Department of Neurosurgery

Richard Anderson, M.D., rca24@columbia.edu
Clinical and basic science research investigating brain tumor immunology with special emphasis on pediatric brain tumors. Additional clinical research focuses on biomechanics of the pediatric spine and prenatal MRI.

Jeffrey Bruce, M.D., jnb2@columbia.edu
Studies into the molecular biology of brain tumors with an emphasis on potential targets for brain tumor therapy and clinical applications of laboratory-derived research. Clinical studies involving novel forms of brain tumor therapy.

E. Sander Connolly, M.D., esc5@columbia.edu
Vascular biology of ischemia and hemorrhagic stroke with a focus on the role of inflammatory cascades in tissue injury and recovery. Clinical outcome studies and trials of patients with ischemia and hemorrhagic stroke.

Saadi Ghatan, M.D., sg2160@columbia.edu
Programmed cell death during early neural development. Clinical research interests include studies in pediatric neurooncology and neurotrauma in children.

Robert R. Goodman, M.D., Ph.D., rrg2@columbia.edu
Clinical research studies on surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy, movement disorders and depression. Includes collaborative studies on investigational devices to improve the detection and treatment of epilepsy.

Michael G. Kaiser, M.D., mgk7@columbia.edu
Clinical and research interests focus on disorders of the spine and spinal cord. Research projects include clinical outcomes analysis, motion preservation, and computer simulation of the spine.

Guy M. McKhann, M.D., gm317@columbia.edu
Electrophysiological and morphological studies of astrocyte function in animal model and human epilepsy. Clinical investigation of brain organization of language and sensorimotor function.

Robert A. Solomon, M.D., ras5@columbia.edu
Clinical research on outcome of patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations and aneurysms.

Christopher J. Winfree, M.D., cjw12@columbia.edu
My clinical research investigates the use of novel neurostimulation techniques to treat chronic pain. My basic science research explores the use of peripheral nerve transfers to treat spinal cord injury.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Laxmi V. Baxi, M.D., lvb1@columbia.edu
A range of research interests including genetics of pregnancy complications, genetic thrombophilia, diabetes mellitus and medical complications in pregnancy, habitual abortion and induction of labor.

Stephen Brown, M.D., sab8@columbia.edu
General area of investigation is human genetics and prenatal diagnosis. Currently the research focuses on the gene “Zic2” and its role in brain malformation.

Mary D’Alton, M.D., md511@columbia.edu
Leading researcher and expert clinician in all aspects of high-risk pregnancy with particular interest in prenatal diagnosis and multiple pregnancy.

Michel Ferin, M.D., mf8@columbia.edu
The neuroendocrine control of the menstrual cycle in the non-human primate, with emphasis on the role of GnRH in the normal cycle, on the interaction between the gonadal and adrenal endocrine axes and the physiopathology of stress-induced hypothalamic amenorrhea, and on the etiology of the polycystic ovary syndrome. Also, the role of angiogenic factors in folliculogenesis, uterine function and endometriosis.

Wylie C. Hembree III, M.D., wch2@columbia.edu
The role of testicular estrogens in sperm production and the treatment of male hypogonadism and male infertility.

Amalia Kelly, M.D., ack2@columbia.edu
Studies on the role of molecular variants of HCG in reproduction; early pregnancy loss. Ovarian aging and trisomy, menopause. Alternative medicine in women’s health problems.

Joyce Lustbader, Ph.D., jwl2@columbia.edu
Clinical and basic research studies focusing on the structure/function of hCG, endometriosis and the generation of novel new hormones.

Fergal D. Malone, M.D., fdm9@columbia.edu
Research on prenatal diagnosis, including obstetric ultrasonography, Down syndrome screening and invasive fetal testing. Research also focuses on problems with multiple gestations, prematurity prevention, critical care obstetrics and medical complications of pregnancy.

Julian Robinson, M.D.
Research interests primarily focus on prenatal diagnosis, multiple pregnancy, ultrasound scanning, fetal echocardiography, invasive diagnostic techniques and operative obstetrics.

Mark Sauer, M.D., mvs9@columbia.edu
Clinical and basic research in assisted reproduction (IVF and oocyte donation) and reproductive endocrinology.

Lynn L. Simpson, M.D., ls731@columbia.edu
Clinical studies on prenatal diagnosis, including the prenatal detection of fetal anomalies, congenital heart disease, chromosomal abnormalities and complications related to multiple gestations.

Michelle P. Warren, M.D., mpw1@columbia.edu
Clinical studies on the effects of hypoestrogenism on premenopausal osteoporosis in athletes and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Clinical studies with hormone replacement therapy, treatment of polycystic ovarian disease and menopause.

Carolyn Westhoff, M.D., clw3@columbia.edu
Epidemiologic studies concerning reproductive health. Also, contraceptive development and evaluation, prevention and screening.

Ming-Neng Yeh, M.D., my8@columbia.edu
Studies using ultrasound for detection of fetal anomalies, intra-uterine growth retardation and macrosomia as well as investigation of fetal microcirculation of the placenta.

Department of Ophthalmology

Rando Allikmets, Ph.D., rla22@columbia.edu Molecular genetics of macular and retinal diseases. 

Gaetano Barile, M.D., grb17@columbia.edu Studies of vascular biology in diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

Richard E. Braunstein, M.D., reb10@columbia.edu Clinical studies in cataract surgery and refractive surgery.

Stanley Chang, M.D., sc434@columbia.edu Studies of vitreoretinal diseases, complicated retinal detachments and ocular tamponades.

Michael Chiang, M.D., E.I., chiang@dbmi.columbia.edu Bio-medical informatics, pediatric ophthalmology.

Richard Davis, Ph.D., rd2224@columbia.edu Apoptosis.

Lucian Del Priore, M.D., Ph.D., ld394@columbia.edu Studies in retinal transplantation, macular degeneration.

James Dillon, M.D., jpd1@columbia.edu Photobiology of the eye, structural changes in proteins, photosensitization.

John T. Flynn, M.D., jtf38@columbia.edu Pediatric ophthalmology, retinopathy of prematurity.

Peter Gouras, M.D., E.I., pg10@columbia.edu Studies of retinal transplantation and gene therapy for retinal disorders.

Vivienne Greenstein, Ph.D., vcg17@columbia.edu Psychophysics.

Chyuan-Sheng Lin, Ph.D., csl5@columbia.edu Bacterial artificial chromosome recombineering and mouse models, synaptogenesis of stem cell derived retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma models.

Takayuki Nagasaki, Ph.D., tn4@columbia.edu  Developmental Biology and wound healing.

David Paik, M.D., dcp14@columbia.edu Artificial cornia.

Konstantin Petrukhin, Ph.D., kep4@columbia.edu  Rational drug design.

Janet Sparrow, Ph.D., jrs88@columbia.edu Studies of retinal cell biology, aging processes in the retina.

Larry Shapiro, Ph.D., lss8@columbia.edu Structural and molecular biology of cadherins and diabetic retinopathy.

R. Theodore Smith, M.D., Ph.D., rts1@columbia.edu Age-related macular degeneration, image enhancement techniques.

Stephen Trokel, M.D., trokel@columbia.edu Laser development, optics and refractive surgery.

Stephen H. Tsang, M.D., Ph.D., gene.targeting@gmail.com Deriving patient specific stem cell lines.

Ilyas Washington, Ph.D., iw2101@columbia.edu G-coupled receptor signals and Artificial Vision.

Outcomes Research and Epidemiology
Lama Al-Aswad, M.D.,  laa2003@columbia.edu
James D. Auran, M.D.,  jdaeye@aol.com
Reza Iranmanesh, MD, riranmanesh@yahoo.com
Lynda Kleiman, M.D., lyndakleiman@yahoo.com
Jeffrey Odel, MD, jgo1@columbia.edu
William Schiff, M.D.,  wms13@columbia.edu
Amilia Schrier, M.D., amiliaMD@aol.com

Department of Orthopedic Surgery

Christopher S. Ahmad, M.D., csa4@columbia.edu
Ongoing clinical studies in sports medicine and shoulder surgery. Basic science studies are ongoing in knee and shoulder biomechanics, including topographic considerations for autologous osteochondral grafting and biomechanical analysis of double bundle PCL reconstructions.

Louis U. Bigliani, M.D., lub1@columbia.edu
Clinical studies in shoulder surgery including rotator cuff, instability and total joint replacements, fractures, arthroscopy and sports medicine are being pursued. The anatomy pathology and contact patterns of the subacromial space and rotator cuff are being studied as well as the mechanism of rotator cuff repair to bone.

Theodore A. Blaine, M.D., tb211@columbia.edu
Associate Director, Center for Shoulder, Elbow and Sports Medicine, Co-Director, Center for Orthopaedic Research, Principal Investigator, five-year multicenter outcome study of the Bigliani-Flatow total shoulder replacement prosthesis for osteoarthritis. Multiple ongoing clinical studies in shoulder and elbow arthritis, instability and tendon disorders. Current basic science interests include novel pharmacologic treatment strategies to prolong the life of joint replacement prostheses for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the biochemistry and molecular biology of fracture healing and the molecular pathophysiology of inflammatory conditions of the shoulder and elbow.

Catherine A. Compito, M.D., cac2004@columbia.edu
Specialization in shoulder surgery and sports medicine as well as care of fractures. Special interest/focus in women’s health.

Jeffrey A. Geller, M.D., jg2520@columbia.edu
Hip and knee replacement surgery, osteoporosis related fractures. Clinical research in outcomes of minimally invasive total hip and total knee replacement surgery, longevity of current hip and knee implants and pain management strategies in total joint replacement. Basic science research in biomechanics of fracture fixation around total joint implants.

Justin K. Greisberg, M.D., jkg2101@columbia.edu
Orthopedic foot and ankle surgery, and orthopedic trauma surgery. Clinical and basic research in adult acquired flat foot deformity. Basic science research continues in response of cartilage to blunt trauma, particularly apoptosis. Always looking for students to participate in short and long term projects.

Joshua E. Hyman, M.D. , jh736@columbia.edu
Pediatric Orthopedics. Clinical studies in treatment of pediatric fractures. Ongoing clinical studies include quality of life assessments for patients with cerebral palsy, club feet and fractures; assessment of spinal fusion rates following administration of ketorolac; and evaluation of pediatric ankle injuries.

Francis Y. Lee, M.D., CHONY-8N, fl127@columbia.edu
Director, Center for Orthopaedic Research. Chief, Tumor and Bone Disease; Pediatric Orthopaedics. Clinical studies in musculoskeletal tumors, metabolic bone disease and pediatric orthopedics. Basic science in bone tumors, osteoclast biology, molecular pathways of chondrocyte differentiation, molecular mechanisms of skeletal metastasis and molecular mechanisms of osteoblast and osteoclast interactions. Basic science studies in biomechanical and molecular aspects of fracture healing, limb lengthening, growth plate, bone remodeling and tissue engineering. Dr. Lee has been participating in P&S Student NIH Summer Fellowship Training Grant.

William N. Levine, M.D., wln1@columbia.edu
Director, Sports Medicine, Associate Director, Center for Shoulder, Elbow and Sports Medicine, Head Team Physician, Columbia University. Clinical and basic science studies in shoulder surgery, including instability, rotator cuff, total joint replacement, fractures and arthroscopy. Basic science studies in sports medicine, including ACL tears and various fixation methods. Clinical and basic science studies investigations are ongoing, including epidemiological studies of female athletes and the relationship to ACL tears.

William Macaulay, M.D., wm143@columbia.edu
Director, Center for Hip and Knee Replacement. Clinical multicenter outcome studies in primary and revision hip/knee surgery, post operative transfusion and hip fracture treatment. Additional outcome studies include long term survivorship analyses of primary and revision hip/knee prostheses as well asexploration into improved methods of post operative pain control and enhanced patient satisfaction following total knee replacement. Basic science research interests include the rational design of orthopedic implants and less invasive techniques, computer assisted surgery, the biology of periprosthetic bone resorption, thrombogenesis after total joint replacement, etiology and treatment of osteonecrosis.

Christopher B. Michelsen, M.D., cmb1@columbia.edu
Chief, Spine Service for Orthopaedic Surgery. Adult spine surgery with primary interest in the Failed Back Syndrome. Total hip and knee replacement and trauma surgery. Areas of interest are utilization of spinal instrumentation and implementation of computer-assisted joint replacement. Developing CUI in community-based orthopedic practice and treatment of failed back syndrome.

Michael T. Murray, M.D., mtm2114@columbia.edu
All areas of spinal disorders. Research areas include scoliosis, degenerative disc disease outcomes, research on spinal surgery patients. Minimally invasive spinal surgery, disc replacement and geriatric orthopaedic care. Students welcome for any short or long term research projects.

