4 New Department Chairs at VP&S

Since October 2025, four new chairs have been appointed at VP&S across the basic science and clinical departments. Bringing deep experience and dedication to their new roles, Gwyneth Card in neuroscience, Ojas Shah in urology, Emile Bacha in surgery, and Harris Wang in systems biology have been warmly welcomed to the leadership team.

“Each of these individuals brings remarkable talent and vision as clinicians, researchers, and educators. I am confident that their leadership will not only advance our departments of neuroscience, urology, surgery, and systems biology, but also enrich our entire academic community and the next generation of physicians and scientists we are privileged to train,” said Katrina Armstrong, MD, dean of VP&S.

Harris Wang, Chair of Systems Biology

Harris Wang, PhD, was appointed chair of the Department of Systems Biology in February. Dr. Wang is professor of systems biology, pathology and cell biology, and biomedical engineering, and had served as interim chair of systems biology since September 2023. Having joined Columbia in 2013 as a founding faculty member of the department, he is widely recognized for his pioneering work in synthetic biology, focusing on advancing next-generation microbiome and cellular therapeutics through systems and synthetic biology approaches. A Biohub investigator and a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Dr. Wang is the recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science and the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award.

Andrea Califano, Dr, who served as founding chair of the Department of Systems Biology from 2013 to 2023, is continuing as the Clyde’56 and Helen Wu Professor of Chemical Biology (in Systems Biology).

Emile Bacha, Chair of Surgery

Emile Bacha, MD, became chair of the Department of Surgery at VP&S and surgeon-in-chief of NewYork-Presbyterian on Jan. 1. Dr. Bacha is the Roth Salzhauer Family Professor of Surgery, and since 2010 has served as chief of the Division of Cardiac, Thoracic, & Vascular Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/ CUIMC and director of congenital and pediatric cardiac surgery at the NewYork-Presbyterian Congenital Heart Center. A leader in both pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery, Dr. Bacha has dedicated his distinguished career to expanding therapies and improving outcomes for some of the most complex cardiac conditions.

Craig Smith, MD, who served as chair since 2010, is continuing as the Johnson and Johnson Distinguished Professor in the Department of Surgery and the Valentine Mott Professor of Surgery.

Gwyneth Card, Chair of Neuroscience

Gwyneth Card, PhD, assumed the role of chair of the Department of Neuroscience in October 2025. Dr. Card joined Columbia in 2022 as associate professor of neuroscience and principal investigator in the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, and as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her work focuses on the sensory, motor, and brain cells that underlie movement in animals—specifically, fruit flies—to uncover universal principles about movement and how animals decide on a course of action. She previously served as a group leader at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus.

Steven Siegelbaum, PhD, who served as chair since 2009, will continue in his role as professor of neuroscience and pharmacology.

Ojas Shah, Chair of Urology

Ojas Shah, MD, was appointed chair of the Department of Urology at VP&S and urologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/CUIMC in October 2025. Dr. Shah had served as interim chair since September 2024. An internationally recognized expert in the medical and surgical management of patients with urinary stone disease, Dr. Shah’s clinical and research interests include surgical and metabolic treatments of kidney stone disease, minimally invasive urologic surgery, upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, ureteral strictures, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and ureteral/renal reconstructive surgery. After joining Columbia in 2015, Dr. Shah was appointed vice chair of the Department of Urology in 2023. He was previously an associate professor of urology and the director of the Endourology and Stone Disease Program at New York University Langone Medical Center and served as chief of urology at Bellevue Hospital.

Dr. Shah succeeds James McKiernan’93, who is CEO of ColumbiaDoctors and senior vice dean for clinical affairs at VP&S.