Selected news releases from Weill Cornell Medical College

2001 releases in this category

For the full text of any story, click on the title. Electronic queries may be made to Jonathan Weil.

First robotic urologic surgery on a child in NYC performed at New York Weill Cornell
New York, NY (December 19, 2002) - Physicians in the Departments of Urology and Pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center have become the first in New York City to perform robotic urologic surgery on a child. The procedure, robotic pediatric pyeloplasty, corrects a common congenital malformation that, if left untreated, will endanger kidney function. It is a less-invasive alternative to the traditional "open" method, which requires a large, scarring incision.Dr. Dix Poppas, Chief of Pediatric Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell and the Richard Rodgers Family Associate Professor in Pediatric Urology at Weill Cornell Medical College, performed the surgery on a seven-year-old boy from Wallington, NJ, correcting a uretero-pelvic junction obstruction (UPJ), a narrowing of the kidney where it connects to the ureter. As many as one in 200 children are born with a degree of hydronephrosis, a dilation of the inside of the kidney that results from obstructions to the flow of urine; a large majority of these cases are due to UPJ.

New york-Presbyterian Weill Cornell pioneers new surgical technique to prevent unnecessary removal of testes
New York, NY (December 19, 2002) - A new surgical technique, developed and pioneered by a NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell urologist, prevents the unnecessary removal of testes for some men with testicular tumors, ultimately preserving their fertility. Hidden testicular tumors can now be correctly identified and safely removed by ultrasound guided needle localization aided by an operative microscope. Weill Cornell was the first in the world to perform the procedure and demonstrate its efficacy.The new technique is discussed in a recently published issue of the "Journal of Urology," and was presented earlier this year at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

NYC police less likely to commit suicide than citizens, New York Weill Cornell study shows
New York, NY (December 19, 2002) - Disproving a widely held belief and a common urban myth, a new NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center study shows that New York City police officers are less likely to commit suicide than the average New York City citizen. The most common causes of police suicide are marital problems and alcoholism; age, race, years of service, and rank were not determining factors. By far, the most common suicide method was death by gun. The study, which looked at 20 years of police deaths, appears in this month's "American Journal of Psychiatry."The rate of police suicide was 14.9 per 100,000 persons, compared to a suicide rate of 18.3 per 100,000 persons for New York City residents as a whole, the study shows. The total yearly suicide rate for police officers was less than that of the city for 17 of 20 years, for the period 1977-1996.

Brain tumor project at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center focuses on new treatments for brain cancer
New York, NY (December 19, 2002) - In a major expansion of its neurosurgery program, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center has named Dr. Susan Pannullo as its first Director of Neuro-Oncology in the Department of Neurological Surgery. The new division offers world-class research and treatment for cancers affecting the brain and spine, among other areas. Additionally, a new departmental initiative, the New York Brain Tumor Project, will investigate promising new treatments for brain cancer."Dr. Pannullo is one of the nationâs few doctors trained in Neurology, Neurological Surgery, and Neuro-Oncology. Accordingly, she is uniquely qualified to lead our multifaceted, multidisciplinary Neuro-Oncology program," said Dr. Philip Stieg, Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery. "Additionally, Dr. Pannullo has that rare combination of research acumen and humanistic patient care."

Jean W. Pape receives French Legion of Honor for two decades of outstanding service to health in Haiti
New York, NY (December 18, 2002) -- Dr. Jean W. Pape, an internationally recognized infectious disease expert and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, has received France's highest distinction, the Legion d'Honneur, for his more-than-two-decades of work fighting disease in his native Haiti. France's President Jacques Chirac made the award, citing Dr. Pape's "contributions to the improvement of the health of the Haitian people and that of people around the world."Bridging two countries, Dr. Pape is the Director of GHESKIO (Groupe Haitien d'Etudes du Sarcome de Kaposi et des Infections Opportunistes), the second-oldest institution in the world, after the United States Centers for Disease Control, dedicated to the battle against HIV/AIDS. GHESKIO also works against other diseases, especially childhood diarrhea and tuberculosis. Dr. Pape's efforts have saved countless lives from the ravages of childhood diarrhea, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other diseases.