Ohannes Nercessian, M.D., oan1@columbia.edu
Dr. Nercessian’s particular areas of research include hip and knee surgery. The use of allograft in complex revision operations and in failed hip and knee surgery with significant bone loss. Research containing joint bearing surface material and doing surgery to minimize complications such as dislocation, infection and other risks ssociated with total joint replacement. Other areas of research include identifying factors that contribute to post-operative complications following total hip arthoplasty.

Melvin P. Rosenwasser, M.D., mpr2@columbia.edu
Cartilage research/trauma research. Experimental approaches are being developed to resurface cartilage defects using autogenous periosteal grafts and growth factors. Studies include research in the anatomy, function and stresses on the thumb basal joint with regard to its frequent progression to osteoarthritis. Research involving new approaches for tendon repair are underway. Clinical studies include comparisons of surgical techniques, implants and radiographic imaging modalities for orthopaedic trauma surgery. Development of new joint prostheses for hand and elbow reconstruction and the development of sophisticated computer models to guide and innovate new surgical approaches. Clinical outcome studies in fracture care of long bone injuries in the Trauma Training Center are ongoing. Students are welcome and many have completed NIH Summer Fellowships.

David P. Roye, Jr., M.D., dpr2@columbia.edu
Pediatric Orthopaedics. Elective is supervised for the entire division by Dr. Joshua Hyman. Clinical rotation includes Dr. Roye, Dr. Lee, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Vitale. Students are integrated into the extensive clinical research program of the division that emphasizes health related quality of life in children with orthopaedic problems. Current research topics include clubfoot, scoliosis, hip disease along with database research examining volume outcomes and access to care. Many research projects are collaborative with InCHOIR and the Mailman School of Public Health.

Robert J. Strauch, M.D., rjs8@columbia.edu
Clinical activities include hand and elbow surgery as well as microsurgery in adults and children. Basic science studies involve the thumb carpometacarpal joint anatomy, biomechanics and the pathophysiology of arthritis in that joint. Anatomical studies involve primarily the elbow, wrist and hand. Clinical studies include areas of concern in traumatic and reconstructive hand and elbow surgery.

Michael G. Vitale, M.D., M.P.H., mgv1@columbia.edu
Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. Pediatric Orthopaedics. Director, Pediatric section of International Center for Health Outcomes and Innovation Research. Clinical studies focusing on outcomes following scoliosis surgery, including minimally invasive techniques. Assessment of quality of life and cost-effectiveness outcomes in orthopaedics. Development of web-based on-line pediatric trauma registry. Evaluation of technologies to avert perioperative blood transfusions.

Mark Weidenbaum, M.D., mw8@columbia.edu
Adult and pediatric spine surgery. Areas of research include intrinsic material properties of intervertebral disc, spine fixation systems, fixed pelvic obliquity, and studies on spinal deformities. Clinical studies include assessment of spinal fusion techniques and minimally invasive spine procedures, as well as long term evaluation of spondylolisthesis and adult scoliosis.

Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery

Jeffrey M. Ahn, M.D., jma2@columbia.edu
Sleep disorder surgery. Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and sinus surgery. Research area includes basic science research of facial nerve regeneration. Clinical research on sleep disorder and its treatment. Pathogenesis of rhinitis and sinusitis.

Jonathan E. Aviv, M.D., G.C.R.C., jea10@columbia.edu
Head and neck cancer surgery and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Clinical research includes innovative methods, techniques and devices that measure sensory discrimination in the pharynx and larynx.

Edward W. Chang, MD, DDS, ewc3@columbia.edu
Facial plastic and maxillofacial surgery. Sleep surgery and sinus surgery. Clinical research in the area of sleep disordered breathing, and facial plastic surgery.

Lanny Garth Close, M.D., lgc6@columbia.edu
Head and neck surgery. Endoscopic sinus surgery. Skull base surgery. Clinical research includes evaluation of head and neck cancer invasion and outcomes research in head and neck cancer.

Joseph Haddad, Jr., M.D., jh56@columbia.edu
Pediatric Otolaryngology. Lab projects include those on the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion, examining the role of free radicals as contributors to inflammation. Clinical projects include antibiotic trials in acute media and otorrhea and epidemiologic studies of cleft lip and cleft palate in patients in Central America.

Shyam M. Khanna, Ph.D., smk3@columbia.edu
Basic research lab. Projects include: biophysics of hearing; cellular mechanics of the inner ear; confocal microscopy of inner ear in living animals; laser interferometric measurement of cellular vibration; neural coding in the auditory system.

Spiros Manolidis, M.D, FACS, FRCS, sm2397@columbia.edu
Basic science research: Robotic insertion of cochlear implant electrodes with minimal trauma to the cochlea for hearing preservation approaches (in conjunction with the mechanical engineering department) Robotic applications in Head & Neck cancer surgery. Clinical Research / Otology - Neurotology: Cochlear implant outcomes studies, Surgical technique and outcomes studies in advances chronic ear disease. Clinical Research / Head & Neck Surgery: combined treatment outcome studies in head & neck cancer, outcome studies on lateral skull base surgery for malignant tumors.

Thomas Murry, Ph.D., HP 8-812, tm2103@columbia.edu
Voice science including speech, voice and upper airway physiology. Acoustic, aerodynamic and sensory testing of vocal function and swallowing physiology. Voice research in the areas of new diagnostic technology, efficacy of treatment outcomes assessment and vocal fold physiology. Effects of respiration and vocal function.

Elizabeth Olson, Ph.D., ea92004@columbia.edu
Basic research lab. Projects include: biophysics of hearing; inner ear mechanics; intracochlear pressure measurements; confocal imaging of the inner and middle ear; laser interferometric measurements of inner and middle ear vibration.

Hector P. Rodriguez, M.D., hpr1@columbia.edu
Endoscopic sinus surgery, laser surgery for snoring and sleep apnea. Radio frequency waves (somnoplasty) for the treatment of nasal congestion and snoring. Rhinology and nasal allergy testing and immunotherapy.

Jaclyn Spitzer, Ph.D., jbs50@columbia.edu
Audiologic methods including hearing, balance and tinnitus evaluation, central auditory processing assessment, electrophysiologic measurement of processes involving auditory and vestibular pathways. Hearing research and rehabilitation studies utilizing cochlear implants, conventional and implantable hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing aids; evaluation of expanded criteria for these treatments; outcomes assessment of treatment efficacy.

Ian S. Storper, M.D., jss9@columbia.edu
Otology, neurotology, skull base surgery. Basic science research includes using the optical sectioning microscopy/laser interferometry to describe cochlear hair cell motion and using galvanic evoked potentials to measure the human vestibulospinal reflex. Clinical projects include the use of anticholinergic drugs to suppress vertigo, the use of antiviral drugs in the treatment of sudden-onset hearing loss and outcomes analysis of cranial nerve function in skull base surgery.

Gloria H. Su, Ph.D., gs2157@columbia.edu
Molecular oncology/cancer genetics. Basic research includes identifying tumor-suppressor genes important for head and neck tumorigenesis and studying their tumor-suppressive functions using transgenic and knock-out gene approaches. Transgenic and conditional knock-out mice and created for cancer modeling for the purposes of identifying novel markers, furthering our understandings of tumor biology, and developing early detections and chemopreventive therapeutics.

Department of Pathology and Cell Biology

Asa Abeliovich, M.D., Ph.D., aa900@columbia.edu The molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and the function and survival of dopamine receptors. We are studying the molecular bases of midbrain dopamine neuron function and survival. Midbrain dopamine neurons are thought to play a key role in learned and addictive behaviors, and degeneration of these neurons underlies Parkinson’s disease.

Rondo Allikmets, Ph.D. rla22@columbia.edu The molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and the function and survival of dopamine receptors.

Bashir Alobeid, M.D. ba2024@columbia.edu Pathology of leukemia and lymphoma, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders.  Normal precursor B-cells (hematogones) and leukemia in children.

Richard Ambron, Ph.D., rta1@columbia.edu Signals that mediate changes in transcription following nerve injury.

Ernest W. April, Ph.D., ewa1@columbia.edu  Clinical anatomy.

Ottavio Arancio, M.D., Ph.D., oa1@columbia.edu Mechanisms underlying changes of synaptic function associated with cognitive impairment.

Richard Axel, M.D., ra27@columbia.edu Defining the logic of olfactory perception.

Richard Baer, Ph.D., rb670@columbia.edu BRCA1 and BARD1 function in breast cancer.

Jonathan M. Barasch, M.D., Ph.D., jmb4@columbia.edu Epithelial cells of the kidney derive from mesenchymal cells and form the nephron, the functional unit of the organ. The conversion of mesenchyme into epithelia is controlled by the ureteric bud. Our work is dedicated to identifying signals from the ureteric bud that induce cell conversion, the cellular mechanisms that lead to the epithelial phenotype (de-novo), and the identification of the progenitors of the organ.

Jeannette Chloe Bulinski, Ph.D., jcb4@columbia.edu Differentiation of cytoskeletal elements during morphogenesis. Expression and post-translational modifications of microtubule-associated proteins and tubulin functioning in mitosis and in skeletal and heart muscle differentiation.

Lorraine N. Clark, Ph.D., lc654@columbia.edu Molecular genetics of Parkinson’s Disease.

Vivette D’Agati, M.D., vdd1@columbia.edu Histologic, immunopathologic and ultrastructural studies of medical diseases of the kidney. Research projects include murine model of polycystic kidney disease, and clinical pathologic studies of HIV nephropathy, lupus, nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and diabetic nephropathy.

Riccardo Dalla-Favera, M.D., rd10@columbia.edu The general goal of this laboratory is to elucidate the pathogenesis of cancer. We focus on lymphoid malignancies and on the identification of genes that control B cell development and are altered in lymphoma. Altered genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, are studied for their normal and pathologic functions using in vitro molecular biological assays as well as transgenic mouse models.

Thomas Diacovo, M.D., td2142@columbia.edu Publications from research include, “Mechanics of transient platelet adhesion to von Willebrand factor under flow.” and “Adhesive mechanisms governing IPC recruitment into Lymph Nodes.”

Gilbert Di Paolo, Ph.D., dg2175@columbia.edu Role of phosphoinositides in organelle trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics and disease-related processes.

Fiona Doetsch, Ph.D., fkd2101@columbia.edu Neural stem cells and their niche in the adult mammalian brain.

Andrew J. Dwork, M.D., ajd6@columbia.edu The study of neuroanatomic correlates of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders and suicide, and the causes of cognitive impairment among individuals suffering from these disorders. Of related interest are the neuroanatomic effects of external influences, such as chronic hospitalization, somatic treatments, and intellectual stimulation.

Phyllis L. Faust, M.D., Ph.D., plf3@columbia.edu Investigation of human neuronal migration disorders. We have utilized gene targeting to develop a mouse model for the peroxisomal biogenesis disorder Zellweger syndrome and characterizing the central nervous system abnormalities that develop in these mice with morphologic, molecular and biochemical methods.

Greg A. Freyer, Ph.D., gaf1@columbia.edu Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Repair of UV damaged DNA and the regulation of this process.

Michael D. Gershon, M.D., mgd4@columbia.edu Neurobiology, neuroanatomy and developmental neurobiology. A variety of studies concerning the enteric neuronal systems, from the migration of neural crest neuroblasts to the gut, to tissue interactions in development which lead to congenital megacolon.

James E. Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., jeg5@columbia.edu Cellular and molecular studies of astrocyte and oligodendrocyte development and myelination; glial responses to pathological states, including demyelinating diseases; regulation and function of heat shock proteins in CNS glia; cytoskeletal proteins of neurons and glia; neurodegenerative diseases.

Ellen Greenebaum, M.D., eg39@columbia.edu Cytopathology with special emphasis on Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy, especially of thyroid, head and neck and ovarian cysts.

Lloyd A. Greene, Ph.D., lag3@columbia.edu Cellular and molecular biology of neuronal development. Studies on the molecular mechanisms by which neurotrophic factors regulate neuronal differentiation and death. Investigations of the causes and prevention of neuronal cell death and degeneration.

Wei Gu, Ph.D., wg8@columbia.edu Molecular mechanisms by which p53 mediates tumor suppression and responses to cellular stress.

Gregg G. Gundersen, Ph.D., ggg1@columbia.edu Cell Biology. Cytoskeletal dynamics in cell motility and cell polarization. Role of microtubules in organelle transport.

Diane Hamele-Bena, M.D., dh129@columbia.edu Cytopathology and Surgical Pathology, with special interest in the pathology of breast diseases. Also involved in using multimedia tools in medical education.

