The annual Dubin Breast Center Fact vs. Fiction symposium provides a forum for Mount Sinai’s nationally recognized physician-researchers to share the latest breakthroughs in breast cancer care and to answer questions related to cutting-edge topics in adolescent and women’s health.
More than 160 guests attended the event on Monday, May 22, raising more than $180,000 in support of the Center. Held at the Harmonie Club in New York, the event was the most attended ever and sold out for the first time.
Leading the event were Mount Sinai Health System Trustee Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, who founded the Center, which is part of The Tisch Cancer Institute, and Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Center.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Port emphasized the Center’s continued commitment to providing the most advanced treatment options to all patients.
“The Dubin Breast Center has become a destination in breast cancer care, not only in the city, but in the country and the world. We’re getting patients coming from all over, knowing that the care we deliver is exceptional,” she said. “It’s important to note that what really distinguishes our Center is that we don’t treat patients with breast cancer. We treat people, and we treat people regardless of the ability to pay—that’s always been part of our mission.”
Panelists from left: Amy Tiersten, MD; Christina Weltz, MD; Gylynthia E. Trotman, MD, MPH; Laurie Margolies, MD, FSBI, FACR; and Jeffrey Mechanick, MD.
Dr. Port served as moderator for the discussion with a panel of Mount Sinai experts, which included Amy Tiersten, MD; Christina Weltz, MD; Gylynthia E. Trotman, MD, MPH; Laurie Margolies, MD, FSBI, FACR; and Jeffrey Mechanick, MD. Watch the recording of the event here.
Dr. Tiersten, a renowned medical oncologist, addressed the challenges faced by women of child-bearing years with breast cancer. She pointed to exciting results of a recent clinical trial that studied 500 women aged 42 and under with Stage 1-3 breast cancer, who had been taking certain cancer-fighting medications for 18 to 30 months; these women paused their drug regimen for two years while they attempted to conceive, carry a pregnancy, and breastfeed. About 75 percent of the women in the trial had at least one pregnancy during that time, with no negative effects on their babies. Importantly, the study also found that none of the women appeared to have a higher risk of breast cancer recurrence.
That information was life-changing for Suzanne Foote, a Dubin Breast Center patient who shared her inspirational story at the event. She began regular screenings in her 20s, after learning that she has an inherited PALB2 gene mutation that carries an increased risk for developing the disease. Her mother died from breast cancer when she was only 43. Suzanne Foote was diagnosed in 2019, less than a year after marrying her husband, Mark.
“It was a tremendous shock,” she said, “which reverberated further when we realized cancer would be a hurdle in our quest to start a family.”
Thankfully, her cancer was caught early. Even so, she had a bilateral mastectomy to reduce the chance of the disease returning. Drs. Port and Tiersten also recommended that she undergo in vitro fertilization since some treatments for breast cancer, such as certain types of chemotherapy, can cause infertility. Later on, after consulting with Dr. Tiersten, she decided to take a break from therapy to get pregnant. Her twins, Peter and Josephine, were born at Mount Sinai in September of 2022.
“I was lucky to spend time with the amazing doctors at the Dubin Center. As a result of the time that they spent, here I am, enjoying the best time of my life,” she said. “JoJo and Pete are turning eight months, and I’m still healthy and cancer free.”
The Dubin Breast Center was created in 2011 to provide comprehensive, personalized care for every aspect of breast health, from prevention of disease through survivorship. It offers a full range of services—including the most advanced diagnostics and leading-edge treatments—in one convenient, state-of-the-art location. The Center is also unique for its emphasis on holistic therapies, such as massage, yoga, and meditation, which can promote healing and improve one’s overall well-being.
From left to right, Peter Palese, PhD, Horace W. Goldsmith Professor of Medicine; Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, Mount Sinai Professor in Cancer Immunology; Özlem Türeci, MD, Chief Medical Officer of BioNTech; Uğur Şahin, MD, Chief Executive Officer of BioNTech; Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
One of the great tools that helped turn the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic was the use of vaccines, which prevented millions of deaths and hospitalizations in the U.S. and around the world. Key vaccines were those based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which provide information for the molecules that teach the cells in the body to generate proteins used by viruses or cancers, allowing the body’s immune system to recognize and fight off future infections or transformed cancer cells.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai honored the efforts of executives of German biotechnology firm BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to develop and make available one of the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines in the country, during its 54th Commencement on Thursday, May 11. Uğur Şahin, MD, Chief Executive Officer of BioNTech, and Özlem Türeci, MD, its Chief Medical Officer, received honorary Doctor of Science degrees.
