News and Events

Marianna Jolly, vice chair of the Graduate Student Research Forum; LaToya McLean, chair of community building; Fatima Arif, secretary; Kristopher Thompson, M.S. candidate; Charles White, president; Dana Weinstein, chair of the Graduate Student Research Forum; Joshua Vazhappilly, vice president; and Berlini Narampanawe, treasurer. 

A $1.25 million grant will help support BioInc@NYMC, a 10,000-square-foot incubator at New York Medical College. Now in its fourth year, the incubator is a for-hire facility with office space for researchers.

Meet Dr. Edward Halperin, chancellor and chief executive officer of Touro’s New York Medical College — medical historian, pediatric radiation oncologist and idealist, who expects much more from his students than expertise in medicine.

Dr. Edward Halperin, besides being an expert in pediatric radiation oncology, is an eclectic scholar — conversant in many diverse areas of knowledge — with a penchant for delving into the historical background of all his topics of interest. As a doctor, he is fascinated by the history of Jewish hospitals and medical school entry in America and has studied it in depth. In a research paper entitled “The Rise and Fall of the American Jewish Hospital,” he highlights the phenomenon that no less than 113 so-called Jewish hospitals appeared and disappeared in America over the last 170 years. Today, there are few remaining.

NYMC Leadership: Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer

Millions of American seniors suffer the discomfort of chronic acid reflux. Now, new research suggests the condition might raise their odds for even more dangerous foes -- head and neck cancers.

The research can't prove cause-and-effect, and the odds of any one person with chronic heartburn developing one of these relatively rare cancers remains low, experts noted.

But the study of nearly 28,000 Americans over the age of 65 did show a heightened risk.

NYMC Faculty: Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D., adjunct assistant professor of medicine

New York Medical College in Valhalla has been awarded $586,314 for research into heart and vascular disease. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. “Advances in scientific research hold tremendous potential to help the millions of people struggling with heart and metabolic problems,” said U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, who announced the grant. “This funding will support New York Medical College’s cutting-edge research and innovation that may save lives.” 

“I am truly excited to embark on these studies,” said Dr. Michal Laniado Schwartzman, professor and chair of the college’s department of pharmacology. Schwartzman is involved in research that might lead to new treatments for such diseases as heart failure, stroke and diabetes.

NYMC Faculty: Michal Laniado Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology

Recent news reports revealed that policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were told by the Trump administration that the use of seven words and phrases would be prohibited. The words are: vulnerable, diversity, entitlement, transgender, fetus, evidence-based, and science-based. Shortly thereafter, another federal official told the media that this was "simply guidance" provided to people that write CDC budget proposals. 

The CDC is the leading national public health institute of the United States. It is a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. At New York Medical College we have a long history of cooperation with the CDC and some of our faculty are former officials of the agency. 

NYMC Leadership: Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer

Middletown Medical has added Dr. Jay V. Doshi to its team of healthcare providers. Dr. Doshi is the first Cardiologist to join Middletown Medical’s team who specializes in cardiac electrophysiology, which focuses on the electrical activity in the heart to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythms.

“For patients with heart concerns, especially those experiencing abnormal heart rhythms, Dr. Doshi has demonstrated exceptional capability and compassion delivering results,” said Melissa Wolff, Middletown Medical’s marketing director and physician recruiter. “His expertise in electrophysiology, an area of cardiology that continues to evolve with newer technologies, allows Middletown Medical to offer even more to its patients.”

NYMC Faculty: Jay V. Doshi, M.D., instructor of medicine

About $85 million in state grants and tax credits has been awarded to 113 development projects in the mid-Hudson Valley region. In Westchester, 23 projects will receive more than $10 million total this year. Major private and public capital projects to receive funding in the county this year include the following: BioInc@NYMC, New York Medical College’s biotech focused incubator, will receive $1.25 million through the state’s Innovation Hot Spot Support Program, which provides operating grants for designated “Innovation Hot Spots” that promote entrepreneurial activities.

In the early ’90s, Ronald Jacobson, M.D. noticed an interesting trend after working on Christmas day for several years in a row. “I was always getting calls about a child having a seizure after having gotten a videogame,” recalls Dr. Jacobson, Chief of Pediatric Neurology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. He quickly coined a term for the unique trend, “Christmas Day Seizures.”

NYMC Faculty: Ronald I. Jacobson, M.D., clinical associate professor of pediatrics and neurology

Most parents are well versed in the dangers of toy-choking hazards facing toddlers, but according to Darshan Patel, MD, Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, parents of young children should be mindful of a few lesser-known holiday hazards.

NYMC Faculty: Darshan D. Patel. M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, family and community medicine and emergency medicine

With the assistance of Chia-Ching Chen, a professor of epidemiology and community health at New York Medical College and an expert on program planning and evaluation, they are currently translating some qualitative data gleaned from the ongoing, day-to-day social workers’ interactions with the residents into workable, consistent, quantitative data. 

