Why did you choose 可乐视频 the first time around?

My friend was a student at 可乐视频 and highly recommended it to me. The two of us were sitting at work toward the end of the day, and he said he received something from 可乐视频 asking him to invite friends to enroll. I looked at him and I said, 鈥淟et’s go.鈥� We went to the Admissions Office, and they were very helpful. I emigrated from Uzbekistan with my mother and sisters and had been in this country for less than a year. Admissions told me I could take the entrance exam in two days with a high school diploma from my home country. I took the test and two days later I got the result鈥擨 passed. I remember it was my birthday and it was the best birthday gift ever, getting admitted to 可乐视频.

So you earned two degrees here, in political science and philosophy and law. What made you come back 20 years later?

When I graduated in 2005, I knew I wanted a career where I could make a real impact and improve people鈥檚 lives. I was one of the first recipients of the Magner Career Stipend, and with that I landed a prestigious internship at Human Rights Watch where I was subsequently offered a research consultancy. After graduating, I founded Eldorado Global Trading Group, a women-owned wholesale beauty company. After some time, I realized that I wanted to become a doctor; this is how I would make an impact. The choice of schools for pre-med was immediate: 可乐视频.

You鈥檝e received some help from the college.

And that has helped me move forward and stay on track for a medical career. This past January, I shadowed orthopedic and plastic surgeons in Pune, Nashik, and Raipur, India, during surgical camps thanks to a Tow Undergraduate International Research Stipend. I observed reconstructive and orthopedic interventions in underserved patient populations, among other things. Then Zicklin Scholars Degree Completion Program Award has helped me to accelerate my degree coursework over the summer.

How has 可乐视频 changed you as a person?

Coming to the United States from Uzbekistan, I knew that adjusting to life in a new country would be one of my biggest challenges. 可乐视频 quickly became a community that welcomed me, supported me, and helped me grow into a more confident, resilient, and open-minded person.

How is 可乐视频 transforming your career path today?

As a premed student, I鈥檝e built a strong academic foundation while also developing the skills needed to thrive in the professional world. I聽continue cancer research in Dr. Murat Cevher鈥檚 lab, and this past spring, I completed a fully funded NYU Langone EMT training program. A summer internship at the 可乐视频 Cancer Center gave me valuable research experience and prepared me to apply my knowledge in real-world settings. The internship was supported by award from the Gray Foundation.

If you had to convince another student to go to college here, what would you say?

Word of mouth is the best recommendation, and I think that we, as students, are the best spokespersons for the college. I would say that you will get the support you need, and the faculty members here are caring and highly supportive. The relationships that I have formed here with professors have lasted 20 years鈥擨’m still in touch with professors from my first undergraduate years.

Do you have any advice for your fellow students?

Get involved鈥攋oin a lab, a club, or a service project. For instance, I鈥檓 an Undergraduate Student Government senator and a member of the college鈥檚 Policy Council. The relationships you build will change your trajectory. Dream big, work hard鈥攁nd as the actor Audrey Hepburn said, 鈥淣othing is impossible鈥攖he word itself says, 鈥業鈥檓 possible.鈥欌��

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Shapiro majored in biology at 可乐视频 while also pursuing her passion for fine art, specifically painting. She was named the Alumna of the Year by the 可乐视频 Alumni Association in 2017 and received a Distinguished Alumni Award at commencement in 1983. She also received an honorary doctorate from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2025.

Shapiro鈥檚 generosity has made possible 可乐视频鈥檚 Biology Seminar Series, a vital resource that exposes students to the latest discoveries in their fields and the broader world of scientific inquiry. As a former speaker and ongoing supporter聽of the series, her commitment has enabled the department to broaden its network of distinguished speakers and mentors, extending well beyond New York City.

Currently a faculty member at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Shapiro has made seminal contributions to understanding how bacteria coordinate their genetic logic in time and space to produce distinct daughter cells. Her groundbreaking work has provided critical insights into cellular organization, gene regulation, and developmental biology.

鈥淧rofessor Lucy Shapiro鈥檚 career exemplifies the brilliance of聽artistic and scientific聽exploration, dedication, and leadership,鈥� said Dr. Peter Tolias, the Dean of 可乐视频鈥檚 School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. 鈥淎s a proud 可乐视频 alumna, her achievements inspire our students and community to pursue excellence and make meaningful contributions to an evolving world.鈥�

Beyond her scientific discoveries, Shapiro is celebrated for founding Stanford鈥檚 Department of Developmental Biology, where she fostered innovation and mentorship for generations of scientists. Her exemplary leadership extends to national and international arenas, shaping policy and advancing biomedical research.

The Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award is among the most esteemed honors in medical science, recognizing individuals whose careers have had a profound impact on science and society. Shapiro鈥檚 recognition reflects decades of groundbreaking research, mentorship, and leadership in biomedical science.

Other celebrated researchers who started their academic careers at 可乐视频 include:

• Stanley Cohen, ’43 who won both the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1986 and the Lasker Basic Medical Research Award in 1986.
• Seymour Benzer ’42, who received the Lasker Award in 1971.

For more information about Shapiro鈥檚 accomplishments and time at 可乐视频, see from Stanford University.

The post Dr. Lucy Shapiro 鈥�62 Honored with 2025 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award appeared first on 可乐视频.

When describing her path to becoming a molecular and cellular biologist, Chafen Lu speaks about the pivotal moment when she first encountered Biology Professor Peter Lipke in summer 1987. Lipke was a visiting professor at the university in China where Lu worked as a biochemistry instructor. Lipke鈥檚 lectures focused on molecular biology鈥擫u was his interpreter.

鈥淚 was fascinated,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e talked about recombinant DNA and the application of the technology surrounding it. It was pretty new in China.鈥�

Two years later, Lu was in the United States, working in Lipke鈥檚 lab. He became her mentor and adviser as she earned her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology at CUNY鈥檚 Graduate School.

Lu credits her experiences working with Lipke鈥攚ho recently retired鈥攁s laying the foundation for her career, which includes the development of groundbreaking treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and malaria, among other notable accomplishments. To honor him on his retirement, Lu has established the Peter and Anne Lipke Professorship in Biology at 可乐视频. The goal of the gift is to support research and help the Biology Department continue recruiting top faculty.

鈥淧eter is an inspiration for me, both in my personal and scientific journey,鈥� says Lu. 鈥淏ut more importantly, he is dedicated to mentoring, educating, and increasing campus diversity,鈥� which includes his career-long efforts to increase the number of minority students in his laboratory and biology and the sciences in general.

鈥淲hat could be better than establishing a professorship in his honor, to keep his legacy and values of teaching students and promoting equity and diversity for generations to come,鈥� she adds.

From Rural China to the Big City

Chafen Lu

Chafen Lu鈥檚 story begins in a rural village in China during the Cultural Revolution, when the country鈥檚 goal was to remove any vestiges of capitalist and traditional cultural elements from Chinese society. Like other children at that time, at a young age Lu helped her family, working in the fields and taking care of her younger siblings. Despite the limited educational resources in the local schools (鈥渨e had a sort-of locked cabinet that served as the school library鈥�), Lu excelled academically. When China restored college entrance exams in 1979, she was one of the few from her village to pass and attend university.

鈥淔irst in my family and first in my village for many years,鈥� says Lu.

She wanted to study biology, so she majored in forest protection and then earned her master鈥檚 degree in plant pathology at an agricultural school in northern China. Lu had been thinking about studying in the United States鈥攕ome fellow graduate students had already done so. After the Lipke lectures, she was ready to pursue her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology.

鈥淧eter鈥檚 an amazing mentor,鈥� says Lu. He helped her with the application process to CUNY Graduate School and even met her at the airport. 鈥淗e encouraged independence and critical thinking. We鈥檇 have lab meetings that were always stimulating. He always made himself available whenever I had questions or wanted to share exciting research results,鈥� she adds.

An Outstanding Career

Lu鈥檚 work with Lipke鈥攐n a cell adhesion protein called alpha-agglutinin鈥攚as fundamental to her postdoctoral training and during her career at Millennium Pharmaceuticals leading drug discovery and development teams. A family of cell adhesion molecules called integrins were a key part of the therapeutic antibodies that Lu helped develop for a drug鈥擡ntyvio鈥攖hat has become a preferred treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gratifying to see something you worked on turn out to be a treatment that can heal and save lives,鈥� says Lu.

She joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School, where she trained students in molecular biology and supervised research assistants and postdoctoral fellows. She continued her research, working on multiple projects and publishing prolifically. One project stands out for Lu鈥攖he malaria vaccine design project. 鈥淭he disease is still a global health issue,鈥� she says, 鈥減articularly in Africa and subtropical regions.鈥� Her work is contributing to a more efficacious malaria vaccine.

Just as she was inspired and mentored by Peter Lipke, Lu would like to see her gift of the professorship do the same for 可乐视频.

鈥淚 hope it helps the Biology Department to recruit diverse, talented faculty who will, in turn, prepare students for successful careers in science- and health-related fields.鈥�

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On a snowy Christmas Eve in 1985, Dr. Michael Weitzman 鈥�68 visited a four-year-old patient on a pediatric hospital ward. The child had been on a respiratory ventilator and hospitalized his entire life. Weitzman had brought him a gift: a copy of Good Night Moon. The doctor watched a tear slide down the boy鈥檚 cheek.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong?鈥� he asked.

鈥淚鈥檝e never seen the moon,鈥� his patient responded.

The child had never been outside because Medicaid, at the time, did not provide insurance coverage for children with complex medical conditions like his outside of a hospital setting.

Despite the head nurse鈥檚 concerns, Weitzman and the child鈥檚 mother took his patient to the hospital parking lot, where he saw the moon for the first time.

鈥淚 told the head nurse that it would be great if hospital security called the police,鈥� says Weitzman. 鈥淚t鈥檇 be great if the head of general pediatrics and the director of Maternal and Child Health of the City of Boston got arrested for showing a child the moon鈥攚hat an effective strategy it would be for changing the hearts and minds of folks and influencing public policy.鈥�

No police were called or arrests made that night, but Weitzman鈥檚 actions led to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services waiving federal Medicaid regulations. His actions contributed to changes nationwide that ultimately allowed children on respirators and with many other complex medical conditions to go home rather than spend their lives in hospitals.

That evening was one of many times Weitzman, in a career spanning half a century, bucked tradition and innovated to improve the health and well-being of children. He would go on to hold positions of leadership at three medical schools (Boston University, the University of Rochester, and the New York University Grossman School of Medicine) as a professor of pediatrics, psychiatry, environmental health, and global public health; hold faculty positions at four schools of public health (Harvard, Boston University, NYU, and SUNY Albany); publish more than 250 scientific research papers; and serve as a scientific adviser to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Justice.

Surrounded by Love

Born shortly after the end of World War II and raised in working-class Brooklyn, Weitzman grew up in a close-knit home in a diverse immigrant neighborhood that included several Holocaust survivors. His mother was the youngest of five sisters, the only one of her siblings born in the United States, and for whom English was a first language. His father was a taxi driver, and his uncles were butchers, dry cleaners, and cabbies. He was the first on either side of the family to go to college.

His family鈥攚ho saw America as the country that had saved them all鈥攕urrounded him with love. He remembers caring for his blind aunt, Ruthie, bringing her dinner and fetching groceries. Trips to the library for her ignited his early interest in music and literature.

Bob Dylan, a Beard, and Early Days

In high school, Weitzman found a lifetime muse in Bob Dylan after hearing 鈥淏lowin鈥� in the Wind鈥� on the beach in nearby Coney Island. He already had a keen interest in biology and developed a deep interest in Freud, psychology, and social justice issues. He enrolled in 可乐视频 with the idea that he would go into medicine and devote himself to a career in social psychiatry.

This was the mid-1960s鈥攖he height of the war on poverty, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women鈥檚 Movement, and the war in Vietnam. There was unrest and protest on campuses countrywide, and Weitzman remembers many hours spent heatedly debating issues of racial justice and student activism on the Quad. He grew a beard鈥攁 bold statement for a young man in 1964. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in biology, he took his muse, his beard, and ideas of social psychiatry to SUNY Upstate Medical University.

鈥淢y beard, consciously or unconsciously, said that while I might be there to learn a set of skills as a doctor, I didn鈥檛 fit the model of a typical medical student,鈥� says Weitzman. Initially, his interests (and his beard) were not warmly embraced.

鈥淚 was discouraged from thinking about psychiatry as a means of benefiting or shaping the greater society. It was to be seen exclusively as a clinical specialty,鈥� he says.

