Basic Science Faculty

Dr. Sukhendu Dutta is a medical graduate from University of Calcutta, India. He also completed his post-graduation in Medical Anatomy from Manipal Academy of Higher Education and his PhD from Sikkim Manipal University. He has served as a faculty member and held administrative positions in different Medical Institutions in India and abroad. He has served as an internal and external examiner for various Universities since 2004. Dr. Dutta is a very resourceful person for medical education pedagogies.

Dr. Dutta has more than twenty presentation and publication in National and International Journals. He is a life member of Anatomical Society of India. A reviewer and editorial board member of various National and International Journals, Dr. Dutta’s research area is embryogenesis of blood vessels; morphology and morphometry of perimenopausal endometrium.

Dr. Soans completed his Post graduation in Anatomy from the Prestigious Bombay University in India. He also obtained his MS in Molecular Biology from Wayne State University, MI. An active researcher Dr. Soans has served in the Departments of Neurology, Molecular Medicine and Genetics at Wayne State University. Dr. Soans was awarded Honors in the Graduate Students Academic and Research Program while at Wayne State University in 2003. He has many research publications to his credit and brings more than 15 years of academic experience to IAU.

Prof. James Vilanueva is the recepient of the DuPont - National Academy of Science and Technology Young Scientist Award in 2003 and has been teaching Medical Biochemistry, Genetics and Nutrition at IAU since 2005. He received the IAU Faculty of the Year Award in 2006 and was appointed as the Dean of Student Affairs in 2007 and elected Chairman of the Admissions Committee in 2008.  Dr. Vilanueva’s research interests include protein folding/misfolding, protein spectroscopy, development of immunoliposomes and biodesulfurization. He has completed Post Doctoral research work at Notre Dame University in Indiana; The Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Japan and Bari University, Italy. Over the years, Dr. Villaneuva has consistently made outstanding contribution to student success in NBME Shelf exams and is closely associated with the university student community as the Faculty Advisor to the Student Government Association (SGA). Dr Villaneuva was promoted to full Professor of Biochemistry, Genetics and Nutrition in September of 2011 and he continues to inspire and be inspired by academia.

Dr. Manoj Kumar Poudel is an MBBS graduate from the most prestigious institute of Nepal, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. After completing his degree in 2009, he completed one year rotatory internship in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Nepal. He is a registered medical practitioner under Nepal Medical Council. While a medical student he was elected president of medical and para-medical students of Nepal for 2 years. Dr. Poudel started his academic teaching career as a part time teacher in 2009 when he was a hostipal intern. After graduation he worked in Hubei University, China as a Physiology tutor for a year from 2010 to 2011. Since 2011 to 2012 he taught Physiology, neuroscience and histology in All Saints University, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines as an Assistant Professor. Dr Poudel also has an experience in teaching and training mountain expedition teams (Mount Everest, etc.) regarding High Altitude Medicine in Pasang Lhamu Mounteering Foundation. Dr. Poudel has been awarded full scholarship for his study throughout his study period due to his excellent academic performance.

Dr. Dipak Kumar Sharma is a graduate from Guwahati Medical College Hospital and worked in various departments like Endocrinology, Nephrology and Cardiology as a Junior Resident.  Subsequently he worked with the tertiary level government hospital “IGMH” at Male’, Republic of Maldives, in the department of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine. He also worked with the Polio eradication project in India under the World Health Organization.

With a passion to teach and travel, Dr Sharma taught in China at Xiamen Medical University, Xiamen; Dali University, Dali, Yunnan; Luzhou University, Luzhou; Jiangxi University, Nanchang. Dr Sharma is a life member of the Indian Medical Association; Indian Public Health Association and the Indian Association for Preventive and Social Medicine. He also worked as a Research Assistant, while enrolled as a full time MPH student at the Johns Hopkins University, USA. He also did a course in Aging population at the Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain. Dr Sharma taught Patho-Physiology at Xavier Medical School, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles previously and he teaches Embryology at IAU.

Dr. Thomas Heston has ABMS certification in Nuclear Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology and Family Practice.  He is the Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine and Nuclear Cardiology at Family Care Network in Bellingham, Washington. Dr. Heston was awarded the "Best Essay Award" for scientific paper preparation and presentation at the 31st Annual Meeting of the American College of Nuclear Physicians in 2005.  In recognition for his contributions to nuclear medicine, Dr. Heston received Fellowship awards from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the American College of Nuclear Medicine. He has also been awarded Fellow status by the American Board of Family Medicine for his contributions to the specialty.  In 2008, he completed his PhD in Behavioral Sciences & Biostatistics from the University of Berkley. He has been a visiting faculty for Behavioral Sciences and Doctoring courses at IAU since 2006.  He also serves as a voting member of the Admissions Committee to the College of Medicine..

