Meredith Hawkins to Receive Top Award from American Federation for Medical Research Meredith Hawkins, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Global Diabetes Initiative at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, will receive the American Federation for Medical Research’s (AFMR) highest honor for medical research, the Outstanding Investigator Award. The prestigious prize is given annually to one exceptional investigator aged 45 or younger for excellence in biomedical research. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Dr. Meredith Hawkins"][/caption] Hawkins was selected for her diabetes research, which examines the liver’s role in glucose regulation and production, and how elevated fatty acids contribute to insulin resistance and inflammation in humans with glucose intolerance or obesity. While insulin’s role in regulating blood glucose has been widely studied, Hawkins’ group did pioneering studies showing that, in susceptible individuals, the liver fails to sense an increase in blood glucose—findings that may lead to novel diabetes drugs. They also study malnutrition diabetes, a poorly understood form of the disease that particularly affects the developing world. “Dr. Hawkins is an innovative clinical scientist, committed mentor, prolific member of our Diabetes Research Center and an international force through her leadership of Einstein’s Global Diabetes Initiative,” said Harry Shamoon, M.D., director of the Einstein-Montefiore Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and one of her former research mentors. “This is well-deserved recognition for Dr. Hawkins’ stellar track record as a clinical and translational investigator.” A previous recipient of AFMR’s Junior Physician-Investigator Award, Hawkins will present an overview of her work at AFMR’s Henry Christian Awards dinner on April 17, 2012. She will then accept the award at the Translational Science 2012 meeting on April 19, 2012 in Washington, DC. “I am honored and thankful to receive this award,” said Hawkins. “As the rate of diabetes and its serious health complications continues to rise worldwide, support and validation from organizations like the AFMR are necessary to help investigators like me continue to identify and develop effective and practical treatments.” Dr. Hawkins is also an attending physician in endocrinology at Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein. Established in 1940 as the American Federation for Clinical Research, the AFMR is an international organization that bridges basic and patient-oriented research in multiple medical disciplines. Their broad medical sciences constituency includes basic, translational and clinical researchers. none

Exhibition Presented by YU Museum in Collaboration with Einstein Explores Jewish Encounter with Modern Medicine Modern medicine emerged in the second half of the 19th century, as innovative technologies and new theories of disease paved the way for extraordinary medical advances. For Jews, and for the Jewish community at large, the field of scientific medicine presented new opportunities, new challenges and new ways to engage with modernity. Through an array of original medical instruments, artifacts, documents, letters, photographs and video, Trail of the Magic Bullet: The Jewish Encounter with Modern Medicine, 1860-1960, explores the Jewish encounter with modern medicine on an individual, communal and religious level. The exhibition, on display at the Yeshiva University Museum through August 12, brings the conversation up to the present, concluding with a specially produced film that examines key issues in contemporary Jewish bioethics. [caption id="attachment_10084" align="alignleft" width="675" caption="Einstein's Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman speaks to local high school students."][/caption] On March 21, Trail of the Magic Bullet was the centerpiece of two educational initiatives. In the morning, in a program organized by Ilana Benson, museum educator at the YU Museum, 80 students from four Jewish New York area high schools used the exhibition as the jumping off point for discussions around the role of halakha in medicine and the training of the Jewish medical student across history. Science, pre-med and AP biology students from Yeshiva University High School for Boys, Yeshiva University High School for Girls, DRS Yeshiva High School and Yeshiva of Flatbush participated. In tandem with tours of the exhibition, Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine led the students in discussions of key medical case studies and gave an interactive lecture on the history of the training of Jewish medical students. In addition to seeing a range of rare medical artifacts, documents, posters and letters, the students from these schools had the chance to engage on topics such as organ donation, genetic testing and general Jewish medical ethics. In the evening, the Yeshiva University Medical Ethics Society also brought 40 undergraduate students to the museum to experience the Trail of the Magic Bullet exhibition, and to participate in another lecture given by Reichman. The students heard about and discussed the experience of Jewish doctors in the modern medical field and developments that have facilitated the participation of Jewish doctors within modern medicine. The program featured a rich and engaging discussion around such issues as the acceptance of Jews into secular medical schools, advancements in medical technologies, and the role of halakha in connection to the medical field and contemporary bioethics. [caption id="attachment_10086" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Surgery, Newark Beth Israel Hospital, early 20th century / Collection of the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey"][/caption] These two programs highlight the educational impact and potential of the exhibition and attest to the value of the collaboration between the YU Museum and Einstein. The exhibition celebrated its opening with a program on February 29, 2012, which featured a discussion by Dr. Edward Burns, executive dean of Einstein, on the Jewish role within the medical profession; and the screening of “Heal, You Shall Heal” (produced and directed by Ilana Trachtman), a film that was commissioned and developed by YU Museum in conjunction with the exhibition. none

