CUMC Celebrates

Academic Year 2014-2015, Issue 1

 

CUMC-Celebrates-July-Aug-2014-final1.pdf

CUMC CELEBRATES acknowledges faculty, staff, and students at Columbia University Medical Center who receive major research grants, who earn prestigious honors, who are elected to honorary societies, or who take leadership positions in professional organizations.

Celebrates also gratefully acknowledges the gifts made by donors and friends of the medical center and highlights faculty who have appeared in the news recently. If you have an award or honor that you would like to have listed in Celebrates, please fill out this online form. Please note: all federal grants are automatically included based on institutional data provided by Sponsored Projects Administration. For more information, send an email to the Celebrates editor. Click on the image at right to print this issue.

Research Grants / Awards & Honors / Philanthropic Gifts / CUMC in the News

RESEARCH GRANTS

COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE

Jeremy Mao, DDS, PhD, received $4,600,239 over five years from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases for “Meniscus Regeneration by Endogenous Stem/Progenitor Cells.”

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS

Domenico Accili, MD, Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, received $400,000 over 18 months from Takeda Pharmaceutical International for “Use of Human iPS-derived Gut Organoids to Carry Out Phenotypic Screens for Induction of Hormone-Producing Cells.”

Swarnali Acharyya, PhD, Institute for Cancer Genetics, received $737,034 over three years from the National Cancer Institute for “Defining Mechanisms of Cancer Chemoresistance and Metastasis.”

Neil Krishan Aggarwal, MD, Psychiatry, received $730,701 from the National Institute of Mental Health for “The Cultural Formulation Interview-Engagement Aid for Mental Health Treatment.”

Alex Carballo-Diéguez, PhD, Psychiatry, received $3,100,482 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for “Use of Rapid HIV Self-Test by High Risk Populations.”

E. Sander Connolly, MD, Neurosurgery, received $2,436,134 over five years from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for “Topical Vancomycin for Craniotomy Wound Prophylaxis.”

Riccardo Dalla-Favera, MD, Institute for Cancer Genetics, received $2,217,775 over five years from the National Cancer Institute for “Role of MEF2B Mutations in Lymphomagenesis.”

Lei Ding, PhD, Rehabilitation & Regenerative Medicine, received $500,000 over five years from the Rita Allen Foundation for “Understanding the Fetal Liver Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche.”

Adolfo Ferrando, MD, PhD, Institute for Cancer Genetics, received $250,000 over two years from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for “Mechanisms and Targeted Inhibition of NT5C2 Mutations in Relapsed ALL.”

David Fidock, PhD, Microbiology & Immunology, received $826,020 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Columbia University Graduate Training Program in Microbiology and Immunology.”

Jean Gautier, PhD, DSc, Genetics & Development, received $8,892,830 over five years from the National Cancer Institute for “DNA Double-Strand Break Repair, Chromosome Translocations and Cancer.”

Stephen P. Goff, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, received $7,324,701 over five years from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for “Microtubule Networks and Virus Trafficking.”

Neera Gupta, MD, Pediatrics, received $3,034,892 over five years from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for “Sex Differences in Statural Growth Impairment in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease.”

Deborah Hasin, PhD, Psychiatry, received $3,313,278 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for “DSM-IV Dependence and DSM-5 SUD: Reliability and Validity in Patient Samples.”

Wayne Hendrickson, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, received $1,619,363 over four years from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for “Anomalous Diffraction Analysis of Biomolecular Structure.”

Caleb Ing, MD, Anesthesiology, received $765,665 over five years from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for “Anesthesia Exposure and Risk of Behavioral or Developmental Disorder.”

Stavroula Kousteni, PhD, Medicine, received $503,824 over two years from Pfizer for “Targeting the Osteoblast in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.”

Louise Kuhn, PhD, Sergievsky Center, received $4,692,921 over five years from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for “Early Neonatal Treatment and Immune Quiescence.”

Ronald Lazar, PhD, Neurology, received $753,976 over seven years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Carotid Revascularization and Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis Trial (CREST-2).”

Benjamin Lebwohl, MD, Medicine, received $270,000 over three years from the American Gastroenterological Association for “Risk Factors For Celiac Disease and the Health Effects of Gluten.”

