Passing of Michael R. Rosen, MD

Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to inform you that one of our most admired colleagues, Dr. Michael R. Rosen, passed away last Friday. Dr. Rosen came to Columbia in 1970 as a postdoctoral fellow and went on to carry longstanding faculty appointments in the Departments of Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Pediatrics. He was a prolific scientist, a valued mentor, and a good friend to many. His passing is a monumental loss for our community, and it’s fitting that we acknowledge and celebrate his remarkable life and impact on our shared work.

In October, I had the opportunity to attend a celebration of Dr. Rosen and his career in pharmacology and pediatrics. It was easy to see the mark he made on Columbia and his field at large. Dr. Rosen’s research elucidated important discoveries in the electrophysiology and pharmacologic prevention and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. His later work offered important insights into cardiac memory and employing gene and stem cell therapies as a means toward biological pacing. His career at Columbia spanned 50 years and produced more than 500 peer-reviewed publications. Needless to say, the grants, awards, and leadership positions bestowed upon him are too numerous to list here. Perhaps even more impressive and important than those accolades are the legions of junior colleagues he thoughtfully mentored over his many years at Columbia. Dr. Rosen was an attentive mentor, an outspoken advocate for science and truth, and a thoughtful teacher and colleague. Our community will dearly miss his presence.

I’m grateful to have taken part in our community’s celebration of Dr. Rosen and his remarkable life, and I look forward to hearing more about him from his friends and colleagues in the weeks to come. We send our condolences to his wife, Dr. Tove Rosen, professor emerita of pediatrics, and their daughters, Jennifer and Rachel. It is hard to mark the passing of a good friend and colleague, but it is good to know that his presence is still felt by the many people he touched throughout his life, and that so many more will continue to benefit from his important contributions to science.

All my best,

Katrina Armstrong, MD
Dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University