Class of 2022 Medical Student Commencement |
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It’s official. The 64 members of the class of 2022 are among the nation’s newest physicians. FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine held its eighth commencement ceremony today in the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium. Family, friends, faculty and other guests celebrated this long-anticipated day as graduates walked across the stage to be “hooded” – a symbolic rite of passage from one generation of physicians to the next – and to receive their Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degrees.
With Florida expected to be short nearly 18,000 physicians by the year 2035, the event was welcoming news for the state’s public health.
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While commencement signals the end of medical school, our new doctors will always remain a part of the FAU family, with several planning to train in the South Florida community. As we reflect on the importance of their medical careers in the community, we elicit your support to help us continue training the next generation of humanistic physicians.
Additionally, with the skyrocketing costs of housing and rentals, our new and returning resident trainees would greatly benefit from your support. Donations of any size will make a difference in the lives of our residents, who typically work 80 hour shifts in our community’s hospitals, but must travel an excessive distance to find affordable housing. With your donation, our residents can remain close to the hospitals they serve, resulting in a better training experience, as well as highly skilled physicians who serve the healthcare needs of our community, for our community.
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Schmidt College of Medicine Awardees at the 53rd Annual Honors Convocation
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FAU President John Kelly and Provost Bret Danilowicz hosted the 53rd Annual Honors Convocation this month in the University Theatre on the Boca Raton campus. The annual ceremony recognizes the university's most outstanding students and faculty with exceptional annual and lifetime contributions.
This year, the most prestigious award was given to Vijaya (VJ) Iragavarapu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biomedical Science, Schmidt College of Medicine. She received the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award. In her Keynote address, she spoke of how our journeys can be circuitous to get us to where we belong, which for Dr. VJ, is here at FAU. Her father inspired her to work hard towards excellence and she spoke fondly of him and how he contributed to her successes. As a founding member of the College of Medicine, Dr. VJ collaborated with only a few individuals to develop an innovative curriculum. As the director of the first-year medical student course, she and her team were responsible for converting the entire first-semester curriculum, comprised of didactic and small group facilitations, to an online format. She has been teaching fundamentals of immunology and oversees the Harvard HMX program for immunology for first-year medical students. She also teaches the tumor immunology course for graduate students. Her research, which primarily focuses on breast cancer and understanding metastasis, has consistently been funded by the National Cancer Institute and the Bankhead-Coley Biomedical Research Program. She is currently collaborating with colleagues to inhibit breast cancer metastasis.
Also honored was Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., assistant director, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, with dual roles in FAU’s Division of Research and the Schmidt College of Medicine. Dr. Baganz received the Presidential Award for Engaged Faculty for her work in the ASCEND program.
Ceylan Isgor, Ph.D., associate professor, Biomedical Science Department, Schmidt College of Medicine was selected as a finalist for the Distinguished Mentor of the Year in Undergraduate Research. Her mentee, Vanessa Stubbs, received the Undergraduate Researcher of the Year for the College of Medicine. Vanessa is a first-generation student, a first-generation immigrant from the Bahamas, and a non-traditional student, having spent several years as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) before entering FAU. Shortly into her bachelor’s degree program, Vanessa discovered a passion for research, joining the National Science Foundation (NSF) Learning Environment; and Academic Research Network (LEARN) program through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (OURI). She also began training in Dr. Ceylan Isgor’s Epilepsy Lab, assessing how adult-born granule neuron axons mature and re-organize in seizure-producing forebrain circuits.
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Vijaya (VJ) Iragavarapu, Ph.D. |
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The 2021 awardees in the College of Medicine included:
Janet Robishaw, Ph.D., chair and professor in the Department of Biomedical Science and senior associate dean for research and graduate programs, who received the “Researcher of the Year” Full Professor category.
Jianning Wei, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Science, who received the “Researcher of the Year” Associate Professor category.
Lisa Martinez, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine, who received the “Alumni Degree of Difference.”
Mario Jacomino, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, who received the “University Faculty Service Award.”
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Graduate Student Research Day Awardees |
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The annual College of Medicine Graduate Student Research Day held on April 1, featured 27 presentations from Ph.D. and M.S. thesis students. Dean Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., attended this inspiring event, which culminated in a student vote to select the three best presentations:
First place was awarded to Anastasia Tyulmenkova, a Ph.D. student in integrative biology, for her poster titled, "Sleep-Seizure associations predictive of severity and death risk in epilepsy."
Tied for second place was Ian Gaudet, a Ph.D. student in integrative biology, for his poster, titled "Multielectrode array and imaging analysis of phenotypes in iPSC models of neurodegenerative disease;” and Czdari Lee, an M.S. student in biomedical science, for her poster titled, "Recall in vitro conditions for preexisting humoral and cellular memory to live and subunit childhood vaccine antigens within peripheral blood."
