Congratulations to Lior Cohen-Yatziv MD! Lior, one of our stellar 2nd year fellows, was awarded the Jonathan Freeman Scholarship at the SHEA Spring 2026 Conference in Chicago.

We’re thrilled to welcome outstanding incoming fellows and celebrate our rising second-year fellows! This class brings diverse backgrounds, strong academics, and a shared commitment to excellence in ID.

We have ONE open position for July 2026. Email vbotel2@uic.edu to apply!

Get to know us! Our Division is highly engaged in national societies, advancing our field though advocacy & volunteerism.
Max Brito MD MPH: Board & VP of IDSA.
Andrew Trotter MD MPH: HIVMA/IDSA HIV Advocacy.
A Mena Lora MD: IDSA ASCOE and PD Workforce Workgroup.

Get to know us! Our Division is committed to advancing research on AMR/ASP, at home and abroad. Lior Cohen-Yatziv MD (FY2), presented various mentored projects with Drs Borgetti and Mena Lora. Collaborations with excellent researchers from around the world shown here.

Get to know us! Our Division is committed to medical education. Alfredo J Mena Lora MD presented a session on AI and LLMs, a project in collaboration with our APDs and chief fellows: Scott Borgetti MD, Ryan Knodle MD, Lior Cohen-Yatziv MD and Habeeb Sanni MD.

Get to know us! Our Division provides high quality evidence-based telemedicine care to incarcerated populations. Drs Patel and Borgetti, in collaboration with our college of pharmacy, presented research at IDWeek. Fellows have the opportunity to rotate in this program and work on mentored research.

Our Division is at #IDWeek2025! Faculty and fellows love coming to IDWeek and other major national conferences to present research, lead sessions, learn, and collaborate.

Andrew Trotter MD MPH, Associate Professor, captures the spirit of advocacy with clarity and urgency in this new Science Speaks article. Read about what’s at stake and how to speak up for your patients in this great article.

Lessons learned from a diagnostic stewardship intervention in response to a blood culture bottle supply shock | Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology | Cambridge Core Lessons learned from a diagnostic stewardship intervention in response to a blood culture bottle supply shock - Volume 5 Issue 1

@idatuic.bsky.social: During a national blood culture bottle shortage, UI Health implemented a stewardship intervention that safely ⬇️ blood culture utilization by 60% while maintaining stable sepsis outcomes, demonstrating the value of rapid, multidisciplinary stewardship. doi.org/10.1017/ash....

In this manuscript, a diagnostic stewardship intervention helped guide blood culture utilization and costs, while maintaining stable in-hospital sepsis mortality rates.

Led by Lior Cohen-Yatziv, one of our excellent fellows, with Scott Borgetti, Alfredo J Mena Lora, et al.

Bravo Lior!

Alfredo J. Mena Lora, MD, Assistant Professor and Fellowship PD, spoke with Univision about the latest IDPH vaccine recommendations for respiratory viruses and how patients can navigate the differences between IDPH and ACIP vaccine recommendations.

Bloodstream infections caused by Candida are serious nosocomial complications. In this manuscript, Alfredo J Mena Lora collaborated with partners in the Dominican Republic to describe 5 years of candidemia, including risk factors, resistance and outcomes. @uicdom.bsky.social

Our Division and Department have a strong commitment to global health. This week, faculty & residents from OB/GYN, ER, Pediatrics, Heme/Onc joined Dr Stockton Mayer and colleagues in Jalapa, Guatemala for a regional medical conference on Cervical Cancer & Metabolic Syndrome. @uicdom.bsky.social

Meet our Faculty! Dr. Andrew Trotter trained at UIHealth & Tufts. He is Visiting Professor in Nepal
🦠Interests within ID: HIV, PrEP, STIs, Global Health
✨ Outside ID: Hiking, Travel, Storm spotter
🍽️ Restaurant Recs: Tryzub, Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, Siri
🏙️ Chicago faves: Horner Park, kayaking

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global threat. Our Division works with colleagues abroad to help describe efforts and opportunities to strengthen stewardship in Latin America. In this manuscript, Alfredo J Mena Lora MD et al describe CDC Core Elements in the DR. @uicdom.bsky.social

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global. Our Division worked with colleagues from abroad to help describe opportunities to strengthen stewardship in Latin America. In this manuscript, Alfredo J Mena Lora MD, and colleagues describe CDC Core Elements in the DR. @uicdom.bsky.social

Alfredo J. Mena Lora MD, Assistant Professor and Fellowship PD, spoke with Univision about the newly approved at-home nasal influenza vaccine—a milestone that could make flu protection more accessible and convenient for families everywhere. @uicdom.bsky.social

Meet our Faculty! Dr Stockton Mayer DO, interim division chief, trained at UIHealth for residency and fellowship.
🦠Interests within ID: global health, HCV, outbreak prep
✨ Outside ID: Coaching, triathlons, surfing
🍽️ Restaurant Recs: Lula’s Cafe
🏙️ Chicago Recs: Edgewarer Caste FC (pictured)

Meet our fellows! Dr. Asbah Rahman MD has an interest in Transplant ID and Zoonotic diseases
✨ Outside ID: Rock climbing, squash, chess and cycling
🥞 Fave restaurants: Giordanos
🚤 Chicago favorites: Cycling on the lakeshore

Meet our fellows! Dr. Lior Cohen Yatziv MD has an interest in CNS infections & Transplant ID
✨ Outside ID: cycling, hiking, chess
🥞 Fave restaurants: Beatrix (breakfast), Psistaria Greek Taverna
🚤 Chicago favorites: Watertaxi to Chinatown & Saturday Green City Market in Lincoln Park

Meet our Faculty! Dr. Jesica Herrick trained at UIHealth & NIH.
🦠Interests within ID: Tropical med, parasitology, including Loa loa, diagnostics and neurocysticercosis.
✨ Outside ID: Traveling & reading
🍽️ Restaurant Recs: Pequod’s, Lou Malnati’s, Sweet Maple Cafe
🏙️ Chicago Recs: Chicago river tours

Get to know our graduates! Hear from Dr. Ben Ladner about his experience in our Infectious Diseases Fellowship. Dr Ladner completed residency and fellowship at UIC and is now an Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Get to know our graduates! Hear from Dr. Sam Peterson about her experience in our Infectious Diseases Fellowship — training, mentorship, and why he chose us.

Welcome, new fellows and faculty, to the UIC family!

Alfredo J Mena Lora MD, Assistant Professor and Fellowship PD, was interviewed by CBS News to discuss rising Tick-Borne infections and preventative measures this summer.

Our faculty, Max Brito MD FIDSA, Professor of Medicine and Chief of ID at the JBVA, has been named to the IDSA presidential track, a prestigious 4-year leadership role that includes VP President, President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President. Bravo!

Alfredo J. Mena Lora MD was interviewed by ABC7 about the recent measles outbreak in Illinois and how swift public health action helped contain and end the outbreak.

In this manuscript, inpatient antimicrobial use highlighted prescribing differences between MDs and NPs and stewardship opportunities. Three internal medicine residents and future ID docs led this project, reflecting our commitment to mentorship and training the next generation of ID.

How much evidence does it take to challenge dogma in medicine?

Our fellowship PD, Alfredo J Mena Lora MD, along with colleagues, explore this question in an article published in CID Journal — tackling the tension between tradition, data, and clinical decision-making.

Our program just celebrated the graduation of our incredible ID fellows! Your dedication, compassion, and curiosity have shaped this program and inspired us all. We’re proud of you and can’t wait to see you thrive in this next step of your journey!