The NYMC community buzzed with excitement and anticipation as the Class of 2023 celebrated their dedication to biomedical science and looked onward to the journey that lies ahead of them. Behind Sunshine Cottage, families, friends and GSBMS faculty gathered to commemorate the graduates for their time at the College, on May 22. With the beaming sun and rich greenery of the NYMC campus, the graduates glowed as they solidified their commitment to their respective professions. The ceremony conferred 53 degrees to the Class of 2023, including 8 Ph.D. degrees and 45 M.S. degrees. Read the full article on the 164th commencement and view the photos, live stream and highlights video. 

The NYMC community rose to the occasion for the sixth annual Days of Giving on March 28 and 29 and raised $480,000 for student scholarships. The goodwill of 45 ambassadors and 327 gifts from 315 donors hailing from 27 states, along with matching gifts from a generous group of donors will impact the lives of students in the School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and Practice and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. “This year’s Days of Giving campaign was a tremendous fundraising success with increased participation from faculty, staff, alumni and students. The unprecedented number of student callers helped solidify our efforts as alumni happily chatted with young medical students and reminisced about their time at NYMC,” said Bess J. Chazhur, M.S., chief development officer and executive director of alumni relations. “We are deeply grateful to all those who participated in this special 48-hour campaign.” Donations for Days of Giving may still be made to support student scholarships.

The Graduate Student Research Forum sponsored by the Graduate Student Association on March 14, was a success on all fronts: stellar oral and poster presentations of student-conducted research, a keynote address by Susan J. Baserga, M.D., Ph.D., the William H. Fleming, M.D. Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and Professor of Genetics and of Therapeutic Radiology at Yale University, and an opportunity for the NYMC community to engage in scientific dialogue and learn about the research accomplishments in the GSBMS. Read the full article on the 34th annual Graduate Student Research Forum and view the photo gallery.

Alumni and members of the NYMC community gathered at two recent local events to learn about the great things happening at NYMC. Debra and Jonathan Gavras, M.D. ’86, welcomed friends of NYMC for a brunch in their Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, home on March 5. Patricia White, M.D., a member of the Board of Advisors, and her husband, Daniel Flatley, hosted an intimate parlor event at their home in New Vernon, New Jersey, on March 22. The occasions were an opportunity to reconnect with NYMC alumni and friends and encourage communication and engagement with the College. 

Hypertension is an important risk factor for the development of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease that affects greater than 40 percent of the United States population. Nicholas Ferreri, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of pharmacology, has contributed much to the field of research on hypertension, including most recently a study selected as an Editor’s Pick in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension that uncovered a new area of investigation that could lead to novel treatment approaches. Read the full story on Dr. Ferreri.

Michal Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology, and Victor Garcia, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, along with medical and graduate students working in their labs at NYMC, recently published a comprehensive book chapter at the invitation of the editors of Advances in Pharmacology that focuses on the latest studies surrounding 20-HETE and its receptor, GPR75. Previously, the labs of Drs. Schwartzman and Garcia in collaboration with the Regeneron Genetics Center discovered rare genetic mutations in the GPR75 gene associated with protection against obesity. Read the full story on the research.

The ninth annual Drs. Gabor and Harriette Kaley Endowed Lecture was presented in the Cooke Auditorium on April 24 with keynote speaker Anna Csiszar, M.D., Ph.D., (fifth from left), professor of the Department of Neurosurgery and Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Aging Research at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, who presented “Age-related Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Role of Endothelial Senescence.” Her lecture combined vascular physiology and neuroscience to identify the part cellular senescence plays in vasodilator function. Read the full article on the lecture.

The Family Health Center (FHC) at NYMC celebrated their third year on campus. The outpatient clinic, opened in October 2019, provides quality and affordable medical care staffed by board-certified family physician faculty. Led by Lori Weir Solomon, M.D. '99, M.P.H. '09, chair and clinical associate professor of‌ the Department of Family and Community Medicine and director of the FHC, the clinic serves patients from Westchester, New York City and the tri-state area and was a tremendous resource during the pandemic after just five months of operation. Read the full article on the FHC.

The NYMC community came together to support a student-led fundraiser and drive to provide relief for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6, that left more than 45,000 dead and two million homeless. More than $2,500 was collected and donations of bedding, winter clothes, non-perishable food items, medical supplies and more overflowed from boxes in the Blanche and Albert Willner, M.D. '43 Lobby. Read the full article on the earthquake relief efforts.

The NYMC and TU communities gathered for a melancholy observance of Yom Hashoah on May 4 in Nevins Auditorium. A moving presentation by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., (third from right), chancellor, chief executive officer, interim dean of the SOM, the Miriam Popack Chair of Biomedical Ethics and the Holocaust, director of the Hirth and Samowitz Center for Medical Humanities and Holocaust Studies and provost for biomedical affairs at TU, explored the story of the “Dachau Ashes.” Read the full article on Yom Hashoah and view the video. 

NYMC and TU presented, “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web,” on May 11, featuring a panel of faculty experts who discussed trending medical topics. The event, hosted by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer of NYMC, was followed by a question-and-answer session. Karen M. Murray, M.D. '99, FACOG, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and SOM associate dean for admissions, centered her segment on the medical management of menopause; Marisa A. Montecalvo, M.D., professor of medicine and medical director of health services, presented a panel on the next steps for the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters; Michael Goldberg, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine, discussed vitamin D deficiency in adults; and Amy Brown, M.D., M.Be. FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics and adjunct associate professor of public health, focused on testing water supply for contamination. View the “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web” webinar.

Elizabeth A. Berry, Ph.D. '23, addressed the GSBMS graduates at commencement on Monday, May 22. She participated in various research projects throughout many departments in the GSBMS and is enthusiastic about being a role model for girls interested in STEM careers and a director of a research group that aims to understand neurodegenerative diseases. Read the full article on Dr. Berry.

After 15 years of studying diabetes research, Abdelfattah El Ouaamari, Ph.D., joins NYMC as associate professor of cell biology and anatomy and of pharmacology after an extensive nationwide search. His career aspirations in diabetes research brought him from Morocco to France and now the United States. While diabetes is his niche, he is transitioning to explore obesity research and looking to investigate behavioral sciences in the near future. Read the full story on Dr. El Ouaamari.

In July 2022, the GSBMS welcomed new faculty member, Jian Li, Ph.D., as assistant professor of cell biology and anatomy. “I look forward to working with colleagues at NYMC who share similar research interests in proteostasis, aging and cancer. I am also excited about teaching and mentoring graduate and medical students. I inherited the teaching philosophy from my Ph.D. mentor that ‘If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’ I enjoy the stimulating discussions with students which often trigger new ideas.” Read the full story on Dr. Li.

Alexander Constantine, M.S. '21, is a current second year dental student at TCDM. His passion for dentistry was clear since his early days: “My dad is a dentist and I always looked up to him. When I was 10 years old, we had a class assignment where we named our heroes. Other students chose Derek Jeter and Angelina Jolie, but I chose my dad. It would be my greatest success to provide care to patients in the same manner that he does.” With hard work, determination, and a propensity for knowledge, Constantine set out on his dental path, cultivating his interests in the varied fields of the sciences. Read the full story on Constantine.

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The History of New York Medical College highlights the College's rich history of excellence and diversity in medical education and heritage as one of the oldest and largest private health sciences institutions in the United States.

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