Mrs. Virginia Joseph is a licensed Psychologist in St Lucia and the UK, graduated from university of East London in 2007. She recently completed a professional doctorate in Counselling Psychology in 2011. Mrs. Joseph has accumulated many years of counselling experience in the UK working with a wide range of presenting issues especially in mental health, abuse and drug and addiction. She also worked as a health professional with children, adolescence and the elderly. Her research interest is in area of Black Ethnic Minority, Culture and Mindfulness.

Prior to pursuing her career in Counselling, Mrs. Joseph worked as a Banker in a St Lucian Bank for over 17 years; she also served as president and member on several school committees.

Mrs. Joseph brings to IAU her unique combination of related experience of academic and counselling skills.

 During her visits to the main campus, Dr. Humayun shares with our students her 30+ years experience as a practicing physician in New York. She also participates in community outreach programs in St. Lucia, sponsored by the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr. Humayun is currently attending anesthesiologist at The Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, and is intimately involved with the recruitment and subsequent education of residents and fellows.

Dr. Kaluev has received a PhD in Physiology from RUDN University Moscow, and a PhD in Anatomy from Tampere University (Finland). He has been a Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, and Assistant Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Georgewtown and Tulane Medical Schools (USA). Prof. Kaluev is the author of over 100 articles and 7 books in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, biosychology and biological psychiatry.

Dr. Rasheed Agboola holds medical licences in Grenada and Nigeria. He earned his medical degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria and he was at St. Georges University, Grenada for Teaching & Research Fellowship programme in Pathology. Dr. Rasheed was a Medical officer at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, where he worked in various departments like Nephrology and Cardio- thoracic Units of the teaching hospital and he had also worked at St. Georges General Hospital, Grenada with excellent performance and recommendations. Dr. Rasheed was a Full- time Faculty in Pathology department at St. Georges University, Grenada for many years and he was the Assistant Professor (Pathology) at Atlantic University School of Medicine before joining IAU.

Dr. John Minarcik received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and completed residencies in Pathology and Nuclear Medicine at Northwestern University and Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, achieving board certification in both. He engaged in the private practice of medicine until 2003 but maintained workshops in computer applications to pathology at national ASCP meetings. He also founded the internet's first pathology digital tumor image data base. Dr. Minarcik taught an entire pathology course at Rosalind Franklin's Scholl Medical School and an entire anatomy lab at Chicago Medical School. He currently teaches in the Caribbean and is an author of YouTube educational videos in pathology and histology, viewed over 5 million times.

Dr. Ramachandra Thippaiah is a well-known General surgeon in St. Lucia. He is qualified from the Govt Medical College Mysore under Mysore University, a reputed medical institute in South India. He started his carrier in teaching as a lecturer in surgery at Dr B.R.Ambedker medical college, Bangalore, India. He was involved in teaching undergraduates and post graduates. His field of interest is Endoscopic surgery.  He came to St Lucia as consultant Surgeon at Victoria Hospital and is currently working with St Jude Hospital, Vieux Fort. Dr. Thippaiah attained his diploma and fellowship in Minimal Access surgery from the World Laparoscopy Hospital New Delhi in 2009. He is a Permanent member of the Caribbean College of Surgeons, Life member  of World Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons, International member SAGES, (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons). He is associated with IAU since 2006.

Dr. Olusina Adesanya holds medical licenses in St. Lucia and his home country of Nigeria.  He is an attending physician of chronic non-communicable disease clinics Region 5 Primary Health Care St. Lucia as well as the Medical Director of Pre-hospital Medical Emergency Medical Services (special events and mass crowd events) St Lucia .  He completed his postgraduate training as a resident of Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.  Dr. Adesanya holds numerous memberships in professional and honorary societies including the International Federation of Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine.  In addition to teaching and professional duties, Dr. Adesanya also serves as the Disaster Committee Coordinator and voting member of Disciplinary & Greivances Committee at IAU. 

Dr. Kravitz graduated from St. George’s University, School of Medicine in Grenada 30 years ago.  Since then, as a Diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice, Dr. Kravitz has maintained a private practice in the Capital District of Upstate New York State.  He received his MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin.  Dr. Kravitz is a founding member of the largest primary care medical group in the Northeast.  He also served as the Medical Director of the two largest urban public school districts in the area, responsible for 20,000 students.  Additionally, Dr. Kravitz, an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Albany Medical College, taught medical, nursing and PA students.  He also taught Pharmacology, Physiology, and Anatomy at the State University of New York.  He is an active researcher and national speaker on the clinical delivery of diabetic pharmacological agents.

Dr. Kamala Narayanaswamy is licensed by the Medical Council of India and was a Postgraduate Resident in Medical Microbiology at the Bangalore Medical College, India.  She has been with IAU since 2006 as a visiting faculty and currently teaches full time at the St Lucia campus.  In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she is actively involved in affairs of Promotions, Curriculum, Lab development and Budgeting.