HELIX Marks Topping Off Ceremony to Celebrate Important Phase in Construction of New Medical School Site | |
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On Friday, the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO) hosted its Topping Off Ceremony for the first phase of the HELIX (Health & Life Science Exchange) project in New Brunswick, which will include the new site of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The "topping off" ceremony commemorates when the final beam is placed on a structure during its construction. Led by DEVCO President Christopher J. Paladino, Friday's ceremony included New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill; Amy Towers, chair of the Rutgers Board of Governors; Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway; Chancellor Brian Strom, MD, MPH; Amy P. Murtha, MD, dean; Tim Sullivan, CEO of New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA); Ronald G. Rios, director of the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners; Bernard Cooke, president of Middlesex County Building and Construction Trades Council; and Joseph R. Jingoli Jr., CEO of JINGOLI.
Speakers and attendees were invited to sign the final steel beam before it was raised into position at the top of the building.
The new building is expected to be completed in 2025, and we're already looking forward to welcoming our new students there!
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Dr. Jonathan Sherman to Lead Neurosurgical Oncology Services | |
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Jonathan H. Sherman, MD, FAANS, FCNS, FACS, was named chief of neurosurgical oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the medical school. He will also serve on the medical staff at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility.
An expert in the treatment of patients with brain and spinal tumors, specializing in neurosurgical oncology, Dr. Sherman most recently served as director of neurosurgical oncology at West Virginia University. In addition to treating patients, he looks to develop a robust research and clinical trials program here.
"I am privileged to join a skilled and passionate team of specialists at New Jersey's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. I look forward to working together to discover innovative ways to improve patient outcomes through clinical research," Dr. Sherman said. "I am also thrilled to join the esteemed team of professionals at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School who are at the forefront of neurosurgical innovation and look forward to collaborate with such talented colleagues."
Learn more here.
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Medical School Hosts Student Summer Research Program | |
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The 2024 Medical Student Summer Research Program was a resounding success! The seven-week program, led by Céline Gélinas, PhD, senior associate dean for research and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and coordinated by Evelyn Blas, offered first- and second-year medical students the opportunity to work with faculty mentors on a variety of translational, clinical, or basic research projects.
A record 88 medical student abstracts were presented at the in-person symposium on Wednesday, Aug. 7!
Special thanks to our 71 faculty mentors. We are grateful to the weekly lecturers in the seminar series: Jeffrey Carson, MD; Paul Copeland, PhD; Manuel Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP; Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., MD; Gregory L. Peck, DO, MPH, FACS; Carol A. Terregino, MD; and Naveena Yanamala, MS, PhD; and to our symposium keynote speaker and MD/PhD alumnus Ronny Drapkin, MD, PhD, Franklin Payne Professor of Pathology in Obstetrics & Gynecology and director of Gynecologic Cancer Research, Basser Center for BRCA, at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. We also would like to thank the faculty who served on the Fellowship Selection Committee, and those faculty who served as session facilitators at the symposium: Lea Ann Chen, MD; Huizhou Fan, MD, PhD; Sara Heinert, PhD, MPH; Conor McClenaghan, PhD; Todd Mowery, PhD; Sagar S. Mungekar, MD; Huong Truong, MD; Cindy Wassef, MD; and Dr. Yanamala.
We are very grateful to our scholarship sponsors: the New Jersey Health Foundation Inc., The EJI Excellence in Medicine Endowment Fund, and the families and friends whose donations supported the Michael David Rothstein Endowed Scholarship, the Muriel Genfan Endowed Scholarship, and the Tetsuo Shimamura MD and Yoko Shimamura Endowed Scholarships.
Congratulations to all students who completed the program!
The symposium page can be viewed here.
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Cardiology Division Adds Faculty with Non-invasive Expertise | |
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The medical school's Division of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension has added two new specialists in the area of non-invasive cardiology to its faculty: Andrew Chang, MD, and Drew Mendoza, MD.
A 2018 graduate of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Chang has been named assistant professor of medicine in the division. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and his cardiovascular disease fellowship at Loma Linda University in California.
In addition to his clinical care in the area of non-invasive cardiology, Dr. Chang's research interests include the use of cardiovascular imaging to improve patient outcomes and quality improvement. Learn more about Dr. Chang here.
