Volume Seventeen Number Ten Michael S. Goligorsky, M.D., Ph.D., is the 2011 Dean s Research Award Winner 3 H I G H L I G H T S 2Medical student shares life lessons and advice from Nobel Prize winner Delroy Chang: Anatomy lab legend retires after 40 years Pioneer in cord blood stem cell therapies to speak at MSRF 4 Significant contributions to understanding the vital role of the kidney in the preservation of health and in the prevention of disease have earned Michael S. Goligorsky, M.D., Ph.D., the 2011 Dean s Research Award. (photo by Philip Jensen-Carter) Some experts contend that Michelangelo painted the image of a bisected right kidney as the mantle of the Creator in his painting of Separation of Land and Water on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. For Michael S. Goligorsky, M.D., Ph.D., the Alvin I. Goodman Chair in Nephrology, professor of medicine and pharmacology, the science of the kidney as art is not novelty, but has been the object of his research for the past three decades. both involve ideas, theories and hypotheses that are tested where mind and hand come together for me, in the laboratory, for an artist, in the studio. But we both study and learn to transform information into something else. In fact, he said, in ancient Greece, the word for art was techne, from which technique and technology are derived terms that are aptly applied to both scientific and artistic practices. 5 Department of Pharmacology hosts research day As the 2011 Dean s Research Award winner, Dr. Goligorsky plans to focus on how science and art naturally overlap during his presentation, From Images to Hypotheses, which he will deliver on January 30 at 4 p.m. in Nevins Auditorium. In his office, filled with photographs and art he has rescued from flea markets, bought from street artists, or retrieved from the childhood doodlings of his son, Dr. Goligorsky expounded on his love of the creative process of research. Both art and science are a means of investiga- In the lab, you are a free spirit, he said. You New York Medical College A member of the Touro College and University System www.nymc.edu tion, he asserted in a recent interview. They must learn to expect the unexpected. continued on page 5
H O N O R S A N D A P P O I N T M E N T S Accolades Medical student shares life lessons and advice from Nobel Prize winner Felipe Cabello, M.D., professor of microbiology and immunology, was invited to present his work on antimicrobial use on aquaculture and its potential impacts on antimicrobial resistance and public health at the 141st Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society held in Seattle in September. He was also invited to present aspects of this work at the meeting Metagenomics and Environmental Microbiology organized by the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía in Baeza, Spain, in October. The work was funded by a grant from the Lenfest Program/Pew Charitable Trusts. Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics and medicine, and chief, pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplantation at Westchester Medical Center, was a panelist at the International Vatican Conference, Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture, held in November in Vatican City. He participated in the panel discussion Past Practices: Cord Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation for Hematological Disorders. Medical students were well represented at the New York American College of Physicians Conference held in Rochester in October. The following abstracts were accepted and posters presented: Simultaneous Cerebral Accident and Acute Coronary Sydrome: Which Do You Prioritize? Tayyba Anwar, Class of 2013 When Steroids Make the Body a Safe Haven for Strongyloides, Kristamarie Collman, Class of 2013 A Curious Cause of Strangulation, Nadia Nocera, Class of 2013 Development of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a 20-Year Old After Electrical Injury, William Oh, Class of 2013 Why Complicate Matters? Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Nishi Mehta, Class of 2014 There s no denying that traveling the world and working with a Nobel prize winner have helped mold second-year medical student David Amadu and his aspirations. When second-year medical student David Amadu opened an email announcing that the 2011 Nobel Prize for medicine had been awarded in immunology, he was particularly intrigued. When it turned out that one of the awardees was Ralph Steinman, M.D., of Rockefeller University, Mr. Amadu was more than thrilled. He d worked for two years as a research assistant in Dr. Steinman s lab to develop a DNA vaccine against HIV/AIDS by targeting HIV antigens to dendritic cells. In fact, Mr. Amadu had been listed as second author in an article on the work published in the Proceedings from the National Academy of Science. Dr. Steinman was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of dendritic cells and their role in adaptive