Urology faculty and residents.

Columbia Urology: Year in Review

July 15, 2025

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Message From the Interim Chair

Ojas Shah, MD.

I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible accomplishments and progress we've made. This has been a transformative year for our Department, and I am truly inspired by the dedication and resilience of our team.

While we face challenges ahead, I am confident that our collective commitment to excellence in research, clinical care, and education will guide us through. Together, we are not just overcoming obstacles; we are paving the way for innovation and growth.

Let us continue to support one another and celebrate our achievements as we move forward. I am excited to share updates on our progress and look forward to what we can accomplish together.

– Ojas Shah, MD

Leadership Transition

In the Summer of 2024, James McKiernan, MD accepted the role of Interim Dean of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. McKiernan, who served as the Chair of the Department of Urology for an outstanding 10 years, now leads ColumbiaDoctors and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. McKiernan.

Department Updates

Research Highlights

  • Andrew Lenis, MD was awarded the HICCC Clinical Trialist Scholar Award for the BINGO trial, a groundbreaking study that provides personalized intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer patients using organoids.
  • Cathy Mendelsohn, PhD published pioneering research in Nature Communications (August 2024) on the efficacy of rosiglitazone and trametinib for muscle invasive bladder cancer.
  • Joel Decastro, MD presented the updated results from his Phase II trial on Intravesical Cabazitaxel, Gemcitabine, and Cisplatin for BCG-unresponsive urothelial carcinoma at the European Society of Medical Oncology meeting in Barcelona, showing nearly 75% of patients remained recurrence-free at 15 months.

Grant Awards

  • Srinath Reddi-Pingle, MD received the CAPRI Training Grant for his work on the molecular characterization of CIS using single-cell DNA sequencing.
  • Nancy Wei, MD received a CAPRI Training Grant to explore the molecular characterization of lymphatic endothelial cells in the bladder cancer tumor microenvironment.
  • Gregory Joice, MD received funding to study the role of the human microbiome in men's health, focusing on its potential to influence hypogonadism and erectile function.
  • Gina Badalato, MD and Catherine McManus, MD (Dept. of Surgery) received the Columbia Provost Innovative Course Module Design award.

Clinical Advancements

  • Michael Feuerstein, MD has joined as the new Chief of Urology at NYP Westchester. A renowned urologic oncologist, Dr. Feuerstein brings expertise in the management of genitourinary malignancies.
  • Ezra Margolin, MD, who joined our faculty in September 2024, is launching the Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) program at Columbia.
  • Our clinic was one of the first in New York to offer Astiladrin, a novel intravesical therapy for BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer. We’ve also recently added Anktiva, the second drug approved for this indication.

Education Initiatives

  • GAMERS (Society of Academic Urology Grant): George Moran, MD and Justin Lee, MD developed a multi-institutional robotic simulation curriculum, GAMERS, which significantly enhances trainee engagement and surgical simulation experiences.
  • Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Inpatient Catheterization: Chief resident David Han, MD led a quality improvement initiative to standardize urinary catheter removal protocols, reducing unnecessary catheter use in hospitalized patients.
  • Ifeyani Onyeji Summer Medical Student Internship: This unique research internship, aimed at CUNY School of Medicine students, allows students to explore urology careers through hands-on research and mentorship. This past summer, Jonah Samuel’s research focused on surgical autonomy in residency training.
  • The Urology Interest Group, a VP&S student club, hosted events like skills sessions on surgical suturing and Foley catheterization, as well as career exploration panels.

Remembering Carl Olsson, MD

In March, we gathered to commemorate the remarkable life and extraordinary career of Dr. Olsson, former Chairman of Urology at Columbia University, whose influence has profoundly shaped the field of urology. Several of our esteemed alumni shared their reflections, reminiscing about Dr. Olsson's outstanding contributions as a urologist and his passions as a yachtsman. In his honor, we have established the Carl Olsson, MD Medical Education Fund to support and enrich our residency program.

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Faculty Awards, Honors, and Promotions

  • James McKiernan, MD was awarded the 2025 American Urological Association’s Distinguished Contribution Award for his outstanding contributions to urologic oncology and bladder cancer research.
  • Christopher B. Anderson, MD has been named the Given Foundation Associate Professor of Urology.
  • David Weiner, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Urology.
  • Andrew T. Lenis, MD received the 2024 Clinical Trialist Early Career Development Scholars Award from the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.
  • Izak Faiena, MD was appointed to the 2024 cohort of the Urology Scientific Mentoring and Research Training Academy by the American Urological Association.

Resident Awards and Achievements

  • Zoë Cohen, MD received the Gold Humanism Medical Student Teaching Award from the students of VP&S for her commitment to teaching and mentoring medical students.
  • Siddarth Ghanta, MD was named Resident Physician of the Year and received the PACU Culture Award for his incredible contributions to patient care and collaboration with nursing colleagues.
  • Allison Grant, MD was honored with the inaugural Gold Humanism Urology Resident Award for her exemplary compassion and dedication to patient care.
  • David Han, MD was awarded the Academy of Clinical Excellence Rising Star Award, reflecting his excellence in clinical practice and leadership.
  • Teona Iarajuli, MD was nominated for Resident Physician of the Year, highlighting her impressive achievements and dedication to her patients.
  • Frances Kazal, MD was recognized by the Graduate Medical Education Office as the NYP-Columbia Resident of the Month for December 2024.
  • Niccola Lynch, MD and medical student Jonah Samuel won best poster recognition at the 2025 American Urological Association meeting for their medical education research.
  • Daniel Ranti, MD was recognized as the Emergency Room Consultant of the Year for his exceptional performance and contributions to the care of patients presenting to the emergency department.
  • Srinath Reddi-Pingle, MD achieved First Place in the Oncology Research division of the New York Section Ferdinand Valentine Essay Competition, acknowledging his outstanding bladder cancer translational work during his dedicated research year.

Events

  • Advances in Genitourinary Oncology: Christopher Anderson, MD co-directed a successful multi-disciplinary CME event, in July of 2024.
  • Lewis-Weikersheimer Visiting Professorship: Alexander Kutikov, MD, Professor and Chair at Fox Chase Cancer Center, led a fall symposium on renal cancer.
  • Gerald McNamara & Renée Petrofes Visiting Professorship: In April, Stephen Boorjian, MD from Mayo Clinic delivered a lecture on managing high-risk and BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer.
  • Resident Retreat: The annual residency retreat was held at Bear Mountain Resort, providing a day of reflection and team-building.
  • Graduation: We celebrated the graduation of three outstanding residents—Rainjade Chung, George Moran, and Miyad Movassaghi—with a reception at the Bronx Botanical Gardens.
Urology chief residents.

Meet Our Chief Residents

The 2025 cohort of chief residents are pursuing exciting career opportunities:

  • David Han will begin a Genitourinary Reconstruction Surgery Fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
  • Daniel Schoenfeld will practice as a general urologist at Stamford Hospital, CT.
  • Connie Wang will pursue a fellowship in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Recent Publications

 

Support for Columbia Urology

Our department is dedicated to advancing urologic research, education, and patient care. Private support is critical to our mission. We thank you for your continued support and look forward to another year of advancements in urology.

If you would like to learn more about how to support our Department, please contact Cynthia Gorey cg3334@cumc.columbia.edu.

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