Yom Hashoah Symposium Analyzed the Impact of Nuremberg Trials

On April 28, NYMC and TU took a deeper look at the Nuremburg Trials and their pivotal figures on its 75th anniversary, while engaging in the remembrance of all of the lives lost and affected by victims of the Holocaust. The ceremony, which was hosted in conjunction with the Miriam Popack Chair in Bioethics and the Holocaust welcomed audiences both in-person and online with more than 560 attendees and featured presentations that explored the impact of the Nuremburg Trials on the evolution of medical ethics through the perspective of experts in law and ethics. Read the full article on Yom Hashoah and view the photo gallery and video.

Chair of Radiation Medicine, Mark Hurwitz, M.D., Receives Prestigious Award from Society of Thermal Medicine

Mark Hurwitz, M.D., chair and professor of radiation medicine at NYMC and director of radiation medicine at Westchester Medical Center was chosen as the 2022 recipient of the J. Eugene Robinson Award by the Society for Thermal Medicine in recognition of his outstanding contributions to hyperthermic oncology. The J. Eugene Robinson Award is the highest and most prestigious award bestowed by the Society. Dr. Hurwitz received the award on May 1 during the Society’s annual meeting, when he also presented the Robinson Lecture: “Confluence of a Career and A Cancer Treatment Modality: Navigating Hyperthermia to Cancer Patients in Need.” Read the full article on Dr. Hurwitz.

NYMC Researchers Find That Probiotics Can be Used to Treat Severe Gum Disease

Researchers at NYMC have found that serious gum disease can be counteracted through the administration of probiotics. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, was conducted by members of the faculty at NYMC, University of Strasbourg in France and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), and found that oral administration of live, pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila), a mucus-degrading bacterium with inflammatory properties commonly found in the human gut, significantly decreased Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis)-induced damage to the gums. Read the full article on the study.

Convocation of Thanks Offers Opportunity for Students to Honor “First Patients”

The 34th annual Convocation of Thanks offered an opportunity for first-year medical students and speech-pathology students to express their appreciation to the families of the loved ones whose bodies were graciously donated to NYMC for medical education. Members of the SOM Class of 2025 and the SHSP SLP Class of 2023 chose a variety of mediums—reflection, song, music and art—to honor their “first patients” during the Convocation, which took place in the John W. Nevins, M.D. '44 Auditorium and virtually on April 29. Read the full article on Convocation of Thanks.

Alpha Omega Alpha Iota Chapter Recognizes Academic Excellence at 2022 Induction Ceremony

On April 25, NYMC students, residents, faculty and alumni were recognized for their academic excellence with induction into the national medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), during a special ceremony that took place in the Skyline Dining Room, while proud family members looked on. An annual tradition at the College since 1957, this year marked the 66th induction ceremony by the NYMC Iota Chapter of AOA. Lawrence Brandt, M.D., chief emeritus of gastroenterology at Montefiore Medical Center and professor of medicine and surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, delivered this year’s visiting professor address. Read the full article on AOA.

SOM Celebrates Gold Humanism Honor Society Class of 2023 Induction

It was an emotional and celebratory evening for the newest members of the Gold Humanism Honor Society on April 28, when more than 30 students were inducted into the society for their humanistic approach to their clinical years, while faculty were recognized for their humanistic efforts. Families and friends joined the inductees at 19 Skyline Drive to celebrate the occasion. Read the full article on the GHHS induction and view the photo gallery.

Ph.D. Candidate Catherine D’Addario Finds Fulfillment in the Lab

Catherine D’Addario, a Ph.D. candidate in the pharmacology program in the GSBMS, has been fascinated with the world of science since she was a child and has followed that passion through her undergraduate studies and now as a member of the Class of 2022. She conducts research focused on pulmonary hypertension in hopes to find out more about how the incurable disease develops. Ms. D’Addario will share her thoughts on her journey as the student speaker at the GSBMS Commencement ceremony on May 24. Read the full Q&A.

Felipe C. Cabello, M.D., professor emeritus of pathology, microbiology and immunology, presented a virtual lecture, “Antimicrobial Resistance, Aquaculture and One Health,” in the Ocean Sciences Seminar Series, invited by the Graduate Student Association of the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on April 14.

Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, professor of cell biology and anatomy, and interim chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was a panelist for the “Coded Bias” film discussion presented by the Women in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Committee of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Chioma M. Okeoma, Ph.D., vice chair of research in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, presented a seminar, “SIV and Δ⁹-THC induced alterations in host miRNAome: Insights from Extracellular Vesicles,” at the Tulane University School of Medicine on April 1.

Nicholas R. Ferreri, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, chaired a session for the Renal Section of the American Physiological Society (APS), “Advances in Renal Physiology II,” which featured selected abstracts that best exhibited state-of-the-art concepts related to renal health and disease. He also addressed attendees at the Annual Renal Banquet regarding the programming format for the American Physiology Summit conference in 2023.

Shoujin Hao, M.D., Ph.D., research assistant professor in the laboratory of Dr. Ferreri, presented a poster, "MicroRNA-195 regulates blood pressure by inhibiting NKCC2A."

Xinpeng Duan, Ph.D., research fellow in the laboratory of Wenhui Wang, M.D., professor of pharmacology, presented the Steve Hebert Lecture of the Epithelial Transport Group, "Activation of Kir4.1/Kir5.1 of DCT is essential for acute calcineurin-inhibition-induced stimulation of NCC." Dr. Duan also gave a poster presentation of the same title.

Jonathan Pascale, a Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of Victor Garcia, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, presented a poster, "Structure-Function Relationship of the 20-HETE-GPR75 pairing: Development and characterization of agonist, partial agonists and receptor blockers."

Sakib Hossain, a Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of Michal L. Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology, presented a poster, "GPR75 Deficiency Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity."

Catherine D'Addario, a Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of Sachin Gupte, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, presented a poster, "Deletion Of G-Protein-Coupled Receptor 75 Prevents Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Vasoconstriction and Hypertension.” She was also the recipient of the APS Respiration Section Research Recognition Award.

Drs. Wang and Garcia and Junya Zheng, lab assistant in Dr. Wang’s laboratory, were also in attendance at the meeting.

From the Health Sciences Library: Touro University offers a $500 stipend to develop an open educational resource or adopt an existing open resource for your course. All full-time, part-time and adjunct faculty at NYMC with anticipated teaching responsibilities for the 2022-2023 academic year are eligible to apply. Additional information and an application is available online. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 13. 

Join us in welcoming our new employees at NYMC:

• Nicholas V. Bordonaro, Public Safety Officer, Office of Public Safety
• Yelena Bregman, D.P.T. ’15, Clinical Instructor, Department of Physical Therapy
• Juana Charleswell, Administrative Assistant, Department of Pediatrics      

From the Office of Human Resources, May 1, 2022.

Tuesday, May 24 - Wednesday, May 26

In-person by invitation only and online.

Contact the Family Health Center at (914) 828-0435 to make an appointment, although walk-ins are welcome.