THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019

High Tech High Touch School of Medicine Alumni Bring Innovation to Care, and Care to Innovation

HENRY FELDMAN ’01 (RES. ’04), FACP, FHM

DC 07/12/2019 PHOTO: JULIANA THOMAS Alumni giving helped us achieve this A Historic landmark; now your philanthropy is essential for sustaining our full-tuition Medical scholarship initiative in perpetuity. Help us continue to dramatically Breakthrough: reduce medical student debt, so future doctors can pursue their true passions.

Free Tuition! For more information, contact Diana Robertson at 212-404-3510 NYU School of Medicine is or [email protected] now offering full-tuition Make an online donation at scholarships to all of its nyulangone.org/give/scholarships current and future students in the MD degree program.

DC 07/12/2019 DEAN’S MESSAGE Dreaming Big

Technology and innovation have long been core priorities of our institution. Early in my tenure, we invested in Epic, our electronic health records platform; this important— and, as it turned out, prescient—decision became the foundation for many innovative approaches to clinical care. In fact, innovation is at the forefront of everything we do.

For example, our newest sites deeply programs, projects, and approaches worthy of integrate the power of technology in order such extraordinary tools and facilities. So I’m to transform how we deliver patient care, proud to present stories of some of our alumni perform research, and educate our outstanding who are doing just that: using technology, School of Medicine students. The Helen L. and innovative thinking, and AI as only the starting Martin S. Kimmel Pavilion and Hassenfeld point for what they hope to accomplish Children’s Hospital, among the most digitally for their patients, for science, and for the sophisticated inpatient facilities in the betterment of healthcare far beyond “OUR JOB IS country, refect careful consideration of the the confnes of this institution. TO IMAGINE provider and patient experience. Our MCIT Dr. Henry Feldman and Dr. Dara Richardson- AND ACHIEVE (Medical Center Information Technology) Heron are addressing the challenges of AI: PROGRAMS, and Real Estate Development and Facilities Dr. Feldman, at IBM Watson Health, from the PROJECTS, AND teams, in collaboration with other NYU digital side—how we as physicians incorporate APPROACHES Langone Health departments, have seamlessly the vast potential of big data into our work; WORTHY OF SUCH integrated systems and thoughtfully designed Dr. Richardson-Heron, at the NIH, from the technologies including our cutting-edge human side—how we ensure that big data EXTRAORDINARY ORs and the in-room MyWall screens that sets refect full diversity and build trust among TOOLS AND connect patients instantly to caregivers, their the huge numbers of patients who fuel them. FACILITIES.” health information, and the outside world. Closer to home, Dr. Roberto Flores is changing The Science Building creates a physical and the face of transplant surgery, using inno- digital environment that is especially suited vations such as high-defnition 3D printing to conducting research and sharing data with to restore and rebuild with precision and partners around the globe. At the School of life-changing results. Medicine, we have also implemented multiple And this is the tip of the iceberg. You, our programs to enhance how we deliver training alumni, bring the culture of the School of for students and faculty, and to increase access Medicine—dream big, create new solutions, to quality data. collaborate, and build excellence—to your Now we are in the midst of a full IT daily work. We look forward to continuing to integration of NYU Winthrop Hospital, starting celebrate your achievements in these pages. with the successful migration of 600 Winthrop ambulatory providers and their offces to Epic. Sincerely, We also added 2 million Winthrop patient records into the system. These are not just high-priority initiatives for NYU Langone Health. They are also

opportunities to reexamine every function we ROBERT I. GROSSMAN, MD perform. Our job is to imagine and achieve THE SAUL J. FARBER DEAN AND CEO Photo: John Photo: Carnett

1 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

William R. Berkley, BS (STERN ’66) Chair, Board of Trustees

Andrew D. Hamilton, MSc, PhD President

NYU LANGONE HEALTH

Kenneth G. Langone, MBA (STERN ’60), (Hon. ’01) Chairman, Board of Trustees

Robert I. Grossman, MD (Hon. ’08) Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO

OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Grace Y. Ko FEATURES Senior Vice President

Anthony J. Grieco ’63, BS (ARTS ’60) Associate Dean, Alumni Afairs

Christine Beeby Senior Division Director, Donor Engagement and Communications

Diana Robertson Director, Alumni Afairs

Darcy Sender Assistant Manager, Alumni Afairs

FACULTY ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERS

Ariel Ostad, MD ’91 2018–20 Alumni Association President

Tech and Change In It for All of Us Fit to Print Nicole M. Hindman, MD ’01, Res. ’06 Associate Professor, Department of 16 22 26 Radiology

Henry Feldman ’01(Res. ’04), Dara Richardson-Heron ’89 From breakthroughs in Dimitris G. Placantonakis, MD ’03, FACP, FHM on the ever- (Res. ’92) is building one of 3D printing to his work on PhD (GSAS ’02) Director, Neurosurgical Laboratory evolving nature of innovation the largest—and most NYU Langone’s historic face for Stem Cell Research and how doctors can harness diverse—biomedical data transplant, Roberto Flores, Rafael Rivera, Jr., MD, Res. ’00, AI to enhance their own sets in the world. MD ’01 (Res. ’04, ’07) is Fellow ’01, MBA (STERN ’15) Associate Dean, Admissions and practices. making a lot of news. Financial Aid

Linda R. Tewksbury, MD ’90, Res. ’93 Associate Dean for Student Afairs

Marc M. Triola, MD ’98, Res. ’02 NEW(S) HEARD Associate Dean, Educational Informatics, Director, Institute for Innovations in Medical Education 4 9 30 GRAPEVINE NYU Long Island School of NYU Langone Health Named Class Notes Celia Regan Medicine Opens Healthcare’s Most Wired 31 Editor 6 10 Hailen Mak ’74 Shares Her Barbara C. Mlawer Managing Editor $75 Million Gift Establishes First-Year Resident Named Passion for Climbing Jen Swetzof Center for Blood Cancers to Forbes “30 Under 30” List 32 Editorial Services 7 10 Q+A with Freya Schnabel ’82 Travis Adkins André da Loba NCI Awards Perlmutter Its MD-PhD Student Wins (Res. ’87) Sarah Jackson Highest Ranking Nemko Prize Andrew Lichtenstein 34 Miguel Montaner Karsten Moran 7 11 Timothy Peck ’11 Uses Len Rubenstein Biggest Turnout at 2019 Match Day Technology to Transform the Matthew Septimus Contributors Alumni Brunch in Florida Delivery of Emergency Care 11 Opto Design 8 Admissions Surge 36 Publication Design Dean’s Honors Day Families: Rachel Canning ’98 CONTACT INFORMATION 12 Please contact us at and Soheil Motamed ’98 9 [email protected] or Alumni Reunion 212-263-5390. You can also write A New Kind of House Call 38 to us or visit our website. 14 In Memoriam NYU School of Medicine New Books Ofce of Development and Alumni Afairs 40 One Park Avenue, 5th Floor New York, NY 10016 Look Back: Stephen Smith med.nyu.edu/alumni

NYU Langone Health comprises NYU Langone Hospitals and NYU School of Medicine. DC 07/12/2019 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

It was with no small amount me to note how many more of pride that I read “Full articles have been published Tuition Scholarship for All” critiquing the scholarship New(s) in the Fall 2018 issue of than praising it—the most ACHIEVEMENTS Full-Tuition Grapevine. As a member of fallacious of which contend Scholarships for All

NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE is now For each of student in the MD sends a clear signal down- the frst top-ranked medical degree program, regardless of stream to all those consid- school in the nation to offer class year, that amounts to an ering a career in medicine the inaugural class to expe- that the generosity is mis- full-tuition scholarships to all annual scholarship of about that it is now within reach current and future students $55,000 and signifcantly re- of everyone—regardless enrolled in its MD degree duces the average fnancial debt of their fnancial means.” program. Robert I. Grossman, for graduates, which was previ- Grants, much like merit and MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean ously estimated at $184,000. fnancial aid, are made only and CEO of NYU Langone “Tuition-free medical after students have chosen rience the C21 curriculum, placed altogether, or should Health, announced the news education goes beyond the their career path, explains to the incoming class at the merit and fnancial scholar- Dr. Rivera, who is also an White Coat Ceremony on ships and debt cancellations alumnus of the NYU Langone August 16, 2018. that other academic centers Health residency program. “THIS DECISION Starting this fall, thanks to have traditionally favored,” “That’s too late if we wish to a student during both the be reserved for those physi- RECOGNIZES the extraordinary generosity says Rafael Rivera, MD, MBA expand the pipeline to bring of more than 2,500 alumni, (STERN ’15), associate dean forth the broadest, most A MORAL donors, and friends, students for admissions and fnancial talented group of students, IMPERATIVE at NYU School of Medicine no aid. “More importantly, by and to give them the fnancial THAT MUST BE longer have to worry about taking tuition off the table freedom to choose medicine ADDRESSED, AS overwhelming fnancial debt. for all of our MD students, it over other careers.” launch of the three-year MD cians committing themselves INSTITUTIONS We’d love to hear from you! PLACE AN INCREASING DEBT BURDEN ON YOUNG PEOPLE program and the post-Sandy to a career in primary care, WHO ASPIRE Please send your letters to the TO BECOME PHYSICIANS ” ROBERT I GROSSMAN, MD, SAUL J FARBER relief-and-renovation efforts, an underserved community, DEAN AND CEO editor to alumnirelations@ I’m no stranger to the adven- et cetera. This wrongheaded nyulangone.org. We reserve the Photo: Jay Brady Brady Jay Photo: turous and innovative spirit assault frequently originates 4 | N Y U S C H O O L O F M E D I C I N E right to edit for length. that permeates NYU School from within the physician of Medicine—yet even I was community, which has felt I have yet to meet a doctor awed by the announcement particularly personal to me as who is not living a life of ser- that my medical alma mater a neurosurgeon and a resident vice every day, or whose tire- would become tuition free. at Mayo Clinic. Medicine less efforts on behalf of their Many friends and colleagues already has a recruitment patients should be considered have attempted to rile me with problem—law and business unworthy. This sensibility was versions of “Aren’t you jealous?” offer shorter and more lucra- forged at NYU, where we saw I’d be lying if I didn’t admit a tive indentures, less psycho- no difference in the humanity shade of envy, but much more logical strain, and greater of the patients at Bellevue, prominent is the genuine sense remunerations in partnership. Tisch, or the VA—nor in the of honor and gratifcation I feel To further disincentivize dignity of the doctors caring in seeing NYU lead the charge bright, talented individuals for them. on a revolution in how America from specialties such as mine CHRISTOPHER S. GRAFFEO ’14 approaches medical education. will primarily be a disservice Neurologic Surgery Resident Indeed, it has troubled to the patients themselves. Mayo Clinic Rochester

CORRECTIONS In “Distant Memories of Medical School” (Fall 2018), we incorrectly stated that Dr. Martin Duke attended medical school from 1951 to 1954. In fact, Dr. Duke started his medical education in 1950. Also in the fall issue, the caption for our “Look Back” photo identifed the doctors seated in the front row out of sequence. The correct order: Gordon Douglas, Sophia Kleehman ’24, Gray Twombly, Fritz Beller, Alvin Weseley. We apologize for these errors.

PROGRAMS Registration Is Open for CME Courses at NYU

NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE provides the highest standard of continuing medical education (CME). Our CME program, which is formally recognized by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), maintains and furthers the trifold mission of the institution. We offer courses—including live activities and educational materials—in nearly every area, developed and taught by leaders in medicine from NYU Langone Health and around the world. We invite NYU School of Medicine alumni to attend our exceptional CME courses at a 15 percent discount by entering the code NYUSOMALUM at registration.

Please visit nyulmc.org/cme for more information and to see a complete listing of course offerings. Illustration: Miguel Montaner Miguel Montaner Illustration:

3 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 New(s) BY THE NUMBERS Facts + Figures: NYU Long Island School of Medicine 60+ faculty 1st three-year medical school ofering full-tuition scholarships in the nation 24 students entering in 2019 120 planned total enrollment in 2023 Photo: Chris Cooper Chris Cooper Photo:

| 4 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 BUILDINGS NYU Long Island School of Medicine Opens This Summer With full-tuition scholarships for all students and an innovative three-year program, the new school will train more primary care doctors to help alleviate the nationwide physician shortage.