Disillusioned, he turned his attention elsewhere and took an elective with Dr. George (Sandy) Lamb, an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. Lamb noticed his student鈥檚 natural rapport with children when he saw him playing with a young patient. 鈥淵ou love children, and children love you,鈥� Lamb said and urged him to consider a career in pediatrics, a field he had not even thought of pursuing.

Around the same time, Weitzman found another source of lifelong inspiration and guidance at Upstate in Dr. Julius (Julie) Richmond, the then chair of pediatrics. Richmond had formerly served as undersecretary of health under President Lyndon Johnson, and he was the cofounder of the Head Start Program, the free early-education program for low-income children from birth to age five years.

Richmond believed that if pediatricians better understood and focused their efforts on the social determinants of children鈥檚 health and development by working with professionals outside of the medical field and immunized as many children as they could, it would not only have a profound impact, but it would be the most important and fulfilling work they could ever do as physicians.

Weitzman would soon have a chance to take up Richmond鈥檚 call to action.

It’s Showtime, Kid

At Upstate, the new chair of pediatrics, Dr. Frank Oksi, became another inspiration and mentor. On Weitzman鈥檚 third day as an intern, Oski approached him and said, 鈥淎 lot of people think that you are the real thing. Do you want to find out if you are? It鈥檚 showtime, kid.鈥�

It had recently been discovered that large numbers of children鈥攎ostly of color鈥攚ho had been exposed to lead in paint, primarily in old housing in impoverished neighborhoods, were becoming ill, sometimes going blind or deaf or even dying. The federal government began to fund local childhood lead-poisoning programs at this time.

Working with social workers, developmental psychologists, schools, and clinical laboratories, the pediatric intern helped create the first lead-poisoning treatment program in New York State. Oski had turned him on to the importance of research and writing.

Throughout his career, Weitzman鈥檚 leadership led to treatment programs and guidelines, and a lifetime of research, child advocacy, and consultation with the CDC and the EPA on lead exposure. His work influenced home investigations, lead-paint abatements, and lead dust standards set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Holding Big Tobacco Accountable

After his education and training in Syracuse, Weitzman moved to Boston, first to the Harvard School of Public Health and Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital, then to Boston University and Boston City Hospital. In 1988, he found his next cause.

As the director of general pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine, Weitzman noticed a large number of children from Black communities being hospitalized with asthma. Working with others at Boston University and Harvard, he found two things that are now common knowledge. One was that there are great disparities in asthma, with Black children having it more often than White children. The other was that exposure to prenatal tobacco smoke or childhood secondhand smoke was a major factor in causing asthma and countless other harmful effects. Tobacco smoke, Americans learned, was not just a problem for adults.

Weitzman鈥檚 findings contributed to the landmark federal racketeering case against Big Tobacco in 2005 in which he testified as an expert witness on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. This case ultimately played a critical role in tobacco companies being held accountable for smoking-related illnesses involving children.

Breaking Ground

Weitzman broke ground with one of the first studies on paternal depression鈥檚 impact on children. While maternal depression had been widely studied, paternal depression had been overlooked. His research revealed that in households where the father was depressed, more than a quarter of those children had mental health problems, and that mothers were far more likely to be depressed as well.

Surprisingly, 鈥淚t turned out that in a home where people smoked, the chances of both maternal and paternal depression were higher. Smokers and nonsmokers alike were far more likely to be depressed,鈥� says Weitzman.

His findings also linked tobacco exposure to increased instances of tooth decay, metabolic syndrome, and a rise in hearing loss among young people. As cigarette smoking has declined in the recent past, hookah (waterpipe) smoking and e-cigarette vaping have become epidemic, and Weitzman turned his attention to the harmful effects of hookah smoke and e-cigarette vape exposure on air quality in hookah bars and homes and multiple aspects of children鈥檚 health.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Dr. Michael Weitzman 鈥�68 at his home in Manhattan.

Through his passionate commitment to understanding these connections, Weitzman has played a vital role in shaping public awareness and interventions aimed at protecting future generations. In 2005, Weitzman became the first recipient of the U.S. EPA Child Environmental Advocate Award, and in 2017, he was awarded the John Howland Award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Pediatric Society. He has also won numerous other awards for mentoring, research, and child advocacy activities.

