CMCR - Key Persons
Cheng-Chia Wu, M.D., Ph.D. is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. His clinical interest is in pediatric oncology and brain tumors and his laboratory is dedicated to investigating novel treatment approaches to improve patient care.
Dr. Wu received his B.S from University of California, San Diego and completed his M.D. and Ph.D. training at New York Medical College. During his training, he was awarded the NIH-Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F30),as well as the American Medical Association Seed Grant. He then completed his internal medicine internship training at Greenwich Hospital, Yale New Haven Health. Dr. Wu completed his radiation oncology training at New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia University Medical Center Campus), where he served as Chief Resident.
During his training, Dr. Wu was awarded the prestigious American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Seed Grant for his novel research studying the role of focused ultrasound in opening the blood brain barrier, in the setting of radiation and immunotherapy. In 2018 he was awarded the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award for his work. In addition, Dr. Wu is trained in Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, and total body irradiation. Besides his clinical duties, Dr. Wu is a principal investigator of a translational research laboratory in the Center for Radiological Research (CRR). His research interest is translating the usage of focused ultrasound technology for both pediatric and adult brain tumors. Dr. Wu has published over forty scientific articles, written multiple book chapters, and served as a reviewer for multiple journals.
Dr. Wu works closely with the pediatric oncology group at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and the medical/surgical oncology groups at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center to bring the best multidisciplinary care to his patients. He is dedicated to resident education and mentoring scientists, medical students, and residents. He is fluent in both English and Mandarin.
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
Job Titles:
- Professor of Radiation Oncology
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology ( in the Center for Radiological Research ) at CUMC
- Member of the Center for Radiological Research
Dr. Peter Grabham is one of the lead researchers and a faculty member of the Center for Radiological Research. His laboratory investigates the effects of harmful agents like radiation on the human microvascular system. The microvascular system (small capillaries) is crucial to healthy functioning of the tissues and its dysfunction is not only a primary event in a range of degenerative diseases but also an important influencing factor in many others. Dr. Grabham uses 3D human tissue models of human microcapillaries to investigate the effects of harmful agents on vascular function. He has also enhanced the process of developing three-dimensional tissue samples for 3-D tissue modeling and has ongoing research into the development of 3D tissue models that include other cell types that more accurately depict tissues in the human body.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
- Research Spotlight
Dr. Sally Amundson is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology and a faculty member of the Center for Radiological Research. A major project in her laboratory focuses on the development of biodosimetry to detect, measure, and monitor radiation exposure.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at New York Presbyterian
Eileen Connolly, M.D., Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. She is a board-certified radiation oncologist who cares for patients with all types of cancer but specializes in the treatment of breast and pediatric malignancies with radiation therapy. Dr. Connolly has published various articles in her field, including several related to breast cancer. In addition to her breast research she participates in a number of Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocols for the treatment of pediatric malignancies and works closely with the Pediatric Oncology group at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Connolly received her M.D./Ph.D. degree, internal medicine and radiation oncology training at New York University School of Medicine, where she was Chief Resident of Radiation Oncology. During her residency training she received both the 2010 Varian Medical Systems/RSNA Research Resident Grant and the 2010 ASTRO Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Award. In addition, Dr. Connolly was trained in Gamma Knife Radiosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery, pioneers in the field of stereotactic radiosurgery for brain cancers and malformations.
Besides her clinical duties Dr. Connolly is the director of a translational research laboratory in the Center for Radiological Research (CRR) in which she pursues her research interests in understanding the mechanisms of radiation resistance of cancer. Specifically her work focuses on the PI3K/Akt pathway with a goal of developing targeted agents that may be used as radiation sensitizers to reduce the risk of local recurrence. For her research she has received the 2012 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research Seed grant, and a 2012 Irving Institute/Clinical Trials Office Pilot Award.
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Founding Director and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology / Center for Public Health Preparedness / Mailman School of Public Health / Columbia University