IN JULY, NYU Long Island nomic Development Council School of Medicine will competition. welcome 24 students into an “There is a growing trend accelerated, three-year MD toward a fexible, accelerated program exclusively devot- MD curriculum for students ed to training primary care who know early on the area of physicians, including those medicine in which they wish interested in internal and to specialize,” says Steven THIS INNOVATIVE community medicine, pedi- Shelov, MD, founding dean of atrics, OB/GYN, and general the NYU Long Island School APPROACH TO A surgery. Students will receive of Medicine. “We’ve worked NEW PRIMARY conditional acceptance to closely with the LCME to CARE-FOCUSED do their residency in one of develop a comprehensive and MEDICAL SCHOOL these programs at the NYU rigorous program that meets IN LONG ISLAND Winthrop Hospital Campus in the needs of today’s students, WILL COMPLEMENT Mineola through the NRMP and we look forward to col- THE MORE (National Resident Matching laborating further on the next Program). This innovative steps in establishing the new SPECIALTY-FOCUSED approach to a new primary medical school.” NYU SCHOOL care-focused medical school The American Association OF MEDICINE IN in Long Island will com- of Medical Colleges estimates MANHATTAN. plement the more special- that there will be a shortage ty-focused NYU School of of up to 43,000 primary care Medicine in Manhattan. providers by 2030. In New In February, the Liaison York State, just 30 percent of Committee on Medical Edu- the 70,000 practicing physi- cation (LCME), the accrediting cians provide primary care. To body for MD programs in the help eliminate such dramatic United States and Canada, shortages, NYU Long Island granted preliminary accred- School of Medicine will accept itation to the new medical approximately 40 students school, located on the NYU each academic year starting in Winthrop Hospital campus. 2023 (for a total of 120 across Parts of the medical school all three classes). According building are being renovated to the founders, this new to accommodate new class- school represents the latest rooms and offces, thanks in step in NYU’s commitment to part to a $1 million state grant preparing the next generation from Governor Andrew M. of physicians to assume local Cuomo’s annual Regional Eco- and national leadership.

5 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 New(s) ACHIEVEMENTS Spotlight on Perlmutter Cancer Center

New $75 Million Gift Establishes Center for Blood Cancers

Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD (left), will serve as the center’s director of multiple myeloma research. Faith Davies, MD (right), will serve as director of the clinical myeloma program.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, the Laura their earliest stages. Lab space Arkansas, they will jump-start and Isaac Perlmutter Can- and cell processing within the NYU’s basic, translational, and cer Center at NYU Langone Center for Blood Cancers will clinical research in multiple Health received a transforma- be increased considerably, myeloma, a disease whose tional philanthropic gift of and infusion and exam rooms treatment has seen major prog- $75 million, made by an will be added to ensure eff- ress over the past 15 years but anonymous donor, to es- cient patient fow. Enhanced that has not yet seen a cure. tablish a Center for Blood educational opportunities in “There is a pressing need Cancers. In addition to this area will now be available for more research in the areas strengthening multiple myelo- as well for students, fellows, of early diagnosis and preven- ma research and care, the new and faculty at NYU School of tion of blood cancers,” says center will expand services for Medicine. Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, all patients. It will also bolster Already, two new faculty director of Perlmutter Cancer research efforts focusing on members—Gareth Morgan, Center. “As a nationally rec- clinical trial recruitment and MD, and Faith Davies, MD— ognized cancer center, we are efforts to identify markers have joined the center. Previ- proud to continue to be on the for different cancer types to ously based at the Myeloma leading edge of research and

recognize blood cancers at Institute at the University of clinical care in this area.” Lichtenstein Andrew Photos:

| 6 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS

Perlmutter 1 Cancer Center Recognized as Comprehensive Cancer Center by NIH

IN FEBRUARY, the National Cancer Institute of the Na- tional Institutes of Health, the nation’s leading authority in Biggest Turnout Ever at cancer research and support, designated the Laura and Isaac Alumni Brunch in Florida Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health a “Com- In February, nearly 100 alumni gathered for brunch at the prehensive Cancer Center.” Boca Beach Club, marking the highest attendance at a Only 50 cancer centers regional event. Anthony J. Grieco, associate dean for alumni across the United States have relations and academic events, and Ariel Ostad ’91, president earned this impressive distinc- of the Alumni Association, addressed the group, which tion. In addition, the Perlmut- included graduates from the classes of 1948 through 2011. ter Cancer Center received an overall “outstanding” rating on the competitive renewal of its Cancer Center Support Grant, which will provide $19.9 million in new fund- ing for research programs, infrastructure, and technology. This represents a 51 percent increase from its last grant, one of the largest increases for any cancer center. 2 The NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center status is the highest ranking awarded by the National Cancer Institute. Perlmutter Cancer Center achieved this recognition by demonstrating leadership in basic, translational, and clinical research; offering the most advanced therapies and clinical trials; studying prevalence and prevention 3 strategies across diverse pop- ulations; and educating future leaders in the feld. Over the past fve years, Perlmutter has

seen a 110 percent increase 1. Jonathan Vafai ’04, class reunion in new patients and has more chair, Michael Tyler ’11, Marc Ialenti ’11, than doubled the number of Tiago Miguel ’11, Alan Nieder ’97 patients enrolled in clinical 2. Eugene Kalnitsky ’54, class reunion chair, Linda Kalnitsky trials. It also has recruited more than 20 nationally and 3. Dr. Pierone, Audrey Grieco, and Nancy Ryoung Cho ’84, class reunion internationally renowned fac- chair ulty members into leadership Joseph Doyle ’89, class reunion 4 4.

Photos: Andrew Lichtenstein Andrew Photos: Photography Barbara Santa from Jon Laye Photos: positions. chair, with his mom, Sandy Doyle

7 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019

New(s) CELEBRATIONS Dean’s Honors Day Dean Robert I. Grossman honors faculty members

At the 17th annual Dean’s Vice Chair for Education, Honors Day ceremony, held in Faculty and Academic Affairs, October 2018, NYU Langone Department of Medicine Health recognized faculty members for their work in MASTER SCIENTIST clinical excellence, educa- Ann Marie Schmidt, BA tion, and science with Master (CAS ’79), MD ’83 Scholar Awards. (pictured right) Dr. Iven Young Professor of MASTER CLINICIAN Endocrinology, Department Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, of Medicine; Professor, DDS (DEN ’92) Department of Biochemistry Award. The Bezos Family Helen L. Kimmel Professor of and Molecular Pharmacology; Foundation supports initia- Reconstructive Plastic Surgery; Professor, Department of tives based on the science of Chair, Hansjrg Wyss Depart- Pathology brain development in early ment of Plastic Surgery childhood. In 2018, Clancy NYU also honored long-stand- Blair, PhD, was named a sec- MASTER EDUCATOR ing philanthropic partners ond Bezos Family Foundation David T. Stern, MD, PhD Jackie and Mike Bezos with Professor in the Department Professor of Medicine, the Valentine Mott Founders of Population Health.

EVENTS

150 guests attended the Scholarship Appreciation Reception held on April 16, celebrating the School of Medicine’s commitment to providing full-tuition scholarships to all MD candidates. Gifty Addae ’21 (bottom left) and Evan Wilder ’19 (bottom right) told stories of where they began, how they developed their passion for medicine, and their ambitious goals.

| 8 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 TECHNOLOGY ACHIEVEMENTS A New Kind of House Call NYU Langone Health Named NYU’s Telemedicine Reach Expands with Virtual Urgent Care Healthcare’s Most Wired

FOR THE SECOND year in a row, NYU Langone Health has been recognized with a “Most Wired” award for its inno- vative use of technology to im- prove the patient experience and streamline administrative processes. NYU Langone was honored for its work in inte- grating strategic technology into its everyday operations. At NYU, patients increas- ingly have more real-time VIRTUAL URGENT CARE, a new in the Ronald O. Perelman access to their providers program launched to the Department of Emergency and their personal health public in 2018 through the Medicine. “We can tell a lot by records through MyChart, the NYU Langone Health app, observing how the patient is electronic patient portal that offers same-day, secure breathing, how much they are allows users to view lab test videoconferencing visits with sweating, how fushed their results, communicate with one of 30 physicians from the face is, and how lethargic members of their healthcare Ronald O. Perelman Depart- they seem,” Dr. Lakdawala team, manage appointments, ment of Emergency Medicine explains. “If they point the receive notifcations of for patients, ages 5 and older, camera on their smartphone preventive care needs, book who are concerned about at the back of the throat, we imaging appointments, and a minor medical condition can see whether the tonsils request prescription reflls. (such as a suspected case of are infamed.” The award, now in its pink eye, a rash, or fu-like As with an in-offce visit, 20th year, is given to recip- symptoms) and based in New the doctor will review the ients on the basis of survey York, New Jersey, Connecti- patient’s medical history and results from hospitals and cut, Florida, or Pennsylvania. symptoms and determine a health systems across the “We know many of our treatment plan to help the United States. It was issued patients, as well as staff patient feel better. If needed, by the American Hospital members, live outside the the doctor can also order Association until 2019, when state of New York,” says prescriptions, labs, and the College of Healthcare Paul Testa (Res. ’08), chief imaging or refer the patient Information Management medical information offcer. to an NYU Langone Health Executives (CHIME) took over “This is an important step in specialist for follow-up. the program. making the convenience of “This model of care Virtual Urgent Care accessi- allows NYU Langone to ble to members of the NYU offer patients an extremely Langone Health community convenient, high-quality in the morning and evening option that they can access when they may be home in from anywhere,” says Robert New Jersey, Connecticut, or J. Femia, MD, chair of the New York.” Department of Emergency Patients are often surprised Medicine. by just how much a virtual exam feels like an offce visit, LEARN MORE notes Viraj Lakdawala, MD, 866-262-6458 director of telemedicine bit.ly/nyuvirtualcare

9 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 New(s) RESIDENT NEWS First-Year Resident Named to Forbes “30 Under 30” List

RUSHI TALATI, MD, MBA, a for-value. As senior author, he treatment for Medicare and frst-year resident physician articulated the federal govern- Medicaid patients. at NYU School of Medicine, ment’s position on bundled “Working at CMS gave me was recently recognized in payment initiatives in a letter unique insight into the levers Forbes magazine’s annual published in the Journal of the that will bend the healthcare “30 Under 30” list. Placed in American Medical Associa- cost curve in our country,” the highly competitive law tion. He also helped structure said Dr. Talati. “But there’s no and policy category, Dr. Talati and negotiate innovative replacement for the frontline was honored for his work at drug pricing contracts with experience that comes with the Centers for Medicare and pharmaceutical companies to being a medical resident, and Medicaid Services, where he lower prescription drug costs I’m excited to be a better-in- served as the special assistant and led an interagency task formed steward of policy for it.” to the chief medical offcer at force to mobilize the federal Dr. Talati received his the CMS Innovation Center; government’s response to undergraduate degree in he managed a broad policy the opioid crisis. His team mechanical engineering, portfolio as one of the young- crafted parts of the Support with honors, from Stanford est senior advisors on staff. for Patients and Communities University. He earned both Notably, Dr. Talati helped Act, which was signed into his MD and his MBA from lead an overhaul of Medicare’s law with bipartisan Congres- Northwestern University with physician payment system sional support and which Beta Gamma Sigma honors as from fee-for-service to fee- boosts access to addiction a Kellogg Scholar.

