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.”

Titus Kong, MHA

Titus Kong, MHA, is an alumnus of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The MHA program prepared him for a career as an Operations Supervisor in Mount Sinai’s Emergency Department.

Mr. Kong started his higher education journey studying Organizational Psychology at Baruch College. He completed his undergraduate degree in 2022 and began looking for Human Resources positions around New York City.

He worked as a line cook, waiter, and server at various restaurants, where he discovered that he enjoyed serving people. Mr. Kong’s next role was at Gentile Retina, an ophthalmology clinic run by the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. He worked there for two years, gaining useful clinical experience. Mr. Kong enjoyed interacting with patients and found that they enjoyed his dedication to providing a positive care experience for them.

“I had a lot of fun interacting with the patients at Gentile Retina. They enjoyed the service and dedication that I provided. It felt fulfilling to address their needs and concerns.”

Mr. Kong wanted to expand his career and began looking into graduate programs. He noticed that the Icahn School of Medicine had an MHA program. He found that this program aligned with what he was looking for professionally. He discovered that some of the doctors he worked with were professors at Mount Sinai, which inspired him to apply. He only applied to the MHA program at the Icahn School of Medicine; he says it was that program or nothing.

Mr. Kong also has a personal connection to The Mount Sinai Hospital—he was born there.

Upon joining the program, Mr. Kong found two courses to be particularly impactful during his studies. The first was Health System Operations and Program Management, taught by Victoria Ellsworth, MHA, who now serves as his advisor. The course provided a comprehensive overview of health care operations across a variety of care settings, including inpatient and ambulatory operations, quality and safety, patient experience, supply chain management, health care facilities, emergency management, and the relationship between operations and finance. The course gave Mr. Kong a practical understanding of how different hospital departments work together, preparing him to coordinate teams and drive operational improvements in a fast-paced emergency care environment.

The second course that had a lasting impact on him was Population Health and Managed Care, taught by Robert Fields, MD, MHA. The course explored the ongoing shift toward population health management and value-based care across the U.S. health care system, examining the clinical, financial, organizational, and analytical strategies required for health care organizations to succeed in an evolving landscape. Through the course, Mr. Kong developed an understanding of health care utilization trends, value-based payment models, risk management, and the importance of delivering high-quality care while maintaining financial sustainability.

He appreciated how the MHA program paired each student with a mentor. His mentor was Maya Ayoubi, MHA, a former member of the Patient Operations Team at Mount Sinai. He was inspired by Ms. Ayoubi’s dedication to improving processes and her advice to him; say yes to everything and to take on challenges to gain experience. Mr. Kong felt that Ms. Ayoubi understood his goals and helped him accomplish them during the program.

He credits David Feldgofel, MHA, Associate Director of the Emergency Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital, as an important mentor during his internship. This relationship has continued as Mr. Feldgofel is now his direct supervisor. Mr. Kong also found the MHA program staff to be helpful during his time as a student.

“The community that Mount Sinai builds is unique compared to other schools. Everyone wants to see you succeed. Faculty help you create connections to people and resources from the Health System to enhance your studies.”

Mr. Kong believes the most valuable part of his experience was learning from professors that are working professionals, often within the Mount Sinai Health System. He appreciated their in-depth knowledge and ability to relate classroom concepts to real-life applications. His training in the MHA program is invaluable in his current role as Operations Supervisor in the Emergency Department, where he regularly applies concepts related to workflow optimization, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.

Flexibility was an important part of the program for Mr. Kong, since he continued his work at Gentile Retina while completing his MHA at Mount Sinai. He was able to finish the program in just one year.

“The Mount Sinai MHA program offers both online and in-person classes. This is extremely helpful for students working full-time. The flexibility here is great compared to other graduate programs.”

Mr. Kong completed the program in 2025 and is now the Operations Supervisor in the Emergency Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital. He heard about the role from Ms. Ellsworth. He began as an intern in the Emergency Department, where he noticed the workflows and processes could use improvement.

“Mount Sinai is great at providing student opportunities. We receive a lot of emails from faculty with available internships. That’s how I found the role within the Department of Emergency Medicine.”