Graduating Students Secure Impressive Residency Spots in Competitive Fields and Prominent Hospitals Members of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University's graduating class celebrated another strong year for residency placements in competitive specialties and prestigious programs at this year's Match Day. Representing the culmination of their medical school education, Match Day marked the transition of Einstein's class of 2012 into the post-graduate phase of their training—when they will practice medicine in a clinical setting under the supervision of fully licensed physicians. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXvMVs7r0w0&feature=youtu.be Match Day is the much-anticipated annual event at medical schools around the country during which fourth-year medical school students learn where and in what specialty they will spend the next three to seven years of residency training. The “match” ultimately determines the course of their medical careers. After a ritual opening ceremony involving the clanging of a brass gong, personalized envelopes were distributed to students at high noon. What followed was a catharsis of emotion as students tore open the envelopes containing the match to their future professional paths. In an increasingly competitive matching environment—due to the number of residency slots not keeping pace with the growing number of American medical graduates in recent years—Einstein's 165 graduating medical students displayed a strong showing in completive specialties, including anesthesiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology and orthopedics. Among the highlights were three matches in radiation oncology—a specialty with only 150 spots in the country—and 14 matches in emergency medicine, a field that has proved extremely popular this year. In residencies with a high number of offered spots, such as pediatrics and internal medicine, Einstein students secured positions at top institutions, including Yale, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Cornell and Columbia. Read full article at Einstein News... none

Wurzweiler School of Social Work Announces Spring 2012 Conference Series Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work has announced its 2012 Spring Conference Series. Addressing topics as varied as the composition of North American Jewish family and what professionals can do to combat poverty, the series will convene educators and social work professionals on three Fridays in March and April to immerse themselves in some of the biggest challenges facing Jewish communities. On Friday, March 23, a Symposium on Poverty and Professionals, titled “From Concern to Action,” will be held at the Yeshiva University Museum, 15 West 16th Street, New York City. Keynote speaker Bob Herbert, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos and renowned New York Times journalist, will focus on how poverty affects political, economic and social conditions in American society, with follow-up comments delivered by Dr. Robert L. Hawkins, McSilver Assistant Professor in Poverty Studies at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work, and Ruth W. Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service. A panel exploring the professional response to poverty will feature Dr. Paris R. Baldacci, clinical professor of law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; Dr. A. Hal Strelnick, chief of the division of community health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and Dr. Richard Caputo, professor at Wurzweiler. The Sixth Annual Joanna M. Mellor Aging Conference will be held on Friday, March 30, at the Jacob Burns Moot Court Room in Cardozo, 55 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Keynote speaker Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging, will discuss changes in New York City that will impact services and policies affecting older populations. Co-sponsors of the conference include Emblem Health and the Washington Heights-Inwood Council on Aging. On Friday, April 20, a half-day conference titled, “The Diversity of the North American Jewish Family: Challenges and Opportunities,” will also be held at Cardozo’s Moot Court. Keynote speaker Dr. Sylvia Barack-Fishman, chair of the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Department and Joseph and Esther Foster Professor of Contemporary Jewish Life at Brandeis University, will bring her expertise to a discussion of some of the dynamic changes that have taken place within the Jewish family structure, such as later and smaller families, blended families, and evolving status and gender hierarchies. A panel featuring Rabbi Andy Bachman, senior rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim; Paul Levine, executive vice-president and chief executive officer at JBFCS; and Rabbi Joy Levitt, will respond to her remarks. “These conferences represent the diversity within the social work profession and at Wurzweiler,” said Dean Carmen Ortiz Hendricks. “These are cutting-edge topics that professionals and students need to understand. The faculty and administration at Wurzweiler are very excited to bring this range of issues to the forefront with such scholarly speakers and forums.” For more information about any of these conferences or to register, visit www.yu.edu/wurzweiler/events. none