Research into mRNA technology for vaccines goes back to the 1990s, and has grown in leaps and bounds since, said Dr. Türeci in a guest lecture hosted by the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, held separately from the Commencement.
The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for the technology to be adapted at a large scale, and the momentum gained and lessons learned was only the starting point to pave the way for greater heights for the development of mRNA vaccines, she said.
In this Q&A, Drs. Şahin and Türeci spoke about what the future of mRNA vaccines could look like.
After two years of COVID-19 vaccines:
An estimated 18 million hospitalizations were prevented
More than 3 million deaths were avoided Source: New York City-based foundation The Commonwealth Fund
Percentage vaccinated in United States by manufacturer:
Pfizer/BioNTech: 60%
Moderna: 37%
Johnson & Johnson: 3% Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What are some active areas of research in which mRNA technology is being worked on?
Dr. Şahin: There are investigational cancer vaccines in which mRNA technology is being used to deliver instructions to generate antibodies or cytokines. This technology can theoretically be used to deliver any bioactive molecule.
Our focus at the moment is the development of cancer vaccines, and one special application of cancer vaccines we’re working on is the so-called “personalized cancer vaccines.” mRNA technology is particularly well suited to deliver a vaccine that consists of mutations of the tumor identified from the patient.
Dr. Türeci presenting to members of the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute.
What is it about mRNA technology that makes it so well suited for cancer vaccines?
Dr. Türeci: We have been interested in cancer vaccines all along, and tried different technologies, and mRNA is the delivery technology that comes with its own edge. Its immunogenicity is very versatile and its transience has the potential to lead to a favorable safety profile. These characteristics are the reasons why we chose mRNA to deliver cancer antigens.
Any solid cancer could be appropriate for application. We have ongoing clinical trials in melanoma, head-and-neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.
Beyond cancer vaccines, we believe any bioactive cancer immunotherapy that is based on protein could be delivered by mRNA.
What about non-cancer diseases? Is mRNA technology suitable there?
Dr. Türeci: There are other areas, such as infectious diseases, in which mRNA could have an advantage. As long as you have the right protein structure to stimulate an immune response, you can theoretically also use mRNA here.
There are clinical trials in infectious diseases: COVID-19, for example, but also malaria or shingles.
What are some current limitations of mRNA technology? And how are researchers working to overcome those?
Dr. Türeci: We are very far advanced in the delivery component of the technology, and these advancements have made COVID-19 vaccines, as well as cancer vaccines in clinical testing, feasible. However, if you want to target specific organs, you need specialized, targeted delivery technologies.
For example, if you want to address something in the brain, you need a delivery technology that brings the mRNA into the brain. There may be monogenetic diseases in which the sample protein is deficient in the organ, and so limits how the mRNA can be expressed there.
So the lipid nanoparticle used to contain the COVID-19 vaccine, for example, might not be applicable for any other organs?
Dr. Türeci: This delivery technology was specifically designed and developed to deliver mRNA to the lymphatic system. If the mRNA needs to be delivered to different organs, it required new formulation.
When the public first became aware of mRNA technology through COVID-19 vaccines, there was skepticism. Do you envision similar skepticism as new mRNA vaccines roll out, and if so, how can we dispel such skepticism?
Dr. Türeci: Skepticism can only be addressed by transparent communication, through the disclosure of data, and proper education. I think there is a zeitgeist of skepticism. That skepticism isn’t necessarily specific to mRNA technology. But once they start to understand the mechanisms behind the technology, and the rationale of why we’re working on it, we can start to dispel it.
Do you foresee mRNA technology to grow exponentially into the future?
Dr. Şahin: Yes, mRNA vaccines could be really big, but it will happen slowly. It will take a few more years, but we are starting to see really promising candidates using this technology.
Following a successful drive to get New Yorkers vaccinated against mpox—previously known as monkeypox—last summer, mpox cases in New York City waned just as quickly as they had spiked. The city declared an end to its outbreak in February this year.
However, an uptick of mpox cases in Chicago in May has health experts and officials concerned about a possible return of outbreaks nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert in May, informing clinicians and public health agencies about the new clusters and calling on them to raise awareness about treatment, vaccination, and testing.
Between April 17 and May 5, 12 confirmed and one probable case of mpox were reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health. Nine (69 percent) of 13 cases were among men who had received two vaccine doses, and all cases were among symptomatic men. None of the patients was hospitalized.
