Communication Press Releases

In a Flash: NYU Langone Medical Center's New Flash CT Reduces Radiation Dose by up to 90 Percent

weberc02 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:51:20 -0500

NYU Langone Medical Center is the first hospital in the northeast to offer one of the world's fastest and most radiation-dose-efficient computed tomography (CT) scanner. The Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash can image ten times as fast as other clinical units, with an up to 90% dose reduction in radiation compared to conventional imaging. The scanner's dual source technology allows NYU Langone Medical Center to provide new levels of patient care, especially for trauma, pediatric, cancer and cardiac patients.

"The new CT scanner allows us to produce high quality diagnostic images in the least amount of time and with the least amount of radiation," said Michael Recht, MD, the Louis Marx Professor of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "NYU Langone Medical Center already offers advanced low-dose technology, but now with Flash CT, we are thrilled to be able to offer our patients some of the most advanced technology in the world, combined with the unmatched expertise of our radiologists."

With its two rotating X-ray tubes, the Flash CT's enhanced speed and power allows children and overweight adults to be screened more effectively. Flash CT also turns off the radiation when it comes close to sensitive tissue areas of the body such as the thyroid gland or breasts, or lens of the eye. It also eliminates the need for a baseline scan prior to iodine injection, so the patient does not have to be scanned twice. Because of its speed, patients do not need to hold their breath, lay completely still during an exam or take a beta blocker to slow the speed of the heart to get clear images. Pediatric patients benefit because they don't have to be sedated during the procedure.

"The Dual Energy technology of the new Flash CT provides higher contrast between normal and abnormal tissues making it easier to see abnormalities while reducing radiation" said Alec. J. Megibow, MD, MPH, FACR, professor of radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Because we can now analyze findings by chemical composition, we predict that the unique information from this scanner may also better able predict which patients will have the best response to a proposed treatment regimen."

Media Inquiries:
Lauren Woods
212-404-3555 (office) | 212-404-3753 (direct) | 917-301-5699 (cell)
lauren.woods@nyumc.org

New Electronic Health System Launched at NYU Langone Trinity Center

weberc02 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:08:06 -0500

First 100 Users Registered For System Access

Epic Will Provide Seamless Computerized Integration Between Registration, Scheduling, Clinical Documentation and Billing

SmartChart Portal Provides Patients Secure Online Access to Manage Their Own Care

NYU Langone Medical Center launched the first phase of its new electronic health record system last week at its multidisciplinary faculty group practice at Trinity Center in lower Manhattan. The integrated system, powered by software from Epic Systems Corporation, provides a single platform from which physicians, staff and patients themselves can access and manage medical information. Since its launch, over 50 percent of the patients seen at Trinity have taken advantage of the program.

"This new electronic health record system is an integral part of our ongoing efforts to leverage technology and enhance our ability to provide patient-centered care and enable the highest level of quality care management," said Andrew Brotman, MD, senior vice president, vice dean for clinical affairs and strategy, and chief clinical officer at NYU Langone. "For physicians this means having streamlined access to centralized patient information and the ability to order tests and make referrals quickly and easily online."

All medical information for patients at Trinity will be stored on a dynamic longitudinal electronic health record platform. Trinity physicians and staff will now be able to order tests, prescribe medications and automatically access patient lab, radiology and other testing results using Epic, saving time and significantly reducing the risk of data errors. In addition to serving as a clinical tool, the new system will support administrative services by allowing for the seamless integration between registration, scheduling, and billing, thereby helping to facilitate the delivery of care.

Trinity patients can access their complete medical file online through the secure SmartChart portal (www.smartchart.com), part of the Epic system. Once registered, patients can see their virtual medical chart, including physician notes, lab results, medications, and immunizations. Patients can also use SmartChart to schedule appointments, request prescription refills and communicate with their care teams. The system is embedded with safeguards to ensure that the confidentiality of all patient information is protected in strict compliance with HIPAA regulations and the Stark Law, which regulates relationships between independent physicians and their affiliated hospitals.

"As a leading provider of premier healthcare services in lower Manhattan, we are proud to be the first practice within the Medical Center to make this new electronic health record accessible to our patients and physicians," said Andrew Rubin, vice president for medical center clinical affairs and affiliates and who oversees the operations at NYU Langone Trinity Center. "Using this new technology, our patients now have the ability to interact with their physician's office over a secure, encrypted connection to view their medical records, schedule and view appointments, pay bills, request prescription refills, and send secure messages directly to their doctor."

"As a doctor, I appreciate the fact that Epic lets me provide better coordinated, more efficient and ultimately safer care to my patients with technology that allows me spend more time with my patients and less time on paperwork," said Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, at gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Trinity Center.

NYU Langone Trinity Center is only a first step for the Medical Center as it continues to leverage technology to provide enhanced care and service. Over the next two years, the system will be rolled out across the entire institution and will impact approximately 85 percent of its core operations. Also accessible to voluntary physicians on the hospital's medical staff, the Medical Center plans to subsidize approximately 75 to 85 percent of the cost of implementing and operating its system in their offices.

"This enterprise Epic system will be the first fully integrated clinical system in the New York area, and one of a few in the nation, which brings together hospitals, physicians, and patients on a single platform. This enables the most efficient clinical and administrative workflow across the NYU Langone Medical Center community and optimizes the quality of care for our patients," said Paul Conocenti, chief information officer at the Medical Center.

The next phase of the program is targeted for completion in September 2010 when the scheduling, registration and billing functions at NYU Langone's Tisch Hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Hospital for Joint Diseases will be incorporated into the Epic technology platform. The system will be extended to inpatient clinical care and special ancillary units in two later phases. Once completed, the Epic system at NYU Langone will seamlessly integrate medical data between care settings, levels of care and departments, as well as facilitate interactions between patients and their doctors.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Hundreds of Genes Distinguish Patients Likely to Survive Advanced Melanoma

weberc02 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:54:46 -0500

Although the chances of surviving advanced melanoma aren’t very good with current therapies, some patients can live for years with cancer that has spread beyond the skin to other organs. Now it may be possible to identify which patients are more likely to survive by analyzing the activity of hundreds of genes involved in the immune response and gene proliferation, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.

In a new study to be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers used a powerful technique called DNA-microarray technology to find 266 genes associated with shorter or longer survival among 38 patients whose melanomas had recurred after being surgically removed.

Although it is early days, such genetic information may help decide the best course of treatment for patients with advanced disease. “If we could actually understand what was happening in those patients, within the tumor itself, perhaps we’d be able to help them in terms of what therapy they might go on,” said Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, director of the Tumor Vaccine Program at the NYU Cancer Institute, professor of medicine, pathology and dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center and the study’s senior author.

The collaborative study, led by graduate student Dusan Bogunovic, provides some tantalizing hints about the underlying mechanism of melanoma. “We found that patients who survived longer had gene activity consistent with an immune response,” Dr. Bhardwaj said. “Patients who didn’t survive as long didn’t have an up-regulation of those genes but tended to have higher levels of genes associated with cell proliferation, suggesting that if your cells are growing more actively, the tumor is going to grow faster.”

This year melanoma is expected to strike 68,729 people in the United States, and some 8,650 people with the disease are expected to die, according to the American Cancer Society. Excessive exposure to sunlight, a fair complexion, a family history of melanoma, and numerous moles, among other factors, place people at higher risk. With early detection and prompt treatment, however, melanoma is highly curable.

To help predict survival, doctors routinely assign melanoma to one of four stages, based on tumor size and location. Currently, the thickness of a melanoma at the time of diagnosis, sometimes combined with a procedure called sentinel node biopsy, is used to assess whether a patient's tumor will recur and if additional treatment with immunotherapy is warranted after the cancer is removed. Patients with early stage melanoma, called stage I cancer, have the thinnest lesions and are therefore the least likely to have a recurrence of their original cancer.

The prognosis usually worsens as the tumor extends deeper into the skin. By stage III, the melanoma has generally spread beyond the skin to lymph nodes draining the tumor, and five-year survival rates begin dipping below 69 percent.
By the time the melanoma has metastasized to lymph nodes or organs far away from the initial tumor site, considered stage IV disease, patients rarely survive more than a year.

But the staging technique can be ambiguous. Stage III has been subdivided into three groups according to the extent of the tumor growth within the lymph nodes. The latter two subgroups, IIIb and IIIc, correspond to more advanced disease but have proven nearly indistinguishable as indicators of long-term survival.

When Dr. Bhardwaj’s team added genetic profile information to the traditional staging technique, survival predictions improved substantially. Given that the researchers had found a bevy of cell growth genes associated with a poorer prognosis, she said, they tested whether they could obtain similar results bystaining a tumor specimen to get its mitotic index. The measure of cell proliferation not only helped distinguish between Stages IIIb and IIIc, but also proved to be the single strongest predictor of patient survival.

The study also found that two other measures of immune response, including the infiltration of tumors by T cell specialists or by the immune system’s larger collection of white blood cells, also improved predictions when added to the traditional staging system.

“It’s exciting, because we finally have some parameters that might help distinguish between these two stages in terms of survival, and possibly address how these patients should be treated,” Dr. Bhardwaj said. She cautioned, however, that the study must still be validated with a much larger, independent group of patients.

The study’s co-authors include David W. O’Neill, Ilana Belitskaya-Levy, Sylvia Adams, Farbod Darvishian, Russell Berman, Richard Shapiro, Anna C. Pavlick, and Iman Osman from NYU Langone Medical Center; Vladimir Vacic and Stefano Lonardi from the University of California at Riverside; and Yi-Lo Yu from NYU and the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Cancer Research Institute, the Emerald Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Media Inquiries
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Opens Outpatient Surgery Center

weberc02 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:32:48 -0500

NYU Langone Medical Center today announced it will open a new state-of-the-art 22,000-square-foot Outpatient Surgery center at 333 East 38th Street on November 9, 2009. The center will focus on minimally invasive orthopaedic procedures including shoulder, elbow and wrist arthroscopies, knee and ankle arthroscopies, ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, fracture fixation of extremities and hand surgery. There will be four operating rooms (OR) and a 12-bed post anesthesia care unit (PACU).

"Orthopaedics is a core competency of NYU Langone Medical Center and we are excited to be able to now offer patients not only the very best doctors—but a welcoming, modern environment in which to receive their care," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "From the surgical suites to the PACU to the sterilization room, this outpatient facility reflects the excellence of the surgeons who will be working there."

Each OR is equipped with the latest technology and is designed to optimize space and provide enhanced functionality. In addition to special air-filtration systems, the operating rooms are equipped with positive-pressure ventilation, ensuring that air always flows outward, preventing airborne microbes from entering. Each OR is accessible from both an outside corridor and a shared internal substerile core, where surgical equipment is stored for easy access. A key to the site's efficiency is its onsite sterilization unit, capable of processing all the surgical instruments needed to keep four ORs humming at full capacity almost continuously. This unit also features high-tech equipment, including ultrasonic decontamination machines, computerized steam sterilizers for surgical hardware, and carbon dioxide devices for sterilizing more delicate items, such as video equipment.

They also boast the latest in ceiling-mounted booms—a necessity for minimally invasive surgery—and the modular setup with enclosed wiring and cables, allowing additional devices to be easily and quickly snapped into place. Additionally, each operating table is bordered by two high definition flat-panel color video monitors that can be swung into place for viewing real-time images or X-rays during surgery. Advanced lighting provides energy-efficient cool, high-intensity illumination and maintains clear color without casting shadows. The lamp heads are designed to lock to prevent drift during a procedure.

It is anticipated that the patients will spend an average of four hours at the center, from the time they walk through the door until they are released. The center will provide Spanish, Russian and Chinese translators at no cost and the amenities of the facility include valet parking.

"What makes this outpatient surgery center so unique is that it was designed for the comfort and convenience of the patient," David A. Dibner, FACHE, senior vice president in charge of the Musculoskeletal Strategic Area at NYU Langone Medical Center. "We believe that for minimally invasive orthopaedic procedures our new Outpatient Center will raise the bar on the quality—and comfort—of care that patients expect."

The Outpatient Surgery center will form the cornerstone of a new dedicated Musculoskeletal Institute at the Medical Center which, when it opens, is anticipated to be the first stand-alone center in the United States where bone and joint patients can access clinical care and research at a single point of service.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Hospital for Joint Diseases' Founders Gala Raises $1 Million

webteam — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:03:14 -0500

John W. Brown, Chairman of Stryker Corp., Thomas J. Errico, MD, Associate Professor at NYU School of Medicine, and Actor Anthony Edwards Honored

New York, NY, November 5, 2009 — The Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD) raised more than $1 million to support programs designed to improve the lives of people with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders at its annual Founders Gala on Monday night at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan. Hosted by NYU Langone Medical Center dean and CEO, Robert I. Grossman, MD, the black-tie event was attended by more than 630 supporters.

“What makes our Medical Center and our Hospital for Joint Diseases so fantastic are the people who have been steadfast supporters of our physicians and scientists, as well as our institution,” said Dr. Grossman. “The support we have received has catalyzed amazing strides in musculoskeletal health and the field of orthopaedics, and in bringing our future to our present.”

The mission of HJD is to provide the highest quality of surgical and therapeutic care in the treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of musculoskeletal, rheumatic, immunological, neurological, and other related diseases and injuries. This year’s event represented the 23rd Founders Gala and marked the 104th anniversary celebration of HJD.

This year’s gala was co-chaired by HJD Advisory Board Chair Robin L. Smith, MD, MBA, and fellow Advisory Board member Anthony G. Viscogliosi. The Gala honored John W. Brown, chairman of the board of Stryker, for advancement in medical technologies; Thomas J. Errico, MD, associate professor, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, for the outstanding accomplishments he has made in his fields; and actor and active philanthropist Anthony Edwards, chairman of the foundation Shoe4Africa, who is working to build the first public children’s hospital in Kenya.

“We are thrilled to be able to present awards to three distinguished gentlemen whose actions illustrate what humanitarianism is all about: providing kindness, help and benevolence, impartially, to all human beings,” said Ms. Smith. “Each of our honorees has helped to improve the lives of people with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize them for their outstanding achievements.”

“We’ve made tremendous progress since the last time we gathered together for this annual celebration, and we have so much to show for it,” said Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, chairman, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; the Walter A.L. Thompson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU School of Medicine; and president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. “In addition to our continued growth in our field, we have been ranked among the nation’s top hospitals in orthopaedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition not only honors the talent and dedication of our physicians and scientists, it also reminds us that HJD is a world-class institution with a long and distinguished history.”

Attendees included: Kenneth G. Langone, chairman of the Board of Trustees, NYU Langone Medical Center, and his wife, Elaine; Robin L. Smith, MD, MBA, chairman of the NYUHJD Advisory Board of Directors; Michael Gardner; William A. Perlmuth; Douglas A. Phillips; Norma Smith (Gordon) and the following NYUHJD Advisory Board members: Susan Chapro, Alan Harris, MD, PhD, Felix Kaufman, PhD, Stanley Katzman, Merrill M. Kraines, Alan S. Samuels, Abraham (Axel) Stawski, MD, Carol Stone and Anthony G. Viscogliosi.

About the Hospital for Joint Diseases:
NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, the musculoskeletal center of excellence at NYU Langone Medical Center, is a 190-bed facility located at 17th Street and Second Avenue in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. First incorporated in 1905 and relocated to its present site in 1979, NYUHJD specializes in orthopaedic surgery, rheumatology and molecular medicine, rehabilitation medicine, and neurology. NYUHJD provides primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of service in the treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of musculoskeletal, rheumatologic, and neurological diseases and injuries. NYUHJD serves an area that encompasses New York City, Nassau County, New York State, Northern New Jersey and beyond. NYUHJD is a teaching site of the NYU School of Medicine. For additional information, please visit: http://www.med.nyu.edu/hjd/.

