Meet Our New Faculty

Please join us in welcoming new faculty!

Julian Agin-Liebes, MD

Division of Movement Disorders

Julian Agin-Liebes, MD is an assistant professor of neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders. Dr. Agin-Liebes completed his medical degree at the Medical School for International Health at Ben Gurion University in Israel. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine followed by his residency in Neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and served as chief resident in his final year. He completed his fellowship in movement disorders at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He conducts research into the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease with a focus on genetics and biomarkers and is involved in clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease. He is also the director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Brain Bank.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Agin-Liebes, please call 646-426-3876.

Emanuele Barca, MD, PhD

Division of Neuromuscular Medicine

Emanuele Barca, MD, PhD is a physician scientist with experience in neuromuscular disease. His work focuses on metabolic myopathies and mitochondrial diseases. Dr. Barca worked for many years with adult onset Pompe Disease patients in one of the major neuromuscular center in Europe. As he joined Columbia initially as a research scientist, he acquired considerable experience in Mitochondrial medicine. Mitochondrial disease became the focus of his clinical interest he joined the North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium (NAMDC) as clinical fellow. He completed adult neurology residency at Columbia Irving Medical Center where he became proficient in diagnosis and treatment of most neurological conditions.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Barca, please call 646-426-3876.

Raeann Bourscheid, MD

Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease

Raeann Bourscheid, MD is an assistant professor in the Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease. Dr. Bourscheid attained her medical degree from the University of South Dakota, where she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and was the recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award. She completed neurology residency at the University of Utah, followed by a vascular neurology fellowship here at NYP/CUIMC. Dr. Bourscheid specializes in vascular neurology and acute stroke management, with clinical interests in stroke in the young, maternal neurovascular disease, and palliative care. She is actively involved in education and will be the inaugural Stroke Division Education Director.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bourscheid, please call 646-426-3876.

Li Hui Chen, MD

Division of Critical Care and Hospitalist Neurology

Li Hui Chen, MD is an assistant professor in the Division of Critical Care and Hospitalist Neurology. Dr. Chen received her undergraduate degree from Yale College and her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine. She completed internal medicine internship, neurology residency, and vascular neurology fellowship here at NYP/CUIMC. Dr. Chen specializes in treating patients with a wide range of acute neurological conditions. She also works closely with residents and medical students as the director of medical student and residency education within the Critical Care and Hospitalist Division. As part of this role, Dr. Chen is leading an effort to standardize the learning curriculum for neurology residents. Additionally, Dr. Chen is involved in quality improvement initiatives, and leads an effort to ensure safe discharges and follow-ups for patients who require advanced imaging after presenting to the Emergency Room with acute neurological complaints.

Sloane Heller, MD

Division of Critical Care and Hospitalist Neurology

Sloane Heller, MD is an assistant professor in the Division of Critical Care and Hospitalist Neurology. Dr. Heller completed medical school at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, followed by residencies in internal medicine and neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital, where she served as the chief resident for research. Dr. Heller is a neurohospitalist with expertise in the management of acute neurologic illness, care of medically complex patients with neurologic disease, and neurologic complications of systemic disease. Her research is focused on cognitive impairment secondary to systemic disease. In addition to her clinical activities, Dr. Heller will have a role in the education of residents and advanced practice providers in the inpatient setting.

Lilian Maria Salinas, PhD

Division of Cognitive Neuroscience

Lilian Maria Salinas, PhD is an assistant professor of neuropsychology in the Clinical Neuropsychology Service within the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience. Dr. Salinas received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from The New School University. She completed her internship in Clinical Neuropsychology at Northwell Health’s North Shore University Hospital and Zucker Hillside Hospital campuses, followed by a fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at NYU Langone Health Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. Dr. Salinas’ clinical and research interests include assessment of cognition and behavior in different neurological conditions, as well as racial and ethnic disparities in neuropsychological assessment and care of neurological populations. Her primary clinical activities focus on the assessment of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning among adults and children with neurological disorders. She provides neuropsychological assessment services in English and Spanish.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Salinas, please call 646-426-3876.

Min Ye Shen, MD

Division of Child Neurology

Min Ye Shen, MD is an an assistant professor of neurology at CUIMC, in the Division of Child Neurology. Dr. Shen received her undergraduate degree from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science and her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College. She completed her residency in child neurology and fellowship in clinical neurophysiology, with a focus on electroencephalograms (EEG), here at NYP/CUIMC. As a pediatric neurologist and epileptologist, Dr. Shen will focus on inpatient pediatric neurology and acute neurological conditions, as well as general outpatient pediatric neurology, seizures, and neonatal and pediatric epilepsy. She is involved in the pediatric stroke committee and aids in the identification of efficient approaches for promptly and safely recognizing and treating patients with suspected stroke. Dr. Shen is also interested in methods to improve medical student and resident education in child neurology.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Shen, please call 646-426-3876.

Jesus D. Villamizar, MD

Division of Child Neurology

Jesus D. Villamizar, MD is an assistant professor in the Division of Child Neurology. Dr. Villamizar graduated from Rutgers University and St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada. He completed child neurology residency at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in epilepsy here at NYP/CUIMC. Dr. Villamizar is a pediatric and neonatal neurologist and epileptologist with clinical focuses on seizures, infantile and childhood epilepsy, and epilepsy surgery. His research interests include psychiatric co-morbidities in epilepsy patients and advancements in epilepsy surgery, including the use of deep brain stimulation and responsive neurostimulation in pediatric patients. 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Villamizar, please call 646-426-3876.