Weill Cornell receives $7.6-Million federal grant for clinical trials on new ways to change behavior in patients with cardiopulmonary disease
New York, NY -- Weill Cornell Medical College has received a major $7.6-million award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to establish a consortium that will support three clinical trials on new ways to help patients with cardiopulmonary disease make beneficial changes in their behavior, with mphasis on African-Americans and Latinos Who Have Had Angioplasty or Are Being Treated for Asthma or Hypertension. Promoting "Positive Mood" May Help Improve Patient Outcome. (December 12, 2002)

New anti-leukemia drug significantly improves survival even for patients with late-stage disease
New York, NY (December 9, 2002) -- Gleevec, the new anti-leukemia drug from Novartis Pharmaceuticals, achieves a marked improvement in survival even for patients in the accelerated phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), according to a study to be presented on Monday afternoon, Dec. 9, at the meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Philadelphia.Comments Dr. Richard T. Silver, a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center, who will present the findings: "Until now, the story of this disease has been like the story of Sisyphus who was condemned by the gods to roll a great stone up a mountain for all eternity. Gleevec has brought us a lot closer to the mountaintop than we've ever been."

Gleevec may be effective against a second blood disease
New York, NY (December 5, 2002) -- A New York physician who has played a leading role in testing the Novartis drug Gleevec against leukemia is also finding it effective against a second disease involving blood-cell overproduction.Dr. Richard T. Silver -- Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Medical Director of the Cancer Research & Treatment Fund -- will report the encouraging, if preliminary, findings Monday morning, December 9, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Philadelphia.

Dietary supplement coenzyme q10 shows promising results in trial for slowing early parkinson's disease
New York, NY (December 2, 2002) -- A widely available dietary supplement, coenzyme Q10, has shown promising results in a clinical trial involving 80 patients with early Parkinson's disease, according to a recent article in the "Archives of Neurology." In the trial--a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and dosage-ranging trial--coenzyme Q10 was shown to be safe, well-tolerated, and significantly effective in slowing the progression of the neurological disorder. And it was clearly dose-dependent - that is, the larger the dose, the greater its effect."Our results are so encouraging that we have to emphasize that they still have to be confirmed by a Phase III clinical trial with a larger group of patients," said Dr. Flint Beal, Chairman of the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College and one of the authors of the article. He and his colleagues caution that the findings may not extend to patients with later stages of Parkinson's or to patients who are at risk but have not been diagnosed with the disorder. Furthermore, if too many people now buy coenzyme Q10 on their own, there may not be enough subjects for a rigorous Phase III trial.

Weill Cornell study finds focusing on latent stage of tuberculosis in new immigrants would result in substantial public health benefit
New York and Toronto (December 4, 2002) -- Study findings from the Department of Public Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Inner City Health Research Unit at St. Michael's Hospital/University of Toronto demonstrate that screening and treating new immigrants from developing nations for the latent stage of tuberculosis infection would result in substantial public health and economic benefits. Results are published in the December 5 issue of "The New England Journal of Medicine."Lead author Dr. Kamran Khan conducted his research in the United States while a resident/fellow in preventive medicine in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell. He is currently a specialist in infectious diseases and public health, and a clinician-scientist at St. Michael's in Toronto.

Study by Weill Cornell scientists suggests caution in current plaque-reducing strategy for fighting Alzheimer's
New York, NY (November 26, 2002) -- Ever since the German doctor Alois Alzheimer gave his name to the dementia suffered by many of the aging, nearly a century ago, it has been known that the brains of these patients show an accumulation of plaques. Now, scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have produced important new evidence that the beta-amyloid peptide in these plaques may originate within the nerve cells, not outside, and that the observed extracellular plaques may actually be like "tombstones," or remnants, of the destructive intracellular beta-amyloid.This evidence, which is set out in an article in this month's "American Journal of Pathology," suggests that doctors possibly need to be careful about the current predominant strategy of trying to reduce the extracellular accumulation of plaques. That is the judgment of Dr. Gunnar K. Gouras, the senior author of the article, who is Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College and Assistant Attending Neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Weill Cornell computer simulation helps remedy possible gap in bioterrorism preparedness
New York, NY (November 22, 2002) -- An innovative and sophisticated computer simulation model can help public health officials and emergency planners to prepare a public health response in case of bioterrorist attack, a study by scientists in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College has demonstrated. The simulation model, which predicts staffing requirements for antibiotic or vaccine dispensing centers, should help remedy a potential gap in current local, state, and national bioterrorism preparedness.The study, authored by Dr. Nathaniel Hupert, Dr. Alvin I. Mushlin and Dr. Mark A. Callahan, first appeared in the current issue of the journal "Medical Decision Making."

