Monica Bhatia, MD

Howard J. Worman, M.D. is Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Cell Biology at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Worman received his BA from Cornell University and MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He did clinical training in internal medicine at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and postdoctoral research training in cell biology at Rockefeller University. He then obtained clinical training in liver diseases at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Worman is internationally recognized for his research in cell biology and hepatology. His laboratory research is focused on primarily on the cell biology of rare genetic diseases. These include different types of muscular dystrophy, cardiomyopathy, lipodystrophy and premature aging syndromes (progeria) . He also does research on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and on the characterization of antibodies in autoimmune liver diseases. His clinical practice is primarily devoted to consultation in liver diseases. Dr. Worman is an author on over 200 scientific publications. In 1998, he was elected to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigator and, in 2010, to the Association of American Physicians. He has served on the Editorial Boards of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Molecular Biology of the Cell and Journal of Autoimmunity and as a Section Editor of BMC Cell Biology. Dr. Worman is also author of the popular Liver Disorders and Hepatitis Sourcebook (McGraw-Hill, 2006). Email: hjw14@cumc.columbia.edu

Stergios Zacharoulis, MD is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist located in New York, NY. He specializes in pediatric hematology-oncology and offers a range of services to treat children with various conditions. With a focus on providing comprehensive care, Dr. Zacharoulis is dedicated to delivering personalized treatment plans and ensuring the well-being of his young patients.Generated from the website

Lisa Florence Imundo, MD, has 20 years of experience as a pediatric rheumatologist with a busy and complex clinic practice; she is engaged in clinical care, education, and research. Dr. Imundo is the founder and director of the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, which provides care for children and adolescents with chronic rheumatic disease with a focus on helping teens and young adults become more prepared and independent to successfully transition from pediatric to adult care. Research demonstrates that despite having programs in place at pediatric centers, teens and young adults are not consistent in managing their diseases and have worse outcomes and increased medical complications. At the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, pediatric and adult providers work together and collect data on effective ways to educate teens and measure teen readiness to become independent. New, innovative, disease-specific collaborative clinics staffed with pediatric and adult rheumatologists will help all families support their children and help them become prepared for transition. Dr. Imundo's mentor Dr. Jerry Jacobs established Pediatric Rheumatology in 1960 at Columbia, under the mentorship of Charles Raean, the Chairman of Medicine, and Charles Christian,the Chairman of Adult Rheumatology. Dr. Jacobs wrote the first textbook in the field, "Pediatric Rheumatology for the Practitioner," and defined new entities which today have genetic, cellular, and molecular foundations. Dr. Jacobs' former fellows, among them Dr. Imundo, wrote the continuing textbook "Arthritis in Children and Adolescents" (I. Szer, ed.). At Columbia University Dr. Imundo was appointed both Division Director and Fellowship Director shortly after completing her Chief Residency and Fellowship. Under her leadership, her Division of Pediatric Rheumatology (1997-2014) expanded to provide care for thousands of children with complex and often mysterious autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, both on the inpatient and on the outpatient service, a record unmatched in the USA. She continues in the footsteps of Dr. Jacobs defining new entities and conducting cutting-edge research in the efficacy of molecularly specific medications. Like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo is available continuously to treat the sick children of the tri-state area, and like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo's patients become part of her family, and she very frequently part of theirs.