Arthur P. Hays, M.D., aph1@columbia.edu Morphologic methods are used to study peripheral nerve in motor neuron diseases, diabetic neuropathy and autoimmune neuropathies.

Christopher E. Henderson, Ph.D., ch2331@columbia.edu Work in the lab focuses on the study of motor neuron development as an approach to understanding and analyzing mechanisms underlying ALS and SMA.

Hanina Hibshoosh, M.D., hhh1@columbia.edu Surgical pathology, breast and soft tissue tumors. Molecular pathogenesis of breast tumors as well as evaluation of prognostic factors related to breast cancer utilizing image and molecular analysis.

Harold S. Kaplan, M.D., hsk18@columbia.edu Research on human error in medicine, its prevention and management.

Richard H. Kessin, Ph.D., rhk2@columbia.edu Molecular Biology and Genetics. Gene regulation and development in simple organisms. Specific proteolysis during development. Evolution of developmental strategies.

Tae Wan Kim, Ph.D., twk16@columbia.edu Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD). A significant portion of AD is caused by the inheritance of certain defective genes. Mutations in the genes encoding the presenilins (PS1 and PS2) cause the majority of early-onset cases of FAD. The central focus of our research is to define the precise molecular steps by which defects in presenilin genes lead to the characteristic pathogenesis and molecular phenotypes associated with FAD.

Jan Kitajewski, Ph.D., jkk9@columbia.edu Wnt and Notch genes in tumorigenesis and vascular development.

Jay H. Lefkowitch, M.D., jhl3@columbia.edu Histopathological and ultrastructural studies of diseases of the liver. Special areas of interest include pathology of hepatitis C virus infection, the liver in AIDS, and biliary tract diseases.

Ronald K.H. Liem, Ph.D., rkl2@columbia.edu Cellular and molecular neurobiology. Studies concerning the composition, organization and function of the neuronal cytoskeleton.

W. Ian Lipkin, M.D., wil2001@columbia.edu The role of infectious agents and immune responses in acute and chronic CNS disease including developmental defects, affective disorders and schizophrenia, and autism. The laboratory also focuses on the identification of new viral agents in human disease.

Thomas Ludwig, Ph.D., rjl2128@columbia.edu Functional analysis of breast cancer susceptibility genes. Our efforts are focused on molecular and genetic studies of the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes account for 70-80% of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Both are thought to be tumor suppressor genes as the wild-type alleles are lost in tumors of heterozygous carriers.

Mahesh Mansukhani, M.D., mm322@columbia.edu Molecular pathology including screening and diagnosis.

Yinghui Mao, Ph.D., ym2183@columbia.edu Kinetochore microtubule attachment, chromosome movement, and mitotic checkpoint during mitosis

Charles C. Marboe, M.D., ccm1@columbia.edu Surgical pathology. Cardiac and pulmonary transplant pathology. Special interest in cardiac pathology: atrial fibrillation and remodeling after assist device placement.

Glen S. Markowitz, M.D., gsm17@columbia.edu Renal pathology utilizing light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Research interests include animal models of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, nephrotoxicity of various therapeutic agents (including lithium and pamidronate), and clinico-pathologic studies of multiple glomerular diseases including lupus nephritis, membranous glomerulopathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and fibrillary glomerulonephritis.

Carol A. Mason, Ph.D., cam4@columbia.edu Developmental neurobiology. Axonal growth cone interactions with pathways, and with target cells; development of synaptic connections.

Umrao R. Monani, Ph.D., um2105@columbia.edu Spinal muscular atrophy-translating basic findings into a potential treatment.

Letty Moss-Salentijn, D.D.S., Ph.D., lm23@columbia.edu Prenatal growth and development of the facial complex. Growth dynamics of the postcranial skeleton with special emphasis on endochondral ossification processes in long bone growth.

Vundavalli Murty, Ph.D., vvm2@columbia.edu Major focus of this laboratory is to understand the genetic basis of male germ cell tumors and carcinoma of cervix uteri. General interest is to utilize cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic methods in diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.

David Michael Owens, Ph.D., do2112@columbia.edu Our overall focus is to determine the contributions of stem cells and differentiated cells to the development of epidermal squamous cancer.

Kathleen M. O’Toole, M.D., kmo2@columbia.edu Pathology of the male genital and urinary tracts, with an emphasis on neoplasms. Clinicopathologic studies of these entities, utilizing immunohistochemical techniques.

Ramon Parsons, M.D., Ph.D., rep15@columbia.edu Our lab focuses on the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, which is mutated in a variety of cancers. We are attempting to determine its role in regulating tumor growth.

Karl H. Perzin, M.D., khp1@columbia.edu Clinocopathologic study of breast biopsy specimens to determine if precursor lesions to breast carcinoma can be identified. Clinocopathologic studies of various tumors of the head and neck region, and of the gastrointestinal tract, including immunohistologic studies.

Michael A. Pesce, Ph.D., map8@columbia.edu Clinical Chemistry: Studies that determine the sensitivity and specificity of the biochemical markers creatine kinase MB, isoforms, creatine kinase MB, troponin and myoglobin in the assessment of myocardial infarction and unstable angina.

Tuan D. Pham, Ph.D., tdp1@columbia.edu Developmental neurobiology. Studies of the relationship between birthdates and phenotypic expression of neurons during embryonic development using immunocytochemical, radioautographic and ultrastructural techniques.

Liza A. Pon, Ph.D., lap5@columbia.edu Cell biology. Protein import into mitochondria; control and regulation of mitochondrial movement during yeast cell growth and development; myosin I function in establishment of cell polarity.

Stephen Rayport, M.D., Ph.D., sgr1@columbia.edu Physiology and pharmacology of mesolimbic dopamine neurons examined in vitro.

Ralph Richart, M.D., rmr5@columbia.edu The pathogenesis of uterine cervical neoplasia and methodologies to detect and prevent precursor lesions.

Steven Rosenfeld, M.D., Ph.D., sr2327 Research focuses on novel ways of pharmacologically blocking brain tumor growth and invasiveness by targeting the molecular motors that drive mitosis and cell motility.

Lorna W. Role, Ph.D., lrole@aol.com Developmental regulation and modulation of ion channels expressed in central and peripheral neurons.

Heidi Rotterdam, M.D., hr19@columbia.edu Surgical Pathology. Clinicopathologic studies of gastrointestinal pathology and infectious disease processes, especially the infectious complications of AIDS.

Michael L. Shelanski, M.D., Ph.D., mls7@columbia.edu Studies on the chemistry and regulation of the cytoskeleton in cell division and in differentiation of nerve cells and astroglia. Investigations of the role of the cell surface in interactions between neurons and glial cells. Cell biological studies of degenerative neurological diseases and brain tumors.

Ann-Judith Silverman, Ph.D., as36@columbia.edu Neurobiology. Migration of neuronal and immune system cells in the CNS.

Ila Singh, M.D., Ph.D., is132@columbia.edu The mechanisms of viral infection using genetic, biochemical and cell biological approaches. We use innovative, high-throughput techniques to study the processes of virus-cell interaction and viral replication. We have developed a novel technique called genetic footprinting, which allows thousands of precisely defined mutations to be made and analyzed en masse in order to define functionally essential features in the sequence of interest.

Steven Spitalnik, M.D., ss2479@columbia.edu Biology of the human glycophorin blood group antigens. Glycobiology of Toxoplasma gondii. Director of Laboratory Medicine with subspecialty expertise in transfusion medicine. Director of Clinical Laboratories at CUMC.

Gloria Huei-Ting Su, Ph.D., gs2157@columbia.edu Molecular genetics of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, as well as mouse modeling for both cancer types.

Nicole Suciu-Foca, Ph.D., ns20@columbia.edu Immunogenetic studies of the immune response to HLA antigens using serology, cellular immunology and molecular biology approaches. Studies of lymphocyte receptors for growth and differentiation factors. Cell biological studies of antigen specific T suppressor cells.

Matthias J. Szabolcs, M.D., mjs59@columbia.edu My special interest is the study of myocardial damage caused by ischemia and inflammation with particular focus on nitric oxide mediated pathways. This also involves NO-related mechanisms which act during acute and chronic cardiac allograft rejection. Tissues are analyzed by molecular, biochemical and immunohistochemical means.

Ira A. Tabas, M.D., Ph.D., iat1@columbia.edu Cell biology. Pathways and enzymology of intracellular cholesterol metabolism in macrophages.

Hadassah Tamir, Ph.D., ht3@columbia.edu Mechanisms of storage and release of neurotransmitters.

Harshwardhan M. Thaker, M.D., Ph.D., ht89@columbia.edu Pediatric and perinatal pathology. Pathogenesis of stillbirth and congenital malformations. Pediatric tumor biology. Tumor and tissue banking.

C. Dominique Toran-Allerand, M.D., cdt2@columbia.edu Developmental neurobiology: Influence of sex steroids and growth factors and their interactions in the nervous system development. The distribution, responses and control of three key elements involved in estrogen action in the developing brain: the cellular target, the receptor system (mRNA and protein) and the responsive genes.

Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., cmt2@columbia.edu Molecular mechanisms of neuronal death in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with an emphasis on the regulation of caspase activity.

Benjamin Tycko, M.D., Ph.D., bt12@columbia.edu Molecular biological studies on genomic imprinting in human and mouse systems. Molecular genetics of pediatric tumors. Molecular genetics of Alzheimer’s disease.

Richard B. Vallee, Ph.D., rv2025@columbia.edu Dr. Vallee’s lab studies the cell and molecular biology of the microtubule motor protein cytoplasmic dynein in cell division, organelle and viral transport, and directed cell migration; the role of the dynein-related LIS1 gene in brain developmental disease and neuronal stem cell migration; and the structure of the dynein molecule. Dr. Vallee’s lab also studies the structure and function of the endocytic GTPase dynamin.

Hynek Wichterle, Ph.D., hw350@columbia.edu The use of stem cells to study the development and function of the nervous system.

Joan W. Witkin, Ph.D., jww3@columbia.edu Neuronal and glial interactions: light and electron microscopy of development, steroid environment and aging of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system.

Howard J. Worman, M.D., hjw14@columbia.edu Molecular cell biology of the nuclear envelope, its biogenesis, dynamics in cell division and pathobiology in cancer. A second project in our laboratory is examining the cell biology of the hepatitis C virus.

Thomas Wright, M.D., tcw1@columbia.edu Studies on the development of cervical neoplasia and the role of human papilloma virus in human disease.

Department of Pediatrics

Gary M. Brittenham, M.D, gmb31@columbia.edu
Hematology: Our laboratory carries out basic and clinical research in disorders of iron metabolism and of the red blood cell, concentrating on (i) iron deficiency, (ii) genetic and acquired iron overload and (ii) the pathogenesis of malarial anemia in Thailand.

Meyer Kattan, M.D., Director, mk2833@columbia.edu
Pulmonary: Dr. Lynne Quittell spearheads clinical trials of new treatments of CF. Drs. Meyer Kattan, Beverly Sheares and David Evans are evaluating the efficacy of written plans in asthma and the causes and effects of asthma in the inner city. The Exercise and Pulmonary Function laboratories investigate children with several disorders at risk for cardiopulmonary disease.

Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., Director, mc1310@columbia.edu
Blood & Marrow Transplantation: Areas of interest and ongoing research include stem cell biology, autologous stem cell transplantation, allogeneic stem cell transplantation, tumor immunology, genomics in hematological malignancies and developmental immunology. Electives can be arranged for Pediatric BMT or longer-focused research electives.

Wendy Chung, M.D., Ph.D., wkc15@columbia.edu
Clinical Genetics : Students will see patients with a variety of genetic conditions in areas of prenatal, pediatric, metabolic, neurologic, cardiac, and cancer genetics.Students will learn about the molecular basis of genetic disease, and students with appropriate lab experience will investigate the genetic basis of patients’ diseases at the bench.

Richard Deckelbaum, M.D., Director, rjd20@columbia.edu
Gastroenterology and Nutrition: Areas of research include the regulation of lipoprotein - cell receptor interactions, the role of omega-3 fatty acids in cellular lipid metabolism, gene expression, and development of atherosclerosis, factors influencing the utilization of intravenous lipid emulsions for total parenteral nutrition in man, and the impact of nutrition interventions on natural course of infections, and growth and development in children and adults.

Anne Gershon, M.D., Director, aag1@columbia.edu
Infectious Diseases: Dr. Gershon and her group (in collaboration with faculty in the Departments of Microbiology and Pathology/Cell Biology) are studying the molecular pathogenesis of varicella-zoster virus infection both in vitro and in vivo. Students can elect to participate in either basic or clinical research also on HIV infection in infants and children.

