2020

December
- First Annual Women’s Leadership Summit Tackles the Challenges of COVID-19, Racism
  
  December 21, 2020
  
  The Women in Medicine and Science Committee (WIMSC) was months away from holding its inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit, a discussion of gender equity in medicine and science, when restrictions took affect across the United States to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. By the time the first annual iteration of the event began on Friday, Dec. 11, the pandemic had impacted not only the timing and format of the conference, but also its focus – and organizers say that latter change was one for the better.
  
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- SEPTA and Drexel Team up to Battle COVID-19
  
  December 15, 2020
  Researchers from Drexel University will be working with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) on a partnership aimed at enhancing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation. Through a recently formed partnership, the institutions are pursuing a federal grant for research into risk assessment, mitigation and communication strategies that will help keep riders safe and healthy.
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- Call for Nominations: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
  
  December 15, 2020
  
  Nominations are open for election into the Delta Zeta chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society. You do not need to be a member of AOA to nominate a deserving candidate. The deadline is January 8, 2021.
  
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- Resiliency, Mentorship and $10 Million in Grants: Drexel Neurobiology & Anatomy in 2020
  
  December 11, 2020
  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the department’s tried-and-true strategies remained strong enough to yield record-breaking levels of research funding.
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- Health Outreach Project (HOP) Adapts to Providing Care During the Pandemic
  
  December 10, 2020
  
  In her first year of medical school, Sanjana Venkat found a passion for serving patients at a Salvation Army rehabilitation center’s health clinic, one of the five, free health service sites from the College of Medicine’s Health Outreach Project (HOP). Venkat returned to the clinic last spring as its steering coordinator, only to quickly shift her plans and expectations as the site suspended in-person operations just two weeks into the semester because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
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- AWIS-PHL Honors Three College of Medicine Women
  
  December 10, 2020
  
  The College of Medicine is proud to recognize three members of our community whose work was recognized this semester by the Philadelphia chapter of the Association of Women in Science (AWIS) , an organization working to advance opportunities for women in STEM.
  
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- Drexel’s Interdisciplinary Battle Against COVID-19
  
  December 07, 2020
  From administering COVID tests to conducting case investigation and contact tracing, the University has relied on a cross-college battalion of faculty, professional staff and students to protect Dragons against the coronavirus, and in turn, protect the surrounding community.
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November
- Vision 2020: A Historic Commemoration During a Historic Year
  
  November 17, 2020
  For over a decade, a national women’s equality coalition headquartered at Drexel planned a national celebration of this year’s centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Then the pandemic happened.
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- AOA Student Research Fellowship Winner Rohan Sehgal Studies Healthy Aging
  
  November 12, 2020
  
  Rohan Sehgal, of the MD Program Class of 2023, wants to make something clear: the research to which he is contributing isn't about finding the fountain of youth or the key to eternal life.
  
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October
- ELAM Program Announces Graduation of 2020 Class
  
  October 30, 2020
  
  The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM®) program at Drexel University College of Medicine is pleased to announce the graduation of its 25th class. This graduating class of 59 fellows from 53 institutions joins a diverse alumnae community of more than 1,100 highly accomplished leaders that represent 287 medical, dental, public health and pharmacy schools from around the world.
  
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- Faculty Highlights: Recent Grants and Awards
  
  October 21, 2020
  This update offers a snapshot of recent activity, including the work of Janet Chen, MD, assistant professor in the College of Medicine, who is a principal investigator for the Gilead Sciences-sponsored clinical trial evaluating young COVID-19 patients treated with the drug remdesivir.
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- College of Medicine's Research Showcased at Virtual 2020 Discovery Day
  
  October 09, 2020
  
  Discovery Day 2020 took place virtually this year to maintain safe social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but much of what makes the annual event exciting remained the same. As in years past, hundreds of participants from the College of Medicine showcased original research on Thursday, October 8, presenting on topics from neuroscience and oncology to mental health and immunology.
  
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September
- During a Historic Time, Drexel’s Virtual Convocation Looks Ahead
 
 September 30, 2020
 Looking and sounding different than past years, the 2020 ceremony outlined how Drexel will be working to improve educational, working and living environments on and off campus.
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- COVID-19 Immunology Study is a Collaborative Effort of Many
 
 September 30, 2020
 
 The pursuit for more information about the COVID-19 coronavirus has led a group of College of Medicine researchers to West Reading, Pa. and back again, with some of their vital work taking place before the sun is up.
 
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- In Their Own Words: The Front Lines of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
 
 September 24, 2020
 Faculty, staff and students of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, which later grew into Drexel’s College of Medicine, worked heroically in the fall of 1918 to treat influenza patients, including themselves — as documented in the few reports remaining from that time.
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- Your Neighborhood May Raise Your Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease
 
 September 23, 2020
 A neighborhood’s overall socioeconomic status, including income and education-level, may influence its residents’ risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a study recently published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827320302834">SSM Population Health</a> by researchers from Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health.
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- Building West Reading Campus, Architects Focus on Community
 
 September 18, 2020
 
 SLAM architects aren't just building a new facility in West Reading for Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health -- they're building a community hub.
 
