For a better experience, click the Compatibility Mode icon above to turn off Compatibility Mode, which is only for viewing older websites.

Faculty in the News 2023

December 2023

December 14: Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, wrote an MD Edge article about how ChatGPT can be utilized in a medical practice.

December 10: Jesse Pines, MD, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, co-authored an ACEP Now article about the state of Maryland’s launch of the first-ever government-based emergency medicine alternative payment model earlier this year.

December 6: Sarah S. Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and a member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, was quoted in New York Times and The Seattle Times articles about new data showing only 14.8% of adults 60 and over have been vaccinated against RSV.

November 2023

November 30: Stephen Pagkalinawan, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was a guest on an episode of KYW-Newsradio's "In Depth" podcast to discuss the risk of spreading COVID-19 over the holidays.

November 26: H. Christopher Lawson, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, specifically his promotion to the role of division chief, Neurosurgery, at Reading Hospital, was highlighted in a Reading Eagle roundup.

November 24: Gene Finley, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was featured in a CURE interview about education disparities among patients with lung cancer, including biomarker testing.

November 23: Stephen Anthony Pagkalinawan, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was featured in an episode of KYW-Newsradio’s “In Depth” podcast about how much progress we’ve made with COVID treatments in the past few years.

November 21: Sarah S. Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was featured in a Healio Pediatrics video about the history of vaccines and the dangers of under-vaccination.

November 20: Dulabh Monga, MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, was quoted in a CURE article about the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of Fruzaqla (frutquitinib) for patients with pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer, which reportedly led to “impressive” survival improvements.

November 17: Donna Sudak, MD, professor and vice chair for education in the Department of Psychiatry, co-authored a Psychiatric Times article about the importance of more attention to the value of psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression.

November 17: Emil Fernando, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, authored an article in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about mastectomy options for breast cancer patients.

November 8: Gene Finley, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was quoted in a Cure Today article about how drug shortages facing non-small lung cancer patients affects treatment options.

October 2023

October 20: Asif M. Ilyas, MD, associate dean of clinical research, academic vice chair of orthopedic surgery, and adjunct professor of orthopedic surgery and pediatrics, wrote an opinion article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about safely disposing unused opioids post-surgery.

October 19: Gene Finley, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was quoted in a Cure Today article about the recent approval by the Food and Drug Administration of Keytruda for the perioperative treatment of patients with resectable stage 2, 3A or 3B non-small cell lung cancer.

October 17: Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, MD, professor and academic chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine, and senior vice president and chief clinical diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Allegheny Health Network/Highmark Health, was named one of Modern Healthcare’s 2023 Diversity Leaders Luminary Award winners, among only a few selected nationwide.

October 12: Charles B. Cairns, MD, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean of the College of Medicine and senior vice president of medical affairs, Drexel University, was featured among Metro Philadelphia’s “Health Care Power Players 2023” list, published this week.

October 10: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in a WHYY story about cost and availability challenges associated with new antibody RSV shots for newborns.

September 2023

September 29: Asif M. Ilyas, MD, vice chair of orthopedic surgery and associate dean of clinical research, wrote an article in The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pennsylvania) about how the COVID-19 pandemic may be fueling the nation’s opioid crisis.

September 28: Research by Meera N. Harhay, MD, a professor in the Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, showing that maintaining physical fitness and avoiding weight gain are more important than weight loss in staving off kidney disease, was featured in UPI, Everyday Health and WebMD.

September 22: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in a Reuters article about the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backing Pfizer's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for women in the middle of the third trimester of pregnancy to protect their babies from severe illness. Long was also quoted in an NPR story that ran on several stations nationwide, about the CDC decision.

September 19: Meera N. Harhay, MD, a professor in the Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, was quoted in a Cardiology Advisor article about recent data showing a higher risk of death for obese adults with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease who experience rapid weight loss coupled with increasing blood pressure and decreasing serum albumin.

September 12: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in articles in Politico and STAT about a recommendation that anyone above 6 months of age get an updated COVID shot this fall, following a 13-1 vote from CDC vaccine advisers.