Allan Hordof, M.D., ajh2@columbia.edu
Robert Pass, MD pediahear@aol.com
Leonardo Liberman, MD., lj202@columbia.edu
Cardiology: Dr. Hordof’s clinical research centers around the evaluation of new antiarrhythmic agents in children using 24 hour electrocardiography and invasive electrophysiologic techniques. He is also involved in new determinants of intracardiac mapping in the cardiovascular laboratory prior to surgery for arrhythmia control and is starting radiofrequency ablation techniques in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias.

Mary McCord, M.D., Acting Director, mm26@columbia.edu
General Pediatrics: Research activities include academic-community health partnerships; childhood immunization practices; home visitation services for vulnerable immigrant families; risk factors for and mental health consequences of abuse and neglect and intergenerational transmission of violence; intentional and unintentional injury; obesity prevention in preschool and elementary school children and adolescents; graduate medical education and primary care.

Rudolph L. Leibel, M.D., rl232@columbia.edu
Molecular Genetics: Depending upon experience and interest, students may participate in ongoing research projects intended to identify genes conveying susceptibility to obesity and/or type 2 diabetes. Particular emphasis on using mice to generate molecular hypotheses and testing them in humans. Recently, members of this group have initiated studies looking at the effects of maternal metabolic status on brain (hypothalamus) and islet development in progeny.

Martin A. Nash, M.D., Director, man2@columbia.edu
Robert Seigle, M.D., rls4@columbia.edu
Nephrology: The division is studying the relative effects of two forms of drug therapy in the progressive kidney disease of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Co-investigators in a longitudinal multi-center study of pediatric renal transplant recipients.

Sharon E. Oberfield, M.D., Director, seo8@columbia.edu
The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology is involved in: the relationship between androgens and insulin resistance in premature pubarche, obesity and polycystic ovarian disease and infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes; the effect of growth hormone on growth in various clinical disorders; long term endocrine effects of oncologic disease and its treatment; the relationship of body composition to age, sex, pubertal and ethnic status in normal children and in disease states; and the assessment of the pathophysiology and treatment of childhood obesity

Richard A. Polin, M.D., Director, rap32@columbia.edu
The Division of Perinatal Medicine is studying the effect of hypoxia and ischemia on the developing fetus; the role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of hypoxic ischemic brain injury; the effect of hyperoxia and hypoxia on chronic lung disease in mice; understanding the role that adhesive interactions play between circulating blood cells and vascular endothelium as it relates to bleeding, inflammation, and tumor metastasis; the effect of nutrition on neurological outcome in very low birth weight infant; pharmacokinetics studies of nicotine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the fetus and newborn infants; the development of sleep states and neuroelectric activity in low birth weight infants; and neuro-intellectual follow-up of immature infants.

Charles L. Schleien, M.D., Director, cs600@columbia.edu
Critical Care Medicine: Research studies include new methods of brain resuscitation following head trauma or cardiac arrest, including brain cooling and new medications, neurologic monitoring of patients with complex congenital heart disease, nitric oxide use in cardiac and respiratory failure, new therapies of asthma, and neuropsychologic follow-up of patients with head trauma and surgery for heart disease.

Michael A. Weiner, M.D., Director, mw216@columbia.edu
Pediatric Oncology: The Division participates in the Children’s Oncology Group, a national consortium whose goal is to develop therapeutic protocols and research studies dedicated to improving the survival of children with cancer. The laboratory studies the use effects of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEG-F) as a therapeutic modality in children with solid tumors, the molecular biology of leukemia in children, genetic and environmental factors that may predispose infants to develop retinoblastoma, and new bench to beside therapies in patients with brain tumors.

Robert Winchester, M.D., rjw8@columbia.edu
Autoimmune and Molecular Diseases: Our work is focused on translational studies that seek to understand the genetic basis of susceptibility to autoimmune disease and the mechanisms responsible for triggering and mediating autoimmune injury. The ongoing research involves application of a variety of molecular biologic, genetic and genomic techniques to exploit the information in clinical biopsies and samples.

Department of Pharmacology

Penelope A. Boyden, Ph.D., pab4@columbia.edu
Cardiac physiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology: cellular electrophysiology and mechanisms of arrhythmias in artificial and naturally occurring animal models of disease.

William T. Dauer, M.D., wtd3@columbia.edu
Studies of the fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases that disrupt normal motor control, with a focus on Parkinson’s disease and dystonia

Qing R. Fan, Ph. D., qf13@columbia.edu
X-ray crystallographic studies of G-protein -coupled receptors.

Steven J. Feinmark, Ph.D., sjf1@columbia.edu
Regulation of lipid-sensitive channels in the heart, nervous system and in cancer.

Gerald Fischbach, M.D., gdf@columbia.edu
Harold and Margaret Hatch Professor; and Professor of Pharmacology (in the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior) Developmental neurobiology: molecular control of the formation and maintenance of synapses.

Daniel J. Goldberg, Ph.D., djg@columbia.edu
Neurobiology and Behavior : Growth of neuronal processes and formation of synapses during development and learning.

Joseph H. Graziano, Ph.D., jg24@columbia.edu
Public Health : Mineral metabolism and toxicology

Steven Greenberg, M.D., greenberg@cuccfa.ccc.columbia.edu
Medicine : Macrophage signal transduction; role of low molecular weight GTPases in innate immunity.

Rene Hen, Ph.D., rh95@columbia.edu
Psychiatry, Center for Neurobiology and Behavior : Contribution of serotonin receptors to physiological and pathological states; behavioral consequences of the absence of specific serotonin receptor subtypes

Brian F. Hoffman, M.D. (Emeritus), bhf1@columbia.edu
Cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology.

Jonathan A. Javitch, M.D., Ph.D., jaj2@columbia.edu
Center for Molecular Recognition/Psychiatry : Structural basis for pharmacological specificity and signal transduction in G-protein coupled receptors; Molecular studies of components of the dopamine signaling system relevant to schizophrenia and drug abuse

Norman Kahn, D.D.S., Ph.D., (Emeritus), nk5@columbia.edu
Associate Dean, School of Dental and Oral Surgery (Emeritus).

Robert S. Kass, Ph.D., rsk20@columbia.edu
Center for Neurobiology & Behavior :Regulation and expression of ion channel proteins in normal and genetically altered heart.

Steven Marx, M.D., P&S 9-; sm460@columbia.edu
Elucidation of mechanism(s) that regulate cardiac and smooth muscle ion channel function

Diana Murray, Ph.D., dm527@columbia.edu
Computational approaches to protein structure/function

Geoffrey S. Pitt, M.D., Ph.D., gp2004@columbia.edu
Medicine : Calcium-dependent regulation of ion channels and ion channel gene transcription in normal and diseased states.

Alice Prince, M.D., asp7@columbia.edu
Pediatrics : Bacterial activation of epithelial cytokine expression; pathogenesis of infection

Richard B. Robinson, Ph.D., rbr1@columbia.edu
Developmental regulation of cardiac ion channel function and autonomic signaling cascades.

Michael R. Rosen, M.D., mrr1@columbia.edu
Cardiovascular pharmacology: electrophysiology of cardioactive drugs, developmental pharmacology and electrophysiology, cardiac arrhythmias, gene transfer approaches as novel therapeutic strategies.

Helen E. Scharfman, Ph.D., scharfmanh@helenlayeshosp.org
Neurophysiology and pharmacology of hippocampus, thalamus, and cortex using brain slices; structure and function studies of single neurons; mechanisms underlying hyperexcitability.

Steven A. Siegelbaum, Ph.D., sas8@columbia.edu
Center for Neurobiology and Behavior : Membrane biophysics, pharmacology of excitable membranes; molecular studies of ion channel function; synaptic plasticity in the mammalian brain.

Susan Steinberg, M.D., sfs1@columbia.edu
Receptor pharmacology: Studies of the molecular changes in components of the adrenergic receptor and signal transduction pathways during normal cardiac development and in experimental models of cardiac ischemia hormonal regulation of cardiac contractile function.

David Sulzer, Ph.D., ds43@columbia.edu
Neurotransmission and mechanisms of neurodegeneration in basil ganglia and dopamine neurons

Andrew L. Wit, Ph.D., alw4@columbia.edu
Cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology: electrophysiology and pathophysiology of myocardial infarction; arrhythmia associated with myocardial infarction, and its modification by antiarrhythmic drugs.

Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics

Qais D. Al-Awqati, M.B., Ch.B., qa1@columbia.edu
Epithelial differentiation and protein targeting; molecular mechanism of organogenesis of the kidney.

Jahar Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., jb39@columbia.edu
Endothelial mechanisms of lung injury using cultured cells and the optically imaged lung.

Martin Blank, Ph.D., mb32@columbia.edu
Electromagnetic field effects on membrane enzymes and on the cellular stress response.

Jane Dodd, Ph.D., jd18@columbia.edu
Neuronal differentiation and axonal patterning in the developing vertebrate central nervous system.

Michel Ferin, M.D., mf8@columbia.edu
Neuroendocrine control of the reproductive cycle; central mechanisms whereby stress interferes with reproduction.

Jorge Fischbarg, M.D., Ph.D., jb20@columbia.edu
Molecular biophysics of cell membrane transporters and water channels; volume regulation.

Claude P.J. Ghez, M.D., cpg1@columbia.edu
Neural control of multi-joint limb movement in the cat and in humans.

Joseph Gogos, M.D., Ph.D., jag90@columbia.edu
Assembly and maintenance of sensory maps in the brain; animal models for genes predisposing to psychiatric disorders.

Jonathan A. Javitch, M.D., Ph.D., jaj2@columbia.edu
Structure, function, and regulation of G protein-coupled receptors and neurotransmitter transporters.

Eric R. Kandel, M.D., erk5@columbia.edu
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of associative and non-associative learning.

Arthur Karlin, Ph.D., ak12@columbia.edu
The function of receptors in terms of molecular structures.

John D. Loike, Ph.D., jdl5@columbia.edu
Regulation of leukocyte chemotaxis through physiological and pathological matrices.

Martin Low, Ph.D., mgl2@columbia.edu
Cellular function of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor.

Amy MacDermott, Ph.D., abm1@columbia.edu
Regulation of synaptic transmission in the superficial dorsal horn.

Andrew R. Marks, M.D., arm42@columbia.edu
Molecular mechanisms regulating contraction of normal and failing cardiac muscle, molecular triggers for cardiac arrhymias, and coronary artery restenosis following stent placement.

Brian McCabe, Ph.D., bm2157@columbia.edu
Neural differential and development.

Ken D. Miller, Ph.D., kdm2103@columbia.edu
Theory and modeling of the function, circuitry, and development of the cerebral cortex and the thalamus.

Ning Qian, Ph.D., ng6@columbia.edu
Computational modeling of visual information processing; visual psychophysics of perceptual learning.

James E. Rothman, Ph.D., jr2269@columbia.edu
Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of transport within cells.

David Schachter, M.D., ds12@columbia.edu
Dynamic regulation of the properties of the wall of the aorta; epithelial and smooth muscle interactions.

Peter Scheiffele, Ph.D., ps2018@columbia.edu
Molecular mechanisms of synapse formation.

James H. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., jhs6@columbia.edu
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of learning.

Samuel C. Silverstein, M.D., scs3@columbia.edu
Structure and functions of polymorphonuclear (PMN), mononuclear phagocytes, lymphocytes, platelets and endothelial cells (EC) in innate immunity and diseases.

Ira Tabas, M.D., Ph.D., iat1@columbia.edu
The cellular and molecular biology of macrophages during atherogenesis.

Alan R. Tall, M.D., art1@columbia.edu
Molecular mechanisms responsible for human diseases.

Ming Zhou, Ph.D., mz2140@columbia.edu
Molecular physiology and biophysics of potassium channel modulations.

Department of Psychiatry

Anissa Abi-Dargham, M.D., aa324@columbia.edu PET imaging in different categories of mental illnesses including schizophrenia, addiction, autism, personality and anxiety disorders. Student can be involved in all aspects of the operation, from recruiting to acquiring and analyzing brain scan data.

Efrat Aharnovovich, Ph.D., ea2017@columbia.edu The interplay between clinical neurocognition and treatment outcome and the development and testing of novel therapeutic approaches to the treatment of addictions.  Students will be welcome to actively participate under supervision in clinical and preclinical research procedures.

Paul S. Appelbaum, M.D., psa21@columbia.edu A variety of empirical and theoretical studies of ethical and legal issues in medical treatment and research.  Particular foci include informed consent, decisional capacity, therapeutic misconception, protections for human subjects, voluntariness of consent and related issues.