STUDENT NEWS MD-PhD Student Wins Nemko Prize in Cellular or Molecular Neuroscience

LATE IN 2018, PhD thesis that advances the tostatin-expressing inhibitory William J. understanding of molecular, neurons that have distinct Muoz-Miranda genetic, or cellular mecha- patterns of activity during ’19, PhD (GSAS nisms underlying higher brain behavior and target different ’17), a student function and cognition. parts of the dendritic arbor of in the MD-PhD In his thesis, “Studies on excitatory neurons. His work program, was the Dynamics of Dendritic suggests a new mechanism by honored with Inhibition of the Neocortex,” which the cerebral cortex can the 2018 Nemko Dr. Muoz, shown at left with process and integrate separate Prize in Cellular Richard Huganir, sought to information lines and sort out or Molecular develop an experimental the information that is rele- Neuroscience strategy for examining the vant at any point in time. from the Society functional architecture of “SfN congratulates Dr. for Neuroscience the cortex in awake, behav- Muoz on his remarkable PhD (SfN) for his ing mice. The method he thesis and accomplishments development and developed, called channel- to date,” SfN President Richard application of a rhodopsin-assisted patching, Huganir said. “The method he method to record allows scientists to record the developed for recording cor- interneurons deep in the activity of specifc cell types tical neurons in behaving ani- cerebral cortex and identify in the brain at any depth in mals has already been adopted both their morphology and both anesthetized and awake by colleagues in the feld and their function. The Nemko mice. Using the innovative will continue to lead to new Prize recognizes a young method he introduced, Muoz insights into the structure and

neuroscientist for authoring a discovered a family of soma- function of the cortex.” Neuroscience for / Society Joe Shymansk Photo:

| 10 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 ACHIEVEMENTS BY THE NUMBERS 2019 Match Day Admissions Surge

ON MARCH 15, NYU School remarkably strong residency After NYU School of Medicine of Medicine’s 178th class programs,” says Linda R. announced last summer that gathered with family, friends, Tewksbury ’90 (Res. ’93), it would offer full-tuition and advisers at Riverpark in associate dean of student scholarships to all students, Manhattan and learned their affairs at NYU School of Med- applications skyrocketed by residency placement. All 148 icine. “We’re so proud and 47 percent. There is also graduating students who ap- excited for all of the students evidence that the diversity plied to a residency matched. who matched with such of the applicant pool is “NYU School of Medicine amazing programs around signifcantly increasing. has a great track record the country and at NYU Lan- of placing its students at gone Health.” APPLICANT POOL CLASS OF 2019 Year-over-year increases in application numbers:* 47% following announcement of tuition-free initiative 102% Individuals who self-identify as a member of a race or ethnicity that is underrepresented in medicine 142% Individuals who self-identify as African American or black

ACCEPTED CLASS OF 2019 3.95 Median GPA 522 Median MCAT (99th percentile)

*Note: Data correct as of May 2019. Photo: Joe Shymansk / Society for Neuroscience for / Society Joe Shymansk Photo:

11 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 New(s) EVENTS 1

Reunion 2019

MORE THAN 230 alumni attended the 2019 NYU School of Medicine Reunion in May, honoring milestone classes ending in 4 and 9 with special recognition for the 50th anniversary class of 1969. Dean and CEO Robert I. Grossman, MD, presented achieve- ment awards to Alan F. Schatzberg ’68 (Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Pro- fessor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford School of Medicine), who received the Solomon A. Berson Medical Alumni Achievement Award; and John Inou Hwang ’12 (Res. ’15) (assistant professor, Department of Medicine at NYU Langone),

who received the Julia Zelmanovich Young Alumni Award. 5 Alumni took part in student-led campus tours and the annual Reunion Ball and heard presentations from Marc M. Triola, MD ’98 (Res. ’02), associate dean for educational infor- matics and founding director of the Institute for Innovations in Medical Education; and Yvonne W. Lui (Res. ’04), associate professor, Department of Radiology, and associate chair for artifcial intelligence, Department of Radiology. “AI is poised to disrupt our society in our everyday world and across disci- Watch for information on plines,” Dr. Lui said. “We are developing and adapting this data- Reunion 2020 celebrating rich feld, helping patients through image acquisition, image classes ending in 5 and 0: reconstruction, lower dose radiation, all with an eye toward contact alumnirelations@ being safer for patients.” nyulangone.org or visit The Offce of Development and Alumni Affairs extended med.nyu.edu/alumni/ a special thank you to all the class chairs and to alumni who 6 events-reunions made a commitment of nearly $900,000 toward scholarships.

| 12 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 EVENTS Photos: Alan Photos: Barnett

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1. Class of 1969 celebrating their 50th anniversary 2. Tour guides Philip Lin ’22 and Malika Wilson ’21 3. Alumni Achievement award winners Alan F. Schatzberg ’68 (second from left) and John I. Hwang ’12 (second from right) with Anthony J. Grieco ’63, Dean Grossman, and Dr. Steven Abramson, vice dean for education, faculty, and academic afairs 4. Dr. Marc Triola speaks about innovation in medical education 5. Dr. Yvonne Lui presenting on AI 6. Dr. Grieco with Risa Hoshino ’14

7 7. Ariel Ostad ’91 with members of his graduating class

13 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 New(s) BOOKS New from Faculty and Alumni Authors Look no further for summer reading

In Sicker, Fatter, Poorer, Leonardo Trasande, MD, In Find Freedom Fast, Robert T. London, MD (Res. ’74) MPP, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, demonstrates how to quickly manage commonly seen Environmental, and Population Health at NYU mental health problems such as anxiety, phobias, Langone Health, exposes the chemicals that disrupt PTSD, and insomnia with less long-term therapy our hormonal systems and damage our health in and few or no medications. In the book, Dr. London irreparable ways, showing where these chemicals outlines his three-step LPA (learning, philosophizing, hide—in everyday household items, schools, action) method; LPA works by taking a focused look worksites, food, and countless other places—as well at the problem, challenging the thinking that caused as the workings of policy protecting the continued use it, and learning new behaviors and strategies to fnd of these chemicals in daily life. Drawing on extensive relief quickly. Read an excerpt: research, Dr. Trasande outlines dramatic studies and emerging evidence about the rapid increases In some cases, [the defnitions found in the in neurodevelopmental, metabolic, reproductive, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental and immunological diseases directly related to the Disorders] leave out or misattribute key symp- hundreds of thousands of chemicals that people are toms, because the DSM’s diagnostic labeling exposed to every day. Read an excerpt: is often simplistic and one-dimensional. It does not take into consideration such essential This book is an extension of my commitment factors as a patient’s environment, support to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to system, or personality type in order to give an understand the long-term threat of chemicals accurate assessment. We are all individuals— and their relationship to endocrine disruption. our lives, our emotions, our personalities, and GET YOUR ORCID I also hope to grow your appreciation that, how we may process information through our To eliminate any risk of name though it’s hard to measure the risks in the nervous systems are different. No two of us are ambiguity, and make sure now, many chemicals have the power—and the the same, and each and every diagnostic label accurate publication credit tendency—to show up down the road, when can differ from person to person…. is given where credit is due, it’s often too late. In fact, that’s why this book Yet, while the DSM’s accuracy is debatable, it’s important to have your is both so timely and so pressing. The longer countless patients or clients of mental health own Open Researcher and we wait to act, the longer we wait to truly take professionals are nevertheless categorized by its Contributor ID (ORCID). the power we do possess as citizens, to change standards—so much so that it’s often referred If you don’t yet have one, our own habits and ultimately affect govern- to as the “bible” of psychiatric illnesses. But please contact Stuart Spore in mental policy, the more the danger grows. It it is far from a bible of any sort. At best, it’s a the Health Sciences Library at can impact our own health and the long-term guidebook. Some have called it a dictionary, as 212-263-1092 or health of our children and grandchildren. it attempts to classify multiple mental disor- [email protected] Many health risks may not be crystal clear right ders, but includes far more subjective thinking and register for your own now; however, the science itself is quite clear, than scientifc validation. It takes a top-down unique alphanumeric code pointing to illnesses, an increase in obesity, and approach, using a checklist of symptoms in today! shockingly the loss of IQ points that translates a one-dimensional manner, as opposed to a to a decrease in one’s ability to earn money. bottom-up assessment, which would look at For additional information, the multiple factors in a person’s life and back- visit: http://bit.ly/ ground, and factor them as well as the symp- HealthSciencesLibrary toms, and then, on that, make a diagnosis.

| 14 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 High Tech High Touch

How do technology and innovation inform 16 THE ONLY TECH what physicians do? Even as doctors and CONSTANT? IT ’S CHANGE surgeons train, adopt, and adapt, the tools Dr. Henry Feldman that serve them best are changing even urges physicians to embrace the faster. Our readers shared their interest in innovations fueled learning more about these tools: how their by AI 22 peers use them, what works, and what IN IT FOR ALL OF US gets in the way of providing outstanding Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron care. Here are three alumni who are taking knows that massive data sets require not new approaches to making us whole—and just patients’ data, ensuring that artifcial intelligence, big data but their trust sets, and 3D printing refect and respond 26 FIT TO PRINT to humanity. At NYU Langone Health, Dr. Roberto Flores uses highly advanced 3D printing technology to reshape— literally—patient lives

And coming up in the fall issue: How tech and innovation are enhancing—and being taught in—the SOM curriculum.

Illustrations: André da Loba André da Loba Illustrations:

15 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 | 16 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 The only tech constant? It’s change Henry Feldman ’01 (Res. ’04), FACP, FHM, on the ever-evolving nature of innovation and how doctors can harness AI to enhance their own practices BY SARAH M. JACKSON

IF YOU DON’T ALREADY AGREE that technology is one of the most important tools in modern medicine, just spend a little time with Dr. Henry Feldman. “It’s a really exciting and powerful thing,” he says with a smile. “We’re actually changing the way the world works in healthcare—and we’re doing it through software.” Dr. Feldman is the deputy chief medical offcer for technology at IBM Watson Health, which builds massive-scale artifcial intelligence (AI) solutions at the enterprise-wide or hospital-wide level. Think electronic medical record (EMR) systems that help doctors spot trends in a patient’s health infor- mation, or reports that generate instant critical decision support when clinicians need it most. Dr. Feldman also teaches clinical informatics at Harvard Medical School and Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; sees patients as a hospitalist and nocturnist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; and previously served as the chief information archi- tect in the Division of Clinical Informatics. One AHEAD OF THE CURVE Dr. Feldman in Cambridge, of his cornerstone projects at Beth Israel Dea- As a medical student and resident at NYU, Dr. Massachusetts, Spring 2019 coness was revamping PatientSite, the nation’s Feldman created software for the school and frst online patient portal, as a mobile-friendly medical center, then completed a medical resource enhanced with AI features. Dr. Feldman’s informatics fellowship at Bellevue Hospital. frst career, before attending medical school, was “You’d hear a lot about the history of innova- in software development for the private sector. tion at Bellevue, so doing something new and With such deep experience at the intersection different there wasn’t considered weird at all,” of technology and medicine, Dr. Feldman is Dr. Feldman recalls. “In fact, you were encour- uniquely qualifed to help lead a sea change in aged to do independent work and push innova- how technology improves healthcare delivery, tion. It was neat to be able to explore. Plus, I had the ability of clinicians to make the best deci- the computer science background to develop

Photo: Len Rubenstein Rubenstein Len Photo: sions, and patient outcomes. software, which at the time was very rare.”

17 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 Although it may feel foreign now, all signs indicate that AI will become as common as stethoscopes and tablets.