Weill Cornell's new, less invasive diagnostic MRA technology equals traditional method for planning treatment of peripheral vascular disease
New York, NY (November 18, 2002) -- A new study by doctors at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center shows that the Center's unique diagnostic technology of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is the equal of the traditional technique of x-ray angiography in helping physicians plan treatment for patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD). MRA, which is much less invasive than x-ray angiography, can now be considered as the appropriate and standard diagnostic technique not only for mild forms of PVD but for severe forms as well.The new study, recently published in the journal "Radiology," is the first to show that MRA is useful in guiding the planning of treatment for severe as well as mild PVD. PVD, which afflicts many elderly people, involves a narrowing or obstruction of arteries in the lower body, particularly the legs or feet. In its mildest form, it can lead to pain in walking and is called claudication. In its more severe form, it can lead to pain in the feet at rest as well as foot gangrene and ulcerations.

New Weill Cornell book on airborne allergies distinguishes fact from fiction
New York, NY (November 21, 2002) -- More than 60-million Americans suffer from allergies, and as many as 40 million suffer from airborne allergies. Yet, despite their prevalence and the ever-increasing numbers of allergy sufferers, there is still widespread misunderstanding about allergies. Now, a new book by a leading Weill Cornell allergist clears the air about allergies and distinguishes the fact from the fiction.The book, entitled "What's In the Air? The Complete Guide to Seasonal and Year-Round Airborne Allergies," is authored by Dr. Gillian Shepherd, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Marian Betancourt. It is available in paperback and published by Pocket Books.

Personalized vaccine for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma being tested at New York Weill Cornell
New York, NY -- NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is currently seeking patients for a nationwide, multicenter clinical research trial to explore the benefits of a unique vaccine to treat low-grade follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). This randomized Phase 3 study will test a personalized immunotherapy vaccine created from a patient's own tumor cells to potentially combat the cancer and interfere with disease progression. NewYork Weill Cornell is the only site in New York State participating in this trial.Ê"This study is for patients with previously untreated, advanced stage low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who want to use their own immune system as a first line of defense to fight the disease," said John P. Leonard, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, Oncology Services, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, and investigator on the trial. "Low-grade NHL is a cancer with no readily available cure, and conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation have been shown to lose efficacy and cause side effects as the disease progresses. We are hopeful that this technique for stimulating the immune system to recognize and then attack the cancer will result in longer-term remissions."

First pollin prize in pediatric research for development of oral rehydration therapy awarded
The First Pollin Prize for Pediatric Research, administered by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, is awarded to four scientists who made revolutionary contributions to the discovery and implementation of Oral Rehydration and Maintenance Therapy (ORT) in the 1960s and early 1970s in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and India. Recipients are Dilip Mahalanabis, MBBS, Norbert Hirschhorn, M.D, Nathaniel F. Pierce, III, M.D, David Nalin M.D (see attached biographies)The prize will be presented Friday, November 15, 2002, at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Milstein Hospital Building, following a Symposium on "History of Oral Rehydration Therapy."

New comprehensive gastrointestinal health center to be established at Newyork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell
New York, NY (October 15, 2002) -- The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital today announced plans to establish the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at the Hospital's NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center site. Opening in early 2004, the Center -- providing all services under one roof -- will be specifically and comprehensively dedicated to gastrointestinal health, from detection and treatment to education, prevention, and research. The Center is named in honor of Jay Monahan, the late husband of NBC "TODAY" show co-anchor Katie Couric, who died of colon cancer at age 42 in 1998. Since then, Couric has actively worked to raise awareness about colon cancer and has committed -- along with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) -- to help the Hospital raise a substantial portion of the approximately $9 million needed to create the Center.Vision for Monahan Center

New study shows efficacy of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease
Auckland, New Zealand and New York, NY (October 11, 2002) -- In a study published today in the journal "Science," scientists from the University of Auckland and Weill Cornell Medical College report on the effectiveness of a new gene therapy approach to Parkinson's disease, and the potential for this therapy to affect the overall progression of the disease itself. Based on this study and other data, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its approval to begin testing this therapy in a small Phase I clinical trial. This will be the first time in the world that gene therapy will be used in patients with Parkinson's disease.The "Science" publication is authored by lead investigator, Dr. Matthew J. During, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Auckland, first author Dr. Jia Luo, and co-investigator Dr. Michael G. Kaplitt, Director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. During and Dr. Kaplitt are also co-principal investigators on the upcoming clinical trial of this therapy.

Weill Cornell physician advises working out indoors to get away from carbon monoxide, fine particulates, and ozone
New York, NY (September 12, 2002) -- As environmentalists have pointed out, it can be as dangerous to be outdoors behind a city bus -- walking, or bicycling -- as it is to be in front of one. All the exhaust and smoke -- even when they have been reduced by "clean air technology" -- can damage a person's health. The dangers of urban air pollution are of special concern to people who exercise by running, bicycling, or skating: these people, while trying to help their bodies through exercise, should take care that they don't harm them through exposure to air pollution.Dr. Joseph T. Cooke, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College -- and Associate Director of Medical Critical Care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's Weill Cornell Medical Center -- says that air pollution is definitely a problem for those who work out in the city. "The main culprits are ozone, fine particulate matter, and carbon monoxide," he says. "These pollutants irritate the lungs and respiratory system, and can exacerbate the problems of persons with underlying disease -- whether respiratory disease such as asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema, or cardiopulmonary maladies."

