InTouch Week of August 24, 2026

Week of August 24, 2026

NEWS

Walking Tour of the William F. Bierer, M.D. ’62, Educational Medicinal Herbal Garden

On August 12 and 19, Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and CEO, led faculty, staff, and students on guided tours of the William F. Bierer, M.D. ’62, Educational Medicinal Herbal Garden. Participants explored the rich history of medicinal plants and herbs, which have been used for thousands of years to support health and treat illness. Many modern medicines trace their origins to these plants, while others continue to be valued as natural remedies. The garden features a variety of medicinal herbs and plants, including foxglove, rosemary, bergamot, purple coneflower, lavender, lemon balm, spearmint, calendula, and yarrow. These plants have been traditionally used in teas, tinctures, oils, creams, and other preparations to help address concerns such as nausea, minor cuts and burns, upset stomachs, and muscle aches. The William F. Bierer, M.D. ’62, Educational Medicinal Herbal Garden was made possible through the generosity of the Bierer family.

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GSBMS Welcomes New Students During Welcome Luncheon

It was all smiles at the GSBMS New Student Orientation and Welcome Luncheon on August 13. New students were welcomed by Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., M.P.H. ’23, Dr.P.H. ’24, top right, vice chancellor for graduate and professional studies and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at NYMC, along with the GSBMS faculty and staff. The luncheon provided an opportunity to welcome the newest members of the GSBMS community and celebrate the start of their journey at NYMC.

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New and Improved AEDs are Installed Across Campus

NYMC now has eight new automated external defibrillators (AED) on campus and has upgraded the existing AEDs to the newest model, bringing the total number to 27.

New Partnership Opens Doors to Physical Therapy Careers for Westchester Students

NYMC and Archbishop Stepinac High School signed a new academic partnership agreement, creating a pathway for Westchester high school students interested in pursuing careers in physical therapy on August 19.

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NYMC SOM Student Senate Hits the Ground Running with New Executive Board

As the 2026–2027 academic year begins, the Student Senate at NYMC SOM has recommenced with a newly elected executive board to represent the student body’s voices and drive initiatives forward.

NYMC Faculty Mentor Future Dentists Through Immersive Summer Research Experience

Nine Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) students in the Summer Research Program are preparing to present their findings to the College community this fall after spending four weeks conducting biomedical research alongside faculty mentors from the GSBMS at NYMC.

Inaugural Anesthesiology Summer Research Program Gives Students an Early Start in Academic Medicine

This summer, students became the first to participate in the Anesthesiology Summer Research Program, an inaugural effort by NYMC and Westchester Medical Center faculty and staff to provide first-year medical students with an in-depth introduction to academic anesthesiology and clinical research methodology.

TCDM Promotes Healthy Smiles in the Community

Over the summer, students at TCDM, along with faculty, provided free dental screenings, oral health education, and introduced the Touro Dental Health state-of-the-art patient clinic at community fares to thousands of attendees throughout Westchester County. New York State Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, top, center, stopped by at the Italian Heritage Festival at Kensico Dam Plaza, to support the students and school, and help spread the importance of accessible oral health care.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

60 Seconds of Science | Episode 2: Cyclospora

Dana Mordue, Ph.D., vice chancellor for accreditation and student support and associate professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology, shares what you need to know about Cyclospora and tips for protecting yourself.

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ACCOLADE

NYMC was well-represented at the International Meeting on Lipid Mediators in Health and Disease at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, August 10-12. The meeting was the first joint meeting of the Bioactive Lipids Meeting and the Winter Eicosanoid Conference. Michal Schwartzman, Ph.D., M.Sc., second from left, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology, was part of the organizing committee and delivered a plenary talk, "The role of GPR75, the high-affinity 20-HETE receptor, in obesity and cardiometabolic disease." Victor Garcia, Ph.D. ’15, center, associate professor of pharmacology, presented "The emerging role of the 20-HETE/GPR75 axis in the pathogenesis of liver disease: from mechanism to therapeutic potential," in the session on Cytochrome P450 Metabolisms of PUFA. Dr. Garcia also facilitated an information session for new investigators in which he shared advice on interviewing for new employment positions and the use of AI in research. In poster sessions, Brendon Naicke, left, lipidomics core manager, shared findings on "Adipocyte-specific GPR75 deletion reduces hepatic, but not adipose, eicosanoid levels in high-fat diet-induced obese mice"; Dorina Krasniqi, second from right, a Ph.D. candidate, presented "Adipocyte-specific deletion of GPR75 protects against diet-induced obesity: Changes in glucose homeostasis and inflammatory responses," receiving a Travel Award; and Danielle Diegisser, right, a Ph.D. candidate, presented "Targeting the 20-HETE receptor, GPR75, to protect against diet-induced obesity and improved metabolic syndrome," earning both a Travel Award and the Outstanding Young Scientist Award. Austin Guo, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology and program director of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program, attended the conference to network and gain information to offer in the program and as editor-in-chief of the lsevier Journal, Prostaglandins and Other Lipid Mediators. Gail Anderson, associate administrator in the Department of Pharmacology, also participated in the meeting as conference staff as she is the long-time conference coordinator for the Winter Eicosanoid Conferences.

POLICIES

Updated

From the Office of General Counsel, August 24, 2026

HIGHLIGHTS

SOM Seeks MMI Interviewers

The SOM Office of Admissions is seeking interviewers for the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) 2026-27 interview season. The interview cycle runs from September through March and interviews are conducted on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday starting at noon. Please contact Jamie Zelig at Jamie_zelig@nymc.edu for more information about the process.

Wear Gold and Join Us for a Photo-op for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Thursday, September 10, 2026 • 12:15 p.m.

19 Skyline Drive, Lower Level Entrance

NYMC is going gold this September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics, medicine, pathology, microbiology and immunology, and cell and molecular physiology, and vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics, along with the NYMC community, for a group photo to honor and remember children and their families affected by cancer—and to help rally support for groundbreaking research.

CPR/AED Awareness Sessions

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Skyline Room 1N-B05

Thursday, October 15, 2026 • 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Basic Sciences Building Pharmacology Conference Room 511

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 • 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

SHSP Center for Interactive Learning

The Center for Disaster Medicine will offer three, one-hour, awareness-level AED/CPR courses on campus. The courses are open to NYMC faculty, staff and students on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that these courses are not open to the public and do not provide certification.

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Founder's Dinner

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 • 6:30 p.m.

Greentree Country Club

538 Davenport Ave.

New Rochelle, NY 10805

Proceeds go towards scholarships and important initiatives, and furthers NYMC’s mission to educate the next generation of physicians and health care providers, and support life-saving biomedical research.

EVENTS ON THE NYMC CALENDAR

DATE	TIME	EVENT
Monday, September 7	All day	Labor Day - College closed
Wednesday, September 9	8:30 a.m.	Department of Surgery Grand Rounds
	12:00 p.m.	Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology Research Talk Series
Thursday, September 10	12:15 p.m.	NYMC Goes Gold

Add an event to the NYMC calendar here.

Visit nymc.edu/calendar to view all events.

IN THE NEWS

Leadership News

Why Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Frequently Occurs During Sleep

Sleep-Wake Advisor - 8/7/26

Mill Etienne, M.D. ’02, M.P.H., FAAN, FAES, vice chancellor, associate dean for student affairs, and professor of neurology and of medicine

Is lettuce safe to eat now? What to know amid cyclospora outbreak

USA Today - 8/8/26