CUIMC Update - Nov. 2, 2020
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 cumcnews@cumc.columbia.edu. Grants are provided by the Sponsored Projects Administration office.
NEWS
Adam Bass to Lead Precision Cancer Medicine at VP&S
Adam Bass, MD, will join the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center as founding director of the Center for Precision Cancer Medicine and director of gastrointestinal oncology. Read more.
In Case You Missed It: Video from the CUIMC Town Hall on Campus Issues, COVID-19
On Oct. 29, Interim EVP and Dean Anil K. Rustgi, MD, led a virtual forum offering updates on campus issues and COVID-19. Topics included COVID-19 status updates, an update on race and anti-racism issues at CUIMC, and coping with change and uncertainty. Watch now.
CopeColumbia Offers Leaders and Managers Resources for Supporting Staff Experiencing Election Day Stress
The upcoming U.S. election and its aftermath have the potential to be disruptive and exacerbate stress among our workforce. In the face of these ongoing challenges, compassionate leadership is increasingly important. CopeColumbia has assembled tips for managers to create a supportive environment for employees during this time. Read more.
How to Vote and Celebrate the Holidays Safely During a Pandemic
Sandra Albrecht, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of epidemiology at Mailman and chief epidemiologist at Dear Pandemic, offers tips on how to safely participate in Election Day and Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read a Q&A with Dr. Albrecht and view videos.
VP&S Study Identifies Pitfall for Correcting Mutations in Human Embryos with CRISPR
The most detailed analysis to date of CRISPR genome editing in human embryos finds a significant risk of chromosomal abnormalities when using the technique at the earliest stage of human development. Read more.
VP&S and NYSPI Launch the Most Comprehensive Study to Date on the Impact of COVID-19 on College Students
Researchers at VP&S and NYSPI are examining how millions of college students are addressing COVID-19 challenges, including academic/life plans, decision-making, substance use, and mental well-being. Read more.
Mailman Study Finds Air Pollution Linked to Neurological Disorders
A Mailman study found that fine particulate air pollution is associated with an increased risk of hospital admission for several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Read more.
VP&S Study Finds New Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease in Blacks
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and a new study by VP&S neurologists of Alzheimer’s genes suggests the disease in Blacks and whites is largely the same, but genetic changes that increase the risk of developing the disease differ between the two groups. Read more.
Coronaviruses Are Masters of Mimicry, New VP&S Study Finds
Coronaviruses are adept at mimicking human immune proteins called complement, which may allow the viruses to gain a foothold in our bodies and cause disease. Read more.
For Pregnant Women with Heart Disease, Multidisciplinary Care May Be Essential
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of maternal mortality in the United States, but a new VP&S study suggests specialized cardio-obstetrics teams may improve outcomes. Read more.
EVENTS
Election Day: University Holiday, Nov. 3, 2020.
Original Well-Being Lecture Series Part Two: One Motion/Calibration, Nov. 4, 2020, at 1 p.m., register online.
Anti-Racism Speaker Series: Enobong Branch, PhD, Rutgers University, Nov. 5, 2020, at 2:30 p.m., register online.
A Conversation with Dr. Beverly Tatum, Author of “Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?” Nov. 6, 2020, at 1 p.m., register online.
Asian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group Presents: CUIMC Celebrates Diwali, Nov. 6, 2020, at 1 p.m., read more and register online.
Community Clean-up at Mitchel Park, Nov. 7, 2020, at 10 a.m. To volunteer, read more.
Innovations in Simulation Summit: Dismantling Structural Racism with and within Health Care Simulation, Nov. 10, 2020, at 1 p.m., register online.
Work/Life Office: Upcoming 2020 Virtual Events, Running an Effective Family Meeting on Nov. 10 at noon, Understanding College Financial Aid on Nov. 12 at noon, and Identifying & Coping with Depression in the Elderly on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. Registration is required for all events.
GRANTS
VAGELOS COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
Robin Goland, MD, Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, will receive $1,541,845 over one year from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a subaward of “Data Coordinating Center for Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.”
Daniel Javitt, MD, Psychiatry, will receive $3,441,142 over five years from the National Institute of Mental Health for “Neural Mechanisms of Reading Dysfunction in Schizophrenia.”
Yousin Suh, PhD, Obstetrics & Gynecology, will receive $773,303 over two years from the National Institute on Aging for a subaward “DNA Repair, Mutations and Cellular Aging.”
MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Constance Nathanson, PhD, Sociomedical Sciences, will receive $320,120 over two years from the National Science Foundation for “Standard Research Grant: Science and the Social Production of Crisis: Sagas of HIV/Blood Contamination.”
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Judy Cohen Honig, DNP, EdD, will receive $276,516 over one year from the Health Resources and Services Administration for “Nurse Faculty Loan Program.”
AWARDS AND HONORS
VAGELOS COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
Vivette D. D’Agati, MD, Pathology & Cell Biology, is the 2020 recipient of the Edward N. Gibbs Lectureship and Award in Nephrology.
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Rebecca Schnall, PhD, RN, the Mary Dickey Lindsay Professor of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (in Nursing), received the 2020 Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research Welch/Woerner Path-Paver Award.