September 6: Sandeep Rana, MD, an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Neurology, was featured in a Neurology Live article about progress in adult-onset spinal muscular atrophy.

September 4: Rade B. Vukmir, MD, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, was mentioned in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about those joining the board of directors for the Allegheny Children’s Initiative, as well as other “people in the move” in the Pittsburgh region.

August 2023

August 30: Jim Seaberg, assistant director of the Medical Cannabis Research Center in the Dornsife School of Public Health and the College of Medicine, was quoted in an NBC News article and Jerusalem Post story about a new study that found marijuana users had 27% higher levels of lead in their blood.

August 29: Paul W. Brandt-Rauf, ScD, MD, DrPH, dean and distinguished university professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, was quoted in a WHYY story about the college developing a new model for cell and gene therapy education. Dr. Brandt-Rauf is working in collaboration with the College of Medicine, with grant support from Bristol Myers Squibb.

August 20: Emil Fernando, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, was quoted in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who is embarking on a study that tests a theory of a cancer vaccine for women diagnosed with a non-invasive early-stage breast cancer.

August 19: Jesse Pines, MD, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, co-wrote an opinion piece for MedPage Today that addressed key questions about how physician contract management groups work.

August 25: Soumya Chakravarty, MD, PhD, an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Medicine, wrote an HCP Live article about new hope for psoriatic arthritis patients.

August 11: Charles B. Cairns, MD, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean and senior vice president of medical affairs, was quoted in a WFMZ-TV (Allentown, Pennsylvania) story about orientation activities for medical students at the College of Medicine at Tower Health. WFMZ-TV (Allentown, Pennsylvania) also produced a story about the campus welcoming its third class of medical students.

August 9: Renee Turchi, MD, professor and academic chair of the Department of Pediatrics, was featured in a WTXF-TV (FOX-29) segment about a recent school supply giveaway at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, organized by College of Medicine students through the Bridging the Gaps program.

August 6: Marc Itskowitz, MD, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine, was interviewed on a WJAS-Radio (Pittsburgh) segment about practicing and teaching medicine to third- and fourth-year medical students during internal medicine rotations at Allegheny Network hospitals.

August 3: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in stories in NBC News, Medpage Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Inside Health Policy and in an WHYY-Radio story about an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – of which Long is a member – that voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend an injectable RSV drug for two groups of infants.

August 1: Aniruddha Singh, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was mentioned in a Medscape Medical News article about a petition gaining traction among oncologists that demands an end to maintenance of certification requirements from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

July 2023

July 13: Aniruddha Singh, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, authored an ABIM blog post about the value of board certification.

July 12: A study by Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was cited in an MSN "The Healthy" post listing little-known facts about voices.

July 10: Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, MD, MEd, MPPM, academic chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was featured in a Pittsburgh Business Times article about starting her new role in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

June 2023

June 21: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in a CNN story about a CDC vaccine advisers’ vote that sets the stage for the first RSV shot for older adults this fall. The story also ran on KCCI-TV (CBS-Des Moines, Iowa), WYFF-TV (NBC-Greenville, SC), and News Channel Nebraska, among other outlets.

June 14: Daniel V. Schidlow, MD, dean emeritus and Medical Humanities, Bioethics & Professional Formation course director, and a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Pharmacology & Physiology and Medicine was quoted in an Al Dia article about receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at Al Dia’s annual Top Doctors ceremony.

June 7: Erum Ilyas, MD, an adjunct professor in the Department of Dermatology, was quoted in a Livestrong article about the dangers caused from picking at and peeling sunburned skin.

June 6: Elisabeth Van Bockstaele, PhD, founding dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies; senior vice president for graduate and online education; dean, Graduate College; and chief strategy officer, was quoted in a Higher Ed Dive story about Drexel’s collaboration with Peirce College to launch a pair of pilot programs for adult learners in the region.

June 6: Nancy Spector, MD, executive director of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine and Executive Leadership in Health Care programs, and the Lynn Yeakel Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership, and senior vice dean for faculty, authored a study about the mistreatment of underrepresented groups in academic medicine, featured by Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

June 5: Charles Cairns, MD, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean and senior vice president for medical affairs, was featured in a Capital Analytics Associates post about the success of the college and landscape for medical education locally and nationally.