Evelyn Attia, M.D., ea12@columbia.edu The Eating Disorders Research Unit - Evelyn Attia, Michael B. Devlin, B. Timothy Walsh
This group has a variety of federally funded studies that aim to explore the psychobiology of, and treatment for, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Beatrice Beebe, Ph.D., beebebe@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu We do  basic research on mother-infant face to face communication as a function of maternal depression, anxiety, and infant attachment.  We are also running a primary prevention program for mothers who were pregnant and widowed on 9-11 and their young children. 

Joshua Berman M.D. Ph.D., jb481@columbia.edu How stress modulates the effects of nicotine and other psychostimulants on the brain, and on how signals pertaining to affective valence and salience are integrated in basal ganglia and limbic circuits.  Also the effects of stress on psychostimulant related behaviors and effects of psychostimulants on responses to stress in the mouse.

Adam Bisaga, M.D., amb107@columbia.edu 1) Behavioral and cognitive pharmacology of substance abuse, particularly nicotine. 2) Methodology of medication development for substance use disorders, from animal and human laboratory models of disease through early efficacy clinical trials.

Jeffrey Bruce, M.D., jnb2@columbia.edu Translational studies in brain tumors including novel drug delivery systems. progenitor cell biology and tumor immunology.  Correlative clinical studies are ongoing including clinical trials which have evolved from laboratory studies.

Gerard Bruder, Ph.D, bruderg@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Studies using electrophysiologic (EEG and event-related brain potentials) and behavioral measures to study neurophysiologic, cognitive, and olfactory function in depressive disorders and schizophrenia.

Alex Carballo-Dieguez, Ph.D. ac72@columbia.edu The potential of microbicides for protection in anal intercourse, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) and also among women who engage in anal intercourse.  He is also working with partners from the University of Buenos Aires to identify and describe cognitive, socio-cultural and contextual predictors of HIV-related risk behavior; patterns and mediators of HIV testing; and prevalence of HIV among MSM in Argentina.

Carol Caton, Ph.D., clc3@columbia.edu Directs the Columbia Center for Homelessness Prevention Studies (CHPS), an NIMH-funded study focused on the development of interventions to prevent chronic homelessness. Scholars from various departments and schools within Columbia University and providers, consumers, and policy makers throughout the New York City region are involved in this multidisciplinary effort.

Cheryl Corcoran, M.D., cc788@columbia.edu Evaluates teenagers and young adults at heightened clinical risk for psychosis. Research focuses on biomarkers of risk and illness progression, (multimodal imaging, electrophysiology, neuropsychology, endocrine factors), proximal risk factors (drug use and stress), and social function; translational work also occurs in collatoration with basic scientists.

Francine Cournos, M.D., fc15@columbia.edu Clinical opportunities involve working in our inpatient unit or our outpatient clinics in the care of people who have severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  Our research is focused in the same population and includes studying the metabolic complications of antipsychotic medications and looking at the efficacy of an HIV prevention for people with severe mental illness in Brazil.

Janis Cutler, M.D., cutlerj@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu The division of Medical Student Education has on-going projects in educational research, including medical student career choice and the impact of various aspects of the psychiatry curriculum on students’ learning and attitudes.

Karina Davidson, PhD, kd2124@columbia.edu Behavioral and psychosocial trials and large cohort studies with hypertensive and/or cardiovascular disease patients.  A randomized, patient preference, persistent depressive symptom trial for acute coronary syndrome patients, anger management for hypertensive patients, and pathophysiological (endothelial dysfunction, platelet aggregation, proinflammatory cytokine production) studies of mental stress and negative affect induction.

Stephen Donovan, M.D., sd45@columbia.edu Treatment of risk factors for the transition from adolescent substance experimentation to substance abuse/dependence.  Treatment of ADHK in the younger siblings of substance abusers: Pilot study of Byvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) in adolescents (ages 11-15) with ADHD and an older sibling with ADHD and substance dependence.

Alex Dranovsky, M.D., Ph.d., ad722@columbia.edu Inducible genetic manipulations in mice to disrupt circuits that are dysfunctional in psychiatric diseases and study the resulting phenotypes on molecular, cellular and behavioral levels.  We are also interested in identifying novel molecular pathways that are perturbed in psychiatric patients. In a bedside-to-bench approach we are exploring the comorbidity of neoplastic disease and psychiatric syndromes to identify novel molecules involved in depression in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Cristiane S. Duarte, PhD, M.P.H., duartec@childpsych.columbia.edu Understanding child mental health and its relationship with factors of high social impact, particularly childhood obesity.  We are examining the association between child mental health problems and obesity in national and international data sets.  I have a particular interest in minority (particularly Latino) populations.  

Suzette M. Evans, Ph.D., se18@columbia.edu I conduct controlled laboratory research looking at the effects of drugs of abuse in various groups of women. In the context of these studies, we look at stress response and measures of impulsivity. Anyone who volunteers would assist in conducting phone interviews, conducting laboratory sessions and entering data.

Theresa Exner, Ph.D., tmel@columbia.edu We are conducting a large-scale structural intervention promoting use of the female condom in agencies supported by the NYSDOH AIDS Institute.  The unit of intervention is the agency and associated counselors.

Eric A. Fertuck, Ph.D., ef304@columbia.edu Research in the treatment and mechanisms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and suicide.  We are studying BPD with a social neuroscience approaching using functional neuroimaging and assays of the response of the hypothalamic pituitary axis to stress to better understand the bases of this high risk disorder.

David V. Forrest, M.D., dvforrest@worldnet.att.net Videotaping facial expression in Parkinson's at the Motor Physiology lab to develop computational recognition tools.

David Friedman, Ph.D., df12@columbia.edu The Cognitive Electrophysiology Laboratory employs scalp-recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to understand the neurocognitive processes that underlie mnemonic, attentional and executive functions. Our investigations target childhood development, normal and abnormal aging.

Jill Harkavy Friedman, Ph.D., jmf6@columbia.edu I am involved in a study of suicidal behavior in schizophrenia from biological, neuropsychological, psychosocial and genetic perspectives.

Cathryn Galanter, M.D., cg168@columbia.edu A child and adolescent psychiatrist who does research in the following areas: 1) describing the diagnostic decision making of clinicians, 2) developing tools to improve clinical decision making and 3) the overlap of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

James E. Gangwisch, Ph.D., gangwisj@child.cpmc.columbia.edu We have been working on epidemiological studies on the relationship between sleep duration and diseases associated with the metabolic syndrome (obesity, hypertension and diabetes).  I would be happy to have a student work with me on this.

Andrew J. Gerber, MD, Ph.D., gerbera@childpsych.columbia.edu We study social cognition in humans using a functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm which measures memory performance and affective response to information about new individuals.

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., jg343@columbia.edu We study genetic models of psychiatric illness from an integrative neuroscience perspective, with a focus on understanding how a given disease mutation leads to a behavioral phenotype in mouse models. To this end, we employ a range of systems neuroscience techniques, including in vivo anesthetized and awake behaving recordings.

Marianne Gorlyn, Ph.D., jg343@columbia.edu Research studies investigating stress arousal differences in response to aggression provocation as a biomarker/risk factor for suicidal behavior in depression.  Students can be involved in recruiting subjects and administering clinical rating scales, a novel laboratory paradigm of aggression induction, physiological response monitoring and a brief neuropsychological test battery.

Madelyn S. Gould, Ph.D., msg5@columbia.edu Youth suicide prevention strategies, primarily through the application of epidemiologic designs.  Our focus has been on the evaluation of prevention, intervention, and postvention programs in schools and in the community.

Deborah Hasin, Ph.D., dsh2@columbia.edu Research on U.S. national aspects of alcohol, drug and psychiatric disorders, DSM-V developments, a gene x environment interaction study in Israel, and drinking-reduction interventions in HIV primary care.  Students would be welcome to analyze existing data, assist with literature reviews and manuscript preparation.

Basalingappa L. Hungund, Ph.D., hungund@nki.rfmh.org The role of endocannabinoid signaling system in many aspects of alcohol-related behaviors.  We use genetic and pharmacological tools to manipulate the endogenous cannabimimetic substances that bind to central cannabinoid CB 1 receptors to understand the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol addiction and to develop drug therapy to treat alcoholism-related medical and behavioral consequences.

Joseph Jaffe M.D., jaffejo@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Dr. Jaffe seeks an MD or PhD student to assist in simulation studies of psychopathology based on Hidden Markov Chain Models previously published in Science, Nature and Mathematical Biosciences. Math and programming skills are an obvious plus.

Jonathan A. Javitch, M.D., Ph.D., jaj2@columbia.edu Structure and function of G-protein coupled receptors and neurotransmitter transporters, with a particular focus on dopamine receptors and transporter, the targets for antipsychotic drugs and cocaine, respectively.

Alayar Kangarlu, Ph.D., ak2334@columbia.edu We develop tools for MRI to enhance its power in probing the brain more accurately.  We use physics, engineering and computer science techniques to improve quality of various techniques such as high resolution anatomical imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), FUNCTIONAL (fMRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) for study of the human brain.

Lawrence Kegeles, M.D., Ph.D., lsk5@columbia.edu Current projects are aimed at evaluating neurochemistry including dopamine, GABA and glutamate function in health, in schizophrenia and in other diagnoses.  Studies are done under baseline conditions and in response to brain stimulation and utilize the in vivo imaging modalities of PET and MRS.

David Kimhy, Ph.D., kimhyda@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Psychosis in Schizophrenia: Mechanisms of Recovery. In particular, the role of stress regulation.  We use a novel methodology to assess in real-time ambulatory stress, autonomic regulation, psychotic symptoms, and coping strategies as part of daily functioning in natural environments. This methodology is used to investigate mechanisms of recovery as part of pharmacological and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) treatments.

Harry R. Kissileff , Ph.D., hrk2@columbia.edu Eating behavior and physiological measures in patients with eating disorders and normal controls. Volunteers only. Volunteer will help coordinate making of appointments, collecting specialized data, participate in data analysis and prepare preliminary reports.

Robert Klitzman, M.D., rlk2@columbia.edu The impact of the health status of HIV-infected health care workers on communication with and clinical care of patients.  This work led to a study on privacy and disclosure of genetic diseases and another exploring the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in observing, monitoring and responding to research integrity issues in HIV-related and other areas.

Andreas H. Kottman, Ph.D., ak139@columbia.edu The regulatory mechanisms by which cellular homeostasis in the CNS is maintained throughout life and in the presence of physiological stressors.  The ascending mesencephalic dopaminergic system of genetically altered mice in which we can spatially and temporally control the expression of trophic and cell stress response factors.

Alexis Kuerbis, LCSW, kuerbis@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu A 5-year, NIAAA-funded research program studying treatment options for gay and bixexual men who are interested in moderating their drinking, but who do not wish to stop drinking altogether.  The program combines medication (naltrexone) and specialized, cognitive-behavior psychotherapy provided over 12 weeks, in a 4-group randomized controlled design, and includes research and clinical assessments at 5 time points over the course of 9 months.

Judy Kuriansky, Ph.D., jk2013@columbia.edu  Research projects include US Doctors for Africa initiative, sending doctors and mental health professionals to African countries to work on mobile units to provide services and train locals for capacity; use of radio for AIDS prevention in West Africa; training Chinese doctors in American counseling techniques and sexuality therapy for better patient service delivery.

Johanna Lantz, Ph.D., lantzj@childpsych.columbia.edu I provide behavioral intervention services (primarily applied behavior analysis) and social skills training for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities of all ages.  I may need volunteers for data collection (live and from videos), for video editing, or to participate as "typical peers" for adolescent and adult social skills groups.

E. David Leonardo, M.D., Ph.D., el367@columbia.edu The role of the ventral hippocampus in mediating anxious and depression related behaviors as well as its possible role in mediating a response to antidepressants.  I am developing transgenic mouse models that allow us to reversibly manipulate the function of hippocampal sub-regions with the aim of studying the behavioral consequences of these manipulations. 

Robert Lewis-Fernandez, M.D., Contact Person, Andel Nicasio, nicasio@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Work to enhance culturally competent delivery of care, and to strengthen the networks of clinical and social service providers that serve ethnically and linguistically diverse consumers.  The student will work on establishing networds of care that will address the unmet physical health needs of people with severe mental illnesses (SMI).

Sarah H. Lisanby, M.D., slisanby@columbia.edu Brain stimulation research, employing transcranial magnetic stimulation (tms), deep brain stimulation (DBS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), magnetic seizure therapy (MST), and other new developments in electromagnetic interventions to study and treat psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Christina Mangurian, M.D., cm2195@columbia.edu Research to improve medical screening of severely mentally ill patients, particularly those taking antipsychotic medications and are at risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.

