We welcome the faculty and administrators who joined CUMC over the past year and wish them the best as they contribute to our growth and success.

Lee Goldman, MD

P&S

Amna Afzal, MD, joined the education division of the Department of Pediatrics July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics. A graduate of P&S, she completed a residency in pediatrics at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Abul Faiz Ahmed, MBBS, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital Aug. 13, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Ahmed graduated from Sylhet Mag Osmari Medical College in Bangladesh and completed a residency in internal medicine at Jamaica Medical Center.

Zirka Anastasian, MD, a graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College, joined the Department of Anesthesiology as assistant professor of anesthesiology in September 2009. Dr. Anastasian completed a residency at NYP/Weill Cornell followed by fellowship at Columbia this year in neuroanesthesia.

Robert Antoniuk, MD, joined the emergency medicine faculty of the Department of Medicine as assistant clinical professor Jan. 1, 2009. A graduate of Temple University’s medical school, he completed a residency in emergency medicine at Temple University Hospital.

Emilio Arteaga-Solis, MD, PhD, joined the pulmonology division of the Department of Pediatrics July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of pediatrics. Dr. Arteaga-Solis received MD and PhD degrees from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed a pediatrics residency there, followed by a fellowship in pediatric pulmonology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Amy Atkeson, MD, joined the pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division of the Department of Medicine as assistant professor of clinical medicine July 1, 2008. Dr. Atkeson received her medical degree from Yale. She completed a residency in internal medicine and a pulmonary medicine fellowship at CUMC.

Alisa Baer, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics as instructor in clinical pediatrics-neonatology July 1, 2009. Dr. Baer received an MD from NYU and completed a residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Immunologist Uttiya Basu, PhD, has joined the Department of Microbiology & Immunology as assistant professor, effective September 2009. Dr. Basu joins P&S from the Immune Disease Institute of Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School. His research interests include the study of activation induced cytidine deaminase. He received his PhD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed undergraduate and master’s studies at the University of Calcutta in India.

Paulette Bernd, PhD, joined the Department of Pathology & Cell Biology in September 2008 as professor of clinical pathology & cell biology and director of the P&S gross anatomy course. Dr. Bernd is an award-winning teacher recruited from SUNY Downstate, where she was the Distinguished Teaching Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology and served as gross anatomy course director for almost 20 years. A graduate of Colgate University, Dr. Bernd received her PhD in anatomy from Columbia, conducting her thesis work with Michael Gershon on the mechanisms of serotonin storage in the thyroid gland.

Tamika Blackburn, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 21, 2008, as assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Allen Hospital. A graduate of Yale Medical School, Dr. Blackburn completed a residency in internal medicine there.

Andrew Bomback, MD, joined the nephrology division of the Department of Medicine as instructor in clinical medicine July 1, 2009. Dr. Bomback, a P&S graduate, completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina.

Clarissa A. Bonanno, MD, joined the maternal fetal medicine faculty in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Aug. 3, 2009, as assistant clinical professor. A P&S graduate, Dr. Bonanno completed her OB/GYN residency at NYU.

Edwin R. Cadet, MD, MPH, joined P&S as assistant professor of clinical orthopedic surgery Sept. 1, 2009. Dr. Cadet specializes in shoulder and sports medicine, with special interest in hip arthroscopy. Dr. Cadet graduated from Brown University School of Medicine and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia in 2008, followed by a shoulder and sports medicine fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Betty C. Chang, MD, joined the Department of Medicine faculty July 1, 2009, as assistant clinical professor of medicine-emergency medicine. A graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, Dr. Chang completed a residency in emergency medicine at SUNY Downstate.

Matthew Chang, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Chang received his medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Mary Choi, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. She graduated from medical school at George Washington University and completed her residency in emergency medicine there.

David Chong, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. He received his MD from SUNY Buffalo and completed a residency in internal medicine and a pulmonary fellowship at CUMC.

Jeanhee Chung, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s general medicine division Aug. 1, 2008, as assistant clinical professor of medicine. A graduate of Temple University’s medical school, Dr. Chung completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Thuy-Tien Dam, MD, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital Aug. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Dam graduated from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at UC San Diego Medical Center.

Brian David, MBA, became the new department administrator/CFO for the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008. He received an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Smriti H. Deshmukh, MD, joined the cardiology faculty of the Department of Medicine Aug. 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Deshmukh received a medical degree from Finch University of Health Sciences in Chicago and completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at St. Vincent’s Hospital and an echocardiography fellowship at CUMC.

Radhika Dinavahi, MD, will join the Department of Anesthesiology in October 2009 as assistant professor of anesthesiology. Dr. Dinavahi, a graduate of Baylor’s medical school, completed residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and a fellowship at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in pediatric anesthesiology.