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- Drexel Medicine Researchers Develop New Technology to Target DNA Damage Repair in Cancer Patients
 
 September 10, 2020
 A team of Drexel University College of Medicine researchers is advancing a way to destroy cancer cells exploiting "synthetic lethality," which is caused by deficiency in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. Synthetic lethality occurs when deficiencies in each of any two genes can be tolerated by the cell but the combination of these two deficiencies is lethal.
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August
- Drexel Researchers Receive Funding for Racial Equity Projects
 
 August 31, 2020
 Just over $100,000 was awarded to 22 faculty and professional staff through Drexel's Rapid Response Research & Development Fund.
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- Virtual White Coat Ceremony Held for the MD Program Class of 2024
 
 August 11, 2020
 
 The MD Program Class of 2024 gathered virtually on Friday, August 7, to officially begin their medical school journey with the White Coat Ceremony, a symbolic commitment to the values and duties of the medical profession.
 
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- Karen Restifo MD, JD, Named Inaugural Vice Dean, Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health
 
 August 10, 2020
 
 Karen Restifo, MD, JD, has been named regional vice dean of Drexel University College of Medicine’s Tower Health campus in West Reading, effective September 1, 2020.
 
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- Construction Projects Paused by the Pandemic Resume with New Timelines
 
 August 05, 2020
 After the state lifted stay-at-home orders in May, work resumed on construction projects on the University City Campus, some of which are related to Drexel’s focus on the health sciences
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- New Arts and Community Health Graduate Minor Teaches Broad, Timely Concepts
 
 August 03, 2020
 Offered by the Dornsife School of Public Health, this new minor builds on the growing evidence base linking arts and public health, and complements many different fields of study. 
 
 
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- New Chief Executive Officer Welcomed at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
 
 August 03, 2020
 Last month, Donald Mueller was announced as the new leader of the hospital owned and operated in partnership between Drexel University and Tower Health.
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July
- Online Session for Faculty and Professional Staff Shares Campus Return Coping Strategies
  
  July 27, 2020
  In the July 23 presentation “When Pandemic Becomes Endemic: Managing Distress While Living With Covid-19,” College of Medicine Vice Chair for Education, and Director of Residency and Professor of psychiatry Donna Sudak, MD, suggested ways in which Dragons can manage their anxiety in these uncertain times.
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- Student Organization Brings First-Gen Medical Students Together
  
  July 17, 2020
  
  A desire to help others, a love of learning, and skills like self-reliance and adaptability have gotten Daniyal Dar where he is today. Dar said he gained those skills along the path to medical school, navigating secondary education as a first-generation college student.
  
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- Managing Medical Education During the Pandemic
  
  July 15, 2020
  
  In an unprecedented time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College of Medicine community came together to deliver virtual, socially distant medical education.
  
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June
- Drexel Takes Top Spot on National Rankings for Innovation
  
  June 26, 2020
  A new report from the George W. Bush Institute and the innovation consulting firm Opus Faveo Innovation Development named Drexel the most innovative mid-sized research university in the country.
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- 2020 Inductees of Medical Honor Societies Announced
  
  June 24, 2020
  
  The College of Medicine proudly congratulates our faculty, residents, alumni and students who have recently been inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha and the Gold Humanism Honor Societies.
  
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- Virtual Commencement Celebrates Class of 2020
  
  June 08, 2020
  
  The Class of 2020 celebrated commencement virtually due to social distancing and the COVID-19 pandemic, but one major aspect of their May 29 ceremonies remained the same as any other: community.
  
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May
- Tower Health and Drexel Celebrate ‘Topping Off’ at New Facility for College of Medicine
 
 May 19, 2020
 Tower Health and Drexel University celebrated an official “Topping Off” ceremony for the development of an additional site location of Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health, to be opened in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. 
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- ELAM Program Announces 2020-2021 Class of Fellows
 
 May 06, 2020
 
 The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program for Women at Drexel University College of Medicine is pleased to announce the selection of its 2020-2021 class of fellows. ELAM® is the only longitudinal program in North America dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.
 
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- The New Normal: Stories of Drexel Students Living on Campus During COVID-19
 
 May 04, 2020
 Sixty-five Dragons appealed for University Housing this term, and are sheltering on campus while most of the rest of the Drexel community is at home. Three students discuss their circumstances, new routines and hopes for the future.
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- A Guide for Graduate Dragons on Acing Virtual Presentations and Defenses
 
 May 01, 2020
 COVID-19 has made virtual presentations the new norm. Two faculty members and two MD/PhD students who recently defended their thesis share tips on how to do this successfully, and why it might even be preferable to an in-person event. 
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April
- University Providing $100,000 to Support Urgent, Short-term COVID-19 Research
  
  April 27, 2020
  
  College of Medicine faculty members are involved in more than half of all the short-term, urgent action COVID-19 research and development efforts receiving support from the University’s $100,000 Rapid Response Research & Development Fund.
  