J. John Mann, M.D., jjm@columbia.edu Functional brain imaging, neurochemistry and molecular genetics to probe the causes of depression and suicide.

Joanne Mantell, Ph.D., jem57@columbia.edu A study of attitudes and practices related to the famale condom among women university students and their male partners in South Africa.  We are conducting additional work in South Africa to develop and test a multi-level structural intervention integrating sexual and reproductive health services into HIV clinical care for HIV-positive adults. 

Rachel Marsh, rm2205@columbia.edu A fMRI study of self-regulatory control in adolescents with Bulimia Nervosa (BN). We are investigating how disturbances in frontostriatal neural systems contribute to the impulsive and habitual binge-eating behaviors in patients with BN.

Diana Martinez, M.D., dm437@columbia.edu PET imaging of substance abuse and addiction  to study the underlying neurochemistry in addiction, with the purpose of improving medication development.

Alice Medalia, Ph.D., am2938@columbia.edu 1) This study examines whether people with schizophrenia learn more when they are intrinsically motivated as opposed to extrinsically motivated, and manipulates the instructional factors that enhance or inhibit learning. 2) This study examines whether people with schizophrenia are more likely to improve working memory if they are given a cognitive remediation approach that directly targets working memory in a noncontextualized task or a cognitive remediation approach that targets working memory as it is activated in a contextualized problem solving activity.

Claude Ann Mellins, Ph.D., cam14@columbia.edu Documenting mental health and HIV risk among HIV-positive children and seroreverters in collaboration with four New York City hospitals.  We are also collaborating on development of a family-based intervention for pre-and early adolescent perinatally HIV-infected youth and their adult caregivers in urban pediatric AIDS clinics in the US and adaptation of this intervention to the South African context.

Heino Meyer-Bahlburg, Dr. rer. nat, meyerb@choldpsych.columbia.edu Understanding the role of biological and social factors in the normal development of gender and sexuality by studying in children, adolexcents and adults the long-term developmental consequences of major prenatal sex-hormone variations due to genetic intersex conditions or to fetal exposure to exogenous hormones for gender-related behavior, gender identity, sexual functioning, and overall quality of life.

Holly Moore, Ph.D., hm2035@columbia.edu Our laboratory uses rodent models to study how abnormal brain development might lead to the abnormalities in neural structure and behavior that are observed in schozophrenia.  We study "candidate pathophysiological mechanisms" that might contribute to the vulnerability for schizophrenia, or the expression of specific symptoms.  We use anatomical, behavioral, neurochemical and neurophysiological techniques to explore brain structure-function abnormalities in these models.

Edward Nunes, M.D., nunesed@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Clinical trials to study the effectiveness of treatments for drug/alcohol dependence and commonly co-occurring disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD.  We are also correlating clinical outcome with findings from PET imaging. Many of the trials take place in community-based settings.

Maria A. Oquendo, M.D., moquendo@neuron.cpmc.columbia.edu The research clinic focuses on three different topics: mood disorders, alcoholism and suicide. We conduct studies with human subjects to delineate the underlying neurobiology as well as intervention studies to decrease negative outcomes.

Sapana R. Patel, Ph.D., sp2309@columbia.edu The health services research project seeks to understand mental health treatment decision making and develop a decision aid for African American and Latino individuals in primary care practice.  The project involves a pilot study of a mindfulness meditation-based treatment in anxiety disorders.

Tarique. D. Perera. M.D., tp119@columbia.edu The role of newly generated neurons in the mechanism of action of antidepressants.  The work involves histological studies in the neuropathology lab, monkey studies at the non-human primate colony and rat studies at SUNY Downstate, and collaborations at NYSPI, Rockefeller, Yale, Princeton and NIMH.

Angel V. Peterchev, Ph.D., ap2394@columbia.edu Development of electromagnetic brain stimulation technologies and paradigms for basic research and clinical applications. Projects are interdisciplinary, encompassing engineering, neuroscience, and psychiatry.

Bradley Peterson, M.D., PetersoB@childpsych.columbia.edu Pediatric Neuroimaging Laboratory: We combine MRI technologies with genetic, cognitive, and detailed behavioral assessments to understand normal and pathological development of brain structure, function, connectivity, and metabolism in children across a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Harold Alan Pincus, M.D., pincush@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu 1) Conducting an international survey of country level indicators of quality of mental health care, 2) Implementing and evaluating a quality improvement project to redesign primary care/mental health services among safety net organizations in New Orleans, 3) Conducting key informant interviews with professionals working in aging and mental health to aid in developing a conceptual framework for enhancing pathways for leadership by these professionals in the policymaking arena, 4) Assisting with the design of an instrument and key informant interviews to help evaluate seven interdisciplinary research centers in geriatrics, 5) Assisting in the evaluation of a national program to improve care of depression in primary care, 6) Further developing and piloting an instrument to assess research mentoring at the individual mentor-mentee and institutional levels.

Ning Qian, Ph. D., nq6@columbia.edu Computational and psychophysical studies of stereovision, motion perception, orientation plasticity, facial expressions and motor planning.  

Stephen Rayport, M.D., Ph.D., sgr1@columbia.edu Transgenic approaches to study dopamine and glutamate synaptic transmission in the context of schizophrenia and drug dependence.  Projects focus on dopamine neuron glutamate co-transmission, dopamine receptor trafficking, dopamine neuron morphology and the implications of a genetic reduction of glutamate recycling.  We are also pursuing collaborative postmortem studies on dopamine neuron glutamate co-transmission in man. 

Robert Remien, Ph.D., rhr1@columbia.edu Clinic-based research on prevention and medical adherence for HIV-infected adults.  Studies to explore the social and psychological context of recent HIV transmission and to document acute HIV infection awareness and entry into care among high risk populations using a community-based participatory research model in New York City and Upstate New York communities.  We are extending the work on interventions to promote adherence to HIV treatment to South Africa by adapting and pilot tesitng a media-based intervention that includes social support partners.

John Sahs, M.D., sahsjoh@nyp.org We offer treatment for monolingual Spanish speakers, for individuals with HIV/AIDS, and for English speakers exhibiting a wide variety of psychopathology.  Projects include the evaluation of a manualized treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in a monolingual Spanish population, the evaluation of a time-limited psychotherapy model used to treat acutely ill patients, or an epidemiological study assessing housing stability in individuals with mental illness.

Stephen A. Sands, Psy.D., ss2341@columbia.edu  Research opportunities in pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant at Columbia University Medical Center are available and range from assessing Quality of Life for patients and Neuropsychological Late Effects from medical treatment to participating in intervention studies working with parents of newly diagnosed children undergoing medical treatment.

Claudia Schmauss, M.D., cs581@columbia.edu Molecular, anatomic and behavioral studies on animal models of depression-like behaviors and animal models of cognitive dysfunctions to study the role of epigenetic changes in gene expression in psychopathological states.

Franklin Schneier, M.D., frs1@columbia.edu Studies focusing on social and generalized anxiety disorders, including integrating pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments, use of fMRI and other imaging techniques, and studying the association of anxiety with general medical disorders. 

Irvin Schonfeld, Ph.D., M.P.H., iss2@columbia.edu Research projects on work, stress and health.  A student who knows a statistical package such as SPSS, MLwiN, Lisrel, etc. could make a contribution.

Harry N. Shair, hns1@columbia.edu Dr. Shair studies the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms by which the early environment influences current actions and contributes to ontogenetic course of the growing organism. Much of his research focuses on the parent-infant interaction of rats, in particular the formation and expression of early-life social bonds.

Steven A. Siegelbaum, Ph.D., sas8@columbia.edu Our laboratory examines the relationship between hippocampal neural activity and learning and memory. We study mice with a deletion of the HCN1 ion channel gene to determine the neuronal mechanisms underlying the unexpected enhancement in spatial learning and memory observed in these mutant animals.

Richard Sloan, Ph.D., rps7@columbia.edu Psychophysiological studies investigating how psychological and behavioral factors affect autonomic regulation of the heart, which in turn affects development of heart disease; studies include ambulatory monitoring of autonomic reactivity to “everyday life” stressors, as well as laboratory-based protocols. Second, we study interferon-alpha induced depression syndrome. We have a PET brain imaging study and a clinical trial using an SSRI prophylactically to investigate mechanisms of medical patients treated with interferon-alpha, who experience very prevalent depression-like symptoms.

Nomita Sonty, Ph.D., ns331@columbia.edu Exploration of protective factors impacting disability in patients with chronic pain, the use of TENS to predict tolerance to paresthesias in patients undergoing spinal cord stimulator implantation and physician socio-demographic factors interacting with patient socio-demographic factors to influence treatment recommendations.

Arielle D. Stanford, M.D., as1019@columbia.edu I study the pathophysiology of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia using transcranial magnetic stimulation in combination with various imaging and electrophysiological techniques. This work will lead to the optimization of novel non-invasive brain stimulation treatments for these symptoms.

Barbara Stanley, Ph.D., bstanley@neuron.cpmc.columbia.edu Our group conducts research in two areas: 1) biobehavioral, clinical and neuroimaging research on borderline personality disorder, suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self injury such as superficial cutting; and 2) development and testing of interventions for individuals at risk for suicide.

Jonathan W. Stewart, M.D., jws6@columbia.edu The Depression Evaluation Service (DES) is anticipating a new treatment study entitled “Combining Antidepressants to Hasten Remission from Depression.” Prior to the start date a volunteer is needed to put together study books and start-up materials, and otherwise help organize the start-up meetings. Once recruitment begins, they would track patients through the study, input the study data and otherwise help organize and prepare materials for the in-study meetings.

Suzanne Vosburg, Ph.D., skv2001@columbia.edu The Buprenorphine Program at Columbia University is an outpatient program that treats individuals who abuse opioids (heroin, methadone, and prescription pain medications) with Suboxone. Contact persons: Suzanne Vosburg, Ph.D. or Erik Gunderson, M.D. gunders@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu).

Milton Wainberg, M.D., mlw35@columbia.edu Dr. Wainberg is collaborating with researchers, mental health care providers and local departments of health in Brazil to test an intervention to reduce risk behavior among patients with serious mental illness.

Myrna Weissman Ph.D., weissman@childpsych.columbia.edu A student can work on screening for depression in a genetic study of early onset recurrent depression or on analysis of a three generation study of depression looking at the clinical data and integrating it with MRI and genetics data.

Jennifer P. Wisdom, Ph.D., jwisdom@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu Health services research in mental health and drug treatment; recovery processes for individuals with serious mental illness and adolescent co-occurring disorders.  Opportunities available in conducting literature reviews, writing manuscripts and grant proposals, and data analysis.

Dongrong Xu, Ph.D., dx2103@columbia.edu I work in magnetic resonance imaging, in particular diffusion tensor imaging.  We develop methods and algorithms for the analysis of imaging data, and apply the methods to study brain functions and various psychiatric diseases.  I am also interested in scientific visualization and compute virtual reality for assisting brain MRI study.  Students with engineering backgrounds are welcome.

Department of Radiation Oncology

Eric J. Hall, Ph.D., ejh1@columbia.edu
Studies related to Radiation Therapy include “Investigation of Hypersensitivity to Fractionated Low-Dose Radiation Exposure,” “Fractionation & Protraction for Radiotherapy of Prostate Carcinoma,” and Clinical Relative Biological Effectiveness of Low-Energy X-Rays Emitted by Miniature X-Ray Devices.”

Steven R. Isaacson, M.D., sri1@columbia.edu
Participation in the coordination and design of clinical institutional trials. Investigating tissue tolerance and radiosurgery with special emphasis on central nervous system tumors.

Tian Liu, Ph.D., tl58@columbia.edu
Participation in and design of national and institutional clinical trials. Special interests in ultrasound tissue typing and functional genomics of prostate cancer.

Sandra Russo, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., sr2145@columbia.edu
Participation in and design of institutional clinical trials. Clinical and research interests include breast cancer.

Peter B. Schiff, M.D., Ph.D., pbs1@columbia.edu
Participation and design of national and institutional clinical trials. Primary clinical interests include gynecologic malignancies, genital urinary tumors, lymphomas and brachytherapy. Laboratory investigation includes studies on the development of new radiosensitizers and genetic susceptibility to the effects of ionizing radiation.

Shermian Woodhouse, M.D., saw23@columbia.edu
Participation in and design of institutional clinical trials. Clinical and research interests include outcomes research, gastrointestinal malignancies, lung cancer and gynecological malignancies.

Department of Radiology

Philip O. Alderson, M.D., poa1@columbia.edu
Development of improved methods for imaging the pulmonary vasculature. Development of databases for application of Informatics to diagnostic radiology planning. Studies that integrate imaging with biomedical engineering.

