Feinstein hosts Elmezzi graduation

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The 2013 Commencement Exercises for the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine and the Academic Convocation for the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine were held May 23 at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Each year during this event, the Elmezzi Graduate School awards an honorary degree to an outstanding physician who has advanced biomedical research and improved medical treatment for patients. 

This year, Frederick W. Alt, from Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, was recognized for his work in cancer and immunology.

During the commencement exercises for the Elmezzi Graduate School, students who have completed their dissertation studies are granted the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Molecular Medicine. 

The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine is a PhD program for physicians who wish to pursue careers in biomedical education. During their training, Elmezzi students conduct research in Feinstein Institute laboratories to advance biomedical knowledge and to pursue new therapeutic approaches and diagnostic tools. This year, three graduate students received their degrees:

· Eitan Giat, MD, for his work in lupus. His thesis is entitled “The Inhibition of the Interferon Signature by the Dweus Peptide through Inactivation of HMGB1”

· Ben Lu, MD, for his work in inflammation. His thesis is entitled “The Regulation of HMGB1 Release”

· Sergio I. Valdes-Ferrer, MD, for his work in sepsis. His thesis is entitled “HMGB1 is a Key Mediator of Sustained Inflammation in Sepsis Survivors”

 

The academic convocation for the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine acknowledged all current professorships and presented the new School of Medicine professors. Those who received honorary professorships include:

· Veronica M. Catanese, MD, MBA, vice dean/dean for Academic Affairs of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, received the Dr. Leo A. Guthart Endowed Chair

· Betty Diamond, MD, head of the Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases at the Feinstein Institute, received the Maureen and Ralph Nappi Professor of Autoimmune Diseases at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

· Samuel Packer, MD, professor of Ophthalmology at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, received the Florence and Robert Kaufman Professor of Medical Ethics

· Charles Schleien, MD, professor of Pediatrics at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, received the Philip Lanzkowsky, MD Professor of Pediatrics

 

In addition, Alt was presented with an honorary degree – Candidate for Degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa. Alt is the Charles A. Janeway Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, a professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and an investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital. Throughout his career, Alt has studied cellular mechanisms that generate and suppress genome instability associated with cancer and the mechanisms employed by the immune system to generate diverse antibody repertoires. His current work continues to focus on areas where the fields of cancer biology and immunology intersect.

The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, located in Manhasset, is part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System and in partnership with The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. 

The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine was established in 1994 and is a PhD program for physicians who wish to pursue careers in biomedical research. The program is an individually tailored program with a strong emphasis on translational research. For more information, visit www.ElmezziGraduateSchool.org.

Headquartered in Manhasset, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in many areas including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 5th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information visit www.FeinsteinInstitute.org

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