Research | Mount Sinai Today

New Curriculum for the Master of Science in Biomedical Science Program Provides More Options for Students

Updated on Nov 19, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence, Featured, Research, School

Jose Silva, PhD, left, Program Director, Master of Science in Biomedical Science, and Professor, Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, and Oncological Sciences, shown in his lab.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, part of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has announced a new curriculum structure for its Master of Science in Biomedical Science (MSBS) program.

The MSBS program, started in 2005, features the multidisciplinary research education available at the school, a commitment to translating fundamental biomedical research into disease prevention and novel therapies, and a dedication to preparing students to contribute to the biomedical enterprise in the non-profit or for-profit sectors.

The program prepares students for a range of health-related advanced degree programs and careers, whether focused on medicine, such as the MD program; research, such as the PhD and MD-PhD programs; or manager-level employment in the clinical and industrial sectors. Eligible students should have a degree in science or a related discipline from an accredited college or university.

“For 20 years, our MSBS program has successfully prepared our students for future success in advance degree programs. Nonetheless, we recognized that a changing job environment required us to provide students with more options, and the new program structure does just that,” says Eric Sobie, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Master’s in Basic Science Programs.

The program has been restructured to address the changing educational landscape. The new MSBS program offers four distinct tracks that target different types of students and provide greater flexibility for how students can complete the program. The total minimum credits has been reduced from 45 to 36 credits over two to four semesters.

Students will choose their track based on their career goals and stage of life:

Track 1: Post-Baccalaureate Pre-doctoral (pre-PhD or pre-MD-PhD): This full-time, four-semester track requires students to complete a master’s thesis based on original laboratory research and features a staggered block schedule to facilitate focused study. Students will learn the fundamentals of biomedical sciences while engaging in hands-on research in the laboratories of their chosen Principal Investigators.
Track 2: Post-Baccalaureate Pre-medical (pre-MD): This full-time, three-semester track also follows a block schedule structure. Students graduate with a capstone project and a final comprehensive examination. This track allows students interested in applying to MD programs to better prepare for the MCAT exam by offering a lighter course load during the spring semester. Students also benefit from non-curricular experiences available at The Mount Sinai Hospital, such as clinical shadowing.
Track 3: Industry/Clinical/Professional Development: This flexible track, available in three or four semesters, combines a block schedule alongside a capstone project. It caters to individuals working in the clinical, educational, or private sector who aim to enhance their skills and advance their careers into higher-ranked, better-paid positions.
Track 4: Accelerated Industry/Clinical/Professional Development: This faster-paced version of Track 3 consists of two full-time semesters with a block schedule, a capstone project and a final comprehensive examination. It is designed for individuals seeking to enhance their skills within a condensed time frame.

“Our new curriculum retains our unique hands-on training while offering more options and flexible tracks to support your career goals. Whether you’re interested in research, healthcare, or industry, and whether you’re a recent graduate or a professional looking to advance, we’re committed to helping you gain the knowledge and experience needed to take your career to the next level,” says Jose Silva, PhD, MSBS Program Director and Professor, Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, and Oncological Sciences.

These tracks will continue to leverage the multidisciplinary training areas available at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai through the PhD programs in Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, and the recent joint PhD program in Health Sciences in Engineering with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This structure allows students to earn a specific concentration or specialization notation on their transcripts by completing a minimum of six credits in concentration-related elective courses, in addition to the required courses and a thesis or capstone project in concentration-related fields.

Students can choose from nine specialty areas to tailor their studies, including:

Cancer Biology
Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics
Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cells
Immunology
Genetics and Genomics
Microbiology
Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Medicine
Health Sciences in Engineering

Visit our website or contact us to learn more about this program and find out which track aligns with your schedule and career goals.

Research Suggests Link Between COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Increasing Uncertainty in Routine Vaccines for Young Children

Updated on Jan 31, 2025 | Featured, Research

Eric G. Zhou, PhD

Young children of parents who declined the COVID-19 vaccine were about 25 percent less likely to receive vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), according to the results of a new study. Historic political and socioeconomic disparities remain important predictors of MMR vaccine hesitancy, but the pandemic appears to have further increased MMR skepticism, researchers said.

“Our research highlights the link between parental characteristics and MMR vaccine uptake, showing how pandemic-related hesitancy may affect other routine vaccines,” said Eric G. Zhou, PhD, Instructor, Pediatrics, Cardiology, and Population Health Science and Policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a lead author of the study. “Addressing these disparities, through equitable access and fostering trust and transparency in vaccine safety, is key to protecting children from preventable diseases like measles.”