The virus is most commonly spread through direct contact with a rash or sores of someone who has it. It can also be spread through contact with clothing, bedding, and other items used by someone with mpox.
Symptoms usually start in 3 to 17 days, and can last two to four weeks. Common symptoms include rash or sores that look like blisters—on the face, hands, feet, or inside the mouth, genitals, or anus. Flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes, or headaches are common too.
In this Q&A, Erick Eiting, MD, MPH, Medical Director for the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and for the Urgent Care Center at Mount Sinai-Union Square, discusses what people can do to protect themselves from mpox and the importance of being fully vaccinated.
What is mpox and should I be worried about it?
Mpox is an orthopox virus (a genus that includes smallpox and cowpox). In spring and summer of 2022, we saw a pretty large number of infections here in New York City, across the country, and even across the globe.
Because of a widespread vaccine campaign, we’re now seeing far fewer infections than we had been seeing in the summer of last year. However, we’ve recently seen a small increase in the number of infections in New York City.
Should I be concerned about it now?
We recently saw a fair number of cases—in fact, there were 13 recent cases in Chicago over a relatively short period of time. And even though the number of infections that we’ve seen across the country has been relatively low, this number has been an increase from what we’re used to seeing.
And that’s really causing us to pay more attention to what’s going on and to make sure that we’re being vigilant in case those numbers continue to rise.
Fast facts about mpox
3,821
Cumulative mpox cases in New York City in 2022
70
Number of daily cases at the peak of mpox outbreak
20
Number of cases in New York City from February to May 2023
45%
Percentage of fully vaccinated at-risk individuals in New York City
Top Three Most Vaccinated Regions
California (306,000 doses)
New York City (153,000 doses)
Florida (94,000 doses)
What can I do to prevent it?
The first, and probably most important, is to make sure that if you are concerned about mpox—if you believe you may have risk factors—you really need to get fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means that you received two doses of the JYNNEOS® vaccine, at least four weeks apart.
Two weeks after you’ve received that second dose of the vaccine, you are considered to be fully vaccinated. So if you’re not fully vaccinated, that is probably one of the most important steps that you can take to prevent getting mpox.
The next part is making sure that you’re having conversations with people like sexual partners. Anybody who may have symptoms at the time could potentially pose a risk for infection, and it’s important to have those conversations.
We don’t consider mpox to be a sexually transmitted disease, but we do know that it comes from close physical contact. So having those conversations is really important, and even asking sexual partners about their vaccination status is also an important step.
The third thing is, if you’re concerned that you may have symptoms that are consistent with an mpox infection—and that could be a rash, which is often very painful, as well as fever, body aches, and chills—then it’s really important that you seek medical care as soon as possible. Some studies have shown that that the vaccine can be helpful in preventing mpox infection even after you’ve been exposed. Or that it can make the infection less severe.
If I have only taken one dose of the vaccine and have not completed the series, do I only need to take one more dose? Or do I have to go through the whole series again?
Anybody who’s received one dose already of the JYNNEOS® vaccine only needs one additional dose. You want to make sure that at least four weeks have passed since you’ve got the first dose. You need to get that second dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine in order to be fully vaccinated.
If I had taken both doses last year, should I consider taking another dose?
At this time there is no recommendation for getting a “booster” shot for the JYNNEOS® vaccine, and possibly there may not even be any additional benefit. So at this time we’re not recommending any further doses: two doses are fully sufficient, and if you’ve gotten both of those doses, you’re considered to be fully vaccinated.
Am I adequately protected if I complete my vaccine series now? Am I still protected if I had completed my series last year?
Yes, you will absolutely be protected. You have to keep in mind that no vaccine is perfect; no vaccine will prevent 100 percent of infections. But this is about the best protection that you could potentially have. So if you’ve already gotten those two doses, and two weeks or longer have passed since then, you are fully protected.
Can I stay home if I have symptoms? Who should be seeking treatment?
If you are presenting with symptoms, you should absolutely be seeking treatment. One of the most important steps is getting tested and making sure that we’re confirming the diagnosis of mpox. One of the beneficial parts about this disease is that very few people will go on to have very severe symptoms.
It’s only a very small number of people who have died. The people who are most at risk are people who have some kind of advanced weakened immune system, people who are pregnant, and children.
It’s not uncommon for people to put off seeking medical care. The process can be stressful, especially if you feel your health care provider doesn’t really understand you and your special concerns. That can be even more true for some patients, such as those in the LGBTQ+ community.