鈥淚鈥檝e gotten a lot of credit for the work I do, deservedly or not. But I鈥檝e done nothing without my family鈥攎y family of origin who gave me my jump-start, and my wife, who has picked me up countless times when I鈥檝e come home bloodied and disappointed.鈥�

Along with his family, Weitzman invokes the names of the men he calls giants of their generation who were critical to his success: Lamb, Oksi, Richmond, and Dr. Robert Haggerty, who was chair of Maternal and Child Health at the Harvard School of Public Health when he was a student there.

He also credits his roots as the child of immigrants.

鈥淭he hunger for achievement and creativity that fuels success in this country comes from the kids of people who have risked their lives and have, like my parents, worked around the clock so that their kids could be part of this American Dream,鈥� says Weitzman. 鈥淭o me, the American Dream is to do whatever turns you on as long as you can survive doing it. The dream is even far better if it contributes to better lives of others鈥�

Still, he also points out that nothing he accomplished would have been possible without the students he taught and learned from. 鈥淭hey have been and continue to be my greatest inspiration, and perhaps my greatest contribution to the future.鈥�

And to today鈥檚 students looking for their purpose, he says, 鈥淭ell my story to the students that I once was one of them. And it all started at 可乐视频. Well, it probably started with Aunt Ruthie, but 可乐视频 launched me.鈥�

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She has conducted research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Rockefeller University, the American Museum of Natural History, and the University of Montreal. That work has included collecting dragonflies in New Zealand, studying the genetic components of aphids and wasps, investigating cardiac regeneration in zebra fish, and working on therapeutics for Down syndrome and ALS.

So, she was a natural selection for one of the most prestigious national scholarships for undergraduates in the STEM fields. Last week, she was named a Goldwater Scholar鈥攐ne of five CUNY students this year and only the fourth 可乐视频 student to earn the award that was established by Congress and aims to identify the nation鈥檚 next generation of elite scientific researchers. The scholarship gives awardees up to $7,500 per academic year to cover tuition, books, fees, and room and board.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty cool recognition of the passion I鈥檝e put into my research,鈥� says Ramchand of the award, administered by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 validating that the work I have been doing is meaningful. It feels like a coming of age for me.鈥�

Ramchand immigrated to Brooklyn from Guyana with her family when she was 11 years old. The former middle school valedictorian started down her scientific path in high school, when she began taking courses at the American Museum of Natural History. There, she did her first dissections and spent time with researchers who connected her to another program that paired her with a mentor.

鈥淭hat mentor really showed me what鈥檚 possible,鈥� she says, noting that she got to present a poster project on her work looking into genetic components to the selectivity of parasitoid wasps that feed on aphids. 鈥淚t was my first real chance to work on something long term and just jumping into a project in that way. It felt great.鈥�

A scientist was born.

鈥淔rom those earliest experiences with research, I was learning how exciting it was to explore uncharted territory and to work on something where everything you learn is a big deal with the potential to help the entire scientific community,鈥� she says.

By the time she applied to 可乐视频 as a Macaulay Honors student, she was determined to dive into serious research at an institution that would accommodate both her scientific drive and her need for financial assistance.

鈥淚t was the most amazing thing not to have to worry about how to afford college,鈥� she says of getting into the Macaulay Honors College, which gives students full tuition, access to mentors, and enhanced advisement. 鈥淚t solved so many concerns I had because I knew I would get a great quality education here.鈥�

After working her freshman year at the American Museum of Natural History and in a lab at Baruch College (CUNY), she signed on during her sophomore year to do epigenetic research with Associate Professor Marianna Torrente of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.

She also became a Tow Undergraduate/Graduate International Research Stipend recipient, which took her to New Zealand over a winter intersession, and a U-RISE scholar, which gave her funds to go to a conference. She spent a summer as a Fulbright Canada鈥揗itacs Globalink fellow at the University of Montreal. Earlier this academic year, she began an observership program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she shadowed doctors during their rounds.

She says that often she has seen herself in her mentors, most of them women who ran their own labs and had incredible relationships with their staff. She has paid that forward by sharing her own passion with the next generation as a mentor with the New York Academy of Sciences, where she worked with fifth graders.

鈥淓xposing them to things they might not see in class and helping them to be curious about the world, showing them what a path might look like, has been amazing,鈥� she says.

After graduation, she plans on taking a gap year to research and to travel before heading to an M.D.-Ph.D. program, and then on to a career where she hopes to bridge scientific discovery and clinical care.

