Robert A. Cowles



Robert Cowles, MD is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and an Assistant Attending Surgeon at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian (MSCHONY). Dr. Cowles is currently one of three directors of the Center for Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation at MSCHONY who lead a team of neonatologists, infectious disease specialists, nutritionists, nurses, and social workers (CS Intestinal 2006). The Intestinal Rehabilitation Team has made considerable advances in transplantation of the small intestines in children, which is Dr. Cowles’ specialty (CS Progress 2006). One of these advancements deals with the initiation of clinical and research programs to track the outcomes of Serial Transverse Enteroplasty (STEP), a procedure where the short segment of the intestine is cut and lengthened in order to better absorb food (CS Progress 2006). Dr. Cowles is a main contributor to the research team and plans to create a clearer definition as to which patients may benefit most from STEP, and for which patients the procedure is inappropriate (CS Research 2006). He has also focused on researching short bowel syndrome and is looking to study the condition so that treatment may be effective and the need for intestinal or liver transplantation can be avoided (CS Intestinal 2006).

Education & Training
Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
 * 2003-2004  Chief Resident, Pediatric Surgery

Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
 * 2002-2003  Associate Chief Resident, Pediatric Surgery

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
 * 2000-2002  Senior/Administrative Chief Resident

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
 * 1998-2000  Research Fellow, General Surgery

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
 * 1995-1998  Junior Resident, General Surgery

Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
 * 1995  MD

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
 * 1991  BA

Completed Research Projects
Resident Research Scholarship, American College of Surgeons
 * 1998-2000 Neuroendocrine Regulation of Pancreatic Exocrine Function

National Institutes of Health
 * 1998-2000 Research Training in Surgical Gastroenterology

Selected Publications

 * Cowles RA, Eckhauser FE. Gastrointestinal and Liver Failure. In Argenta, LC, (Ed.) Basic Science for Surgeons – A Review, 1st ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 2004.
 * Segura BJ, Zhang W, Xiao L, Turner D, Cowles RA, Logsdon C, Mulholland MW. Sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates calcium signaling in guinea pig enteroglial cells. Journal of Surgical Research. 116(1): 42-54, 2004.
 * Segura BJ, Zhang W, Cowles RA, Xiao L, Lin TR, Logsdon C, Mulholland MW. Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates calcium transients in enteric glia. Neuroscience. 123(3):687-93, 2004.
 * Eckhauser F, Cowles R, Colletti L. Subtotal pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis. World Journal of Surgery. 27(11):1231-1234, 2003.