A simple, cost-effective screening test for those at-risk for abdominal aortic aneurysms
New York, NY (September 4, 2002) - A simple, low-cost ultrasound screening of men over 60 is not only reliably accurate in detecting abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) but is cost-effective in increasing quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). That is the finding of physicians from the Division of Vascular Surgery of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, in an article published in the latest issue of the journal "Surgery". The authors, led by Dr. K. Craig Kent, Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, conclude that screening for AAA in men over 60 should be covered by insurance plans, including Medicare. At present, no major plan provides for such coverage.ÊNewYork-Presbyterian's Division of Vascular Surgery has played a leading role in developing the new "Quick Screen" technology, which can be applied to women as well as men.

Higher intake of calories and fat may be associated with higher risk of alzheimer's disease
NEW YORK, NY (August 14, 2002)Researchers at Columbia University and the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital suggest that a higher consumption of calories and fat may translate into an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) for some people.The results of their study, reported in the August issue of Archives of Neurology, suggest that this risk may arise in individuals who have a variant of apolipoprotein E, known as apo E4. Apolipoprotein E (apo E) is a cholesterol-processing protein responsible for transporting cholesterol in and out of cells. There are different variants of apo E, designated by numbers. People inherit one form of apo E from each parent. Studies have shown that those with one copy of the variant apo E4 are at greater risk of developing AD, while those who inherit 2 copies are at even greater risk.

Pivotal brain processor decreased in schizophrenia
New York, NY (August 13, 2002) -- Levels of a pivotal signal processor in the brain are reduced significantly in people with schizophrenia, a study by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College, The Rockefeller University, and University of California at Irvine (UCI) has found.The findings suggest that the processor, which helps regulate key neurotransmitters in an area of the brain linked to schizophrenia, could eventually play a key role in reversing the brain dysfunctions associated with the disease. The study appears in the August issue of "Archives of General Psychiatry."

Weill Cornell scientist wins award to unlock secrets of cell death and inflammation
New York, NY (Aug. 1, 2002) Dr. Hao Wu, a noted structural biologist and Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, has added a Rita Allen Foundation Award to her honors. Dr. Wu, who was named one of 20 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences two years ago, will now also receive a Rita Allen Foundation Award of $50,000 a year for the next three years. The prestigious award, which is given to only four outstanding young scientists each year, will help support her research in "apoptotic and inflammatory signaling," or the mechanisms by which cells die or become inflamed. In one of the ongoing publications of her research, Dr. Wu and several colleagues report in the current issue of Nature their findings on the TRAF6 signaling protein. "TRAF6" stands for TNF (tumor necrosis factor) receptor-associated factor 6. The authors who studied the signaling of TRAF6 through genetic, biochemical, and crystallographic methods describe what they call “the universal structural mechanism for TRAF6 to participate in adaptive immunity, innate immunity, and bone homeostasis.” According to Dr. Wu, the study shows that inhibition of TRAF6 signaling may be used to treat osteolytic diseases that is, degenerative bone diseases.Dr. Wu’s special field of research is the TNF receptor super-family. (Receptors are the proteins on a cell’s surface by which it responds to the world.) This family of receptors is important in the genesis of many diseases, she says. For example, “Receptors in the TNF receptor super-family are highly involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis by potentiating inflammatory responses through TRAF2 and TRAF6.”

Recruitment of pro-inflammatory adult stem cells contributes to blood, heart and bone diseases, and cancer progression
New York, NY (June 30, 2002) Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College (New York City) and the Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology at the University of Leuven (Belgium) have discovered a key role for a biologically potent growth factor receptor, known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 (VEGFR-1), found on adult bone-marrow-derived stem cells. In two separate papers, just published online in Nature Medicine, these researchers show that activation of VEGFR-1 results in the mobilization and incorporation of pro-inflammatory stem and blood cells into various organs, contributing to inflammation and abnormal vessel formation. This leads to the evolution of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, as well as to arthritic joint diseases, blood disorders, and cancer progression.The scientists also present remarkable preclinical animal studies that utilize blocking antibodies to demonstrate that inhibition of VEGFR-1 activity is effective in diminishing atherosclerosis, as well as in blocking inflammatory processes, thereby preventing the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and certain cancers. The studies lay the foundation for fighting disabling diseases--including heart, joint, blood, and malignant disorders--which afflict millions of individuals world-wide.