Kathleen Donohue, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine-general medicine. Dr. Donohue received an MD from Medical College of Virginia and completed a residency in internal medicine and an allergy/immunology fellowship at CUMC.

Nataki C. Douglas, MD, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Center for Women’s Reproductive Care Sept. 1, 2009, as assistant professor. Dr. Douglas received an MD degree from Yale University School of Medicine, where she also received a PhD in molecular cellular biology. She completed her OB/GYN residency at Columbia.

Jessica L. Fiorelli, MD, joined the faculty of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Aug. 3, 2009, as assistant clinical professor. The P&S graduate completed her residency in OB/GYN at Columbia.

Matthew Freeby, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s endocrinology division July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of Medical College of Virginia, Dr. Freeby completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Xenia Frisby, MD, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of the University of Arizona medical school, Dr. Frisby completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina.

Karin M. Fuchs, MD, joined the maternal fetal medicine faculty in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology July 1, 2009. She received her MD degree from the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago and completed her residency in OB/GYN at Women and Infants Hospital, a Brown University affiliate.

Andre Gabriel, MD, is a new associate research scientist in the Department of Medicine’s cardiology division as of Oct. 20, 2008. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines.

Anjali Ganda, MD, joined the nephrology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Ganda received an MD from Tufts University and completed a residency in internal medicine and a nephrology fellowship at CUMC.

Sandeep Gangadharan, MD, joined P&S Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical pediatrics-critical care medicine. He received his MD from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed a residency at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. He also completed a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at Columbia.

Marjorie Gayanilo, MD, joined the neonatology division of the Department of Pediatrics July 13, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics. She received her MD from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed a residency in pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Philippe Genereux, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine Sept. 15, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Genereux received an MD from the University of Montreal and completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec and an interventional cardiology fellowship at Hospital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal.

Richard Gerber, MBA, joined the Department of Pediatrics June 29, 2009, as department administrator and CFO. He earned an MBA from St. John’s Fisher College. Before joining P&S, Mr. Gerber was senior director of finance and IT operations for external relations at Harvard Business School.

Mythili Ghanta, MBBS, joined the nephrology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of Guntur Medical College in India, Dr. Ghanta completed an internal medicine residency at the University of North Dakota.

Grace Glassman, MD, is a new instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine of the Department of Medicine, as of July 1, 2008. A P&S graduate, Dr. Glassman completed an emergency medicine residency at Cornell.

Emily Greenstein, MD, a graduate of NYU’s medical school, joined the Department of Pediatrics as instructor in clinical pediatrics-critical care medicine, effective July 1, 2009. She completed her residency at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Maryam Guiahi, MD, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology faculty as instructor in clinical OB/GYN-family planning July 1, 2009. Dr. Guiahi received an MD from Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine, where she also completed a residency in OB/GYN.

Eunice Hahn, MD, a graduate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, joined the Department of Pediatrics July 13, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics-neonatology. She completed her residency in pediatrics at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Eric Heller, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A Harvard MD graduate, Dr. Heller completed an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Katherine Hisert, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College, she completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Sooyoung Chung Hwang, MD, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology faculty Sept. 1, 2009, as assistant clinical professor at the Allen Hospital. Dr. Hwang, an NYU medical school graduate, completed a residency in OB/GYN at North Shore University Hospital.

Nilufar M. Inamdar, MD, joined the pulmonary, allergy & critical care medicine division of the Department of Medicine May 1, 2009, as associate research scientist. A graduate of NYU’s medical school, Dr. Inamdar completed a residency in internal medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell.

Caleb Ing, MD, joined the Department of Anesthesiology as assistant professor of anesthesiology in July 2009 after completing his residency and clinical fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Columbia. Dr. Ing graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Fahmina Jafri, MBA, the new chief financial officer for the Department of Anesthesiology as of July 2009, received an MBA from NYU and a BS in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Albert Ju, MD, joined the cardiothoracic division of the Department of Anesthesiology in July 2009 after completing a cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship at Columbia. Dr. Ju did his residency at Columbia after graduating from Washington University’s medical school.

Angela Kadenhe-Chiweshe, MD, joined the Department of Surgery as assistant professor of surgery-pediatric surgery July 1, 2009. She received her MD degree from the Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine at Pennsylvania State University and completed her general surgery residency at the University of Rochester School of Medicine Strong Memorial Hospital and Columbia. Also at Columbia she conducted a postdoctoral clinical fellowship in extra corporeal membrane oxygenation, a postdoctoral research fellowship in pediatric tumor biology, and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Her research interests focus on tumor angiogenesis and mechanisms of resistance to angiogenic therapies.