John H.M. Austin, M.D., jha3@columbia.edu
Studies of radiologic physiologic clinical correlations in chest diseases.

Truman Brown, Ph.D., trb11@columbia.edu
Magnetic Resonance Research and Biomedical Engineering: imaging and spectroscopy applications to cancer, the neurosciences and other diseases; development of advanced techniques in data acquisition and image processing.

Robert L. De La Paz, M.D., rld17@columbia.edu
Studies cerebral functions with functional fast MRI.

Peter D. Esser, Ph.D., pde2@columbia.edu
Improved tomographic imaging methods for nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography (PET). Development of a PC-based interactive teaching program in Radiology for students and residents.

Rashid Fawwaz, M.D., Ph.D., rf5@columbia.edu
Studies the use of radionuclides in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors.

Eric J. Hall, Ph.D., ejh1@columbia.edu
Studies related to Radiation Therapy include “Investigation of Hypersensitivity to Fractionated Low-Dose Radiation Exposure,” “Fractionation & Protraction for Radiotherapy of Prostate Carcinoma,” and Clinical Relative Biological Effectiveness of Low-Energy X-Rays Emitted by Miniature X-Ray Devices.”

Ziv J. Haskal, M.D., ah50@columbia.edu
The Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology performs clinical and laboratory research and minimally invasive, image-guided therapies for a variety of disease states including vascular diseases, cancer, portal hypertension, hemodialysis, malignant biliary disease, endografts and thrombolysis.

Joy Hirsch, Ph.D., jh2155@columbia.edu
Functional MRI research focused on the study of brain, behavior and therapy-induced cortical changes.

Alexander G. Khandji, M.D., agk3@columbia.edu
Research interests include imaging cerebrovascular disorders non-invasively using MRA and MRA with contrast, and imaging neuroendocrine abnormalities with MR and diagnostic angiography.

William Millar, M.D., wsm8@columbia.edu
Reserach interests cover all aspects of pediatric neuroradiology with a focus on volumetric analysis, MR spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging in white matter disorders. Specific areas of funded research include imaging of mitochondrial disorders and evaluation of brain injury in premature infants.

Jeffrey Newhouse, M.D., jhn2@columbia.edu
Clinical studies in abdominal and pelvic diagnosis by using all imaging modalities.

Edward L. Nickoloff, D.Sc., eln1@columbia.edu
Studies of bone mineral assessment by CT, 3-D spatial reconstructions, x-ray filters, CR/DR technology evaluations, mammography QC, radiation protection issues, radiation dose assessments, image quality evaluations.

John Pile-Spellman, M.D., jp59@columbia.edu
The research activities include development and hypothesis driven research in Interventional Neuroradiology. Areas currently being studied include: the use of intraarterial medications for diagnostic and therapeutic uses, including treatment of stroke guided by interventional magnetic resonance, the role of endothelium in cerebral health and disease.

Ronald B. Staron, M.D., rbs2@columbia.edu
Areas of research interest include musculoskeletal MR imaging, metabolic bone disease and bone densitometry.

Ronald L. Van Heertum, M.D., rvh5@columbia.edu
Development of improved methods for performing single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies of the brain and oncologic disease. Multimodality image coregistration technique development. Development of new SPECT and PET radioligands for neuropsychiatry and oncology.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

Matthew N. Bartels, M.D., mnb4@columbia.edu
Physiology and outcomes in pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation. Exercise physiology and autonomic assessment.

Ronald DeMeersman, Ph.D., red13@columbia.edu
Exercise physiology, autonomic physiology.

Brenda S. Mallory, M.D., bsm7@columbia.edu
Inpatient rehabilitation.

Stanley J. Myers, M.D., sjm5@columbia.edu
Evaluation and treatment of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, causalgia, and lower motor neuron lesions. Exercise physiology and fatigue.

Kevin T. Sperber, M.D., ks372@columbia.edu
Pain management.

Michelle Stern, M.D., ms1127@columbia.edu
General physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Nancy E. Strauss, M.D., nes2@columbia.edu
Neuromuscular disorders.

Department of Surgery

John D. Allendorf, M.D., jda13@columbia.edu Research involves innovative management of hepatic metastases.

Michael Argenziano, M.D., ma66@columbia.edu Several trials of robotic cardiac surgery and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. Basic science and clinical laboratory focused atrial fibrillation, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and cardiovascular physiology.

Marc S. Arkovitz, M.D., ma2161@columbia.edu Genetics of lung development, pulmonary hypertension and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We have developed collaborations with cardiology, genetics and neonatology.

Jeffrey Ascherman, M.D., jaa7@columbia.edu Research involves studies of cranial volumes in children, sternal wounds, and different techniques of breast reconstruction following mastectomy.

Marc Bessler, M.D., mb28@columbia.edu Principal investigator of LAP BAND® clinical trial, targeted toward patients who are not heavy enough for weight loss surgery based on standard criteria, but are suffering from medical problems and quality of life issues.

Robert S. Brown Jr., M.D., M.P.H., rd464@columbia.edu Principal investigator of Viser I trial, a study comparing the standard treatment for chronic Hepatitis C to a new therapy.

Jonathan M. Chen, M.D., jmc23@columbia.edu Studies related to surgery for congenital heart disease, transplantation and mechanical ventricular assistance. Alternative anticoagulants for cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac physiology in animal models of congenital heart disease.

Robert A. Cowles, M.D., rc2114@columbia.edu Clinical and Basic Science aspects of short gut syndrome. Collaboration developed with Michael Gershon (Anatomy) to study the role of the enteric system in regulating adaptation after bowel resection in mice; effects of chemotherapy on intestinal transit; outcomes in biliary atresia, choledochal cyst, congenital intestinal disorders and intestinal rehabilitation.

Rajeev Dayal, M.D., rd282@columbia.edu  Outcomes analysis using institutional, state-wide and national datasets to determine whether carotid stenting is equivalent to cartoid endarterectomy for stroke prevention.

Mahmood El-Tamer, M.D., me180@columbia.edu  Estrogen metabolism and breast cancer.  Defining quality of care in breast cancer.  The role of MRI in breast cancer.

Dennis L. Fowler, M.D., dlf91@columbia.edu Investigation of the different tissue ingrowth into different mesh hernia prostheses in animals. Clinical investigation of the impact on the outcome of laparoscopic surgical procedures when performed by residents after training on a virtual simulator.

Annetine Gelijns, Ph.D., acp10@columbia.edu Directs data coordinating centers for clinical trials in surgery.

Mark E. Ginsburg, M.D., meg18@columbia.edu Co-investigator of Endobrochial Valve for Emphysema Palliation Trial (VENT), a minimally invasive alternative to lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS).

Robert T. Grant, M.D., M.S., rg424@columbia.edu 1) Post-approval study of silicone gel breast implants, 2) the on-going study of silicone gel implants in patients who received these devices for reconstructive reasons, 3) musculoskeletal complaints, 3) physical fitness and nutrition habits of surgical trainees and Attending surgeons, and 4) the expanded role for electroceutical devices in post-op wound healing and pain control, 5) Clinical scar outcomes using the Insorb skin stapler system.

James V. Guarrera, M.D., jjs46@columbia.edu  Abdominal organ preservation and ischemia reperfusion injury in liver transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery.  Translational research involving machine perfusion of abdominal organs and other interventions to ameliorate preservation related injury in transplantation.

Andrew A. Gumbs, M.D., ag2462@columbia.edu Minimal access hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery and the link between obesity and pancreatic carcinogenesis.

Mark Hardy, M.D., mah1@columbia.edu 1) induction of transplantation tolerance both in vitro with human cells and in vivo in various animal models; 2) Clinical islet transplantation and development of new methods of pancreatic islet isolation, placement, and PET imaging in experimental animal models; 3) Conduct of clinical trials with new immunosuppressive agents in renal transplant recipients and use of other agents in wound healing.

WB Inabnet, M.D., FACS, wbi2102@columbia.edu 1) Primary hyperparathyroidism: Non-classical manifestations, 2) Relationship between hyperparathyroidism and cardiovascular disease, 3) effect of gastric restriction and malabsorption on gut petides and diabetes in a rat model.

Silviu Itescu, M.D., si5@columbia.edu Two clinical trials testing the therapeutic potential of adult stem cells in human patients with heart disease.

Dominique Jan, M.D., dj2107@columbia.edu  In collaboration with the Department of Pediatric GI and the Institute of Human Nutrition, biological and nutritional studies on intestinal failure, parenteral nutrition and associated liver disease.

Kathie-Ann Joseph, M.D., kpr2@columbia.edu Clinical studies that examine targeted therapies for breast cancer and innovative methods to image and treat breast lesions.

Jessica J. Kandel, M.D., jjk47@columbia.edu Angiogenesis in pediatric solid tumor models (Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma, and hepatoblastoma), centering on the role of vascular endothelial growth factor and the response to its inhibition, in terms of altered expression of proapoptotic and tumor suppressor genes by malignant cells and vascular remodeling/genetic changes in endothelial cells.

Howard L. Kaufman, M.D., hlk2003@columbia.edu Development of tumor vaccines and evaluating the effects of the tumor microenvironment on tumor immunity with an emphasis on the immunotherapy of melanoma.

K. Craig Kent, M.D., kckent@mail.med.cornell.edu Outcomes in vascular disease using decision analysis models and evaluation of large data sets.

Seunghee Kim-Schulze, Ph.D. sk2254@columbia.edu  Mechanisms of tumor cell-immune cell interactions, immune suppression exerted by myeloid- and lymphoid-derived regulatory cells in cancer patients and monitoring of immune responses in cancer patients treated with immunotherapy.

James A. Lee, M.D., jal74@columbia.edu Research into a novel medical education paradigm (COACH) using technology to enhance training. Research into various aspects of endocrine disease.

James F. McKinsey, M.D., jfm2111@columbia.edu Outcomes analysis for management of complex aortic disease (thoracic and abdominal aorta). Evaluation using national large data sets and institutional outcomes from conventional and new minimally invasive techniques.  Development of new technology for minimally invasive treatment of complex anuerysmal aortic disease.  Evaluation and treatment using minimally invasive procedures for patients with critical limb ischemia of the lower extremities or carotid artery disease. 

William Middlesworth, M.D., wm61@columbia.edu  Research in the area of health services, patient safety and improvement.

Maurizio Miglietta, M.D., mm3161@columbia.edu  Death prognostication in trauma, infra-red spectroscopy in hypoperfusion states, concept of mobile operating room, 24/7 care surgical delivery model (in conjunction with University HealthSystems Consortium), falls from NYC bridges.

Nicholas Morrissey, M.D., njm2106@columbia.edu Clinical research analyzing the importance of race and ethnicity on the incidence, treatment, and outcome of peripheral vascular disease, focuses on Hispanic and African American patients and their rates of important vascular diseases. Access to healthcare issues and results of treatment.  Developing a model to assess the reasons for failure of synthetic arteriovenous grafts and arterial bypass grafts in order to determine methods for preventing failure of these grafts.

Ralph Mosca, M.D., rm891@columbia.edu 1) SVR trial (Single Ventricle Resconstruction: Sano vs BT shunt in the Repair of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, 2) ACE inhibition in Single Ventricle Lesions, 3) Multi-site Pacing to Improve Ventricular Function Following Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot, 4) Clinical Application of the “Physiologic Pediatric Pulsatile Pump."

Alan J. Moskowitz, M.D., FACP, ajm4@columbia.edu Clinical trials in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, including ventricular assist devices and therapeutic approaches to arteriovenous malformations of the brain.

Yoshifumi Naka, M.D., Ph.D., yn33@columbia.edu Clinical studies of LVAD effects. Basic studies of vein graft disease. Basic studies of arterial remodeling following injury.

Roman Nowygrod, M.D., rn5@columbia.edu Outcomes research on medical errors tracking and reporting; quality of life after open vs. endovascular aneurysm repair; systemic coagulation changes after prosthetic graft implants; prospective study of renal dysfunction after contrast infusion in patients undergoing peripheral arterial endovascular therapies.

Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., mco2@columbia.edu Clinical studies of effects of cardiopulmonary bypass. Innovative methods of mitral repair.

Lloyd E. Ratner, M.D., lr2182@columbia.edu 1) innovative strategies to increase/improve access to organ transplantation, 2) application of minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgical techniques to transplantation, 3) abrogation of humoral immune responses, 4) study of near miss phenomena in regards to surgical morbidity and mortality, and 5) ethical and physiologic concerns in the management of deceased solid organ donors.

Christine Rohde, M.D., chr2111@columbia.edu Efficacy of pulsed magnetic fields in reducing pain and wound healing complications in breast reduction patients, research in rat models on pulsed magnetic fields, a comparison of various new wound closure modalities, breast cancer patient education regarding breast reconstruction, and the long-term follow-up of silicone breast implant patients.