Weill Cornell scientists demonstrate new strategy of using bone marrow stem cells to restore aging cardiac blood vessel-forming capacity
New York, NY (June 7, 2002) In a new study just published in the journal Circulation Research, scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College demonstrate that therapy with bone-marrow-derived precursor cells can restore aging cardiac blood vessel-forming capacity, thus possibly preventing some of the morbidity and mortality associated with ischemic heart disease in older individuals. The study points to a promising and novel approach to preventing and treating heart disease in the aging.The lead author, Dr. Jay Edelberg, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Weill Cornell and Assistant Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill Cornell Medical Center, says the study, in an animal model, builds on previous research in his lab that examined changes in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels of older hearts. That study found that molecular alterations in those aged cells lead to a dysregulation of a molecular pathway by which platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) normally contributes to angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation. In the new study, he and his colleagues show the possibility of restoring this pathway by bone marrow transplantation.

Sexual orientation and homophobiais formed early in life, new book by leading psychiatrists argues
New York, NY (May 31, 2002) Bridging psychoanalytic thought and sexual science, a new book by two leading New York psychiatrists brings sexuality back to the center of psychoanalysis, showing how important it is for students of human sexuality to understand motives that are irrational and unconscious. The authors present a new perspective on male and female development, emphasizing the ways in which both sexual orientation itself and the homophobia encountered by many gay and lesbian individuals begin early in life.Sexual Orientation and Psychoanalysis: Sexual Science and Clinical Practice (Columbia University Press; $35) sums up several decades of research and practice by Dr. Richard C. Friedman, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Dr. Jennifer I. Downey, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

Weill Cornell scientists unlock mechanism for recovering bone marrow stem cells
New York, NY (May 28, 2002) Scientists from Weill Medical College of Cornell University have discovered the mechanism by which a renewable source of autologous organ-specific adult bone marrow stem cells may be recruited. While embryonic stem cellsthat is, stem cells derived from embryoshave been the subject of much recent attention and ethical debate, stem cells derived from adult bone marrow may prove to be even more suitable for therapeutic purposes, both as the key to blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) in tumors and as an alternative source of replaceable stem cells that can be used readily for fighting disease through organ regeneration and gene therapy.The use of organ-specific stem cells from adult bone marrow has long been hampered because of the lack of knowledge regarding the mechanism by which these scarce populations of stem cellswhich normally hibernate in the safe haven of the bone marrowproliferate, self-renew, and are recruited to be mobilized to the peripheral blood, where they incorporate into damaged tissue.

Weill Cornell Scientists Unlock Mechanism For Recovering Autologous Adult Bone Marrow Stem Cells For Tissue Regeneration
New York, NY (May 28, 2002) Scientists from Weill Medical College of Cornell University have discovered the mechanism by which a renewable source of autologous organ-specific adult bone marrow stem cells may be recruited. While embryonic stem cellsthat is, stem cells derived from embryoshave been the subject of much recent attention and ethical debate, stem cells derived from adult bone marrow may prove to be even more suitable for therapeutic purposes, both as the key to blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) in tumors and as an alternative source of replaceable stem cells that can be used readily for fighting disease through organ regeneration and gene therapy.The use of organ-specific stem cells from adult bone marrow has long been hampered because of the lack of knowledge regarding the mechanism by which these scarce populations of stem cellswhich normally hibernate in the safe haven of the bone marrowproliferate, self-renew, and are recruited to be mobilized to the peripheral blood, where they incorporate into damaged tissue.

Weill Cornell Study Illuminates Cardiac Scarring That Leads to Heart Failure
New York, NY (May 24, 2002) A new study from Weill Cornell Medical College supplies "important missing links" in our knowledge of "the causes, mechanism, and composition" of the scarring that occurs in heart muscle when there is cardiac valvular disease, according to the lead author, Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer. The study suggests possible approaches to preventing scar formation and thus reducing both the risk of heart failure and the need for valve operations. Published in a recent issue of Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association, the study is a product of Weill Cornell’s Howard Gilman Institute for Valvular Heart Diseases, of which Dr. Borer is a Director.Dr. Borer, who is also the Gladys and Roland Harriman Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill Cornell Medical Center, said that although physicians have long known that a leaking aortic valve will lead to the formation of scar tissue in the heart muscle, their knowledge has been incomplete as to what causes this scarring and what might be done about it.