About NYU Langone Medical Center:
NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 167 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 726-bed acute-care general hospital; Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind; NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as the NYU Cancer Institute, the NYU Child Study Center, and the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. For additional information, please visit: http://www.med.nyu.edu/.

Media Inquiries

Lisa Greiner
Director of Public Relations
NYU Langone Medical Center
Lisa.Greiner@nyumc.org
212-404-3532

Neuroimaging Study Finds Precuneus Region of Both Human and Monkey Brain Is Divided into Four Distinct Regions

weberc02 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:27:49 -0500

A study published this week in PNAS provides a comprehensive comparative functional anatomy study in human and monkey brains which reveals highly similar brain networks preserved across evolution. An international collaboration co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City examined patterns of connectivity to show that the precuneus, long thought to be a single structure, is actually divided into four distinct functional regions. These areas were identified using "resting state" functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)—a recently emerging approach that allows scientists to map a multitude of brain networks using only six minutes of data acquired while an individual lies in the scanner at rest. The results of these brief imaging sessions were comparable to definitive findings in monkeys examined microscopically.

Located in the posterior portion of the brain's medial wall, the precuneus has traditionally received little attention in the neuroimaging and neuropsychological literatures. However, recent functional neuroimaging studies have started to implicate the precuneus in a variety of high level cognitive functions, including episodic memory, self-related processing, and aspects of consciousness.

"The findings confirm that higher order association areas in the brain have complex functional architectures which appear to be preserved and or expanded during the evolutionary process," said study co-leader, Michael P. Milham, MD, PhD, the associate director of the Phyllis Greene and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience at the NYU Child Study Center and assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center. "The fMRI approaches provide a powerful tool for translational science, making comparative studies of the brain's functional neuroanatomy studies across species possible."

Study co-authors also include F. Xavier Castellanos, MD, the Brooke and Daniel Neidich Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center, Michael Petrides, PhD, professor of psychology at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and Daniel S. Margulies, PhD, from the Berlin School of Mind and Brain at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany.

Other collaborators include scientists from the Department of Psychology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, the Department of Radiology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, New Jersey, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in Orangeburg, New York, and the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Media Inquiries
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

2009 Dean's Honors Day

weberc02 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:59:54 -0500

Four Master Scholars Recognized for Their Indelible Mark on Medicine and Countless Generations of Faculty and Students

E. John Rosenwald Jr. Receives Valentine Mott Founders Award for His Ongoing Support of the Medical Center

NYU Langone Medical Center honored four physicians and scientists for lifetime accomplishments in their fields in a special convocation ceremony yesterday. The event marked the eighth Dean's Honors Day held by the Medical Center and was the third year that Master Awards were conferred on distinguished faculty members to acknowledge excellence at the institution. In addition to those receiving Master Awards, faculty members were honored for their appointments to endowed chairs, receiving tenure or promotions, and extramural and intramural distinctions.

"Dean's Honors Day is about our aspirations for this wonderful institution and about the achievements of the individuals who make our Medical Center what it is," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "From just about any perspective you can think of, we are making extraordinary strides in tapping the potential within us, and many of those we honor at this event are leading the way."

This year's Master Awards honorees include:

Master Clinician: Martin L. Kahn, MD, the Joel E. and Joan L. Smilow Professor of Cardiology since 2002, was honored for his patient-centered work in cardiology. Dr. Kahn has dedicated his career to the training of physicians, the search for new knowledge and the care of the sick. The high standards he sets for himself as a clinician and teacher are a reflection of his belief that he represents not only himself and the Medical Center, but the entire medical profession.

Master Educator and Mentor: World-renowned rheumatologist, Gerald Weissmann, MD, professor emeritus of medicine and research professor of medicine, was honored for his work in rheumatology and inflammation research. With a distinguished 50-year history of teaching at NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Weissmann has trained many of the most accomplished and revered rheumatologists in the world. In 1965, Dr. Weissmann co-discovered and named liposomes, phospholipid vesicles that are used to deliver vaccines, enzymes, or drugs to the body. He is best known for presenting evidence that identified rheumatoid arthritis as an immune complex disease and that crises in systemic lupus erythematosus are provoked by intravascular complement activation.

Master Researchers: World leaders in the study of tropical and parasitic disease, Ruth Nussenzweig, Doc. en Med., PhD, the C.V. Starr Professor of Medical and Molecular Parasitology, and Victor Nussenzweig, Doc. en Med., PhD, the Herman M. Biggs Professor of Preventive Medicine, were honored for the indelible mark they have left on medical research. The husband-and-wife research team has, since the 1960s, been leaders in malaria research, and their groundbreaking discoveries has paved the way for the development of a human malaria vaccine of proven efficacy that is now undergoing extensive trials in Africa.

In addition to the Master Awards, E. John Rosenwald Jr., currently vice chairman emeritus of JP Morgan Chase, a trustee of NYU, a long-time member and former chairman of NYU Langone Medical Center's Board of Trustees, was conferred with this year's Valentine Mott Founders Award. The award, named for the father of modern surgery and co-founder of NYU School of Medicine, is presented to an individual who has shown exceptional support for the clinical, research and education missions of the Medical Center for more than 25 years. John has not only shared his time and wisdom with us, he has also provided generous support for numerous Medical Center initiatives including the Pat and John Rosenwald Research Floor at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and together with his wife Pat, he endowed the Pat and John Rosenwald Professorship of Pediatrics.

Watch video of event and view photo slideshow

Download the Dean's Honors Day printed program, which includes a complete listing of honorees (PDF).

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

NYU Cancer Institute Autumn Ball Raises $1.16 Million

weberc02 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:47:12 -0400

Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center, hosted the NYU Cancer Institute Autumn Ball on Monday, October 19, 2009, at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan. More than 430 people attended this year's gala, co-chaired by Sandra Meyer and Roberta Greenberg, board members of the Cancer Institute. The event honored Herbert Lepor, MD, the Martin Spatz Chairman of the Department of Urology at the Cancer Institute, for his superb research and patient care involving prostate cancer.

This year's gala raised $1.16 million. Funds raised will support the Cancer Institute's humanitarian agenda: to give cancer patients access to comprehensive care, removing socioeconomic barriers, and to ultimately eradicate cancer in every community.

Dr. Grossman said, "Dr. Lepor's abundant contributions to the field of urology helped to lay the groundwork for our Center of Excellence on Urologic Disease. The patient-centered care model builds on the high levels of success that Dr. Lepor, his colleagues, and the NYU Cancer Institute have already achieved in innovative research, education and patient care. Our achievements at the Cancer Institute reflect an institution-wide energy and determination to move NYU Langone forward."

Lori Fink, the new chair of the NYU Cancer Institute Board and trustee since 2003, said, "Our gala honoree, urologist Dr. Herbert Lepor, is a world-class physician. He exemplifies both the high quality of research and the excellence of care that make NYU Langone and its Cancer Institute a beacon of hope for patients and families living with cancer." She continued, "Herb is also one of the kindest, most compassionate people you will ever meet. How lucky we are to count Herb as one of our own!"

The mission of the NYU Cancer Institute is to discover the origins of human cancer and to use that knowledge to eradicate the personal and societal burden of cancer in the community, the nation, and the world.

"The Cancer Institute is extending our reach into the community to understand the complex role of heredity and the environment in the initiation of cancer, as well as the critical social, economic, and cultural factors that have an impact on outcome," said William L. Carroll, MD, director of the Cancer Institute and the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Professor of Pediatrics. "Understanding cancer in all dimensions will lead to better prevention and treatment."

Dr. Lepor said, "I'd like to thank you all for your incredible support and this humbling honor. No progress can be made in eradicating urological cancers without an amazing team of doctors, scientists, nurses, and the support of such generous donors that we have at the Cancer Institute. I would like to thank Dr. Grossman, Dr. Carroll, our board of directors, and trustees, who are so dedicated to our efforts to be leaders in cancer research, education, and patient care."

Attendees included: Kenneth G. Langone, chair of the Board of Trustees, NYU Langone Medical Center; Lori Fink, chair of the NYU Cancer Institute Board of Directors, and her husband Laurence; Ed Meyer, Arnold Greenberg, June Newmark, Joel Smilow, Stanley Shopkorn and the following NYU Cancer Institute Board of Director members: Co-host chairs Sandy Meyer and Roberta Greenberg.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Dr. Owen A. O'Connor Joins The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center

weberc02 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:08:48 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC) announced that Owen A. O'Connor, MD, PhD, has been appointed deputy director of clinical research and cancer treatment at The Cancer Institute (CI) and chief of the new Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine. He will also serve as professor of medicine and pharmacology at NYU School of Medicine. Dr. O'Connor's clinical practice and research program will focus on the discovery of new therapies and treatment for non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"We are excited that Dr. O'Connor has joined our team at The Cancer Institute and his arrival comes at a particularly good time as we are expanding our efforts in bringing innovative new therapy to our patients," said William L. Carroll, MD, the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Professor of Pediatrics and director of the CI. "As deputy director, Dr. O'Connor will help advance translational medicine at CI, aligning clinical and laboratory science, resources, and education. As a recognized educator, he will help strengthen our academic programs and the education of our students, residents, and fellows. And as a researcher, his translational focus on targeted therapy for cancer will be a major asset bringing with him his large stem cell transplant practice complementing our expansion in this scientific area."

Dr. O'Connor will maintain a laboratory program at CI focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecules for the treatment of lymphomas using unique animal models of these diseases and high-throughput chemical screening approaches. He will continue to conduct phase I and II clinical trials, with an emphasis on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies. To date, much of his interest in early-phase clinical studies has focused on the development of proteasome inhibitors, epigenetic therapies, Bcl-2 targeted agents and praltrexate for the treatment of lymphoproliferative malignancies. His efforts in the laboratory and clinical research have led to the FDA approval of several drugs for the treatment of mantle cell and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Most recently, pralatrexate (Folotyn), a drug he helped develop, became the first and only FDA-approved therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Dr. O'Connor is continuing to study the efficacy of the drug at the CI in several open clinical trials for patients with T-cell lymphoma and the more common B-cell lymphomas.

"My lymphoma team and I are honored to now be a part of The Cancer Institute," said Dr. O'Connor. "I look forward to continuing to develop novel treatments for a variety of hematological malignancies at CI. With our emphasis on translational research, bringing directly to patients the most promising laboratory advances, we are confident that the future of cancer treatment in general, and lymphoma care in particular, has never looked more exciting."

Dr. O'Connor returns to NYU School of Medicine where he first received his PhD in biochemical toxicology and chemical carcinogenesis. He completed his medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). He then went on to complete a medical internship and residency at The New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center. Following his medical residency, he completed a fellowship in medical oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a fellowship in clinical pharmacology at the New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical School. He remained on faculty at Memorial Sloan-Kettering from 2000 to 2007 as an attending physician in the Department of Medicine. Most recently he was the director of the Lymphoid Development and Malignancy Program in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University, and chief of the Lymphoma Service in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at The New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. O'Connor is currently a member of several professional societies and has published nearly 100 articles in numerous journals.

Media Inquiries:

Lauren Woods
212-404-3555 (office) | 212-404-3753 (direct) | 917-301-5699 (cell)
lauren.woods@nyumc.org

J. Ira Harris Honored by United Hospital Fund

weberc02 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:38:58 -0400

J. Ira Harris, founder of the Harris Obesity Prevention Effort (HOPE) at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, has received the United Hospital Fund's Distinguished Community Service Award for his commitment to preventing and treating childhood obesity in New York. Jackie Harris Hochberg, chairman of the board of HOPE and president of the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Foundation, received the award on behalf of her father.

"Through HOPE, Ira and his family are helping to make significant inroads into combating childhood obesity through the development, evaluation and dissemination of programs dedicated to treating this condition," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "We are grateful for the support they've provided to scientists and clinicians within the Medical Center who are working to address this public health crisis and we are proud to join with the United Hospital Fund to recognize his work."

Under the leadership of Laurie Miller Brotman, PhD, HOPE brings together a world-class multidisciplinary team of scientists, clinicians and educators to combat this complex and costly public health epidemic. HOPE is dedicated to the development, evaluation and dissemination of evidence-based programs for families and educators to help young children establish healthy behaviors around eating, physical activity and sleep to prevent childhood obesity. HOPE is also committed to providing medical treatment for morbidly obese adolescents.

"The name of the program says it all," said Dr. Brotman. "Hope is exactly what Ira Harris and his family provide to children who are working to avoid or are already facing the devastating consequences of childhood obesity. We are grateful for the Harris family's ongoing support and for believing in our institution's ability to lead the fight to preventing and treating childhood obesity."

HOPE's prevention efforts are centered on an evidence-based family and school program developed by HOPE faculty at the NYU Child Study Center's Institute for Prevention Science. HOPE's program incorporates proven strategies to promote healthy eating and sleep habits, increase physical activity, and decrease sedentary activity. HOPE is also dedicated to helping adolescents who are on average 100 pounds overweight and at risk for life-threatening health conditions. Support for HOPE helps to provide free or reduced cost surgical treatment, which is the only proven and safe treatment for morbidly obese adolescents.

"We are pleased to recognize Ira Harris with the Distinguished Community Service Award," said James R. Tallon Jr., president of the United Hospital Fund. "Recognizing that childhood obesity is one of New York's most critical long-term public health concerns, Mr. Harris has said that no child should suffer the great burden of being overweight. Through founding HOPE, he has taken important steps towards that end. We at the Fund salute Mr. Harris for his role in this important project, through which, as a direct result, its young beneficiaries will lead healthier and happier lives."

For additional information about HOPE (Harris Obesity Prevention Effort), please visit http://hopenyu.org/about-us.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Unusual Bacteria Help Balance the Immune System in Mice

maslom02 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:43:54 -0400

Photo: A little-known bacterial species called segmented filamentous bacterium, or SFB, can activate the production of specialized immune cells in mice. This scanning electron microscope image of an SFB colony shows a mass of long hair-like filaments created when the bacteria stay attached to each other after they divide. Credit: Ivaylo Ivanov and Dan Littman (NYU Langone Medical Center) and Doug Wei (Carl Zeiss SMT, Inc.)

Medical researchers have long suspected that obscure bacteria living within the intestinal tract may help keep the human immune system in balance. An international collaboration co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center has now identified a bizarre-looking microbial species that can single-handedly spur the production of specialized immune cells in mice.

This remarkable activation of the immune response could point to a similar phenomenon in humans, helping researchers understand how gut-dwelling bacteria protect us from pathogenic bacteria, such as virulent strains of E. coli. The study, published in the Oct. 30, 2009, issue of Cell, also supports the idea that specific bacteria may act like neighborhood watchdogs at key locations within the small intestine, where they sense the local microbial community and sound the alarm if something seems amiss.

In mice, at least, the newly identified neighborhood watchdog looks like something out of Disney’s “The Shaggy D.A.” Distinguished by long hair-like filaments, “These bacteria are the most astounding things I’ve ever seen,” says Dan Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Co-led by Dr. Littman’s lab, the collaboration with researchers in Japan, California, and Massachusetts zeroed in on a little-known microbe named segmented filamentous bacterium, or SFB. In mice raised under germ-free conditions, the scientists found that adding SFB was sufficient to trigger the appearance of specialized T helper cells known as Th17 cells. These immune specialists, in turn, can send signals that tell epithelial cells lining the small intestine to increase their output of molecules targeting selected microbes.

