Pathology News & Awards | NYU Langone Health

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Pathology News & Awards

Faculty and trainees in NYU Langone’s Department of Pathology make frequent newsworthy advances in science and academics.

For details about our recent scientific advances, read some of the latest papers published by our faculty.

Recent News

Read about our researchers’ latest scientific breakthroughs.

Professor Neil Theise's 'Notes on Complexity' Wins Prestigious Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal

Neil Theise, our esteemed professor from the Department of Pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, has achieved prominent recognition for his book, "Notes on Complexity." This insightful work has been granted the Gold Medal in the Science and Cosmology category at the Nautilus Book Awards, signifying the book's significant contribution to deepening our understanding of intricate scientific and cosmological principles.

FDA Clears a Genetic Test for Cancer Designed by Department of Pathology Researchers

Designed and validated by faculty members Matija Snuderl, MD, Aristotelis Tsirigos, PhD, and Adriana Heguy, PhD, the NYU Langone Genome Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (PACT) test uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to detect changes in the DNA code of 607 genes linked by past studies to the development of multiple types of cancer. NYU Genome PACT covers the most genes of any FDA-approved NGS cancer test to date.

COVID-19 News

Members of the department are working nonstop to advance our understanding of COVID-19 and to develop more efficient and effective diagnostic tests.

They Are Really “Stars”: Celebrating Pathology Trainees’ Contributions to NYU Langone’s COVID-19 Response

During NYU Langone’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our trainees demonstrated resilience and commitment to their clinical duties and education. They contributed to many volunteer opportunities and responded to urgent needs in the clinical laboratories, at times with significant risk of virus exposure. “They are really ‘stars,’” said Paolo Cotzia, MD, clinical assistant professor and assistant director of the Center for Biospecimen Research and Development, about his collaboration with the trainees during this crisis.

Pathology Faculty Collaborate to Sequence COVID-19

A team headed by Adriana Heguy, PhD, has sequenced viral DNA from NYU Langone patients. As reported by the New York Times, this research found that the majority of COVID-19 cases in New York came from Europe, not Asia, which had been previously assumed. Members of the team also include Matija Snuderl, MD, and Matthew T. Maurano, PhD.

Autopsy and Clinical Findings Lead to a Clinical Trial to Treat Abnormal Blood Clotting in COVID-19

Associate professor Amy V. Rapkiewicz, MD, noticed signs of abnormal blood clotting in autopsies of people who had been hospitalized with COVID-19. She explains how her observation may help inform the development of new treatments for patients.

Pathology Faculty Volunteer in the NYU Family Connect Program

Through NYU Langone’s innovative NYU Family Connect program, a team of pathologists led by Syed T. Hoda, MD, worked alongside radiologists, dermatologists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and others to keep the families of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 up to date on their loved ones’ prognosis during the time when visitors were not allowed.

Pathology News and Awards

We are excited to share few of the many recent academic accomplishments of our faculty researchers and trainees.

Recent Honors

Eva Hernando-Monge, PhD, has won the Estela Medrano Memorial Award from the Society for Melanoma Research in recognition of her outstanding contributions to melanoma research. Learn more.

Shruti Naik, PhD, was named a 2020 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research in recognition of her work exploring whether prior inflammation can predispose tissues to becoming more susceptible to cancer.

Recent Grants

Boris Reizis, PhD, received a grant from the Edward P. Evans Foundation for his project “The Role and Mechanism of Microenvironment-Driven Hematopoietic Abnormalities in MDS” and a National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grant for his project “A Novel Regulator of Dendritic Cell Differentiation.”

Iannis Aifantis, PhD, was awarded a subcontract with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, via NIH/National Cancer Institute (NCI), for his project “Targeting an RNA-binding Protein Network in Acute Myeloid Leukemia,” as well as a subcontract with WSQ, via NIH/NCI, for his project “Map Leukemia-Immune Cell Communication with Nanoplasmon Ruler in CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy.” Dr. Aifantis also received a grant from St. Baldrick’s Foundation for his project “Immune Targeting of Pediatric B Cell Leukemia.”

Daniel Meruelo, PhD, was awarded a subcontract with CynVec, LLC, via NIH/NCI Small Business Innovation Research Program, for his project “A Novel and Effective Immunotherapeutic Approach for Tumors With a Low Mutational Load and Few Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, Such As Ovarian Cancer.”

Christina Glytsou, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Aifantis Lab, was awarded an NIH/NCI grant for her project “Targeting Mitochondrial Dynamics in Drug-Resistant Acute Myeloid Leukemia.”

Nicholas Adams, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Reizis Lab, was awarded a grant from Damon Runyon for his project “Elucidating How pDC Genome Organization Regulates IFN Production in Cancer.”

Kody Mansfield, a graduate student in the lab of Shruti Naik, PhD, was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Graduate Fellowship Grant for his project “Infantile Atopic Dermatitis: Finally, an Early-in-Life Murine Model.”

Elena Battistello, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Aifantis Lab, was awarded a Swiss National Science Foundation grant for her project “Multimodal Single-Cell Analysis of the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Immune Landscape.”

Fei Chen, MD, PhD, a fourth-year pathology resident, was an American Society for Clinical Pathology Blue Ribbon Finalist for her case study.

Eva M. Hernando-Monge, PhD, received a NIH/National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant for her project “Role of Circular RNA CDR1as in Melanoma.”

Christopher Y. Park, MD, PhD, received NIH/NCI grants for his projects “Clinical and Molecular Heterogeneity in the Myelodysplastic Syndromes” and “Translational Control of Leukemia Stem Cells.” Dr. Park also received a grant from PureTech Health, LLC, for his “Gal9 AML Project.”

Sergei B. Koralov, PhD, received funding from the Leo Foundation for his project “Targeting Aberrant STAT3 Signaling in CTCL.”

William A. Coetzee, DSc, received an NIH/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) grant for his project “Roles of Endothelial and Smooth Muscle KATP Channels in Myocardial Ischemic Injury” as well as for his project “Functional Interaction Between Cardiac Na Channels and KATP Channels.”

Sohini Chakraborty, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Park Lab, received a National Cancer Center fellowship for her project “Therapeutic Targeting of Stem Cells in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.”

Recent Academic Achievements

Eva M. Hernando-Monge, PhD, was appointed as assistant dean for research integration at NYU Langone Health.

Amy V. Rapkiewicz, MD, was appointed chair of the Department of Pathology at NYU Long Island School of Medicine.

Richard L. Possemato, PhD, was promoted to associate professor.

Ion Laboratory Opens

Stefan Feske, MD, and William A. Coetzee, DSc, collaborated to launch the Ion Laboratory, a new core facility that caters to the electrophysiology and ionic signaling needs of researchers studying ion channels and transporters.

Pathology Newsletter

Stay up to date on our recent accomplishments, scientific advances, and more by reading our Pathology newsletter.