Harvesting Stem Cells for Transplant in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Still Possible After Treatment with Bexxar
New York, NY (May 19, 2002) A physician from Weill Cornell Medical College reported to a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) in Orlando, FL, today that, in 13 of 16 patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who were treated with an experimental monoclonal antibody called Bexxar, it was still possible to collect an adequate supply of blood stem cells for potential use in a transplant in case the patient relapsed.Dr. Tsiporah Shore, Associate Director of the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program at Weill Cornell, explained that Bexxar (I131 tositumomab) is being tested as a treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bexxar is a monoclonal antibodyan antibody specifically targeted against the antigens of that disease. However, because Bexxar is linked to a radioactive molecule, there has been a concern that exposure to Bexxar “might damage the body’s supply of stem cells, which could be needed for a transplant if the patient relapsed,” according to Dr. Shore.

Weill Cornell Physician Describes Preliminary Results With Trial of a Monoclonal Antibody to Target Solid Tumors
New York, NY (May 19, 2002) A physician in Weill Cornell Medical College’s Division of Hematology/Oncology is reporting that a recently developed monoclonal antibody, called J591, targets an antigen expressed in the blood vessels of solid tumors. The physician, Dr. Matthew I. Milowsky, who is just finishing a term as a fellow in the division, makes his presentation today to the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO), which is meeting in Orlando, FL.Dr. Milowsky, who will become an Assistant Professor in the division this July, explains that J591 was developed by a colleague, Dr. Neil Bander, and manufactured by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, of Cambridge, MA. “J591 recognizes the extracellular domain of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA),” Dr. Milowsky says. PSMA, so named because it was first found in the prostate, is present in the blood vessels of numerous solid tumors, but not in normal blood vessels of benign tissues. The hope is that by attaching a radioactive molecule or other anti-cancer agent to J591, doctors will be able to target tumors specifically for the delivery of therapy.

Weill Cornell Researchers Report "Encouraging" Results with First Combination Antibody Therapy for Lymphoma
New York, NY (May 20, 2002) Investigators from Weill Medical College of Cornell University today reported encouraging interim results with a new potential therapy for non-Hodgkinâs lymphoma (NHL), which affects about 53,900 new patients each year in the United States. The presentation was made at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, FL.Dr. John P. Leonard, the lead investigator of a trial involving a collaboration of scientists from Weill Cornell, Amgen (of Thousand Oaks, CA), and Immunomedics (of Morris Plains, NJ), reported data from 21 patients who have relapsed and refractory NHLpatients in whom the disease has progressed despite prior treatment. The study is the first trial of a combination of two monoclonal antibodies in lymphomaone of the antibodies a known agent (rituximab) and the other a new one (epratuzumab). Administered together, once weekly for four weeks, the combination has preliminarily shown enhanced efficacy over that which has been previously reported with rituximab alone. Rituximab acts against the CD20 antigen (or target molecule) on NHL cells. Its brand name is Rituxan¨, and it is produced by IDEC, of San Diego, Calif., and Genentech, of San Francisco. Epratuzumab, a new investigational antibody in development by Amgen and Immunomedics, acts against the CD22 antigen of NHL.

Children with Psychiatric Emergencies Have Unique Issues That Require New Strategies for Treatment
New York, NY (May 4, 2002) A study done at the Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons by Dr. Meridith Sonnett, associate director of pediatric emergency medicine, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics, and principal investigator, showed that children and older teenagers presenting to the Hospital's emergency department (ED) with psychiatric emergencies differed in types of illnesses and the need for care between age groups.Dr. Sonnett said that the results of this study were extremely important in highlighting the future direction of psychiatric care for children. "It is clear that psychiatric emergencies in children have reached epidemic proportions," she says. "It is also clear that younger children have unique needs that must be addressed separately from older children and adults. For example, 25 percent of children diagnosed with “diseases usually diagnosed in childhood-- such as attention deficit disorder-- may require a more specialized approach, given that their problems may not strictly be psychiatric in nature, but more behavioral in origin."

