Updated on Apr 24, 2026 | AIGH, Featured
Biraj Man Karmacharya, MBBS, PhD, MS, left, and Ram KM Shrestha, MD, review scientific posters at Research Day.
Dhulikhel Hospital in Dhulikhel, Nepal, recently hosted the first AMPATH Nepal Research Day, coming alive with ideas, energy, and a shared sense of purpose.
Supported by AMPATH Nepal and held in collaboration with Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences and the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the day was a celebration of research, partnerships, and people. The theme, “Innovation Through Collaboration,” was not merely a slogan; it was the lived experience of everyone involved.
Archana Shrestha, PhD, MPH, Co-Director of AMPATH Nepal, first had the vision of establishing Dhulikhel Hospital’s own Research Day for clinicians, researchers, students, and partners to share knowledge and inspire one another.
More than 200 participants attended AMPATH Nepal’s first Research Day.
Watching that vision turn into reality was incredibly rewarding. The response exceeded our expectations, with 38 oral presentations, 62 poster presentations, and 263 participants gathered under one roof. The audience included researchers, clinicians, medical residents, students, and dignitaries from Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, the Arnhold Institute, and AMPATH Nepal, reflecting the strength of our national and international partnerships.
As the Project Coordinator, this journey was deeply meaningful to me. From organizing and coordinating the event to hosting sessions, keeping time, troubleshooting behind the scenes, and even performing on stage in a dance with fellow researchers, every role reminded me that successful events, like successful research, are built through collective effort. Months of hard work culminated in a day filled with learning, teamwork, joy, and growth.
Members of the Arnhold Institute’s AMPATH Nepal team celebrate the start of Research Day.
The journey began three months before Research Day, with planning that was both ambitious and meticulous.
To manage the scale of the event, we formed 20 committees, each entrusted with specific responsibilities that together ensured the seamless execution of the day. Every detail mattered, from participant registration and scientific session alignment to logistics, documentation, cultural performances, and live streaming. What stood out most was how harmoniously these teams worked, communicating across roles and stepping in for one another whenever needed. That collaboration was innovation in its truest form.
Celebrating collaboration and connection as core elements of impactful research
The opening ceremony set the tone beautifully. As we began with a lamp lighting and the Nepali national anthem, the atmosphere was filled with pride and anticipation. Along with my co-host, Sagar Adhikari, MDS, BDS, I had the honor of welcoming our esteemed guests and participants. Dr. Archana Shrestha’s opening remarks reminded us that progress happens when ideas, institutions, and individuals come together with a shared purpose. Speakers Ram KM Shrestha, MD, founder and Executive Director of Dhulikhel Hospital; Dr. Biraj Man Karmacharya, MBBS, PhD, MS, Administrative Director of Dhulikhel Hospital; and AMPATH Nepal Director Rose House, MD, further highlighted the importance of collaboration in strengthening research and health systems in Nepal.
The Department of Community Programs perform a cultural dance, emphasizing the importance of human connection in research
The keynote sessions truly embodied the theme of innovation through collaboration. Namita Ghimire, PhD, Chief of Ethical Review and Monitoring and Evaluation from the Nepal Health Research Council, offered invaluable insights into ethical governance, national and international research collaboration, and the evolving research landscape in Nepal. Her reflections emphasized that innovation must always be grounded in ethics and accountability.
Tim Mercer, MD, MPH, Director of AMPATH México/MAPAS, shared compelling experiences from his work, illustrating how partnerships across borders and communities can transform health systems. His discussion on community engagement, mental health integration, and addressing non-communicable diseases reinforced the idea that sustainable innovation grows out of collaboration with the people we aim to serve.
Beyond scientific rigor, the day also celebrated culture and connection. The welcome dance performed by the Dhulikhel Hospital Department of Community Programs was a joyful reminder that creativity and innovation flourish together when people unite. Moments like these added warmth and humanity to Research Day, reminding us that collaboration extends beyond academia into shared experiences and collective pride.
The takeaway: Meaningful research ecosystems are not built by individuals alone
As a project coordinator, the responsibilities were many and often demanding, but they were balanced by the incredible support of the entire team. Every challenge was met with cooperation, every success shared collectively.
This Research Day reinforced my belief that meaningful research ecosystems are not built by individuals alone, but by teams that trust one another and work toward a shared vision. I am deeply grateful for everyone who came together to achieve this milestone for AMPATH Nepal.
