KNOWN FOR OUR EXPERTISE. CHOSEN FOR OUR CARE. SEPTEMBER 2019

McKenna, continued on page 2

TODAY

Class of 2023 Meets the Capital CityImmersive Orientation Includes Visit from Albany Mayor Within two days of being presented with their first white coats, the symbol of their entry into the world of medicine, Albany Medical College’s incoming class of medical students was given an in-depth look at the real-world needs of the patients they will serve as physicians-in-training. 

In addition to orientation activities that included a day of meaningful community engagement and a picnic at Thatcher Park, the Division of Community Outreach and Medical Education presented an interactive day-long program on the social determinants of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. 

After viewing a short documentary by Jamel Muhammad, CEO of Youth L.I.F.E. Support Network, Inc., the students were asked to examine one of four City of Albany neighborhoods: the South End, Arbor Hill, Delaware Avenue or Pine Hills. They analyzed data that described the assets and challenges of their designated neighborhood and were joined by a “lived-experience advisor,” a neighborhood resident or professional working in the neighborhood. These advisors provided students with a fuller picture of what life is like for area residents. 

“Our goal is to provide students with a learning experience that inspires them to reach out and work with community members and organizations to make a difference in Albany, the city they will call home for the next four years or more,” said Hyacinth Mason, PhD, MPH, CHES, assistant dean for student support and inclusion. “It is important to provide students the opportunity to think about the patient population they will be serving as well as the myriad factors outside the examining room that greatly impact patient health.”

The students presented their observations to Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who attended the orientation as a guest teacher. She listened with interest, reinforced the identified neighborhood assets and presented her response, as mayor, to what the students had identified as neighborhood challenges. Some of these, such as “bomb trains,” or trains that carry flammable crude oil, and diesel fuel emissions from trucks were of particular concern for the South End Albany residents. Other neighborhood issues from Arbor Hill residents were food and pharmacy deserts, and access to adequate health care. 

The mayor described how her office is addressing some of the issues, particularly

those of the South End, through her Equity Agenda. She described initiatives underway to build an alternate route for trucks that may number as many as a thousand a day. 

Henry Pohl, MD, vice dean for academic administration, explained to the Class of 2023 that the day was designed to help them see themselves “not just as students, but as citizens of Albany. 

“It’s important to remember, when diagnosing a patient,” he said, “that you are looking at the person, not just the disease. 

“The mayor has shown us how to critically reason a problem,” he said. “I hope you take away what you have learned today and apply it in your medical education. We look forward to guiding you in that pursuit.” 

The Class of 2023 is made up of 145 students who were selected from more than 9,000 applicants. They represent 22 states, including 38 students from New York. 

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan

Members of the Class of 2023 at the College White Coat Ceremony.

NEWS & NOTES

Curtis Adams, MD, a resident physician in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, received the Best Resident Research Award at the Christian Medical and Dental Association’s 2019 National Convention earlier this year. Dr. Adams, who aims to dedicate his career to advancing orthopaedics in global health, presented a study on the outcomes of joint replacement surgeries performed in developing countries. His study revealed a greater number of complications in these surgeries, due to factors that included severe deformities and insufficient preop workup, but a dramatically positive overall patient gain of function.

Sebastian Cotofana, MD, PhD, PhD, associate professor of anatomy and surgery, is the author of a study that received the Best Overall Cosmetic Paper Award from the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Cotofana’s paper, “The Functional Anatomy of the Superficial Fat Compartments of the Face: A Detailed Imaging Study,” appeared in the journal in June of 2018.

Michael Dailey, MD, chief of the Division of Prehospital and Operational Medicine, has been named the 2019 EMS Medical Director of the Year by the National Association of EMTs and EMS World. Dr. Dailey is recognized for the sweeping impact he has had across New York state with initiatives that include helping to spearhead the standardization of EMS protocols in upstate New York and working with the Department of Health to develop a statewide basic life support ambulance and law enforcement naloxone (Narcan) program that has saved thousands from fatal opioid overdose. Dr. Dailey is one of only seven EMS specialists in the nation to be honored as part of the association’s National EMS Awards of Excellence.

Julie S.G. Papango, MLS, medical technologist in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has been selected as a top five honoree in the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s 2019 ‘40 Under 40’ program. The only med tech among the top five honorees—and the first in the program’s history from upstate New York—Papango was recognized for significant contributions and demonstrated leadership in the field of pathology. In addition to her work at Albany Med, she has served as a laboratory technologist volunteer with Doctors Without Borders and the Diagnostic Microbiology Development Program, travelling to Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea and South Sudan. In Cambodia, Pagango helped set up the first Government Biosafety level 3 laboratory with the Ministry of Health for detection of tuberculosis.

