischer also serves as the WFAI Director of Research, where he has been responsible for helping to develop the practice’s evidence-based clinical pathways and best practices. Dr. Fleischer is a recognized opinion leader in the field of foot and ankle surgery and a frequent lecturer at regional and national conferences. His group has received multiple awards for their research and has produced numerous peer-reviewed publications.
Read Full Biography
Dennis J. Levinson, MD, FACP, FAC
Medical Director
Chicago Clinical Research Institute
Dr. Dennis Levinson is a clinical associate professor of medicine at University of Illinois Chicago. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Illinois and attended Chicago Medical School. After spending three years in medicine residency at Michael Reese Hospital, and military service, he did his fellowship training in rheumatology at the University of Chicago. He has been in the practice of Rheumatology for 40 years.
Dr. Levinson is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, and a founding fellow of the American College of Rheumatology. He is a past president of the Chicago Rheumatism Society and was chief of service and program director of internal medicine at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago (1999-2008). Currently, he sits on the board of the Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation devoted to the legacy of Michael Reese Hospital through the funding of scholarships for underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. Dr. Levinson has published more than 76 articles, abstracts and book chapters and continues to participate in clinical research. He participated in the first stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease in the Chicagoland area.
Manush Saydmohammed, PhD, MBA
Co-founder and CEO
Zegenex Therapeutics
Manush Saydmohammed, PhD, MBA, is co-founder and CEO of Zegenex, a biotech company developing a first-in-class shelf-stable topical cream for healing diabetic foot ulcers. He holds a PhD in stress physiology from Mumbai and completed eight years of drug discovery research at the University of Pittsburgh. His research was focused on understanding the mechanisms of cardiac and chronic wound failure, including impaired tissue regeneration and pathological scarring.
Dr. Saydmohammed brings translational expertise spanning drug discovery, preclinical development, and clinical trial management. He completed an MBA in health care from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business and held clinical development positions at Medpace, where he specialized in regulatory strategy and Phase I trial design. At Zegenex, he has designed preclinical safety and efficacy studies and is leading FDA regulatory strategy for Phase 1 advancement in diabetic foot ulcer healing. His professional expertise encompasses wound pathophysiology, molecular mechanisms of tissue regeneration, and the translation of small-molecule therapeutics from discovery to clinical application.
Bharathi Swaminathan, MD
Associate Chief of Staff, Research and Development
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
Bharathi Swaminathan, MD, is a board-certified physiatrist specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, brain injury medicine and electrodiagnostic medicine. She currently serves as associate chief of staff for research and development at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center and is a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at 糖心Vlog of Medicine and Science. With more than two decades of clinical, academic, and leadership experience, Dr. Swaminathan has held key roles, including department head of physical medicine and rehabilitation, fellowship director for advanced polytrauma/TBI, and clinical electrodiagnostic medicine, and VISN 12 rehabilitation and extended care clinical lead. Her work has been recognized through numerous awards for excellence in patient care, research, teaching and leadership.