CUIMC Update - April 6, 2022

CUIMC Update is a weekly e-newsletter featuring medical center news and the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and trainees. Please send your news, honors, and awards to cuimc_update@cumc.columbia.edu. Grants are provided by the Sponsored Projects Administration office.

NEWS

Columbia Medical Students Recognized for Research
VP&S Dean Katrina Armstrong, MD, joined 67 students as they shared their research on cardiovascular disease, mental illness and hearing loss, cervical cancer screening practices, and more at the 2022 Student Research Day of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Top projects won awards in four categories. Read more

Columbia Glaucoma Screening Program Shows the Benefit of Early Detection
A Columbia vision screening program to improve early detection of glaucoma and other eye diseases in high-risk populations has screened over 600 people so far and found a surprisingly high number of individuals have glaucoma or show pre-glaucoma signs. The screening program is led by Lisa Hark, PhD, Ophthalmology. Read more.

Genetic Testing for Parkinson’s Disease: What You Need to Know
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and Columbia neurologists Roy Alcalay, MD, and Karen Marder, MD, discuss what Parkinson’s patients and their families need to know about genetic testing and counseling. Read more

2022 Summer Youth Employment Program
CUIMC departments and offices are invited to host students from New York City’s Department of Youth & Community Development Summer Youth Employment Program from July 5 to Aug. 11, 2022. The program, coordinated by the CUIMC Office of Government & Community Affairs, gives participants valuable work experience, mentorship, and exposure to health sciences careers. To apply, complete the registration form by April 29. 

Faculty Club Open for Breakfast and Lunch
The Faculty Club is open for faculty, staff, students, and their guests to purchase “grab & go” breakfast and lunch each weekday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Faculty Club is located on the fourth floor of the VP&S building. View more information and the daily menu

GRANTS

VAGELOS COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS

Dominique Bailey, MD, Pediatrics, will receive $827,176 over five years from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for “Molecular Mechanisms of Reactive Epithelial Changes in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis.”

Eunhee Choi, PhD, Pathology & Cell Biology, will receive $2,025,000 over five years from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for “Investigation of the role of insulin receptor in chromosome stability.”

Charles Emala, MD, Anesthesiology, will receive $2,025,000 over five years from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for “Anesthetics' Effects on Physiological Responses Modulated by Peripheral GABAA Receptors.” 

Christine Garcia, MD, PhD, Medicine, will receive $2,851,847 over four years from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for “Pulmonary Fibrosis and Telomerase Dysfunction” and $1,840,010 over four years from the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command for “COVID-19 Lung Injury, ARDS, and Thrombosis: Acute Disease and Long-Term Subphenotypes.”

Joshua Weiner, MD, Surgery, will receive $962,280 over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for “Defining the relationship between host-microbiome interactions and rejection after intestinal transplantation.”

AWARDS AND HONORS

MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Students Alexis Bryan, Helena Chan, and Liat Schreiber took first place in the 2022 UCLA Center for Healthcare Management Case Competition for their proposal to improve health equity and access to care in Los Angeles. Read more

EVENTS

A Public Health System for the Future, April 6, 4 p.m., register here

Columbia Science and Health Equity Lecture Series “Heterogeneity of Breast Cancer Genomes: Going Beyond Therapy to Prevention,” April 12, 4 p.m., register here

Childhood Obesity Today: A Webinar for Pediatricians and Families, April 12, 6 p.m., register here.

Dean’s Distinguished Lecture in the Basic Sciences presented by Carol Prives, PhD, April 13, 4:30 p.m., Alumni Auditorium, attend in person or register to attend online via Zoom

Institute of Human Nutrition Special Event - A Community Conversation with Hon. Rolando T. Acosta, April 14, 5 p.m., Alumni Auditorium, attend in person or online via Zoom, read more.

Visionary Woman in Science: Remembering and Celebrating the Life of Zena A. Stein, April 22, 1 p.m., Alumni Auditorium, register here

Call for Applications: Columbia Global Mental Health Programs 2022-2023 Council Grants Program, through June 1, read more.

For more events, visit the CUIMC Events listing.