Winter 2023

Featured Stories

The State of Care: Historical, Contemporary, and Forward-Moving

The Whipple procedure. The Apgar Score. Bacitracin. Blood banking. Identification of cystic fibrosis. First surgery in utero. Organ transplantation. First human retinal cell transplants. Leadership of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” Treatment for a lethal form of bacterial meningitis. Vasopressin to treat vasodilatory shock. Bright light therapy to treat seasonal depression. Vaccine that eradicated Rh disease in newborns.

These are just a few of the historical signposts that chart the legacy of patient care at VP&S since its founding in 1767. Standing on the shoulders of VP&S figures who forever changed health care, current VP&S faculty continue to pioneer new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease, from the delivery room to the ICU, from the bedside to the doctor’s office, from the operating room to labs.

The featured stories in this issue show what’s possible now and hint at the advances—AI, stem cells, genomics—that may transform health care in the years to come.

The State of Care: Women's Health

Multidisciplinary Expertise Includes Treatment— and Prevention—of Disease

Several new and innovative programs have launched at Columbia to advance women’s health amid rapid changes in the field.

The State of Care: Cancer

Gene-targeted Treatment, Minimally Invasive Techniques, Prophylactic Surgery

From precision cancer care to pioneering minimally invasive surgical techniques to offering the latest in prevention programs, VP&S faculty lead the way in effective cancer care.

The State of Care: The Brain

Novel Ways to Treat Aggressive Diseases and Disorders

VP&S faculty members are pioneering new ways to treat aggressive and drug-resistant conditions of the brain.

The State of Care: At the Heart of It

Cardiology Advances Care Through Remote Monitoring, New Technology, Unique Collaborations

Read how VP&S Faculty are changing the state of care in Columbia's history-making cardiology program.

The State of Care: Children's Health

“Children are Not Little Adults”

With new centers and programs focused on specific diseases and conditions, Columbia faculty are taking multidisciplinary care of pediatric patients to a new level.