Nellie Kalcheva, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine Nov. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. A graduate of Higher Medical Institute/Medical Academy in Bulgaria, Dr. Kalcheva completed a residency in internal medicine at Jacobi Medical Center and the Jack D. Weiler Division of Montefiore Medical Center and an echocardiography fellowship at CUMC.

Kevin Kalinsky, MD, joined the oncology faculty in the Department of Medicine as assistant professor of clinical medicine July 13, 2009. A graduate of Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Kalinsky completed a residency in internal medicine and an oncology fellowship at Tufts Medical Center.

Fay Kastrinos, MD, joined the digestive and liver diseases division of the Department of Medicine as assistant professor of clinical medicine Nov. 1, 2008. Dr. Kastrinos, a graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Massachusetts Hospital and a gastroenterology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Claire Keating, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical medicine in the pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division. An MD graduate of Tufts University, Dr. Keating completed a residency in internal medicine at Cornell and a pulmonary fellowship at CUMC.

Maureen Kelly, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Kelly earned her MD from NYU and completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Brian Kim, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A P&S graduate, Dr. Kim completed an internal medicine residency at CUMC.

Jeannie Kim, MD, will join the faculty of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Oct. 5, 2009, as assistant clinical professor in GYN surgical services. The NYU medical school graduate also completed a residency in OB/GYN at NYU.

Jeffrey Kinyon, DO, joined the Department of Medicine Aug. 15, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. Dr. Kinyon, a graduate of Des Moines University, completed a residency in emergency medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Debra Quinn Kolodner, MD, a P&S graduate, joined the Department of Medicine’s cardiology division July 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency and a cardiology fellowship at CUMC.

Dinesh Kumar, MBBS, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Kumar graduated from Seth G.S. Medical College in India and completed a residency in internal medicine at Saint Louis University, a cardiology fellowship at Louisiana State University at Shreveport, and an interventional cardiology fellowship at CUMC.

Salila Kurra, MD, joined the endocrinology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A P&S graduate, Dr. Kurra completed a residency in internal medicine and an endocrinology fellowship at CUMC.

Gervasio A. Lamas, MD, joined the Department of Medicine Jan. 26, 2009, as chief of Columbia’s cardiology division at Mount Sinai Medical Center, a teaching hospital in Miami. Dr. Lamas, recruited from the University of Miami, has focused his career on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. He currently is PI of the $30 million NIH-sponsored Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), the first large-scale clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of chelation therapy in individuals with coronary artery disease. An NYU MD graduate, Dr. Lamas completed an internal medicine residency and a cardiology fellowship at Harvard then served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School.

Farhana Latif, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine as instructor in clinical medicine Oct. 1, 2008. Dr. Latif graduated from Albany Medical College and completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center and a heart failure fellowship at CUMC.

Jason Lee, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics faculty July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics-critical care medicine. A graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College, he completed his pediatrics residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.

Allison Levey, MD, a graduate of P&S, joined the Department of Pediatrics cardiology division faculty July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics after completing a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, where she also completed a pediatrics residency.

Sharyn Lewin, MD, a University of Kansas medical school graduate, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology faculty July 1, 2009, as assistant clinical professor in GYN oncology. Dr. Lewin completed her OB/GYN residency at Washington University.

Rong Li, PhD, is a new associate research scientist in the Department of Medicine’s molecular medicine division as of Feb. 1, 2009. Dr. Li graduated from Munich University of Technology.

Xiaowei Liu, PhD, a graduate of Columbia, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as associate research scientist in endocrinology.

Sansan Lo, MD, a P&S graduate, joined the Department of Anesthesiology as assistant professor of anesthesiology in September 2009. Dr. Lo completed a residency at Columbia in anesthesiology before earning a fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesiology at P&S. Dr. Lo also was an NIH T32 Fellow in anesthesiology while at Columbia.

Cari Low, MD, is a new assistant clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital, effective Aug. 1, 2008. Dr. Low graduated from Emory University’s medical school and completed a residency in internal medicine there.

Jonathan Lu, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine Aug. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of medicine. Dr. Lu, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at the University of California, San Diego and a cardiac electrophysiology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Karla E. Maguire, MD, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology faculty July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical OB/GYN-family planning. Dr. Maguire completed a residency in OB/GYN at Baylor University Medical Center.

