E. Sander Connolly, MD

Andrew B. Lassman, MD, FAAN, FASCO, is a Professor of Neurology and Associate Dean of Clinical Research Compliance at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Lassman also serves as Chief of the Division of Neuro-Oncology and Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Neurology, and as Associate Director for Clinical Trials at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Lassman focuses both his research and clinical efforts on improving the understanding and treatment of brain tumors.Dr. Lassman has particular expertise in translational clinical trials for brain tumors, with molecular correlative analyses to understand the reasons for treatment success or failure, and to refine treatment paradigms. Dr. Lassman has led retrospective studies, single institution prospective clinical trials, and multicenter prospective trials conducted nationally through the National Cancer Institute sponsored National Clinical Trials Network. His contributions to the field of Neuro-Oncology have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Preuss Award in Neuro-Oncology from the American Academy of Neurology, the Boyer Clinical Research Award from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and the Gary Lichtenstein Humanitarian Award from Voices Against Brain Cancer.Dr. Lassman earned his BS and MS degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, as part of a combined four-year program at Yale University. He attained his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed Neurology residency at the Neurological Institute of New York, at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Lassman completed his fellowship in Neuro-Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he joined the faculty and served as fellowship director, until his return to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Dr. Feldstein has been the director of the Division of Pediatric Neurological Surgery since his arrival in 1994. Among his interests and expertise is a national reputation in the management of Chiari Malformations and spinal dysraphism. He has an active practice in such subspecialty areas as brain and spinal cord tumors, craniofacial abnormalities, vascular malformations such as Moyamoya, AVMs and cavernous malformations. In an effort to decrease operative time and morbidity as well as hospital stay he has begun to utilize endoscopic assistance to perform common procedures through smaller incisions. This is currently seen in the management of craniosynostosis, chiari malformations and in certain forms of hydrocephalus. Dr. Feldstein’s practice is based at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York. His special interests include spinal dysraphism/tethered spinal cord, craniofacial surgery, brain tumors, chiari malformations, syringomyelia, vascular (Moyamoya, Aneurysm, Arteriovenous Malformations).

Dr. Elmira Raeifar is an Assistant Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). She is also located at the ColumbiaDoctors Psychiatry Midtown office at CUIMC. Dr. Raeifar completed her doctoral training at Long Island University, Brooklyn, including an internship at Jacobi Medical Center. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia Health, Columbia University. Dr. Raeifar has experience working in a wide range of settings, from inpatient psychiatric units and intensive hospital-based outpatient programs, chemical dependency treatment facilities, to university counseling centers and outpatient mental health clinics. Dr. Raeifar’s interests include helping those who feel stuck: in work, relationships, other aspects of life; those who struggle with anxiety, depression and with people who face issues related to life transitions, identity concerns, and sexuality.