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Dr. Robert Burakoff, a renowned expert in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), has been named vice chair for ambulatory services for the Weill Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and site chief for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine, effective Aug 1.

“Our team at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine is focused on helping patients through clinical care, research and education. Dr. Burakoff understands how important it is to provide personalized, compassionate care, and we look forward to him joining our team,” said Dr. John P. Leonard, interim chair of the Weill Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, director of the Joint Clinical Trials Office at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and Weill Cornell Medicine, and associate dean for clinical research and the Richard T. Silver Distinguished Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Burakoff joins NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he served as clinical chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and director of the Center for Digestive Health since 2003, as well as professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Throughout his 35-year career, Dr. Burakoff has been a leader in the treatment and research of disorders of the digestive system and liver. He has developed centers of excellence in gastroenterology treatment with high-quality patient care, cutting-edge research and innovative education for patients, residents and fellows.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Burakoff to NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, where his wealth of experience in gastroenterology and hepatology will enhance the full range of services we provide to our patients,” said Dr. Judy Tung, section chief of ambulatory internal medicine, chair of the Department of Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Burakoff’s primary expertise is in chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — the primary forms of IBD. As a clinical researcher, he is conducting translational research using blood-based genetic biological markers to differentiate Crohn’s disease from ulcerative colitis and determine severity of the disease and its response to therapy. He also specializes in diseases that affect the motility of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, diseases of the esophagus and general gastroenterology. His research interests include the role of inflammation on esophageal motility disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs when gastric acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus (known as acid reflux), usually because of a weakness in the muscles that close the esophagus off from the stomach.

“Dr. Burakoff is the perfect addition to our team. He is both an outstanding clinician and accomplished researcher and administrator, whose work will benefit our patients in lower Manhattan and across New York City,” said Dr. David E. Cohen, chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine.

In his role as vice chair for ambulatory services, Dr. Burakoff will improve access to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine’s team of specialists, focusing on efficiency and patient satisfaction. As site chief for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine, he plans to enhance services, and in particular, create an even more robust presence for diagnosing and treating Crohn’s disease and colitis.

“I look forward to joining the dynamic and growing team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan and Weill Cornell Medicine as we work to make advancements in quality care and innovative research, translating findings at the bench into the very best in patient care,” Dr. Burakoff said.

Prior to joining Brigham and Women’s, Dr. Burakoff served as chief of the Gastroenterology Division at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. At each institution, he spearheaded new programs such as GI motility centers, which provides non-invasive diagnostic tools for GI disorders that allow for more focused treatments. These tools include breath testing for lactose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth in the digestive tract.

Dr. Burakoff is a founding editor and former co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, the first journal devoted to the study of basic and clinical science in IBD. He is also chair of the editorial board of the National Scientific Advisory Cabinet of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). In 2011, the CCFA honored him as Humanitarian of the Year for his care of patients with IBD. He is currently editor in chief of Scientific American Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy and is a reviewer for multiple scientific journals. Dr. Burakoff is passionate about public health, and served as chair of the American Gastroenterological Association’s Advocacy and Public Policy Committee from 2009 to 2012.

After earning his undergraduate degree at Queens College of the City University of New York, Dr. Burakoff received his medical degree from Albany Medical College of Union University. He completed his residency training at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, and fellowships at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. He earned his Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare delivery systems, whose organizations are dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to patients in the New York metropolitan area, nationally, and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and innovative, patient-centered clinical care.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions:

• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the Honor Roll of “America’s Best Hospitals.”
• NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network comprises hospitals and other facilities in the New York metropolitan region.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services, which connects medical experts with patients in their communities.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health, encompassing ambulatory care network sites and community healthcare initiatives, including NewYork Quality Care, the Accountable Care Organization jointly established by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia.

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Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine — faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization—are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side's scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine's powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where an international campus offers a U.S. medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.