David M. Kalfa, M.D.,Ph.D.
On the web

Overview
Dr. David Kalfa is a Board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with a subspecialization in pediatric cardiac surgery. A Native of France, Dr. Kalfa graduated from Marseilles University Graduate School of Medicine with the highest level of distinction in 2004. During his certification, he developed a research program in Tissue Engineering applied to the field of Congenital Heart Diseases that led to the attainment of numerous grants including a European Research FP7 Grant. He completed a research fellowship in Fondation Alain carpentier/INSERM in Paris and received his PhD degree in 2011 with the highest level of distinction. He then performed a 2-year clinical fellowship in Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery in one of the highest-volume centers (Marie Lannelongue Hospital in Paris) with exposure to highly complicated cases from all age groups (from neonates to adults). He completed a clinical fellowship in Adult Cardiac Surgery at Laval University Hospital in Quebec, Canada (2012-2013). He was then Assistant Attending in Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital/NYP (2013-2015) and is currently Associate Professor of Surgery (tenure track) in the Section of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Columbia University, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College.
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
- Heart Transplant, Pediatric
- Pediatric Heart Transplant
Academic Appointments
- Florence Irving Associate Professor of Surgery (tenure track), Section of Pediatric & Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Administrative Titles
- Director, Pediatric Heart Valve Center
- Surgical Director, Initiative for Pediatric Cardiac Innovation
- Director, Kalfa research lab
Hospital Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
- NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center
Languages
- English
Gender
- Male
Schedule an Appointment
Virtual Visits/Telehealth
Virtual Visits allow you to connect with your provider from the comfort, convenience, and safety of your own home.
Phone Appointments
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Location(s)
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- NY Signature
- PPO
- Student Health
Cigna
- Great West (National)
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
Emblem/GHI
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Emblem/HIP
- Select Care (Exchange)
- Vytra
Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- EPO
Healthfirst
- Medicare Managed Care
Local 1199
- Local 1199
- NYP Employee Plan
Medicare
- Railroad
- Traditional Medicare
Multiplan
- Multiplan
MVP Health Care
- Essential Plan
- HMO
RiverSpring
- Special Needs
UnitedHealthcare
- Compass (Exchange)
- Empire Plan
- HMO
- Oxford Freedom
- Oxford HMO
- Oxford Liberty
- POS
- PPO
VNSNY CHOICE
- SelectHealth
World Trade Center Health Plan
- World Trade Center Health Plan
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- 2011 Universite De Montpellier I
- 2011 Universite De La Mediterranee (Aix-Marseille)
- Internship: 2004 University of Montpellier
- Residency: 2010 Universite De La Mediterranee (Aix-Marseille)
- Fellowship: 2010 Marie Lannelongue Hospital
Committees, Societies, Councils
- Polymers (Reviewer Board Member)
- World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery (Editorial Board Member)
- Cardiology Research (Editorial Board Member)
- Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering (Editorial Board Member)
- Congenital Heart Disease Journal (Editorial Board Member)
- Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics (Editorial Board Member)
- SciTechz Stem Cells Research & Therapy (Editorial Board Member)
- SciTechz Annals of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Diseases (Editorial Board Member)
- Surgery: Current research (Editorial Board Member)
Research
Grants
- July 2020 - June 2023: 2020-2023
Irving Scholar ($180,000 and maned Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Surgery), “an expandable heart valved conduit for children”
This award supports my research activity on developing an expandable heart valve that can accommodate the growth in children - January 2020 – December 2023:
2020 American Heart Association (AHA) - Children Heart Foundation (CHF) Congenital Heart Defect Research Transformational Project Award ($300,000), “In-vitro and in-vivo mechanical stability and growth of a bio-hybrid heart valve », role: PI
This grant is aimed to test the mechanical and biological properties of a semi-inert, semi- tissue-engineered heart valve. - July 2020 – June 2022:
2020 Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) Research Award. ($80,000) “Development of An Innovative Biomimetic Patch to Improve The Durability of Valve Repairs”, role: PI.
This grant tests a new generation of biomimetic biomaterial designed for heart valve repair. - July 2020:
Columbia BiomedX Ignition grant ($20,000), “an expandable heart valved conduit for children”
This grant is aimed at making the proof of concept of a new type of growing heart valve in a large animal model - January 2020 – December 2021:
2020 Congenital Heart Defect Coalition Research Grant ($50,000), “Development of a biomimetic patch for valve repair”. Role: PI
This grant is aimed to computationally model a new biomaterial for heart valve repair. - January 2020 - Janduary 2021 : Columbia Provost Seed Grant ($30,000),
January 2020 - Janduary 2021 : Alliance Joint Projects Grant ($12,000), "Computational modeling of the biological process of tissue regeneration. ", role: PI
These 2 grants were obtained jointly to dissect and model the process of vascular tissue regeneration. - April 2017 – March 2021: 2017 Babies Heart Fund ($75,000), Babies Heart Fund, «Heart Valve Tissue Engineering», Role: PI.
This grant is dedicated to heart valve tissue engineering.
Selected Publications
- N Goldshtrom, D Vargas, A Vasquez, F Kim, K Desai, ME Turner, O Barry, A Torres, S Levasseur, S Strletsova, PR Gupta, JR Defazio, V Duron, M Middlesworth, L Saiman, R Miller, D Goffman, EA Bacha, D Kalfa, DJ LaPar, G Krishnamurthy. Neonates With Complex Cardiac Malformation and Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Born to SARS-CoV-2 Positive Women-A Single Center Experience. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2020 Aug 27:2150135120950256.
- BR Anderson, VL Blancha Eckels, S Crook, JM Duchon, D Kalfa, EA Bacha, G Krishnamurthy. The Risks of Being Tiny: The Added Risk of Low Weight for Neonates Undergoing Congenital Heart Surgery. Pediatr Cardiol. 2020 Jul 29. doi: 10.1007/s00246-020-02420-0
- Farooqi KM, Nees SN, Smerling J, Senapathi SH, Lorenzoni R, Pavlicova M, Einstein AJ, Bacha EA, D Kalfa, Chai PJ. Assessment of anomalous coronary arteries by imagers and surgeons: Comparison of imaging modalities. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 May 23:S0003-4975(20)30742-6.
- B Mantell, L Addonizio, N Jain, D LaPar, P Chai, E Bacha, D Kalfa, J McAllister, W Zuckerman, T Lee, M Richmond, S Law. Evolution of Pediatric Ventricular Assist Devices and their Neurologic and Renal Complications - a 24-year single center experience. Artif Organs. 2020 Apr 12. doi: 10.1111/aor.13696.
- EH Stephens, A Shakoor, SE Jacobs, S Okochi, AL Zenilman, W Middlesworth, D Kalfa, PJ Chai, DV Chaves, E Bacha, E Cheung. Characterization of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support for Single Ventricle Patients. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2020 Mar;11(2):183-191.