Elan Louis, MD, Sergievsky Center, received $3,299,515 over five years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Clinical-Pathological Study of Cognitive Impairment in Essential Tremor.”

Tom Maniatis, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, received $440,000 over one year from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Single Cell Studies of Lineage Specific Expression of the Protocadherin Gene Cluster.” Dr. Maniatis also received $296,517 over two years from the ALS Therapy Alliance for “A Comparative Single Cell Analysis of Motor Neurons Derived from Mouse ES and iPS Cells.”

Richard Mann, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, received $420,092 over two years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Genetic Dissection of Locomotion.”

Joanne Mantell, PhD, Psychiatry, received $1,733,190 from USAID for ​​”Evaluation of the National South African Female Condom Program: Investigating Factors Associated With Uptake and Sustained Use.”

Diana Martinez, MD, Psychiatry, received $631,800 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for “Using PET to Image the Neurochemistry of Addiction.”

Richard Paul Mayeux, MD, Taub Institute, and Nicole Schupf, DrPH, PhD, Epidemiology, received $4,623,170 over five years from the National Institute on Aging for “Long Life Family Study: Columbia University.”

Laura Beth McIntire, PhD, Pathology & Cell Biology, received $440,000 over two years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Screening Lipid Modifying Enzymes to Ameliorate A-beta Triggered Synaptic Loss.”

Jose Moron-Concepcion, PhD, Anesthesiology, received $449,959 over two years from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for “Role for Delta Opioid Receptor in Morphine Tolerance During Chronic Pain.”

Kenneth P. Olive, PhD, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, received $378,771 over two years from the National Cancer Institute for “Preclinical Evaluation of a Targeted BMI1 in Pancreatic Cancer.”

Adam J. Ratner, MD, Pediatrics, received $1,357,723 over three years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “DNase for Prevention of Reproductive Tract Infections in Pregnancy.”

Steven Reiner, MD, Microbiology & Immunology, received $2,000,000 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Diversifying and Regenerating T Cell Function.”

Boris Reizis, PhD, Microbiology & Immunology, received $269,092 over two years from AstraZeneca for “The Role of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.”

Lawrence Shapiro, PhD, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, received $2,508,634 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “High Resolution Analyses of Env-directed B Cells to Accelerate Vaccine Design.”

Neil Shneider, MD, PhD, Neurology, received $265,702 over two years from the ALS Association for “Optineurin Loss of Function as a Mechanism of Motor Neuron Degeneration in ALS.”

Janet Sparrow, PhD, Ophthalmology, received $1,833,602 over four years from the National Eye Institute for “Quantitative Fundus Autofluorescence in Retinal Disorders.”

Lorraine Symington, PhD, Microbiology & Immunology, received $1,248,000 over four years from the NIH in a competitive renewal of “Break-Induced Replication and Genome Rearrangements.”

Dennis Vitkup, PhD, Biomedical Informatics, received $2,024,136 over four years from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for “Computational Annotation of Orphan Metabolic Activities.”

Lori Zeltser, PhD, Pathology & Cell Biology, received $400,000 over two years from the Klarman Family Foundation for “Maternal Influences on Susceptibility to Anorexia-Like Behavior.”

MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Ruth Finkelstein, ScD, Columbia Aging Center, received $663,141 over 1.5 years from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for “The Age Smart Employer Research Program.”

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, Epidemiology; Salim S. Abdool Karim, MD, PhD, Epidemiology; and Quarraisha Abdool Karim, PhD, Epidemiology, received $260,374 over one year from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease for “Units for HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Network.” Dr. Galea also received $650,279 over two years from the Rockefeller Foundation for “A Universal Primary Prevention Imperative.”

Yael Hirsch-Moverman, PhD, ICAP, received $635,132 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Preventing Childhood Tuberculosis in Lesotho (PREVENT Study).”

Andrea Howard, MD, ICAP, received $1,318,548 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Global HIV Implementation Science Research Training Grant.”

Amit Kapoor, PhD, Center for Infection and Immunity, received $2,039,449 over five years from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for “Novel Viruses and Viral Dynamics in Multiple Transfusion Recipients.”