A. John Popp, MD, ’67, FACS, FAANS, professor emeritus in the Department of Neurosurgery, received the Lyal G. Leibrock Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies at its annual meeting in Los Angeles. Dr. Popp was honored for his leadership and continued service to the council, which works across medical and political platforms to address socioeconomic policy that impacts neurosurgical care in the U.S.

Mingfu Wu, PhD, associate professor of molecular and cellular physiology, was the senior author of a study that recently appeared in the journal PNAS that examined how the orientation of heart muscle cells during embryonic development can lead to heart defects. The paper was co-authored by postdoctoral fellow Lianjie Miao, PhD, research technician Yangyang Lu, Joseph E. Mazurkiewicz, PhD, professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics, Margarida Barroso, PhD, and John Schwarz, PhD, associate professors of molecular and cellular physiology, Harold Singer, PhD, professor and chair of molecular and cellular physiology, and Peter Vincent, PhD, professor and associate dean of graduate studies.

2 ALBANY MED TODAY SEPTEMBER 2019

Bright Ideas at the BACC Over the summer, senior bioengineering majors from three New York colleges participated in the third annual Clinical Immersion Program hosted by the Biomedical Acceleration and Commercialization Center (BACC) at Albany Medical College. The program works to improve upon medical device equipment and hospital procedures to ultimately enhance patient treatment and care. Run in conjunction with Union College, students from Union, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University at Buffalo rounded in clinical areas throughout Albany Med and presented their innovative ideas at the program’s conclusion. They are, from left, Emily Stiklickas, RPI; Christina Pavlovsky, Union; Kathleen Swanson, Union; Julia Beekman, Union; Raymond P. Smith, MD, vice chairman for Education in the Department of Medicine; Katherine Gregory, Union; Bernadette Zumpano, University at Buffalo; Paidamoyo Ewing, Union; and Casey Lee, Union.

Supporting U.S. Service at Albany Med Albany Med recently received a Patriotic Employer Award from the U.S. Department of Defense in recognition of making accommodations for pediatric surgeon Meera Menon, MD, FACS, right, to fulfill her training and other military duties as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Dr. Menon joined Emil Baker, left, military outreach director of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, to present the award to Christine Whyte, MD, FACS, chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery.

CPR Training at the BallparkAlbany Med and the American Heart Association hosted a mass Hands-Only CPR training at a Tri-City ValleyCats game in Troy in August. Fans were invited down onto the field to learn this lifesaving skill before the game. Michael Dailey, MD, above, chief of the Division of Prehospital and Operational Medicine, led the training. Albany Med and the American Heart Association continue to collaborate during 2019 to improve heart health in the Capital Region.

For more about Dr. Dailey, please see “News & Notes,” at left.

VOL. 14, NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2019 Albany Med Today is published monthly by the Department of Policy, Planning and Communications at Albany Med. Comments and story suggestions can be directed to Public Relations at (518) 262-3421 or communications@amc.edu.

ALBANY MED OFFICERS

JAMES J. BARBA, JDPresident and Chief Executive Officer

STEVEN M. FRISCH, MDSenior Executive Vice President for the Integrated Delivery System

VINCENT VERDILE, MDThe Lynne and Mark Groban, M.D. ’67, Distinguished Dean of Albany Medical College and Senior Executive Vice President for System Care Delivery

FRANCES SPREER ALBERTExecutive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

GEORGE T. HICKMAN Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Analytics Officer DENNIS P. MCKENNA, MDExecutive Vice President, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and President of the Faculty Group Practice

FERDINAND J. VENDITTI, MDExecutive Vice President for System Care Delivery and Hospital General Director

DIANE CAREY, MSN, RNInterim Chief Nursing Officer

JOHN DEPAOLAExecutive Associate Dean of Albany Medical College and Chief Administrative Officer for System Care Delivery

LOUIS FILHOUR, PHD, RNChief Executive Officer of Better Health for Northeast New York

NOEL HOGANSenior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

MATTHEW JONES, JDSenior Vice President and General Counsel

KEVIN M. LEYDENSenior Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships

MOLLY NICOL Senior Vice President for Development and Communications

HENRY POHL, MDVice Dean for Academic Administration

DARLEEN SOUZASenior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

SCOTT ST. GEORGESenior Vice President of Finance

ROBERT WELCH Senior Vice President for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services

Spotlight on Albany Med’s Electrophysiology Lab Abnormal heart rhythms, also called arrythmias, occur when electrical impulses in the heart don’t work properly. While an arrythmia may not be cause for concern, it can indicate a serious underlying problem, including heart disease or an increased risk of a stroke or heart attack.