Lisa Beth Malter, MD, joined the digestive and liver diseases division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as assistant clinical professor of medicine. Dr. Malter received her MD from Finch University of Health Sciences in Chicago and completed an internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Filippo Mancia, PhD, joined the Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics as assistant professor in July 2009. Dr. Mancia studied chemistry in Pavia, Italy, and received a PhD in biology from Cambridge. He also graduated from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Dr. Mancia has joined the laboratories of Dr. Wayne A. Hendrickson and Dr. Richard Axel in a collaborative effort to investigate the structure of G-protein coupled receptors, with a focus on the subtype 2c for the serotonin receptor.

Matthew Maurer, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s oncology division Aug. 25, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. He received his MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed an oncology fellowship at CUMC.

Veeranna Merla, MBBS, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine Nov. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Merla, a graduate of Mysore/Kuvempu University in India, completed a residency in internal medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and a cardiology fellowship at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.

John Morrow, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s cardiology division July 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. A P&S graduate, Dr. Morrow completed a residency in internal medicine, cardiology fellowship, and cardiac electrophysiology fellowship, all at CUMC.

Kerry Murphy, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Dr. Murphy completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Bobby Noghrey, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics faculty March 15, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics-critical care medicine. Dr. Noghrey received his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., then completed a residency in pediatrics and a residency in pediatric nephrology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

Nadia Ovchinsky, MD, joined the gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition division of the Department of Pediatrics July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical pediatrics. She received her MD from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed a residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Heather Paulin, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. An MD graduate of the University of Texas, Dr. Paulin completed an internal medicine residency at CUMC.

Clara Peck, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Peck, a graduate of George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC.

Marcus Rebello Pereira, MD, joined the general medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Pereira received an MD degree from the University of Florida and completed an internal medicine residency at CUMC.

John Poneros, MD, is a new assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Department of Medicine’s division of digestive and liver diseases. His appointment began Nov. 1, 2008. Dr. Poneros, a P&S graduate, completed a residency in internal medicine at CUMC and a gastroenterology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Predrag Popovic, MD, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital Oct. 1, 2008, as assistant clinical professor of medicine. Dr. Popovic, a graduate of the University of Belgrade, completed a residency in internal medicine at Wayne State University.

Jeremy Poppers, MD, PhD, joined the Department of Anesthesiology as assistant professor of anesthesiology in July 2009. Dr. Poppers received his MD and PhD degrees from NYU. He finished a residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, followed by an ACGME fellowship there in cardiothoracic anesthesia.

Norbert Rainford, MD, joined the Department of Medicine as assistant professor of clinical medicine in the cardiology division April 1, 2009. An NYU medical school graduate, Dr. Rainford completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at Harlem Hospital Center.

Prabalini Rajendram, MD, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital Aug. 13, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Rajendram received an MD degree from St. George’s University and completed an internal medicine residency at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Maya Rao, MD, joined the nephrology division of the Department of Medicine June 15, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. After receiving an MD degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Rao completed a residency in internal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

Eileen Rattigan, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Rattigan received an MD degree from New York University, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Bellevue Hospital and a cardiology fellowship at CUMC.

Miera Rechtschaffen, a Columbia MD/PhD graduate, joined the pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Rechtschaffen completed an internal medicine residency and a pulmonary fellowship at CUMC.

David Riley, MD, joined the Department of Medicine Aug. 15, 2008, as assistant clinical professor of medicine-emergency medicine. A graduate of Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Riley completed an emergency medicine residency at Drew-Meharry-Morehouse Consortium Cancer Center in Nashville and a residency in trauma at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital Center.

Susan Rosenthal, PhD, joined P&S April 1, 2009, as vice chair, Department of Pediatrics, with joint faculty appointments in pediatrics and psychiatry. She will be responsible for faculty development activities within pediatrics and continue her NIH-funded research program on adolescent health and sexual health. A PhD graduate of the University of North Carolina, Dr. Rosenthal did her internship at the University of Maryland and a postdoc fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center. She was recruited to P&S from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where she was director of the Division of Adolescent and Behavioral Health and director of the Office of Faculty Development.

Steven S. Rothenberg, MD, joined the Department of Surgery Aug. 1, 2008, as professor of clinical surgery-pediatric surgery. His faculty appointment complements his continued practice in Denver, where he is chief of pediatric surgery at Presbyterian/St Luke’s Medical Center and chair of pediatrics and pediatric surgery at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. Dr. Rothenberg received his MD degree from the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. Rothenberg’s clinical specialties include minimally invasive surgery in neonates and children, and he was one of the first surgeons to pioneer minimally invasive surgical techniques in children. Research interests include use of alternative energy sources in surgery, lung preservation techniques in congenital and acquired lung diseases, endoluminal techniques for anti-reflux procedures, and single site laparoscopic surgery.