For the study’s mice, the infection-fighting response was enough to ward off the pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, considered a good model for the type of disease-causing E. coli found in contaminated foods like spinach or ground beef. Without SFB to protect them, mice infected with Citrobacter rodentium became ill before recovering.

In the same way, commensal microbes—beneficial bacteria—could decrease our susceptibility to various pathogenic invaders. “So you can immediately see some practical application of this, if one can mimic the presence of these commensal bacteria to strengthen resistance to pathogenic microbes,” Dr. Littman says.

Thanks to rapid progress in the field of genomics, he expects the entire DNA sequence of the SFB species to be completed within a few months. Armed with the sequence, researchers could focus on specific proteins. “For example, can we identify a protein that, when we inject it into an epithelial cell, sets off in motion the whole pathway to make Th17 cells?” he says. “By knowing how to do this, you may be able to give people a peptide or a compound that induces Th17 cells by mimicking the bacterial product, and in that way either protect or ameliorate the effect of the infection.”

Too much Th17 cell activation, however, can lead to harmful inflammation, Dr. Littman says. Excessive induction by specific microbes in the gut, then, could contribute to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, and possibly even multiple sclerosis.

The study’s co-authors include Ivaylo I. Ivanov and Nicolas Manel from NYU Langone Medical Center’s Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine `at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine; Kenya Honda, Koji Atarashi, Takeshi Tanoue, and Kiyoshi Takeda from Osaka University; Tatsuichiro Shima, Akemi Imaoka, and Yoshinori Umesaki from the Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research in Tokyo; Kikuji Itoh from the University of Tokyo; Eoin L. Brodie, Ulas Karaoz, Katherine C. Goldfarb, and Clark A. Santee from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Susan V. Lynch from the University of California at San Francisco; and Dongguang Wei at Carl Zeiss SMT Inc. in Massachusetts.

The study was supported by fellowships from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America and the Cancer Research Institute, and by grants from the National Institutes of Health; the Japan Science and Technology Agency’s PRESTO Program; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan; the Senri Life Science Foundation; and the Naito Foundation

Media Inquiries
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Awarded $10 Million NIMH Grant to Create Conte Center for Schizophrenia Research

weberc02 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:43:13 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center has received a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to establish a Silvio O. Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders. The center, named after the late Silvio O. Conte, a U.S. congressman and advocate for mental health research, will study the onset of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a disease with cognitive dysfunction, affecting approximately one percent of the population worldwide.

The center, based at both NYU School of Medicine (a part of NYU Langone Medical Center) and the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, a New York State-funded affiliate located in Orangeburg, New York, will investigate the link between schizophrenia and dysfunctional brain N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA). NMDA receptors are vital to learning, brain development, and the formation of short-term memories that the brain relies on to make sense of the surrounding environment. NMDA dysfunction is thought to play a key role in schizophrenia. The research conducted by the center will challenge the long-held belief that an excess of dopamine is the primary cause of schizophrenia, and will be led by Daniel C. Javitt, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at NYU Langone Medical Center and director of the Schizophrenia Research Center at the Nathan Kline Institute. The team also includes investigators from the University of California, San Diego; Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York; and Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel.

"Through our collective findings, this new Conte Center will allow us to move forward with research aimed at uncovering further the beginnings of schizophrenia to help develop more effective treatments for this debilitating disease," said Vivian S. Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, senior vice president, vice dean for science and chief scientific officer. "This grant recognizes the extraordinary researchers at NYU School of Medicine and encourages the collaborative efforts of experts in this field across several institutions."

A key goal of the center is to begin identifying pre-symptomatic individuals in adolescence in order to intervene before the disease's permanent effects take hold. Researchers will use tools such as EEG readings and brain scans to study how new NMDA-receptor-enhancing therapies affect patients as well as the effects of NMDA-receptor-blocking drugs, such as ketamine, in animal models of schizophrenia.

In addition to core research funding, NIHMH awarded the center an additional $150,000 per year to support a summer undergraduate research program beginning next year.

Since 1988, NIMH has encouraged scientists to seek funding for projects in which a unifying, well-defined scientific question would be approached by many angles and at many levels through its Centers for Neuroscience of Mental Disorders and Centers for Neuroscience Research. Each of the funded centers must be capable of conducting cutting-edge research with an eye for translation of basic research findings to mental health.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Hospital for Joint Diseases and Long Beach Medical Center Collaborate at Orthopaedic Center on Long Island

weberc02 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:19:47 -0400

Long Island residents can now have the best of both worlds when it comes to orthopaedic and rehabilitation care thanks to a new clinical collaboration between the Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City and Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach.

Hospital for Joint Diseases faculty members Dr. Jorge Baez, a joint replacement specialist, and Dr. Anthony Petrizzo, a spine surgeon, will now see patients at Long Beach Medical Center. In addition, Long Beach Medical Center's Dr. Jay Eneman, a general orthopaedist and sports medicine specialist, and Dr. Benjamin Uh, a specialist in sports medicine as well as foot and ankle replacement surgery, have been appointed to the faculty of the Hospital for Joint Diseases.

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to provide orthopaedic care to the residents of Long Island—on Long Island," said Joseph Zuckerman, MD, chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. "This collaboration offers prospective patients the ability to receive outstanding, specialized medical care for orthopaedics and rehabilitation in their own back yard."

"Our affiliation with the Hospital for Joint Diseases will only strengthen our ability to provide sophisticated spine surgery and joint replacement services to our patients," said Douglas L. Melzer, chief executive officer of Long Beach Medical Center. "This new relationship will provide patients with a seamless encounter of exceptional orthopaedic and rehabilitative services under one umbrella of care, all within close proximity to their home."

About NYU Langone Medical Center
Located in New York City, NYU Langone Medical Center is a premier center for health care, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 167 years, NYU physicians and researchers have contributed to the practice and science of medicine. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine; Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind; NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care which specializes in orthopaedics, rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine and neurology; and such nationally recognized programs as the NYU Cancer Institute, the NYU Child Study Center, and the NYU Cardiac and Vascular Institute. More information about the Hospital for Joint Diseases can be found at www.nyuhjd.org.

About Long Beach Medical Center
Long Beach Medical Center serves as the major health care facility for residents of Long Beach Island and the surrounding communities. Its campus includes a 162-bed acute care hospital, a 200-bed skilled nursing facility specializing in rehabilitative medicine, a certified Home Health Care Agency and a wide range of outpatient programs. It hosts several centers of excellence including Arthritis & Osteoporosis; Diabetes; Wound Care & Hyperbarics; Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment. It is a teaching facility for the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine with residency programs in Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation and Family Medicine.

Media Inquiries:

Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

Race and Ethnic Demographics Not Reported in Over 50% of Randomized Clinical Trials for Cardiovascular Disease

weberc02 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:45:37 -0400

A new study recently published online by the American Heart Journal shows that more than half of all randomized clinical trials, or RCTs, for cardiovascular disease are not reporting vital information about the study population's race or ethnicity. NYU School of Medicine researchers found that out of the 156 cardiovascular disease RCTs analyzed, only 35 percent of trials reported any information on race or ethnicity between 1970 and 2006. From 2000 to 2006, 46 percent of trials included that information.

"Over time, information on enrollment by race and ethnic group has improved, but nevertheless, information on this important demographic of patient enrollment is far from ideal," said Jeffrey S. Berger, MD, MS, director of cardiovascular thrombosis; assistant professor of medicine and surgery at the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU School of Medicine. "It is imperative that all studies provide basic information including race and ethnicity. Furthermore, we must have good representation of different ethnic and minority groups in RCTs to apply data appropriately."

According to study authors, diversity in RCTs must be increased because representation of minority ethnic groups remains too low. Study findings showed that only 15 percent of trials had sufficient diversity to even attempt efficient analysis of results by race. Researchers also cited that RCTs in the United States were more likely to report race than international trials with no U.S. participants. However, enrollment information on race in the U.S. was still less than one third of total trials. RCTs funded by industry, federal agency or a foundation all reported race with similar frequency.

"Our study should have important implications for future design and publication of randomized clinical trials," said Dr. Berger. "Race and ethnic demographics should be strongly encouraged in future study publications, along with the optimal approach of mandating the reporting of race and ethnic group in all RCTs including cardiovascular disease trials. This way we can successfully move forward, enhancing the translation of study results with better targeted therapies for the diverse patient populations we treat."

This study completed by NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC was funded by the American Heart Association and Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Link to study: http://www.ahjonline.com/article/S0002-8703(09)00658-9/abstract

Media Inquiries:

Lauren Woods
212-404-3555 (office) | 212-404-3753 (direct) | 917-301-5699 (cell)
lauren.woods@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Researchers Receive More Than $30 Million in Stimulus Funds to Further Research Initiatives

weberc02 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:39:09 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center has been awarded more than $30 million in research grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for 86 research projects being conducted at NYU School of Medicine across a broad range of basic science and clinical departments. The funding for these grants is part of the $5 billion of federal money provided for critical research projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Fund (ARRA), often referred to as the economic stimulus package.

"Given the intense competition by scientists for funding at many respected institutions, the grants we've been awarded are a true testament to the quality of the investigators and their research here at the Medical Center," said Vivian Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, senior vice president and vice dean for science, NYU Langone Medical Center. "We appreciate the federal government's enhanced commitment to research and look forward to translating its investment to important discoveries that advance science and health care and also help the economy."

The funding will support ongoing efforts to advance science from the lab to the patient to the community. With these grants, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center will expand their work in fields such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, immunology, Alzheimer's, among many others.

"We are pleased to receive this funding from NIH and the government to extend our research initiatives as we work to push the boundaries of discovery and identify new ways to diagnose, treat and ultimately eradicate disease," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "I want to congratulate all the scientists and doctors whose projects have received funding and to commend them for helping to raise the bar on research."

The new grants continue the steady rise in funding that NYU Langone Medical Center has received through NIH, which topped $122 million last year.

For a complete the list of scientists whose research received funding, please visit http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter_SearchResults.cfm

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Lori Fink Named Chair of the Board of Directors of The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center

weberc02 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:54:49 -0400

The Cancer Institute (CI) at NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC) announced today that Lori Fink has been appointed chair of its Board of Directors. She joined the CI Board in 2008. In her new position, Fink will take an active leadership role at the CI, including helping to set its strategic direction. Fink will also work closely with the NYU Langone Medical Center Board of Trustees, dean and senior leadership to help advance the mission of The Cancer Institute.

"We are thrilled that Lori has agreed to serve as chair of our board," said William L. Carroll, MD, the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Professor of Pediatrics and director of the CI. "Lori brings with her to this new role, not only a deep commitment to the vision of The Cancer Institute, but also the energy and passion to help us achieve that vision."

Fink has been a longtime supporter of NYULMC. In addition to being a current member of both the CI Board and the NYULMC Board of Trustees, she has previously served as chairperson of the Campaign for Children's Health and co-chair of KiDS of NYU. She is also on the Board of Directors of Prep for Prep, a leadership development program for inner city minority youth that partners with the CI to place students in summer internships.

"I am very excited to work with Bill, the Board and all of the amazing doctors, researchers, nurses and staff at the NYU Cancer Institute in this new capacity," said Fink. "The Cancer Institute is a special place and I am honored to be a part of the team."

Fink is married to Larry Fink, co-chair of the NYULMC Board of Trustees, and together they have raised significant support for NYU Langone Medical Center. They chaired the 2008 NYU Cancer Institute Gala, rising over $1.5 million at the event. In addition, as major donors to the institution, they established both the Laurence D. and Lori Weider Fink Children's Ambulatory Care Center at East 32nd Street and the Laurence D. and Lori Weider Fink Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Tisch Hospital.

Mrs. Fink received a bachelor of arts degree from UCLA and a master of science degree from the Bank Street College of Education. She has also studied photography at the International Center of Photography in New York.

Media Inquiries:

Lauren Woods

212-404-3555 (office) | 212-404-3753 (direct) | 917-301-5699 (cell)

lauren.woods@nyumc.org

David L. Keefe, MD, Named Chair of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center

weberc02 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:41:13 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center has appointed David L. Keefe, MD, as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical Center. Most recently, Dr. Keefe served as the James M. Ingram Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Florida. During his four-year tenure the department experienced significant growth and national recognition. A fertility specialist, Dr. Keefe will also treat patients at the NYU Fertility Center.

"With Dr. Keefe’s proven success as a leading clinician, researcher and educator as well as his focus on improving patient safety, we are confident that he will lead this department in exciting new directions and that he will be a significant resource for our continued advances in the field of obstetrics and gynecology,” said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Keefe and look forward to his leadership at the Medical Center."

An award-winning teacher and researcher, Dr. Keefe has been published in more than 150 papers and abstracts and served as a reviewer for publications such as the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the New England Journal of Medicine. He is a long-time participant in a number of key professional associations, including the American Society for the Advancement of Science, Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists and Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Prior to the University of South Florida, Dr. Keefe directed the Division of Reproductive Medicine and Infertility at Brown University for more than 9 years years. His research at both universities studied how oocytes reprogram the genome during early development and therapeutic cloning and how aging affects the process. The work done by his group received numerous prestigious recognitions, including the General Program Prize of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a voluntary, non-profit organization devoted to advancing knowledge and expertise in reproductive medicine. Dr. Keefe also holds several patents which emerged from the group’s research to improve IVF.

Dr. Keefe earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed additional training in medicine, obstetrics and psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Psychiatric Service and University of Chicago, and received fellowships for further study at Northwestern University and Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Keefe resides in Manhattan, New York, with his wife and seven children.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Over 50% of People Noticed Calorie Labeling in Restaurants, 25% of These Influenced by the Information

weberc02 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:15:29 -0500

Last year, New York became the first city in the nation to enforce mandatory calorie labeling in fast-food restaurants throughout the five boroughs. This important public policy is the first of its kind in its attempt to alter the "food environment", the area in which individuals are actually making their food choices, in an attempt to influence the obesity epidemic. Currently, dozens of cities and states have implemented or are working to implement calorie labeling. A new study led by an NYU Langone Medical Center investigator is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy that is sweeping across the country.

The goal of the policy was to encourage consumers to think twice before purchasing high calorie foods from restaurants, and to increase awareness of the calorie contents of the food they were purchasing. The new study, which focused on low-income areas in New York City, found that posting calories increased the percentage of consumers who saw calorie information to 54 percent and approximately 25 percent of these consumers indicated that this information was influential for them in their food choice. However, the introduction of calorie labels did not translate into an increase in the number of calories purchased by consumers in the areas studied.

"It's encouraging to see that menu labeling increased awareness of calories," said Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH. "Though the introduction of calorie labels did not change the number of calories purchased, a combination of public policy efforts are likely necessary to produce a meaningful change in obesity."

The study is published as a web exclusive in the October 6, 2009, issue of the leading health policy journal Health Affairs. Dr. Elbel and his co-workers gathered receipts and surveys from 1,156 adults at fast-food restaurants both before and after mandatory labeling began in July 2008. They focused on lower income communities in New York City and utilized Newark, New Jersey (which does not have mandatory labeling) as a comparison city. Data were collected before labeling began, and one month after labels were present in restaurants. As adults were leaving fast food restaurants, their receipts were collected and the foods they purchased were confirmed, along with a brief survey.