In this Q&A, Barbara Warren, PsyD, Senior Director for LGBT Programs and Policies, explains how to find a provider with specific experience in LGBTQ+ health issues, how that can help alleviate stress and improve health outcomes, and details Mount Sinai’s approach to offering compassionate care. Dr. Warren, who leads Mount Sinai’s implementation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse (LGB/TGD) culturally and clinically competent health care, is also an Assistant Professor of Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
What are some of the biggest health challenges for the LGBTQ community?
One of the biggest challenges for LGB/TGD consumers is finding a provider and finding a health system that is both LGB/TGD clinically and culturally competent, and being able to go anywhere in that system, to any provider, to any setting, and feel safe, to feel that you are being treated both effectively and with compassion. This is something that we have taken lots of strides to make possible throughout the Mount Sinai Health System.
Why is it important to find a provider who has experience with LGB/TGD health issues? What can they offer?
One of the things that LGB and TGD patients should look for is a provider who understands their needs. Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse isn’t a health problem in itself. But many LGB/TGD people have health issues that are related to something we call “minority stress.” Minority stress is any kind of stress that people can undergo that affects us both psychologically and physiologically—when we either have experienced or anticipate experiencing discrimination, bullying, or even violence. This is something that many people in the LGB/TGD community live with. Even if they themselves have had not had personal experiences, they know that there is a possibility of discrimination, and of misunderstanding by health care providers. This can create anxiety. When sustained over time, this anxiety can create health problems, not just psychological or health behavior issues.
“It is more important than ever that for those looking for an LGB/TGD affirming and knowledgeable health care provider, the provider understands that these stressors can affect an LGB/TGD patient’s experience of illness and recovery and work with that patient to understand and mitigate those effects,” says Barbara Warren, PsyD.
Can You Give an Example?
Sometimes if we are experiencing many stressors, we may overeat, or drink more alcoholic beverages, or not get enough rest or sleep. Increased and sustained anxiety in response to stressors can interfere with decision-making, memory, and effective functioning. Sustained stressors create a physiological response that leads to increased levels of cortisol in our bodies. Cortisol is known as the body’s stress hormone. It governs key body functions but too much cortisol can lead to a number of health problems, for example increased cardiovascular risk. It is important to note that stressors may be personal or interpersonal in our lives in terms of our current life circumstances like the loss of a loved one, or loss of a job or housing.
Recent threats to LGB/TGD safety and equity across many states in the form of legislation to deny gender-affirming care, banning books and public education inclusive of both racial and LGB/TGD history and representation, banning drag or any other behaviors that don’t conform to rigid and outdated binary gender stereotypes, have all been recent sources of what we are calling “minority stressors.” They have had the effect of increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality, especially among LGB/TGD young people. So it is more important than ever that for those looking for an LGB/TGD affirming and knowledgeable health care provider, the provider understands that these stressors can affect an LGB/TGD patient’s experience of illness and recovery and work with that patient to understand and mitigate those effects.
How do you find a provider who has this experience?
At the Mount Sinai Health System, we have a number of ways. First we have web pages that give you information and resources, including our LGBT web page. There are a number of other organizations that can help, including the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. You can email us at LGBTinfo@mountsinai.org, and we will answer your email and make a direct referral to providers around the Mount Sinai Health System that have special expertise.
In addition, we have a number of programs and a number of practitioners specializing in certain aspects of LGBT health. For example, our Institute for Advanced Medicine, which started as our HIV/AIDS program to serve the large gay and bisexual population, specializes in some of the health care issues that are facing LGB/TGD people. There are five locations throughout the city. Our Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery is a national model for services to support undergoing a gender transition and TGD affirmative primary care. We take LGB/TGD health very seriously at Mount Sinai and offer ongoing training for all of our providers, our front-line workers—everybody from our security guards to our surgeons to create a safe and welcoming environment for our LGB/TGD patients, families, visitors, and employees.
At the 54th Commencement of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, held at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center on Thursday, May 11, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, President of Mount Sinai Heart and Physician-in-Chief of The Mount Sinai Hospital, had the honor of bestowing wisdom upon a new cohort of physicians and researchers.
“I have the awesome responsibility of providing you with wise and inspiring words, but with the comfort that you might not retain them for more than 24 hours,” began Dr. Fuster with a chuckle. But beyond the humor, Dr. Fuster called on graduates and all present in the hall to reflect on the concept of progress, especially in medicine.