The entrepreneurial thinking ingrained “When the stethoscope came out in the 1800s, it in Dr. Feldman during his time at Bellevue was going to destroy the intimacy of the doctor-pa- ultimately spurred headlines in 2011, when tient relationship,” Dr. Feldman explains. “Doctors he and his hospitalist colleagues caught the used to put their head on patients’ chests. So when attention of national media outlets for incor- the stethoscope was invented, there were rabid porating a new technology into clinical care at editorials at the time saying that the inventor was Beth Israel Deaconess. destroying our relationship with our patients. That revolutionary device? An iPad. Today, what’s the symbol of a doctor or nurse? The “I was called the iDoctor for a little while. You stethoscope around their neck.” have no idea what that was like,” Dr. Feldman AI is emerging as the next transformational recalls with a laugh between coffee sips at a café tool in healthcare. Although it may feel foreign in Kendall Square, the tech hotbed of Cam- now, all signs indicate that AI will become as bridge, Massachusetts. “When my division chief common as stethoscopes and tablets. heard ‘iDoctor,’ she said, ‘An ophthalmologist?’ I AI: THE TASK MASTER told her, ‘No, little “i,” like your iPhone.’ She said, Artifcial intelligence, broadly speaking, en- ‘Ah. That makes more sense.’” ables machines to learn, both in real time and The media and medical communities’ initial from previous experience. Highly sophisticated reactions to the now-ubiquitous iPad may seem mathematical algorithms, vast amounts of elec- exaggerated today, but Dr. Feldman appreciates tronic information (“big data”), and enormous that innovation—particularly in clinical practice— computing power have made AI applications invites scrutiny and healthy skepticism.

possible in daily life—for example, Facebook’s Rubenstein Len Photo:

|| 18 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 “We’re actually changing the way the world works in healthcare— and we’re doing it through software.”

ability to identify people in photos or Uber’s quickly,” Dr. Feldman continues. “If you’re looking instant estimations of a ride’s arrival time. at a thousand X-rays in a day, I imagine your brain These task-specifc AI functions are very starts to melt by the end of the day. But the AI never similar to the ways in which the technology gets tired. It’ll never not want to look at a CT scan. is being deployed in the medical setting. “We And, by the way, it can look at many of them at the don’t have a generalized healthcare AI; we have same time, pre-process them, and prioritize critical AI around a specifc task—say, adverse event fndings for the radiologist to review.” prevention, choosing a medication, selecting In other words, Dr. Feldman believes that AI the best chemo regimen, or having a computer will be used not as a blanket tool that replaces read and interpret pathology slides or X-rays,” human experts, but rather as highly task-specifc Dr. Feldman says. augmented intelligence: a sophisticated, tireless tool that helps doctors do their jobs more eff- A RADIOLOGY ASSIST ciently, effectively, and precisely. Dr. Feldman notes that the automation of medical tasks may have a negative effect on PREVENTING ADVERSE HEALTH EVENTS some professionals. “There have been a bunch Another way that AI can augment doctors’ of articles recently saying that students aren’t expertise is by identifying health problems going into radiology, for instance, because before they start, fnding signals in the noise they’re worried they’re going to be replaced by virtually unnoticeable to humans that may a machine vision algorithm,” he says. indicate a patient’s imminent adverse event. “I think that, instead, AI will help the radiolo- “With sensors and AI, we can start detect-

Photo: Len Rubenstein Len Photo: gist focus only on the abnormalities much more ing rare, subtle events,” Dr. Feldman says. “If

19 || GRAPGRAPEEVINEVINE AL UMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 AI will be last shift the patient’s blood pressure was 120 computer isn’t limited by sheer volume.” over 80, and now it’s 110 over 80, is that really PEOPLE FIRST used not as a a change? To a human, the answer may be not Although AI holds exciting possibilities for blanket tool really. But AI might look at that trend and say, transforming healthcare, Dr. Feldman stresses ‘Of the last 1,000 patients I saw go from 120 that replaces that people will always remain central to the to 110, if next shift they’re at 90, their chance human work—that combining human experts with of having an event is 92 percent.’ That’s what experts, the latest in technology is critical to creating current task-specifc AI does very well. Because valuable, useful products. but rather again, it’s not frightened by having many vari- “Working with the exceptional PatientSite as highly ables. And it’s relatively easy to implement.” team at Beth Israel Deaconess, I came to By catching otherwise undetectable signs task-specifc understand how technology molds the humans early, AI gives doctors the option to intervene augmented around it—and how humans mold the technol- with treatments that could halt or prevent ogy,” he says. “That perspective has really helped intelligence. adverse events altogether. as I’ve come to IBM because humans are at the STRENGTHENING PATIENTS’ TRUST core of what we do. The AI is directly infuenced Dr. Feldman believes that AI will also help by experts’ input and perspectives.” doctors engender more trust in the healthcare He cites IBM Watson Health’s HOPE (Health system by supporting their recommenda- Offcers Pursuing Excellence & Evidence) Team tions with highly relevant data. He offers a as a prime example of deeply embedding the hypothetical example: AI can instantaneously practitioner’s perspective into a new AI tool. scan 80,000 peer-reviewed genomics papers “The only people who can tell you how a nurse and identify the four that apply to the specifc makes a decision are nurses,” he says. “To decision a doctor is making about his or her build a nursing AI tool, for example, the frst patient’s course of treatment. thing we’d need is a group of practicing nurses “The doctor will be able to inform the who can tell you what would really help them patient. ‘Here are the four articles I’m basing provide care, and what sorts of information my thought process on. These were surfaced they’d need to know about a patient.” by our AI system and appear to be highly The HOPE Team also often accompanies the supportive of (or against) this specifc ther- engineers or design team to the hospital for which apy.’ I think we’re going to see this sort of AI a new AI tool is being implemented. “We explain support more and more because it can handle our products from clinician to clinician,” Dr. Feld- vast amounts of data from any feld—oncol- man notes. “When a doctor hears it from another ogy, genomics, you name it. No human can doctor, or a nurse from another nurse, that’s very possibly stay on top of this information, but a different from an engineer doing the explaining.”

DABBLE IN OR DIVE INTO TECHNOLOGY From fellowships to light reading, a spectrum of options exist for MDs interested in learning more about the intersection of medicine and tech. Here are some of Henry Feldman’s recommendations.

STARTING OUT? Consider the 10x10 course from AMIA, which is a short course (sort of a mini informatics fellowship) that will equip you with the language and concepts to talk as a peer to the informatics team. Obviously, a course over a few weeks isn’t the same as a two-year formal fellowship, but it will allow you to participate in the decision-making process.

WANT TO GET HANDS-ON? Learn some simple programs. Through online courses, there are many opportunities to roll up your sleeves and play with technology. The ability to learn AI programming does require some basic understanding of programming and statistics/probability theory, but there are lots of online tutorials for learning both basic programming skills and AI programming. Almost all the tools are open source and free to use.

ALL IN? Apply for a clinical informatics fellowship. “I strongly encourage anyone to go do a fellowship in clinical informatics because the computer really is the most used instrument we have in the hospital,” says Dr. Feldman. Clinical informatics is now a boarded clinical specialty under every specialty. (There is a special pathway for pathologists.) “Every day all specialists—whether surgeons or dermatologists—spend the bulk of their day providing care via informatics systems that they don’t understand. I think as physicians we have a moral imperative to understand them so that we can help improve the most widely used medical intervention we have.”

|| 20 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 EMBRACING THE AI ERA “The Although this provider-to-provider approach is FACED WITH A NEW AI PRODUCT IN YOUR important to implementing new technologies PRACTICE? 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK computer is in medical care, the healthcare community the ultimate may nonetheless feel trepidation. Rather than shying away medical Dr. Feldman partly attributes such hesitation from new technology out of instrument. to a general lack of knowledge about AI. He illus- It touches trates this point by offering a teaching anecdote uncertainty, Dr. Feldman every from his courses at Harvard Medical School. encourages doctors to arm “I hold up an 11 blade,” he says. “Every stu- patient themselves with questions dent can tell me what it is and what it’s used for. at the Then I ask them how the computer dosed their that will help tease out the hospital.” order: how did it know to adjust the dosage for relevance and reliability of their patient? And I get blank stares.” Yet, says Dr. Feldman, surgeons and clinicians a new AI product for their spend most of their time on the computer—not own practice. Here are some holding an 11 blade. “The computer is the ultimate to get you started: medical instrument. It touches every patient at the hospital. So, physicians need to understand how to utilize it for best care for patients. You’d never accept a drug into your practice if you didn’t under- 1 stand how it works,” he says. Where did the medical Dr. Feldman believes the onus rests partly on professionals who helped hospital systems and corporate leaders such as IBM Watson Health to help build doctors’ develop this product train? comfort with AI’s medical applications. Generat- ing evidence of an AI product’s effcacy is key; so, too, is involving numerous clinical and research 2 experts in the development process to ensure How did they go about that the fnal result exceeds practitioners’ needs and expectations. designing this product to At the same time, he encourages doctors to work for our medical center learn some fundamentals by exploring the many in particular? online resources about AI. “Familiarize yourself with what these terms mean and look at some of the examples,” he advises. “When you have a basic understanding of how the tools work, you’re more 3 willing to allow them into your practice.” How close was the training He likens this kind of learning to clinicians’ data set to our practice? faith in chemistry. Many prescribers may not understand how to synthesize drugs, but they (Or, how close are the patients generally understand and trust the process being the system learned on to the carried out by chemists. “Similarly, if we have ones we see?) a sense of what AI can do, then we can express legitimate concerns when someone tells us to use a new AI product in our practice.” Dr. Feldman also encourages practitioners to 4 reframe their thinking on AI. “Before there were What data does the system EMRs, a lot of stuff used to happen on paper, need from our practice? like writing up prescriptions,” he says. “Now, it Do we have it, and is it easily happens magically and instantly in a computer. The steps are basically the same.” sharable with the tool? He continues, “So, when we talk about AI in someone’s medical record, that’s essentially a fancy formula. And oh, by the way, it’s just doing 5 the same thing that the old paper method did Over time, will the system learn and old formula did, it’s just doing it with more variables, because computers have access to from our practice to match our more patient data than humans could with patients more closely? paper systems. Hearing AI explained this way is not quite as scary.”

21 || GRAPGRAPEEVINEVINE AL UMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 | 22 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 In It for AllofUs Dara Richardson-Heron ’89 (Res. ’92) considers the whole person while building one of the largest—and most diverse— biomedical data sets in the world. INTERVIEWED BY TRAVIS ADKINS

DR. RICHARDSON-HERON, chief engagement offcer and scientifc executive of the All of Us Research Program—a cornerstone initiative of the National Institutes of Health—has more than 25 years of executive leadership and management experience in the healthcare, corporate, and nonproft sectors. All of Us aims to build and utilize a massive data set to advance innovative and high-impact health research that may lead to more precise, personalized, and effective treatments and prevention strategies.

What are some of the questions you hope the All of Us Research Program Q will help answer? It’s important to understand that while many research programs are A disease-specifc, the All of Us Research Program is not. In fact, the data our partici- pants contribute will create a massive data re- source accessible for researchers of all types to use in a wide variety of health studies. The data I also want to make clear that our program Dr. Richardson-Heron in the we collect in our research program may help us isn’t just about genetics or genomics. We think atrium of Bellevue Hospital answer questions such as, How can we address about the whole person. The data that we col- the opioid crisis? Why are there communities lect will help us learn more about how lifestyle, that have a higher level of disease, whether environment, and biology combine to infu- it’s diabetes, for example, or Alzheimer’s? As ence health and disease—information that will a physician, I certainly hope our program lead to more tailored prevention and treatment will answer many of the questions that have strategies in the future. plagued us for a long time—and more impor- tantly, help us identify some of the best ways to You’ve described yourself as decrease the disease burden that we see in the a physician by trade and an advocate Photo: Karsten Moran for NYU NYU for Moran Karsten Photo: United States. Q by choice. What were some of the

23 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 “Our focus formative moments or experiences that led to all communities why participation in a you to a career that spanned those two roles? research program like All of Us is important. is not just Participation in research for many people is on racial My parents had uncompromising not an easy decision to make, and with good and ethnic standards about our education, and reason. There are communities who were part groups, A they also led by example, encouraging of past studies that were unethical, in which but rural us to be loyal to each other, to be respectful as researchers withheld treatment or didn’t tell human beings, but most importantly, to use the whole truth about what was being studied. residents, our talents, our gifts, and our blessings to make And some people were included in research seniors, the world a better place. So that was the begin- against their will. people with ning of my understanding that my role wasn’t So we must emphasize that the All of Us low income just to be in this world to serve myself but to Research Program is different. We are taking serve others. every step possible to make sure that none or low When I chose NYU for both my medical of the past transgressions in research are educational school and my residency, it was because of the repeated. We must also make it clear that attainment, incredible curriculum and the ability to experi- there are many protections in place to make people with ence and learn about healthcare and preven- sure that those unfortunate events never disabilities, tive care in one of the most diverse cities in the happen again. world—and in one of the most diverse settings But we have to go beyond even that. We people in the world. have to help people understand that if they with limited Bellevue provided me with another forma- are not a part of the research, they may not be access to tive moment because it was there that I actu- a benefciary of the advances, and that’s very care, and ally saw patients—many who, through no fault important for people to understand. We talk a sexual and of their own, presented with late-stage disease; lot about health disparities, but we don’t fully I saw huge disparities in health, and much of understand them, and we will never under- gender this was simply because these individuals had stand them if all of the research is done on minorities.” no access to healthcare. It was a tough moment only a small segment of the population. We for me—and a moment of infection as well. must have much more diversity in research and much more diversity, not just on the basis Is there a case that stands out to you of race and ethnicity, but in all underrepre- as something that crystallized this sented categories: sexual and gender minori- Q moment? ties, those without access to care, those who do not have a high school education, rural Yes. It was a gentleman who had stage populations, and others. IV liver cancer, and he signed out of All of Us is also on the leading edge because A the hospital against medical advice we involve and engage our research partici- because he needed to get to the sweatshop to pants in the actual research program. We call make money to take care of his family. There them our “participant partners.” The All of Us were so many moments like that at Bellevue Research Program is a longitudinal study that that made it clear to me that change needs to we hope will continue for 10 years (or maybe happen in the medical profession. even more). We want the participant partners Disease disparities are real, and I wanted to in our program to feel connected, to feel that try to fgure out a way not only to decrease the they are contributing to something bigger. burden of disease, but also to be an advocate We’ve also invited research participants to for those individuals who, unfortunately, are serve at the highest level of our governance not able to advocate for themselves. on our executive committee, on our steering committee, on other working groups and task You’ve been outspoken in saying that forces—and they sit side by side with research- to make precision medicine a reality, ers, other clinicians, operations staff, and our Q we need to change the system to in- team to help us shape this program. We know clude historically underrepresented groups in the work will be greatly enhanced by the diver- research. The purpose of All of Us is as much sity of opinions and ideas. What we’re doing is to change the way research is done as it is to unprecedented on so many levels, and we need make biomedical discoveries.What are some all of the thought leadership in the room to of the changes that need to happen to reach help us achieve our program goals. that goal? I think it’s fair to say that this is a I recently said that you really can’t challenging project logistically, have precision medicine for all of us, Q politically, and ethically.Were you A if all of us don’t participate and aren’t excited by the idea of taking part in some- refected in research. We have to make it clear thing so ambitious?