Peter Alan Messeri, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, and Angela Aidala, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, received $755,151 over one year from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for a competitive renewal of “Ryan White Part A Contract 93-EVL-4645 for Planning and Evaluation (BASE).” It is the 21st annual grant received.

AWARDS & HONORS

CUMC

Five medical center projects involving all CUMC schools received President’s Global Innovation Fund awards from Columbia President Lee Bollinger.

  • Jennifer Dohrn, DNP, Nursing, and Elaine Larson, PhD, Nursing, “Global Nursing Research Development Initiative”
  • Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, ICAP, “China’s Aid to Africa: Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities”
  • Stephen Nicholas, MD, Medicine, and Shantanu Lal, DDS, Dental Medicine, “Children’s Global Oral Health Initiative: An Adaptable Interdisciplinary Model for Chronic Health Care Management and Health Promotion”
  • Kathleen Pike, PhD, Psychiatry, “Global Mental Health Research Consortium and Scholars Program”
  • Steven Shea, MD, Medicine, “Socioeconomic Disparities in Non-communicable Disease Outcomes, Risk Factors, and Access to Health Care in the Chilean Adult Population”

CUMC’s partner, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, was recognized for excellence in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” edition. The hospital was ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 1 in New York; it ranks in the top three nationally for cardiology/heart surgery, nephrology, neurology/neurosurgery, and psychiatry. This was the 14th consecutive year that NYP earned a spot in the prestigious “Best Hospitals” honor roll.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS

2014 CaMPR-BASIC Pilot Awardees

Six faculty members were recipients of the 2014 CaMPR-BASIC Pilot Awards presented by the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. These $40,000 one-year awards are given to new collaborative and multidisciplinary teams co-led by investigators in the basic science and clinical departments.

  • Christoph Kellendonk, PhD, Pharmacology, and Ragy R. Girgis, MD, Psychiatry, “The Relationship Between Prenatal Immune Activation and Basal Metabolism in the Adolescent Hippocampus”
  • Brent Williams, PhD, Pathology & Cell Biology, and Esi S. N. Lamouse-Smith, MD, PhD, Pediatrics, “Maternal Dysbiosis During Pregnancy and Its Impact on Tryptophan Catabolism and Perinatal Brain Development and Behavior”
  • Lori M. Zeltser, PhD, Pathology & Cell Biology, and David K. Leung, MD, PhD, Radiology, “Structural and Functional Impairments in Brown Adipose Tissue in Early-Onset Obesity”

2014 Irving Scholars Named

The 2014 Irving Scholars will each receive a three-year career development award and named professorship. Since 1987, the Irving Scholars program has provided more than $16 million in support to 112 of Columbia’s most promising young clinical investigators.

  • Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, PhD, Medicine, “Predicting the Responsiveness to a Novel Multi-Kinase Inhibitor in Patients with Low–Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome”
  •  Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD, Psychiatry, “Mechanisms of a Novel Treatment Target for Mental Illness”
  •  Bret R. Rutherford, MD,Psychiatry, “Dopaminergic and Opioid Mechanisms of Placebo Effects in Major Depression”
  • Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, MD, PhD, Medicine, “Diseases Risk Factors for Carbapenemase‐Resistant Klebsiella Pneumonia Infection in Liver Transplant Patients”

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s “Translational Grant Program” Awardees

The following Department of Medicine faculty were awarded funding from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s “Translational Grant Program,” which supports original translational, clinical, and health services research projects.

  •  Elena Bernstein, MD, Medicine, “Survival of Systemic Sclerosis Patients Following Lung Transplantation”
  •  Krzysztof Kiryluk, MD, Medicine, “Donor-Recipient Genomic Incompatibilities in Solid Organ Transplantation”
  •  Ian Kronish, MD, Medicine, “Telemonitoring Medication Adherence to Prevent Heart Failure Readmissions: A Pilot Study”
  •  Thomas Nickolas, MD, Medicine, “Using Electronic Health Records to Design a CKD-Specific Fracture Risk Assessment Tool”
  •  Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, MD, PhD, Medicine, “Whole-Genome Sequencing Program to Trace and Limit Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Infections at NYPH”

Spencer E. Amory, MD, Surgery, was awarded the 2014 Jerry Gliklich Award for Exemplary Clinical Care, formerly “Practitioner of the Year” award, by the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center Society of Practitioners. To qualify, a physician must demonstrate exceptional care to patients, engender respect and collegiality with peers, and have outstanding outcomes.