immunity. But when Mr. Amadu called Dr. Steinman s lab to offer his congratulations, his exuberance was tempered by the news that Dr. Steinman had died just three days earlier even more tragically, he had died before learning of his Nobel Prize. Dr. Steinman had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago and his life was extended using a combination of surgery, standard chemotherapy and experimental dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design. Although the Nobel prize is not typically awarded posthumously, it was announced that Dr. Steinman s selection would stand since the Nobel committee did not learn of his death until after it had reached its decision. Dr. Steinman provided an incredible stepping stone for me and many others, said Mr. Amadu. He looked for people with passion, drive and potential, and he mentored us and pushed us not to get to comfortable but to keep pressing forward. He encouraged me to be involved in the kind of science that poses interesting questions and changes lives. Mr. Amadu, who left his homeland of Sierra Leone at age 17, appreciated the guidance and direction. One day when contemplating future career choices, Dr. Steinman took me aside and told me that whatever I do and wherever I go, I must be sure that my wife is happy, said Amadu with a smile. While that may seem obvious, hearing it from someone so successful was very powerful for me. Mr. Amadu learned early to listen, ask questions and respect other people s perspectives. He grew up in one of the poorest countries in the world during an 11-year civil war. When he was 12 years old, his father died of hypertension. Even at a young age, this incident left me with a sense of curiosity that made me want to learn more about diseases, and to one day contribute toward science, said Mr. Amadu. In 2001, he was accepted into the United World College in Singapore, where he joined students from 70 different countries in performing various service projects in Singapore and Malaysia. The students were inspired to create a more peaceful and sustainable future by gaining international and intercultural understanding, celebrating differences, performing service and respecting the environment. Then he was recruited by Colby College in Maine, where he majored in biology and met his college sweetheart whom he later married. While there, he performed research that involved purifying and characterizing a protein using iso-electronic point and gel electrophoresis. But he never forgot the poverty and illness he d left behind in Sierra Leone. After describing the harsh conditions in his native land to five college friends, they honed in on the blight of malaria in the country. According to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health, malaria causes an astounding 42 percent of pediatric deaths and 27 percent of all deaths. For two years, he and his friends organized fundraisers to pay for a trip and the purchase of 2,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets. In 2006, Mr. Amadu, his friends and a physician traveled around the villages of Sierra Leone, distributing the nets and educating villagers about malaria prevention. I learned lessons about sacrifice, hard work and determination on this project that will be useful to me for the rest of my life, said Mr. Amadu. As he continues in his quest for a medical degree and, he hopes, a Ph.D., he said he plans to use medicine as a way to empower people. With plans to return to Africa, he hopes to increase access to health care there, spread health awareness and participate in basic research into health conditions that affect so many. There s a lot that needs to be done, and people have to do it, said Mr. Amadu. While one person doesn t have to do everything, each of us should do as much as we can. 2
H O N O R S A N D A P P O I N T M E N T S Delroy Chang: Anatomy lab legend retires after 40 years The dissection of a cadaver is an integral Back then, the married part of the physician s learning and entry father of three was working as a lab technician at into the world of medicine. Their first incision is something few physicians forget. It can be both awe-inspiring and profoundly emotional. the University of West Indies after attending a trade school for funeral Over the past 40 years, more than 8,000 medical students at New York Medical College have been guided through that moment and trained in the anatomy lab by the same person Delroy Chang, senior lab preparator in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy. Although Mr. Chang retired on November 1, he is still working part time in the lab until his replacement is found. directors and had met Dr. Rhodin at a conference. Now, it seemed, Dr. Rhodin and his team had a proposal for Mr. Chang a hard-to-fill job that would allow the Chang family to immigrate to the United States. Calling him a living legend, Joseph D. Etlinger, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, said Mr. Chang