Education & Training
Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine08/2025 – 08/2027
Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Baltimore, MD; Program Director: Elizabeth A. King, MD, PhD
General Surgery Residency, Howard University Hospital06/2018 – 06/2025
Department of Surgery, Washington, DC
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine07/2021 – 06/2023
Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Baltimore, MD; Mentor: Elizabeth A. King, MD, PhD
Master of Health Science, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health08/2022 – 05/2023
Senior House Officer in Emergency Medicine, University of the West Indies, Mona07/2017 – 04/2018
Kingston, Jamaica
Intern, University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona07/2016 – 06/2017
Kingston, Jamaica
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of the West Indies, Mona09/2011 – 06/2016
Kingston, Jamaica
Bachelor of Science, University of the West Indies, Mona09/2011 – 07/2013
Kingston, Jamaica
Certification & Licensure
- American Board of Surgery, General Surgery: Board-eligible; Certifying Exam November 2026
- Maryland State Medical License (D0103099; active through 09/2027)
- Washington, DC Medical Training License (2018–2025)
Additional Training & Certificates
- Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), SAGES – 2024
- Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES), SAGES – 2024
Research & Academic Activity
- 21 peer-reviewed publications (7 first-author) including JAMA and JAMA Network Open.
- Research focus: Early liver transplant for alcohol-associated liver disease; transplant immunology and vaccine response in solid-organ transplant recipients; expanding to living-donor liver and kidney transplantation; non-directed living-donor kidney transplantation.
Publications
Original Research
- Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Alejo JL, Chang A, Abedon AT, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Massie AB, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Effect of Mycophenolate Mofetil Dosing on Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Heart and Lung Transplant Recipients. Transplantation. 2022 May 1;106(5):e269-e270. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004090. PMID: 35250006; PMCID: PMC9038243.
- Mitchell J, Kim J, Alejo JL, Chiang TP, Karaba AH, Blankson JN, Aytenfisu TY, Chang A, Abedon AT, Avery RK, Tobian AA, Massie AB, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to a Third Dose of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients Taking Belatacept. Transplantation. 2022 May 1;106(5):e264-e265. doi:10.1097/TP.0000000000004100. PMID: 35289776; PMCID: PMC9038241.
- Mitchell J, Connolly CM, Chiang TP, Alejo JL, Werbel WA, Segev DL, Massie AB. Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response After 2-Dose mRNA-1273 vs BNT162b2 Vaccines in Incrementally Immunosuppressed Patients. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 May 2;5(5):e2211897. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.11897. PMID: 35576009; PMCID: PMC9112067.
- Mitchell J, Alejo JL, Chiang TPY, Kim J, Chang A, Abedon AT, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Massie AB, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Antibody Response to a Fourth Dose of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: An Update. Transplantation. 2022 Jul 1;106(7):e338-e340. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004137. PMID: 35426888; PMCID: PMC9213059.
- Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Alejo JL, Kim JD, Chang A, Abedon AT, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Massie AB, Werbel WA. 6-month antibody kinetics and durability after four doses of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients. Clin Transplant. 2023 Jan;37(1):e14868. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14868. Epub 2022 Dec 7. PMID: 36437691.
- Mitchell J, Herrick-Reynolds K, Motter JD, Teles M, Kates O, Sung H, Chen PH, King E, Cameron A. Transplant Center Attitudes Toward Early Liver Transplant for Alcohol-associated Liver Disease. Transplant Direct. 2023 Aug 28;9(9):e1532. doi: 10.1097/TXD.0000000000001532. PMID: 37649789; PMCID: PMC10465102.
- Alejo JL, Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Abedon AT, Boyarsky BJ, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Massie AB, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Antibody Response to a Fourth Dose of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series. Transplantation. 2021 Dec 1;105(12):e280-e281. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003934. Erratum in: Transplantation. 2022 Feb 1;106(2):e177. PMID: 34428188; PMCID: PMC8612849.
- Alejo JL, Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Abedon AT, Sidoti CN, Boyarsky BJ, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Massie AB, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Six-month Antibody Kinetics and Durability in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccinated Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. Transplantation. 2022 Jan 1;106(1):e109-e110. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003975. PMID: 34711780; PMCID: PMC8667681.
- Alejo JL, Mitchell J, Chang A, Chiang TPY, Massie AB, Segev DL, Makary MA. Prevalence and Durability of SARS-CoV- 2 Antibodies Among Unvaccinated US Adults by History of COVID-19. JAMA. 2022 Mar 15;327(11):1085-1087. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.1393. PMID: 35113143; PMCID: PMC8814952.
- Chang A, Alejo JL, Abedon AT, Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Boyarsky BJ, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Massie AB, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Antibody Response to an mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Following Initial Vaccination With Ad.26.COV2.S in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series. Transplantation. 2022 Feb 1;106(2):e161-e162. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003991. PMID: 34789691; PMCID: PMC8810584.
