Kristeva, Benson, Munn Join MIR
Three physicians have joined WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) faculty, lending their medical expertise and experience to the department’s patient care practice.
Mariya Kristeva, MD, joined the interventional radiology division as an assistant professor of radiology. She earned her medical degree from University of Central Florida College of Medicine, then completed her residency training at MIR, serving as one of the chief residents from 2024–2025. She then finished a pediatric interventional radiology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital before returning to MIR.
Before pursuing academic medicine, Kristeva served in the U.S. Army as a health care specialist and combat medic from 2008–2015. During her military service, she was deployed to northern Afghanistan for 12 months in 2010–2011 to support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Donald Benson, MD, PhD, joined the cardiothoracic imaging section as an associate professor of radiology. He came to MIR from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and he previously served as an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Benson has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and earned numerous teaching honors throughout his career. At UAB, he served as director of the cardiopulmonary imaging fellowship and the combined cardiopulmonary and body imaging fellowship programs.
Benson completed fellowships in cardiothoracic imaging and clinical magnetic resonance imaging at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed his diagnostic radiology residency and earned his medical degree from UAMS, where he also served as chief resident. He holds a doctorate in physics from the University of Notre Dame.
Charles (Samson) Munn, MD, joined the community physician practice, predominantly providing breast imaging services. He is an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and a former professor of clinical radiological sciences at UCLA School of Medicine and associate professor at Tufts. Munn has held numerous departmental and medical staff leadership roles, including chair of radiology at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, vice chair at Tufts Medical Center and medical staff president at three medical centers. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and holds several patents.
Munn completed a diagnostic radiology residency at the Tufts/New England Medical Center/Boston VA Medical Center joint program, followed by a combined chief residency/imaging fellowship at Boston VA Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine. A Fulbright Specialist in Peace and Reconciliation Studies, Munn is actively interested in genocide studies.
