Leaders in Medicine and Science Celebrate Innovation at the Feinstein Institutes During Two Annual Academic Events

Top physician-scientists gathered on Long Island for a two-day celebration of medical research and achievement hosted by Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. On May 21, the Feinstein Academy of Scholars Symposium, an integrated network of researchers and scholars who share a passion for revolutionizing translational research, hosted its 8^th annual symposium at the Oheka Castle, Huntington, NY. The next day, at the Feinstein Institutes in Manhasset, NY, the 2025 commencement ceremony of the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine took place, where two new PhDs were conferred along with two honorary degrees given to Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, Sterling Professor of Immunology at Yale University School of Medicine and Martine Rothblatt, PhD, JD, CEO of United Therapeutics Corporation.

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“The Feinstein Institutes’ commitment to translational research was evident throughout this two-day celebration,” said Bettie M. Steinberg, PhD, interim dean of the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine and professor in the Feinstein Institutes Institute of Molecular Medicine. “The symposium highlighted cutting-edge discoveries poised to move from the lab to the clinic, while the Elmezzi graduates represent the next generation of scientists dedicated to turning scientific advancements into tangible therapies.”

Meeting of minds at the Feinstein Academy of Scholars Symposium

Members of the Academy include recipients of honorary doctoral degrees from the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Marsh and Match visiting lecturers, recipients of the Cerami, Ross and Advancing Women in Science and Medicine (AWSM) prizes, and researchers from the Feinstein Institutes.

This year’s featured keynote speakers included:

• Tobias Janowitz, MD, PhD, associate professor and Cancer Center Program Leader at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, provided an overview of the current research on systemic signaling in paraneoplasia, emphasizing the importance of this area of study.
• Lopa Mishra, MD, co-director and professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes and Susan and Herman Merinoff Distinguished Chair in Translational Medicine, explained how specific environmental toxins contribute to liver cancer and outlined methods to selectively target these cancer cells.
• Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, Sterling Professor of Immunology at Yale University School of Medicine, spoke about examining the role of immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of post-acute infection syndrome.
• Douglas F. Nixon, MD, PhD, Karches Family Professor in Translational Research and director and professor, Institute of Translational Research at the Feinstein Institutes, spoke about human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are part of our non-coding DNA and that our own genomes can impact our health and disease.
• Max Brenner, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes, spoke about an Elmezzi scholar’s scientific journey stemming from the classroom to the clinic and the lab.
• Linda Van Aelst, PhD, professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, discussed the intricate involvement of Rho regulators in synapse formation and dysfunction.

Celebrating the future of medical research

On May 22, two clinicians were conferred their PhD during the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine graduation. This unique PhD program is for physicians (MDs) who wish to pursue careers in biomedical research. During the program, Elmezzi students conduct research in Feinstein Institutes laboratories to advance medical research and pursue new therapeutic approaches and diagnostic tools. The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine is supported in part by a generous endowment from the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation.

Two honorary degrees were bestowed at the Elmezzi commencement. The first to Dr. Iwasaki for her research on immune defense against viruses at mucosal surfaces, and to Dr. Rothblatt for her contributions to new treatments for rare diseases and advances in organ transplants. In addition, she was the creator of the satellite radio company SiriusXM. This year’s graduates include:

• Willians Tambo Ayol, MD, investigated the role of microvascular dysfunction in cognitive impairment and dementia, and explored the therapeutic potential of the diving reflex's protective mechanisms against cerebral hypoperfusion.
• Santhoshi Poonacha Palandira, MBBS, MS, MCh, applied optogenetics to neuromodulate brainstem nuclei to regulate inflammation. She also identified celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex in the abdomen and identified it as a new therapeutic target for noninvasive bioelectronic therapies to treat inflammation with a translational potential.

“Physician-scientists produce the innovations and discoveries that make a healthier world,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “Elmezzi graduates are committed to career paths that will lead to new therapies and diagnostics.”

To find out more about the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine and its programs, click here.

About The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine:

The Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine at Northwell Health offers MDs an accelerated PhD three-year program emphasizing translational research. Its mission is to provide academic training for physicians to discover and understand the causes of human diseases and to rapidly and effectively translate this information into diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. The program started in 1994 and is supported in part by a generous endowment from The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation. To date, more than 50 physician-scientists have graduated from the prestigious program. The Elmezzi School of Molecular Medicine is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). For more information, click here.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50+ research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its six institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, molecular medicine, and translational research. We are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – an innovative field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. The Feinstein Institutes publishes two open-access, international peer-reviewed journals Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine. Through the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, we offer an accelerated PhD program. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

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