Third place was awarded to Hailee Sontag and Parsa Sartipi, an M.S. student in biomedical science and a B.S. student in biology respectively, for their poster titled, "Potential role of subventricular zone neurogenesis in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease."
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Marc Kantorow, Ph.D.; Ana Tyulmenkova, Ph.D.;
Isha Khan; and Jose Labrador Pino
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Parsa Sartipi and Hailee Sontag |
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Mahyar Nouri-Shirazi, Ph.D., and Czdari Lee |
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Summer 2022 Thesis Research Assistantship Winners |
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Congratulations to the graduate thesis biomedical science students who were awarded the 2022 summer research assistantships. This competitive award allows students to focus on research activities during the summer, working with a mentor from the College of Medicine. |
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Czdari Lee with mentor Mahyar Nouri-Shirazi, Ph.D., Preexisting immune memory to childhood immunization
Belinda Chen with mentor Howard Prentice, Ph.D., Neuroprotective strategies in models of Alzheimer’s Disease
Christopher Mauer with mentor Massimo Caputi, Ph.D., HIV-1 Infection modulates CD4+ T Cell gene expression to induce a quiescent phenotype
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The Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) recently announced the 2022 "Heroes in Medicine" honorees. These prestigious awards honor people throughout Palm Beach County who use their skills and resources to provide outstanding services. Proceeds from the event benefit Project Access, which provides healthcare for low income and uninsured residents of Palm Beach County and other services of the PBCMS.
Mark Di Corcia, Ph.D., assistant dean for medical education and associate professor in the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, who will receive the Bruce Rendina Award at the 2022 Heroes in Medicine banquet next month. This award recognizes an individual whose profession is an integral part of the healthcare system and has used their knowledge and abilities to improve the health of local, national or global communities in a tangible way even if they are not a direct provider of patient care. Congratulations to Dr. Di Corcia and special thanks to Mario Jacomino, M.D., for nominating him for this well-deserved award. The banquet will take place at Benvenuto’s in Boynton Beach on May 26, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
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Celebrating The Dedication of the Anita & Norton Waltuch Lobby |
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On April 25, the College of Medicine had the privilege of hosting Anita and Norton Waltuch and members of their family for a special dedication ceremony. President John Kelly, Dean Julie Pilitsis, FAU Foundation CEO Chris Delisio, faculty leaders and students attended this event in honor of Anita and Norton Waltuch for their generous donation for medical student scholarships. Scholarship support is the key for attracting, recruiting and retaining students from a diverse array of backgrounds. In recognition of their philanthropy, the lobby of the Schmidt College of Medicine has been named the “Anita and Norton Waltuch Lobby” in perpetuity. This donation will help facilitate the creation of a workforce reflective of the South Florida community so that medical students have the ability to practice in specialties where they will have the greatest impact. |
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College of Medicine Representation at the AAMC National Meeting |
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Several members of the Schmidt College of Medicine attended the national meeting for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Student Affairs (GSA)-Careers in Medicine (CiM)-Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) in Denver, Colorado.
Congratulations to Jennifer W. Caceres, M.D., who was elected the new chair for the AAMC's Southern Group on Student Affairs (SGSA) during the meeting. The mission of the SGSA is to advance medical education and to be responsive to the unique needs, problems and resources of the Southern Region. In this role, Dr. Caceres will serve on the national GSA steering committee for 2022-2023.
Additionally, Monica Lopez and Dr. Caceres conducted a presentation on implementation and utilization of multiple mini-interviews in the medical school admissions process.
Michelle Lizotte-Waniewski, Ph.D., conducted a presentation on wellness curriculum with the Committee on Student Affairs (COSA) working group on medical student well-being along with two medical students, Cachae Alford and Camryn Marshall. The COSA provides guidance on issues related to student support and services, including personal advising; career advising; the health and well-being of medical students; the ethical and professional development of students; academic support and resources; and preparing students for transition from medical school to residency training.
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College of Medicine Hosts Mayor Weinroth and Senator Berman |
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The Schmidt College of Medicine was pleased to host the Mayor of Palm Beach County, Robert Weinroth, and Florida Senator Lori Berman this month. Dean Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., and Janet Robishaw, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research and professor and chair, Department of Biomedical Science, discussed the growth of the college, robust research program, and toured the Clinical Research Unit with Marian Mirsky, the unit's assistant director. Medical students, Sa’rah and Manny McNeely, Zaimary Meneses, Sierra Biastre, and Zachary Kravitz shared their personal medical school experiences and career aspirations. Notably, Sa’rah and Manny were also featured for their community work in Palm Beach Magazine’s feature article “30 under 30” for their "Dr. M.D. Project," which seeks to increase the number of underrepresented minorities successfully entering the medical field.
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Pain in the Neck? New Surgical Method Could be Game-Changing |
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Researchers from FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, in collaboration with Frank Vrionis, M.D., senior author of the study and director of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health; and professor of surgery, FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine, are the first to evaluate the effect of the range of motion, cage migration and subsidence using variable angle screws. hardware by comparing the micro motion and subsidence.