- Abedon AT, Alejo JL, Kim JD, Thomas L, Mitchell J, Chiang TPY, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Massie AB, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Six-month Antibody Kinetics and Durability After 3 Doses of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series. Transplantation. 2022 May 1;106(5):e281-e283. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004069. PMID: 35066543; PMCID: PMC9038245.
- Abedon AT, Teles MS, Alejo JL, Kim JD, Mitchell J, Chiang TPY, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Massie AB, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Improved Antibody Response After a Fifth Dose of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series. Transplantation. 2022 May 1;106(5):e262-e263. doi:10.1097/TP.0000000000004092. PMID: 35175241; PMCID: PMC9038246.
- Herbst LR, Zeiser LB, Mitchell J, Nijhar K, Perincherry V, López JI, Segev DL, Massie AB, King E, Cameron AM. Examination of Racial and Socioeconomic Disparity in Use of Nondirected Kidney Donation in the US. J Am Coll Surg. 2022 Apr 1;234(4):615-623. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000099. PMID: 35290281.
- Chang A, Chiang TP, Kim JD, Mitchell J, Alejo JL, Jefferis AA, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Massie AB, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Improved humoral immunogenicity with mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 as third vaccine dose among solid organ transplant recipients seronegative after two BNT162b2 doses. Clin Transplant. 2022 Aug;36(8):e14738. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14738. PMID: 35670813; PMCID: PMC9348091.
- Chiang TP, Alejo JL, Mitchell J, Kim JD, Abedon AT, Karaba AH, Thomas L, Levan ML, Garonzik-Wang JM, Avery RK, Pekosz A, Clarke WA, Warren DS, Tobian AAR, Massie AB, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Heterologous Ad.26.COV2.S versus homologous BNT162b2/mRNA-1273 as a third dose in solid organ transplant recipients seronegative after two- dose mRNA vaccination. Am J Transplant. 2022 Sep;22(9):2254-2260. doi: 10.1111/ajt.17061. Epub 2022 May 3. PMID: 35429211; PMCID: PMC9111240.
- Alejo JL, Chiang TPY, Bowles Zeiser L, Kim JD, Mitchell J, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Abedon RR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Massie AB, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Incidence and Severity of COVID-19 Among Vaccinated Solid Organ Transplant Recipients During the Omicron Wave. Transplantation. 2022 Sep 1;106(9):e413-e415. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004226. PMID: 35655363.
- Chang A, Mitchell J, Alejo JL, Chiang TPY, Abedon AT, Kim JD, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Garonzik-Wang JM, Massie AB, Segev DL, Werbel WA. Immunogenicity of Ad26.COV2.S prime and two subsequent doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in solid organ transplant recipients: A case series. Clin Transplant. 2022 Sep;36(9):e14772. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14772. PMID: 35822545; PMCID: PMC9350408.
- Alejo JL, Mitchell J, Chiang TP, Chang A, Abedon AT, Werbel WA, Boyarsky BJ, Zeiser LB, Avery RK, Tobian AAR, Levan ML, Warren DS, Massie AB, Moore LW, Guha A, Huang HJ, Knight RJ, Gaber AO, Ghobrial RM, Garonzik-Wang JM, Segev DL, Bae S. Predicting a Positive Antibody Response After 2 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines in Transplant Recipients: A Machine Learning Approach With External Validation. Transplantation. 2022 Oct 1;106(10):e452-e460. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004259. PMID: 35859275; PMCID: PMC9521390.
- Alejo JL, Chiang TPY, Mitchell J, Abedon AT, Jefferis AA, Werbel W, Massie AB, Makary MA, Segev DL. Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among unvaccinated US adults during the Omicron wave. J Intern Med. 2022 Dec;292(6):965-968. doi: 10.1111/joim.13555. PMID: 35946381; PMCID: PMC9538468.
- Flanary JT, Chen PH, Shan S, Mitchell J, Gurakar A, Strauss AT, Diener-West M, Desjardins MR, Weeks SR, Herrick-Reynolds K, Teles M, Yilmaz S, Warren D, King E, Cameron A. Access to early liver transplantation is adversely impacted by social determinants of health: A retrospective cohort study. Liver Transpl. 2025 Dec 1;31(12):1472-1487. doi: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000653. Epub 2025 Jun 9. PMID: 40476755; PMCID: PMC12258191.
Review Articles
- Mitchell J, Zeineddin A, Kearse L, Downton KD, Kushner AL, Gupta S. Surgical Training for Civilian Surgeons Interested in Humanitarian Surgery: A Scoping Review. J Surg Res. 2023 Mar;283:282-287. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.10.068. Epub 2022 Nov 21. PMID: 36423477.