As we look ahead to our second Research Day in 2026, I hope this inaugural event continues to inspire stronger partnerships, ethical and impactful research, and a future where shared knowledge leads to shared progress.
Prapti Giri, BDS, MPH, is the Program Coordinator for AMPATH Nepal.
Updated on Apr 29, 2026 | Featured, Your Health
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be a highly destabilizing diagnosis to receive, leading a person to question their identity, yearn for explanations, and reorient their worldview.
“We have this belief in our society that we are in control of our lives. Unfortunately, MS really rips that away,” says Jordyn Anderson, PsyD, a neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Jordyn Anderson, PsyD
Psychotherapy can help patients move through the diagnosis acceptance process and provide guidance in navigating a life filled with uncertainties in dealing with this chronic disease, and, ultimately, living a meaningful life.
Dr. Anderson is the sole clinical psychologist at Mount Sinai’s Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, where she is developing interventions for people living with MS.
People living with MS face a number of challenges that may lead them to consult with a licensed psychologist, beginning with how to incorporate their diagnosis into their sense of self, along with how to manage anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and optimizing health behaviors such as physical activity, smoking, and diet.
“Anxiety and tolerating the uncertainty that MS presents in your life, not only from a ‘what’s going to happen’ perspective, but also with navigating the medical system, is very hard,” she says. “You are dropped into a world where insurance might determine your safety, where bureaucracy might be getting in the way of whether or not you are able to receive medication.”
A clinical psychologist specializing in MS can ease the stressors associated with adjusting to the reality of living with the disease. Dr. Anderson works with patients on magnifying their internal locus of control, focusing on what they can do to help themselves while accepting this reality.
“I focus a lot on acceptance,” she says. “A patient may never be thrilled with an MS diagnosis, but accepting this reality as part of one’s life, figuring out how to live with it rather than in defiance, can be freeing.”
Grief can be a prominent factor in people’s symptoms. “Grief is not just about death,” Dr. Anderson says. “Grief is about the loss of anything. You might be grieving your sense of self as a particular label. Or maybe you are grieving your future in some way, your beliefs for what you had in store for yourself.”
Framing it as a grief process that develops and changes with time can be a way to understand the diverse array of emotions that people face. In helping people adjust mentally to dealing with their MS, and thinking of how to get through certain lifestyle situations directly affected by the disease, a grieving process can be a significant part of acceptance.
Dr. Anderson came to Mount Sinai in 2020 on a two-year clinical neuropsychology fellowship in the MS Center’s neurocognitive clinic headed by James Sumowski, PhD, who focuses on identifying and treating cognitive deficits in people living with MS. In 2022, she became the Center’s first full-time psychologist providing therapy and behavioral health interventions for patients.
The waitlist for appointments indicates the demand and need for this kind of consultative service. In 2025, she began a psychology externship, employing graduate level students to help provide interventions in order to expand the clinical reach. Patients are usually referred to her by their neurologist, or through the MS Center’s Wellness Program, which offers guidance on prioritizing diet, exercise, and sleep that can help MS patients live healthier lives.
Another common issue for individuals with MS is insomnia. “There are a myriad of reasons insomnia is happening. Is there some sort of stressor that’s in the way?” says Dr. Anderson. She works with patients in identifying sources of sleep disruption, optimizing sleep hygiene, and developing relaxation strategies. Additionally, CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Theory for Insomnia), a treatment targeting difficulties with initiating and maintaining sleep, is sometimes recommended and can be transformative in restructuring sleep routines.
Dr. Anderson specialized in MS by chance. “I always wanted to do health, neuro, and rehab, and I was lucky to get the fellowship at the MS Center,” she recalls. “I absolutely loved it. I felt like I was able to focus and become an expert in something,”
She is inspired by working in a field of neurology and psychology imbued with optimism. “It’s an amazingly hopeful time for MS. The fact is that we have these really effective medications that they are consistently researching and we are, hopefully, finding new ones,” she says.
Dr. Anderson is also drawn to “the diversity of patients,” including the broad variety of symptoms among patients, their backgrounds, and their personal stressors that come together to create very individualized experiences of the disease.
“Every single person’s challenges are valid. I feel like I am always learning so much from my patients,” she says. “I am constantly challenged and have to flex different skills. I think I’m here for good.”
By Kenneth Bandler, a multiple sclerosis patient, advocate, and member of The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Board