Weill Cornell Prevention Program Can Cut Binge Drinking in Inner-City Youth
New York, NY (April 12, 2002) -- A large, randomized study of more than 3,000 New York City schoolchildren has shown for the first time that a school-based prevention program that teaches early adolescents drug refusal skills and other essential behaviors can significantly decrease binge drinking for as long as two years after the initial intervention. The program is the LifeSkills Training (LST) program developed by Weill Cornell Medical College."This is the largest and most rigorous prevention study conducted with inner-city youngsters, and one of the first to examine binge drinking in these youth," said the study’s lead investigator, Gilbert J. Botvin, Ph.D., an internationally known expert on drug abuse prevention, who is Professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Director of Weill Cornell’s Institute for Prevention Research. Dr. Botvin is also Chief of the Division of Prevention and Health Behavior in Weill Cornell’s Department of Public Health and Attending Psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Most Hypertensive Patients Do Not Know the Importance of Systolic Blood Pressure
New York, NY (March 18, 2002) - Despite having a potentially life-threatening condition, a large proportion of patients with hypertension (high blood pressure) are unaware of the full importance of systolic blood pressure (the upper number in a blood pressure reading) in the control and prevention of disease, according to a study presented today at the 51st Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta."Improved recognition of the importance of systolic blood pressure has been identified as a major public health challenge," said primary investigator Susan A. Oliveria, Sc.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Public Health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Assistant Attending Epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "Yet this survey indicates that many patients lack the basic knowledge about the importance of systolic blood pressure that would help them achieve better blood pressure control and reduce the potential for more serious conditions."

HIV Vaccines & Low Daily Doses of Interleukin 2 May Lead to Permanent HIV Immunity
New York, NY (March 1, 2002) -- A new clinical trial testing an HIV vaccine together with low daily doses of interleukin 2 (IL2) -- led by Dr. Kendall Smith, Chief of Immunology in the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College -- is designed to determine whether it is possible to achieve control of HIV by enhancing the body's immunity to the virus. Dr. Smith's team has previously shown that low daily doses of the T cell growth factor IL2 can result in accelerated improvement of the immune system when given to individuals with chronic HIV infection. Now, the team is testing whether it is possible to generate protective immunity to HIV, so that antiviral drugs will no longer be necessary.Dr. Smith and his research team discovered the IL2 molecule and IL2 receptors over 20 years ago, and since then, the team has pioneered studies that have determined how IL2 functions as a growth factor for T lymphocytes and Natural Killer (NK) cells, the principal cells known to fight viral infections.

Newborn Babies Can Learn to Distinguish Speech Sounds While Asleep, Study Shows
New York, NY (February 21, 2002) -- The old idea of putting foreign-language cassettes under your baby's crib, or playing Mozart on the stereo to help the baby learn, is based on studies that are "largely anecdotal," says Dr. Amir Raz, a fellow of psychology and psychiatry at the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology of Weill Cornell Medical College. But now, Dr. Amir and 11 Finnish scientists have carried out a rigorous, carefully controlled study that shows that babies less than a week old can learn to distinguish between speech sounds by hearing them while they are asleep. The results, published recently in the journal Nature, are remarkable, if preliminary, he says. While further research is necessary, if the findings are replicated, the study may one day lead to innovations in the nursery.The investigators, led by Dr. Marie Cheour of the Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland, studied 45 newborns, all less than one week old. Fifteen were in an experimental group, and 15 were in each of two control groups. The babies had electrodes placed on their scalps, and speakers near their heads gently played a randomized sequence of two similar Finnish vowel sounds as they slept: a "standard" sound, /y/, and a "deviant" sound, /i/.

Electrostatic Calculations Can Explain Interactions Between Proteins and Membrane Surfaces
New York, NY (February 21, 2002) -- In biology, a special place is held by those who find simple physical ways to explain phenomena that are otherwise difficult to understand. That is the achievement of two scientists -- Dr. Diana Murray of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Dr. Barry Honig of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University -- who, in a cover article in the January issue of Molecular Cell, show that calculations of the electrostatic properties of protein domains known as C2 domains can explain their interactions with cellular membranes.The paper's importance is evident in that it has been selected for attention and commentary in two other journals, Science and Developmental Cell. As Dr. Carl Nathan, Chairman of Weill Cornell's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, puts it, computational biology such as is exemplified by Drs. Murray and Honig's paper "is only now beginning to find a venue in the top-flight experiment-oriented journals."

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Will Administer Major New Pediatrics Prize Created by Mr. and Mrs. Abe Pollin
New York, NY (February 14, 2002) -- Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and Chief Executive Officer of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, announced today the establishment of the Pollin Prize in Pediatric Research, a major new international award that will recognize outstanding lifetime achievement in biomedical or public health research related to the health of children.The award is created by Irene and Abe Pollin and their family of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and funded by the Linda and Kenneth Pollin Foundation. It will consist of a $100,000 cash prize and a medal or certificate to be awarded annually to a senior investigator who has done work of international significance in the field of pediatrics.

The Challenge of Detecting Consciousness in Severely Brain-Injured Persons
New York, NY (February 15, 2002) -- The latest research in the conditions known as "persistent vegetative state" and "minimally conscious state" will be presented by Dr. Nicholas Schiff, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College, at the meeting in Boston today of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).Displaying images of brain functions obtained with the most advanced technology, Dr. Schiff will discuss the problems and dilemmas posed by persons who -- whether through stroke, brain injury, cardiac arrest, or other trauma to the central nervous system -- show some signs of consciousness but cannot fully communicate and respond.