Simone Sanna-Cherchi, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s nephrology division as associate research scientist Nov. 1, 2008. Dr. Sanna-Cherchi is a graduate of the University School of Medicine in Parma, Italy.

Paul Christian Schulze, MD, PhD, joined the cardiology faculty in the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of medicine. Dr. Schulze received MD and PhD degrees from the University of Leipzig Faculty of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Boston University and a cardiology fellowship at CUMC.

Lawrence H. Schwartz, MD, currently vice chair for technology development in the Department of Radiology and director of MRI at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and professor of radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College, will join us this fall as chair of the Department of Radiology and radiologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia. Dr. Schwartz received medical and undergraduate degrees, summa cum laude, from Boston University’s College of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences. He completed his residency at what is now NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was chief resident. He completed a fellowship in cross sectional imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Schwartz is internationally recognized for the innovative application of new technology in imaging to improve both clinical care and drug discovery.

Jennifer Schwieger, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. Dr. Schwieger, a graduate of Loyola University in Chicago, completed a residency in emergency medicine at Resurrection Hospital.

David Seres, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s preventive medicine division July 28, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Seres, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, completed a residency in internal medicine and a nutrition fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center.

Amrita Sethi, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s digestive and liver diseases division Sept. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. A medical graduate of SUNY Stony Brook, Dr. Sethi completed a residency in internal medicine at Tufts Medical Center.

Lori Shah, MD, joined the pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division of the Department of Medicine Dec. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. A graduate of SUNY Health Sciences Center in Brooklyn, Dr. Shah completed a residency in internal medicine at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and a pulmonary fellowship at CUMC.

Noga Shalev, MD, joined the infectious diseases division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Shalev, an MD graduate of NYU, completed a residency in internal medicine at Montefiore Medical Center.

Former P&S faculty member Neal Shipley has returned to the Department of Medicine as assistant clinical professor of medicine-emergency medicine, as of April 1, 2009. Dr. Shipley received his MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed residencies in internal medicine and emergency medicine at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center.

Jennifer Soifer, MD, joined the Department of Medicine Aug. 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Dr. Soifer completed an emergency medicine residency at USC.

Li Song, PhD, joined the Department of Medicine’s molecular medicine division April 1, 2009, as associate research scientist. Dr. Song received a PhD from the University of Delaware.

Arun Swaminath, MD, joined the Department of Medicine in the digestive and liver diseases division Aug. 1, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Swaminath, a University of California, San Diego graduate, completed a residency in internal medicine and a gastroenterology fellowship at UC San Diego.

Hen Y. Sela, MD, a graduate of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology faculty July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical OB/GYN at the Allen Hospital and in the maternal fetal medicine division. Dr. Sela completed his OB/GYN residency at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Monjri Shah, MD, a P&S graduate, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Aug. 3, 2009, as assistant clinical professor at the Allen Hospital. Dr. Shah completed her residency in OB/GYN at Columbia.

Moshe Shalev, MSc, VMD, DACLA, joined the Department of Psychiatry in September 2008 as director of comparative medicine. His leadership contributed greatly to a successful Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care review.

Kavita Sharma, MD, is a new instructor in clinical pediatrics-critical care medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, as of July 1, 2009. A graduate of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Dr. Sharma completed her residency in pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Eric Silver, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics faculty Aug. 15, 2008, as assistant clinical professor of pediatrics-cardiology. A graduate of NYU’s medical school, Dr. Silver completed his pediatrics residency at Yale, followed by a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and a fellowship in electrophysiology at Stanford University.

Rakesh Singh, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics cardiology faculty July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics. A Duke University medical graduate, Dr. Singh completed a residency in pediatrics at Yale and a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Jessica Stanley Spellman, MD, joined the cardiothoracic anesthesia division of the Department of Anesthesiology in July 2009 as assistant professor of anesthesiology. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Spellman completed her residency and cardiothoracic fellowship at Columbia.

Amy Starr, MD, is a new assistant clinical professor of pediatrics-rheumatology in the Department of Pediatrics, effective July 13, 2009. She graduated from Yale Medical School and completed her pediatrics residency at Albany Medical Center.

Galit G. Steinberg, MD, joined the faculty of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Aug. 17, 2009, as assistant clinical professor at the Allen Hospital. An MD graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, Dr. Steinberg completed her OB/GYN residency at North Shore University Hospital.