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Dr. Mendoza also has been named an assistant professor of medicine in the division. A 2017 graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, he completed his residency training and cardiovascular disease fellowship, including a year as chief fellow, at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine -- Chattanooga. He later completed an advanced cardiac imaging fellowship at Saint Francis Hospital, in the Division of Cardiac Imaging.
Level 3 trained and certified in CT/MR and level 2 in nuclear and echocardiography, Dr. Mendoza has a strong background in non-invasive cardiology and an interest in clinical research in cardiac imaging. Learn more about Dr. Mendoza here.
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Must-See Video: The New Ambulatory Medical Pavilion | |
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Several of our clinical departments' outpatient services will have a new home in Spring 2025, with the expected opening of the RWJUH Ambulatory Medical Pavilion.
Informally known as Plum II during the construction process, the new 16-story building facing Somerset Street will include ambulatory services in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, colorectal surgery, gastroenterology, neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology/head and neck surgery, and plastic surgery, among others.
A new video shared by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and RWJBarnabas Health shows a quick glimpse of the progress to date and what is expected in the new facility.
Watch the full video here!
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I/DD 'Allies': Med Students Develop Mentorship Program with Boggs Center Faculty | |
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As part of a Distinction in Service to the Community (DISC) project, four of our medical students developed a mentorship program to prepare youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) between the ages of 13 and 21 for transition to adult life.
Patrick Lin, Dawn Arumemi, Srivarsha Kaloth, and Cristina Fernandez (pictured l-r below) implemented their Adult Life Learning for Youth (ALLY) program at the Piscataway Regional Day School with supervision from faculty advisor Carrie Coffield, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and director of Pre-service Training and NJLEND training director at The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development.
Interactive workshops led by the ALLY team helped youth learn to foster peer-to-peer relationships, build self-advocacy skills, and feel more comfortable in healthcare settings. At the same time, medical students gained insight into the needs of and comfort working with youth and young adults with I/DD.
Now working to establish the program's sustainability, the students presented on the ALLY program at the 22nd Annual American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry Conference in June in Chicago.
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Rutgers Health Creates New Resources for Suicide Prevention | |
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September is Suicide Prevention Month, and Rutgers Health is dedicated to raising awareness and destigmatizing conversations around suicide, providing support, and fostering a community of understanding and care for our faculty, staff, and learners.
We encourage you to visit Rutgers Health's new Suicide Prevention Month website, which includes links to resources; a calendar of in-person and virtual events, training sessions, discussion panels and workshops; the ability to participate in a community 5K run/walk to increase awareness; and more.
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Flu Vaccines Available for Faculty and Staff | |
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Starting this month, free flu vaccines will be offered to Rutgers Health faculty and staff members with a valid Rutgers ID.
Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI) will provide flu vaccines every Thursday at EOHSI Clinical Center, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, until supplies last.
Beginning Thursday, Sept. 12 (1 - 3 p.m. only)
No appointments are needed.
Vaccines will not be given apart from these assigned dates/times. Short sleeves are appreciated.
Download this year's flier here.
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Leela Biswas, a third-year MD/PhD candidate at the medical school, was lead author on a new textbook chapter, "Predicting Infertility: How Genetic Variants in Oocyte Spindle Genes Affect Egg Quality," which is the first chapter in a new fertility textbook, Molecular Mechanisms Determining Mammalian Oocyte Quality, published by Springer Nature Group. The textbook includes authors from reproductive medicine programs at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and others.
Leela authored the chapter with Karen Schindler, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Genetics at Rutgers and a faculty member in the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey.
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2024 Black Lecture to Focus on Treatment of Brain Diseases | |
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The Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology is sponsoring this year's Ira B. Black Memorial Lecture, featuring Bai Lu, PhD, professor in the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Dr. Lu will discuss "New Insights and Strategies for the Treatment of Brain Diseases."
Monday, Sept. 30
3 p.m.
West Lecture Hall
675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway
Refreshments to follow in the Old Student Lounge.
For more information, contact Mary Tran, program support specialist.