Dr. Elbel said that the study is an important first step in evaluating the effectiveness of calorie labeling, and more work must be done in this area. "Further studies will address how to make labeling more effective in altering food choice. While low-income groups were an important first population to study given their increased health problems, we must also expand our research to understand how labeling influences other groups as well."

Nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight. Almost one-third are obese, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004. Health care professionals and policy makers have noted this rising epidemic with alarm. Most studies show an increase in mortality rates associated with obesity. Individuals who are obese have a 10- to 50-percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with healthy weight individuals (BMI 18.5 to 24.9). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes. Obesity is associated with about 112,000 excess deaths per year.

Many researchers and policy makers are looking to change the food environment as a way to combat obesity. "Food choice is a complicated and multifaceted. Altering such choices is difficult, and understanding the role of calorie labeling is an important first step. Perhaps a combination of approaches—such as increasing the availability of healthy foods and making these foods more affordable—is needed to combat the obesity epidemic."

Last year, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene required restaurants with more than 15 locations nationally to visibly post the calorie content of regular menu items. NYC was the first locality to implement calorie labeling. Generally, fast-food establishments must post calories on their menu boards and sit-down restaurants must list their calories on their printed menus in a readable font and type size.

The study was lead by Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine and health policy at the NYU School of Medicine and the NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Additional investigators are Rogan Kersh, PhD, NYU Wagner School of Public Service; Victoria L. Brescoll, PhD, Yale School of Management; and L. Beth Dixon, PhD, MPH, NYU Steinhardt.

This study was supported with grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research program, the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the NYU Wagner Dean's Fund.

Media Inquiries:

Lorinda Klein
212-404-3533 | 917-693-4846 (cell) | lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Unveils New Advertising Campaign

weberc02 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:54:03 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center will launch a new institutional advertising campaign based on real stories from the Medical Center beginning on October 5, 2009. The campaign, "Any Given Moment," captures and conveys some of the most powerful, intimate and uniquely human experiences to emerge from the Medical Center and features the Medical Center's core clinical care and research strengths.

"This is an exciting time for the Medical Center. All objective measures of our performance are up—from our Magnet re-certification for nursing care to a 9 percent increase in grant funding to our place on U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals Honor Roll"—making this the perfect time to spread the word with a new advertising campaign," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "We believe that the campaign captures the heart, soul and excellence of our medical center and underscores our ongoing commitment to providing the highest levels of patient care."

The campaign consists of 11 "stories" and each features a specific area of expertise including: neurosurgery, rehabilitation, cancer, cardiac and vascular surgery, nursing, research, critical care and advanced imaging and diagnostics. "Any Given Moment" was developed by ArnoldNYC and the images-of actual patients, nurses and doctors-were photographed by documentary fine art photographer Larry Fink, using a photojournalistic approach.

One ad shows a patient who was paralyzed from the shoulders down when he arrived at the Medical Center, walking out of the hospital after intensive rehabilitation at Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. Another ad shares the story of a patient with an acoustic neuroma who had lost much of his hearing until the neurosurgeons at NYU Langone removed the tumor, restoring his hearing and allowing him to hear himself play the piano, again. A third highlights the fact that NYU Langone Medical Center has the only critical care unit in Manhattan staffed 24/7 by physicians board-certified in critical care medicine.

"We wanted an advertising campaign that successfully communicates the passion, energy and expertise of our doctors, nurses, scientists and staff," said Deborah Loeb Bohren, vice president for communications and public affairs. "We believe that ‘Any Given Moment′ does just that, and more. It captures powerful real-life moments that we believe people will connect with, all while creating a strong visual identity for the Medical Center."

The ads will run through mid-November and resume in early 2010. They will appear in newspapers and magazines—including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine and The New Yorker—on billboards, buses and bus shelters, as well as online.

To view the ads, visit: http://newsandviews.med.nyu.edu/any-given-moment

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Recognized for Excellence in Nursing

millsj03 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:36:21 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center's Tisch Hospital and Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine earned Magnet redesignation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an international accrediting body which recognizes healthcare organizations that provide excellence in nursing. The new four-year Magnet recognition acknowledges the Medical Center's continued success in delivering high-caliber patient-centered care as well as innovation in professional nursing, and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive.

Less than six percent (6%) of U.S. hospitals have received Magnet recognition and they must re-apply every four years for Magnet redesignation. The designation also recognizes an institution's professional work environment, employee retention and ability to provide bedside patient care with a focus on excellent patient outcomes. Additionally, Magnet identifies hospitals with nurses who are visible, accessible, and committed to communicating effectively with staff.

"We are proud to receive the prestigious Magnet recognition acknowledging our excellence in nursing for a second time," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "Our highly skilled nursing team not only plays a pivotal role in coordinating direct patient care, but is also a source of invaluable patient education. We congratulate all of our nurses for their commitment to the highest standards of patient care and for receiving this outstanding recognition."

"This achievement is a true benchmark of the quality care our nurses provide and highlights our focus on providing an exemplary workplace," said Susan Bowar-Ferres, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at NYU Langone Medical Center. "In addition, nursing could not have achieved this recognition without the support of the entire hospital which enables our nurses to continue providing patients with high-caliber patient-centered care."

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

Tuberculosis Patients Can Reduce Transmissibility by Inhaling Interferon through a Nebulizer

millsj03 — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:42:54 -0400

A new study published in the September 15, 2009, issue of PLoS ONE found that patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis receiving anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma have fewer bacilli in the lungs and less inflammation, thereby reducing the transmissibility of tuberculosis in the early phase of treatment.

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs and infects one-third of the world's population, resulting in 9.2 million active cases per year. TB is usually spread between family members, close friends and people who work or live together. With estimates that nearly 1 billion people will become newly infected between now and 2020, the World Health Organization has set the goal of halving the prevalence and mortality of the disease by 2015. The study shows that patients who inhale interferon through a nebulizer can reduce their disease's transmissibility during the first few weeks of treatment.

"Our findings create an opportunity to combat TB bacilli in the lungs and reduce inflammation in the early stages of the disease when the tuberculosis is transmissible," says William N. Rom, MD, MPH, the Judith and Sol Bergstein Professor of Medicine and Environmental Medicine, director of the Bellevue Chest Service, and director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Nebulized interferon doesn't replace medications used to fight tuberculosis, but it shortens the time when the disease is spread—which could be critical for control of the spread of the disease."

In the study, researchers recruited 89 eligible patients with active tuberculosis in Cape Town, South Africa, and performed a randomized, controlled clinical trial. One group of the patients took anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma over a four-month period, and another took TB mediations alone. Dr. Rom and his colleagues found that those patients that inhaled interferon had a significant decrease in the amount of tubercle bacilli from the sputum smear at four weeks and fewer symptoms of cough, night sweats, fever and wheezing. Scientists also found that this group also had fewer inflammatory cytokines in lung cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage after four months.

This study was performed, in part, at Bellevue Hospital Center, affiliated with NYU School of Medicine. The co-authors of the study include Rany Condos, MD, of the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Dr. Rod Dawson, MBChB, of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The research was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

Scientists Discover Mechanism to Make Existing Antibiotics More Effective at Lower Doses

millsj03 — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:27:18 -0400

A new study published in the September 11, 2009, issue of Science by researchers at the NYU School of Medicine reveals a conceptually novel mechanism that plays an important role in making human pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis resistant to numerous antibiotics. The study led by Evgeny A. Nudler, PhD, the Julie Wilson Anderson Professor of Biochemistry at NYU Langone Medical Center, provides evidence that nitric oxide, or NO, is able to alleviate the oxidative stress in bacteria caused by many antibiotics and also helps to neutralize many antibacterial compounds. Eliminating this NO-mediated bacterial defense renders existing antibiotics more potent at lower, less toxic, doses. With infectious diseases the major cause of death worldwide, the study paves the way for new ways of combating bacteria that have become antibiotic resistant.

NO is a small molecule composed of one atom of oxygen and one of nitrogen. It was known as a toxic gas and air pollutant until 1987, when it was first shown to play a physiological role in mammals, for which a Nobel Prize was later awarded. NO has since been found to take part in an extraordinary range of activities including learning and memory, blood pressure regulation, penile erection, digestion and the fighting of infection and cancer. A few years ago, the Nudler's group from NYU demonstrated that bacteria mobilize NO to defend against the oxidative stress. The new study from the same group supports the radical idea that many antibiotics cause the oxidative stress in bacteria, often resulting in their death, whereas NO counters this effect. This work suggests scientists could use commercially available inhibitors of NO-synthase, an enzyme producing NO in bacteria and humans, to make antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA and ANTHRAX more sensitive to available drugs during acute infection.

"Developing new medications to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA is a huge hurdle, associated with great cost and countless safety issues," says Nudler. "Here, we have a short cut, where we don't have to invent new antibiotics. Instead, we can enhance the activity of well established ones, making them more effective at lower doses."

"We are very excited about the potential impact of this research in terms of continuing to push the boundaries of research in the area of infectious diseases," said Vivian S. Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, vice dean for science, senior vice president and chief scientific officer of NYU Langone Medical Center. "With the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, it's imperative that researchers strive to find conceptually new approaches to fight these pathogens."

The study by Nudler and his colleagues was funded by a 2006 Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The Pioneer Award, a $2.5 million grant over five years, is designed to support individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose pioneering and possibly transforming approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research.

Co-authors of the study include Drs. Ivan Gusarov and Konstantin Shatalin of the department of biochemistry at NYU School of Medicine in New York.

Media Inquiries:

Lorinda Klein
212-404-3533 | 917-693-4846 cell | lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Hospital for Joint Diseases Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation

weberc02 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:21:49 -0400

The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center have both been re-accredited for a three-year period by the Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an international accrediting body focused on helping organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. The accreditations awarded to both facilities recognize the Medical Center's success in delivering high-caliber patient-centered care and validate that our organization conforms to nationally and internationally accepted service standards.

"We are pleased to have received a three-year accreditation from CARF for the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Hospital for Joint Diseases," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "The CARF accreditations are an endorsement of our talented team of faculty, scientists and staff who are committed to improving the quality of the lives of the patients they serve."

The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (Rusk), the world's first university-affiliated facility devoted entirely to rehabilitation medicine and the largest center of its kind for the treatment of adults and children with disabilities, received CARF accreditation through March 2012 for the following programs:

Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs - Hospital (Adults)
Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs - Hospital (Pediatric Specialty Program)
Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs - Hospital: Stroke Specialty Program (Adults)

Rusk was among the first hospitals nationwide to earn three-year CARF accreditation for a stroke specialty program and is one of a few select hospitals in the region to offer an inpatient rehabilitation program. In addition to being recognized for its overall rehabilitation services, Rusk is acclaimed for its expertise in treating specific populations and the conditions affecting them, including the newly accredited Pediatric Specialty Program. Rusk was recently ranked in U.S. News and World Report's "Best Hospitals" listing as #1 in New York State for rehabilitation medicine.

"The three-year CARF accreditation recognizes the exemplary services and treatments that Rusk's rehabilitation facilities offer," said Steven Flanagan, MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, and medical director of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center. "Rusk focuses on offering patients the most advanced patient- and family-centered care and this accreditation provides affirmation that our efforts are making a difference."

The Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD) at NYU Langone Medical Center received CARF accreditation through January 2012 for the following programs:

Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs - Hospital (Adults)
Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs - Hospital: Brain Injury Program (Adults)

Inpatient rehabilitation programs offered through HJD are designed specifically to treat musculoskeletal impairments following both surgical and non-surgical procedures. Additionally, the Brain Injury Program provides structured therapy tailored to meet the physical and emotional needs of patients experiencing a neurological illness or having sustained a brain injury.

"HJD is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for all aspects related to the rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders," said David A. Dibner, senior vice president for NYUHJD hospital operations & musculoskeletal strategic area. "The CARF accreditations received demonstrate that our exceptional team of medical professionals is dedicated to providing the highest level of quality for the people they serve."

CARF made no recommendations for the Hospital for Joint Diseases, signifying that they did not identify any areas of nonconformance to the set standards. Only 3 percent of CARF surveys result in no recommendations.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body that establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. CARF accreditations are awarded to organizations that have voluntarily endured a rigorous peer review process also involving an on-site team of surveyors, and have demonstrated that its programs and services are of the highest quality and in accordance with CARF's standards.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

Study Finds Women Slightly More Likely to Die than Men in the 30 Days Following a Heart Attack

weberc02 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:00:42 -0400

A new study from NYU School of Medicine found that women may have a slightly higher risk of death than men in the thirty days following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but that these differences appear to be attributable to factors such as severity and type of ACS. The study, published in the August 26, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found however that overall there was no significant difference in mortality observed between the sexes after a heart attack. The large observational study pooled 136,247 ACS patients from 11 independent, international randomized clinical trials between 1993 and 2006.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women. The major cause of death from cardiovascular disease is acute coronary syndromes, the dangerous rupture of plaque inside the heart's coronary artery. Three types of ACS, or heart attack, include unstable angina (worsening chest pain or chest pain at rest) that may progress to a heart attack; a less severe heart attack with partial or temporary blockages known as Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI); or a more severe heart attack called ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—caused by complete or a persistently blocked blood supply to the heart.

"Our research concludes that there is a difference in mortality between men and women depending on the type of ACS they suffer," said lead study author, Jeffrey Berger, MD, MS, director of Cardiovascular Thrombosis, Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, The Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU School of Medicine. "Among STEMI or more severe heart attacks, 30-day mortality was significantly higher among women than men. For NSTEMI or less severe heart attacks and unstable angina, women had lower 30-day mortality than men. The lower risk in women after a less severe presentation is likely explained by the less severe blockages seen in women. The higher risk of women after a more severe presentation—following total coronary occlusion STEMI—may be explained by the reduced collateral blood flow observed in women."

According to study authors, sex is an important factor in the study of ACS and should be considered in future research and delivery of care to men and women who present with ACS. "This study shines a light on ACS in men and women. Studies like this have the ability to improve healthcare for men and women—helping physicians understand sex-differences in why heart attacks happen, and therefore target treatments more effectively and provide for better outcomes," said Dr. Berger.

The study highlights the important sex-differences in the complex spectrum of ACS including how plaque rupture is more common in men, but plaque erosion is more common in women. Women were older at the time of ACS with more comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Women who underwent catheterization were more likely to have non-obstructive disease and less multi-vessel disease than men. This difference was most pronounced in NSTEMI or unstable angina, where women had a 2-fold higher prevalence of non-obstructive disease. Women had lower rates of coronary stenosis or narrowing of arteries compared to men.

"Discovering and understanding the health differences among men and women may lead to better diagnostics, risk assessment and better treatment of all patients with ACS and the ability to save more lives," said co-author Judith Hochman, MD, MA, Harold Snyder Family Professor of Cardiology and director of Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at New York University School of Medicine. "Our study indicates that STEMI, NSTEMI and unstable angina should be evaluated separately. We are actively investigating the mechanism of STEMI and NSTEMI heart attacks in women without coronary blockages."

This study was funded by the American Heart Association and Duke Clinical Research Institute, and completed in collaboration with New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC; University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta; University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand; Gasthuisberg University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium; Scripps Translational Research Institute and Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California.

Media Inquiries:

Lauren Woods
212-404-3753 office | 917-301-5699 cell | lauren.woods@nyumc.org

Breast Cancer Survivors Who Receive Lymphedema Education Are More Likely to Have Fewer Symptoms

weberc02 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:09:55 -0400

Patients who receive additional information about lymphedema report significantly fewer symptoms and practiced more risk-reducing behaviors, according to a recent study co-authored by Deborah Axelrod, MD, associate professor in the department of surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center and a member of the NYU Cancer Institute. Risk-reducing behaviors include elevating the affected limb to promote fluid drainage, avoiding blood draws and injections to the affected limb and avoiding tight-fitting clothing, which can aggravate symptoms.