Megan Sykes, MD, an expert in transplantation biology, has been recruited from Harvard to be director of the Center for Translational Immunology at P&S and director of research for the growing Transplant Initiative at CUMC and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia. Dr. Sykes, who will join Columbia in December, also will be director of bone marrow transplantation research in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology and professor of medicine and of microbiology & immunology. Dr. Sykes received her medical degree from the University of Toronto and completed residency training in internal medicine in Montreal and Toronto. She received research training in transplantation immunology at the National Cancer Institute before joining Harvard and Massachusetts General.

Christina Tennyson, MD, joined the digestive and liver diseases division of the Department of Medicine Sept. 15, 2008, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. An NYU medical school graduate, Dr. Tennyson completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Bindhu Thomas, MD, joined the Department of Medicine at the Allen Hospital as assistant clinical professor of medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2008. Dr. Thomas, a graduate of Our Lady of Fatima University in the Philippines, completed a residency in family practice at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and a geriatric medicine fellowship at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Michael Thompson, MD, joined the Department of Pediatrics faculty Aug. 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical pediatrics-neonatology. Dr. Thompson graduated from Medical College of Georgia and completed his residency in pediatrics at Weill Cornell.

Aleksandr Tichter, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. A graduate of Tufts University, Dr. Tichter completed a residency in emergency medicine at CUMC.

Upendra Topiwala, PhD, a graduate of the University of Nottingham in England, is a new associate research scientist in the Department of Medicine’s nephrology division, effective Dec. 1, 2008.

Vivian Tsai, MD, joined the critical care medicine division of the Department of Pediatrics March 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical pediatrics. Dr. Tsai received her MD degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed a residency in pediatrics at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.

Daniel Tsze, MD, MPH, joined the emergency medicine division of the Department of Pediatrics Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical pediatrics. An MD graduate of the University of British Columbia, Dr. Tsze also received an MPH degree from Brown University. He completed a pediatrics residency at the University of British Columbia and a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at Brown University and its affiliate, Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

Nir Uriel, MD, joined the cardiology division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine. Dr. Uriel graduated from Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at Asaf Harofeh Medical Center in Israel.

Eva Urtasun Sotil, MD, joined the digestive and liver diseases division of the Department of Medicine Feb. 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Urtasun Sotil is a graduate of the University of Navarra in Spain and completed a residency in internal medicine and a gastroenterology fellowship at Rush University Medical Center.

Rajakrishnan Veluthakal, PhD, joined the endocrinology division of the Department of Medicine Feb. 17, 2009, as associate research scientist. Dr. Veluthakal is a graduate of Annamalai University in India.

John Vest, MD, joined the Department of Medicine’s cardiology division as assistant professor of clinical medicine Feb. 17, 2009. A P&S graduate, Dr. Vest completed a residency in internal medicine and a cardiology fellowship at CUMC.

Zhao-Yuan Wang, PhD, joined the digestive and liver diseases division of the Department of Medicine Jan. 5, 2009, as associate research scientist. Dr. Wang is a graduate of Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.

Margrit Wiesendanger, MD, PhD, joined the general medicine faculty of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2008, as instructor in clinical medicine. A graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Wiesendanger completed an internal medicine residency and a rheumatology fellowship at CUMC.

Veleka M. Willis, MD, joined the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Aug. 3, 2009, as assistant clinical professor at the Allen Hospital. Dr. Willis received her MD degree from SUNY Health Sciences Center. She completed her residency in OB/GYN at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

Tawana Winkfield-Royster, MD, joined the general pediatrics division of the Department of Pediatrics July 15, 2008, as instructor in clinical pediatrics. A graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Winkfield-Royster completed a pediatrics residency at SUNY Downstate.

Ayman Yassa, MD, joined the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as instructor in clinical medicine-emergency medicine. Dr. Yassa, a graduate of Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, completed residencies in obstetrics and gynecology and emergency medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Natalie Hoi-Yun Yip, MD, joined the pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine division of the Department of Medicine July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical medicine. A P&S graduate, Dr. Yip completed a residency in internal medicine and a pulmonary fellowship at CUMC.

Mailman School of Public Health

Bibhas Chakraborty, PhD, joined the Department of Biostatistics faculty Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor. He completed his PhD this year at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Chakraborty specializes in dynamic treatment regimes/adaptive treatment strategies and the design of multicomponent clinical and behavioral intervention trials. 

Qixuan Chen, PhD, joined the Department of Biostatistics Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor after receiving a PhD this year from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Chen’s research interests include Bayesian inference for complex survey data, analysis of incomplete data, non-parametric regression, and random effects models with an emphasis on population-based occupational/environmental epidemiology.

Joanne Csete, PhD, joined the Mailman School in January 2009 as associate professor of clinical population & family health. After completing her doctoral training in international nutrition at Cornell, Dr. Csete served on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, before becoming senior adviser in nutrition and chief of the Programme Planning and Policy Unit for UNICEF’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, where she focused on the interaction of HIV/AIDS and nutrition. She also served as director of the HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Human Rights Watch, and executive director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. She graduated from Princeton with an economics degree and received an MPH from Columbia.