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Study Shows Smoking Increased in Those Trying to Quit During COVID-19 |
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While smoking rates have declined dramatically in the United States, there are still 35 million smokers. There are few data about whether, and if so, how current cigarette smoking habits among those trying to quit are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH., senior author, first Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and senior academic adviser to the dean at FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators from Baylor College of Medicine, examined changes to smoking habits and correlates of increases and decreases during the COVID-19 pandemic among participants enrolled in a tobacco cessation and lung cancer screening program.
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Congratulations to Schmidt College of Medicine faculty on their recent promotions. Kudos to the college’s departmental chairs, the faculty affairs team, promotion & tenure committee members, and faculty mentors who supported these faculty members during this process. |
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Congratulations to the 2022 Service Award recipients, who were recently recognized for their continuous years of service at FAU. This annual ceremony honors employees with five to 50 years of service. This year marked the first-in-person celebration since 2019. The excitement of being able to host this annual tradition once again in the Friedberg Auditorium at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute was palpable.
The Schmidt College of Medicine congratulates the faculty and staff who were recognized for their continuous service of 5 to 25 years at the 2022 ceremony.
Of special note was President Kelly’s recognition of faculty and staff celebrating great milestone years of service, including professors in the Department of Biomedical Science, Kathleen Guthrie, Ph.D. and Xupei Huang, Ph.D., for 20 years of service, and Mavis Brown, M.B.A., director of preclinical education, for 25 years of service.
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Pediatric Interest Group and AMSA Host Successful Blood Drive |
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Congratulations to the FAU Pediatric Interest Group and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) for hosting a successful spring blood drive last month. Thank you to Madison Goon and Atharva Rohatgi for organizing the drive. A total of 40 units of blood were collected, which equates to 120 lives saved. Special thanks to all of the donors and volunteers who participated in the blood drive.
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59th Annual Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball |
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Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Annual Ball has always been a night to remember and this year's event was no exception. The hospital's 59th Annual Ball featured the world renowned musician, Sting. Proceeds from the event help to expand and enhance patient care services at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Attendees from the College of Medicine included Dean Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., and Sarah Wood, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and associate professor of integrated medical science. |
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Jennifer Foster and Leonard Berkowitz Recognized as ‘Top Doctors’
in ‘Boca Magazine’
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Jennifer Foster, M.D., M.B.A., a practicing physician at the FAU Medicine Primary Care practice; and Leonard Berkowitz, D.O., who leads FAU Medicine’s experienced team of physicians, were recently featured as “Top Doctors 2022,” by Boca Raton Magazine. Congratulations, Drs. Foster and Berkowitz!
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Click image to view Dr. Foster's full profile. |
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Click image to view Dr. Berkowitz's full profile. |
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Events Open to the Community |
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The following is a listing of events that are open to the community. Click on each image to view the full flyer. |
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Family Mental Health
& Wellness Festival
May 21, 2022 | 10am - 2:00pm
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Marcus Institute of
Integrative Health
Lunch and Learn Wellness Series
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Integrative Health Series Flyer |
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Harbor Branch Mini-Lecture Series |
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National 'Stop the Bleed' Week Courses |
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In this life-saving course, individuals will gain the ability to recognize life-threatening bleeding events and learn how to act quickly and effectively to control bleeding in three quick actions. The course will be offered on FAU's Jupiter campus on May 17 at 1 p.m. in AD 103 and on the Boca Raton campus on May 19 at 1 p.m. in the Live Oak Pavilion.
This event is hosted by the Clinical Skills Simulation Center at the Schmidt College of Medicine, the FAU Department of Emergency Management, and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.
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FAU Data-Driven Science and AI Conference |
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The mission of the fourth Data-Driven Science and AI Conference is to advance education and research in state-of-the-art analytical methods in data science and to apply these methods to address complex problems in the sciences, industry and government. In the last few decades, scientists have created novel ways to collect a vast amount and wide variety of data across disciplines. Data-intensive, computational methods have thus emerged as a key enabler of scientific discovery. This data-driven revolution is the focus of the conference, exploring the unprecedented opportunities and challenges.
The event will take place on Saturday, May 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the FAU Student Union.
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Criminal Justice Summer Camp |
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If you know of students in grades 9-12 who are looking to explore crime-scene investigation, forensics, the court system, or who are interested in a career in criminology and criminal justice, THIS is the summer camp for them! Campers will have the chance to: observe and participate in mock crime scenes and a mock criminal trial; watch demonstrations of bomb squads, K-9 Units and SWAT Teams; visit local law enforcement agencies throughout South Florida. There are only a handful of remaining spots, so don’t miss this opportunity for an unforgettable summer experience. Pre-register your camper(s) today by contacting Sigal Rubin at rubins@fau.edu or (321) 754-8112.
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