Einstein Study: Abnormal Breathing During Sleep Linked to Increased Risk for Behavioral Difficulties A study of more than 11,000 children followed for over six years has found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing are prone to developing behavioral difficulties such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, as well as emotional symptoms and difficulty with peer relationships, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their study, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, was recently published online in the journal Pediatrics. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx-Y6FfaqE4&list=UUY1geF2vt0oYgCSskqW4AVQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video “This is the strongest evidence to date that snoring, mouth breathing, and apnea [abnormally long pauses in breathing during sleep] can have serious behavioral and social-emotional consequences for children,” said study leader Karen Bonuck, Ph.D., professor of family and social medicine and of obstetrics & gynecology and women’s health at Einstein. “Parents and pediatricians alike should be paying closer attention to sleep-disordered breathing in young children, perhaps as early as the first year of life.” Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a general term for breathing difficulties that occur during sleep. Its hallmarks are snoring (which is usually accompanied by mouth breathing) and sleep apnea. SDB reportedly peaks from two to six years of age, but also occurs in younger children. About 1 in 10 children snore regularly and 2 to 4 percent have sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Health and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Common causes of SDB are enlarged tonsils or adenoids. “Until now, we really didn’t have strong evidence that SDB actually preceded problematic behavior such as hyperactivity,” said Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., a co-author of the study and professor of sleep medicine and of neurology at the University of Michigan. “Previous studies suggesting a possible connection between SDB symptoms and subsequent behavioral problems weren’t definitive, since they included only small numbers of patients, short follow-ups of a single SDB symptom, or limited control of variables such as low birth weight that could skew the results. But this study shows clearly that SDB symptoms do precede behavioral problems and strongly suggests that SDB symptoms are causing those problems.” Read full article at Einstein News... none

From New Master’s Programs to a Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education, Yeshiva University Expands its Offerings Graduate education at Yeshiva University continues to thrive—and grow. A new Executive MBA program and master’s programs in arts and education join an academic landscape already home to one of the nation’s top medical schools, one of the finest law schools, and leading graduate schools for social work, psychology, Jewish studies and Jewish education and administration. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Hv2ALnJno&feature=relmfu In the past year, the University has introduced a variety of new master’s and certificate programs and expanded existing ones, in response to student demand and interest.

The Center for Executive and Professional Education at the Syms School of Business will launch an Executive MBA program in August, featuring classes on Sundays.

Syms’ MS Program in Accounting, now in its third year, is continuing its successful expansion and has nearly tripled in size since its inception. A new feature offers classes during the summer for non-accounting majors who choose to attend.

YU’s Graduate Programs in Arts and Sciences is also expanding its offerings. The math department unveiled a new PhD program in Mathematical Sciences this past fall, a selective program open to students who have already completed 60 credits of graduate-level study.

The math department is also continuing to offer its MA program in mathematics, currently in its second year, in addition to a BA-MA option that is now open to current YU students who wish to take graduate level courses during their senior year on campus and apply those credits toward a master’s degree.