He was able to help identify the root issues in the Emergency Department and take steps to rectify the problems. Mr. Kong utilized lessons from his MHA courses, particularly related to concepts such as project management and data analysis. He now understands how operational decisions within the Emergency Department fit into larger health system goals, allowing him to approach challenges with both patient outcomes and organizational performance in mind. In addition, he also learned how to partner and communicate with staff in the department, specifically to help them understand why operational changes are necessary and what the positive results will be for them.

Mr. Kong plans to continue working at the Emergency Department and developing his career further at Mount Sinai.

Daaryan Halatai

Daaryan Halatai is a first year student in the Master of Science in Biomedical Science (MSBS) program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

In this Q&A, he explains why he chose Mount Sinai and how his training program is preparing him to apply to medical school.

“My time at Mount Sinai has been a meaningful experience that has strengthened my passion for medicine and allowed me to be part of a community committed to caring for patients,” he says.

What is your academic and career background?

I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2024 with a major in Professional Sciences, concentrating in Biology, and a minor in Psychology. During my time at VCU, I built a strong foundation across different areas of science and applied that knowledge through summer research in the laboratory of Lauren Cowart, PhD. I was also involved with organizations such as the American Chemical Society at VCU, where I participated in weekly discussions and activities related to chemistry principles. Before enrolling at Mount Sinai, I worked as a clinical technician in the Emergency Department at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, which gave me valuable hands-on experience in the medical field.

What first attracted you to this field?

What attracted me to the medical field is my desire to help people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. I have always been drawn to science and medicine because they give an understanding of disease on a deeper level while combining problem-solving, compassion, and lifelong learning. To me, the medical field is a place where I can serve others, continue growing as a student of science, and make a meaningful impact.

Why did you choose to study at the Icahn School of Medicine?

After graduating from VCU, I wanted to strengthen my medical school application by continuing to grow academically while gaining more research and clinical experience. When I first spoke with Program Director Jose Silva, PhD, about the MSBS program, he explained that the Icahn School of Medicine would provide the opportunities I was looking for, including shadowing physicians, participating in research, and earning a graduate degree in Biomedical Sciences. When I visited the campus for the first time, I was inspired by seeing physicians, nurses, researchers, and students all working within the same environment. That sense of community reflected the type of academic and clinical setting I had hoped to be part of since committing to my goal of becoming a physician.

Who are your mentors, and what is the focus of your research?

At Mount Sinai, I am under the mentorship of Louis Cohen, MD, alongside Daniela Guisado, MD, Kushal Saha, PhD, Salima Soualhi, PhD, and Katherine Cook. Dr. Cohen leads the Crohn’s Disease Stem Cell Transplant Program at Mount Sinai, which is designed for patients with severe Crohn’s disease who have not responded to traditional medical treatments. As the first program of its kind in the United States, it brings together specialists from both clinical and basic science departments. The program combines advanced patient care with translational research to help guide patients through the stem cell transplantation process. Through this work, our lab aims to better understand refractory Crohn’s disease and how stem cell transplants may improve treatment for these patients.

What has been your greatest accomplishment in the program so far?

My biggest accomplishment in the program has been excelling in my graduate course classes while also participating and being a part of organizations such as the East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership (EHHOP) and being the master’s representative for SEOS (Students for Equal Opportunity in Science)!

What activities outside the classroom have contributed to your success?

On my breaks when I get to go back to Northern Virginia to spend time with my family, I also volunteer with Great Vibe Events. This has contributed to my personal growth and success by allowing me to help organize events for adults with disabilities aged 18 and older. Through this experience, I have strengthened my communication, empathy, and leadership skills while learning the importance of creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. As someone pursuing a future in healthcare, this volunteer work has helped me become more compassionate and committed to serving diverse communities.

What are your plans after you complete your MSBS?

My plan after graduating from the MSBS program is to apply to medical and osteopathic schools. I also hope I can remain involved in Dr. Cohen’s research. Through my experience at Mount Sinai, I feel more prepared and confident as I enter my first application cycle.