Michael Badgley, a PhD candidate, was awarded a Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research by the National Institutes of Health for “Genetic and Pharmacological Manipulation of System xc in Pancreatic Cancer.” His mentor is Kenneth P. Olive, PhD, Medicine.

Kathleen Breeding, a medical student, was awarded a clinical research mentorship fellowship from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Her mentor is Adam Ratner, MD, Pediatrics. The title of her research project is “The Vaginal Microbiota: A New Target for Prevention of Group B Streptococcus Colonization and Disease.”

Rita Charon, MD, PhD, Medicine, will be awarded the Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging in November 2014 at the GSA’s annual scientific meeting. The award is presented annually to a professional whose research in the field of creativity and aging demonstrates positive attributes reminiscent of the seminal work of Gene Cohen, MD, whose research shifted the conceptual focus from a problem paradigm to one of promise and potential.

Edward J. Ciaccio, PhD, Medicine, was a keynote speaker at the Innovation in Medicine and Healthcare 2014 meeting in San Sebastian, Spain, in July 2014 and will be a keynote speaker at the third International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology in Beijing, China, in September 2014.

Donald Edmondson, PhD, Medicine, was awarded the Neal E. Miller New Investigator Award from the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research for his early-career contributions to behavioral medicine.

Thomas Hooven, MD, Pediatrics, received the 2014 Marshall Klaus Perinatal Research Award for his project, “The Role of Environmental Arginine Sensing in the Pathogenesis of Perinatal Group B Streptococcus Infection.”

Nicholas Hutchings, a P&S student, is spending the summer in Armenia conducting research under the mentorship of John Bilezikian, MD, Medicine. Mr. Hutchings’ project, “Identifying Risk Factors for Fragility Fractures among Elderly Armenians: Initiating Treatment and Prevention Strategies,” is supported by the David E. Rogers Fellowship from the New York Academy of Medicine and one of the school’s NIH research training grants for medical students (principal investigator: Qais Al-Awqati, MD).

Mazen Kheirbek, PhD, Psychiatry, received an honorable mention from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for Klerman and Freedman Prizes for Exceptional Clinical and Basic Research. Dr. Kheirbek’s research examines how circuits within the brain’s hippocampal region contribute to emotional behavior and may be disrupted in mental illness.

Robert Klitzman, MD, Psychiatry and Sociomedical Sciences, was elected a 2014 Hastings Center Fellow by the Hastings Center, an independent bioethics research institute that addresses ethical issues in health, medicine, and the environment. The fellows are a worldwide network of researchers who make influential contributions to bioethics and come from medicine, nursing, the sciences, law, and other disciplines.

Anil K. Lalwani, MD, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, was elected president of the American Neurotology Society effective July 1. His one-year term coincides with the society’s 50th anniversary.

Vincent Racaniello, PhD, Microbiology & Immunology, assumed the presidency of the American Society of Virology in June.

Rudina Odeh-Ramadan, PharmD, Research Administration, was among three people honored by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewar at an Iftar dinner in July.

Lawrence R. Stanberry, MD, PhD, Pediatrics, was recognized by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for his exemplary leadership and commitment as the president of the Medical Board from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014.

Yaakov Stern, PhD, Neurology, delivered the plenary session at the 2014 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Copenhagen. He discussed cognitive reserve and insights gained from neuroimaging.

Kimara Targoff, MD, Pediatrics, received the Colin Malloy Research Award from the Colin’s Kids Organization for research focusing on the study of nkx genes in the zebrafish embryo as a means to enhance the understanding of the genetics of cardiac development.

MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Jeremiah Barondess, MD, Epidemiology, New York Academy of Medicine president emeritus, was honored at the academy’s 20th annual gala, where he received the Urban Health Champion Award for his leadership and long tenure as the academy’s first full-time president.