The department of economics is launching a new MS program in quantitative economics (MQE), slated to begin in September. It is considered a pre-experience program, open to recent college graduates. Similar to the master’s in math, the MQE also includes a BA-MS option open to current YU students who wish to earn credits towards their graduate degree.

This past fall, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration introduced an Accelerated Master’s Program in Jewish education.  The one year, full time program balances intensive course study alongside practical teaching experience in the classroom.  A select cohort of ten students proceed through the program together, enriching one another by sharing their knowledge and learning experiences.  The program is fully sponsored by the Jim Joseph Foundation and applications are currently being accepted for the fall, 2012 cohort.

Azrieli Graduate School continues to expand program offerings and was recently approved by the New York State Education Department to offer two new Master’s degrees leading to New York State teaching certification.  Students who hold an initial certification in Childhood Education 1-6 can now enroll at Azrieli in the 36-credit Advanced Childhood Education 1-6 program leading to NYS professional teacher certification.  Students who wish to teach at the middle/high school level can enroll in a 42 credit Adolescence Education program leading to initial/professional certification in grades 7-12 biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, social studies, English and Hebrew.  Additionally, undergraduate students can begin these MS programs as seniors in the joint BA/MS program with Yeshiva College and Stern College for Women.  Both certification programs will begin in the fall, 2012.

The Institute for University-School Partnership, with generous support from the Jim Joseph Foundation, currently has 51 educators enrolled in the 2nd year of its Online Certificate Programs in Differentiated Instruction, Educational Technology Integration, and Student Support. In the coming year they will be adding a brand new program in Online/Blended Instruction and Design. Each online program lasts 30 weeks and is broken up into 3 courses of 10 weeks each. These programs are taught entirely online and asynchronously with weekly assignments and outstanding instructors who provide weekly feedback and practical take-aways to enhance the learning of students in the classroom.

For the first time this year, the Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) partnered with the Machon Puah Institute to offer a certificate program for graduates of YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary to educate them on halachic and medical issues related to infertility.

In June, the CJF will launch the second installment of its Certificate Program in Experiential Jewish Education, sponsored by the Jim Joseph Foundation. The curriculum comprises four seminars that focus on the theories and applications of experiential education: imparting values, creating experiences, cultivating communities and self development. Participants are also connected with a mentor who works with one on one and guides them in developing a final focal project.

Learn more about all of YU’s graduate schools by visiting www.yu.edu/academics/graduate-schools/. none

New Dean’s Scholars Program Offers Medical School Courses to YU Undergrads With this year’s launch of the Einstein Enrichment Program, Yeshiva University is offering 10 select undergraduates the opportunity to take courses at YU’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine. [caption id="attachment_9473" align="alignleft" width="331" caption="Einstein's Dr. Moshe Sadofsky addresses YU undergraduates as part of the Deans' Scholars Program"][/caption] "The program will entail exposure to our top scientists, independent reading and highly interactive problem-based learning," said Dr. Edward Burns, executive dean at Einstein and the program’s director. "It is designed to ignite a passion for biomedical science and medicine as it is practiced in the laboratory and clinic today, rather than from textbooks." Titled "Deans' Scholars Program: Frontiers in Biomedical Sciences," the credited cooperative academic program is being overseen by Dr. Karen Bacon, the Dr. Monique C. Katz dean at Stern College for Women, and Michal Jaff, the Beatrice Diener Presidential Follow. Fall lecture topics included Epochal Moments in Biology, Cells and Organelles, Genetic Material, Enzymes and Metabolism, Cell Communication and Stem Cells, covering material rarely taught to freshmen. In the spring semester, new topics will correlate basic science and clinical entities. Designed specifically for first time on campus students who are interested in the biomedical sciences, the program meets six Fridays during each semester, and will require abundant involvement from participants, who will meet “very senior, famous scientists and will have to strut their stuff,” said Burns, and have access to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. [caption id="attachment_9472" align="alignright" width="344" caption="The program, in its first year, will expand to 20 incoming students next year."][/caption] The current cohort of Scholars will continue the program for three more years, with increasing responsibility, independence and exposure as they advance through college. Next year, up to 20 incoming students will be offered spots in the program, "assuming this pilot is a success," said Dean Bacon. “This program is a really great opportunity,” said participant Anne Buzzell, of Clayton, NC. “The Einstein professors are highly qualified and give really interesting and smart lectures." Charles Lavene, a Yeshiva College participant, said that, although he has already set his sights on attending Einstein, "the program so far has sold me on Einstein even more." Buzzell noted that Einstein, too, hopes to benefit from this program. "The Dean mentioned that he hopes to see more undergraduate students take advantage of what Einstein has to offer," she said. The administration hopes that this program will prove "a competitive advantage," for students when applying to medical school, said Dr. Burns. "It will be as useful for getting into Einstein as it would be to get into any other medical school," he stressed. The idea for the program first emerged last year, when YU President Richard M. Joel approached Dr. Burns to create a unique initiative “that would tie Einstein to the undergraduate YU programs in such a way to make Yeshiva and Stern Colleges unique in the sciences," said Dr. Burns. With assistance from Provost Morton Lowengrub, several deans, the YU pre-med advisors and Dr. Victoria Freedman, associate dean for graduate programs in the biomedical sciences, the program was formed. Although the program is the first of its kind at YU, there are tentative thoughts of expanding the model further. "Based on this experience, we would like to try to develop something similar between the undergraduate schools and our Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law,” said Dean Bacon. none