Eric A. Rose, M.D., ear3@columbia.edu Clinical trial focused on patients with end-stage heart failure who have a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted; adult stem cells will be evaluated for their ability to help repair or regenerate the native hearts of these patients, so that the LVAD might be removed.

Benjamin Samstein, M.D., bs212@columbia.edu Mechanisms of antibody mediated rejection and accommodation. We use genetically modified animals in transplant models of kidney and cardiac transplantation to understand B cell immunology. For more information see http://www.columbiasurgery.org/res/immunology/index.html

Ann Marie Schmidt, M.D., ams11@columbia.edu Research focused on a multiligand receptor called Receptor for AGE or RAGE. Studies to access the impact of RAGE on diabetic complications, proinflammatory pathways, tumor growth and invasion, and degenerative orders of the central nervous system are being performed.

Henry M. Spotnitz, M.D., hms2@columbia.edu 1) Changes in LV compliance, systolic function, and mass during cardiac surgery, currently focusing on relationships between ventricular stiffness and outcome in congenital heart disease, including single ventricle, tetralogy of Fallot, and septal defects, 2) Temporary biventricular pacing and pacing optimization for cardiac support in patients after surgery, which includes BiPACS, BIBET and MVPFontan clinical trials. 3) Myocardial protection in cyanotic animals placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. 

Charles J. H. Stolar, M.D., cjs3@columbia.edu Research involves studies of Pectus Excavatum.

Bret Taback, M.D., bt2160@columbia.edu Novel approaches to detect micrometastasis and tumor genetic alterations. Principal investigator of a tissue procurement protocol for breast and melanoma.

Qin Wang, Ph.D. qw2109@columbia.edu Lung inflammation and acute lung injury, with emphasis on the mechanisms that regulate leukocyte recruitment in the lung and endothelial cell responses to cytokines during inflammation and cancer immunotherapy.

Richard L. Whelan, M.D., rlw3@columbia.edu Clinical investigation of Cytokine Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF), a drug which aims to reduce tumor recurrences in colorectal cancer patients.

Matthew Williams, M.D., mw365@columbia.edu Research in transcatheter valve therapy and combined surgical and interventional approaches to cardiovascular disease.

June Wu, M.D., jw92@columbia.edu Mechanisms of delayed wound healing and diabetes and other conditions, and the efficacy of physical and chemical devices to improve wound healing. Normal and aberrant vasculogenesis in vascular tumors and malformations.

Shi Du Yan M.D., sdy1@columbia.edu The mitochondrial enzyme ABAD to assess its impact on ischemia, tumor and neurodegenerative disease through mitochondira-mediated signal transduction pathway and protein interaction with ABAD.

Jeffrey Zitsman, M.D., jlz2@columbia.edu Ongoing study of the clinical, psychological and biochemical effects of weight loss in obese adolescents following gastic binding. 

Department of Urology

Mitchell C. Benson, M.D., mcb2@columbia.edu Research interests revolve around clinical trials in patients with urologic malignancies. The department maintains a comprehensive IRB approved database and students have the opportunity to conceive of a research idea and mine the database for outcomes. Ideas are synthesized with the help of the entire Urologic Oncology team.

Ralph Buttyan, Ph.D., rb46@columbia.edu Studies focused on the regulation of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and apoptosis-control genes in prostate cells have enabled us to identify gene products that are important for the development and progression of prostate cancers in humans. These genes are a target for the development of novel gene therapeutic agents to be used to treat prostate cancer patients. In particular, the role of vascular growth factors in the bladder and prostate are being studied.

Terry W. Hensle, M.D., twh2@columbia.edu The Division of Pediatric Urology at Babies Hospital has always been in the forefront of improving children’s health through both basic science and clinical research. Our basic science research efforts are directed at understanding the molecular genetic basis of urologic diseases. Current projects include the role of apoptosis in partial ureteral obstruction and the role of cell adhesion molecules in cryptorchidisim.

Aaron E. Katz, M.D., aek4@columbia.edu Investigative work focuses on cancer angiogenesis factors and the ability of cancer cells to invade the circulation. We have recently developed a PCR assay that can detect small quantities of prostate cancer cells in the peripheral circulation of prostate cancer patients. Several studies are presently ongoing in this area.

James McKiernan, M.D., jmm23@columbia.edu Research interests focus on the clinical and translational research aspects of patients with genitourinary malignancies.  Students have accomplished research goals in outcomes analysis, laboratory research, as well as participation in design and administration of IRB approved human clinical trials in cancer therapeutics.  The team maintains a comprehensive IRB approved outcomes research database and students have the opportunity to conceive their own investigation into the factors predictive of cure following cancer intervention.

Cathy L Mendelsohn, Ph.D., clm20@columbia.edu Our work is focused on understanding how the urogenital system forms, and on identifying the cause of urogenital malformations first in rodent, then in human models. We are currently pursuing two types of projects:

1) Investigating the molecular and cellular events important for formation of the nephric duct, for its insertion into the primitive bladder and for formation of connections between the ureter and the bladder.

2) Studying the mechanism by which vitamin A controls renal development. We have previously shown that vitamin A controls branching morphogenesis of the collecting duct system, in large part by regulating transcription of the proto-oncogene Ret.

Ridwan Shabsigh, M.D., DAP 11-1119, Ext. 5-0123, rs66@columbia.edu Primary research interests include the diagnosis and treatment of male and female sexual dysfunctions such as erectile dysfunction (commonly known as male impotence), premature ejaculation, libido disorders, orgasmic disorders, Peyronie’s disease, genital deformities and female sexual disorders. These research activities are pursued at the clinical level in the form of clinical trials of new medications and treatment modalities. At the laboratory level molecular biology techniques are applied to investigate causes and cures for sexual dysfunction.

Health Policy and Quality Safety Research

Health Policy and Quality Safety Research

Harold Alan Pincus, M.D., PI Unit 9, Tel. 543-5401
Vice Chair for Strategic Initiatives, Department of Psychiatry and
Director of Quality and Outcomes Research, New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Research focuses on health and science policy, the practice of evidence-based medicine, quality improvement/performance measurement, and the relationships among general medicine, mental health, and substance abuse, developing and empirically testing models of those relationships. Several projects with which medical students/trainees could be involved include:

• quality and safety projects at New York-Presbyterian Hospital
• evaluation of a national program to improve care of depression in primary care
• aging and health policy issues
• assessing research mentoring
• evaluation of interdisciplinary research centers in clinical/translation research and geriatrics

Phuong Trang Huynh, Ph.D., PI Unit 9, Tel. 543-6213
Deputy Director, Clinical Geriatric Policy Scholars Program
Current work focuses on identifying pathways for professionals to participate in the policymaking process and assessing opportunities for faculty development and mentoring models. Dr. Huynh has also worked on international surveys and studies on health care policy developments in the U.S. and industrialized countries. Projects with which medical students/trainees could be involved include: evaluating current health and aging policy issues and conducting a review of existing faculty development activities in U.S. medical schools.

Daniel Hyman M.D., MMM, email: dah9024@nyp.org
Chief Medical Officer for Ambulatory Care and
Chief Children’s Quality Officer, New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Work focuses on improving quality and safety of care locally, regionally and nationally. Specific areas of focus include: Ambulatory Care - reducing disparities in health outcome measures: chronic disease management/chronic illness care model for asthma, diabetes, etc; redesigning visits to improve efficiency and patient satisfaction: women’s health care, childhood immunizations/ preventive services; and Children’s Services - areas of focus include reducing errors, reducing healthcare associated infections, measuring effectiveness of care in children’s health care delivery.

Practicums, internships or electives in assessing quality and safety or in actual improvement efforts are available for medical students/trainees.

Gilad J. Kuperman, M.D., Ph.D., email: gjk9001@nyp.org
Director for Quality Informatics, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics
Research focuses on ways that information systems can be used to measure and improve quality. Dr. Kuperman also is working on the development and evaluation of a regional health information organization (RHIO) in New York. Projects with which medical students/trainees could be involved include: how best to capture documentation data from clinicians electronically, how best to fit electronic health records applications into the workflow, how best to architect information systems so that regulatory and quality improvement measures can be captured automatically, and how to best use knowledge-based clinical decision support software (e.g., alerts and reminders) to change provider behavior and increase compliance with guidelines.

Global Health at P&S

New York is the most cosmopolitan city in the United States, and Northern Manhattan and the Bronx (from which many of our patients are drawn) exemplify that diversity. People from literally all over the world, or who have traveled all over the world, come through Columbia’s doors. If you’re interested in global health or tropical medicine, no other institution in America can provide the same in-house exposure—coupled, of course, with Columbia’s state-of-the-art facilities, technology, education and training. By sheer virtue of being a quaternary hospital located in New York and of having many international referrals, P&S truly brings the world to its students.

Millennium Villages Project

Sonia Sachs, M.D. ss2632@columbia.edu Through the Columbia University Earth Institute and Professor Jeffrey Sachs’ Millennium Villages Project, first year students in the summer, and fourth year students through electives and who are interested in the intersection between health and development are placed at the Millennium Village sites across Africa. Students are sent to a rural village setting of an underdeveloped country that lacks basic health and disease prevention infrastructure. They work with a team surveying health related needs and implementing infrastructure for health care delivery, health education, and disease prevention.

Ben Gurion University in the Negev: a Medical School for International Health

Val Ambrose  va2134@columbia.edu In 1996, Columbia University and Ben-Gurion University initiated an international collaboration in global health medical education, establishing the first four year, American-style medical degree taught in English and incorporating global health in all four years of the medical curriculum, known as the Medical School for International Health (MSIH).

Fourth year students at P&S may pursue elective options with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. They are sent to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences, in Beer Sheva, Israel and have opportunities to visit international clinical sites for the Medical School for International Health in India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Peru, Vietnam, and Nepal. These are structured, eight- week, international clerkships with a small group of MSIH students working under the supervision of local, MSIH-approved, preceptors.

Tropical Medicine and International Electives 4th year

Val Amrbose,va2134@columbia.edu In addition to being one of the only medical schools in the country with a required parasitology course in the second year, P&S students have a formal tropical medicine elective they make take at any site in the developing world. Run by Dr. Dickson Despommier, students have excellent preceptorship in identifying sites and finding funding to go abroad. Many do clerkships in specialties like neurosurgery, trauma surgery, OB-GYN, infectious disease, HIV care, radiology, neurology, and pediatrics. Columbia strongly believes that international health embraces every medical specialty. Countries run the gamut from Swaziland to Switzerland.

First Year Summer Opportunities

In addition to the Millennium Villages clerkship, first year students have formal opportunities at Columbia to go abroad.

1. Students interested in health systems are offered the American Council Fellowship to St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan: up to two P&S students are selected each year to spend a summer rotating through departments of their choice (surgery, medicine) in a technologically equipped high-volume hospital.
2. Students interested in AIDS work and community health are offered opportunities to rotate with Dr. Nicholas Cunningham in the Family AIDS Program in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Besides opportunities to work in HIV clinical care, health education and advocacy in populations ranging from sex workers to children, housing is provided on-site in “Casa
   Columbia.”
3. Dr. Scott Hammer, Chief of Infectious Diseases, brings students to his clinics in Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Durban, South Africa to clinically work on the intersection between tuberculosis and HIV.
4. Students may also elect to collaborate with faculty members on research abroad. P&S faculty have an extraordinary breadth of global involvement. From conducting cutting-edge bench and clinical research at foreign institutions to providing health services to some of the world’s most isolated populations, faculty in departments from Psychiatry to Pediatrics to Head & Neck Surgery work overseas. At last count faculty were involved in 67 countries on a variety of projects, and nearly all welcome student involvement.
5. Lastly, the P&S Club’s International Health Organization helps students identify oppportunities for summer abroad after their first year. Popular options include Medical Spanish immersion programs, public health practica and visiting hospitals where previous P&S students have worked. Of course, many students choose to blaze their own trails!

Mailman School of Public Health

P&S is lucky to have the world-renowned Mailman School of Public Health literally next door. In addition to pursing an MPH degree, P&S students may take advantage of the wealth of global opportunities the School offers. Students are allowed to take 1 course a year free at the School (or any other School of Columbia University, including the School of International and Public Affairs), and Mailman has a rich network of contacts and practica available to medical students.

In New York

Many of the world’s leading medical NGOs are headquartered in New York, including the International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders (MSF)- USA, Human Rights Watch, the Population Council, as well as the United Nations Organizations (UNICEF, UNAIDS, etc). P&S faculty are often affiliated with these organizations, and interested students can pursue internships or other opportunities.