Affiliated Pathologists and Doctoral Level Scientists
- Geoffrey Mikita, MD
- Brando Cobanov, MD
- Rachel C. Elder, MD
- Mark Costaldi, MD
- James Flynn, MD
- Paul A. Granato, PhD, DABMM
- Evan Himchak, MD
- Margaret Kowalski, MD
- Steve Landas, MD
- Brian Pavlovitz, MD
- Teriza Shehatou, MD
- Patricia M. Spizuoco, MD
Geoffrey Mikita, MD
Medical Director, Operations Center Laboratory
St. Joseph’s Pathology, PC, at St. Joseph’s Health
Dr. Mikita serves as Laboratory Alliance's Operations Center medical director. He joined St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in 2017 following a fellowship in hematology at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He did his residency at the same hospital in 2016 in anatomic and clinical pathology. Dr. Mikita earned his medical degree at Chicago Medical School in 2012.
Brando Cobanov, MD
Medical Director, Rapid Response Laboratory at St. Joseph's Hospital Health
St. Joseph’s Pathology, PC, at St. Joseph’s Health
Dr. Cobanov is on the staff at St. Joseph’s Pathology, P.C., joining the practice in 2014 following work with a private pathology practice affiliated with a hospital system in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology as well as cytopathology. Dr. Cobanov earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. From 2004 to 2008 he completed a four-year residency in pathology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, now part of Rutgers University, in New Jersey. He then did a one-year fellowship focusing on cancer pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. This was followed by a second fellowship in cytopathology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Rachel C. Elder, MD
Medical Advisor, Transfusion Services
Co-medical Advisor, General Hematology
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Elder is the director of laboratories at Crouse Hospital. Dr. Elder also serves as Laboratory Alliance's medical advisor of transfusion services and co-medical advisor of general hematology. She is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology. After graduating from New York Medical College in 1981, Dr. Elder completed an internship and fellowship in Surgical Transplantation followed by a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn.
Mark Costaldi, MD
Assistant Medical Advisor, Histology
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Costaldi is a staff pathologist at Pathology Associates of Syracuse, practicing at Crouse Hospital. He earned his master’s and medical degrees from St. Louis University in Missouri after completing his undergraduate studies majoring in chemistry at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. He did his residency in pathology and fellowship in hematopathology at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and a fellowship in cytopathology at the University of Rochester. Dr. Costaldi is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, hematology (pathology) and cytopathology.
James Flynn, MD
Pathologist, St. Joseph’s Pathology, P.C.
Medical Director, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's Frozen Section Laboratory at Northeast Medical Center
St. Joseph’s Pathology, PC, at St. Joseph’s Health
Dr. Flynn is on the staff at St. Joseph’s Pathology, P.C. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Upstate Medical University in 1999 and is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology.
Paul A. Granato, PhD, DABMM
Doctoral Level Scientist
Director of Microbiology / Scientific Director, Clinical Microbiology
Dr. Granato has served as the chief of microbiology at the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center, clinical microbiologist at Crouse Hospital, and consultant clinical microbiologist for the Onondaga County Department of Health and Centrex Clinical Laboratories. He was on the faculty at SUNY Upstate Medical University for more than 35 years and is currently professor emeritus in the Department of Pathology. Dr. Granato has also served on two microbiology editorial boards and many national committees. He has authored three textbooks and over 125 book chapters, scientific articles and abstracts. He serves as the director of microbiology for Laboratory Alliance, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology and is an elected Fellow by the American Academy of Microbiology.
Dr. Granato graduated from Le Moyne College, earned his doctoral degree in microbiology and molecular biology from Syracuse University, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City.
Evan Himchak, MD
Pathologist, Crouse Hospital
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Himchak is affiliated with Pathology Associates of Syracuse and practices at Crouse Hospital. He attended Rutgers University, New Jersey School of Medicine, and did his residency at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. He completed a Fellowship in Hematopathology at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif. Dr. Himchak is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and holds a sub-specialty certification in hematopathology.
Margaret Kowalski, MD
Pathologist, Crouse Hospital
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Kowalski is affiliated with Pathology Associates of Syracuse and practices at Crouse Hospital. She attended Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and did her residency at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Ga. Dr. Kowalski is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology.
Steve Landas, MD
Pathologist
St. Joseph’s Pathology, PC, at St. Joseph’s Health
Dr. Landas joined St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in 2018, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience as a practicing anatomic and clinical pathologist. He earned his medical degree in 1983 at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in 1987. This was followed by a fellowship in surgical pathology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Brian Pavlovitz, MD
Pathologist, Crouse Hospital
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Pavlovitz is affiliated with Pathology Associates of Syracuse and practices at Crouse Hospital. He attended St. George’s University School of Medicine and did his residency at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. He completed a Fellowship in Cytopathology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. Dr. Pavlovitz is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and holds a sub-specialty certification in cytopathology.
Teriza Shehatou, MD
Medical Advisor, Hematology
Pathology Associates of Syracuse, PC, at Crouse Hospital
Dr. Shehatou is affiliated with Pathology Associates of Syracuse and practices at Crouse Hospital. She attended Ain Shams University School of Medicine and did her residency at Berkshire Medical Center. Fellowships in Surgical Pathology and Hematopathology were completed at Hartford Hospital. Dr. Shehatou is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and she holds a sub-specialty certification in hematopathology.
Patricia M. Spizuoco, MD
Assistant Medical Advisor, Transfusion Services
St. Joseph’s Pathology, PC, at St. Joseph’s Health
Dr. Spizuoco is on the staff at St. Joseph’s Pathology, P.C. Prior to joining the pathology staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Dr. Spizuoco served as a fellow in surgical pathology at the Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. She graduated from the University of Vermont Medical School, where she then completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology. Also, she completed residency in hematopathology at Roger Williams Hospital in Providence, R.I. She is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology and cytopathology.