Charles Chostner Marboe, MD, 75, Esteemed Cardiovascular Pathologist and Beloved Columbia Educator
Charles Chostner Marboe, MD, an internationally recognized authority in cardiovascular pathology and a cherished mentor and educator, died on August 4, 2025, in Evanston, Illinois. He was 75.
Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on May 16, 1950, Dr. Marboe received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1971 and earned his MD from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. He completed his pathology training at the Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York, where he later launched a distinguished four-decade career at Columbia University.
Dr. Marboe joined the faculty of Columbia University in 1980, eventually rising to the rank of Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology. He became Vice Chair and Director of Anatomic Pathology Services in 1996, directed Columbia’s pathology residency program for 25 years, and served as Vice Chair for Education beginning in 2009. His commitment to medical education spanning classroom teaching, laboratory instruction, curriculum development, and mentorship was both tireless and transformative.
Internationally, he contributed to medical education in sub-Saharan Africa, most notably helping develop a histopathology residency curriculum at the National University of Rwanda. He was a founding member of Columbia’s Academy of Clinical Mentoring and Excellence and a member of the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators.
A pioneering figure in heart transplant pathology, Dr. Marboe co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and played a central role in advancing diagnostic criteria for cardiac allograft rejection. His work supported clinical programs in heart and lung transplantation at Columbia and helped shape transplant care worldwide.
In recognition of his enduring impact, Columbia established the Dr. Charles Marboe Lecture in 2021, an endowed lectureship honoring his legacy in cardiovascular pathology and medical education.
Dr. Marboe retired in 2021 with the title of Professor Emeritus. He is remembered by colleagues and students not only for his scholarly excellence but also for his humility, warmth, and generosity.
He is survived by his family, friends, and the generations of physicians and scientists whose lives he helped shape.