From left: Lucy O’Shaughnessy, Chuma Nwachukwu, and Sayeeda Chowdhury

Three second-year medical students, Sayeeda Chowdhury, Lucy O’Shaughnessy, and Chuma Nwachukwu, have brought the sport of powerlifting to their classmates at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Since establishing Sinai Strong, a student powerlifting club—whose advisor is Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System—they have taught more than 50 of their colleagues the art of the sport.

Powerlifting, which differs from conventional weightlifting, involves three tests of strength: the squat, bench press, and deadlift, a movement in which a weighted barbell is lifted from the floor to the level of the hips. In January, Ms. Chowdhury, Ms. O’Shaughnessy, and Mr. Nwachukwu participated in the Northeast Iron Beast Winter Classic V in upstate New York, a powerlifting competition in which each competitor has three attempts at each of the three lifts to move the most weight possible. Their best lifts were a 265-pound squat, a 308-pound deadlift, and a 600-pound deadlift, respectively.

The three students competed against many other lifters of the same gender, age division, and weight class but not against each other. Ms. Chowdhury won a gold medal in the juniors age division, and Ms. O’Shaughnessy won a bronze medal in the open age division.

Lakshmi A. Devi, PhD, left, Dean for Academic Development and Enrichment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, began the year as a designated 2018 WCBR (Winter Conference on Brain Research) Pioneer for her neuroscience research on opioid and cannabinoid signaling in analgesia and addiction.

Along with her team, Dr. Devi, Professor of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine, has demonstrated that G protein-coupled receptors can function as heterodimers, with unique pharmacology and selective upregulation associated with various disease states. Dr. Devi also serves as an engaged mentor in the field of neuroscience.

The WCBR provides an annual forum for the sharing and dissemination of the latest advances in neuroscience and supports continuing education, mentorship, diversity, outreach, and financial support for junior investigators. Dr. Devi serves on the WCBR Board of Directors.

Joseph Schnitter

Second-year medical student Joseph Schnitter says the support he received from his family and friends at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai helped him place among the top 100 male runners in the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5. He completed the 26.2-mile marathon in 2 hours, 33 minutes, and 5 seconds, his best-ever showing.

“The crowd along the course was unbelievable,” he says. “Seeing my supportive family—who made the trip from Buffalo to watch—along with so many folks from Mount Sinai, was a huge boost and a major reason why I was able to run the time I did.” In each of his two prior races—in Buffalo and Boston—Mr. Schnitter’s time was approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. The 2017 New York City Marathon winners, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya and American Shalane Flanagan, finished the race in 2:10:53, and 2:26:53, respectively.

Ian Thomas McNeill, MD, right, with Aldrin Bonilla, Deputy Manhattan Borough President, who presented the award.

Ian Thomas McNeill, MD, a fifth-year Neurosurgery resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, was honored recently at the 48th annual African American Day Parade for his service in New York City at large, and at Mount Sinai. Dr. McNeill is the founder and leader of Doctors Reaching Minority Males Exploring Neuroscience (DR. MMEN), a summer mentorship and immersion program for black and Latino young men entering their senior year in high school.

“We are very proud of what Dr. McNeill has achieved in launching the DR. MMEN program,” says Joshua B. Bederson, MD, Professor and Chair, Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health System. “It is important that we promote diversity and the advancement of talented individuals who might not otherwise have these opportunities.”