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study from July 2023 to April 2024 using a digital health survey to examine national population characteristics.

They analyzed responses from more than 19,000 parents of children younger than 5 years old to examine the association between self-reported parental characteristics (i.e., sociodemographics, politics, COVID-19 vaccination status) and children’s MMR vaccination rates, using logistic regression. The study was published January 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.

Children of parents who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine had higher MMR vaccination rates (80.8 percent) than did children of unvaccinated parents (60.9 percent). The researchers found higher MMR vaccination rates in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States.

“In the United States, we are experiencing a concerning resurgence of childhood vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Ben Rader, PhD, of Boston Children’s Hospital, the study’s corresponding author. “Our research suggests that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has fueled increasing MMR vaccine hesitancy, leaving children more vulnerable to highly contagious and life-threatening illnesses like measles.”

Clinical Research Unit Is a “Hidden Gem” Supporting Mount Sinai Investigators and Patients

Updated on Jan 28, 2025 | Featured, Research

From left: Betty Chen, FNP; Rachelle Mallare, RN; Margaret Garrett, FNP; Christian Malatesta, FNP; Berenissis Valenzuela, MA; Karmiely Morillo, Patient Coordinator

The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) is a valued resource hub for researchers at Mount Sinai—providing everything from exam rooms, to research space and specimen storage, to compassionate nursing support, and help with administrative and procedural tasks.

Manisha Balwani, MD, MS, Chief of the Division of Genetics and Genomics, is appreciative of the skill and compassion of the team. “The CRU team have truly been excellent partners in getting rare disease treatments to patients. They have the skills to navigate administering complex therapies while creating a safe environment for patients who are vulnerable and anxious.”

The center was established in 1963 as part of a nationwide effort by the National Institutes of Health to provide dedicated space and resources for conducting medical research across medical disciplines within academic medical centers. Located in the Annenberg Building at The Mount Sinai Hospital, the CRU is a comprehensive resource hub for investigators and the Mount Sinai community who wish to undertake clinical research. Currently there are 122 active ongoing studies across multiple disciplines.

Christian Malatesta, FNP, on staff at the CRU, and at Mount Sinai for 30 years, calls the unit a “hidden gem” that is especially valuable for investigators who do not have the time or resources to implement the clinical procedures required for clinical trials. Along with Betty Chen, FNP, and Unit Nursing Director, Margaret Garrett, FNP, the team of nurse practitioners, one registered nurse, and one medical technician, are able to assist with study-related medical evaluations of research participants, including:

Performing physical examinations
Administering study medications
Adverse event monitoring including telemetry monitoring
Obtaining electrocardiograms

The team also assists with reviewing signed consent forms and the required study-related schedules of events to ensure that all elements are in place to safely and effectively proceed with clinical procedures.

Investigators across the system value their partnership with the CRU.

Alexander Kolevson, MD, a principal investigator on studies in autism spectrum disorder as part of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, says, “We believe our work has made major contributions to the field of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders and I’m not exaggerating when I say that we could not have done it without the outstanding CRU team. They are highly skilled and consistently flexible and accommodating. Importantly, our most severely disabled and behaviorally challenging patients are treated effectively with kindness and empathy.”

Stephen Krieger, MD, FAAN, a neurologist at The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, also praises the CRU. “We are currently the only recruiting site in New York City for a trial of a new infused monoclonal antibody for progressive multiple sclerosis (frexalimab), and my team has worked hand-in-hand with the CRU from our initial site assessment and activation through to the enrollment and infusion of our patients. I am very grateful to the CRU team for their professionalism and the warm and compassionate way they have worked with our patients, many of whom have significant disability from their neurological disease.”

Nursing and AI: Augmented Intelligence

Updated on Nov 19, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence, Featured, Nursing, Research

The research journal Nature recently ranked Mount Sinai Health System No. 1 on its 2024 AI Index of leading health care institutions. Today, Mount Sinai has a large portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) products, including many that intersect with nursing to contribute to important improvements in practice and care. Many more are still in the pipeline.

“Our teams think of AI as augmented intelligence, versus artificial intelligence,” says Robbie Freeman, DNP, RN, Vice President of Digital Experience and Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at the Mount Sinai Health System. “The goal is to leverage AI as a supportive tool to enhance clinical decision-making—not to replace it.”

He adds, “Risk assessment models and tools for guiding care have always been integral to nursing practice. By combining nursing expertise and critical thinking with the ability to analyze vast amounts of data, AI is transforming how we deliver care, elevating quality and safety to unprecedented levels. In the coming years, this technology will continue to support nursing practice by enabling the creation of highly targeted, personalized care plans for every patient.”

