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Dear Alumni and Friends,
As the 2019-2020 academic year came to a close, we were all faced with the reminder that racism is endemic in this country. As holders of advanced degrees in science, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sceinces (GSBMS) graduates move onto a wide spectrum of careers - in academic and industry research, medical and health professions, education and journalism, science policy and government service. Thus, scientists are positioned to use their knowledge, critical thinking skills and professional influence to fight irrational prejudice, cruelty and injustice towards our fellow human beings. At the GSBMS, we are proud of our students, who come from diverse backgrounds, who enrich us with their experiences, talents and personal stories. It is of paramount importance to ensure that our students feel safe and supported here at NYMC.
We stand united with our students and colleagues in emphatically rejecting and confronting racism when we see it. It is our shared responsibility, and every one of us can make a difference in our workplace, classroom and community. I am confident that we will incorporate changes that will make the GSBMS community better than ever. Please read my recently published op-ed, The COVID-19 pandemic is squeezing women out of science, on how a disproportionate number of women have experienced a professional productivity deficit due to picking up the household responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish you and your families good health and safety and I look forward to the time when we can all meet on campus again.
Sincerely,
Marina K. Holz, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences and Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy
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Chancellor Hosts Town Hall Meeting
C hancellor and Chief Executive Officer Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., and the NYMC/Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) leadership gave a State of the College update to the community on June 3. It was the third online town hall meeting since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Dr. Halperin took the opportunity to also address the other perpetual pandemic, racism and its lethal consequences. "We have been actively meeting to develop an action plan of what we can and will do better on our campus and in our own family," Dr. Halperin said. "NYMC cannot by itself rewrite 401 years of American history but what we can do and what we will do is strive to do our part to change that part of the American experience within our grasp. We will do that." View the Town Hall Meeting.
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NYMC Celebrates the Class of 2020 with Online Pomp and Circumstance
It may not have been a typical Commencement--yet NYMC's 161st and the TCDM's Inaugural Commencement celebrations were collectively a smashing success to behold. Not even the dictate to socially distance could put a damper on the tangible sense of pride and joy shared throughout the NYMC and Touro communities, as they collectively viewed the online pomp and circumstance via a YouTube video premiere at 7:00 p.m. on May 19. Read the full article on Commencement and view the video and photo gallery.
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Days of Giving Raises More than $530,000 for Student Scholarships
For two days on June 9 and 10, the NYMC community came together to raise $536,723 for student scholarships. A group of generous donors contributed funds to match the 233 gifts made during Days of Giving 2020. It was the most successful Days of Giving campaign to date. With increased scholarship support, students in the School of Medicine, the GSBMS and the School of Health Sciences and Practice can focus on their studies rather than worrying about loan debt. The additional scholarship money comes at a time of great magnitude when the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in financial hardships for some students who fear they may have difficulty remaining in school. Read more about student scholarships.
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Governor Cuomo Hosts Daily Briefings at NYMC
Twice within the span of a month, the Center for Disaster Medicine at NYMC became the backdrop for New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Daily Press Briefing. First, on May 7, during his briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor expressed his enormous sense of gratitude for the courage shown by the health care workers at the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. Read the full article on the May 7 briefing, view the photo gallery and view the video. Then, on June 9 -- which marked 101 days since New York State's first positive case of COVID-19 and Day 16 since the police-directed murder of George Floyd fueled protests and civic unrest throughout the U.S. -- Governor Cuomo returned to NYMC. This time he provided both an update on COVID-19 in New York and reflected on the current situation saying it is not just a moment for political protest, it is time for real reform. Read the full article on the June 9 briefing and view the video.
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NYMC Collaborates with Regeneron for COVID-19 Clinical Drug Trials
Drug trial at Westchester Medical Center puts NYMC among top researchers in the nation racing to find an effective treatment to fight COVID-19
When COVID-19 first hit our shores in early March with no vaccine nor proven drug treatment in sight, new innovative collaborations sprouted up across the nation, as leading research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals joined forces to find a solution fast. Among them -- a collaborative clinical drug trial by NYMC and Regeneron launched at Westchester Medical Center (WMC) within the first few weeks. Seeking a partner with whom to establish a clinical drug trial that could be used to treat patients critically ill with COVID-19, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals proposed the collaboration -- not only for NYMC's state-of-the-art virology labs and internationally regarded experts -- but because of the College's decades-long involvement in the annual development of the influenza vaccine. Read the full story on the Regeneron clinical trials here.
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GSBMS Student Lillian Huang Makes an Impact During COVID-19 Crisis
Not one to sit idle, Lillian Huang, an M.S. candidate in the Basic Medical Sciences Program in the GSBMS, is making the most of her knowledge, skills and aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic. "As a healthy pre-med student who has the privilege of a safe dorm room, access to the internet and a supportive network of friends and family, I felt it was right to dedicate some of my time to helping those who may not be so lucky," explains Ms. Huang. In addition to maintaining her online studies, she is organizing virtual tutoring for children being homeschooled, collecting personal protective equipment (PPE), and administering a GoFundMe page for initiatives at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Hospital, in Queens, New York. Read the full article on Ms. Huang.
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As a key architect behind the NYMC/Regeneron COVID-19 drug trials, Salomon Amar, D.D.S., Ph.D., vice president for research at NYMC and provost for biomedical research at TCUS, set the College among the nation's top researchers racing to find a treatment. Read Dr. Amar's profile here.
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Published a book recently? New York Medical College would love to hear about it. If you authored a recently-published book, please email the title of the book, a brief synopsis, image of the book cover and a short bio.
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Alu mni Connections is New York Medical College's e-newsletter distributed to all alumni, published quarterly by the Office of Public Relations. Suggestions for story ideas are always welcome. Please call or email with your comments and inquiries at (914) 594-4536 or public_relations@nymc.edu.
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