What Does It Mean to Progress?
Society has moved through time, but we can’t take progress for granted, said Dr. Fuster.
At present, and sadly not new in the history of humanity, the concept of progress appears to be challenged, he said. One, by an ongoing abandonment of traditional ethical and moral values, and two, by radical groups threatening one of the most basic principles of human dignity, which is the right to live.
New perspectives of progress can only be advanced by youth with innovative training, and the graduating class at Icahn Mount Sinai represents a group key to that goal, Dr. Fuster noted.
Challenges to Progress
Scientific innovations have forged ahead at a rapid pace, and have created gaps—between digital and cognitive creativity, and between treating disease and preventing it.
In the first category, Dr. Fuster spoke of acceptable uses of recent technologies, such as the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT, for preparing research manuscripts. However, the definition of acceptable uses should be questioned by the younger generation, he said. “Young people—you—are generally those with the highest exposure to digital technologies, and as such you are uniquely equipped for positive decision-making.”
Furthermore, while advanced technologies have become part of daily lives, clinicians need to realize that the digitization of body data can only be useful to the well-being of the patient when integrated thoroughly with a complete clinical and social history and physical examination—a reality that is being diluted in medical educational systems that are mainly focused on digital technology, Dr. Fuster said.
In the latter category, there remains a gap in thinking about where the line between treatment and prevention should lie. Experts have agreed on the importance of prevention, not just treatment, but there remain questions about when medical practitioners should intervene, Dr. Fuster said, exhorting the young graduates to continue contributing toward prevention efforts.
Contributing to Progress
Being an active participant toward progress can be fulfilling, but the journey will be fraught, said Dr. Fuster. There are three principles that can help during dark moments, he noted.
Resilience is key, as the road to personal fulfillment is long and often marked by frustration. Mentorship is next, as people often spend excessive energy pursuing ambitions before they are ready and tutors can help discover talent. The last is to give back to society, as generosity and empathy are always the basis of happiness.
Finally, Dr. Fuster called on the graduates to live in the moment. “In this special and unique day, please stop your clock and celebrate your achievement,” he said. “And turn the clock back to give thanks to all of those who helped you on this journey, in a sense, to make you ready to engage in progress.”
The honor of delivering the Commencement address is reserved for individuals who have made a big impact in the health and sciences field. Dr. Fuster has a long and illustrious career as a physician and researcher, and in recognition of his achievements, he was conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree at the 54th Commencement. Here’s a look at his storied career over the decades:
1974-1982
Professorships, including in Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases, and Pediatrics, at Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota
1982-1991
Arthur M. and Hilda A. Master Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
1991-1994
Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston
1994
Dean for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
1994-1997
Arthur M. and Hilda A. Master Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
1997-present
Richard Gorlin, MD/Heart Research Foundation Professor of Cardiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
2002-present
Director, the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health, The Mount Sinai Hospital
2006-2022
Founding Director, Mount Sinai Heart
2007-2009
Scientific Director, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
2009-present
General Director, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
2011-present
Physician-in-Chief, The Mount Sinai Hospital
2023-present
President, Mount Sinai Heart
Through work with Mount Sinai Heart, Dr. Fuster has also led initiatives and programs that have had a global impact.
Hypertension management in rural Kenya: Using a multidisciplinary approach to address the challenge of linking and retaining hypertensive individuals to a hypertension-management program, community health workers use a behavioral communication strategy and smartphone-based tools to reduce blood pressure and manage their health.
Sesame Street education project: In 2006, Dr. Fuster joined as an advisor for Sesame Workshop’s Healthy Habits for Life initiative, launched in 2005 to promote healthy lifestyles and diet among young children. In 2012, he collaborated on Sesame Workshop’s Global Health Initiative, and helped create a mini-series Barrio Sésamo:Monstruos Supersanos, or Super Healthy Monsters, which aired on Spain’s co-production of Sesame Street. Segments have since been incorporated into local versions of Sesame Street in Colombia, Germany, Netherlands, United States, and other countries.
Did you know: Dr. Fuster has a Muppet, named Dr. Valentin Ruster, modeled after him? The Muppet doctor is featured in Super Healthy Monsters, and he teaches fellow Muppets about the heart, and even hosts a game show about balanced diets with Cookie Monster as a contestant.
Polypill initiative: Mount Sinai Heart launched a program to combine aspirin, a statin, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor into one pill to prevent heart disease. The program was not only launched in the United States, but made available to developing nations, with accompanying studies to determine whether the polypill is effective in reducing cardiovascular disease and improves adherence and accessibility to health care.