Jennifer Higgins, PhD, joined Mailman from Princeton as assistant professor in the Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health as of Aug. 1, 2009. At Princeton, Dr. Higgins was a postdoctoral research associate in contraceptive technology in the Office of Population Research. From 2005 to 2007, Dr. Higgins was an NIH postdoctoral research fellow at Columbia’s HIV Center for Clinical & Behavioral Studies. Her PhD degree from Emory University is in women’s studies, and her research focus is qualitative research methods, women’s studies, and sexual and reproductive health.

David Hirschberg, PhD, joined Columbia July 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical pathology & cell biology (P&S) (in epidemiology). Before joining Columbia, Dr. Hirschberg was director of the Human Immune Monitoring Center at Stanford University Medical School and Institute of Medicine. He received his PhD in neurobiology from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Dr. Hirschberg will work with Mailman’s Center for Infection and Immunity to provide expertise in developing and implementing methods for host expression profiling, genotypic analyses, nutritional status, and toxic exposures that serve investigators in epidemiology and in pathology & cell biology.

Darby Jack, PhD, joined the Department of Environmental Health Sciences July 1, 2009, as assistant professor after completing a year as associate research scientist at Mailman. As a postdoctoral research fellow for two years at the Earth Institute, Dr. Jack studied indoor air pollution and health problems in developing countries. At Mailman, Dr. Jack, who received his PhD in public policy from Harvard, will continue to study issues related to climate and health, including indoor air pollution from biomass combustion, and he will serve as director of the EHS policy track.

Natasha Lambropoulos, MPA, joined Mailman as director of alumni affairs in September 2008 to lead efforts to rejuvenate alumni affairs programming. Ms. Lambropoulos joined Mailman from the Columbia President’s Office, where she was associate director of programs in the University Programs and Events Office. Ms. Lambropoulos has an MPA from Columbia’s School of International Public Affairs; she received her undergraduate degree in journalism and Spanish from the University of Iowa.

Miriam Laugesen, PhD, a graduate of the University of Melbourne in Australia, joined the Department of Health Policy & Management Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor. She was recruited from the University of California-Los Angeles School of Public Health, where she was associate director of the MPH program in health policy in the school’s Department of Health Services and assistant professor of public health. Her health policy research focuses on Medicare physician payment policy, specialty societies, state health policies and policymaking, global health and policy, health care reform and financing in the European Union and candidate countries, cross-border health care, and Australasia.

Nan Liu, PhD, is a new assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management, effective Sept. 1, 2009. Dr. Liu joined us from the University of North Carolina, where she received her PhD degree in operations research. She also has civil engineering degrees from two universities in China. Her research interests focus on stochastic models and their application in health care, supply chain management, service operations management, facility location, transportation, and infrastructure management.

Koyejo Oyerinde, MSc, MPH, joined the Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health as assistant clinical professor July 1, 2009, after completing his pediatric residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. As an independent public health consultant, Dr. Oyerinde led several public health survey teams on behalf of NGOs including Care International in Lesotho, Namibia, and Somalia, developing research protocols and instruments, training field workers, and supervising field activities. Dr. Oyerinde received an MSc degree in epidemiology from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Dr. Oyerinde will implement the Averting Maternal Death and Disability Program’s strategies and programs worldwide.

Arindam RoyChoudhury, PhD, joined the Department of Biostatistics Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor after spending the 2008-09 year as a postdoctoral associate in computational biology at Cornell University. He also spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University after he received his PhD in statistics from the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. RoyChoudhury specializes in statistical genetics that focus on population genetics, phylogenetics, and association mapping.

Lillian Silver, MBA, became associate dean for development at Mailman in February 2009. She leads development and alumni functions, sharing leadership with Mailman Dean Linda Fried for creating and implementing the school’s strategy and plan for raising private and institutional philanthropic funds through a range of initiatives. She also works closely with the School’s Board of Overseers. Ms. Silver’s career has included appointments as director of development at the Metropolitan Opera and associate dean for external relations at Columbia’s business school. She has an MBA in finance and marketing from Columbia.

Satishchandra Pai, DDS, joined the Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, as assistant professor of clinical dental medicine July 1, 2009. Dr. Pai is returning to the CDM faculty after completing the school’s postdoctoral training program in orthodontics. He attended Mangalore University, the National University of Ireland, and the University of Michigan before enrolling in the College of Dental Medicine, where he received his DDS in 2005. He earned his MS in orthodontics this year. As assistant professor, Dr. Pai will supervise patient care in the postdoctoral orthodontic clinic, teach in the predoctoral and postdoctoral orthodontic program, and practice at the Morningside Dental Faculty Practice.

