Kevin J. Clerkin, MD

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.

The Center for Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery offers comprehensive, highly specialized treatments for hand and upper extremity injuries. Our dedicated team of providers in NJ includes hand surgeons and finger surgeons with sub-specialty expertise in hand and upper extremity surgery and microsurgery. We also have a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician specializing in pain management — ensuring patients receive dedicated care no matter which treatment plan suits them best.

Jason Hawksworth, MD is a noted pioneer in minimally invasive robotic hepatobiliary and transplant surgery. Dr. Hawksworth is the Surgical Director of Adult Liver Transplantation, Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery, and the Director of Robotic Liver Surgery Program in the Division of Abdominal Organ Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and is an Associate Professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Hawksworth is known for unique and innovative minimally invasive robotic surgeries to remove tumors of the liver, bile duct and pancreas, including robotic major hepatectomy, robotic pancreatectomy, and robotic Whipple. He also specializes in robotic transplantation including robotic kidney transplantation, robotic living donor nephrectomy and robotic living donor hepatectomy. Dr. Hawksworth received his undergraduate degree from The United States Military Academy at West point and his medical degree from Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Dr. Hawksworth completed general surgery residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center followed by an abdominal transplant and hepatobiliary surgery fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital. Previously the Chief of Robotic Surgery at Georgetown University Hospital, Dr. Hawksworth established one of the nation’s premier robotic hepatobiliary and transplant programs in 2018 at Georgetown. He was recruited to Columbia University Irving Medical Center in 2023 to lead the liver transplant and hepatobiliary programs and continue to develop innovative techniques in robotic surgery. Dr. Hawksworth is a member of several key organizations including a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, International Laparoscopic Liver Society, and Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. His research interests include clinical transplant and hepatobiliary trials, and he has published over 60 scientific manuscripts and book chapters in leading journals such as Annals of Surgery, Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, American Journal of Transplantation and Transplantation. Dr. Hawksworth is a Colonel in the Army reserves and has deployed four times to support combat operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Visit The Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation at columbiasurgery.org/liver.