Karen S. Edwards M.D., M.P.H. '91, professor of practice in the School of Health Sciences and Practice, adjunct associate professor of pediatrics, and vice president for education, training and research, LEND program director and the Co-UCEDD director at the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD), was recently appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to two New York State Councils, The Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) and the Statewide Early Intervention Coordinating Council (EICC), both within the New York State Department of Health. The COGME provides advice to the Governor and Commissioner of Health on the formulation and implementation of state policies relating to medical education and training. The EICC assists the New York State Department of Health with the administration of the Early Intervention Program (EIP) and makes recommendations to the Department regarding appropriate services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Dr. Edwards was also appointed to a one-year term as president of the Board of Directors of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs, including University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Programs.

 

Michael H. Gewitz, M.D., professor of pediatrics, vice chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, received the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young Distinguished Achievement Award at the AHA's Scientific Sessions Annual Conference held November 7 - 11 in Orlando.   

  

Luis F. Riquelme, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-S, associate professor of clinical speech-language pathology,was recently appointed to the steering committee of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), a group working on globalizing terminology and definitions for texture-modified foods and thickened drinks for individuals with swallowing disorders (dysphagia) of all ages, in all care settings and of all cultures. Dr. Riquelme joins the committee as the next phase evolves to increase awareness and implement the proposed changes, based on current clinical and research evidence. The group is interdisciplinary and includes dieticians, food scientists, biomedical engineers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and physicians.

Dr. Riquelme and several alumni of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology presented research at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) annual meeting held in Denver, November 12 - 14. They presented their work on residue measurement in the pharynx after the swallow, so as to better manage patients at risk for aspiration. They used Image J, a freeware from NIH, to conduct the measures, as described by Pearson, Molfenter and Steele in 2013. Aspiration pneumonia remains the fourth most common cause of death among persons over age 65 in the U.S. and is one of five diagnoses the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has included as criteria for non-payment when a patient is re-admitted within 30 days of discharge. The research was conducted at NYMC and its affiliate, New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Photo: Dr. Riquelme, Laurel Lovelett, M.S.'15, CF-SLP and Ashley Davis, M.S. '15, CF-SLP

Viscosity-Dependent Differences in Post-Swallow Pharyngeal Residue: Comparisons Utilizing the Normalized Residue Ratio Scale Riquelme, L.F., Davis, A., Lovelett, L., Lee, S., Dilhon, P., Molfenter, S.M.

Use of the Normalized Residue Ratio Scale to Determine Post-Swallow Residue in Individuals with Dementia Riquelme, L.F., Rush, T., Johnston, E., Santander, M., Molfenter, S.M.

Amanda Soler, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Pharmacology, won a $500 Onsite Trainee Poster Award at the American Heart Association Council on Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2015 held in Washington, D.C. in September. She presented "20-HETE Antagonist, 20-SOLA, Restores Coronary Collateral Growth in the Metabolic Syndrome."

Marvin S. Medow, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics and associate director of the Center for Hypotension, Kathryn A. Spanknebel, M.D., associate professor of surgery and senior associate dean of faculty affairs for the School of Medicine, and Neha Kaul, M.S, M.A., director, human subjects administration, attended the annual conference on Advancing Ethical Research organized by Public Responsibility for Medicine & Research (PRIM&R) in Boston from November 12 - 15. Ms. Kaul also served on the poster abstract subcommittee for the second consecutive year as part of the planning committee for the annual conference.