Ronald Bayer, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, and Amy Fairchild, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, were named to leadership positions at World Health Organization’s Bioethics Collaborating Centers. Dr. Bayer will chair the WHO’s Network of Bioethics Collaborating Centers. Most recently, the network worked with the World Health Organization on the ethical challenges of HIV treatment prevention, tuberculosis control, and vaccination. Dr. Fairchild was appointed co-chair of a working group charged with crafting guidelines on ethical issues in public health surveillance.

Ken Cheung, PhD, Biostatistics, and Melanie Wall, PhD, Biostatistics, have been elected fellows of the American Statistical Association, the field’s highest honor, which recognizes recipients for outstanding contributions to, and leadership in, the statistical science field. They were inducted at the Joint Statistical Meetings conference in Boston in August.

Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, ICAP, received Columbia Engineering School’s Michael Pupin Medal for Service to the Nation in Engineering, Science, or Technology. The award was presented to Dr. El-Sadr by University Provost John Coatsworth at an awards dinner hosted by the Engineering School.

Allana Therese Forde, PhD candidate, Epidemiology, was awarded a Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows.

Mailman School Dean Linda P. Fried, MD, was named “one of 2014’s most influential scientific minds” by global publisher Thomson Reuters. Dr. Fried was recognized for work that is cutting edge in the field of social sciences and that “peers recognize as vital to the advancement of their science.”

Pamela Valera, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of Disability Rights New York, the state’s protection and advocacy and client assistance program for people with disabilities.

SCHOOL OF NURSING

Three Nursing faculty—Jennifer Dohrn, DNP; Jacqueline Merrill, PhD; and Lusine Poghosyan, PhD—will be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing on Oct. 18, 2014, in Washington, D.C. Fellowship in the Academy is the highest honor in the nursing profession.

Suzanne Bakken, PhD, was named an Ambassador for Scientific Advancement by the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research, an independent nonprofit group advocating for nursing science on behalf of the National Institute of Nursing Research.

Dawn Dowding, PhD, was elected a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. She presented the keynote address at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York celebration.

Rebecca Schnall, PhD, was elected a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.

 

PHILANTHROPIC GIFTS

(Gifts Received June 18–July 23)

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS

A donor made a $3,500,000 commitment to the Department of Medicine to provide professorship and scholarship support to the Division of Cardiology.

A foundation made a $2,000,000 commitment to the Center for Neuroscience Initiatives at Columbia University Medical Center.

A foundation made a commitment of $1,250,000 to the Department of Medicine to advance heart failure research in the Center for Advanced Cardiac Care and a $750,000 commitment to support scholarships at the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

A donor made a bequest of $1,000,000 to support the campus revitalization initiative.

A corporate foundation made a commitment of $500,000 to support construction of the new Medical and Graduate Education Building.

A foundation made a contribution of $1,000,000 toward a $5,000,000 commitment to establish the Gerald D. Fischbach, MD, Professorship of Neuroscience and a scholarship at the Kavli Institute of Brain Science.

An anonymous donor made a $500,000 contribution toward a $2,500,000 commitment to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology to endow a professorship in women’s health.

An anonymous donor made a $500,000 contribution toward a $2,000,000 commitment to the Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer in the Department of Pediatrics’ Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation.

An anonymous donor made a contribution of $400,000 toward a pledge of $800,000 to advance research at the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain.

A donor made a contribution of $393,900 toward a $1,250,000 commitment to advance research and patient care at the Pancreas Center.

A family foundation made a gift of $325,000 to the Department of Pediatrics to support the IFAP Global Health Program.

A foundation made a contribution of $300,000 to the Department of Medicine to provide fellowship support to the Division of Infectious Diseases.

A foundation made a contribution of $255,000 to support the work of the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience.

A family foundation made a contribution of $250,000 toward a $1,250,000 commitment to establish a professorship in the Department of Medicine.

A P&S alumnus made a gift of $249,815 to the Department of Medicine to advance gastric cancer research.

A foundation made a $225,000 gift to the Department of Ophthalmology to support research on ophthalmologic diseases and disorders.