s soft spoken and gentle manner and his ability to correct without being condescending made him a treasure for generations of students. The job as gross anatomy lab assistant involved responsibility for the lab and for embalming all cadavers to be used for dissection by medical students during training. For four decades Delroy Chang has imparted his knowledge, technical skills, compassion and respect for the human body to thousands of medical students. Mr. Chang has been an outstanding and (photo by Juliana Thomas) Once offered the job, he did invaluable member of our department, said Dr. not think twice before moving to New York and joining the staff of the lessons of professionalism and confidentiality Etlinger. Delroy interacts extensively with students during lab sessions. His contact with College a year later. In 1971, he was the first hospital employee to come to the Valhalla campus. families of donors at the Convocation of Thanks from Delroy. When medical students meet students extends beyond the lab where he serves as a valued mentor, counseling on many issues. in the spring, they often tell the families of the Alumni always remember Delroy fondly even Over the years Delroy has worked closely with 14 stewardship that Delroy has provided for their after many years. other New York loved ones. He is an optimist, a terrific team State medical player especially when we sail in the doldrums of Indeed, Mr. Chang Everyone is going to die, and medical school lab not enough time or not enough space. He s very Delroy to nearly everyone has been coach death. Plus, I will always believe that needed an expe- students need to be able to deal with supervisors who creative. He makes the time and finds the space. and confidant, helping the best way to understand the human rienced mentor Delroy was one of the first people I met when I students get through body is to study on a real one, not a who could share joined the anatomy department in 1974, and he the challenges of computer screen. I m very proud of his knowledge welcomed me immediately, said Liza Markley, anatomy class. what we ve accomplished in these 40 about starting department administrator. As I recall, learning Sometimes he might years. and maintaining about the cadavers took a little getting used place a student s hand - Delroy Chang their own to, but Delroy conveyed how important and in the proper position to find an anatomical part they were having difficulty finding. Other times, he would remind students that the cadaver was their patient and to help them overcome their reluctance to dissect. programs. He insures proper preparation of the body for studies, which can last up to three years, at the College s state-ofthe-art cadaver preparation facility and storage facility. This New York State licensed nontransplantable necessary our body donations were to the instruction of our future doctors. I ve witnessed many of those former students return to NYMC and ask if Delroy was still here, remembering how he had caringly introduced them to their first patients. He will be greatly missed. tissue bank assures that the anatomical Mr. Chang s first visit to the College was on a Delroy Chang is proud of the work he s done. donors are prepared and maintained with Sunday afternoon in October, 1969 when he, I took a job that nobody else felt comfortable utmost professionalism and respect, one of having paid for his own flight from Jamaica taking, and I made a difference with it. Everyone Delroy s hallmarks. specifically for this purpose, walked into the is going to die, and medical students need to be offices of New York Medical College, which was then located at Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospitals in Manhattan. His objective was to interview with Johannes Rhodin, Ph.D., who was then professor of anatomy. I have known Delroy for 29 years. Whatever he does, he does it with style, said Matthew A. Pravetz, O.F.M., Ph.D. 88, associate professor of cell biology and anatomy and gross anatomy course director. Students have learned real able to deal with death. Plus, I will always believe that the best way to understand the human body is to study on a real one, not a computer screen. I m very proud of what we ve accomplished in these 40 years, he said. 3
