GSBMS Alumni Connections

Dean's Message

Dear NYMC GSBMS Alumni,

There are so many accomplishments and success of our students, faculty and alumni, it gives me great pleasure to share a handful of them through the latest Alumni Connections. This issue is particularly meaningful to me as it is the last one I will share with you as Dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, a role I have had the privilege to enjoy since 1993. Although I will no longer be dean of the school, I will remain as a faculty member, teaching physiology. It has been my distinct pleasure to have known and worked with so many of you, and I look forward to continuing as part of the GSBMS' vital and thriving community. Please share your professional news with us via email.

Sincerely,

Francis L. Belloni, Ph.D.

Dean, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences

New York Medical College Marks its 158th Commencement Ceremony, Bestowing Degrees on 395 Graduates

A feeling of celebration and accomplishment filled the air in the majestic grand hall of Carnegie Hall as New York Medical College's 158th Commencement exercises got underway-with all the expected pomp and circumstance delighting students, faculty and guests who filled the hall's five tiers to capacity. On May 24, the College awarded 206 doctor of medicine (M.D.) degrees, 37 doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.) degrees, 3 doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, 61 master of science (M.S.) degrees, 85 master of public health (M.P.H.) degrees and 3 doctor of public health (Dr.P.H.) degrees. The audience of family, friends and distinguished guests gathered to observe the proceedings, providing cheers, applause and standing ovations throughout the course of the evening. View the 158th Commencement Week Activities photo gallery. Read more about ceremony

New York Medical College and the Westchester Medical Center Health Network Host Ceremonial Signing of Academic Affiliation Agreement

New York Medical College (NYMC) and the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) held a special signing ceremony on May 17 to commemorate the 12-year, Academic Affiliation Agreement between the two institutions. The long-term agreement will strengthen the academic medicine programs as well as the clinical care and research practices of both NYMC and WMCHealth. Seated, from left: Michael D. Israel, president and CEO, Westchester Medical Center Health Network and Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer, New York Medical College. Standing from left: Herman Geist, Westchester County Healthcare Corporation board member; Julie Switzer, executive vice president, general counsel, Westchester Medical Center; Dr. Mark Hasten, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Touro College and University System and New York Medical College; Mitchell Hochberg, chair of the board of directors, Westchester County Healthcare Corporation; Alan Kadish, M.D., president, New York Medical College and Touro College and University System; and Robert P. Astorino, Westchester County Executive. Read more about academic affiliation agreement

Touro College Set to Launch Nursing Program at New York Medical College

The Touro School of Health Sciences will open a new registered nurse (R.N.) to bachelor of science (B.S.) degree program at New York Medical College at 19 Skyline Drive. Set to open in August, the program is expected to enroll approximately 40 students and will include training in skills such as database research and telehealth and is intended to prepare nurses for modern health care environments. An articulation agreement was signed by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer, New York Medical College; Belinda S. Miles, Ed.D., president Westchester Community College, State University of New York, at a signing ceremony on May 18. The agreement will create a nursing pipeline from the associate's degree to bachelor's degree studies in nursing . Read more about the nursing program

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Hosts Fulbright Scholar to Study Effect of Neuropeptides on Stress Disorders

In September 2016, Nitish R. Mahapatra, Ph.D. , arrived at New York Medical College from Chennai, India, as a Fulbright Scholar to conduct research in the NYMC laboratory headed by Esther L. Sabban, Ph.D. , professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. Dr. Mahapatra is a professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras). Dr. Mahapatra will collaborate with Dr. Sabban on research about the effects of neuropeptides on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. Mahapatra's work at NYMC continues that of his research lab at the IIT Madras, which focuses on how stress factors relate to biomolecules in cardio-metabolic diseases such as hypertension and Type II diabetes. Read more about effect of neuropeptides on stress disorders

Lectureship Honors the Late Gabor Kaley, Ph.D.

The Fourth Annual Drs. Gabor and Harriette Kaley Endowed Lectureship held on May 1 hosted esteemed researcher, Fabio A. Recchia, M.D., Ph.D., second from left. The lecture is endowed by the family of late

faculty member, Gabor Kaley, Ph.D., who served as chairman of the Department of Physiology for 37 years. His widow Harriette Kaley, Ph.D., attended the May 1 lecture and spoke to the audience of her late husband's dedication to scientific research and NYMC.

This year's visiting lecturer was formerly a post

doctoral research fellow and faculty member at NYMC. He currently serves as professor of physiology, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy and adjunct professor of physiology, Temple University School of Medicine. Dr. Recchia is renowned for his work on the metabolism of the failing heart versus the healthy heart. He presented, "Cardiac Energy Turnover in Health and Disease."

Joining Dr. Recchia was Edward J. Messina, Ph.D., '73, right, professor of physiology, who introduced Dr. Recchia and Akos Koller, M.D., Ph.D., left, professor of physiology, who provided a brief update on other Kaley family contributions to cardiovascular micro-circulation research. Dr. Gabor Kaley served on the NYMC faculty for 43 years. When he stepped down from his post as chairman in 2007, he was the longest sitting chair of a physiology department in the nation.

Graduate Student Research Forum Showcases Impressive Scientific Work

Students in the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences shared their research projects with the College community at the 29th Annual Graduate Student Research Forum. Sponsored by the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the event showcased student research in progress in the form of 20 poster and ten oral presentations. A highlight of the day was the keynote address by Lasker award winning virologist Charles M. Rice, Ph.D., far left, who presented "Hepatitis C: From Discovery to Cure." Dr. Rice is the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Professor in Virology and Scientific and Executive Director at the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C at Rockefeller University. He was awarded the 2016 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for his work on the development of a system to study the replication of the virus that causes hepatitis C and using it to revolutionize the treatment of the chronic disease. Read more about student research forum

Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy Hosts Annual Research Forum

The Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy hosted its annual research forum where six graduate students and two post-doctoral fellows gave presentations followed by a five-minute question and comment period from a panel of judges comprised of Nicholas R. Ferreri, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, Christopher S. Leonard, Ph.D., professor of physiology, and Esther Sabban, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. Joseph D. Etlinger, Ph.D., standing far left, professor and chairman of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Victor A. Fried, Ph.D., standing far right, professor of cell biology and anatomy, pathology and graduate program director, joined the presenters. Read more about annual research forum