Faculty-Penned Blog Reflects on Life of a Doctor What is it like to be a practicing physician in today’s world of breakthrough technologies, expanding therapeutic options, insurance challenges, health policy debates and increasingly savvy e-patients? Faculty members at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University will provide a rare window into the lives of doctors navigating this evolving landscape with “The Doctor’s Tablet,” a new blog recently launched on Einstein’s website. “Einstein’s faculty members have a wealth of unexpected stories – and varied perspectives on pressing medical issues – waiting to be shared,” said Gordon Earle, associate dean of the Philip and Rita Rosen Department of Communications and Public Affairs. “Many of them are also gifted writers with sharp points of view. We decided it was the right time to create an outlet for them.” “The Doctor’s Tablet” will tackle a range of subjects, from doctors’ personal experiences in clinical practice to considered viewpoints on medical questions of the day. Beyond the world of statistics, paperwork and policy, daily interactions in medicine are usually quite personal – for doctor and patient alike. “The Doctor’s Tablet” will reflect this reality, offering thoughtful contributions to the ongoing conversation on the state of healthcare and translational research and how both intersect with people’s lives. “We expect ‘The Doctor’s Tablet’ to be thought-provoking, but we’re also hoping it will spark vigorous debate and discussion,” said Paul Moniz, managing director of communications and marketing, who will help oversee the blog along with social media manager, David Flores. “In an open academic environment such as Einstein’s, frank and honest discourse is encouraged and we hope readers will jump in and engage with the authors – and each other,” Moniz added. Visit “The Doctor’s Tablet” and read the introductory post. none