Shown from let: Eric Kim; Prem Timsina, ScD; Arianna Goldman; Dhaval Patel; Maria ‘Vickee’ Sevillano, RN; Kim-Anh-Nhi Nguyen, MSc; Robbie Freeman, DNP, RN; and Arash Kia, MD, MsC

“Every AI project starts with a working group,” says Dr. Freeman, “and that working group always includes the people who are delivering care. For example, if we’re working on a falls-related initiative, we sit down with front-line nurses, with geriatricians, with nurse leaders, and from day one we’re talking together about what might be helpful.”

Currently, Mount Sinai nurses are using a machine learning model that predicts which patients are most likely to fall while in the hospital. The data behind this tool largely came from examining electronic medical record (EMR) data. By combing through nursing notes using recognition algorithms, Mount Sinai also developed an AI tool to better identify which patients are at higher risk for becoming delirious while in the hospital so that tailored preventive interventions could be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

From left: Prem Timsina, ScD; David Reich, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Mount Sinai Health System, and President of The Mount Sinai Hospital; Robbie Freeman; Matt Levin, MD, and Arash Kia, MD, MsC

Mount Sinai is leading the world in developing a variety of AI products that support nurses and keep patients safe, according to Dr. Freeman.

During the summer of 2024, a multidisciplinary Mount Sinai team won the national AI Health Prize from Hearst Health and the UCLA Center for SMART Health for an internally developed product called NutriScan AI. The AI tool facilitates faster identification and treatment of malnutrition in hospitalized patients. It has been deployed across six Mount Sinai hospitals using the Epic electronic medical record, and the Health System is now 2.5 to 3 times more likely to identify malnutrition.

Another AI product came about when Maria ‘Vickee’ Sevillano, BSN, RN, CWCN, COCN, a Mount Sinai clinical nurse, proposed an idea focused on the prevention of pressure injuries, also known as bed sores.

“We embraced the idea, collaboratively explored its nuances through a co-design process, and partnered with our internal data scientists and software engineers to transform it into a fully realized product,” says Dr. Freeman. “We tested and fine-tuned it, and in early 2024 the idea brought forward was introduced to the clinical setting. This predictive software is currently embedded in our EMR at The Mount Sinai Hospital, and we hope to expand its use as we continue to evaluate the product.”

Mount Sinai has also done a lot of work with a new type of AI called large language models, which, among other tasks, can recognize and generate large amounts of text. One particular study involved examining nursing triage notes to identify predictors for which Emergency Department patients were likely to be admitted to the hospital.

“In many cases the nursing documentation can really power AI,” says Dr. Freeman. “Much of nursing documentation data reflects their expert observations and has predictive power. So, using things like natural language processing algorithms, the nursing observations and assessments are really helpful in the development of AI tools that have broader use and impact. ”Mount Sinai is also using AI to help reduce the amount of time nurses spend doing documentation by rolling out macros—a sequence of computer instructions to automate a task—and tools that can streamline the process and relieve the documentation burden.

Kim-Anh-Nhi Nguyen, MSc, left, and Maria ‘Vickee’ Sevillano, BSN, RN, CWCN, COCN

As this emerging field continues to grow, Dr. Freeman says it is important to note that Mount Sinai has governance in place to ensure there is a solid understanding of how these tools work, that they are safe, and that they are being used in ways that are ethical and sound before they are being used in patient care.

“There’s a science and methodology for ensuring AI products are used responsibly,” Dr. Freeman says. The shared decision-making structure plays a critical role. Mount Sinai is also part of the nonprofit Coalition for Health AI, which brings together a diverse array of stakeholders to drive the development, evaluation, and appropriate use of AI in health care.

“AI is here and has proven it holds promise for thoughtfully revolutionizing care delivery in ways never imagined,” he says.

Mount Sinai’s Lab Coat Ceremony: Instilling the Rigors and Responsibility of Science in PhD and MD-PhD Students

Updated on Dec 6, 2024 | Featured, Research, School

“Persistence, resilience in the face of criticism, combined with a willingness to listen and adapt, is the thing that can most define your success,” says Neil Dhawan, PhD.

Neil Dhawan, PhD, had a story to share with the audience of new PhD and MD-PhD students who attended the 2024 Lab Coat ceremony at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Graduate School Biomedical Sciences. He was on familiar ground: Dr. Dhawan received both a master of science and PhD degree in biomedical sciences at Mount Sinai, and his story was one of encouragement and success.