An anonymous donor made a gift of $210,000 to the Department of Neurosurgery to advance low-grade glioma research.

A bequest of $208,795 was realized to support the Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center.

A foundation made a contribution of $200,000 to complete an $800,000 commitment to the Celiac Disease Center to advance research and clinical care programs.

A corporation made a contribution of $175,000 to support research in omega 3 fatty acids and novel lipid emulsions at the Institute of Human Nutrition.

A foundation made a contribution of $150,000 toward a $3,150,000 commitment to the Department of Medicine to advance research on malignant mesothelioma.

A foundation made a contribution of $125,000 to the Department of Psychiatry to support a fellowship in women’s mental health.

A foundation made a contribution of $110,000 to complete a $550,000 commitment to support the training of a junior pediatric ophthalmologist in the Department of Ophthalmology.

A donor made a gift of $100,000 to the Department of Medicine to advance cardiovascular research.

A donor made a contribution of $100,000 to fulfill a commitment to the Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry to advance research on adolescent addiction.

A donor made a $100,000 commitment to support research in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE

A corporation made a $150,000 contribution to support periodontic research.

A corporation made a $100,000 contribution toward an $800,000 commitment to support the dental implant program.

MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

An anonymous foundation made a gift of $928,640 to support research on autism spectrum disorder at the Center for Infection and Immunity.

  

CUMC IN THE NEWS: JULY—AUGUST 2014

WALL STREET JOURNAL Opinion: ‘Ebola: How Worried Should We Be?–Aug. 3, 2014

Few people alive today personally recall the influenza pandemic of 1918 that killed between 50 million and 100 million people. But I have vivid memories from 2003 of deserted airports and streets when the SARS virus, which infected fewer than 9,000 people and killed fewer than 800 world-wide, brought Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto to their knees.

Dr. Lipkin is professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at the Mailman School of Public Health and College of Physicians and Surgeons.

NPR ‘Trans Bodies, Trans Selves’: A Modern Manual By And For Trans People–July 17, 2014

[Laura] Erickson-Schroth is a fellow in public psychiatry and LGBT health at Columbia University Medical Center. She’s also a founding member of the Gender and Family Network of New York City. When she was in medical school at Dartmouth, she says, she met a lot of patients who were transgender.

WALL STREET JOURNAL Key to Detecting Alzheimer’s Early Could Be in the Eye–July 13, 2014

A study of some 1,000 individuals without Alzheimer’s diagnoses who were examined from 2004 to 2006, using a simple scratch-and-sniff smell test known as the UPSIT, showed that lower scores on the test were associated with a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s—even if the individual was cognitively normal at the beginning of the study, said Davangere Devanand, a Columbia University psychology and psychiatry professor.

NEW YORK TIMES Study Adds to Worries Over Use of Hysterectomy Procedure That May Spread Cancer–July 22, 2014

That means one in 368 women undergoing a hysterectomy had cancerous tumors that risked being spread by morcellation, said Dr. Jason D. Wright, the lead author and chief of gynecologic oncology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Previous estimates suggested that unsuspected cancer was much rarer, ranging from one in 500 to one in 10,000 cases.

HUFFINGTON POST Opinion: Tackling Challenges of Education and Health Together–July 21, 2014

In the United States, we all too often tackle challenges in distinct fields separately, but America is experiencing challenges in education and health that could be tackled together in ways that are mutually beneficial and cost-effective. The good news is that one proven model already exists.

Linda P. Fried is Dean and DeLamar Professor of Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

NEW YORK TIMES Rustle, Tingle, Relax: The Compelling World of A.S.M.R.–July 28, 2014

Dr. Carl W. Bazil, a sleep disorders specialist at Columbia University, says A.S.M.R. videos may provide novel ways to switch off our brains. “People who have insomnia are in a hyper state of arousal,” he said. “Behavioral treatments—guided imagery, progressive relaxation, hypnosis and meditation—are meant to try to trick your unconscious into doing what you want it to do. A.S.M.R. videos seem to be a variation on finding ways to shut your brain down.”

See more headlines in the CUMC Newsroom.

Past issues of CUMC CELEBRATES: http://ps.columbia.edu/celebrates/