D.P.T. Class of 2024 Marks the Transition to Clinical Education with White Coat Ceremony

It was a milestone occasion as members of the D.P.T. Class of 2024 took a symbolic step toward beginning their clinical studies as they donned their white coats for the first time during the White Coat Ceremony on April 12 in the John W. Nevins, M.D. '44 Auditorium. Family and friends of the students witnessed their loved ones affirm their commitment to the field of physical therapy. Read the full article and view the photos from the ceremony.

Sangmi Chung, Ph.D., Receives Bridge Funding Grant

Sangmi Chung, Ph.D., associate professor of cell biology and anatomy, is the recipient of the Touro University Fall 2021 Bridge Funding Grant for her work, “Common Schizophrenia Variants Functioning in Developmental Human Cortical Interneurons.” Recent large-scale genetic studies of schizophrenia revealed that many human genome regions are strongly associated with schizophrenia risk, however it is not clear how these regions affect the risk of the disease. Dr. Chung will study how they affect specific nerve cells called interneurons. “Interneurons are highly affected by schizophrenia, so by studying these nerve cells, we can see how they increase the risk of schizophrenia. We will do this by using various genomics approaches that allow us to analyze how specific regions in the genome control the generation of specific proteins,” explained Dr. Chung. “We are grateful for this opportunity to continue to address these important research questions.”

Erica Pratt, M.P.H. Class of 2022, Envisions Herself as a Public Health Leader

Born in Winston Salem, North Carolina, Erica Pratt, Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Class of 2022, gained work experience in the public health field as a patient health educator and then a clinical specialist after her undergraduate studies. She has long had an interest in the multi-faceted nature of public health and is in the last semester of her M.P.H. track with a concentration in Health Behavior and Community Health. She is currently a retention adherence specialist at Mount Sinai Health System which supports goals regarding early intervention of HIV and hopes to use her M.P.H. to become a community health leader. Read the full Q&A.

The Office of Research Administration Supports NYMC’s Research Endeavors

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) operates as the hub for research at NYMC, whether it be submitting applications for grants or ensuring that all research conducted on campus adheres to state and federal guidelines. The Office, led by Salomon Amar, D.D.S., Ph.D., senior vice president for research affairs for Touro University and vice president for research at NYMC, ensures that the College’s robust research community can seamlessly pursue and submit their findings. Dr. Amar offered a look at the Office’s duties.

Kin Lazzaro Brings 15 Years of Fundraising Expertise to NYMC’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations

A fundraising professional with more than 15 years of experience, Kin Lazzaro joined NYMC as major gifts officer in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. Ms. Lazzaro has made a career out of working in higher education and fostering relationships with the communities of each institution to raise crucial funding and looks to do the same great work at NYMC. Read the full Q&A with Ms. Lazzaro.

Mill Etienne, M.D. ’02, M.P.H., vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, associate dean of student affairs and associate professor of neurology and of medicine, was a speaker at the Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI) Tuesday Talk, “Racism is a Public Health Crisis,” on April 19. CCSI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring innovation in practice by providing essential business services in partnership with organizations that improve lives and strengthen communities.

Michelle Carnazza, Ph.D. candidate in microbiology and immunology, presented “Role of COL26A1 in papillary thyroid cancer invasion.”

Nicole DeSouza, Ph.D. candidate in microbiology and immunology, presented “Functional analysis of lncRNA DUXAP10 in anaplastic thyroid cancer.”

Tara Jarboe, Ph.D. candidate in microbiology and immunology, presented “Berberine eases inflammation in the anaplastic thyroid cancer microenvironment.”

Kaci Kopec, Ph.D. candidate in microbiology and immunology, presented “Metabolic modulation of anaplastic thyroid cancer by Berberine: A targeted intervention.”

Danielle Quaranto, M.S. student in biochemistry and molecular biology, presented “Role of LINC01614 in papillary thyroid cancer.”

In attendance were members of the SOM Student Senate E-Board, from left: Timothy Sullivan, SOM Class of 2024 and secretary; Katherine Lo, SOM Class of 2024 and treasurer; Roy Miller, SOM Class of 2024 and outreach coordinator; and Rajkumar Pammal, SOM Class of 2023 and president.

Two posters were presented at the national meeting: 1) “Fostering Community Amongst First Year Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” by Katherine Lo, Roy Miller, Timothy Sullivan, Christopher Hoke, SOM Class of 2024, and Medha Reddy, SOM Class of 2024, and 2) “The Roundtable Journal on Health Policy: Broadening Healthcare Discourse in Medical School” by members of the Class of 2023 Rajkumar Pammal, editor-in-chief of the journal, left, Alexandra Schulz, right, managing editor of the journal, and Elias Kahan and Justin Lapow. The Roundtable Journal on Health Policy is a multi-disciplinary collection of commentaries and papers that discusses issues in politics, society and healthcare developed by medical students sitting on the NYMC Health Policy Roundtable under the mentorship of Joseph T. English, M.D., the Sidney E. Frank Distinguished Professorship of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and supported by the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.

Thursday, April 28, 2022 • 3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Nevins Auditorium, MEC

Online and in-person. Register here.

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.