Dr. Dhawan, whose training area was in cancer biology, is a co-founder of two companies, starting with Dual Therapeutics LLC, a venture-backed biotechnology company that he established as a student, where he helped to develop the lead drug program, small molecule agonists of PP2A, which led to a collaboration deal with Bristol Myers Squibb that was valued at up to $225 million.

He is also Co-founder, Chief Scientific Officer, and Head of Research and Development at Totus Medicines, where he focuses on combining small molecule design, structural biology, genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology to create new classes of drugs to target untreatable diseases. “Over the past three years, we have raised more than $100 million, we advanced our first drug targeting one of the most common oncogenes in cancer, and we presented our first clinical data showing tumor responses in late stage cancer patients,” he said.

“When I first started at Mount Sinai, the idea of discovering and developing a drug to the clinic seemed almost impossible. I always would hear that it could take a lifetime and hundreds of millions of dollars. There were even skeptics who doubted the value of my work because I was just starting out. When I set out to develop my drug idea, most people told me ‘Most biotechs fail,’ or, ‘Do you think you can compete with Pfizer?,’ or ‘Why would investors give you money?’”

And, he gave this advice: “So, what should you do when you feel frustrated and things are confusing? I encourage you to put your head down and do the work—read every paper, read through patents, study the leaders in the field, and most importantly go and speak to those leaders who are a floor or hallway away at Mount Sinai…Persistence, resilience in the face of criticism, combined with a willingness to listen and adapt, is the thing that can most define your success.”

The Lab Coat ceremony symbolically represents the beginning of the students’ academic research and training at Mount Sinai and reinforces the responsibility and professionalism they will cultivate and uphold as they pursue their degrees.

Marta Filizola, PhD, Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, opened the ceremony. “Our PhD programs in biomedical sciences, clinical research, and neuroscience offer rigorous, collaborative training that equips our students to lead the next generation of scientific and medical advances,” she said. “These programs are essential in addressing complex challenges and finding solutions grounded in data and robust statistical analysis.”

Dr. Filizola is also the Sharon & Frederick A. Klingenstein/Nathan G. Kase, MD Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, Professor of Neuroscience, and Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health.

Marta Filizola, PhD, Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

“We are branching out into new research frontiers, leveraging artificial intelligence and other technologies in medicine to improve both patient health and quality of life,” she said. “Our students are integral to this process, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences that drive innovation in both basic and translational research.”

Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Dean for Academic Affairs at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, welcomed the students, faculty, and guests. “The core process of science is the scientific method, which describes a systematic process—to quote from the dictionary, ‘for acquiring knowledge that involves making observations, collecting data, and testing hypotheses.’ We can all appreciate the paramount significance of the integrity of science,” he said. Dr. Nestler is also Director of The Friedman Brain Institute, Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience, and Chief Scientific Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Dean for Academic Affairs

“Science and the scientific method, with its embrace of empiricism and causality, represent the proud tradition that created all of us, and that each of us in turn has the responsibility to promote, protect, and defend,” he said. “By earning a PhD degree, you are the new generation upon whom society will depend to continue this tradition, with the goal of further improving the health and lives of its citizens.”

Why an MD-PhD and PhD degree? Watch these video interviews with three students to learn more about the programs—and their passions.

Nicole Hirsh is a third-year student in the MD-PhD program studying Cancer Immunology.

Vivek Kanpa is an aspiring AI scientist and a first-year student in the PhD in Biomedical Sciences program.

Brooke Friedman completed the SURP program and is a first-year doctoral student in the PhD in Neuroscience program.

A New Hope on Organ Transplants for People With HIV

Nov 29, 2024 | Featured, HIV AIDS, Research

People with HIV are now living healthier, longer lives thanks to advances in antiretroviral therapy, but they can still have chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Eventually, they might need organ replacements, like kidneys, but this group of people has been at a disadvantage.

Patients with HIV have been known to receive lower priority on waitlists given the shortage of organs and misconceptions about the patients’ ability to receive them. But what if we could increase the pool of available organs by allowing the use of organs from donors with HIV for recipients with HIV?

A new milestone was achieved in a first-of-its-kind study in the United States in which Mount Sinai was a major player. The HOPE study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that not only are kidney transplants from HIV+ donors safe and effective, they are just as much so as transplants from HIV- donors.

