The Department of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marla J. Keller to Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Keller is Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), and of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health. Since 2014, she has served as Associate Chair of Medicine for Clinical Research, a role in which she improved infrastructure, streamlined operations, enhanced resources, and provided mentorship to expand clinical research in the Department of Medicine.
Marla J. Keller, MDAs Vice Chair for Research, Dr. Keller will help increase the Department's clinical trial portfolio, foster translational research in collaboration with our division leaders, mentor junior faculty, assist in the recruitment of physician scientists and clinical investigators, and develop interdepartmental research collaboration. As Einstein enters its new era as part of Montefiore Health System, the Department of Medicine will play a crucial role in building programs that span patient care, population sciences, and basic research.
In addition, Dr. Keller was recently appointed Co-PI of the Montefiore Einstein Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), and Associate Director of the Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR). Dr. Keller will build on her eight years of experience as Director of the ICTR’s Clinical Investigation Services Core and Clinical Research Center, working with Dr. Harry Shamoon and Dr. Paul Marantz to advance Montefiore and Einstein's role as part of the 60+ CTSA member consortium to transform the way clinical/translational research is conducted across the country.
The Department of Medicine received $47.5M in NIH funding in 2015 and is ranked 25th in the country.
"I am excited to work with Dr. Keller to expand our research portfolio, focusing on translational research and enhancing collaboration between basic scientists and clinical researchers," said Dr. Yaron Tomer, Chair of the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Keller is a practicing infectious diseases physician with research interests in the prevention and treatment of HIV and herpes in adult and adolescent women. She is a leader in the design and conduct of early-phase clinical trials to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of vaginal microbicides, which are in development to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and herpes. She also conducts studies in the U.S. and Kenya to examine effects of bacterial vaginosis, herpes, semen, and hormonal contraception on the female genital tract mucosal environment. She is a co-investigator of the Bronx/Manhattan consortium of the NIH-funded Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), where her work focuses on improving cervical cancer screening practices in HIV-infected women. She holds numerous local and national leadership roles, including member of the STI Subcommittee of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute’s HIV Quality of Care Advisory Committee, fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), member of the HIV Medical Association (HIVMA), and member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents.
Published April 29, 2016