Columbia University
Irving Medical Center
Neurological Institute
710 West 168th Street, 3rd floor
(212) 305-1818
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Featured Research
Celebrating Dr. Rafael Lantigua
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Rafael A. Lantigua, MD
After an incredible career devoted to research, education, and community service, Dr. Rafael Lantigua is retiring from Columbia to take on an exciting new role as Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Rome!
For more than four decades, Dr. Lantigua has been a mentor, leader, and champion of community-based research, working to improve the health and well-being of aging minority populations. Since 1999, he has served as Deputy Director of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, where he played a key role in advancing research on aging and neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on minority populations.
Beyond his contributions to research, Dr. Lantigua has been a steadfast advocate for health equity, serving as Associate Dean for Community Service, Director of the Office of Community Service Programs, and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. His commitment to bridging academic medicine with community impact led to the creation of the Columbia Center for the Active Life of Minority Elders (CALME) and the Columbia Center for the Health of Urban Minorities, two initiatives that have deepened NYP/CUIMC’s engagement with the communities it serves.
While he may be stepping away from academia, his influence will continue to be felt in medicine, public service, and beyond. As he embarks on this new journey, we celebrate his exceptional career and wish him all the best in this next chapter. His legacy will continue to inspire, and we have no doubt he will bring the same dedication and passion to his diplomatic role. Congratulations, Dr. Lantigua!
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