鈥淚鈥檝e been really thinking about my place in the world,鈥� she says. 鈥淎ll of my experiences that have culminated in this award have helped me grow, become more confident, and own the path I鈥檓 on.鈥�

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Made possible through a gift from Professor Lipke鈥檚 former student Chafen Lu鈥攁 former assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School鈥攖he professorship honors Lipke鈥檚 legacy as a biology professor, which began at the college in 2006.

Instrumental in the growth of the college鈥檚 School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences through his service as a faculty member and department chair, which included mentoring countless students and faculty, Lipke began his CUNY teaching career at Hunter College in 1978 before coming to 可乐视频, a tenure spanning close to 50 years. Throughout his career, Anne counseled, tutored, and fed students. She served as lab manager before and after her career as a NYC public school teacher. They co-taught at 可乐视频.

(From left) Timothy Springer (Chafen Lu鈥檚 husband), Chafen Lu, Peter Lipke, and Anne Lipke.

Lipke was particularly passionate about teaching and mentoring diverse students who might not otherwise be exposed to biological science. This led to him being awarded the prestigious American Society for Microbiology (ASM) William A. Hinton Award for Advancement of a Diverse Community of Microbiologists in 2018.

鈥淭hrough the generosity of Chafen Lu, the Peter and Anne Lipke Professorship in Biology will celebrate the legacy of one of 可乐视频鈥檚 most distinguished and accomplished science faculty members while continuing to offer our diverse students a strong foundation in biological sciences,鈥� said President Michelle J. Anderson. 鈥淥n behalf of the college, I would like to thank Chafen, Peter, and his wife and partner, Anne, for their incredible contributions to the lives of our students.鈥�

鈥淭his is an incredible honor for Anne and me.聽It is so much more special because it includes the generosity of a former student. We hope it will inspire students and faculty to sustain the great research, mentoring, and teaching in the sciences at 可乐视频,鈥� Lipke said.

Lipke retired from 可乐视频 in Spring 2024 and was instrumental in the lives of countless students, including Lu. Lu earned her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from the CUNY Graduate School, where Lipke was her thesis adviser. Her mentor and professor also co-authored her first seven research papers, including her published Ph.D. work.

An accomplished researcher, Lu did postdoctoral work at Harvard and then worked at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, where she led the multidisciplinary drug discovery and development teams before joining the Harvard Medical School pediatrics faculty. Lu is named as the inventor on 24 current or pending patents and serves on the Marine Biological Laboratory Council, an advisory body of the Marine Biological Laboratory.

Lu credits Lipke for introducing her to molecular biology while she was a student in China and later for encouraging her to move to New York City and enroll in the CUNY system.

鈥淧eter is an inspiration for me, both in my personal journey and scientific journey,鈥� Lu said. 鈥淏ut more importantly, Peter is dedicated to mentoring, education, teaching, and campus diversity. What could be better than establishing a professorship to honor him, to keep his legacy and values of teaching students and promoting equity and diversity for generations to come? I hope this gift will advance the scientific community at 可乐视频 and support its undergraduate students, faculty, and research interns.鈥�

A special event, 鈥淪cience and Stories: A Symposium and Retirement Celebration in Honor of Peter Lipke,鈥� was held at 可乐视频 on Nov. 22, 2024, to celebrate Lipke鈥檚 exceptional career. The symposium brought together scientists, storytellers, friends, and family to honor the Lipkes鈥� contributions to science and education.

Most recently named a Distinguished Lecturer by the ASM for 2024鈥�26, Peter Lipke is a world-renowned microbiologist who specialized in the study of fungi鈥攕pecifically how protein amyloids affect adhesion of the fungi, the host response to colonization by fungi, and whether amyloid-targeted drugs can be developed as antifungals. He has authored 119 papers and several patent applications, and he was also elected to the American Academy of Microbiology and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Lipke earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of California-Berkley.

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The Brooklyn native wasn鈥檛 thinking of public health when he entered 可乐视频. He was going to be a medical doctor. But once he dug into his pre-med studies, which required much rote memorization, he realized he wanted to do something more hands-on and practical. Joseph picked up the course bulletin and came across the health science concentration. Then he added epidemiology to his coursework and was fascinated with the disease-detective work linking an outcome to a specific health exposure.