Pioneer in cord blood stem cell therapies to speak at Medical Student Research Forum Joanne Kurtzberg, M.D. 76, a world renowned trailblazer in cord blood stem cell therapies and a graduate of New York Medical College, will be the keynote speaker at the Medical Student Research Forum on February 9 in Nevins Auditorium. Dr. Kurtzberg is Duke University s Chief Scientific Officer of the Robertson Clinical and Translational Cell Therapy Program and Co-Director of the Stem Cell Laboratory and Director of the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank. She will present The Potential of Cord Blood for Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine; Lessons Learned and Future Possibilities. Dr. Kurtzberg is an internationally accomplished physician scientist in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology stem cell transplantation, said Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics and medicine, and chief of pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplantation at Westchester Medical Center. She is a pioneer in the field of cord blood banking, cord blood transplantation and cord blood regenerative medicine. As a medical graduate of NYMC, she exemplifies the continued outstanding tradition of highly accomplished alumni. Dr. Kurtzberg pioneered and continues to advance the use of banked umbilical cord blood as a source of stem cells for marrow transplantation in children. Under her leadership, Duke established the internationally known Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant (PBMT) program and currently treats children with cancer, blood disorders, immune deficiencies and metabolic disorders. It is the largest dedicated pediatric transplant program in the world. Throughout the PBMT program, more than 1,400 autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants have been performed on children with Joanne Kurtzberg, M.D. 76, will return to New York Medical College as the keynote speaker at the 16th Annual Medical Student Research Forum. cancer or genetic diseases since 1990. Dr. Kurtzberg established the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank (CCBB) in 1996 with support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Over the years, the CCBB has grown to become a processing, testing and storage center for public cord blood units donated by mothers delivering at 14 hospitals and health systems throughout the region. The CCBB is one of the largest public cord blood banks in the world, currently storing approximately 27,000 units. Umbilical cord blood stem cells, normally discarded after birth, have the ability to grow and develop into various types of cells throughout the body. They can be harvested after birth and stored for future transplant in patients with many types of blood disorders, and increasingly, other diseases as well. Dr. Kurtzberg provided care for the first person ever to receive a cord blood transplant, and was the first in the world to perform an unrelated cord blood transplant. Much of her current interest focuses on children with acquired or genetically-linked brain injury. Children with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries come from all over the world to receive cord blood treatments under her direction. There are a series of genetic diseases that can be helped by stem cell therapy. Blood-forming diseases such as sickle cell anemia, immune diseases like severe combined immunodeficiency and metabolic diseases such as adrenoleukodystrophy can also be helped by stem cell therapy, Dr. Kurtzberg said. I think the next big advancement in medicine will involve using cells as therapy. We are learning from these children how to do that, said Dr. Kurtzberg. Second-year medical student Shannon McKernan, who heads the Medical Student Research Forum committee, said she was very pleased that Dr. Kurtzberg agreed to speak. The forum is about celebrating student physician scientists, and Dr. Kurtzberg serves as an excellent example of how today s medical students can have clinical careers that include conducting research, said Ms. McKernan. Also, we are looking forward to reconnecting Dr. Kurtzberg with the community at her alma mater. Save the date Through Friday, December 30, 2011 National Library of Medicine Exhibition Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Yellow Wall-Paper Monday, January 30, 2012 4:00 p.m. 2011 Dean s Research Award Presentation and Lecture Nevins Auditorium, Medical Education Center Wednesday, March 28, 2012 5:00 p.m. Alpha Omega Alpha Visiting Professor Lecture Nevins Auditorium, Medical Education Center Health Sciences Library Thursday, February 9, 2012 Thursday April 19, 2012 Medical Student Research Forum Graduate Student Research Forum Mark your calendars for the following events: Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:00 p.m. Eighteenth Annual Author Recognition Celebration Nevins Auditorium, Medical Education Center Friday, March 16, 2012 12 noon Nevins Auditorium, Medical Education Center Thursday, May 31, 2012 7:00 p.m. Health Sciences Library Match Day 153rd Commencement Exercises Medical Education Center Carnegie Hall, New York City 4