Sahng Gyoon (Martin) Kim, DDS, joined the Section of Oral and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Endodontics, Aug. 1, 2009, as assistant professor of clinical dental medicine. A DDS graduate of Seoul National University, Dr. Kim received a certificate in endodontics and an MS in oral biology from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a public health doctor in Korea and head of the dental department at the Yeoncheon-gun Public Medical Center in Korea earlier in this decade. In addition to teaching endodontics in clinical and classroom settings, Dr. Kim will pursue research on tissue engineering of periodontal ligaments and dental pulp using human dental stem cells in three-dimensional scaffolds under mechanical stress.

Elizabeth Cohn, ACNP, DNSc, has joined the School of Nursing as assistant professor of nursing. Her research focuses on communication between patients and practitioners. Dr. Cohn received her undergraduate and master’s degrees at SUNY Stony Brook and her DNSc at Columbia. She is an acute care and adult health nurse practitioner in emergency medicine, critical care, and heart failure and is board certified in acute care by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is author of several textbooks and a member of the New York Academy of Medicine.

Maria Corsaro, MS, MPH, CNM, OB/GYN-NP, is a new assistant professor in clinical nursing and a member of the School of Nursing’s nurse midwifery faculty. Her practice is in the Hudson Valley. She received the American College of Nurse Midwives' Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching award for 2009.

Eileen Kearney, MS, joined the School of Nursing as assistant dean for finance and administration. She previously was departmental administrator in the Department of Neurology at P&S. She holds a master’s degree from Iona College.

Joan Kearney, PhD, CS, APRN, joined the School of Nursing faculty as assistant professor of clinical nursing. Her research focuses on early childhood trauma. Dr. Kearney previously was director of child and adolescent psychiatric services at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, Conn.

Rachel Lyons, DNP, CPNP-AC, has joined the School of Nursing as assistant clinical professor of nursing. She received a DNP from Columbia University School of Nursing. Her research and practice interests include pediatric orthopedics and acute care.

Caroline Sullivan, MS, ANP, joined the School of Nursing as assistant professor of clinical nursing and is an NP at the school’s practice, CAPNA, at Columbia Eastside. She received a BS degree from Boston College School of Nursing, an MBA from Suffolk University, and an MS from the University of Connecticut School of Nursing. She is certified in adult health by the American Nurses Credentialing Center; her practice interests include occupational health, travel medicine, and women’s health.

Phyllis Tarallo, MS, FNP-C, is a new assistant clinical professor of nursing at the School of Nursing. Her practice specialty is liver, bile duct, and pancreas oncology nursing.

Other 2008-2009 recruits announced in previous issues (issue date noted in parentheses) of CUMC Celebrates:

Amelia J. Alverson, vice president for development (May 22, 2009)

Zehra Pradhan, DDS, MDS, assistant clinical professor of dental medicine-orthodontics (Oct. 31, 2008)

Thomas D'Aunno, PhD, professor of health policy & management (Sept. 26, 2008)

Eric Schrimshaw, PhD, assistant professor of sociomedical sciences (May 22, 2009)

Elizabeth Ty Wilde, PhD, assistant professor of health policy & management (Sept. 26, 2008)

Sankar Ghosh, PhD, Silverstein and Hutt Family Professor of Microbiology and chair of microbiology & immunology (Oct. 31, 2008)

Neil Harrison, PhD, vice chair of anesthesiology and professor of anesthesiology and of pharmacology (Feb. 18, 2009)

Tomoaki Kato, MD, professor of surgery (Sept. 26, 2008)

Yongjung (Jay) Kim, MD, assistant professor of clinical orthopedic surgery (Sept. 26, 2008)

Hilel Lewis, MD, professor of ophthalmology (Aug. 19, 2008)

Thomas P. Maniatis, PhD, professor and chair of biochemistry & molecular biophysics (May 22, 2009)

Amanda Pong, MD, assistant professor of clinical neurology (Nov. 24, 2008)

Benjamin Roye, MD, MPH, assistant professor of clinical orthopedic surgery (Sept. 26, 2008)

Rosemarie Scilipoti, director of student activities, P&S Club (Sept. 26, 2008)

Scott D. Smith, MD, MPH, associate professor of clinical ophthalmology (Feb. 18, 2009)

Joel Stein, MD, Simon Baruch Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and chair of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine (Aug. 19, 2008)

Charles S. Zuker, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular biophysics and of neuroscience (Feb. 18, 2009)