NYMC Faculty: Chia-Ching Chen, M.A., M.S., Ed.D., C.H.E.S., professor of epidemiology and community health

Dr. Robert Josephberg, chief of retina and vitreous at Westchester Medical Center was recently inducted into the Retina Hall of Fame for his expertise and contributions to the field.  

The retina is the portion of the eye on which light is focused. The light is then transformed into signals that the brain can interpret. The retina has been compared with film in a still or movie camera or the photosensitive electronic plate in a television camera. Vitreous fills the inside of the eye.

The Retina Hall of Fame honors those have devoted their professional lives to innovation, research and clinical care. 

NYMC Faculty: Robert G. Josephberg, M.D., clinical associate professor of ophthalmology

"Advances in scientific research hold tremendous potential to help the millions of people struggling with heart and metabolic problems," Lowey said. "This funding will support New York Medical College's cutting-edge research and innovation that may save lives. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to bring these essential resources to the Lower Hudson Valley."

"I am truly excited to embark on these studies," said Dr. Michal Laniado Schwartzman, professor and chairman of the Department of Pharmacology at New York Medical College School of Medicine. "This new discovery opens a new front in this area of research as it identifies a novel and unique therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases including heart failure, stroke and diabetes."

NYMC Faculty: Michal Laniado Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology

“Advances in scientific research hold tremendous potential to help the millions of people struggling with heart and metabolic problems,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “This funding will support New York Medical College’s cutting-edge research and innovation that may save lives. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to bring these essential resources to the Lower Hudson Valley.”“I am truly excited to embark on these studies,” said Dr. Michal Laniado Schwartzman, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at New York Medical College School of Medicine. “This new discovery opens a new front in this area of research as it identifies a novel and unique therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases including heart failure, stroke and diabetes.”

NYMC Faculty: Michal Laniado Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology

Kids and their smartphones aren't easily parted, but if you want your children to get a good night's sleep and to stay at a healthy weight, limiting bedtime screen time appears key, new research suggests.Parent surveys revealed that using a smartphone or watching TV at bedtime was tied to a greater body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.And using any technology at bedtime -- cellphones, TVs, laptops, iPads and video games -- was linked to getting about an hour less sleep, poorer sleep and, not surprisingly, morning fatigue.

NYMC Faculty: Peter L. Richel, M.D., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics

Fareri Associates is a diversified real estate investment and development company well known for its more than 40 years creating distinctive residential homes as well as high-quality office and retail space. Currently, the company is developing several mixed-use projects in Greenwich including the Greenwich Office Park. Fareri Associates is also the developer of the Westchester BioScience & Technology Center, a nearly 3 million-square-foot, mixed-use complex to be built on 80 acres adjacent to New York Medical College and the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

 The winter season, with its cold inclement weather, can put a strain on your heart, especially if you’re one of the over 15 million Americans with coronary artery disease. Understanding why cold weather is so hard on your heart can help you avoid the dangers and stay healthy.

1. Plummeting Temperatures
2. Cold Weather and Physical Activity 
3. Shorter Days, More Darkness
4. Holidays and Your Heart

NYMC Faculty: William H. Frishman, M.D., the Barbara and William Rosenthal Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine and professor of pharmacology

Gum disease has already been linked in numerous studies to a heightened risk of the number one killer, heart disease. However, Dr. Anthony Starpoli, associate director of esophageal endotherapy at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, an expert in esophageal cancer, reviewed the new findings and stressed that researchers have yet to prove a causal link to esophageal tumors.

NYMC Faculty: Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D., adjunct assistant professor of medicine

“Epidemic is a scary word,” Leonardi said. The word, however, doesn’t frighten Dr. Deborah Friedman, a specialist in pediatric intensive care and a professor of pediatrics at New York Medical College in Westchester County. Friedman also is a spokeswoman for a consortium of hospital labs that monitor RSV statewide. She said the viral infection has reached epidemic levels elsewhere in New York, and because viruses are unpredictable, it is anyone’s guess where the infectious agent will next cause outbreaks.

“The epidemic at the current time is in New York City. Of course, these things change quickly. So we can assume that the epidemic will be spreading,” said Friedman, who is part of RSVAlert. The service relies on information from 23 laboratories throughout the state known as the Core Based Statistical Group. No Long Island hospitals are in the consortium.

NYMC Faculty: Deborah M. Friedman, M.D., professor of pediatrics

CareMount Medical in Chappaqua has announced the appointment of Dr. John Wolk as its new clinical laboratory director. Wolk will be responsible for managing the overall quality of diagnostic laboratory tests across CareMount Medical’s 19 lab sites in the Hudson Valley. He had been chief of microbiological services at the Westchester County Department of Laboratories and Research in Valhalla.

NYMC faculty: John H. Wolk, M.D., assistant professor of pathology