New research leadership brings public health expertise

n a major step forward to advance our research mission, the Department of Ob/Gyn at CUIMC welcomed Uma M. Reddy, MD, MPH as our new Vice Chair of Research.

Known throughout the field for her groundbreaking research in stillbirth, preterm birth, and labor management, Dr. Reddy also holds an appointment as a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Professor of Population and Family Health in the Mailman School of Public Health.

A distinguished physician, researcher, and educator, Dr. Reddy previously served as a Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Section Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. Prior to joining the faculty at Yale School of Medicine in 2018, Dr. Reddy served as a Medical Officer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). While at the NIH, she provided clinical services at several hospitals, including Walter Reed Medical Center and Medstar Washington Hospital Center as a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Before Dr. Reddy’s appointment, Ronald Wapner, MD, Director of Reproductive Genetics and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, held the role of Vice Chair. Dr. Wapner will continue on in his current roles, overseeing the expansion of the Women’s Genetics program at Columbia.

“Columbia has a rich tradition in research in Ob/Gyn, and my goal is to expand our research in women’s health to experts in all disciplines of biomedical science,” Dr. Reddy said. “As Vice Chair of Research, my focus will be on promoting impactful research by our faculty and trainees, collaborative research across subspecialties as well as tackling pressing public health problems that affect our patient population.”