|| 24 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 I was beyond excited—and to do so your job to consider it. What gives you hope? “Our at the nation’s foremost medical and What keeps you going? incredibly A research institution at the National Institutes of Health was just icing on the First and foremost, I think about all diverse cake. I was fortunate to be involved with the of the people who have contributed database program as an advisor during its very early A to research, people who have faced will [beneft] stages, so I’ve seen the program from the challenges much larger than this in their life the use of ground level up. To now have the ability to and overcome them; some of the best things use my skills, my experience, my expertise as in life are not the easiest things in life. For me, artifcial a physician, and my passion as an advocate having seen how signifcantly the healthcare intelligence to be a part of a national effort to advance landscape has changed just in the 20 years in mining health and healthcare is something that one since my breast cancer diagnosis, in large part large, can only dream of. due to research advances, has helped keep me going. Back when I was treated, the standard diverse data Your fellow alumnus Dr. Henry Feld- treatment was basically a cocktail of three or sets.” man works with IBM Watson Health; four IV chemotherapy treatments, and one was Q he recently told us that in design- worse than the other, but if you wanted to sur- ing AI systems, it’s very important to avoid vive, that was it. Now there are many options, inherent bias in the study itself. He said that and because of research like the TAILORx study, the questions that are asked, and the way the we now know that there’s a subset of women data is annotated—what gets included and with early-stage breast cancer who may not what gets left out in terms of the data collect- even need chemotherapy at all—a signifcant ed—will limit the power of AI. advance. Like many other physicians, I have seen I agree with Dr. Feldman. Not only the health disparities we face in our nation. do you have to have diversity in Unfortunately, I’ve also seen loved ones die far A the data, but you must also have too soon from treatable and even preventable diversity in the people who are designing the conditions. The All of Us Research Program’s algorithms. We also have to make sure that goal is to equip physicians, researchers, com- the data sets being utilized include patients from diverse backgrounds. That’s one of the biggest challenges that I see. Genomic data- bases in particular are not as diverse as they should be. We hope our program will provide a database that AI researchers can utilize to identify and track trends on a diverse set. That’s why we have made it a priority goal for our program to enroll at least 75 percent of our participants from communities that have been historically underrepresented in research. We also want 50 percent of our par- ticipants to represent individuals from racial and ethnic minorities. As noted earlier, our focus is not just on racial and ethnic groups, but on rural res- idents, seniors, people with low income or low educational attainment, people with dis- abilities, people with limited access to care, and sexual and gender minorities. This data will yield a much broader picture of health in munities, and individuals with more precise Dr. Richardson-Heron with two the United States and also will help us move tools and information to promote better health NYU physicians whom she calls her mentors: Dr. Anthony J. forward toward tailored and more precise and healthcare—and that’s enough to give me Grieco and Dr. Ruth Oratz; Dr. prevention and treatment for all. Without hope. Indeed, the opportunity to be a part of Oratz, her oncologist, “saved my question, our incredibly diverse database will this unprecedented initiative that has the real life,” Dr. Richardson-Heron says. be benefcial when we think about the poten- potential to change the trajectory of health and tial use and benefts of artifcial intelligence healthcare as we know it is both an honor and in mining large, diverse data sets. a privilege. That alone is more than enough to keep me laser focused on my personal mission The harsh reality of these healthcare as a physician and advocate to do everything and socioeconomic disparities can I can to make the world a healthier and better Q be overwhelming to consider, yet it’s place…for all of us!

25 || GRAPGRAPEEVINEVINE AL UMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 | 26 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 Fit to Print From breakthroughs in 3D printing to his work on NYU Langone’s historic face transplant, Roberto Flores, MD, is making a lot of news. BY TRAVIS ADKINS

BY ANY STANDARD, ROBERTO FLORES ’01 (RES. ’04, ’07) is having a pretty good year. Dr. Flores, who is the Joseph G. McCarthy Associate Pro- fessor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in NYU Langone Health’s Hansjrg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, has been part of two extraor- dinary surgical endeavors that are expanding defnitions of what is possible. In January 2018, working with Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, and a team of dozens, he helped perform the most extensive face transplant in history; then, with his colleagues Paulo G. Coelho, DDS, PhD, and Bruce Cronstein, MD, he made signifcant progress in a study that could one day trans- form treatment for children born with skull deformations. And fortunately for one particular patient, amid all those milestones and monumental developments, Dr. Flores found the time for a medical frst of a more intimate kind. Pamela, a 30-year-old woman who had lost an ear after being attacked by a pit bull, had come to Dr. Flores to have the missing ear reconstructed—a diffcult procedure, but one in which Dr. Flores there’s a lot of things it will show you, but the Dr. Flores holds up a face mask is a foremost expert, having performed it more earlobe it won’t,” he says. “No one’s fgured out a that was manufactured at NYU leveraging the expertise of his than 40 times. But Pamela had a particular good way to do it yet.” team using 3D printing. request that would test the limits of his expertise. It may be time to update those textbooks. Dr. Material is printed onto a platform, “She wanted to be able to wear an earring Flores gave Pamela her wish: he pierced her new and the printer repeats the process in her earlobe,” says Dr. Flores. It might seem ear—reconstructed with the help of an innova- until thin layers stack up into a three-dimensional object, which simple enough compared to the task of recon- tive three-dimensional (3D) printed model—just is then superheated into its fnal structing an entire ear. Yet, as Dr. Flores explains, in time for her to wear her favorite earrings to ceramic form. reproducing—from nothing—an earlobe strong her 31st birthday celebration. Taking cartilage and supple enough to be pierced presented from Pamela’s ribs, Dr. Flores used the model of enormous diffculties. “If you open a plastic sur- her good ear to whittle and form a new struc-

Photo: Matthew Septimus Septimus Matthew Photo: geon textbook and look up ear reconstruction, ture, which was covered in her own skin, and

27 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 “The face is ultimately restored her missing ear. “I’ll fnally be whom I cannot take where they deserve to be—I back to myself,” she told the New York Post. can only offer improvement. The state of the art a big part of “There is an intimacy and responsibility that in plastic surgery has its limits. That ceiling has our personal comes with facial reconstruction,” says Dr. been my driver.” identity; Flores. “The face is a big part of our personal Given his determination to discover a better when the identity; when the face is restored, you’re restor- treatment for his patients, it was perhaps inevi- ing the sense of self.” table that Dr. Flores would cross paths with Dr. face is Cronstein, the Dr. Paul R. Esserman Professor of PRINT-AND-GROW BONE TISSUE restored, Medicine, and Dr. Coelho, the Dr. Leonard I. Dr. Flores’s use of 3D printing technology you’re Linkow Professor at NYU College of Dentistry came about as a result of his collaboration and a professor in the Wyss Department of Plas- restoring with Dr. Coelho and Dr. Cronstein, a joint effort tic Surgery. Their work has produced some of the the sense of that recently received a major grant from most remarkable advances yet in the still-evolv- the National Institute of Child Health and self.” ing feld of tissue and bone regeneration. Development (NICHD). Prior to their collaboration with Dr. Flores, As the director of the Wyss Department’s cleft Dr. Coelho and Dr. Cronstein had won multiple lip and palate program, Dr. Flores specializes in National Institutes of Health grants for their performing reconstructive surgery for chil- research, which harnesses 3D robotic print- dren born with conditions that cause extreme ing—a technology that has only recently started craniofacial differences, such as cleft palate, to be applied in medicine to “print out” organs cleft lip, and Pierre Robin syndrome. More than and other body parts—to create tissue and bone 60 percent of the patients he sees are children implants. The printer extrudes a gel-like material with these conditions. For many, the standard composed of beta-tricalcium phosphate, a com- of care involves bone grafts, treatments that pound of the same chemicals found in natural have a number of drawbacks and that are not bone, onto a platform; the printer repeats the possible for those whose defects are too large, process until thin layers stack up into a three-di- or too complicated in shape, to be replaced with mensional object, which is then superheated endogenous bone. into its fnal ceramic form. Classic plastic surgery principles dictate that Crucially, unlike other experimental bone one should reconstruct the face by repurposing implants, the one that Dr. Coelho and Dr. Cronstein have developed stimulates the body to regenerate endogenous tissue. The implanted scaffold is gradually resorbed into the body and replaced by real bone, thanks to a unique approach that includes a coating of dipyridamole, a blood thinner shown in other experiments to speed up bone formation by more than 50 percent. The ceramic implants are constructed to more closely resemble real bone shape and composition than other implants. When Dr. Flores learned of the work that Dr. Coelho and Dr. Cronstein had been doing, he was convinced it could be the future of his feld. “I saw the histological results [of their previous exper- iments] and it was high quality,” says Dr. Flores. “From a microscopic standpoint it looked as bone should look. I saw CT scans of animals with this bone construct, and it looked like bone. I saw how the implant started to disappear over time, which is what it needs to do. That was enough for me to say we should see how far we can go.”

“WE HAVE TO GO FOR THIS” Early on, as they began animal model ex- Left to right: tissue from other parts of the body—“replacing periments, Dr. Flores, Dr. Coelho, and Dr. Paulo G. Coelho, Roberto Flores, like with like.” But that principle has drawbacks; Cronstein focused on implanting the bone in and Bruce N. Cronstein the body is not a limitless repository of bone, and adult animals, and considered experiments in donor site morbidity can be signifcant. still-growing animals as a much longer-term “Sometimes I know that I can take patients to goal. For good reason: “Doing work in growing a place where they feel restored, and it may even animals is much more diffcult,” says Dr. Flores. be diffcult to tell if they even had any surgery,” “The bone has to grow and remodel as the face

says Dr. Flores. “But there are other patients and skull fnish growing.” Septimus Matthew Photo:

| 28 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 Soon into their collaboration, however, the rib cage into the shape of an ear than the the NICHD released a grant opportunity that previous approach, which was based on hand- changed their timeline. Focused on projects that drawn sketches. used 3D printing technology for bone and tissue “Tissue engineering and 3D printing are on regeneration for pediatric patients, the opportu- the cusp of disrupting the feld of facial recon- nity was practically designed for them. struction, and we’re pushing closer to compre- “We just pretty much looked at each other and hensive human application,” says Dr. Flores. said ‘we have to go for this,’” Dr. Flores recalls. “This “Success, however, will not be about the tech- one was perfect because it’s bone tissue engineer- nology. It will be about bringing the right people ing, for children. This is what I live and breathe. together with a common vision and passion for I knew where the feld was at that moment and changing medicine.” where it should go. It just came together.” “Dr. Cronstein and I already knew that this technique could pass a higher safety profle threshold,” says Dr. Coelho. But although they were confdent that their approach had potential, there were still a lot of unknowns. The same bone-forming properties that make the implant so innovative also made it an uncertain ft for the biology of a growing animal. “Nobody knew what would happen if you put an implant with a bone-forming agent close to a suture in a growing skull in pediatric animal models,” says Dr. Coelho. “There’s very little research on this. If you fuse the sutures, you could create a problem bigger than the original bone defect.” Working nearly nonstop, Dr. Flores, Dr. Coelho, and Dr. Cronstein put together an One team, one focus, application. “It’s one thing when you’re doing one goal preliminary experiments, but it’s another when you say, ‘OK, we have to submit an idea sup- “Like going to the moon.” scan of the donor’s face The team had to graft the entire ported by a comprehensive battery of tests to an That’s how Dr. Roberto to create an exceptionally middle and lower components of agency,’ and statistically we have an 80 percent Flores describes the experi- lifelike synthetic mask; the donor’s skull and face through to 90 percent chance of rejection,” says Dr. ence of working on the team they then laid the mask the use of 3D computer surgical that successfully performed atop his stripped face and planning, 3D printed patient-spe- Flores. “It puts you in a different mind-set. That the most technically ad- covered the edges with cifc cutting guides, intraoperative forced us to be very disciplined about thinking vanced face transplant yet bandages prior to returning navigation, and intraoperative about all our experiments.” attempted. Led by Eduardo the donor’s body to his CAT scans. D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS (Den. family. Previously, a molded, Surgical planning skeleton PROMISING FUTURE ’92), the Helen L. Kimmel hand-painted silicone mask Images Courtesy of NYU Langone Professor of Reconstructive would have been used, Health Their disciplined thinking paid off. The NICHD Plastic Surgery and chair but the older mask quality selected their application, and they won a of the Wyss Department, is far eclipsed by the new $700,000 grant. The results of the studies sup- a team of seven surgeons, technology. There are few including Dr. Flores and printers in the world like the ported by that grant were so positive—not only fve other resident alumni, one at LaGuardia, which does the implant work in growing animals, but performed the 25-hour prints with 60,000 colors. it also works better than in other applications, procedure with the help More than one year later, of more than 100 medical the patient, 26-year-old according to Dr. Coelho—that the NICHD has professionals. Cameron Underwood, since given the team an additional $1.5 million The second such has recovered well. And to advance their research. They have complet- procedure to take place at although Dr. Flores gained NYU Langone, the surgery new technical skills and ed preclinical testing and hope to begin clinical set several signifcant knowledge from the historic trials, which Dr. Flores will lead, within three or milestones, including the event, he says the most four years. shortest period of time from lasting lesson is simpler: injury to face transplant and teamwork matters. He Already, though, the knowledge and skills that substantial reductions in credits Dr. Rodriguez’s Dr. Flores has gained through working with Dr. surgical time and hospital leadership for keeping the Coelho and Dr. Cronstein are changing the way length of stay. In addition, team focused and united Dr. Rodriguez and his team throughout the countless he treats patients. Just as he did for Pamela, he’s used for the frst time a hours of preparation and used 3D printing technology for a number of 3D-printed mask of the face planning that went into other patients who have needed reconstructive of the donor to help the the surgery. donor’s family feel more “When the time came, we surgery of the ear. Dr. Flores was among the frst at ease with their decision. were all on point. We knew in his feld to see that 3D printed models, which In partnership with a team our roles and respected each are based on scans of a patient’s unaffected ear, from NYU’s advanced 3D other,” says Dr. Flores.“There media services center, were no egos in the room. would provide a far more detailed template for LaGuardia Studio, they We put the most important

Photo: Matthew Septimus Matthew Photo: the painstaking work of carving cartilage from made a high-resolution thing frst: the patient.”

29 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 Heard FOLLOW Your news belongs here, too. We’re grateful to all the MD alumni, resident alumni, employers, and community US! members who share the personal and professional accomplishments of our alumni. Stay connected on Please send news of career advances, publications, research fndings, awards, family social media and be the frst to learn about news milestones, and other achievements to Grapevine at [email protected]. and events.

INSTAGRAM: who began my career in 1967 at the Rutgers Robert Wood NYUSCHOOLOFMED when I and my colleagues Johnson Medical School. conducted the frst clinical Previously, he was the Muriel TWITTER: ’50s trials of oral rehydration and George Singer Professor NYUSCHOOLOFMED therapy (ORT) in adult and of Medicine, professor of FACEBOOK: pediatric cholera patients and microbiology, and director NYUSCHOOLOFMEDICINE patients with other infectious of the Human Microbiome causes of diarrhea, at the Program at NYU School of Cholera Research Laboratory Medicine. in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I continued to work on MARK B. TAUBMAN ’78, a BERNARD GARDNER ’56, BA infectious diseases and public cardiologist, has been (WSC ’52), professor emeritus health and in scaling up reappointed as dean of the of surgery at New Jersey health programs in low- and University of Rochester School Medical School, recently middle-income countries. In of Medicine and Dentistry. published his fourth recent years, research ethics He will also continue his book: Surviving Surgery: has also been a major area joint responsibilities as Photographs from a Life of study for me. As a visiting the university’s senior vice (Book-broker Publishers of professor in a number of president for health sciences Florida, 2018), a memoir and international institutions and CEO of the University of guide to patients about to in India, Bangladesh, and Rochester Medical Center and undergo surgical procedures. Japan, I expanded my interest UR Medicine, the university’s in teaching and institution healthcare network, which building. In 2006, I received encompasses six hospitals, the Prince Mahidol Award for eight urgent care centers, and ’60s this work on ORT and in 2011 more than 225 outpatient sites. the Fries Prize.” ’70s ’80s MARTIN J. BLASER ’73 has been named director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology We recently heard from and Medicine at Rutgers RICHARD A. CASH ’66: “I am University, the Henry a senior lecturer on global Rutgers Chair of the Human health at the Harvard T.H. Microbiome, and professor of ALAN W. DUNTON ’80 was Chan School of Public Health, medicine and microbiology recently named to the board

| 30 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 of managers at Cytogel PROFILE Pharma. Dr. Dunton has devoted his 35-year career to the discovery and HAILEN MAK ’74 development of new drug A pediatric allergist and immunologist in products, including more than 20 commercially Silicon Valley shares her passion for climbing successful prescription and over-the-counter drugs. He After working 70-hour weeks for most of has led major pharma R&D her life, HAILEN MAK ’74 decided to take and regulatory divisions and her frst vacation about 20 years ago. She has served as the CEO and summited Mount Kilimanjaro. COO of public and private “After that,” she recalls, laughing, “I biotechnology companies. thought, I bet I could do more of this stuff. Kilimanjaro was not diffcult for me. So LESLIE GOLD, PHD (GSAS ’78), then I started hiking the Himalayas.” an associate professor in the Before Dr. Mak, now 70, discovered her departments of medicine passion with a group of day hikers in the and pathology at NYU local Sierra Club, she didn’t have time for School of Medicine, was exercise. A Chinese immigrant who came to the United States as At Periche, 14,000 feet, on the honored with the 2018 Everest Track to Island Peak a child, she managed her parents’ grocery store throughout high Excellence in Translational school and college. As a biochemistry major at the University of and Regenerative Science California at Berkeley, she did most of her studying while com- Award from the Wound muting from San Francisco via three buses each way every day. Healing Society. The award After graduating from NYU Medical School and completing recognizes scientifc work a prestigious fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Mak that fosters the development focused on her work as a physician. She founded her private prac- of cell-based and other tice in San Jose and joined the faculty at Stanford Medicine. therapies in wound healing “I wasn’t the smartest person or anything like that,” Dr. Mak and regenerative medicine says. “I just always tried to do the best I could do. I just kept toward clinical applicability. climbing.” Dr. Gold was recognized for Both personally and professionally, Dr. Mak’s dedication paid her research demonstrating off. In addition to becoming a highly sought-after pediatric clear movement toward allergist and immunologist in Silicon Valley, she became an expert clinical applications: “A hiker. Since Kilimanjaro, she has climbed many mountains in Complex Mechanism China, Tibet, Nepal, and Europe. She even scaled Island Peak in Extracellular Matrix eastern Nepal, which rises 20,305 feet and has an ice wall 600 feet Induction by ER Chaperone high. Out of the group of 20 climbers she traveled with, Dr. Mak Calreticulin and Tgf-β for was one of only three—and the only woman—to reach the top. Tissue Regeneration.” “It is not because I am strong,” she says. “It is because of my mental toughness. It was very hard up there. I was short of breath. I even had a panic attack. But I’m a doctor. I checked my pulse and I knew it wasn’t altitude sickness. So I told myself I was fne and I continued.” Dr. Mak is married with two daughters, and says that her own success would not have been possible without the continuous support of her husband, a retired physicist who has always encouraged her quest for adventure. Dr. Mak, a Buddhist, told her family long ago that she wanted MACE ROTHENBERG ’82, to give the majority of her estate to charity. And an oncologist, has been her alma mater—particularly the scholarships it appointed chief medical offers—fgures prominently in her philanthropy. offcer (CMO) of Pfzer. “I’m so lucky,” Dr. Mak says. “And I think more In this new capacity, people should be thankful for what they have, Dr. Rothenberg will be not entitled. I’m very grateful to NYU School of responsible for ensuring Medicine. You know, there’s a Chinese proverb that that individuals who says: When you drink the water, you must think of receive a Pfzer medicine or its source. In other words, you have to go back and vaccine, and the healthcare see where you came from. For me, it’s NYU.”

Photos of Dr. Mak: Imja Tse (top); Andrew Lichtenstein (bottom) (bottom) Lichtenstein Andrew (top); Tse Mak: Imja Dr. of Photos (continued on page 35) —Jen Swetzoff

31 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 Heard

Q+A WITH FREYA SCHNABEL ’82, (RES. ’87) The director of breast surgery at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center discusses technology and her feld’s rapid transformation, and why she’s happy to be on the team.

HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF while minimizing side effects a lumpectomy, it signals in YOUR FIELD? and co-morbidities. real time if you need to take You have to stay light on your a little bit more tissue. Before feet. The way you learned how WHAT DREW YOU TO THE this device was used, about to do something probably isn’t PERLMUTTER CANCER CENTER? 20 percent of patients who the way you’ll always do it. There’s such tremendous had lumpectomies would Change is the expectation. energy at NYU. We have a need second operations to clearly articulated vision for a remove additional tissue. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK IN way forward. Since I’ve been But now, with this device, we SUCH A RAPIDLY TRANSFORMING here, we’ve been designated a have signifcantly lowered the AREA OF MEDICINE? Comprehensive Cancer Center re-excision rate. It’s thrilling. Over the past by the National Cancer Insti- Another recent technical 20 years, we’ve seen unbe- tute of the National Institutes innovation is a wireless device lievable progress in terms of Health. That’s huge. called Scout that uses radar of early detection, better technology to locate non-pal- treatment, and much better WHAT ARE SOME OF THE pable breast abnormalities outcomes. That’s largely the INNOVATIVE DEVICES YOU’RE during surgery. Previously, product of intense invest- USING IN SURGERY TODAY? a radiologist had to localize ment in the United States. We recently participated in a those abnormalities for sur- Don’t get me wrong: Forty pivotal trial for FDA approval gery by inserting a long wire thousand women a year die of the margin probe, which into the breast on the same of breast cancer. We haven’t is a device that supports day as surgery. But with this cured the disease. But we’ve breast-conserving surgery new method, we can insert seen an incredible amount of by using radio frequency the smaller chip on a different science, and we’ve maxi- spectroscopy in the operating day than surgery. We’ve been

mized patient outcomes room. So after you perform using it for almost two years, Lichtenstein Andrew Photo:

