Academic Leadership

The leadership at St. Martinus University is made up of experienced medical educators, practicing physicians, and academic professionals who understand what it takes to prepare students for clinical practice in the U.S., Canada, and beyond. Their work is rooted in accountability, academic integrity, and long-term student success.

Dr. Murali Ginjupalli, M.Pharm., Ph.D.

Chancellor

Dr. Murali Chand Ginjupalli, M.Pharm., Ph.D., Chancellor of St. Martinus University’s Faculty of Medicine, is a distinguished academic and researcher with extensive expertise in medical sciences. With a deep commitment to excellence, he provides strategic leadership, guiding the university in delivering globally recognized medical education and advancing healthcare research.

Through his visionary leadership, Dr. Murali has strengthened the university’s reputation as a hub for innovation, academic rigor, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He fosters a student-centered learning environment, promotes impactful research, and inspires the next generation of physicians to contribute meaningfully to global healthcare systems.

Dr. Murali Ginjupalli

Dr. Soria obtained her M.D. degree from Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de Centro America (UCIMED), in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2004. She continued her clinical training by completing clerkships through Harvard Medical School Children’s Hospital, Boston and Shriners Hospital, Boston, and at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans. In 2007, she obtained her ECFMG certification after completing her Board Examinations. For the past four years, she and her husband have been living in Willemstad, Curacao, and greatly enjoy their life on this beautiful island.  

Contacts:

Dr. Danna Soria, M.D.

Vice-Chancellor
Head, Department of Pharmacology

After completing my MBBS at Guntur Medical College, I worked as a Medical Officer at Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital and later as a Tutor in Anatomy. My career took me to Trinidad and Tobago (2005–2009) and Guyana, before returning to India to complete an MD in Anatomy at NRI Medical College, followed by a Senior Residency at Siddartha Medical College.

Since 2015, I have served as Assistant Professor of Anatomy at St. Martinus University, where I integrate clinical relevance into teaching and emphasize compassion, curiosity, and critical thinking in training future physicians.

Contacts:

Dr. Ravi Kishor Reddy Vintha, MBBS, M.D.

Dean of Academic Affairs
Chair and Professor, Anatomy/Embryology and Neuroscience

Dr. Mendoza earned his medical degree and a Magister Scientiae in Immunology from the University of Los Andes in Mérida, Venezuela, where he also began his career teaching and researching HPV and cervical cancer. He later completed doctoral studies in Microbiology and Virology at the Institut Pasteur and Paris VII Denis Diderot University in Paris. He went on to lead the Infectious Diseases Department and the Public Health Laboratory in Mérida, publishing over 20 papers and co-authoring two academic books.

Dr. Jose A. Mendoza, M.D., Ph.D.

Dean of Student Affairs
Chair and Professor, Microbiology and Immunology

I earned my medical degree from the Universidad del Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in 2009 and practiced as a general physician in hospital and private settings before moving into medical education. I now serve as Head of the Integrated Clinical Medicine course in Curaçao, where I emphasize early clinical exposure, active engagement, and the integration of empathy and professionalism into medical training.

Dr. Carla Rodriguez, M.D.

Head of the Integrated Clinical Medicine

On April 29, 1976, Peter became Head of the Department of Toxicology and Drug Research at the Public Health Laboratory of the Netherlands Antilles, later serving as Inspector of Medicines and Head of the Medicines Inspectorate until 2002. From 2000 to 2002, he advised the Prime Minister, and in 2002 was appointed Inspector-General for Public Health, a role I held until retiring in 2011. ince 2011 have been teaching Medical Ethics at St. Martinus University, mentoring students from diverse countries.

Dr. Peter Fontilus

Department of Pharmacology

Dr. Jawaria Majeed

Dr. Jawaria Majeed

Department of Anatomy and Neurology

Hiba Mohamed earned her MBBS from Nile University in Khartoum, Sudan. She is a dedicated Assistant Professor of Physiology and a licensed General Physician, currently employed at St. Martinus University. With 2 years of experience in assisting medical education and clinical practice, She is passionate about research and continuous medical education. Hiba possesses efficient managerial and teaching skills.

Dr. Hiba Mohamed, MBBS

Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology

I am an ECFMG-certified physician and Assistant Professor at St. Martinus University, teaching Biochemistry and Pathology while mentoring students in exam preparation and clinical reasoning. I earned my MBBS from Tribhuvan University and completed a rotating internship across multiple specialties, building a broad clinical foundation.

Dr. Anand Chaudhary, MBBS

Assistant Professor

Dr. Sethi graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine, completing his clinical rotations in Michigan. At 22, he serves as an Academic Advisor at SMUFOM, mentoring students in NBME and USMLE preparation, with a focus on resilience, disciplined study, and patient-centered care. He has co-authored multiple publications, including The Misdiagnosis Casebook in Clinical Medicine and The Physical and Psychosocial Stressors in Medical Education and Clinical Training.

Dr. Prakrut Sethi

Academic Advisor

I earned my medical degree from Mymensingh Medical College under Dhaka University and gained clinical experience in Nepal. I research dermatological conditions, the autonomic nervous system, and gastrointestinal motility disorders, with publications including Rare Case of Tinea Corporis Bullosa and Thiazide-Induced Acute Interstitial Pancreatitis in a 55-Year-Old Male.

Dr. Kshitiz Pandey

Department of Anatomy and Neurology

Dr. Saleem, Assistant Professor of Histology, Pharmacology, and Introduction to Research at SMU, brings over a decade of experience in biological and health sciences from both academic and clinical settings. He earned his PhD in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia, Canada, where he researched domiciliary oxygen therapy in fibrotic interstitial lung disease, and his MD from the American University of Integrative Sciences.

Dr. Ferhan Saleem

Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology

I was born and raised in Curaçao and earned my medical degree from St. Martinus University in 2024, completing clinical training in Michigan, USA. I now lecture in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health at SMU while practicing as a General Practitioner in Curaçao, and have lived and worked in the USA and the Netherlands. I have contributed to publications including The Misdiagnosis Casebook in Clinical Medicine and The Physical and Psychosocial Stressors in Medical Education and Clinical Training.

Dr. Aemil Edgar Albert Carl Alexander Palm

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Pathology

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