A research internship at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn (today SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University) led him to epidemiology when he completed a study examining patterns of delay in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer among Afro-Caribbean women in Brooklyn.

鈥淢y epidemiology professor, Gerald Oppenheimer [now emeritus], nominated me for that,鈥� he says, eager to give credit. He does so often, making it clear that none of his accomplishments were done without support. 鈥淪o many folks poured their time, effort, and expertise into my education. My Guyanese parents didn鈥檛 play when it came to me going to college. I had no choice; I was going, and they supported me in that,鈥� Joseph says, chuckling. And there were his mentors.

鈥淐raig Bell at 可乐视频 was the first black professor I ever had. He motivated and inspired me,鈥� says Joseph. 鈥淗e was so excited when I was accepted to Yale. He took me out to dinner to celebrate. He is the one who showed me that representation matters.鈥�

After graduating with a B.S. in health science from 可乐视频, Joseph earned a master鈥檚 degree in public health at Yale University, and his Ph.D. in epidemiologic science at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. In 2004, he was back at SUNY Downstate, this time as a faculty member. Still connected to 可乐视频, Joseph became instrumental in attracting the school鈥檚 BA-MD undergraduates to Downstate. Every year he gave them exciting lectures on public health and epidemiology, which resulted in a few pursuing the dual MD-MPH degree at Downstate. A recipient聽 of the 可乐视频 Alumni Association’s 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award, Joseph remains engaged with the college through his work with the Magner Career Center delivering on-campus lectures.

Throughout his academic and professional career, Joseph could not help but notice that he was one of the very few people of color working at the intersection of epidemiology and public health. 鈥淭here are so many underserved communities where the folks look like me and need significant public health assistance,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 essential for us to build up the next generation of public health professionals, including those of color.鈥�

To this end, Joseph has taught introductory biostatistics in several pathway programs that steer high school and undergraduate students from historically excluded and socially disadvantaged backgrounds into the field of public health. He has done so now for two decades.

“It鈥檚 always rewarding when you teach someone who, at first, doesn鈥檛 know what public health is all about,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd then, years down the road, they鈥檙e in a school of public health, getting a master鈥檚 degree, or they鈥檙e in the workforce in some kind of public health-related area of employment. . .鈥� Joseph pauses, and the look of satisfaction on his face grows serious. 鈥淭here was a big moment in public health when it came to epidemiology during the pandemic,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o many Black people and other communities of color were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. [At Columbia] we saw a surge in applications from students of color who lost family members and who wanted to dedicate themselves to studying infectious diseases and public health.鈥�

Joseph鈥檚 role as an educator has not been confined to teaching only those at home who are new to public health, but also those who have been on the frontlines of healthcare abroad. He had returned to Brooklyn from Michigan and was settling back into life in his hometown and a postdoctoral fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine when he received an email. It was an offer to teach in Zimbabwe. The university there was looking to develop a master鈥檚 program in epidemiology.

His answer was an enthusiastic yes.

The plan was to teach short courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, research methods, and statistical computing. His students were full-on medical professionals, some working for the Ministry of Health. 鈥淭alk about anxiety and imposter syndrome!鈥� says Joseph, who had just finished his doctoral degree. He was successful, and this opened the door for other international teaching trips in places like South Africa, Estonia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan.

鈥淚nternational public health capacity development is something that I’m very fond of, and I am grateful that I have had opportunities to travel abroad and do that,” he says. “Throughout my travels, I have learned there鈥檚 a great need and desire internationally to strengthen and deepen epidemiology and biostatistics training for public health professionals interested in conducting research.鈥�

More recently, and closer to home, Joseph has turned his attention to his neighborhood and the Black community there that is being devastated by HIV and AIDS, particularly among heterosexual men. 鈥淵es, it鈥檚 still happening today, believe it or not,鈥� he says.