May 2023

May 26: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in a STAT article about hurdles in the way of adoption of RSV vaccines among older adults.

May 12: Leon McCrea, II MD, senior associate dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and director of the Drexel Pathway to Medical School at the College of Medicine, co-authored a May 12 article in The Philadelphia Tribune about how to achieve equity in medical education.

May 11: Meera N. Harhay, MD, an associate professor in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a May 11 Healio Nephrology News and Issues article about new findings on weight loss and risk of death for some chronic kidney disease patients.

May 10: Alexander Helfand, MD, an assistant professor in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a May 10 Cure Today article about the recent approval of Padcev plus Keytruda to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.

May 9: Wei Du, MD, a professor and chair in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a May 10 Healthline article about patients using medical cannabis to treat chronic pain and manage quality of life.

May 9: Nancy Spector, MD, "Leaders from RadEqual and the AAWR Sign MOU, Solidifying Commitment to Advance Opportunities in Radiology" in PRWeb.

April 2023

April 30: Asif Ilyas, MD, associate dean of clinical research, wrote a Triblive letter to the editor about Pittsburgh grappling with a surge in overdoses related to the misuse of xylazine, a veterinary sedative.

April 27: Katherine Innamorati, PhD, instructor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, was featured in a Runner’s World article about Innamorati winning a Guinness World Record for fastest half marathon dressed as a witch and for raising money for the Trevor Project.

April 20: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was mentioned in an article in Reader’s Digest’s “The Healthy” about surprising facts about the human voice.

April 19: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was quoted in a WebMD article, that also ran in Medscape, about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s endorsement of a plan that allows people over age 65 and those who are immunocompromised to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 bivalent booster.

April 18: Esther Chernak, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine, was featured in an episode of KYW's "In-Depth" podcast about the implications of the upcoming declaration of the end of a public health emergency in the U.S.

April 12: Jun Liu, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, was mentioned in a Psychology Today article about how psychedelic therapy could help people overcome severe anxiety and PTSD.

April 11: Leon McCrea II, MD, an associate professor and senior associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion in the College of Medicine, was quoted in April 11 stories in WTXF-TV (FOX-29) and The Philadelphia Inquirer about a conference yesterday at the National Constitution Center organized by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and the Delaware Valley DEI Consortium that gathered Philadelphia health leaders with the aim of combatting health disparities. Link to story (FOX-29). Link to story (Inquirer).

March 2023

March 28: The College of Medicine was mentioned in an opinion article in Reading Eagle written by Charles F. Barbera, president and CEO of Reading Hospital, that thanked doctors, including student doctors from the College, and other staff for their contributions to the hospital.

March 28: Nathalie S. May, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine, was quoted in an ABC News article that ran on KFOR-FM (Lincoln, Nebraska) and other outlets, about what travelers should pack in their bags when on the go.

March 27: Charles B. Cairns, MD, the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean, and senior vice president of medical affairs, was featured as one of City & State Pennsylvania's "2023 Health Care Power 100."

March 23: Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, was featured in a Pharmacy Times article about how AI technology has changed the management of colorectal cancer.

March 19: Will Dampier, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, was quoted in a Gizmodo Australia story about whether someone can get a disease from a toilet seat.

March 11: Jesse Pines, MD, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, co-authored a MedPage Today opinion column about the effect of the "No Surprises Act" on emergency physicians. The act was passed to protect commercially insured patients from receiving unexpected bills when insurers are out of network with physicians.

March 4: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Otolaryngology, was quoted in a Buzzfeed News article about COVID-19 causing hearing loss.

January 2023

January 16: An NPR "StateImpact Pennsylvania" story about new statewide limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water that cited research led by a team from Drexel's College of Medicine, College of Engineering, and Dornsife School of Public Health, was picked up by WESA-Radio (Pittsburgh) on Jan. 16.

January 11: Laura Rogers, a student in the College of Medicine, was profiled in a Jan. 11 Philadelphia Inquirer "Everyday Heroes" special section.

 
 Back to Top