Department of Pharmacology hosts research day The Department of Pharmacology designated a day in October to share their ongoing research with the College community and to honor the memory of Col. Melvin D. Freeman and Mrs. Helen Freeman, who were supporters of College research forums for many years. Michal Laniado Schwartzman, Ph.D., third from left, professor and acting chair of the Department of Pharmacology, welcomed keynote speaker Fangming Lin, M.D., Ph.D. 95, third from right, assistant professor of pediatrics, pathology and cell biology and chief of pediatric nephrology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, who presented Epithelial Injury and Repair: A Tubulocentric View of the Kidney. Presentations by graduate students, postdoctoral associates and faculty members rounded out the day. Presenters in photo above, from left: Yunmeng Liu, Ph.D. candidate 20-HETE and Prostate Cancer Yan Ding, Ph.D. candidate 20-HETE-induced Vascular Remodeling in the Model of Androgen-induced Hypertension Adna Halilovic, Ph.D. candidate The Role of HO-2 in Corneal Wound Healing Victor Garcia, Ph.D. candidate Characterization of Vascular Function in Endothelial Specific CYP4F2 Transgenic Mice Presenters not pictured: Austin Guo, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology 20-HETE, a Novel Regulator of Endothelial Progenitor Cell Functions that are Associated with Angiogenesis Daohong Lin, M.D., assistant professor of pharmacology MiR-802 Modulates ROMK Function in Renal Distal Tubule Shoujin Hao, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow NKCC2A Regulates NFAT5-dependent TNF Production in Thick Ascending Limb Peng Yue, M.D., postdoctoral fellow Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) Binds to WNK4 and Modulates the Effect of Aldosterone on ROMK Channels Rachel Ackerman, Ph.D. 10, postdoctoral fellow Establishing an Ischemic Hindlimb Angiogenesis Model Using Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging Lars Bellner, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow Macrophage Dysfunction and Impaired Wound Healing in Corneas of Heme Oxygenase 2 Deficient Mice Michael S. Goligorsky, M.D., Ph.D., is the 2011 Dean s Research Award Winner continued from page 1 As an example, he points to Alexander Fleming and his serendipitous discovery of penicillin. It is said that Fleming departed for summer vacation in 1928, leaving cultures of staphylococci stacked on a bench in his laboratory. Upon his return he found that one culture had been contaminated by a fungus but that staphylococci near the fungus had been destroyed while colonies further away survived. The most interesting things are unpredictable, said Dr. Goligorsky, who is involved in numerous collaborative studies researching the cardiovascular and renal impact of diabetes, hypertension and atherogenesis. [Michael Goligorsky] has brought the critical role of the vascular endothelium to center stage by focusing on the evolution of endothelial dysfunction from its earliest preclinical stages to the late phase of manifest clinical complications, wrote John C. McGiff, M.D., professor emeritus of pharmacology, in his nomination letter. This penetrating analysis of the endothelium as it underlies the deterioration of circulatory and renal function required a mastery of several disciplines from cell physiology to molecular biology. These studies that bring to light the consecutive phases in endothelial cell devolution and their accompanying biochemical, molecular and cellular features are unmatched by any of the multitudinous laboratories worldwide engaged in endothelial research. Dr. McGiff praised his colleague for the ability to attract and intellectually engage bright young investigators with remarkable commitment. Dr. Goligorsky also credited his success to a long list of investigators who worked in his lab. When we are younger, whatever we do is a reflection on ourselves, he said. When we are older, whatever we do is a reflection on the people in the lab. He has mentored post-doctoral fellows and visiting professors from England, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Sweden, Korea, the Netherlands, Australia and Israel as they worked to become independent researchers. I have a real sense of responsibility for the investigators in my lab, he said. They are all idealistic, which you need to be. Yet this is a very difficult economic time to be coming into the profession. It is difficult to find support for academic enterprise, so I feel a great responsibility to help them as much as I can. Dr. Goligorsky earned his medical degree and a doctorate in physiology from Kiev Medical Institute in the former Soviet Union. After completing an internship and residency there in 1974, and becoming assistant professor, he went to the Soroka Medical Center of Ben Gurion University in Beer-Sheba, Israel, in 1980. Since 1983, he has been a visiting scholar at Yale, and was a fellow in nephrology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., from 1984 to 1987. He served as a nephrologist at SUNY, Stony Brook from 1988 to 2002, when he left to join the faculty at New York Medical College. He currently has three NIH grants and is well published in peer reviewed journals. He serves as a member of the editorial board of several journals and is associate editor of American Journal of Physiology: Cell, American Journal of Pathology, and Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. He was elected