Academic Honors & Events

Under 30 Scholar—Ashley Scott was recognized as a 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar. The renowned scholarship program awards a diverse group of college students and recent graduates under age 30 an exclusive pass to attend the company’s flagship Under 30 Summit, which was hosted by Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans this past October in Detroit, MI. Each year, Forbes selects 1,000 students from across the country to participate in its four-day event, designed to bring together young entrepreneurs and leaders in business, technology, and innovation. Ashley’s efforts, partnering with IBM, Brainstorm, and a local, non-profit NYC chapter of Women in Data, to increase diversity and educate women on careers in computer science earned her the honor. She recently completed her Master’s in business administration at Mercy College, in managerial analytics, and is now a data analyst at Einstein, in the office of medical education. She represented Einstein, which was recognized by Forbes last year as one of the best midsize employers in the nation.

Supporting Metastatic Cancer Research—While metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer occurs in approximately 30 percent of breast cancer patients and its spread to other parts of the body accounts for 98 percent of deaths from the disease, only 2 to 5 percent of breast cancer research funding is allocated to stage IV cancer research. To address this, the non-profit organization METAvivor Research and Support Inc. dedicates funding specifically to metastatic breast cancer investigations. The organization recently granted its 2019 New York Fashion Week Presents, in Honor of Chiara D’Agostino, Award to Lucia Borriello, Ph.D., for her research "Targeting the Mechanism of Re-Dissemination and Metastasis in Stage IV Breast Cancer." This award is part of METAvivor’s Early Career Investigator Award program, which seeks to provide funding to early career metastatic breast cancer researchers. Dr. Boriello’s award was one of 32 METAvivor honorees this year. She is a postdoc in the laboratory of Dr. John Condeelis, who is professor and co-chair of anatomy & structural biology, co-director of the Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center and of the Integrated Imaging Program, scientific director of the Analytical Imaging Facility, and director of the Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program of the Albert Einstein Cancer Center. He also holds the Judith and Burton P. Resnick Chair in Translational Research. 

Administrative Achievement—The Society of Research Administrators International recognized the expertise of Dhanonjoy Saha, Ph.D., in research management and administration by appointing him SRA International Distinguished Faculty. This honor designates exemplary professionals in the field who can serve as mentors to SRA International members and colleagues. Dr. Saha is director of the office of grant support and research professor of medicine.

Doctor of Distinction—During Westfair Business Journal’s annual Doctors of Distinction ceremony, Diego Camacho, M.D., received the “No Land Too Far” Award, recognizing his time and efforts offering care abroad, in developing nations with large populations needing medical assistance. Dr. Camacho is associate professor of surgery at Einstein. He is also director of minimally invasive and laparoscopic general surgery and director of the surgery fellowship program at Montefiore.

Excellence in Geriatric Guidance— Einstein and Montefiore’s leadership in geriatric care received multiple honors from the Methodist Home for Nursing & Rehabilitation. to Thiruvinvamalai Dharmarajan, M.D., received the home’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his work aimed at bettering the lives of geriatric patients in the Bronx through clinical, academic, and research-based endeavors. The Montefiore Wakefield Division of Geriatrics, which he supervises, was presented the Leadership Impact Award for its efforts in serving the local elderly population. Dr. Dharmarajan is professor of medicine at Einstein, and vice chair of medicine, clinical director of geriatrics, and program director of the geriatric medicine fellowship program at Montefiore.

Chair's Choice—Lucas Sjulson, M.D., Ph.D., has received the Chair’s Choice Award from the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Founded in 1945, the society promotes the study of underlying causes and treatments of neuropsychiatric disorders. The Sjulson lab aims to develop tools to treat drug addiction through clinical neuromodulation. Dr. Sjulson is assistant professor of neuroscience, and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Distinguished Fellow —At its May 2019 annual meeting, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognized Eric Hollander, M.D., as a Distinguished Life Fellow in recognition of his research and achievements. The APA is the largest psychiatric association in the world and the Fellowship is its highest membership honor, awarded to outstanding psychiatrists who have made a significant contribution to their profession and to patient welfare. Dr. Hollander’s research focuses on identifying the root causes and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, impulsive/aggressive personality disorders, pathological gambling, and autism. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded numerous clinical trials and currently is leading a $1.3 million study funded by the Department of Defense for a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in the U.S. to test the effectiveness of a compound found in marijuana on certain behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Hollander is professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Program at Einstein and Montefiore.

Honor of Distinction—The American Headache Society has elected Elizabeth Seng, Ph.D., as a recipient of its 2019 Early Career Lecture Award. The honor recognizes her contributions in the field of headache disorders connected to her paper, “Does Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Migraine Reduce Migraine-Related Disability?” The article describes an innovative study in which 60 patients with severe headaches used complementary approaches, such as relaxation techniques or biofeedback, to augment medical treatment for migraine. The results showed that these additional techniques were much more effective for people with episodic rather than chronic conditions, a finding that Dr. Seng did not anticipate. The Society considered the conclusions of her paper to be “the best on headache, head or face pain. Dr. Seng is research assistant professor in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology at Einstein and assistant professor of psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology.

Most Distinguished Physician Award—The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has awarded Sanjeev Gupta, M.D. its "Most Distinguished Physician Award" for his work in regenerative medicine, fostering the next generation of physicians, and contributing internationally to scientific missions. Founded in 1982, the AAPI represents a conglomeration of more than 80,000 practicing physicians in the United States, and serves as a platform for more than 40,000 medical students, residents, and fellows of Indian origin in the country. Dr. Gupta received the award in July 2019 at the association’s annual convention in Atlanta. “I am honored to receive this recognition from AAPI on behalf of all the contributors, from Einstein and elsewhere, whose work over the years has culminated in this award,” he said. Dr. Gupta is professor of medicine and of pathology, and holds the Eleazar and Feige Reicher Chair in Translational Medicine at Einstein. He also is an attending physician in medicine and a hepatologist at Montefiore.

Novel Approach to Liver Disease Research—Eva Billerbeck, Ph.D., has received a 2019 Pinnacle Research Award from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Through AASLD funding, the honor supports those who demonstrate exceptional aptitude and deep interest in liver disease research and treatment. Dr. Billerbeck and her team will use a hepacivirus mouse model that they developed to gain insights into both the protective and harmful mechanisms of the liver’s immune system in instances of inflammatory liver disease. This model may offer a novel method of studying liver disease since access to human liver tissue is extremely limited, particularly during acute viral infections. Dr. Billerbeck is assistant professor of medicine and of microbiology & immunology.