While at Downstate, Joseph and colleagues partnered with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, which has a long-standing history of success in designing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs in non-traditional venues. 鈥淭hey go into churches, beauty parlors, tattoo parlors, and barber shops with really impactful health education campaigns,鈥� says Joseph, who helped create a program called Barbershop Talk with Brothers. 鈥淲e鈥檙e meeting people where they are.鈥� Then he adds, 鈥淵ou know, my side hustle to get me through college and graduate school was to work as a barber.鈥�

It has been two years since Joseph joined Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Today, when he looks back on the many successes of his career, one thing is certain. 鈥淭here鈥檚 one thing I do want to say, and I hope it makes it into the article. Nothing that I accomplished鈥斺�� He pauses again to choose his words carefully. 鈥淟et鈥檚 put it this way, I wouldn’t be successful had it not been for 可乐视频.鈥�

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The paper, 鈥�,鈥� argues that a comprehensive understanding of M. kansasii聽biology is critical to facilitate the development of new and more efficacious antimicrobial drugs against聽M. kansasii聽infections.

鈥淒rug resistance emergence is a threat to the control of聽M. kansasii聽infections, which already requires long-term multidrug courses,鈥� Quadri said. 鈥淚n this work, we used a genome-wide approach to uncover the genes聽M. kansasii聽requires for growth. We also compared the gene essentiality dataset of聽M. kansasii聽to those of several other mycobacteria. This analysis highlighted key similarities and differences in the biology of聽M. kansasii聽compared to these other species. Altogether, the findings of our gene essentiality analysis and the results of the cross-species comparative genomics analysis represent valuable resources to assist the process of identifying and prioritizing potential聽M. kansasii聽drug target candidates and to guide future studies on聽惭办听biology.鈥�

Quadri鈥檚 laboratory work focuses on the study of the biology of mycobacterial pathogens.聽聽Before joining 可乐视频 in January 2010, Quadri held faculty and head of laboratory/principal investigator positions at Weill Medical College of Cornell University for 10 years.聽聽Before his tenure at Weill Medical College, Quadri received postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and earned a Ph.D. degree at the University of Alberta, Canada.

The post Luis Quadri Publishes Research on Pathogen That Causes Tuberculosis-Like Pulmonary Disease appeared first on 可乐视频.

Publications

Perelmuter, J.T. (Ph.D.), Hom, K.N. (Ph.D.), Mohr, R.A., Demis, L. (UG), Kim, S.D. (UG), Chernenko, A. (UG), Timothy, M., Middleton, M., Sisneros, J.A., Forlano, P.M. 2021. “Testosterone treatment mimics seasonal downregulation of dopamine innervation in the auditory system of female midshipman fish.”聽Integrative and Comparative Biology. 61:269鈥�282. doi: 10.1093/icb/icab0702.

Chagnaud, B.P., Perelmuter, J.T. (Ph.D.), Forlano, P.M., and Bass, A.H. 2021. “Gap junction-mediated glycinergic inhibition ensures precise temporal patterning in vocal behavior.”聽eLife. 10:e59390. doi:10.7554/eLife.59390.

Ghahramani, Z.N. (Ph.D.), Perelmuter, J.T. (Ph.D.), Varughese, J. (UG), Kyaw, P. (UG), Palmer, W.C., Sisneros, J.A., and Forlano, P.M. 2022. “Activation of noradrenergic locus coeruleus and social behavior network nuclei varies with duration of male midshipman advertisement calls.”聽Behavioural Brain Research. 423:113745. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113745.

Conferences

Perelmuter, J.T. (Ph.D.), Sisneros, J.A., and Forlano, P.M. 2021. “Dopamine seasonally modulates adaptive sensitivity of the inner ear for reproductive communication in a vocal fish.” Invited speaker for Symposium: Sending and Receiving Signals: Endocrine Modulation of Social Communication, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Virtual.

Perelmuter, J.T. (Ph.D.), Ali, H.(UG), Zerner, C. (HS), Izraelov, Y. (UG), Etouni, A. (UG), and Forlano, P.M. 2022. “Seasonal synaptic changes in the inner ear and auditory efferent system of a vocal fish.” Association for Research in Otolaryngology MidWinter Meeting, Virtual.

Forlano, P.M. 2022. “Dopaminergic auditory efferents: a role for enhanced detection of social acoustic signals at the level of the inner ear.” Invited speaker, Auditory Systems Gordon Research Conference, Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Hom, K.N. (Ph.D.), Hornbacher, R. (UG), Arshad, A. (UG), Lawrence, A. (UG), and Forlano, P.M. 2022. “Anthropogenic ship noise alters dopamine synthesis in the auditory efferent system of Opsanus tau (Oyster toadfish). Conference on Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life, Berlin.

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