| 32 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 since participating in the ini- BRCA-1 and -2. When projects High School, in one of the tial trials, and it’s much more like these can be done with frst few classes that admitted patient-friendly. teams at a multi-institutional girls, and then to Barnard level, we can provide more College before NYU School of WHAT’S NEW IN YOUR signifcant amounts of data. I Medicine. RESEARCH EFFORTS? believe this is part of how we One of the fabulous things can continue moving the feld WHEN DID YOU BEGIN TO SPE- about being at NYU is having forward. CIALIZE IN BREAST CANCER? access to people from a During my surgical oncol- variety of disciplines so we WHEN YOU REFLECT ON YOUR ogy service, I was assigned can really collaborate as a CAREER SO FAR, WHAT MAKES to patients with breast team. For example, I’ve been YOU PROUDEST? cancer. From the start, it fortunate to work with Matija My patients. I’ve learned was a complex and rapidly Snuderl, MD, who’s the head something from every patient changing feld. You needed to of molecular pathology, on a I’ve taken care of, from every understand genetics, medi- deep-dive look at triple-nega- experience. And I’ve been cal oncology, and radiation. tive breast cancer. We’re hop- taking care of some of my You also had the opportunity ing to get the funding soon for patients for more than 10 to develop long-standing a whole genome sequencing years. They tell me about their relationships with patients. and whole exome sequencing, children graduating from high That really appealed to me. So looking specifcally at the school or getting married, I started focusing on it, work- triple negatives as a popula- and we marvel at these mo- ing frst in breast surgery at tion, and then couple some ments they could hardly even Columbia Presbyterian in the of that information with our imagine when we met. It’s early 1990s and then coming cancer databases. There’s a lot remarkable. to NYU in 2007. to think about in terms of how to use advanced molecular PEOPLE MUST BE GRATEFUL WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU techniques to better under- TO YOU. CAN OFFER TO NEW DOCTORS? stand the nature of the breast When people whom we’ve The most successful men- cancer and the nature of the taken care of express grati- torship relationships are patient. tude, my response is always two-way streets. As I contin- the same: I’m happy to be on ue my career, and I’m really WOULD YOU SHARE A BIT MORE the team. Yes, I’m doing some- focused on educating the next ABOUT YOUR DATABASES? thing good. But I’m a part of generation of surgeons, I love When I joined NYU from it. Everybody’s participating: when former fellows call me Columbia, we started a longi- the patient, the oncologist, the to ask my opinion on a case or tudinal database for patients radiologist, and many others. something. I cherish that. with breast cancers who were newly diagnosed and treated WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO FOCUS WHAT’S LIFE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU here. We also established a ON SURGERY? OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL? parallel database for patients I liked the technical aspects I remember when my two who were at high risk, wheth- in the operating room and the daughters were younger, if a er because of family history, quick, direct impact. People school trip was on a Tuesday, genetic mutations, or other were sick; we made them they’d say: “But you operate high-risk conditions. This better. From the beginning of on Tuesdays. Doesn’t everyone has provided us with a much my surgical rotation at NYU, know that?” It wasn’t always more powerful research tool. I loved that. And, you know, easy, but I’ve led the life I We can now match tissues doctors work too hard to do wanted to live. And I think in our tumor registry with what they don’t love. people should hear that most more details about a patient’s women in medicine have led story—for example, how they DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW YOU the lives that they want to were treated and their long- WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR? lead, with both a career and term outcomes. We’re also col- No, but I do remember being a family. laborating with other cancer interested in science and in centers on what variables helping people. I grew up IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME we’re looking at, so we can in Astoria, Queens, in an AND TELL YOUR YOUNGER share more data over time. We environment where educa- SELF SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD recently did a study looking tion and achievement were YOU SAY? at the tumor characteristics encouraged. My parents There’s never just one way of people who have genetic were immigrants, Holocaust to do something. Keep your

Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein Andrew Photo: mutations in genes aside from survivors. I went to Stuyvesant mind open.

33 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 Heard PROFILE TIMOTHY PECK ’11 The CEO and co-founder of Call9—a rapidly growing startup based in Industry City, Brooklyn—explains how he’s using technology to transform the delivery of emergency care.

technology. And in March as an entrepreneur-in-resi- 2019, he demonstrated Call9’s dence at the Harvard Inno- proprietary data analytics and vation Lab, and getting his telemedicine platform at the master’s degree in education U.S. House of Representatives’ (also at Harvard)—Dr. Peck Health Care Innovation Show- few from Cambridge, Mas- case in Washington, DC. Most sachusetts, to Silicon Valley importantly, Dr. Peck says, the as often as he could, sharing RUSH Act will help patients his concept with engineers receive better-quality care and and potential investors. He avoid unnecessary transfers started learning more about to hospitals—and could save user experience and design customers, insurance compa- thinking. He applied and was nies, and the U.S. government accepted to the prestigious billions of dollars each year. Y Combinator accelerator. Dr. Peck frst became In 2015, Dr. Peck offcially interested in the link between launched Call9. It’s now a technology and healthcare rapidly growing and well- as a student at NYU School funded startup that’s poised of Medicine. Then, while to disrupt the practice of completing his residency in emergency medicine. Already, emergency medicine at Beth less than four years after its Israel Deaconess/Harvard, launch, Call9 has conducted he started to think about how more than 140,000 telemedi- technology could be used to cine visits, treated more than fip the script on how triage 10,000 patients in New York, is done. and saved insurers more than “I remember wondering,” $50 million. Dr. Peck recalls, “What if Here’s how it works: Once a we doctors could be with nursing home partners with people when they’re at Call9, the company puts one TIMOTHY PECK ’11 has found their most vulnerable, in of its emergency-trained frst himself in a professional role those initial moments of an responders (usually a para- he never envisioned. An emergency? Why couldn’t you medic or an EMT) on site, to emergency medicine physi- call 911 and connect with a be at the bedside with patients cian and entrepreneur, he has physician sooner?” at the moment of their acute quickly become a pioneer in No one seemed to have an change of condition. Call9 the world of telehealth and answer, so Dr. Peck decided ensures someone is there a sought-after expert in the to fnd out for himself. He 24/7. The frst responder then burgeoning feld. started researching where connects, via the company’s In 2018, Dr. Peck testifed the majority of emergencies proprietary data analytics and before Congress in support happen and learned that telemedicine platform, to a of the RUSH (Reducing the largest percentage of remote emergency physician, Unnecessary Senior Hos- ambulance transfers to the also made available 24/7. The pitalizations) Act, which emergency room originated at physician has access to the would require Medicare to nursing homes. patient’s electronic medi- reimburse qualifed skilled After completing his resi- cal record. This system of nursing facilities for using dency—while teaching at Har- providing care at the bedside

telemedicine and telehealth vard Medical School, working dramatically decreases the NYU for Moran Karsten Photo:

| 34 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 PROFILE (continued from page 31) professionals who prescribe time it takes for nursing home or administer them, have residents to see an emergency the information they need physician and increases to make appropriate, patients’ survival rates. informed decisions. Prior to Dr. Peck still remembers his appointment as CMO, treating Call9’s very frst Dr. Rothenberg served as patient, Mr. D., in July 2015. of directors at Constellation chief development offcer The 90-year-old man with Pharmaceuticals, a clinical- for oncology at Pfzer. diabetes was complaining stage biopharmaceutical During his 10 years leading of abdominal discomfort. As company using its expertise clinical development for soon as Dr. Peck was con- in epigenetics to discover and oncology, Pfzer received FDA nected to the room via a lap- develop novel therapeutics. approval for 11 new cancer top screen, he also noticed the Dr. Trehu has more than medicines. In recognition patient’s diffculty breathing 16 years of management of this, he was awarded the and realized he might be hav- experience and previously frst Craig A. Saxton Lifetime ing a heart attack. He ordered served as the chief medical Achievement Award by Pfzer an EKG at the bedside. Min- offcer at Promedior. in October 2018. utes later, the lab test results and ultrasounds confrmed a PHILIP HARRIS ’86 was heart attack was in progress, so recently honored by the the Call9 paramedic adminis- Jewish Community Center tered aspirin and oxygen. of Staten Island for his “That proved we were able dedication to the community to do what I had hoped we with the Mitzvah Award for could,” Dr. Peck says. “We Outstanding Service. Dr. were able to be with our Harris has served as the chair patient during his emergency, of physical medicine and long before anyone thought of DEBORAH A. DRISCOLL ’83, the rehabilitation at Brookdale calling 911.” Luigi Mastroianni Jr. Professor Hospital since 2003. He held As a result of Call9’s care, and chair of the department the same position at Jamaica no one had to intubate Mr. D. of obstetrics and gynecology Hospital from 1995 to 2003. His lungs weren’t overloaded at the Perelman School of In addition, he is the medical with fuid. He did go to the Medicine at the University of director of Brookdale’s Adult hospital, but he was released Pennsylvania, was honored Day Care Program. three days later with just with the 2017 Women’s 5 percent less of his heart Leadership Award from the function—happy and active Association of American and well. Medical Colleges. Dr. Driscoll ’90s “Now, we see stories like is widely recognized as Mr. D.’s happening every day,” one of the world’s leading Dr. Peck says. “And it’s truly a obstetrician-gynecologist team effort, connecting with geneticists specializing in people and building trust. the care of women with We train all our physicians to genetic disorders. Her make eye contact through the accomplishments include screen, and we train all our pioneering research of the paramedics to put their hand genetic disorders DiGeorge/ on a patient’s shoulder. velocardiofacial syndrome CATHY M. CRUISE ’91, a “It may not be the tradi- and 22q11.2 deletion physiatrist, was appointed tional practice, but we’re fnd- syndrome, which can result chief of staff and acting ing creative solutions to new in a wide range of congenital director of the VA Northport challenges. When I decided to anomalies and learning Medical Center, Long Island’s become a physician, I never diffculties. only veterans hospital. She was imagined what I’m doing recently featured in Newsday, today. I just always wanted to ELIZABETH TREHU ’85, a where she was quoted saying help people—and that’s still hematologist/oncologist she’d like to stay on in her role what drives me. I hope my who currently serves as permanently. Dr. Cruise comes journey inspires more doctors the chief medical offcer at from a military family and to become entrepreneurs.” Jounce Therapeutics, has knows frsthand the challenges

Photo: Karsten Moran for NYU for Moran Karsten Photo: —Jen Swetzoff been appointed to the board (continued on page 37)

35 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 FAMILIES

Heard students dating each other… it’s complicated,” Dr. Canning says. “You’re interested in each other in all the ‘normal’ ways, but you’re also very competitive.” By the end of his frst year in the MD-PhD program, Dr. Motamed knew he was on the wrong career path. “I liked research,” he says, “but I realized it wasn’t something I wanted to do as a career. I wanted to focus on some- thing much more clinical.” He dropped out of the MD-PhD program, and joined Dr. Can- ning in the traditional MD curriculum. Meanwhile, the couple dated throughout their tenure at NYU School of Medi- cine, graduating together as RACHEL CANNING ’98 planned in the spring of 1998. They then moved to Califor- AND SOHEIL nia, where they completed their residencies, he in ortho- MOTAMED ’98 pedic surgery at the Univer- sity of Southern California, she in internal medicine Family vacation at Antelope Many graduates have fond memories of their at the University of California, Los Angeles. Canyon, Arizona (2018) time at the School of Medicine. But Rachel Today, the couple live in San Mateo, California, Canning ’98 and Soheil Motamed ’98 have with their three children, Calvin (12), Scarlet memories that are a little fonder than most: it’s (10), and Evan (7). where the two young physicians-in-training Even as their lives came together, their met and fell in love. careers moved apart. Dr. Motamed is an ortho- Dr. Motamed, who had just graduated from pedic surgeon with the Mission Peak Orthopae- UCLA, had been granted a coveted sponsored dic Medical Group. “I always liked surgery,” says spot at NYU’s MD-PhD program. Dr. Canning Dr. Motamed, “and something clicked when I had applied to several medical schools while rotated through orthopedics. We don’t deal with doing research at the National Institutes of life or death as much; it’s more about improving Health; she was waitlisted at NYU School of people’s quality of life—which I fnd satisfying.” Medicine. Just two weeks before the start of But that life/death dynamic has been the fall semester, she got a call from Admis- important to Dr. Canning, who was drawn to sions inviting her to join the entering class. “I palliative care. A hospitalist at Permanente packed up everything and moved right away,” Medical Group in Oakland, she has witnessed Dr. Canning says. “I desperately wanted to go the national shift to more and more medical to medical school, and NYU gave me a chance.” services being offered in outpatient facilities, as The two students met on the 11th foor of well as the general aging of the population. then-Rubin Hall. At the time, most of the med- “Patients who actually get admitted to the ical students lived there; it was the in-house, hospital now are sicker than they used to be, coed dormitory. The two found they had a lot and they’re older,” she says. “Many of the peo- in common: the same classes and schedules, ple we see are at the end of their life, or getting similar stressors and goals. And they shared there, and it became important to me to be Editor’s Note: Drs. Motamed a love of art—uncommon among their other able to have the kinds of conversations those and Canning served as co- friends—and visited some of New York City’s patients needed to have. I don’t want to put a chairs of the 2018 California most cherished museums on their earliest Band-Aid on a problem that cannot be fxed; I regional alumni brunch and dates. “Rachel loved the Whitney. I liked the want to help a terminal patient get to the end attended their 20th reunion Museum of Modern Art,” Dr. Motamed recalls. of their life with their family, peacefully.”

