Albert DeLuca, MD

Dr. Hiroo Takayama is Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He has more than 20 years of experience in treating patients with heart and vascular problems. As the Director of the Aortic Surgery Program and co-Director of the Aortic Center, the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, and the Marfan Clinic at NYP/Columbia, Dr. Takayama has contributed to the care of over 4,000 patients by performing a variety of aortic and cardiac surgical procedures, approximately 300-350 operations every year. Dr. Takayama is internationally recognized for his work on complex aortic surgery (minimally invasive aortic surgery, valve-sparing aortic root replacement, aortic valve repair, aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair), hybrid aortic surgery (thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair), myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure surgery. He is a leader in outcome research in aortic diseases and heart failure. He has published more than 300-350 manuscripts in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals and has authored numerous book chapters about heart disease. Dr. Takayama attended University of Tokyo for Medical School, did his internship at University of Tokyo, general surgery residency in University of Washington Medical Center, and cardio-thoracic surgery fellowship in New-York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.

George J. Florakis, M.D., is the Malcolm P. Aldrich Professor of Ophthalmology at CUMC and Director of Columbia Ophthalmology in Westchester. Dr. Florakis is an expert in corneal surgery and consultation. He specializes in management techniques for corneal transplants, endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK, DSAEK), corneal dystrophies, and anterior segment trauma and reconstruction. A national leader in corneal diseases, Dr. Florakis is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a member of the National Eye Bank Association of America, a longtime member of the medical advisory board of the Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration in New York, the New York Ophthalmological Society, New York State Medical Society, and the Northeast Cornea Society, as well as many other professional organizations. Dr. Florakis has authored many book chapters and peer-reviewed articles, and lectures extensively both nationally and internationally. Dr. Florakis received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Columbia University. Following his ophthalmology residency training at Columbia’s Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Dr. Florakis completed a fellowship in corneal and external eye diseases under the preceptorship of Jay Krachmer, MD, at the University of Iowa. Dr. Florakis sees patients in Westchester and in the Harkness Eye Institute at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Daniel S. O'Connor, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Co-director of the Center for CardioOncology, Cardiologist for the Aortic Program and Cardiac Intensivist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. His areas of expertise include consultative cardiology, critical care cardiology, and non-invasive imaging. Dr. O'Connor is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology. Dr. O'Connor received his PhD studying vascular and cancer cell biology within the Department of Pharmacology at Yale University. He then received his MD degree at The State University of New York at Brooklyn Medical Center (SUNY Downstate). Dr. O'Connor was an Intern, Resident and Chief Resident at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He then completed his training as a Fellow and Chief Fellow in cardiovascular medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.