Lymphedema is a condition resulting in the abnormal and debilitating swelling of the extremities that can follow breast cancer surgery. Approximately 30 percent of the 2.4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States have developed lymphedema and all are at a lifetime risk. Physical symptoms include swelling, firmness, pain, fatigue, numbness and impaired limb mobility, but also predisposes patients to fibrosis, cellulitis, infections and septicemia. Psychologically, survivors often feel stigmatized because of the swollen limb which often brings about anxiety, depression and disruption of interpersonal relationships.

"I believe that anyone undergoing breast cancer surgery—whether it is a sentinel node biopsy alone or more extensive axillary surgery—should be informed about the risks of lymphedema," says Dr. Axelrod. "Until now, we had little evidence of the effectiveness of the behaviors to recognize and reduce symptoms."

Co-author Mei R. Fu, RN, PhD, ACNS-BC, assistant professor in the College of Nursing at New York University, says this is the first study to show that education can reduce risk of lymphedema. "Nurses can play a leadership role in educating patients about lymphedema and can play a role in improving the quality of life in cancer survivors," says Fu.

"It is important to identify the early warning signs and symptoms of the condition, as well as determine what interventions to take," added Dr. Axelrod. "We also enroll patients into ongoing behavior and risk modification trials and work with physical therapists to ensure symptom reduction."

About NYU Cancer Institute

The NYU Cancer Institute is an NCI-designated cancer center. Its mission is to discover the origins of human cancer and to use that knowledge to eradicate the personal and societal burden of cancer in our community, the nation and the world. The center and its multidisciplinary team of experts provide access to the latest treatment options and clinical trials along with a variety of programs in cancer prevention, screening, diagnostics, genetic counseling and supportive services. For additional information, please visit: www.nyuci.org.

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

Six NYU School of Medicine Physicians Certified by American Board of Addiction Medicine

weberc02 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:45:31 -0400

Six NYU School of Medicine physicians are among the first in the country to be certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine, a new independent medical specialty board. The American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) will certify physicians from several specialties, including emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, preventive medicine, psychiatry, neurology and surgery as addiction specialists. Addiction-related board certification was previously only available to psychiatrists, offered by the psychiatry and neurology board. ABAM sets standards for physician education, assesses physicians' knowledge, and requires and tracks life-long continuing education.

Although one in five Americans entering the healthcare system has a substance abuse problem, there has never been a medical specialty board, drawn from all areas of medicine, dedicated to certifying addiction specialists. Now, patients have a way to find specialized medical care for substance use disorders related to alcohol, tobacco and other addicting drugs, including some prescription medications.

"Substance abuse and dependence take a tremendous toll, yet too often persons who are affected do not find their way to effective treatment. In extending board certification to the practice of addiction medicine, the ABAM has acknowledged the expertise involved in this field, and patients can look forward to improvements in access to and quality of substance abuse-related care across a broad array of settings," said Marc Gourevitch, MD, MPH, the Dr. Adolph and Margaret Berger Professor of Medicine, and professor of psychiatry, at the NYU School of Medicine.

NYU Langone Medical Center created a Center of Excellence on Addiction in 2008 to investigate new ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat behavioral addictions to gambling, eating disorders and sexual risk-taking, as well as use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit and prescribed drugs. Together, these addictions lead to more death and disability than any other preventable health condition. The center draws on expertise from NYU as well as from prestigious programs at partner institutions: the Nathan Kline Institute, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, the New York Academy of Medicine, and NYU affiliates Bellevue Hospital Center and the Manhattan-VA New York Harbor Healthcare System.

New York University School of Medicine ABAM certified physicians are David W. Brook, MD, professor in the department of psychiatry (Brook Group); Jamie Grodzicki, MD, clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry; Marc Galanter, MD, professor in the department of psychiatry; Marc Gourevitch, MD, MPH, the Dr. Adolph and Margaret Berger Professor of Medicine and professor in the department of psychiatry; Joshua Lee, MD, assistant professor in the department of medicine; and Robert Wolski, MD, clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry.

For more information about NYU Langone Medical Center's Center of Excellence for Addiction, please call 212-404-3555.

Media Inquiries:

Lorinda Klein
212-404-3555 (office) | 917-693-4846 (cell)
lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Program Receives $500,000 Anonymous Gift

weberc02 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:23:45 -0400

The Reproductive Psychiatry Program at NYU Langone Medical Center received a $500,000 gift to support the expansion of its clinical program serving women with postpartum depression and other reproductive-related psychiatric disorders.

"Psychiatric disorders in relation to a woman's reproductive life cycle are often under-diagnosed and under-treated. There is a need to improve clinicians' ability to recognize these conditions and to design treatment plans tailored to the needs of individual patients," says Shari I. Lusskin, MD, director of the Reproductive Psychiatry Program at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Although much progress has been made in terms of education and research to bring women's mental health to the forefront, this gift will allow for the ongoing integration of key advances into mainstream psychiatry."

The Reproductive Psychiatry Program works to alleviate the pain and suffering associated with psychiatric disorders related to the female reproductive life cycle and to educate healthcare professionals on these conditions. The funding also supports a research component to encourage the development of a more-complete body of knowledge on reproductive-related psychiatric disorders. The gift provides for matching funds beyond the initial amount.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell| lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Researchers Find Altered Microbiome Prevalent in the Diseased Esophagus

weberc02 — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:44:03 -0400

Gastroesophageal reflux diseases, or GERD, affects about 10 million people in the United States, yet the cause and an unexpected increase in its prevalence over the last three decades remains unexplainable. Now, researchers have discovered that GERD is associated with global alteration of the microbiome in the esophagus. The findings, reported in the August 1, 2009, issue of Gastroenterology, may provide for the foundation for further study of the condition as a microecological disease with new treatment possibilities.

The findings of an altered microbiome may have profound implications for treating diseases of the esophagus, among the most common disorders affecting Western populations. In fact, about 40 percent of adults experience heartburn symptoms at least once a month. Chronic inflammation associated with GERD can lead to the development of Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition. The incidence of cancer of the esophagus has increased six-fold since the 1970s—the fastest increasing cancer in the Western world.

"These findings have opened a new approach to understanding the pathogenesis of reflux-related disorders," states Zhiheng Pei, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and lead author of the study. "At this time, we don't yet know whether the changes in bacterial populations are triggering GERD or are simply a response to it. But if changes in the bacterial population do indeed cause reflux, it may be possible to design new therapies with antibiotics, probiotic bacteria or prebiotics."

Researchers collected and sequenced bacteria from the esophagus of 34 patients, both healthy and those suffering from GERD (specifically esophogitis and Barrett's esophagus). They found a high concentration of Streptococcus in the esophagus of healthy patients. In contrast, an altered type of microbiome dominated by Gram-negative bacteria was contained in greater proportions in those patients with esophogitis and Barrett's esophagus.

The human microbiome is comprised of all the microorganisms that reside in or on the human body, as well as all their DNA, or genomes. Microbial cells in the human body are estimated to outnumber human cells by a factor of ten to one. These communities, or microbiomes, however remain largely unstudied, leaving almost entirely unknown their influence upon human development, physiology, immunity and nutrition.

In order to analyze the makeup of these microbial organisms, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Human Microbiome Project in 2007 and awarded $115 million in research grants over five years to examine the relationship between the microbiome in a specific niche in the body to a particular disease. This study was sponsored by the NIH to examine how changes in microbioal populations correlate with changes in human health.

Media Inquiries:

Dorie Klissas
212-404-3525 office | 646-761-4724 cell | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

Center of Excellence on Brain Aging at NYU Langone Medical Center Opens New Facilities

weberc02 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:02:55 -0400

The Center of Excellence (COE) on Brain Aging at NYU Langone Medical Center inaugurates a new facility this week at 145 East 32nd Street. The state-of-the-art, 15,000-square foot facility empowers collaboration, uniting the COE's existing clinical care centers with well-established clinical research programs focused on healthy brain aging, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative cognitive disorders. Patient services, clinical trials and clinical research will be located on the second floor, which is patient-focused in layout, with patient-friendly exam rooms. The Pearl Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment and the NYU Parkinson and Movement Disorders Center as well as clinical research programs will be situated on the second floor. Patients will benefit from the facility's advanced technological capabilities, such as a psychometric testing lab and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) lab. Also relocating to the new premises will be the nationally funded NYU Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC), an essential component of the COE.

The fifth floor will serve as the COE's nucleus. Wired and wireless, this floor will be the hub, bringing clinicians and clinical researchers together regularly over cross-disciplinary projects, in-person and through video-conferencing capability. The center's renowned basic research programs will continue to exist at 550 First Avenue.

"Researchers and clinicians working side by side will be able to combine efforts through closer networking, shared instrumentation, and enhanced database linkages. This will align basic and preclinical research more closely with clinical diagnosis and treatment," said Ralph A. Nixon, PhD, MD, director of the COE on Brain Aging. "Collaboration on this level allows us to create an unprecedented translational research capability, accelerating delivery of innovative therapies from the lab bench to the patient's bedside."

About the Center of Excellence on Brain Aging

The Center of Excellence on Brain Aging (http://aging.med.nyu.edu) is devoted to research and clinical advances toward the treatment and cure of all neurodegenerative diseases affecting cognition, with expertise in healthy brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and memory disorders, Parkinson's disease and movement disorders, atypical dementias, and geriatric psychiatry. The COE was founded upon the strengths of NYU Langone's existing Silberstein Institute, which for decades has been devoted to the understanding, cure, and prevention of age-related cognitive decline through research, public education, and evidence-based clinical care.

Media Inquiries:

Lorinda Klein
212-404-3533 | 917-693-4846 cell | lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

Hospital for Joint Diseases and New York Spine Institute Join Together to Open State-of-the-Art Orthopaedic Facility in Westbury

weberc02 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:21:03 -0400

The Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center today announced that it will open a state-of-the-art facility in Westbury, New York, with The New York Spine Institute. The new 13,000 square-foot facility will be staffed by physicians and surgeons from the Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD). Patients will have access to all of the resources available at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City.

"This new office will provide residents of Westbury and surrounding communities with outstanding orthopaedic care from our world-class doctors and surgeons at the Hospital for Joint Diseases," said Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of NYU Langone Medical Center and surgeon-in-chief at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. "We are excited about the opportunity to join with the New York Spine Institute at this brand new state-of-the-art facility."

The New York Spine Institute will now offer the full range of orthopaedic services including sports medicine, knee and hip replacement, pediatric orthopaedics, and the treatment of scoliosis and spinal deformities. Medical care for injuries of the hand, shoulder and elbow, spine, foot and ankle will also be available. Additional services will include pain management, physical therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care. The facility provides comprehensive imaging including high field MRI and digital X-ray. Previously, The New York Spine Institute previously focused solely on the diseases and injuries of the spine.

For more information about the Long Island facility, please call 516-357-8777‎.

Media Inquiries:

Stephen Blanket
212-404-3511 | 212-404-3555 | stephen.blanket@nyumc.org

About the Hospital for Joint Diseases

Founded in 1905, the Hospital for Joint Diseases is one of the world's premier academic musculoskeletal medical institutions and a recognized leader in patient care, physician education and research. The 190-bed facility, part of NYU Langone Medical Center, specializes in orthopaedics, rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine and neurology. Additional information is available at www.nyuhjd.org.

NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER EARNS PLACE ON U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT 2009 “BEST HOSPITALS” HONOR ROLL

maslom02 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:29:43 -0400

Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation, Neurology/Neurosurgery in Top 10 Nationwide

#1 in New York State for Rehabilitation Services

New York, NY (July 16, 2009) – NYU Langone Medical Center made the “Honor Roll” in this year's annual survey of the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report. Only 21 of the more than 4,000 hospitals analyzed – less than two-fifths of one percent – achieved honor roll status. To be on the “Honor Roll” hospitals must be ranked at or near the top in at least six medical specialties.

“This recognition highlights a tradition of excellence at NYU Langone Medical Center and serves as yet another reminder of how excellence and innovation can come together to make our institution one of the best in the nation,” said Dr. Robert I. Grossman, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. “Our inclusion in the “Honor Roll” is especially rewarding, as it speaks to the dedication and medical expertise of our physicians, nurses, and staff and their unwavering commitment to the highest standards of patient care - we congratulate them all for their tremendous contributions and for receiving this outstanding recognition.”

In addition to being one of three departments that were ranked in the “top 10” for their specialty, The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center was ranked #1 in New York State for rehabilitation medicine. This is the 20th consecutive year that the Medical Center’s Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine has made the top 10 list.

NYU Langone Medical Center also ranked in the top 12 in the following categories:

· 9th in Orthopaedics (Hospital for Joint Diseases)

· 10th in Neurology & Neurosurgery

· 11th in Rheumatology

· 11th in Heart and Heart Surgery (Cardiology)

For each of the specialties ranked, a randomized sample of board-certified specialists was selected from the American Medical Association’s master file of more than 850,000 doctors. These physicians were asked to list the five hospitals they think are the best in their specialty.

###

About NYU Langone Medical Center

NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers of excellence in healthcare, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 168 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 705-bed acute-care general hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind, and NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as the NYU Cancer Institute, the NYU Child Study Center, and the Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

$29.4 Million Grant Establishes Clinical and Translational Science Institute at NYU in Partnership with NYC Health and Hospitals

weberc02 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:21:42 -0400

NYU and NYU School of Medicine received a $29.4 million, five-year Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a University-wide Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in partnership with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC). The funding is designed to train medical researchers, more rapidly advance science from the lab to the patient to the community and to allow researchers to explore mechanisms of health disparities and develop evidence-based approaches targeted at their reduction. With this grant, NYU, the NYU School of Medicine and HHC will become part of a network of 46 existing Clinical and Translational Science centers based at academic medical centers around the country.

"Our CTSI is truly innovative and will play a critical role in our shared goal of transforming medical research and reducing healthcare disparities in New York City and beyond," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "This grant recognizes the extraordinary researchers and scientists at NYU and its School of Medicine and builds upon the historical partnership which brought together the academic excellence of our institutions and the clinical expertise and diversity of HHC."

"NYU School of Medical and HHC have come together to establish the CTSI for the purpose of redefining clinical research through enhanced collaborations of research and clinical teams," said Alan D. Aviles, president of NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation. "Together our institutions have set a course to foster innovation through our joint clinical and translational research and in the process to bring cutting-edge healthcare services to our patients and communities."

Collaborators from clinical and basic science departments throughout the Medical Center and the Colleges and Schools of NYU are strengthening their alliance with eight HHC facilities to address the health problems facing New York and the nation in the 21st century. In addition to NYU School of Medicine, this collaborative effort will bring together the interests and talents of researchers among NYU's active health-related and clinical schools including the School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, Wagner School of Public Service, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, the Stern School of Business, the Silver School of Social Work, the Courant Institute for Applied Mathematics and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to bear on the pressing problems facing New Yorkers.

Robert Berne, NYU's senior vice president for health, said, "This grant is not only a great achievement in and of itself, it is also another demonstration of the more than century-long successful affiliation with HHC and our sustained and successful drive for excellence at the School of Medicine and throughout NYU: excellence in research, in clinical practice, in education, and in leadership."