a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (1991) and American Association of Physicians (2002). In keeping with his passion for art and words, he uses a metaphor to explain his career. You start working on something when you are young, and it develops roots, Dr. Goligorsky said of his research into the kidney. Leaves are growing, some fall, some remain, and unless you come to a roadblock or a complete standstill, you find three or four subjects that have very deep roots in your work. For me, seeds of interest in the vascular endothelium and mechanisms of kidney injury were planted in the Soviet Union and Israel that evolved into what I ve done in my later years. It would have been difficult to logistically predict the direction in which my research would grow, and a lot of it was based on intuition and spontaneity. Correction Editor s Note: In the November 2011 issue of InTouch, we incorrectly reported the graduating year of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) class. It was the D.P.T. Class of 2013 that conducted the health and wellness screenings for the College community. 5
C A M P U S R O U N D S Alum gives special lecture in Foundations course Richard Golinko, M.D. 56, professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a pediatric cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, presented a lecture to students in the Foundations of Clinical Medicine 2 course to educate them in cardiac auscultation listening to the heart properly and improving stethoscope skills. Dr. Golinko brought Mount Sinai s Heart Sounds program to Nevins Auditorium and demonstrated the Cardionics Simulscope Wireless High Powered Teaching Stethoscope, a multi-media computer assisted course in stethoscopic skills. Students in the audience used special infrared headphones to listen to a variety of heart sounds while viewing a phonocardiogram on a monitor simultaneously with an ECG. In photo at right, Dr. Golinko pointed out some of the finer points to second-year medical student Alex Dressler. Jose L. Munoz, M.D., gives last viral infections lecture Jan Geliebter, Ph.D., left, professor of microbiology and immunology and of otolaryngology and course director for medical microbiology, presented a plaque and expressed appreciation to Jose L. Munoz, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric infectious disease and immunology, for his time, dedication and enthusiasm presenting the pediatric viral infections lectures for the medical microbiology course to second-year medical students for the past 18 years. Dr. Munoz presented Viral Congenital Infections on November 17. Library hosts feminist exhibit from the National Library of Medicine The Health Sciences Library is hosting an exhibit, Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Yellow Wall-Paper, which will be displayed in the library s reading area through December 30. The exhibit, which is curated by Manon Perry, is sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The College community is invited to view panels and photographs that tell the story of 19th century artist and writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who was discouraged from pursuing a career to preserve her health. Railing against the prescribed rest cure that could often exacerbate symptoms of mental illness, Gilman wrote a fictional expose that served as an indictment of the medical profession and the social conventions that restricted women s professional and creative opportunities. See what the College community is saying about Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Yellow Wall-Paper Always question dogma. Kudos to Mrs. Perkins for her courage. Fascinating. Different but not equal. Glad to be in this era. Still a long way to go but it s nice to look back and see how far we ve come. Great exhibit. Really piqued my interest in psych literature. This has many lessons to teach medical students men and women about personhood and perspective. 6
College observes International Education Week The week of November 14 was a busy one on campus as New York Medical College joined with the nation s schools, colleges and universities, embassies, businesses and community organizations in celebrating the 12th annual International Education Week to highlight the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. A joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education, International Education Week was first held in 2000 and is now celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. At NYMC, a HandCrafting Justice Fair Trade Holiday Sale, sponsored by the International Student and Scholar Association, raised $1,400 for women s groups in Africa, Asia and Latin America to support and encourage justice, empowerment and sustainability. A hungry crowd lined up in the Basic Sciences Building lobby to enjoy culinary delights from around the world at the International Food Festival, sponsored by the College Chapter of the Student National Medical