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New Project ECHO Training Series Focuses on Aging Adults with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities | |
Learn More about Extreme Heat's Impact on Our Health | |
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Soko Setoguchi, MD, DrPH, professor of medicine at the medical school and professor of epidemiology at Rutgers School of Public Health, is one of the featured panelists at a New Jersey Interagency Council on Climate Resilience webinar, "What does a hotter NJ mean for our health?"
The panel of health experts will discuss the impacts extreme health has on individuals' physical and behavioral health.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
11 a.m. - Noon
For more information, email HeatHubNJ@dep.nj.gov.
To RSVP, register here.
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Lansing Lectureship: Achieving Healthcare Quality | |
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The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in collaboration with the family of Martha A. Lansing, MD, and Rutgers Network of Affiliated Family Medicine Residencies, is sponsoring this year's Martha A. Lansing Lectureship, a panel discussion on "Achieving Healthcare Quality: Stakeholder Perspectives."
Dean Amy P. Murtha, MD, joins a high-profile panel of industry experts in this vital discussion.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
9 - 10:30 a.m.
Reception to follow. The hybrid event will be held at 303 George Street, Sixth Floor Training Rooms 620 & 621, New Brunswick, and via Zoom.
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Support HIPHOP Back to School Supplies Drive! | |
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Your help is needed to support the Homeless and Indigent Population Health Outreach Project's annual Back to School Supplies Drive!
Backpacks, notebooks, pencils, glue sticks, and folders are all welcome.
Donations are being accepted now through
Sept. 27.
For more information, click on the image or email
Susan Giordano.
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Join Us in a Run for a Great Cause! | |
Social Media Posts of the Week | |
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VIDEO: Celebration at Construction Site for New Rutgers Medical School -- Amy P. Murtha, MD, and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School -- New Brunswick Today
PHOTOS: Devco tops out $732 million first phase of HELIX campus in New Brunswick -- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School -- Real Estate NJ
Nerves of Steel: Tough as Iron: Tradespeople Behind New Brunswick's HELIX Say It's Hard Work -- Amy P. Murtha, MD -- TAPinto New Brunswick
Devco set to top out first phase of HELIX project, hailing a key milestone with more to come at distinctive New Brunswick campus -- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School -- Real Estate NJ
NJ Health Care Feeling Aftermath of Supreme Court Abortion Decision -- Lily Bayat, MD, and Glenmarie Matthews, MD -- WPST
Children and long COVID -- Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD, and Sunanda Gaur, MD -- NJ Spotlight News
Rutgers Cancer Institute Appoints New Chief of Neurosurgical Oncology -- Jonathan H. Sherman, MD -- Shore News Network, ROI-NJ
Clark to Step Down as Division Director -- Jeanne Clark, MD -- Medicine Matters (Johns Hopkins)
Ozempic and its chemical cousins ushering in a new era in battling obesity, heart disease -- Keerthana Kesavarapu, MD -- Senior Voice
Consumer Video and Podcast Series: Preparing for Your Menopause Healthcare Visit -- Gloria A. Bachmann, MD, MS, and Nancy Phillips, MD -- The Menopause Society
How Long After Having COVID Should You Get the New Vaccine? -- Martin Blaser, MD -- Yahoo!News
Medication improves velocity, reaction time, and movement time but not amplitude or error during memory-guided reaching in Parkinson's disease -- Gian D. Pal, MD -- Physiological Reports
Researchers aim to pull back the curtain on long COVID in kids -- Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD -- Scienmag
Long Covid DOES exist in kids...and they suffer 'problems with almost every organ,' study finds -- Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD -- The Daily Mail
Reducing Heart Disease Disparities in South Asian Communities -- South Asian Total Health Initiative (SATHI) -- Health Econ Bot
Learning about revitalization with a quick NJ Transit ride to New Brunswick -- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School -- The Trentonian
Lobectomy Doesn't Raise Reoperation Rates in Thyroid Cancer -- Marin Kheng, MD, MPH -- PhaMed and Medscape
Alzheimer's Disease: Promising Advances Give Patients and Families Hope -- William Hu, MD, PhD -- Neurology Live
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Do you have an item you would like us to share in an upcoming issue of Weekly View? An award notice, research news, or great story about your department or colleagues? Or perhaps you have some photos of an event or everyday life around the medical school to feature? Email us with your ideas at rwjmscpa@rwjms.rutgers.edu. We'd love to hear from you!
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