Cardiovascular disease prevention in children worldwide project: Dr. Fuster is pursuing a project that helps children acquire a healthy lifestyle and sustain it long-term through early education and intervention, preventing cardiovascular and other diseases later on in life. This project, presently reaching about 50,000 children worldwide, is rooted in the understanding that given greater brain plasticity in early years of life, what is learned and experienced in those ages will be enduring.
“Tonight, we celebrate Mount Sinai’s ability to provide the highest-quality health care, educate the next generation of great clinicians and researchers, and generate scientific breakthroughs that advance the capabilities of modern medicine,” Dennis S. Charney, MD, said in his opening remarks.
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mount Sinai Health System Crystal Party tent was up and abuzz in Central Park’s Conservatory Garden. Beneath its rainbow big top, nearly 800 physicians, faculty, staff, trustees, supporters, and friends of the Mount Sinai Health System collected to celebrate the past year’s research and health care advances, achieved under extraordinary conditions. The event, held Thursday, May 4, raised $3 million in support of the Health System.
The 38th annual celebration kicked off with remarks from Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Tonight, we celebrate Mount Sinai’s ability to provide the highest-quality health care, educate the next generation of great clinicians and researchers, and generate scientific breakthroughs that advance the capabilities of modern medicine,” he said.
Dr. Charney made a special effort to highlight some of Mount Sinai’s proudest, current research achievements.
“Our scientists have begun human clinical trials of a diabetes drug they discovered that has the potential to be transformative,” he said. “A drug that can regenerate the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. This could be nothing less than a cure for type 2 diabetes. In recent months, Mount Sinai researchers have also identified an immune cell that helps kill bladder cancer tumors, identified genes strongly linked to autism, and conducted an unprecedented analysis of immune cells in the brain that appear to play a key role in the genetic risk and development of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Turning his attention to the leading patient care enabled by the generosity of Mount Sinai’s donors, Dr. Charney said, “Today, Mount Sinai is serving more patients, with more advanced services than ever before, as we’ve significantly expanded our ambulatory footprint across the five boroughs and Long Island. After performing the world’s first human tracheal transplant, Mount Sinai established the Institute for Airway Sciences to advance new therapies for patients with diseases of the trachea, lung, and sinuses.”
Looking to the future, he shared news of a number of capital improvement projects under consideration, to further enhance patient care.
“The next phase of the expansion and modernization of the Saul Family Emergency Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital will be finished in July. It will include a new acute care zone, an observation unit, and a separate Geriatrics Emergency Department to complement our new Children’s Emergency Department,” he said. “Early next year, we will open new offices at Mount Sinai West for the Bonnie and Tom Strauss Movement Disorders Center and the Nash Family Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics. And our next great project—the Tisch Cancer Hospital—will begin construction next month.”
Dr. Charney thanked the donors in the audience for their partnership and closed by saying, “It is no exaggeration to say that the return on your investment can be measured in diseases cured and lives saved.”
As these moving stories of patient successes came to a close, Richard A. Friedman, Co-Chair of Mount Sinai Health System Boards of Trustees, came to the podium.
“Mount Sinai’s work over the past three years in our hospitals, clinics, classrooms, and labs has burnished their reputation as one of the truly great academic medical centers, not only in this country but in the world,” Richard A. Friedman, Co-Chair of Mount Sinai Health System Boards of Trustees, said in his concluding remarks.
“Three years ago,” he observed, “you would not have found a single soul in this beautiful garden in this area. New York City was in lockdown and the only tents in Central Park were those of Samaritans First, where our doctors were caring for COVID-19 patients for whom there were no hospital beds. That was a moment of crisis when Mount Sinai was busy saving thousands of lives. Tonight, years later, it’s finally time to toast all that the Mount Sinai Health System does for our community and for humanity through the advancement of biomedicine.”
As he concluded, reminding everyone in attendance of the importance of their philanthropy to saving lives, Mr. Friedman stated, “Mount Sinai’s work over the past three years in our hospitals, clinics, classrooms, and labs has burnished their reputation as one of the truly great academic medical centers, not only in this country but in the world. So, my tribute is to all the doctors, the faculty, the researchers, and everyone at Mount Sinai.”
It’s not uncommon for people to put off seeking medical care. The process can be stressful, especially if you feel your health care provider doesn’t really understand you and your special concerns. That can be even more true for some patients, such as those in the LGBTQ+ community.