The CTSI will be directed by Bruce N. Cronstein, MD, the Dr. Paul R. Esserman Professor of Medicine, professor of pathology and pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, and co-directed by Judith Hochman, MD, the Harold Snyder Family Professor of Cardiology, NYU School of Medicine.

NYU Provost David McLaughlin said, "When scholars of distinction from different disciplines collaborate, the basic, applied, and translational research possibilities are powerful. That is why this grant is so impressive and such a source of pride for the University: it recognizes our researchers' talent, collaborative imagination, and entrepreneurial spirit."

The NYU-HHC CTSI will focus on three primary objectives:

Leveraging the individual expertise and ongoing collaboration of NYU Langone Medical Center and HHC researchers to facilitate discoveries in the laboratory that can be moved quickly to the bedside and into the community.
Supporting education, training and development of researchers who can conduct the investigations necessary to bring scientific advances to the public. Through the CTSI, established mentors will provide side-by-side partnerships with promising investigators, and training programs have been created to provide doctors with a strong foundation in basic research. Additionally, new scholarships have been created to assist aspiring scientists and physicians in receiving a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation.
Enhancing ties between NYU-HHC researchers and the community to more rapidly identify health problems and apply the knowledge gained to promote the use of new developments and evidence-based medicine within communities, thereby reducing healthcare disparities.

Eight of HHC's 11 facilities will participate in the initiative including: The South Manhattan Network (comprised of Bellevue, Metropolitan, Gouverneur and Coler-Goldwater), Woodhull, Coney Island, Kings County and Lincoln hospitals.

"I was proud to support New York University and the NYU School of Medicine's application for this CTSA award from the National Institutes of Health to advance medical research to help reduce medical disparities. What's particularly gratifying to me is the partnership between NYU and the City's Health and Hospitals Corporation, utilizing HHC's expertise and diverse populations at its eight participating facilities," Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said. "This kind of collaboration is, in a way, the very future of health science."

"The CTSI is a very welcome addition to our medical research and treatment resources," said New York City Council Member Dan Garodnick, who represents the NYU School of Medicine in the Council. "By helping researchers reduce disparities in health care across diverse communities, the CTSI will allow us to make important progress in improving the health of all New Yorkers. I look forward to the work that will result from this valuable collaboration."

"This collaboration between HHC and NYU will bring together each partner's expertise and strengths to create a dynamic center and deliver improved healthcare therapies to our community," said Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, who represents both NYU Langone Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center. "This new facility is a major step forward for our neighborhood and I look forward to continuing to support its progress."

NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards now support 46 medical research institutions sharing a common vision to reduce the time it takes for laboratory discoveries to become treatments for patients, engage communities in clinical research efforts and train the next generation of clinical researchers. For more information, visit www.ctsaweb.org.

The National Center for Research Resources, part of NIH, provides laboratory scientists and clinical researchers with the resources and training they need to understand, detect, treat and prevent a wide range of diseases. NCRR supports all aspects of translational and clinical research, connecting researchers, patients and communities across the nation. For more information, visit www.ncrr.nih.gov. To obtain a copy of the NIH news release announcement please visit http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2009/ncrr-14.htm.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell| lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

$29.4 Million Grant Establishes Clinical and Translational Science Institute at NYU in Partnership with NYC Health and Hospitals

weberc02 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:21:35 -0400

The NYU-HHC CTSI will focus on three primary objectives:

Leveraging the individual expertise and ongoing collaboration of NYU Langone Medical Center and HHC researchers to facilitate discoveries in the laboratory that can be moved quickly to the bedside and into the community.
Supporting education, training and development of researchers who can conduct the investigations necessary to bring scientific advances to the public. Through the CTSI, established mentors will provide side-by-side partnerships with promising investigators, and training programs have been created to provide doctors with a strong foundation in basic research. Additionally, new scholarships have been created to assist aspiring scientists and physicians in receiving a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation.
Enhancing ties between NYU-HHC researchers and the community to more rapidly identify health problems and apply the knowledge gained to promote the use of new developments and evidence-based medicine within communities, thereby reducing healthcare disparities.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell| lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center Receives $100 Million Gift to Establish Neuroscience Institute

weberc02 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:41:44 -0400

NYU Langone Medical Center announced today a $100 million gift from the Druckenmiller Foundation to establish a state-of-the-art neuroscience institute at the Medical Center.

This gift will provide for the recruitment and support of the highest caliber neuroscientists, reinforcing NYU Langone Medical Center's existing strengths and enabling it to become a leader in translational neuroscience, bringing expertise from the research bench to the clinical bedside. It will also help promote the education and training of future generations of neuroscientists—a hallmark of the institution—as well as support a dedicated neuroscience facility.

"Because we already have world-class expertise in neuroscience, I believe the momentum generated by this gift will take us to a new pinnacle in clinical and research excellence in this field," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "With this gift, Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller are voicing their confidence in our aspirations of excellence in this field and are endorsing our talented team of faculty, scientists and staff."

Fiona Druckenmiller, a former portfolio manager at the Dreyfus Corporation, has been a trustee and strong advocate of the Medical Center since 2006. Stanley Druckenmiller, founder of Duquesne Capital Management, is also an active volunteer and is chairman of Harlem Children's Zone. Together, they have already given over $46 million to support various services and initiatives that are vital to NYU Langone Medical Center, including the campus transformation project. Understanding the realities of executing visionary plans, the Druckenmillers have been actively fundraising and advising on institutional long-term planning.

"Knowledgeable and passionate about science and medicine, the Druckenmillers conceptualized this gift out of interest in the healthy brain and understanding how the brain functions," said Ken Langone, chairman of the board of trustees at the NYU Langone Medical Center. "We are especially grateful that they have chosen to support neuroscience, one of the Medical Center's strategic areas."

Mrs. Druckenmiller noted, "Under the leadership of Ken Langone and Bob Grossman, NYU Langone Medical Center has been revitalized and they have laid a new foundation for significant advances in research and clinical care. It gives us immense pride to support the Medical Center by helping to establish an institute dedicated to advancing new treatments in neuroscience."

This gift is the latest milestone in a multi-year transformation of the Medical Center being led by Dr. Grossman and his leadership team. NYU Langone Medical Center announced four historic 9-figure gifts in a 15-month period and believes it is the only nonprofit organization in the United States to have done so. In 2008, the Medical Center raised $506 million—believed to be the largest amount raised by any academic medical center in a 12-month-period—and has raised nearly $700 million in less than two years.

"NYU is deeply grateful to the Druckenmillers for their enormous generosity," said John Sexton, president of NYU. "Their gift validates the faith we have in the direction set by leadership of NYU Langone Medical Center and in the outstanding quality of its research, care and education. Gifts such as this—generous in scope, strategic in outlook, discerning in application—are vital to achieving the ambitions we all share for setting a new level of excellence at the Medical Center."

"In a time of such economic uncertainty we are inspired by the many donors who are committed to supporting the transformation of our Medical Center into the world-class institution it aspires to be," said Robert Berne, senior vice president for health at NYU. "Our supporters have been incredibly generous, understanding that in difficult times the need for philanthropic endeavors increases as the needs of the community become more complex."

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
212-404-3532 | 646-592-3044 cell | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

STAT3 PROTEIN FOUND TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN CANCER

weberc02 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:59:49 -0400

A protein called STAT3 has been found to play a fundamental role in converting normal cells to cancerous cells, according to a new study led by David E. Levy, PhD, the Dr. Louis A. Schneider Professor of Molecular Pathology and professor of microbiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. The study, published in the June 26, 2009, issue of the journal Science, found that STAT3, in addition to its role in the cell nucleus regulating gene expression, is also present in mitochondria and regulates the activity of the electron transport chain in tumors cells. Mitochondria are the basic energy-producing organelles of the cell and are known to be critical for tumor cell metabolism.

"These results open the possibility that inhibiting the mitochondrial function of STAT3 could be a promising cancer therapy in the future," adds Dr. Levy. "By knowing this mitrochondrial function is critical, it may be possible to design therapeutic strategies that specifically target this function while sparing the other functions of the protein, such as its ability to turn genes on. Therefore, we would hope that inhibitors could be developed that would be highly specific for cancer cells."

STAT3, which stands for "signal transducer and activators of transcription," is a protein that was discovered as a regulator of gene expression. Its only function was thought to be to turn genes on in the cell nucleus, particularly when the cells have been exposed to events that require an immune response. It was found, however, to mediate many critical steps in the response to infection. Dr. Levy and colleagues have been studying STAT3 since the mid 1990s, when they first cloned its gene. The current results by Dr. Levy and his colleagues were obtained from experiments that examined tumors caused by the ras oncogene, which is responsible for many human cancers.

"Future experiments will need to determine if a similar mitochondrial role for STAT3 is critical for other types of cancer as well, states Dr. Levy. "We'll also need a better understanding of the biochemical basis for the function of STAT3. For instance, we are trying to find out what STAT3 does in mitochondria, what enzymes and processes it regulates and how these processes differ in tumors compared to normal cells."

The study by Dr. Levy and his colleagues was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER AWARDED NIH GRANTS TOTALING $1,560,000 TO EXPLORE ROLE OF MICROBES IN HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE

weberc02 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:01:28 -0400

Two NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have received $1,560,000 in grant support for their first year of studies focused on microbiome and psoriasis and on microbiome and esophageal cancer from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The studies being conducted at NYU Langone Medical Center are two of several projects being conducted through the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research as part of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) taking place at institutions across the country.

Since 2007, the HMP has awarded more than $70 million to expand its exploration of how the trillions of microscopic organisms that live in and on our bodies affect our health. The human microbiome is all the microorganisms that reside in or on the human body, as well as all their DNA, or genomes.

In the new round of funding, the HPM will support pilot demonstration projects by researchers that will sample the microbiomes of healthy volunteers and volunteers with specific diseases over the next year. As part of that funding, Martin J. Blaser, MD, the Frederick H. King Professor of Internal Medicine, chair of the Department of Medicine, and professor of microbiology, will receive support for his study titled "Evaluation of the Cutaneous Microbiome in Psoriasis." Psoriasis, affecting more than 7.5 million people in the United States, is a chronic disease involving the immune system that appears on the skin, usually in the form of thick, red, scaly patches, and its cause is unknown. The goal of this study is to assess whether changes in the skin microbiome may contribute to psoriasis.

Additionally, Zhiheng Pei, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and medicine, will receive a grant to support his study on microbiome and esophageal cancer. Dr. Pei's work focuses on the type of cancer linked to heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux diseases, the fastest rising malignancy in the United States. The recent increases in this cancer cannot be explained by any known environmental or host factors. He postulates that gastroesophageal reflux alters the esophageal microbiome and chronic exposure to an abnormal (altered) microbiome is carcinogenic. Initial research has shown that patients carrying particular types of microbiomes are more likely to have the early stages of esophageal adenocarcinoma than those who do not. His team will sample the oral cavity, esophagus, and stomach to study the relationship between the microbiome from these body sites and esophageal cancer.

Dr. Blaser and Dr. Pei lead two of only 15 teams selected in the United States to conduct pilot demonstration projects on behalf of the HMP.

"The Human Microbiome Project offers a fascinating opportunity to transform our understanding of the relationships between microbes and humans in health and disease," said Vivian S. Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, senior vice president, vice dean for science and chief scientific officer. "We congratulate Drs. Blaser and Pei as they continue to lead this frontier of medical research. The studies they are conducting transform the ways we understand human health and the critical interactions between microbiome and host across a wide range of conditions."

Each pilot demonstration project will be reviewed after one year to evaluate its progress toward milestones, as well as its ability to demonstrate a definable relationship between a body-site microbiome and disease.

In the first phases of the HMP, jumpstart funding was awarded to create a framework and data resources. Funding has also previously been awarded for the development of innovative technologies and computational tools, coordination of data analysis, and an examination of some of the ethical, legal and social implications of human microbiome research. The HMP plans to award more than $115 million in research grants during the project to sequence up to 600 microbial genomes and for selected demonstration projects that will examine the relationship between the microbiome in a specific niche of the body with a particular disease. The goal is to determine whether individuals share a core microbiome, and to examine how changes in microbial populations correlate with changes in human health.

For more information about the Human Microbiome Project, visit www.nihroadmap.nih.gov/hmp/ and www.hmpdacc.org.

Media Inquiries:
Lisa Greiner
212-404-3555 | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

HOSPITAL FOR JOINT DISEASES AT NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER OPENS NEW INPATIENT PEDIATRIC UNIT

weberc02 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:56:14 -0400

The Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD) at NYU Langone Medical Center this week opened a newly renovated Elly Hammerman Inpatient Pediatric Unit for children recovering from surgery for complex orthopaedic and neurological conditions.

The state-of-the-art nine-bed unit features more private patient rooms than the previous unit. In addition, all of the rooms are designed to allow a family member to stay overnight. The unit also has a private area for caregiver/family conferences, a family waiting area, and a special play area for children.

"We all realize that hospitals can be scary places for children," said David A. Dibner, senior vice president for HJD hospital operations and the musculoskeletal strategic area." Our new unit will make post-op recovery more comfortable both physically and emotionally for both patients and their families. This unit was built to meet the unique needs of our pediatric patients."

Steve Hammerman, husband of HJD board member Elly Hammerman, provided funding for the new inpatient pediatric unit, which is named in honor of his wife.

Media Inquiries:
Stephen Blanket
212-598-6536 | stephen.blanket@nyumc.org

KEY FOUND TO HOW TUMOR CELLS INVADE THE BRAIN IN CHILDHOOD CANCER

weberc02 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:31:29 -0400

Despite great strides in treating childhood leukemia, a form of the disease called T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) poses special challenges because of the high risk of leukemic cells invading the brain and spinal cord of children who relapse. Now, a new study in the June 18, 2009, issue of the journal Nature by scientists at NYU School of Medicine reveals the molecular agents behind this devastating infiltration of the central nervous system. The finding may lead to new drugs that block these agents and thus lower the risk of relapse.

T-ALL, a blood-borne cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, or white blood cells, strikes several hundred children and adolescents in the U.S. annually. While greater than 90% percent go into remission through a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, up to one third of this group end up relapsing. These patients are at particular risk for tumor cells to invade the brain and spinal cord, and to prevent this all patients receive chemotherapy injections into the central nervous system and in some cases cranial irradiation-approaches that cause dangerous side effects, including secondary tumors and potentially permanent cognitive and developmental deficits.

"In general, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is treatable with chemotherapy and radiation," said Ioannis Aifantis, PhD, associate professor of pathology and co-director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at the NYU Cancer Institute, who led the new study. "But you have a very high rate of relapse. And after the relapse, it is not treatable because the cancer occurs in tricky places like the central nervous system," said Dr. Aifantis, who is also an Early Career Scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

"We are very proud of this research and very excited about the potential implications for new therapeutic approaches to prevent or reduce the spread of leukemic cells into the central nervous system," said Vivian S. Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, vice dean for science, senior vice president and chief scientific officer of NYU Langone Medical Center.

In the new study, Dr. Aifantis and his colleagues found that a key protein receptor embedded on the outer surface of leukemic cells is responsible for infiltrating the brain and spinal cord. "What we have found is that leukemic cells over-express this receptor," said Dr. Aifantis. "If you knock out this receptor, these cells will not go to the brain under any circumstances."

Previous research had strongly implicated a famous gene regulator called Notch1 in the progression of T-ALL. The Notch1 gene (a mutated version gives fruit flies notched wings) is an oncogene, or cancer-causing gene, in humans. Certain kinds of mutations in this gene have been found in nearly half of all T-ALL patients, and current estimates suggest that the gene's regulatory influence might be implicated in nearly 90 percent of all T-ALL cases.

