Under the direction of Dr. Laurie Jacobs, Interim Chair, the Department of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marla Keller as Associate Chair of Medicine for Clinical Research and Dr. Elizabeth Kitsis as Associate Chair of Medicine for Faculty Affairs.
Dr. Keller will be responsible for improving infrastructure, enhancing resources, and providing mentorship to expand clinical research in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Kitsis will be responsible for credentialing, developing a departmental mentoring program, and assisting with faculty issues.
Marla J. Keller, MD
Dr. Keller is an accomplished NIH-funded clinical investigator whose research focuses on the design and conduct of clinical trials to advance vaginal microbicides for the prevention of HIV. She also studies conditions that modify genital tract mucosal immunity and the efficacy of topical pre-exposure prophylaxis in women. Her work in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) includes improving cervical cancer screening in women with HIV. She is a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents (a working group of the Office of AIDS Research Council), a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and a Councilor of the Infectious Diseases Society of New York (IDSNY). A graduate of New York University (NYU) School of Medicine (medical school); Beth Israel Hospital (residency); and Beth Israel Hospital, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (combined infectious diseases fellowship), Dr. Keller came to Montefiore Einstein in 2007 after serving for nine years as a faculty member in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the former Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She served as Associate Program Director of the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at Mount Sinai and has been the Director of the CRC in the Block Institute of Clinical and Translational Research at Montefiore Einstein since 2007.
Elizabeth A. Kitsis, MD
Dr. Kitsis is a rheumatologist with a broad experience in leadership roles. Her research focuses on social media and medical professionalism, and on the ethics of physician shadowing by students. She joined Montefiore Einstein in 2008 as Director of Bioethics Education and attending rheumatologist. She is a graduate of Cornell University Medical College (medical school), Boston University School of Medicine (residency), NYU Medical Center (rheumatology fellowship, where she was chief fellow), University of Pennsylvania (Master of Bioethics), and the Harvard Macy Program for Educators in Health Professions. While at NYU, she was Director of Clinical Research at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Dr. Kitsis held numerous roles at Pfizer Inc., including Medical Group Director of COX-2 Inhibitors and HQ Medical Operations; Vice President, Medical Affairs for Pain & Neurology, and Vice President, Worldwide Development for Pain & Inflammation, Oncology, and Diversified Products. She is a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and a member of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities.
"I am delighted to have Drs. Keller and Kitsis on board as we move the Department forward during this period of transition," said Dr. Jacobs. "Their experience, leadership, and ability to foster collaboration will serve them well in these new roles."