Department of Surgery welcomes four new faculty members

The Department of Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston welcomes four new faculty members whose clinical expertise, research experience, and commitment to education will further strengthen the department’s missions in patient care, research, and academic training.

Jacob Ryan Burns, MD, MBA, joins the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery; Hao Liu, MD, PhD, joins the Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation; and Natalie Hodges, MD, MPH, and Ankeeta Mehta, DO, FACS, join the Division of Acute Care Surgery.

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Jacob Ryan Burns, MD, MBA
Assistant professor of surgery

Jacob Ryan Burns, MD, MBA, joins the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery as an assistant professor of surgery and will practice at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land.

Dr. Burns recently completed the Independent Plastic Surgery Residency Program at UTHealth Houston, following his general surgery residency at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. He earned his medical degree and MBA with a concentration in strategy from the University of Florida.

In addition to his clinical training, Dr. Burns brings a strong background in research and health care leadership, including service on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s Board of Directors. His research interests include craniofacial surgery, breast reconstruction, nerve regeneration, and outcomes in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Abdominal Organ Transplantation

Hao Liu, MD, PhD
Assistant professor of surgery

Hao Liu, MD, PhD, joins the Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation as an assistant professor of surgery, bringing expertise in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery.

Dr. Liu completed medical school in China before earning his PhD in cancer biology from Harvard University in 2017. He subsequently completed his general surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh and a transplant surgery fellowship at Houston Methodist, which included hepatopancreatobiliary experience at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

An accomplished researcher, Dr. Liu has authored more than 70 publications and received the International Liver Transplantation Society Rising Star Award in 2024.

Working alongside Ryan Hall, MD, Dr. Liu will serve in a dual role in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery, helping expand transplant oncology services and supporting the continued development of the multidisciplinary Texas Liver Center. The program’s long-term goals include offering minimally invasive donor hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation.

“We are fortunate to recruit him to our growing program,” said Mark Hobeika, MD. “I believe he has the ability and personal qualities necessary to be a leader in both the clinical and research arenas.”

Acute Care Surgery

Natalie Hodges, MD, MPH
Assistant professor of surgery

Natalie Hodges, MD, MPH, joins the Division of Acute Care Surgery following completion of an Acute Care Surgery fellowship at the University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center.

Dr. Hodges completed her general surgery residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, where she also earned a dual MD/MPH degree with a focus on trauma systems.

Her scholarly contributions include book chapters on burn care and peer-reviewed research examining trauma airway management and resuscitation, outcomes in obese trauma patients undergoing laparotomy, and non-accidental trauma.

With a particular interest in educational innovation, Dr. Hodges serves on the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Education Committee. Her commitment to surgical education, mentorship, and research will support the division’s continued academic and clinical development.

Ankeeta Mehta, DO, FACS
Associate professor of surgery

Ankeeta Mehta, DO, FACS, joins the Division of Acute Care Surgery from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she served as an assistant professor of surgery and held several leadership positions.

Her previous roles included medical director of Acute Care Emergency Surgery, wellness director for the Department of Surgery, and site director for Surgery Clerkship and Residency programs. She also helped develop and launch UT Southwestern’s robotic emergency general surgery program, expanding access to minimally invasive surgical care.

A board-certified general surgeon with fellowship training in Endocrine Surgery, Dr. Mehta’s academic interests include endocrine surgery, surgical education, teamwork, and physician wellness. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and presented her research nationally.

Dr. Mehta brings extensive experience in clinical leadership, surgical innovation, and medical education to the division.

Together, these four faculty members bring diverse clinical expertise, research accomplishments, and academic experience to the Department of Surgery. Their contributions will support the continued advancement of patient care, surgical education, and research across their respective divisions.

Please join us in welcoming Drs. Burns, Liu, Hodges, and Mehta to UTHealth Houston.

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