For their new study, Dr. Aifantis and his colleagues first introduced overactive forms of Notch1 into mice. As a result, the mice developed leukemia and the leukemic cells efficiently infiltrated the inner layers of the membrane covering the brain. "What happens is that the leukemic cells get into the cerebrospinal fluid that protects our brain and spine, where they fill up the space and they can affect brain function, either by secreting chemicals and toxic factors or even by simple pressure," Dr. Aifantis said.

His team then examined an array of other mouse genes to identify candidates that might fall under the regulatory spell of Notch1 to promote the brain and spinal cord infiltration. The screen revealed a promising gene for a protein named CCR7, which is embedded on the surface of lymphocytes. This chemokine receptor, as it's known, normally senses and responds to small chemical attractants called chemokines, which act like recruitment signals for lymphocytes to converge on a specific site during the body's response to infection or injury. In leukemia, however, these lymphocytes proliferate abnormally.

CCR7 was already known as a key player in normal lymphocyte migration and as a binding partner of two chemokines named CCL19 and CCL21. Previous studies had implicated these protein interactions in the metastasis of other tumors such as melanomas and breast cancers. Dr. Aifantis's team also discovered that the gene for CCR7 was overactive in four of five T-ALL cell lines derived from human patients, bolstering suspicions that it played a central role in the disease. Conversely, a mutation that knocked out Notch1 also led to dramatically reduced CCR7 levels.

To characterize CCR7's potential role in T-ALL, the researchers used two sets of mice: one in which the receptor was turned on, and a second in which it was turned off. When the team delivered an identical number of human-derived leukemic cells to both sets of mice, those with the CCR7 chemokine receptor turned off lived almost twice as long. Using bioluminescent imaging, the researchers quickly understood why: animals with the active CCR7 receptor had many more tumors. Tellingly, the T-ALL cells had infiltrated the brain and spinal cord of those mice.

Further experiments suggested that when healthy mice received leukemic cells in which the gene for CCR7 had been turned off, the cells could not migrate to the brain even though they reached other body tissues. As a result, the mice survived significantly longer than counterparts with an active copy of the gene. On the other hand, introducing a normal version of the same gene to mice otherwise lacking it was enough to recruit leukemic cells to the brain and spine.

"We wanted to determine whether CCR7 by itself was sufficient for entry into the central nervous system and that's what this experiment shows," Dr. Aifantis said. "By changing one specific gene, you now have your function back."

Finally, the researchers identified the small protein that acted as the "come hither" signal for the CCR7 protein receptors. One candidate, CCL21, was undetectable in leukemic mice. But a second, CCL19, appeared in tiny veins of the brain near the infiltrating tumor cells. When the researchers introduced leukemic cells carrying a gene for CCR7 to mice that naturally lacked the CCL19 chemokine, the mice survived longer, suggesting that their increased life spans might be due to a disrupted interaction of the two proteins. The leukemic cells had no trouble infiltrating other tissue like the lymph nodes, but were completely incapable of infiltrating the brains of CCL19-deficient mice, the researchers report.

"Perhaps there are antibodies or small molecules that can block the interaction between these two proteins or reduce their interactions," Dr. Aifantis said, "and hopefully that could be used as a type of prophylactic treatment to prevent a relapse in the central nervous system among patients who have already been treated for leukemia." Such a treatment, he said, could prove a good alternative to the intensive and often poorly tolerated radiation and chemotherapy now used to try to block such a relapse.

The study was led by Dr. Silvia Buonamici, a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Aifantis in the Department of Pathology and the Cancer Institute, and in the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Stem Cell Center at NYU Langone Medical Center. Other study investigators are: Thomas Trimarchi, Maria Grazia Ruocco, Linsey Reavie, Severine Cathelin, Yevgeniy Lukyanov, Jen-Chieh Tseng, Filiz Sen, Mengling Li, Elizabeth Newcomb, Jiri Zavadil, Daniel Meruelo, Sherif Ibrahim, David Zagzag, and Michael L. Dustin from NYU Langone Medical Center; Brenton G. Mar, Apostolos Klinakis, and Argiris Efstratiadis from Columbia University Medical Center; Eric Gehrie and Jonathan S. Bromberg from Mount Sinai School of Medicine; and Martin Lipp from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the Dana Foundation, The Chemotherapy Foundation, the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, the Lauri Strauss Leukemia Foundation, the G&P Foundation, an NYU School of Medicine Molecular Oncology and Immunology training grant, the American Society of Hematology, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, a gift from the Berrie Foundation, and a fellowship from the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research.

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

PATIENT SAFETY IN THE OPERATION ROOM

weberc02 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:50:39 -0400

An educational video about patient safety in the OR, produced by surgical and nursing staff at NYU Langone Medical Center, has been recognized by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses in honor of National Time Out Day.

To view the video, visit http://www.aorn.org/NationalTimeOutDay/

NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY KEY GENE IN DEADLY INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER

weberc02 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:14:24 -0400

Aggressive, deadly and often misdiagnosed, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most lethal form of primary breast cancer, often striking women in their prime and causing death within 18 to 24 months. Now, scientists from The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified a key gene—eIF4G1—that is overexpressed in the majority of cases of IBC, allowing cells to form highly mobile clusters that are responsible for the rapid metastasis that makes IBC such an effective killer.

The new findings, Essential Role for eIF4G1 Overexpression in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Pathogenesis, scheduled for advance online publication on Nature Cell Biology's website, could lead to the identification of new approaches, therapies and a new class of drugs to target and treat IBC. This would be a critical development in the fight against IBC, which respond poorly to chemotherapy, radiation or any other current treatments for breast cancer, according to the study's lead authors Dr. Robert Schneider, associate director for translational research at The Cancer Institute, co-director of breast cancer research, and the Albert B. Sabin Professor of Molecular Pathogenesis at NYU School of Medicine, and Dr. Deborah Silvera, a postdoctoral research fellow.

"The tragedy of IBC is that it is often misdiagnosed and misclassified. Rather than presenting as a ‘typical' lump, IBC looks like an inflammation of the breast and is frequently mistaken for an infection. Physicians often prescribe antibiotics, losing valuable time for treating this fast-moving killer," says Dr. Schneider, noting that IBC accounts for several percent of all breast cancer cases but takes a high toll on mortality, with an incidence that is 50 percent higher in African American women. He adds that there has been little progress in treating IBC over the past two decades, and there are no drugs specifically for this form of cancer. "In fact, IBC has only recently been recognized as a unique, genetically distinct form of breast cancer."

Dr. Schneider and his colleagues found that the overexpression of the gene eIF4G1 reprograms how the IBC tumor cells make proteins. Other researchers have identified genes associated with IBC, but this is the first gene shown to orchestrate how IBC tumor cells form special structures-unique to this disease-known as "tumor emboli." These small clusters of highly mobile tumor cells are responsible for the rapid metastasis of IBC. Because these cell clumps are not stationary or fixed, they can quickly travel to other areas of the body.

"The good news is that we're beginning to understand IBC at both a molecular and genetic level," says Dr. Schneider. "We believe this gene is a target for new drug discovery, and we also believe it is possible to silence the gene without hurting normal cells. Our next step will be to focus on the genetic basis of this disease and look at the genetic changes underlying IBC to reveal more targets at the genetic level."

The study is co-authored by Dr. Silvia Formenti, chair of the department of radiation oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center and the Sandra and Edward H. Meyer Professor of Radiation Oncology at NYU School of Medicine, and Dr. Paul Levine of George Washington University, who contributed tissues.

Funding for the project was provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) Breast Cancer Research Program and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). The DOD funds a six-year, $6 million Center of Excellence grant for breast cancer to Dr. Formenti (PI) and Dr. Schneider (co-PI). The BCRF funds a four-year, $4 million grant to Dr. Formenti and Dr. Schneider as co-PIs.

Media Inquiries:
Dorie Klissas
212-404-3555 | dorie.klissas@nyumc.org

NEW YORK MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER PHYSICIANS AMONG CITY’S FINEST IN 2009 “BEST DOCTORS” ISSUE

weberc02 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:52:23 -0400

New York Magazine recognized over 100 NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC) physicians as among New York City's finest practitioners in its 2009 "New York Best Doctors" survey released earlier this week.This year's listing included several NYULMC department chairs among the best for ophthalmology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, otolaryngology, urology, dermatology, general and orthopaedic surgery, and psychiatry. Additionally, Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, assistant professor of medicine at NYULMC, is profiled as part of the magazine's "My First Time..." feature, in which she recalled the first time she restarted a patient's heart.

"We pride ourselves at NYU Langone Medical Center on offering patient-centered care, and we have incredible physicians who are steeped in the tradition of taking care of patients and treating patients as people," said Dr. Robert I. Grossman, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "We are committed to being the leader in patient care, education, and scientific research, and we are able to achieve our goals through the tremendous dedication of our physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers. We congratulate all the physicians included in the 2009 guide and applaud our physicians' commitment to this institution and the patients they serve."

For the complete listing of the "Best Doctors" please visit http://nymag.com/bestdoctors/.

Media Inquiries:

Lisa Greiner
tel: 212.404.3532 | lisa.greiner@nyumc.org

RADIATION ONCOLOGY RESEARCHER RECEIVES FUNDING FROM NASA

weberc02 — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:52:42 -0400

Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff, PhD, of the Department of Radiation Oncology has been selected by NASA to receive a grant to study space radiation effects on humans in space. NASA's $28.4 million dollar investment will fund a Specialized Centers of Research (NSCOR) at NYU Langone Medical Center, led by Barcellos-Hoff, and at Loma Linda University, the University of Texas Medical Branch and Georgetown University on determining space radiation carcinogenesis and central nervous system risks that could pave the way for countermeasures, developed during a five-year award period. This NYU-NSCOR consists of a team of investigators who have complementary skills and who work together to solve a closely focused set of research questions in support of the Space Radiation Program Element within the Human Research Program. The proposals were reviewed by non-NASA scientific and technical experts and selected by NASA.

To learn more, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/acd/hrp_nscor_awards_2009.html

UNITEDHEALTHCARE AND HOSPITAL FOR JOINT DISEASES PHYSICIANS SIGN EXPANDED, MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT

weberc02 — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:48:21 -0400

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, has signed an expanded, multi-year agreement with the physicians of the Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD) at NYU Langone Medical Center that doubles the number of orthopaedic physicians participating in UnitedHealthcare and Oxford Health Plans' provider network in New York City.

Under the new agreement, UnitedHealthcare and its Oxford Health Plan and Medicare plan participants will have in-network access to more than 40 orthopaedic physicians affiliated with the Hospital for Joint Diseases — a designated UnitedHealth Premium Specialty Center for Surgical Spine and Total Joint Replacement. The agreement further expands UnitedHealthcare and Oxford's health care provider network of more than 38,000 physicians and 200 hospitals statewide.

"This new agreement doubles the number of our physicians participating with UnitedHealthcare on an in-network basis," said Joseph Zuckerman, MD, the Walter A.L. Thompson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. "We are excited about our expanded relationship with UnitedHealthcare and look forward to continuing to serve its health plan customers."

"Our agreement with the physicians at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a facility that focuses on evidence-based quality standards for care, will expand access to quality, affordable health care for our customers," said Dr. Sanford Cohen, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare's northeast region. "We believe that productive, collaborative relationships between physicians, hospitals and payors are an important step in ensuring more people have convenient access to quality, cost-efficient care and in modernizing our nation's health care system."

Media Inquiries:
Lauren Woods
(212) 404-3555 | lauren.woods@nyumc.org

Pathology Researchers Solve Another Mystery in B Lymphocyte Development

weberc02 — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:52:20 -0400

NEW YORK—A new study published online in Nature Immunology ahead of the June 2009 print issue has found that homologous immunoglobulin (lg) alleles pair up in the nucleus at stages that coincide with V(D)J recombination of the heavy and light chain (Igh and Igk) loci. Researchers led by Jane A. Skok, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at NYU School of Medicine and a member of the NYU Cancer Institute, showed that the V(D)J recombinase, which consists of the RAG1 and RAG2 proteins, mediates this pairing and helps ensure that only one allele undergoes recombination at a time (a process known as allelic exclusion).

In "RAG-1 and ATM Coordinate Monoallelic Recombination and Nuclear Positioning of Immunoglobulin Loci," researchers found that RAG-mediated cleavage occurs on one allele at a time at every stage of Igh and Igk recombination; introduction of a double-strand break on one lg allele induces repositioning of its homologous partner to pericentromeric heterochromatin (a repressive compartment of the nucleus). This repositioning, surprisingly enough, depends on the DNA damage sensing factor ATM. It appears that cleavage activates ATM to act in trans on the uncleaved allele to reposition it in a repressive compartment of the nucleus, thereby preventing simultaneous recombination on both alleles and thus reducing the chance of translocations.

"This work deepens our understanding of the mechanisms that are in place for preventing translocations during V(D)J recombination that might ultimately lead to leukemias and lymphomas," says Skok. "It also helps us understand why individuals with a genetic deficiency in ATM suffer more cancers arising from such translocations."

Leukemias and lymphomas are very common cancers, especially in children and chromosomal translocations involving the antigen receptor loci are a common underlying mechanism.

"V(D)J recombination plays a crucial role in the development of the immune system," says Skok. "But because it entails the repeated cutting and joining of DNA gene segments, it carries a risk of translocation."

Skok says that given the deleterious consequences, it is essential that B and T cells tightly regulate the recombinase, the accessibility of substrates for RAG cleavage, and the activities of the DNA damage response and repair machineries. Skok and researchers propose that homologous pairing of alleles undergoing recombination has a number of functions: (i) To protect genomic stability by ensuring that broken ends are aligned with homologous alleles rather than in contact with other loci. (ii) To provide a means for repair proteins recruited to sites of DSBs to act in trans on the uncleaved allele to prevent simultaneous cleavage on the latter. (iii) To ensure sequential recombination of individual alleles to help maintain allelic exclusion. In this sense homologous pairing of Ig alleles is analogous to pairing of X chromosomes which has an important role in X inactivation in developing female cells. The data suggest that in parallel with X inactivation, homologous pairing of Ig loci contributes to allelic exclusion by ensuring that only one allele is targeted for recombination at any time.

Contact:
Dorie Klissas
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
212.404.3555 (office)
212.404.3525 (direct)
646.761.4724 (cell)
Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

About NYU Cancer Institute
The mission of the NYU Cancer Institute is to discover the origins of human cancer and to use that knowledge to eradicate the personal and societal burden of cancer in our community, the nation and the world. NYU Cancer Institute is an NCI-designated Cancer Center.

About NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 167 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 726-bed acute-care general hospital; Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind; NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as the NYU Cancer Institute, the NYU Child Study Center, and the Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Marc Jacobs Reissues Celebrity Nude "Protect the Skin You're In" Tees to Benefit Melanoma Research

weberc02 — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:54:34 -0400

NEW YORK—Marc Jacobs has reissued color versions of some of the most popular "Protect The Skin You're In" celebrity nude T-shirts as part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the deadly skin cancer and benefit melanoma research at the NYU Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. The campaign, which features more than a dozen celebrities baring all for skin cancer, has already raised over $1 million for the NYU School of Medicine's Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group (IMCG).

"The public awareness generated by the T-shirt campaign is enormous, not to mention the funds that have been raised," says Dr. William L. Carroll, director of the NYU Cancer Institute, who notes that proceeds of the sales of the T-shirts benefit IMCG. "We are grateful for the generosity of Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy in allowing the NYU Cancer Institute to focus on research and advancing clinical care."