Association. The international feast raised more $1,000 for the Partners in Health Haitian Relief Fund. The week was capped off with the always popular Culture Show and Dinner, sponsored by the Asian Pacific- American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) and the South Asian Medical Student Association (SAMSA). This year more than 250 members of the College community enjoyed the cultural music, song and dance talents of more than 60 students from all three schools. Performances included Latin dance, Bollywood, a traditional peacock dance from the Dai ethnic group of China, classical Indian a cappella, the Arrhythmias, and other musical acts. Members of the campus chapter of the Student National Medical Association got ready for the hungry crowd at the International Food Festival. Thirty countries are represented and 94 students and scholars are served by the Office of International Students and Scholars. Bangladesh 2 Brazil 1 Burma/Myanmar 1 Canada 6 Chile 1 China 13 France 2 Georgia 2 Ghana 2 Hong Kong 1 India 30 Iraq 1 Israel 2 Italy 3 Japan 2 Korea 3 Kuwait 1 Lebanon 2 Libya 1 Nepal 1 Nigeria 4 Russia 1 Slovakia 2 Spain 1 Taiwan 3 Thailand 1 Turkey 2 Saudi Arabia 1 Singapore 1 Tanzania 1 Archana Marathi, M.S. 10, Elizabeth Ward, international student and scholar advisor, and Naman Shah, an M.S. student in pharmacology, display some of the handmade goods at the HandCrafting Justice Fair Trade Holiday Sale. Students performed a Bhangra dance, a traditional folk dance from the Punjab region of India. (Photo by Anna Plichta) Robert W. Amler, M.D., addresses Sixth International Conference on Children s Health and the Environment Heavy metals, air pollution and other hazards to children s health were among the topics discussed at the Sixth International Conference on Children s Health and the Environment, held in Lodz, Poland, in November. Robert W. Amler, M.D., left, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice and vice president for government affairs, gave the opening keynote address. Organized by the International Network on Children s Health Environment and Safety (INCHES) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office in Poland, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) and the Polish- Norwegian Research Programme, the conference featured a multi-national dialogue on strengthening European Union policies to protect children from exposure to environmental toxicants. Dr. Amler also chaired a plenary session, which included speaker Diane E. Heck, Ph.D., professor and chair of Environmental Health Science, on the integration of environmental toxicology into general pediatric practice. Dr. Amler was joined by fellow former CDC physician-epidemiologists Wojciech Hanke, M.D., Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, and Ruth A. Etzel, M.D., Ph.D., World Health Organization. 7
N E W S W O R T H Y Suggestions for story ideas are always welcome. Stories can be about research, curriculum or programs of study, unique or interesting personal achievements, growing trends or patient care with an academic focus. Please email your comments and inquiries to lori_perrault@nymc.edu. You can read current and archived issues of InTouch by visiting us on the web: www.nymc.edu/officesandservices/publicrelations/ Publications/Intouch.html Center for Long Term Care Research and Policy holds inaugural colloquium The recently launched Center for Long Term Care Research and Policy, a division of the Institute of Public Health in the School of Health Sciences and Practice (SHSP), held its inaugural colloquium on long term care on November 4. The invitation-only event filled the Center for Interactive Learning with health care administrators and policy makers to discuss the Center s goals, which include addressing health care disparities, health care needs and caregiving across the lifespan and promoting fair and equitable financing of long term care in the United States. Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @NYMC_tweets New York Medical College Office of Public Relations Tel: (914) 594-4536, Fax: (914) 594-4541 Donna E. Moriarty, M.P.H. 04 Associate Vice President, Communications Lori-Ann Perrault, Public Information Editor Kevin R. Cummings, M.P.S., M.P.H. 00, Director of Web Communications Contributor: Kimberly Gaudin de Gonzalez InTouch is published ten times a year by the Office of Public Relations at New York Medical College. It is distributed to the College community, including students, faculty, staff, affiliated hospital sites and the Board of Trustees, among others. It has a circulation of 3,500. Michael Gusmano Ph.D., deputy director of the Center and SHSP faculty member, presented an overview of the Center. Hon. Richard N. Gottfried, chair of the New York State Assembly Health Committee, presented The Future of Long Term Care Policy in New York State. New York Medical College Office of Public Relations Administration Building Valhalla, New York 10595