last spring. But there were challenges, too. “Two medical — Joanna Bock Motamed Canning and Soleil Rachel of courtesy Photo

| 36 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 (continued from page 35) NYU School of Medicine in vice chair of clinical affairs of veteran patients. “My discovering how the healing in the department of father-in-law is a veteran who of wounded skin in diabetes emergency medicine at receives care here, my brother can be sped up by more than Harvard Medical School. is a veteran, my father was a 50 percent using injections of veteran,” she says. “When an stem cells taken from bone DONALD E. HEITMAN ’05, an opening came for me to work marrow. The fndings of their orthopedic surgeon who right here, I thought [this] was new study in mice, which was focuses on sports medicine my dream job.” published in the January 2019 and arthroscopic surgery, issue of the journal Diabetes, recently joined the Center for RENATO (RENE) GIACCHI ’93 focused on a chain of events Musculoskeletal Disorders (RES. ’95, ’99), a physician at in diabetes that makes skin in New Jersey. Previously, Advocare—a group of ear, sores more likely to form and he worked in New York City nose, and throat specialists less likely to heal. According at OrthoCare Surgical and, in Morristown, New Jersey— to Dr. Ceradini, the new stem before that, at Gotham City recently grew his practice cell therapy could help not Orthopedics. and welcomed another NYU just in healing diabetic skin School of Medicine graduate, ulcers but also in repairing Sara Immerman ’07, to the damage to diabetes-infamed team of doctors. Dr. Giacchi blood vessels. completed his residency and fellowship at NYU, focusing on head and neck surgery and oncology.

DAVID T. JACOBS ’08, a phlebologist and vascular and interventional radiologist, recently opened South Shore Vein in Rockville Center, New York, a private practice MELANIE JAY ’00 (RES. ’04), co- dedicated to treating medical director of the Comprehensive and cosmetic vein disease. Program on Obesity and He is the author of many IVAN ORANSKY ’98 has joined associate professor in the articles in scholarly journals Medscape as vice president, departments of medicine and and a chapter on vascular editorial. Previously, he population health at NYU malformations that will be held editorial positions at School of Medicine, gave included in an upcoming MedPage Today, Reuters the closing remarks at the interventional radiology Health, Scientifc American, inaugural Obesity Research textbook. The Scientist, and Praxis Summit in November 2018. Post. He also co-founded The event, which drew Retraction Watch, which hundreds of participants, reports on scientifc promoted both research retractions, fraud, and and public community related issues, and he serves engagement among a broad as the president of the array of internal and external Association of Health Care experts in basic science, Journalists. In addition, he clinical research, population is a distinguished writer health, and data science. CAROLYN SEIB ’09, assistant in residence at New York professor in the department University’s Arthur L. Carter JEREMIAH SCHUUR ’01 has been of surgery (general and Journalism Institute. named physician-in-chief endocrine surgery) at the for emergency medicine at Palo Alto VA and Stanford Lifespan and chair of the University, married Charles department of emergency Eugene Le Père, who ’00s medicine at the Warren manages the artifcial DANIEL JOSEPH CERADINI (RES. Alpert Medical School of intelligence and augmented ’04, ’05, ’06, ’09), director of Brown University in Rhode reality research and research in plastic surgery at Island. Previously, he served development programs at NYU Langone Health, recently as chief of the division of Jaunt XR, in September 2018

Photo courtesy of Rachel Canning and Soleil Motamed Canning and Soleil Rachel of courtesy Photo led a team of scientists at health policy translation and in Fairfeld, California.

37 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 IN MEMORIAM

Heard Orentreich Foundation for Alumni the Advancement of Science NORMAN ORENTREICH (RES. ’53), in 1961, where research a dermatologist who invented was conducted on aging, hair transplantation and cancer, dermatology, and developed the Clinique line serum biomarkers. During of products, died January 23, his remarkable career, Dr. 2019, at 96. For more than six Orentreich created new decades, Dr. Orentreich was treatments for skin, hair, an innovator in dermatology and nail maintenance, and and cosmetic surgeries. He he invented medicines was a clinical professor at NYU and medical devices for School of Medicine, the frst rejuvenating scarred and president of the American aging skin. He is survived Society for Dermatologic by his children, Catherine Surgery, and an advisor to A. Orentreich ’87, David numerous medical facilities. Orentreich, MD, and In addition, he founded the Sari Orentreich.

CAROL EDELSTEIN WEICHERT ’61, a pediatrician and psychiatrist, died October 4, 2018, at 82, of brain cancer. Dr. Weichert is renowned for her early research into the psycholog- ical aspects of breastfeeding. She initially became interested MURRAY BERENSON ’61, who an opportunity to engage in the topic after counseling practiced internal medicine with a leading expert in the mothers as a pediatrician. and gastroenterology for feld of patient communica- Dr. Weichert published nu- more than 40 years at St. Vin- tion and create meaningful merous articles in the 1970s, cent’s Medical Center in New dialogue among faculty and then completed her Our condolences to the York City’s Greenwich Village, and physicians-in-training, residency in psychiatry at Tufts families and friends who died February 12, 2019, at 87. with the goal of enhancing University in the late 1980s. have recently lost loved ones. In 2011, Dr. Berenson’s family physician communication She served as a psychiatrist Please notify us of alumni and friends established the skills and improving patient at the Boston VA hospital and and faculty passings so Murray Berenson Distin- outcomes through skilled later had a private practice. that we may recognize and guished Scholar in Physi- clinical examination. Dr. Dr. Weichert is survived by her honor our community cian-Patient Communication Berenson is survived by his identical twin sister, Susan members in future issues. program to recognize his wife, Susan; his brothers, Jo- Kluver; her brother, Joseph 212-263-5390 lifelong commitment to com- seph, Daniel, and Ronald; his Elston; her daughter, Regina alumnirelations@ passionate patient care. This children, Stephen, Jennifer, Weichert; her sons, Robert nyulangone.org program provides the NYU Richard, and Kathryn; and 10 and Cyrus Weichert; and 10 med.nyu.edu/alumni Langone Health community grandchildren. grandchildren.

| 38 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM was also an associate profes- MD Alumni sor of emergency medicine Faculty ALVAH M. WEISS ’41 in clinical surgery and of WILLIAM N. HUBBARD, JR. ’44 healthcare policy and research JERRY H. JACOBSON ’47, BA at Weill Cornell Medicine. (WSC ’44) Before that, he was the deputy BARBARA BLANCKE ’51 commissioner for New York PAUL S. SLOSBERG ’52 City’s Department of Health, HAROLD N. ADEL, ’54, MPH, BA held leadership roles at many (ARTS ’50) NYC hospitals, and served in ROBERT S. SCHWARTZ ’54 Vietnam as a captain and sur- RALPH E. SCHLOSSMAN ’55 geon in the U.S. Army. He was WILLIAM M. COHN ’58 an avid runner throughout his BARRY F. SACHS ’59 ANTHONY C. MUSTALISH ’66, life, fnishing his 10th consec- JOSEPH GELLER ’62 BA (WSC ’62), a physician in utive NYC Marathon at age JOHN A. HERMAN ’62 emergency medicine, died 72. Dr. Mustalish is survived MAURICE R. BRODY ’63 October 25, 2018, at 77, of by his wife, Elayne Mustalish STEPHEN A. KANTER ’64 brain cancer. Dr. Mustalish ’66 (whom he met as a fellow EMANUEL J. LAMPIDIS ’66 was an attending physician medical student); his children, PATRICIA T. MAJOR ’70 and associate director of Rachel, David, and Peter; his VLADIMIR KVETAN ’77 the NewYork-Presbyterian/ daughters-in-law, Margaret LAILA NOORUDDIN JIWANI ’01 Weill Cornell Medical Center Mustalish and Chloe Teasdale; MARCEL TUCHMAN (RES. ’55), Emergency Department. He and four grandchildren. a resident alumnus and a Resident member of the faculty at NYU KAREN D. SCHUPAK School of Medicine for more than 50 years, died November 10, 2018, at 97. In his book, Re- member: My Stories of Survival and Beyond (Holocaust Survi- vors Memoir Project and Yad Vashem, 2010), he recounted his experiences as a young man in Europe—in the Prze- mysl ghetto, at Auschwitz, and then as a university student in Germany—and described the people who played a role in his survival. After the war, Dr. Tuchman emigrated to the United States with his wife, Shoshana, who prede-

Rob Strong Strong Rob ceased him in 2013. He was a LISA M. SCHWARTZ ’89, a direc- 2008) and Overdiagnosed resident in internal medicine tor at the Center for Medicine (Beacon Press, 2012). Dr. at Bellevue from 1952 to 1955, and Media at the Dartmouth Schwartz and Dr. Woloshin and joined the faculty at the Institute for Health Policy met when they were medical NYU School of Medicine in and Clinical Practice, died residents at Bellevue Hospital 1953, rising to the rank of November 29, 2018, at 55, of Center. Together, they trained professor of clinical medicine cancer. Dr. Schwartz dedicat- journalists to be skeptical in 1975. In recognition of ed her life to advocating for about claimed scientifc his teaching excellence, Dr. patient access to accurate, breakthroughs and miracle Tuchman received the Volun- easy-to-understand medical cures, and to better commu- tary Clinical Faculty Award of information. In 2017, she nicate the benefts and risks Alpha Omega Alpha’s Delta and her husband, Dr. Steven of medical treatments. In Chapter in 2001, and the Out- Woloshin, were honored by addition to her husband, Dr. standing Volunteer Clinical the American Medical Writers Schwartz is survived by their Teacher Award of the Ameri- Association for the articles daughter, Emma; their son, can College of Physicians. He and books they co-wrote, Eli; her mother, Heda Teitch- is survived by his son, Peter, including Know Your Chances er; her brother, Mark; and her his daughter-in-law, and two (University of California Press, sister, Susan Schwartz. grandchildren.

39 | GRAPEVINE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 DC 07/12/2019 Look Back

At Bellevue, Dr. Smith (fourth from left) was a widely respected surgeon and educator, author of several surgical texts, and a vital force in promoting antisepsis and establishing the frst training school for nurses in the United States. (Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, December 1991)

STEPHEN SMITH (1823–1922)

Dr. Smith was the most consequential surgeon in our medical school’s long history. Entering the Bellevue wards as an intern on the surgical division in 1850, he directly confronted the impact of poverty on public health. This inspired a career that included spearheading the most important sanitary inspection of a city in the history of the United States, which led to the frst meaningfully empowered Metropolitan Board of Health. He then went on to found the American Public Health Association, forerunner of the U.S. Public Health Service, to promote sanitary reform on a national basis, serving as its frst president. As a surgeon, he was a founder of the Bellevue Hospital Medical College and its frst professor of the principles of surgery, and also served as professor of clinical surgery at the University of the City of New York (New York University). His Handbook of Surgical Operations was the bible of Union surgeons during the Civil War, and he later authored the authoritative textbook Principles and Practice of Operative Surgery. He was one of the frst American surgeons to adopt Listerian antisepsis. He championed the country’s frst municipal ambulance service at Bellevue and the Bellevue Nursing School, the frst to train educated nurses in the United States. Active until his death at age 99, he held many major public health positions including commissioner of health for New York and commissioner of lunacy, and was at the forefront of numerous public health initiatives including authoring the State Care Act that reformed care of the mentally ill. His legendary career expanded the role of a surgeon well beyond the operating room to the broadest landscape of public service.

—DANIEL F. ROSES ’69 JULES LEONARD WHITEHILL PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AND ONCOLOGY Images courtesy of the Lillian and Clarence de la Chapelle Medical Archives at NYU at NYU Archives de la Chapelle Medical the Lillian and Clarence of courtesy Images

| 40 NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DC 07/12/2019 OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON YOUR PRESENT

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