"Protect The Skin You're In" T-shirts—featuring Heidi Klum (black), Helena Christensen (turquoise), Dita Von Teese (red), Naomi Campbell (white) and Victoria Beckham (fuschia)—baring all for skin cancer have been reissued and are available only at Marc Jacobs stores. "Protect Your Largest Organ," featuring Brandon Boyd (gray) and Mr. Jacobs (purple), are also available.

The campaign was launched in 2006 when Mr. Jacobs and his business partner Robert Duffy, president of Marc Jacobs International, LLC and a melanoma survivor, persuaded celebrities to pose in "the altogether" to raise awareness and funding for the deadly disease. Celebrities, who posed despite the advice of agents and managers, include Winona Ryder, Rufus Wainwright, Eva Mendes, Julianne Moore, and Selma Blair. Photographer Brian Bowen Smith traveled around the world multiple times for celebrity photo shoots for the project, which pays tribute to the late Dr. Jesse Rubin, a former dermatologist at NYU Langone Medical Center.

"Marc and Robert have taken very personal experiences and used their creative energies to truly impact the direction of melanoma research and care here," says Dr. Richard Shapiro, a surgeon at the NYU Cancer Institute, who treated Mr. Duffy and notes that his former patient has committed to supporting this campaign annually. "We are forever grateful."

Someone dies of melanoma every hour, but when detected early, the disease is curable. The only thing necessary for early detection is a trained pair of eyes, but many people are too embarrassed to strip down in front of a physician or loved one. To determine whether a mole is cancerous, Dr. Shapiro urges people to use the ABCDE rule-developed and refined by physicians at NYU Langone Medical Center: A for asymmetry; B for irregular border; C for color variation; D for diameter larger than a pencil eraser; and E for evolution of existing mole.

T-shirts are available only in Marc Jacobs stores nationwide. For information, go to www.marcjacobs.com and click under special items for locations and contact information. For more information about melanoma and other cancers visit the NYU Cancer Institute Web site at www.nyuci.org.

The NYU Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group (NYU-IMCG) is a multidisciplinary melanoma translational research program dedicated to advancing the care of melanoma patients through a coordinated approach combining basic science, translational research and clinical care. Its 23 investigators represent 11 departments at NYU Langone Medical Center. Since 2002, it has enrolled over one-thousand patients, who have donated blood and tumor tissues for research. NYU-IMCG is supported by the NYU Cancer Institute, NYU School of Medicine's Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, and the Marc Jacobs' campaigns to support melanoma research.

Contact:
Dorie Klissas
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
212.404.3555 (office)
646.761.4724 (cell)
Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

NYU School of Medicine Celebrates Graduation for Class of 2009

weberc02 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:43:59 -0400

Dean’s Remarks: Dean & CEO Robert I. Grossman, MD

NEW YORK—Robert I. Grossman, MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center, told the graduating class of NYU School of Medicine students Thursday, May 14, that "Whatever booms and busts and bubbles may swirl around you in the coming years, you will be anchored to an ancient, eternal noble calling. You have chosen a profession that is real and that matters. And at the end of the day, that, in my eyes, is what success is all about." (Read full remarks from Dean Grossman - PDF)

Keynote Address: Geoffrey Canada

Geoffrey Canada, education reform advocate and president and chief operating officer of Harlem Children's Zone, was the keynote speaker. The Zone, an organization that targets 100 blocks in Central Harlem with a range of educational, social and medical services, aims to serve over 10,000 children by 2011 with services that start at birth and follow children to college. (Read full remarks from Geoffrey Canada - PDF)

The School of Medicine's class of 2009 comprises 80 women and 84 men, ranging from their early 20s to mid 40s, who come from 26 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Of the 164 graduates, 32 will remain at NYU for their residency and 76 percent received appointments at the top 50 medical schools. The most popular specialties were internal medicine/primary care, followed by pediatrics, diagnostic radiology, anesthesiology, emergency medicine and psychiatry.

Valedictory Address: Christopher J. Agrusa, MD

Christopher J. Agrusa, president of the class of 2009, delivered the valedictory speech. Other speakers included Martin Lipton, Esq., chairman of the board, New York University; Kenneth G. Langone, chairman of the board, NYU Langone Medical Center; and John Sexton, president, New York University. The graduation cermonies were held in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Contact:
Lorinda Klein
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
(212) 404-3555
(212) 404-3533 (direct)
(917) 693-4846 (cell)
lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

About NYU Langone Medical Center
Located in the heart of New York City, NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 167 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 726-bed acute-care general hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind, and the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as The Cancer Institute, The Child Study Center, and the Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

New Cutting-Edge Intensive Care Unit Opens Its Doors in Tisch Hospital

weberc02 — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:05:01 -0400

NEW YORK—The Critical Care Center—a new cutting-edge, spacious, patient- and family centered intensive care unit—was unveiled on the 15th floor of Tisch Hospital at NYU Langone Medical Center. The first patients will begin being treated at the center on May 18, 2009.

"The new center at Tisch Hospital will provide our world-class, critical-care faculty and staff—and especially our patients and their families—an environment more conducive to healing, state-of-the-art technology, more privacy, and the space to accommodate open visiting hours," said Dr. Robert I. Grossman, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. "This is the kind of transformed clinical environment we can look forward to, campus-wide, in a few years' time."

Tisch Hospital's new center currently has 18 medical ICU beds, all in private rooms except for one semi-private room. The new center is the first of two renovated wings of the new ICU. Each large, private patient room offers a window allowing natural light, views of New York City, brand new equipment, flat-screen televisions, space for families to visit and staff to work more efficiently.

The new center is the only ICU in Manhattan with in-house intensivist physicians with advanced critical care board certification specializing in treatment of the most seriously ill patients available 24/7. The center's critical care team also responds to any emergency at a patient's bedside throughout the Medical Center 24/7, including directing cardiac arrest and rapid response teams. The use of intensivists has helped NYU Langone Medical Center earn the Leapfrog Group's "Top 50 Hospital" ranking for quality and patient safety.

Other ICU patient safety features include computerized charting systems inside and outside each room with multi-patient video surveillance technology. Also, patient simulator technology, with all the characteristics of a real patient, is improving patient safety in the ICU by allowing medical students and residents the opportunity to train in the real environment they will be practicing medicine. This patient simulator generates computerized models of real medical crises in the ICU, teaching teamwork, leadership and medical care skills.

"This new ICU is a long awaited dream for the critical care team," said Dr. Grossman. "The environment of the ICU will now match the high standards and quality of care that the critical care team provides to our patients every day."

Construction on 17 additional surgical ICU beds, all in private rooms except for one semi-private room, will begin in June. When the renovations are complete, the center will have a total of 35 beds.

Tisch Hospital, the Medical Center's flagship facility, opened in 1963 and is scheduled to undergo an extensive makeover over the next several years. Future renovations to Tisch Hospital will be made possible by the anonymous gift in 2008 of $110 million by a family of longtime benefactors to the Medical Center.

Contact:
Lauren Woods
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
(212) 404-3555 (office)
(917) 301-5699 (cell)
lauren.woods@nyumc.org

About NYU Langone Medical Center
Located in the heart of New York City, NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 168 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 726-bed acute-care general hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind, and the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as The Cancer Institute, The Child Study Center, and the Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

NYU School of Medicine Celebrates Commencement for 168th Graduating Class

weberc02 — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:53:23 -0400

NEW YORK—Robert I. Grossman, M.D., the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center, told the graduating class of NYU School of Medicine students Thursday, May 14, that "Whatever booms and busts and bubbles may swirl around you in the coming years, you will be anchored to an ancient, eternal noble calling. You have chosen a profession that is real and that matters. And at the end of the day, that, in my eyes, is what success is all about."

Geoffrey Canada, education reform advocate and president and chief operating officer of Harlem's Children's Zone, was the commencement speaker. The Zone, an organization that targets 100 blocks in Central Harlem with a range of educational, social and medical services, aims to serve over 10,000 children by 2011 with services that start at birth and follow children to college.

Christopher J. Agrusa, president of the class of 2009, delivered the valedictory speech. The Commencement ceremonies were held in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Contact:
Lorinda Klein
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
(212) 404-3555
(212) 404-3533 (direct)
(917) 693-4846
lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org

NYU Langone Medical Center’s Tip Sheet to the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, ASCO 2009

weberc02 — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:47:40 -0400

NEW YORK—The following news tips are based on abstracts or posters to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Florida, May 29 − June 2, 2009.

Abstract # 9075, 8 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 1, 2009

Antiparasitic drug is promising in animal studies of metastatic melanoma
Seth J. Orlow, M.D., Ph.D., the Samuel Weinberg Professor of Pediatric Dermatology and chairman of the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology and professor of cell biology and pediatrics.

A drug used to treat parasitic infections shows early promise in animal studies as a potential treatment for metastatic melanoma. Researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center report that the orally administered drug, mebendazole, inhibited the growth and progression of human melanoma tumors grafted in mice. The researchers observed in the animals a 72 percent reduction in tumor volume, the inactivation of a key protein that normally promotes melanoma survival and a concomitant 81 percent increase in cancer cells that were programmed to die. The researchers are now planning a clinical trial to investigate the appropriate dosing of the drug, a first step toward assessing the drug's effectiveness in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Abstract # 9006, 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009

MicroRNAs may aid in prognosis of metastatic melanoma
Eva Hernando-Monge, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology
Iman Osman, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and urology and director of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group
Miguel F. Segura, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow

Ongoing research at the NYU Cancer Institute suggests that micoRNA-a genetic element that controls protein-coding genes-may be useful as a biomarker for melanoma. In the latest study, levels of a specific group of microRNAs were associated with longer survival among patients with metastatic melanoma and among those whose cancer has recurred after treatment. Researchers analyzed single-stranded RNA molecules in cancer tissue samples at various sites in the body, including the brain and lymph nodes, from 59 metastatic melanoma patients. Higher levels of 18 specific miRNAs were associated with surviving more than 18 months. The researchers are evaluating whether 10 of these co-called "protective" miRNAs identified in the study can help predict the likelihood of surviving 18 months after cancer recurrence and whether these miRNAS may help predict the aggressiveness of the disease in earlier stages of melanoma.

Abstract # 9044, 8 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 1, 2009

Blood-based marker may be tied to poor melanoma prognosis
Iman Osman, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and urology and director of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group

Higher levels of a protein found in the blood may be associated with a poor prognosis in melanoma patients. Researchers at the NYU Cancer Institute found that HU177, a connective tissue protein, was associated with a subset of melanoma patients with a poor prognosis. The study involved 209 patients whose serum levels of the protein were measured at the time of diagnosis. Thirty-eight of the 209 (18%) patients developed recurrences, and 34 of these patients subsequently died during the+ follow-up period of the study. Median follow-up time for survivors was 54.9 months, ranging from two to 81 months. The chances of staying free of cancer after a particular treatment, as well as the likelihood of survival over a certain period of time, were associated with higher serum levels of the protein. The correlation occurred even when other prognostic factors, such as tumor thickness and histology, were taken into account.

Abstract # 11034, Sunday, May 31, 2009, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Overexpression of an oncogene linked to worse melanoma prognosis
Iman Osman, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and urology and director of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group

Researchers at the NYU Cancer Institute present preliminary evidence that overabundant expression of an oncogene called Skp2 was associated with a worse melanoma prognosis. The activity of this gene was also linked to organs in the body where melanoma had spread. The study measured Skp2 protein levels in 122 metastatic melanoma specimens taken from patients' tissues. It found that increased Skp2 was associated with lower survival during a three-year period after recurrence.

Abstract # 11019, Sunday, May 31, 2009, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Potential biomarker for early stage lung cancer
Jessica Donnington, M.D., assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery

NYU Langone Medical Center researchers report that a protein in the blood appears to be a promising tool for monitoring early stage lung cancer. In a small study, they found higher levels of an extracellular structural protein called osteopontin (OPN) in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer compared to current or former smokers, and they also found that the levels decreased among patients who had undergone lung cancer surgery. The study involved 60 patients with early stage lung cancer, 56 current or former smokers, 78 patients with lung cancer advanced enough to be considered pre-operative and another matched group who had already undergone surgery. The researchers say the findings warrant further investigations of this biomarker in the early stages of this form of lung cancer.

Abstract #2017, Saturday, May 30, 2009. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Drug may increase survival in brain cancer patients
Michael Gruber, M.D., clinical professor of neurology and neurosurgery
Shahzad Raza, M.D., clinical research associate in the department of radiation oncology
Ashwatha Narayana, M.D., associate professor of radiation oncology

Bevacizumab is a cancer treatment approved by the FDA to treat advanced or metastatic colorectal, lung, and breast cancers, and relapsed malignant glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. A small study by researchers at NYU Cancer Institute suggests the drug may have a role in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The treatment, which inhibits tumor growth by blocking the formation of new blood vessels, was given to 24 glioblastoma patients who also received radiation and concomitant chemotherapy; another 31 patients received similar treatments but without bevacizumab. The group receiving bevacizumab lived longer during and after treatment without their disease worsening-half of the patients lived without their disease worsening a median of 12 months, compared to seven months in the non-bevacizumab group. One- and two-year overall survival rates were 85 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in the bevacizumab group compared to 74 percent and 22 percent in the other group. The researchers say that the results are encouraging and the drug merits testing in a phase III study.

Contact:
Dorie Klissas
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
212.404.3555 (office)
646.761.4724 (cell)
Dorie.Klissas@nyumc.org

American Hospital Association Selects NYU Langone Medical Center's Gilda Ventresca-Ecroyd as New York State Grassroots Champion

weberc02 — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:43:58 -0400

NEW YORK—Gilda Ventresca-Ecroyd, vice president for government affairs at NYU Langone Medical Center, has been named New York State's Grassroots Champion for 2008 by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Healthcare Association of New State (HANYS).

The award is presented annually to one individual from each state for exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of their hospital's mission. Ms. Ventresca-Ecroyd is being honored for effectively delivering the NYU Langone Medical Center hospital message to elected officials and leading efforts to broaden the base of community support for all hospitals across the state.

"Ms. Ventresca-Ecroyd's unparalleled understanding of the healthcare system makes her an invaluable asset to our Medical Center and to all the citizens of our state," said Dean & CEO Robert I. Grossman, M.D. "In advocating for our mission, she is ultimately fighting for our patients, our doctors, our students, and the wider community. We are delighted to see her recognized with this prestigious award, which acknowledges both her tireless efforts on their behalf and the immense respect she has earned among her peers."

HANYS President Daniel Sisto said, "We are extremely pleased to see Gilda achieve this well-deserved national recognition. It represents a formal reflection of her national and state policy expertise, her attention to detail, high energy level, and the collaborative manner in which she works with the allied associations. She has worked hard to earn the "open door" access that she has established among numerous key elected and appointed officials."

Ms. Ventresca-Ecroyd began her career as an assistant to former Congressman Charles Wilson (D-TX) where she covered health and education issues under the jurisdiction of the House Appropriations Committee. She also worked with former Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY) in his Washington D.C. office, representing the State on health, education and aging issues. She has held government relations positions with the American Hospital Association, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Chicago Health Care Council. She joined NYU Langone Medical Center originally in 1981, where she is currently vice president for government affairs.

Contact:
Lauren Woods
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
NYU Langone Medical Center
(212) 404-3555 (office)
(917) 301-5699 (cell)
lauren.woods@nyumc.org