The Master’s Commencement ceremony at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SInai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of the close to 200 students of the 2026 class who excelled across a wide range of scholarly efforts.
A total of 182 graduates earned degrees across eight programs: Master of Science in Biomedical Science, Master of Public Health, Master of Heath Administration, Master of Science in Clinical Research, Master of Science in Epidemiology, Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science and AI, Master of Science in Biostatistics, and Master of Science in Genetic Counseling.
From Left: Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD; student speaker Nitika Kamath, MSBS; and Marta Filizola, PhD
Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Mount Sinai Health System, greeted the students, faculty, friends, and families in attendance, and congratulated the graduates on their achievements.
“Technology can accelerate discovery, but it cannot replace human judgment, imagination, or empathy,” he said. “Progress depends on smart, committed, knowledgeable people generating novel solutions. With your education and training at Mount Sinai, with your skills, passion, and drive, you are exceptionally prepared to meet the challenge…Rely not only on your technical education, but also on the growth, resilience, adaptability, and perseverance that brought you to this point. The path to greatness rarely begins with certainty. It begins with curiosity, eagerness, and a deep desire to contribute toward the greater good.”
Marta Filizola, PhD, Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Sharon & Frederick A. Klingenstein/Nathan G. Kase, MD Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, recounted the many specific achievements of this class and said: “The graduates of 2026 are ready to make their impact on science and medicine, to drive innovative research, realize the potential of AI in medicine, advance the delivery of health care, effectively advocate for patients, eliminate health disparities, and make hospitals and health systems more efficient and cost-effective. We are very proud of all you have achieved at Mount Sinai, and we look forward to seeing the mark you will make on our world.”
Claire Pomeroy, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation, was presented with an honorary doctor of science degree for her vision and action in making a positive, meaningful, and lasting impact on health by accelerating support for medical research.
Dr. Pomeroy talked about a challenging childhood being raised in a home “full of abuse and fear,” and an uncertain life. Still, she said: “I was lucky. I had foster parents who took care of me and teachers who believed in me. But I saw a lot of other foster kids who were not so lucky; kids who society was willing to ‘throw away’; kids who saw no future and therefore gave up hope.
Claire Pomeroy, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation
“This formed my core values of caring for the vulnerable and fighting for social justice—and those core values have been my moral compass and have guided all that I have done since.”
She told the graduates: “Embrace your core values and understand what gives meaning to your life, so that you can define the best way for you to give meaning to other people’s lives.”
Student speaker Nitika Kamath, MSBS, asked her classmates to reflect on their shared experiences. “Every failed experiment. Every technical setback. Every difficult exam. Every critique we received. Every single moment has forged us into individuals stronger than who we were. They refined our thinking, strengthened our resolve, and prepared us for uncertainties we have yet to encounter.”
She added: “Thank you for supporting one another. Thank you for believing in one another. Lastly, thank you for helping shape one another into the people we are today.”