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This Month In Pediatrics
August 2026
Part 2
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Childhood Vaccine Executive Order Reel on Instagram
Dr. Sallie Permar was featured on the Weill Cornell Medicine Instagram discussing recent conversations around childhood vaccines and immunization requirements in the United States. She highlighted the importance of the MMR vaccine, which protects children against measles, mumps, and rubella, and explained why the combined vaccine remains an important part of routine childhood immunization. Watch video here!
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August is Teen Mental Health Awareness Month
As the new school year begins, our pediatric providers play an important role in supporting teens as they navigate academics, friendships, expectations, stress, and strong emotions. Providers can encourage families to check in with their teens, listen without judgment, and recognize the importance of mental health. Reminding teens and families that asking for help is always okay can make a meaningful difference. Read more here!
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New Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology is Opening a New
Practice Location in Lower Manhattan
The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the opening of a new pediatric gastroenterology practice location at 156 William Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10038, serving families across Lower Manhattan, Staten Island, New Jersey, and Brooklyn. Dr. Kimberley Chien will provide evaluation and treatment for conditions including abdominal pain, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, and vomiting, bringing specialized pediatric care closer to the communities we serve.
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Pediatric Grand Rounds will take place September 8 through October 6, 2026, with sessions offered in a hybrid format. The in-person sessions will be held in the WCM F-638 Conference Room.
Upcoming Speakers:
September 8: Mark Hall, MD
September 15: Hannah Wunsch, MD
September 22: Melinda Clark, MD
September 29: Speaker TBD
October 6: Ricki Carroll, MD
Faculty and staff are encouraged to join these upcoming sessions for learning, discussion, and collaboration.
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Dr. Zachary Grinspan has been awarded $1.6M from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over four years for his project, “CEPIE: Collaboration to Estimate the Pediatric Incidence of Epilepsy.” The project will support efforts to better understand the incidence of epilepsy among children.
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| | Dr. Oleh Akchurin has been awarded an $829,125 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for his project, “Defining and Preventing Iron-Induced Tubular Injury in CKD.” The project will support research into preventing iron-related kidney injury in patients with chronic kidney disease. | | | |
| | Dr. Bernhard Kuhn has been awarded an $818,022 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for his project, “Endothelin-1 Inhibits Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Heart Regeneration.” The grant will support research into the mechanisms that regulate heart regeneration and cardiomyocyte growth. | | | |
| | Pediatric Fellows' Research in Progress takes place on the first Thursday of each month. Third and second-year fellows present their ongoing academic scholarship work. Stay tuned for next month's presenters! | | | | |
Rally for Medical Research Hill Day
Weill Cornell Medicine is again sponsoring and organizing a group of faculty and students to participate in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day in September. In each of the previous twelve years of this event, patients, researchers, students, physicians, and many others whose lives have been impacted by medical research visited Capitol Hill to talk about the importance of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with members of Congress and policymakers.
The event will be in-person in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, September 17.
Participation is essential to ensuring that biomedical research remains a priority as Congress makes federal funding decisions and that lawmakers understand the vital role NIH-supported science plays in driving medical advancements and improving lives in all communities.
If you are interested in participating, please complete WCM's internal application by Wednesday, September 2nd.
The WCM group will be limited to 10 participants and will be selected on a first come first served basis. The WCM group will be limited to 10 participants and will be selected on a first come first served basis. Our colleagues in Government & Community Affairs will maintain a waiting list.
Important information to consider:
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GCA will be arranging the group’s Amtrak Train travel to Capitol Hill on September 17.
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The group will be on the 5:45am train to DC and on the 5:15pm train back to NYC on the same day.
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GCA will host a prep/training session via Zoom for the WCM group on Wednesday, September 9 at 12:00pm.
The application deadline is September 2.
If you have any questions, contact Cassie Lamadieu or check out www.rallyformedicalresearch.org.
| | Click here to view publications by faculty members published in the last 30 days! | | |
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Pediatric GI Social Media Campaign
Dr. Arielle Bergman and Dr. Lily Barash were featured in videos as part of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology’s social media campaign. Dr. Bergman discussed celiac disease, while Dr. Barash explained the role of a pediatric gastroenterologist. Both videos have received strong engagement on Instagram, and the division plans to share additional videos as part of the ongoing campaign.
Check out the videos on Instagram: @WCMPediatrics
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Dr. Sallie Permar was featured in The Guardian discussing the MMR vaccine and how the Trump administration’s executive order could affect parents and children. She provided expert insight into the importance of the MMR vaccine and childhood immunization. Read full article here!
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New eCornell Professional Development Benefit
Faculty and staff can take advantage of eCornell certificate programs and courses at a special rate of $100 per course as part of their professional development. Staff may also be eligible for tuition reimbursement for courses related to their work, subject to departmental approval and reimbursement policies.
- Register for eCornell programs using a personal credit card or CU Procurement Card with approval.
- Speak with your manager or HR representative for details about eligibility and reimbursement.
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Enroll for eCornell courses here!
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Join the Faculty Wellness Committee!
We’re inviting faculty members to get involved with the Faculty Wellness Committee. This group plans events throughout the year that promote connection, collaboration, and fun, gathers faculty feedback and ideas, and works closely with department leadership to support wellness initiatives and opportunities.
If you’re interested in joining, they meet every other month on Thursdays at noon. Please reach out to Dr. Susan Bostwick for more information.
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Are you interested in sharing your expertise or telling your story? We invite you to contribute to our department blog. You can submit post ideas to Ilina Das Ewen. Whether you have an idea, bullet points, an outline, or a fully written blog post, reach out to Ilina. She can help you draft or edit a blog post. Your personal stories and insights are valuable.
Check out our latest blog posts!
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Department of Pediatrics Strategic Plan
Our Goal is to develop a department-wide strategic plan that aligns with the WCM CARE Strategic Plan while identifying transformational opportunities in Clinical Care, Research, Education, AI & Data Science, Workforce Development, and Operational Excellence, with AI serving as a cross-cutting enabler across all missions.
We have scheduled a series of meetings:
September 9 - Faculty and Staff Workshop (Academic Mission)
September 14 - Faculty and Staff Workshop (Clinical Mission)
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ALL IN for Health Workers' Mental Health
Our very own Dr. Juliana Romano will be a panelist at the upcoming Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation advocacy event for healthcare workers. Check out the link below to register for this free event.
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 8:00PM
Location: NYC Health & Hospitals/Bellevue: Saul Farber Auditorium
Register HERE!
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2026 Third Avenue Fair
The Third Avenue Fair takes place each September between 68th and 86th Streets, and provides a great opportunity for departments, centers & institutes to offer valuable information to community residents and visitors while also promoting the services they provide. More than 200 faculty, staff and employees have participated in prior years lining both sides of the street!
Date: September 19, 2026
Time: 9:30am-4:00pm
Location: 68th and 86th Streets
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Schedule your Professional Headshot
External Affairs has established "headshot days" to fill the business need for standardized institutional headshots, particularly for clinical faculty profiles.
Employees in need of headshots may sign up for a 10-minute time slot through Microsoft Bookings (login required).
Stay tuned for upcoming headshot days here!
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Drs. Amar Ingravera, Adriana Perez and Hannah Kim were among the top pediatric physicians with stellar Google review ratings this month!
Share your appreciation for colleagues by submitting a shout-out for inclusion in the department newsletter here!
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