“It had been illegal, by federal law, to use HIV+ organs,” says Sander Florman, MD, Director of the Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai and an author of the paper. “Prior to the HOPE Act signed by then-President Obama, organs with HIV had to be discarded. But if we can show it is safe to use organs from people with HIV, why not use them, so that HIV+ people can get transplanted quicker?”

“Eventually, the goal of this study is to move HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants out of just research and into a standard of care,” says Meenakshi Rana, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and an author of the paper. “This has larger implications not just for people with HIV, but for everyone who’s on a waitlist—if a person with HIV can receive an organ faster from a donor with HIV, then everyone on the list also moves up.”

Drs. Florman and Rana discuss the importance of the HOPE study, how it could destigmatize organ transplants for people with HIV, and future impacts.

What’s the history of organ transplantation for people who are HIV+?

In the past, people with HIV were considered not medically suitable for organ transplants. It was thought that the immune-suppressing drugs required to prevent organ rejection might cause the HIV to develop into AIDS, says Dr. Florman.

In the late 1990s, Mount Sinai showed that it was possible to do a living liver donation to a patient with HIV. “It was extremely controversial,” says Dr. Florman. “At the time, nobody was doing HIV transplants. And second of all, very few centers in the country were doing living-donor liver transplants.”

Sandy Florman, MD, Director of the Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai (left) and Meenakshi Rana, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases (right).

What is the current law on use of organs from donors with HIV?

In regulations dating to 1988, it was made illegal to transplant or even study organs from donors with HIV. In 2013, President Obama signed the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, which lifted the research ban.

On November 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a final rule stating kidney and liver transplants involving donors and recipients with HIV no longer need to be done under the auspices of a clinical trial. The decision was motivated by evidence from studies enabled by the HOPE Act that showed such procedures were safe and effective.

In the 2000s, Mount Sinai participated in another trial that showed it was possible to transplant kidneys from donors without HIV to recipients with HIV—a trial that was the predecessor to the HOPE study.

However, people with HIV faced more than just medical skepticism—they also faced social stigma.

What does having an undetectable HIV load mean?

Having an undetectable load, or simply being undetectable, means HIV levels in a person are so low that they cannot transmit the virus to another person sexually. This is typically achieved through antiretroviral therapy.

“Even with the advent of the medications, where your HIV can be well controlled and you could live a normal life, there is stigma among some medical professionals about getting a needlestick or getting splashed in the eye with blood,” says Dr. Florman. “The reality is that part of the criteria for doing these transplants is that the candidates need to have well-controlled HIV, even undetectable viral load. And so the risk of getting HIV from a needlestick or a splash is actually very low, although not zero.”

What were the HOPE study results?

The HOPE study transplanted 198 kidneys into recipients with HIV. Half of those kidneys were from donors with HIV and the other half from donors without. Mount Sinai was the largest enroller of the trial, transplanting 55 patients.

There was no significant difference in outcomes between both groups, including overall survival at one year and three years, survival without graft loss at one year and three years, and rejection at one year.
Adverse events, infections, and complications were similar between both groups, and any HIV-related infection events were able to be treated.

What impacts could this study have?

“Even though we’ve had previous findings that people with HIV could receive transplants, historically, people with HIV have had longer wait times in terms of access to an organ, and higher mortality rates,” says Dr. Rana. “So one of the huge implications of this study is that it could really reduce the wait time of access to organ transplantation for people with HIV, and that’s really important for reducing disparities in transplant.”

That goal is one step closer to becoming reality. On November 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a final rule stating that after a decade of studies enabled by the HOPE Act, kidney and liver transplants between donors and recipients with HIV are now permitted, and no longer have to be done as clinical trials.

This announcement will hopefully encourage organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to be more inclusive of donors with HIV. “Some OPOs have been good and pursued donors with HIV. Others have not been interested for a variety of reasons. Hopefully, as more HIV patients are able to access transplants, these OPOs would follow the demand and seek more donors with HIV,” says Dr. Florman.

Additionally, the study could expand awareness among patients with HIV and providers that access to life-saving transplantation is more a possibility than ever, says Dr. Rana.

Want to know about a referral for organ transplants at Mount Sinai? Click to learn more.

Does this mean people with HIV should consider becoming donors?

“I would definitely want to encourage people with HIV to become donors,” says Dr. Rana. “This would help destigmatize what it means to be a person living with HIV.”

“The patients we helped transplant have always been very grateful, especially because other centers often wouldn’t offer them the procedure,” says Dr. Florman. “But I was surprised that people with HIV who don’t need transplants are grateful that they can now be organ donors. Because now they feel a sense of pride in the idea that they, too, can be organ donors and help save other lives.”

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