Ira A Tabas, MD

Hospital Medicine
Endocrinology, Internal Medicine
More specialties
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Overview

Dr. Tabas received his medical degree and his doctorate in biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He then completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. During that period, Dr. Tabas also conducted a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Tall in the Department of Medicine at Columbia University. He joined the Columbia faculty in 1985 and is currently the Richard J. Stock Professor and Vice-Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine and Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology (in Physiology and Cellular Biophysics).

Dr. Tabas' honor include the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award, the Columbia University Doctor Harold and Golden Lamport Research Award, the American Heart Association/ATVB Council Special Recognition Award, the Richard J. Stock Professorship in the Department of Medicine of Columbia University, and the 2011 Alumni Achievement Award from Washington University School of Medicine. He was elected to both the Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.

Email: iat1@cumc.columbia.edu

Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated

  • Molecular Medicine

Academic Appointments

  • Richard J. Stock Professor of Medicine (Immunology)
  • Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics

Administrative Titles

  • Vice-Chair of Research, Department of Medicine

Hospital Affiliations

  • NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Gender

  • Male

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Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
  • Internship: Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY
  • Residency: Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY
  • Fellowship: Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY

Board Certifications

  • Internal Medicine
  • Endocrinology

Research

Dr. Tabas' research focuses on the molecular-cellular mechanisms of atherosclerosis, with an emphasis on macrophage cell biology, endoplasmic reticulum-induced cell death (apoptosis), mechanisms involved in the generation of clinically dangerous atherosclerotic plaques, translational work in mouse models of atherosclerosis, and mechanistic-based correlative studies on human disease tissue. His recent activities have expanded into mechanisms of atherosclerosis in diabetes and obesity, including new studies on liver and adipose tissue. He has lectured worldwide and published approximately 175 original research articles and reviews. These papers have been published in Cell, Nature, Nature Cell Biology, Nature Reviews Immunology, Cell Metabolism, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, Journal of Cell Biology, and Journal of Biological Chemistry. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, was Deputy Editor of the Journal of Clinical Investigation from 2002-2007, and is currently on the Board of Reviewing Editors for Science.

Research Interests

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Cellular and molecular processes related to arterial wall biology and atherogenesis
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Metabolic liver diseases

Selected Publications

  1. Wang, Y., Subramanian, M., Yurdagul Jr., A., Barbosa-Lorenzi, V.C., Cai, B., de Juan Sanz, J., Ryan, T.A., Nomura, M., Maxfield, F.R., Tabas, I. (2017) Mitochondrial fission promotes the continued clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages. Cell 171:331-345 PMC5679712 2.
  2. Gerlach, B.D., Ampomah, P.B., Yurdagul Jr., A., Liu, C., Lauring, M.C., Wang, X., Kasikara, C., Kong, N., Shi, J., Tao, W., Tabas. I. (2021) Efferocytosis induces macrophage proliferation to help resolve tissue injury. Cell Metabolism, 33:2445-2463. PMC8665147 3.
  3. Ampomah, P.B., Cai, B., Gerlach, B.D., Yurdagul Jr, A., Wang, X., Kuriakose, G., Darville, L.N., Sun, Y., Sidoli, S., Koomen, J.M., Tall, A.R., Tabas, I. (2022) Macrophages use apoptotic cell-derived methionine and DNMT3A during efferocytosis to promote tissue resolution. Nature Metabolism 4:444-457. PMC9050866 4. Schilperoort,
  4. M., Ngai, D., Katerelos, M., Power, D.A., Tabas, I. (2023) PFKFB2-mediated glycolysis promotes lactate-driven continual efferocytosis by macrophages. Nature Metabolism 5:431-444. PMC10050103 1 R35 HL145228-01
  5. A Mechanistic and Translational Research Program Linking Impaired Resolution, Defective Efferocytosis, and Clonal Hematopoiesis to the Formation of Clinically Dangerous Atherosclerotic Plaques Tabas (PI)