Einstein Researcher Helps Rank U.S. News & World Report Best Diets 2012 U.S. News & World Report today released its Best Diets 2012 ranking, an evaluation of 25 popular diets by 22 experts. Among those who weighed in on the ranking was Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, Ph.D., R.D. of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.  Dr. Mossavar-Rahmani, associate professor of clinical epidemiology & population health at Einstein, specializes in nutrition assessment and intervention. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-04tf6zuXF8&feature=youtu.be&hd=1 For its rankings, U.S. News profiled each of the 25 diets using information culled from scientific journals, government reports, and other resources. Profiles describe how a given diet works, how it breaks down nutritionally, how safe it is, and more. The panel of experts reviewed each profile, conducted independent fact-finding, and rated the diets on seven criteria, such as their ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss. U.S. Newsconverted their ratings to scores and constructed the rankings. This year's rankings includes Easiest Diets to Follow (#1 Weight Watchers), Best Diets Overall (#1 DASH Diet), Best Commercial Diet Plans (#1 Weight Watchers), Best Weight-Loss Diets (#1 Weight Watchers), Best Diets for Healthy Eating (#1 DASH Diet), Best Diabetes Diets (#1 DASH Diet, #1 Biggest Loser Diet), and Best Heart-Healthy Diets (#1 Ornish Diet). Dr. Mossavar-Rahmani, who also participated in last year's Best Diets rankings, says motivation is a key factor that separates those who keep weight off long-term from those who lose weight and put it back on. "The best motivation is an interest in promoting better health," says Dr. Mossavar-Rahmani. "Deciding to lose a set number of pounds with no long-term motivation plan often leads to weight creep once the target weight is reached." Dr. Mossavar-Rahmani teaches an elective course on nutrition and health for first-year medical students at Einstein and has been conducting research on nutrition for over two decades. She is currently the nationwide principal investigator for Study of Latinos: Nutrition & Physical Activity Assessment Study (SOLNAS), an ancillary study to the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is the largest ever study of Hispanic health in the U.S. In SOLNAS, she investigates measurement errors in participants' self-reported diet and physical activity. She is also the principal investigator at Einstein for the SOL Sueño/Sleep Study, which is investigating the association of sleep habits with obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension among Latinos in the U.S. As an interventionist, Dr. Mossavar-Rahmani served as a co-investigator/lead nutritionist of the NIH-funded Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Dietary Modification Trial and participated in numerous nationwide committees. She co-chaired the WHI Self-Monitoring working group, for which she received the WHI Achievement Award, and served as nationwide chair of WHI Lead Nutritionists. none

Heart Care International Offers Einstein Students New Perspective While many automated e-mail signatures note: "Sent from my BlackBerry™ handheld mobile" or Note: Privileged/Confidential information may be contained in this message and may be subject to legal privilege," fourth-year medical student Megan Long's e-mail disclaimer features a quote from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Fourth-year student Megan Long with Dr. Robert Michler, founder of Heart Care International"][/caption] This Einstein ethos is no more evident than in the recent trip to Peru that Ms. Long undertook in conjunction with Dr. Robert Michler, chair of cardiovascular & thoracic surgery and of surgery at Einstein and director of the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center, and his team from Heart Care International (HCI). Ms. Long was part of the team of doctors, nurses, surgeons and students who went to Peru to perform an array of complex and sophisticated cardiac surgeries on the neediest of patients – children and young adults suffering and dying from heart disease. With a broad range of experiences that include working at Small Miracles International between undergrad and medical school, travelling to Guatemala on medical missions, spending the last four years deeply involved in Einstein's student-run ECHO clinic, and working last summer with the Indian Public Health Service in Montana, Ms. Long thought she had a well-rounded perspective on underserved populations and lack of care. Yet the medical mission with Heart Care International (HCI) to Peru brought a whole new dimension to her medical education. "Now that I have more medical training, I notice the differences in medical care," said Ms. Long. She observed that, in the midst of a major metropolitan hospital, one of the biggest questions became how to toe the line of cultural and experiential differences to balance providing care with providing training for doctors. That balance is the guiding principle behind HCI, which was founded by Dr. Michler in 1994. Dr. Michler had traveled to China to do surgical operations in 1992 and, upon his return, was asked by a Guatemalan pediatric cardiologist to accept patients from Guatemala for open heart surgery. Stymied by the costs and upheaval involved for the patients, their families and the hospital, Dr. Michler decided to bring the care to them. He took his first team and 15,000 pounds of equipment to Guatemala City in 1994. In one week, they operated on 25 children. "It was an extraordinary experience," said Dr. Michler. "But, when we came back I didn't have plans to do it again. It was so exhausting and time-consuming from a planning perspective. I hadn't considered it. And, then, the calls started coming." Read full article at Einstein News... none