New York Medical College Names Marina Kaufman Holz, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences
Dr. Holz will replace retiring dean, Francis L. Belloni, Ph.D.; Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D. will serve as interim dean
Jennifer Riekert, M.B.A.
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New York Medical College
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"I am excited to work collaboratively with the exceptional faculty and talented students of NYMC to further their career and educational goals,” said Dr. Holz.
Valhalla, N.Y., July 9, 2018 – Marina Kaufman Holz, Ph.D., has been appointed dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences at New York Medical College (NYMC) in Valhalla, N.Y. Dr. Holz comes to NYMC from Stern College of Yeshiva University where she served as the Doris and Dr. Ira Kukin Chair in Biology, chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and holder of a joint appointment in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She received her B.Sc. in microbiology and immunology with Great Distinction from McGill University and completed her Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology at Harvard Medical School.
Her appointment comes at the end of an extensive, international search led by the Faculty Search Committee. “We are delighted that Dr. Holz will be joining the College as dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences. She will bring a fresh vision together with strong leadership skills. In addition, her excellent basic and translational research in breast cancer cell biology offers new opportunities for our students and adds to the research mission of the College,” said Joseph D. Etlinger, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy.
"I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences. I am excited to work collaboratively with the exceptional faculty and talented students of NYMC to further their career and educational goals,” said Dr. Holz. “NYMC is known for its culture of diversity and inclusion, and I am looking forward to advancing its mission of excellence in scientific research, translational medicine and community engagement.”
Bringing to NYMC her passion and leadership in biomedical research and education, Dr. Holz leads an NIH-funded laboratory studying the mechanisms of signaling by hormones and growth factors in breast cancer and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)—a rare lung disease. Her work spans basic science and clinical applications, and has been published in leading journals. The Holz lab has been previously funded by grants from the American Cancer Society (ACS), LAM Foundation, Wendy Will Case Cancer Fund, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Mindlin Foundation, National Cancer Center, and Atol Foundation. Dr. Holz also serves as a peer reviewer for multiple journals and participates in grant review study sections for the NIH, Department of Defense, ACS, LAM Foundation, and many international funding agencies.
She is a dedicated mentor to students and laboratory scientists, with many of Dr. Holz's trainees going on to successful health professional and biomedical research careers. Dr. Holz has served as a mentor and coach in several diversity initiatives organized by the National Research Mentoring Network, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the American Society for Cell Biology.
Dr. Holz assumes her new role on September 1, succeeding Francis L. Belloni, Ph.D., who is retiring as dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences after having served since 1997, but will remain on faculty in the Department of Physiology at NYMC. Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, will serve as interim dean from July 1 until the arrival of Dr. Holz.
“Dean Belloni has been a member of the NYMC community since he joined our faculty in 1981. During his two-decade tenure as dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, Dr. Belloni has helped shape generations of researchers, teachers, innovators and leaders to ask questions, think critically, and become life-long learners. As we welcome Dr. Holz, we also want to thank and congratulate Dean Belloni for his significant contributions to our school,” said Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer.
New York Medical College
Founded in 1860, NYMC is one of the oldest and largest health sciences colleges in the country with more than 1,400 students, 1,300 residents and clinical fellows, nearly 3,000 faculty members, and 19,000 living alumni. The College, which joined the Touro College and University System in 2011, is located in Westchester County, New York, and offers degrees from the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and Practice, a School of Dental Medicine and a School of Nursing. NYMC provides a wide variety of clinical training opportunities for students, residents, and practitioners.