Weill Cornell Researcher Sees Promise in Use of Stem Cells and Progenitor Cells for Brain Repair
New York, NY (February 18, 2002) -- In two sessions at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston today -- on stem cells in the morning and on adult neuronal production in the afternoon -- Dr. Steven Goldman, Nathan Cummings Professor of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College, will report several new discoveries pertaining to the use of stem cells and progenitor cells for treating the diseased human brain. The research holds tremendous promise for a wide range of neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases, as well as destructive disorders such as stroke, trauma, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury.Stem cells are cells that have the potential of dividing to become cells of different types. Dr. Goldman begins his abstracts of both talks by observing that neural stem cells and progenitor cells -- far from disappearing once a person reaches adulthood -- "are dispersed widely throughout the adult brain."

'Bucket Brigade' of Proteins Produces Tubercle Bacillus's 'Stubborn Defense' Against the Body's Immune System
New York, NY (January 25, 2002) - One of the challenges posed by the tubercle bacillus, which causes tuberculosis (TB), is to understand how the bacillus, once it infects tissue, persists for a person's entire lifetime despite the attack of the body's immune system. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) persists despite prolonged oxidative and nitrosative stress-forces that the immune system uses to kill many other invading pathogens. Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College, led by Dr. Carl Nathan, have now found that Mtb defends itself against oxidative stress by using a "bucket brigade" of proteins - including two proteins that have been widely known as being involved in essential metabolism.

Nine Cornell Researchers among world's most often-cited authors
New York, NY -- Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y., and Weill Cornell Medical College, in New York City, together have nine researchers who are among the world's most often-cited authors, according to a new World Wide Web service, ISIHighlyCited.com, a unit of Thomson Corp. The free, online service, which brings together the publication and career records of preeminent researchers worldwide, culled the Cornell names from Thomson's authoritative ISI Citation Database. (January 27, 2002)

First Robot-Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in the U.S.Performed at New York-Presbyterian Hospital
New York, NY (January 17, 2002) - A 71-year-old retired businessman from New Jersey is the first patient in the U.S. to receive robotically-assisted coronary artery bypass surgery without a chest incision of any kind. The operation was performed by Dr. Michael Argenziano, director of robotic cardiac surgery, and Dr. Craig Smith, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, as part of a clinical trial sanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration at NewYork-Presbyterian's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center on January 15, 2002. Until this point, coronary artery bypass surgery required open-chest surgery, which involves an eight to ten-inch incision made in the chest. Robotically-assisted surgery requires only three pencil-sized holes made between the ribs. Through these holes, two robotic-arms and an endoscope (a tiny camera) gain access to the heart, making surgery possible without opening the chest.This historic operation follows the successes of other robotically-assisted surgeries at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Cardiac surgeons at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center have performed more than 40 robotic cardiac operations including internal mammary artery harvests, mitral valve repairs, and the first robotically-assisted atrial septal defect repair in the United States. The surgical robot, Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci ' Surgical System, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for a number of clinical trials in which NewYork-Presbyterian's New York Weill Cornell Medical Center also participates.

Haitian AIDS Center Establishing New Institute to Fight AIDS and Other Infectious Diseases
New York, NY (January 2, 2002) - GHESKIO -- a leading Haitian health facility dedicated since 1982 to research, services, and training in HIV/AIDS and other deadly infectious diseases -- observed World AIDS Day last December 1 by holding a gala with hundreds of guests to raise funds for a new Institute to replace its present, outgrown quarters. GHESKIO (Groupe Haitien d'Etudes du Sarcome de Kaposi et des Infections Opportunistes) is the second oldest institution in the world, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dedicated to the fight against AIDS, and it has been in the forefront of many medical achievements.Its new and expanded Institute, to be constructed on a new site, will be known as the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Reproductive Health.

Weill Cornell Researchers Describe the Immune Deficiency at Root of the Commonest Form of Type 1 Diabetes
New York, NY (January 2, 2002) -- An article just published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation -- by lead authors Drs. Noel Maclaren and Anjli Kukreja of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College -- sets out the results of an investigation into the immune defects of some 60 persons with immune-mediated diabetes, the most common form of type 1 diabetes. The study delineates precisely what predisposes a person to this condition, and the latest, best measures for diagnosis, prediction, and therapy. Above all, the authors suggest a new strategy for combatting the disease: stimulate rather than suppress the patient's immune system.