Awards & Honors
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Inductee2025
Chief Resident of the Year, Department of General Surgery, Howard University Hospital2025
Resident of the Year, Department of General Surgery, Howard University Hospital2021
ASTS Jon Fryer Resident Research Award, American Society of Transplant Surgeons2021
Professional Societies
- American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), Member, 01/2021 – Present
- American Society of Transplantation (AST), Member, 01/2021 – Present
- American College of Surgeons, Member, 06/2018 – Present
- American Medical Association, Member, 06/2018 – Present
Journal Review Responsibilities
- JAMA Network Open – Invited Reviewer, 2021 – Present
- Clinical Transplantation – Invited Reviewer, 2021 – Present
- Journal of the National Medical Association – Invited Reviewer, 2021 – Present
Presentations
Oral / Podium
02/2025Does Commission on Cancer Accreditation Lead to Better Outcomes for Patients with Early Breast Cancer? Southeastern Surgical Congress Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
02/2025The Association Between Emergency Hemorrhoidectomy and Sickle Cell Anemia: A Retrospective Study. Quickshot Oral, Academic Surgical Congress, Las Vegas, NV.
01/20236-Month Antibody Kinetics and Durability After Four Doses of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. ASTS Winter Symposium, Miami, FL.
09/2022Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response After 2-Dose mRNA-1273 vs BNT162b2 Vaccines in Incrementally Immunosuppressed Patients. The Transplantation Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
06/2022Effect of Mycophenolate Mofetil Dosing on Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Heart and Lung Transplant Recipients. American Transplant Congress, Boston, MA.
02/2022Surgical Training for Civilian Surgeons Interested in Humanitarian Surgery: A Scoping Review. Academic Surgical Congress, Orlando, FL.
04/2020Emergency Surgery for the Neonate: Factors Influencing Survival and Operative Intervention. Society of Black Academic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI (meeting canceled due to COVID-19).
Posters
06/2026Hospital Readmissions Following Early Liver Transplantation for Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. American Transplant Congress, Boston, MA.
09/2024Closing the Gap: Moving Toward Equitable Care in Surgical Management of Stage IV Lung Disease. IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer, San Diego, CA.
10/2023Neighborhood-Level Social Determinants of Health and Clinical Outcomes in Early Liver Transplant for Alcoholic Liver Disease. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Boston, MA.
06/2022National Attitudes Towards Early Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease. American Transplant Congress, Boston, MA.
06/2022Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to a Third Dose of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients Taking Belatacept. American Transplant Congress, Boston, MA.
06/2022Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response After 2-Dose mRNA-1273 vs BNT162b2 Vaccines in Incrementally Immunosuppressed Patients. American Transplant Congress, Boston, MA.
06/2022Facilitating Education and Advocacy Training to Expand Live Donor Kidney Transplantation in the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience with the ENGAGE Multi-center Trial. ASTS Winter Symposium, Miami, FL.
Teaching & Community Education
Resident & Fellow Teaching
02/2026Transplant Immunology. Resident Lecture Series, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Patient & Community Education
11/2022SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. The Organ Donation Alliance, national webinar.
09/2022COVID-19 Testing for Organ Transplant Recipients. Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transplantation, national webinar.
03/2022SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. National Kidney Foundation, community education session.
09/2021Living Well with Kidney Disease: Pandemic Impacts. National Kidney Foundation, national webinar.
07/2021Vaccine Immunogenicity in Transplant Recipients. Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transplantation, national webinar.
Mentorship
- Mayan Teles (Undergraduate Student – Medical Student) – Directed mentorship in clinical research and career development from undergraduate research trainee onward. Current status: Medical student, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Outcome: 3 co-authored peer-reviewed publications and multiple abstracts.
- Jake Kim (Undergraduate Student – Medical Student) – Directed mentorship in clinical research and career development. Current status: Medical student, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Outcome: 9 co-authored peer-reviewed publications and multiple abstracts.
- Sevryn Kushmeliuk (Medical Student) – Directed mentorship on clinical research project. Current status: Medical student. Outcome: 1 co-authored abstract, American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2023.
- Sarah Shan (Resident) – Directed mentorship on clinical research project. Current status: General surgery resident, MedStar Health Baltimore. Outcome: 1 co-authored peer-reviewed manuscript and 1 abstract.
- Juan Carmona-Tamayo (Resident) – Directed mentorship on clinical research project. Current status: General surgery resident, Howard University Hospital. Outcome: First-author abstract, Academic Surgical Congress 2025.
- Lerone Ainsworth (Resident) – Directed mentorship on clinical research project. Current status: General surgery resident, Howard University Hospital. Outcome: 1 co-authored abstract.