Update on a New Role for Dr. Katrina Armstrong

Dear members of the Columbia community:

I write today to share that Dr. Katrina Armstrong, Columbia University executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences, Columbia University Irving Medical Center CEO, and dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, will transition from her current roles to launch the Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Research, a collaboration between Roy and Diana Vagelos and the University. The intent of the institute, made possible through the visionary philanthropy of Roy and Diana, is to create a new model to advance biomedical research, serving as a catalytic platform for discovery, innovation, and scientific workforce development.

We are profoundly grateful to Katrina for her service to our community. Over the last four years, VP&S and CUIMC have advanced a new, interdisciplinary model of biomedical graduate education; created new programs to strengthen support for physician-scientists; expanded and improved clinical care through new ambulatory sites and a new center for patient safety science; and developed new research capabilities, including the state-of-the-art, all-electric Vagelos Innovation Labs building.

This work has helped position Columbia at the forefront of biomedical research through establishment of the Columbia Institute in Cell Engineering and Therapy, the New York Biohub, a renewed partnership with the New York Genome Center, and the AI@VPS Initiative, among others. She appointed dozens of CUIMC and VP&S leaders and faculty through recruitment and promotion and worked to strengthen collaborations with local partners. These accomplishments will strengthen VP&S and CUIMC well into the future.

During a period of significant institutional challenge, Katrina took on the role of interim president, reflecting her deep sense of responsibility to Columbia’s mission. As interim president, she prioritized community engagement, student well-being, and academic excellence through collaboration across campuses and disciplines, and I am particularly grateful for her contributions in these areas.

Katrina brings remarkable leadership and commitment to the mission of promoting health and alleviating suffering through education, research, and care. A distinguished physician-scientist, she has dedicated her scholarship to advancing the understanding of cancer, genomics, and health inequities, with research that has transformed approaches to cancer prevention, personalized medicine, and the use of observational data to improve care outcomes. Her many contributions to health, medicine, science, and higher education have been recognized through numerous awards and honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

I will share details about next steps for CUIMC and VP&S leadership soon. Today, please join me in expressing our thanks to Katrina for her commitment and service to Columbia, CUIMC, and VP&S.

Sincerely,

Claire Shipman
Acting President, Columbia University in the City of New York