John Lindenbaum Memorial Lecture Series

Dr. John Lindenbaum was a widely acclaimed hematologist, gifted teacher, great mentor and an integral part of then Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Dr. Lindenbaum’s contributions as a clinical investigator were many and encompassed a variety of disciplines. His primary interest was focused on abnormalities of vitamin B12 and folic acid metabolism. Other contributions included the first clinical description of halothane-induced hepatic necrosis, which he reported while still a resident, the first analysis of the clinical course of cholera in 769 children, studies of tropical enteropathy in Bangladesh and New York, and much more.

Dr. Lindenbaum's interests went well beyond medicine. He cared deeply about societal inequities and injustices and in medicine in particular. He knew about the history of jazz (and listened to it), as well as classical music and modern art. He spoke French and Italian well. He was an avid birdwatcher and a passionate mushroom collector.

Just before his death in June 1997, he bestowed a gift to what is now Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons to establish an annual lecture given by a distinguished diverse scientist. This lecture series has provided the VP&S community with the opportunity to host diverse scientists from all over the country while honoring his commitment to equality and justice in medicine and society at large.

Past Lectures
 

"Approaches to Healing the Wounds of Violence and Racial Trauma” with John A. Rich, MD, MPH.  

April 21, 2021

Speaker

John A. Rich, MD, MPH, Professor of Health Management and Policy, Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University

Video recording 

CUIMC Update feature

"Diversity Among Scientists -- How does it Impact Biomedical Discovery and Patient Care?" with Marie A. Bernard, MD

March 31, 2022

Speaker

Marie A. Bernard, MD, Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity (COSWD), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

"Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation in STEM and Medicine" with Freeman Hrabowski, PhD.   

April 27, 2023

Speaker

Freeman Hrabowski, PhD, President Emeritus, The University of Maryland

Remarks:

Katrina Armstrong, MD, Harold and Margaret Hatch Professor in the Faculty of the University, Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chief Executive Officer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Video recording 

"Opportunities and Challenges for Population Health Research" with Ana Diez-Roux, MD, PhD, MPH.     

March 28, 2018

Speaker

Ana Diez-Roux, MD, PhD, MPH, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University

"Transforming Healthcare Through Technological Innovation" with Roderic I. Pettigrew, PhD, MD.  

October 16, 2019

Speaker

Roderic I. Pettigrew, PhD, MD, CEO, Engineering Health (EnHealth), Health Science Center and College of Engineering, Robert A. Welch Professor and Executive Dean for Engineering Medicine, Colleges of Medicine, Engineering and Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas A&M University

“The Secret Life of Introns and Other Tales of Coordinated Gene Expression” with Tracy L. Johnson, PhD

February 7, 2024

Speaker 

Tracy L. Johnson, PhD, Keith and Cecilia Terasaki Presidential Endowed Chair, Professor, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Dean, Life Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) College