In the three Albany Med labs dedicated exclusively to arrhythmia-related electrophysiology (EP) procedures, skilled specialists use the very latest digital equipment, including a 3D electrical mapping system, to measure the electrical activity of the heart to find the location and cause of an arrhythmia.

In the lab, cardiac electrophysi-ologists also implant pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), extract pacemakers and ICD leads, and

perform cardiac ablation procedures to remove faulty electrical pathways from sections of the heart, including ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and other supraventricular arrhythmias, of ventricular arrhythmias and of accessory pathways.

“Together with the rest of the cardiology team—including the heart failure team, catheterization team and the cardiac surgeons—we work to bring world-class care to our patients,” said David Steckman, MD, who is fellowship trained in cardiac electrophysiology. “There’s no reason someone would have to go elsewhere for electrophysiology care, or for any other cardiac care.”

SEPTEMBER 2019 ALBANY MED TODAY 3

TODAY

Innovative Cancer Researchers to Receive Albany Prize Two trailblazing scientists, whose discoveries in stem cell and cancer cell biology have revolutionized cancer research, will receive the 2019 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research at a ceremony at Albany Med on Sept. 25. They are, from left, Bert Vogelstein, MD, of Johns Hopkins University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Irving L. Weissman, MD, of Stanford University.

One of the largest prizes in medicine and science in the United States, the $500,000 award has been given since 2001 to those who have altered the course of medical research. It was established by the late Morris “Marty” Silverman, a businessman and philanthropist originally from Troy. A $50 million gift commitment from the Marty and Dorothy Silverman Foundation provides for the prize to be awarded annually for 100 years.

Drs. Vogelstein and Weissman were selected to receive the award for their discoveries and insights that have transformed our understanding of cancer and stem cell biology, established new methodologies for the detection and treatment of cancer, and opened the field of regenerative medicine.

Their research has led to new treatments for many cancers and other diseases, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, malignant melanoma, sickle cell anemia, severe combined immunodeficiency (“bubble boy” disease) and myelodysplastic syndrome. It has also led to new technologies and tests, including “liquid biopsies” that offer earlier detection and improved diagnosis of cancer.

Renowned Cell Biologists to Discuss Their Innovative Cancer ResearchAlbany Med presents Grand Rounds with the 2019 recipients of the Albany Prize as they discuss their work and answer audience questions.

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 4 p.m.

Albany Med, ME-700

Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Charly Mallet at malletc1@amc.edu.

Specialists in Albany Med’s EP Lab.

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Steve Fisch

Albany Med and Community Partners Bring Added Spark and Substance to SummerContinuing its proud tradition of partnering with community organizations to improve the quality of life in the Capital Region, Albany Med was pleased to collaborate on events and programs that helped sweeten summer for many area residents. Here are just a few highlights:

4 ALBANY MED TODAY SEPTEMBER 2019

ALBANY MED FOUNDATION43 New Scotland Ave., MC-119Albany, New York 12208(518) 262-3322 • Fax (518) 262-4769Email: development@amc.eduwww.amc.edu

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COMMUNITY MATTERS … AT ALBANY MED

Park Playhouse

Education Specialist Lisa Frankoski, MS, RNC, right, teaches hands-only CPR at the Palace Theatre.

‘Youth in Motion’ at SPAC

South End Children’s Café

Young students at The Baby Institute.

Baby InstituteThe Baby Institute, an early learning program that receives support from Albany Med, reached a milestone in August when it graduated 79 children from Arbor Hill, West Hill and the South End from its summer program. Now in its seventh year, the Baby Institute’s five-week free summer program is designed to develop literacy and language skills as well as teach children the discipline necessary for success in school.

Park PlayhouseFor the ninth year, Albany Med supported its nearby neighbor Park Playhouse in bringing free summer theater to Albany’s Washington Park and educational programs to young, aspiring theatre artists. This summer’s mainstage productions were “In the Heights” and “Newsies.”

The Palace Theatre Albany Med partnered with the Palace Theatre and SEFCU to support Summer in the City, a series of eight free family-friendly movies and educational activities for children and families that culminated with an ice cream social in August. Young participants participated in activities taught by Albany Med experts, including hands-only CPR, nutrition and fitness.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center Albany Med collaborated with SPAC in support of the Albany Med Performance Project: Youth in Motion, a two-week summer dance program that featured instruction by master teaching artists from the New York City-based National Dance Institution, for 80 children from the Capital District. Students celebrated the end of the two-week intensive by performing onstage before “Fela! The Concert” in July.

South End Children’s CaféAlbany Med sponsored summer field trips for children attending the South End Children’s Café, an after-school program and summer program focused on eradicating food insecurity, enhancing academic success and positively influencing the physical and mental health of children in Albany’s South End. Albany Med’s partnership provided 13 trips and covered the costs of transportation, entry-fees and branded T-shirts.