My medical training coincided with a time of intense progress in the treatment of HIV infection following the discovery of protease inhibitors and effective antiretroviral combination therapy. During my medical school clinical rotations at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and residency training at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell, I observed the life-saving capacity of these therapies as they became established in clinical practice. I also had the opportunity to care for patients who had exhausted the currently available drug options and were receiving newer agents through studies such as those conducted at the Cornell Clinical Trials Unit. During these years of progress in the management of HIV, I witnessed viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis C infection, emerge as an increasingly common cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons; however, the available therapies for hepatitis C continued to fail most HIV-infected patients. These experiences influenced my decision to further my training in the subspecialty of Infectious Diseases, focusing on care of patients coinfected with HIV and viral hepatitis infections. In addition, I began research with the aim of optimizing treatment of Hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients. Today, I continue this research at the Cornell Clinical Trials Unit in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C. I also care for patients living with HIV infection (Center for Special Studies) and viral hepatic infections (Hepatitis Clinic). In addition, I am fortunate to participate in the teaching of medical students, residents and fellows.
Dr. Marks received her BA in Human Biology and MS in Biology from Stanford University. She received her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed medical residency and fellowship training in New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she focused her clinical training and research on HIV and hepatitis virus infections. Her current research focuses on optimizing treatment strategies for HIV and Hepatitis virus co-infections and includes an NIH-funded, investigator-initiated pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of anti-D for the treatment of thrombocytopenia during hepatitis C treatment. She also serves as a co-investigator in the Cornell Clinical Trials Unit and Associate Director of the Fellowship Program in Infectious Diseases.