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- MD Students Form Task Force to Collect PPE
  
  April 21, 2020
  
  The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has changed the routines of daily life for many, but Drexel University College of Medicine students are working together – and collaborating with new student groups – to make the best of the difficult situation.
  
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- Screen Time for Babies Linked to Higher Risk of Autism-Like Symptoms Later in Childhood
  
  April 20, 2020
  Sitting a baby in front of a tablet or television, as well as less parent-child play time, are associated with developing greater autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like symptoms later in childhood. These findings, from the first prospective study on the subject, are published today in JAMA Pediatrics from researchers at Drexel University’s College of Medicine and Dornsife School of Public Health.
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- Dr. Marla Gold Named Vice Provost for Community Health Care Innovation
  
  April 14, 2020
  In this newly created position, the Dornsife School of Public Health professor and dean emerita will optimize community health care services, promote population health, and coordinate health care and health science research and education within Drexel’s urban setting.
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- At Drexel, Community Comes Together as Dragons Stay Apart
  
  April 08, 2020
  While the COVID-19 pandemic runs its course, Drexel continues to innovate and promote research, scholarship and well-being.
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- Verdi J. DiSesa, MD, MBA, Named College of Medicine's Senior Vice Dean and Chief Operating Officer
  
  April 06, 2020
  
  Verdi J. DiSesa, MD, MBA, has been named Senior Vice Dean and Chief Operating Officer of Drexel University College of Medicine, starting April 6.
  
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March
- Drexel Collects Coronavirus-related Supplies for Donations
  
  March 30, 2020
  Medical and nursing faculty, staff and students are gathering masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment to donate to hospitals and health care workers.
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- Virtual Match Day Preserves an Important Event for Fourth-Year Med Students
  
  March 30, 2020
  
  Upon learning where they will complete their residency training, Drexel University College of Medicine’s fourth-year medical students typically celebrate with hugs and high-fives. This year, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic led students, staff and faculty to move their March 20 “Match Day” envelope-opening party online, preserving an important tradition without putting anyone at risk.
  
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- 2020 Golden Apple Award Winners Announced
  
  March 27, 2020
  
  The annual Golden Apple Awards recognize outstanding service and teaching by Drexel University College of Medicine faculty and staff members. Each class of medical students nominates faculty and staff members for the honor and votes to determine the award winners. Non-faculty awards are given to honor staff who have provided outstanding service to the student body and the College.
  
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- College of Medicine Appoints Interim Academic Chairs to Lead Key Clinical Departments
  
  March 26, 2020
  
  Drexel University College of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of interim academic chairs to three key clinical departments.
  
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- Drexel Panels Address COVID-19 Best Practices
  
  March 11, 2020
  The College of Nursing and Health Professions and Dornsife School of Public Health hosted discussions on how health care professionals and the general public can be prepared to face the novel coronavirus.
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- COVID-19 Q&A with College of Medicine Dean Charles B. Cairns, MD
  
  March 10, 2020
  In this Q&A, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean discussed what is known and unknown about COVID-19, and what sources he's turning to for coronavirus news and updates.
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February
- New Italian Exchange Program Encourages Scientific Collaboration and Understanding
 
 February 27, 2020
 In the last few months, Drexel University College of Medicine and the University of Bologna in Italy have hosted students from each other’s institution to further future opportunities for research partnerships.
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- Drexel’s Vision 2020 Presents Women 100: A National Celebration of American Women
 
 February 24, 2020
 In honor of the 100th anniversary of American women’s voting rights, the Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership in the College of Medicine is presenting the largest 19th Amendment centennial celebration in the country this year.
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- $600 Million Milestone Surpassed by The Campaign for Drexel
 
 February 13, 2020
 Drexel supporters have carried the University’s most ambitious fundraising campaign past its three-quarter mark.
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- Pediatric AIDS Benefit Concert Raises $32,000
 
 February 03, 2020
 
 The 27th annual Drexel University College of Medicine Pediatric AIDS Benefit Concert was again a success, bringing in $32,000 this year for children living with HIV and AIDS, with donations still being accepted.
 
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January
- Where Do We Want Drexel To Be in 10 Years?
  
  January 22, 2020
  Starting this month, the committee working on Drexel’s new 10-Year Strategic Plan will begin meeting with colleges and schools to seek input on how Drexel should navigate the upcoming crucial decade.
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- Faculty Highlights: Recent Grants and Awards
  
  January 16, 2020
  Read all about the sponsored research and major gifts and recognition that were recently received by faculty — like two Drexel professors who were awarded fellows of the National Academies of Inventors.
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