Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel to Give Commencement Address at Einstein Graduation

May 13, 2009 — (BRONX, NY) — On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its first graduating class, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University will welcome Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, to deliver the 2009 commencement address. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 2 at 10:00 a.m., at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D.Dr. Nabel will highlight the continuing importance of the doctor-patient relationship in modern medical care. Her talk, "People First," will address the responsibility of today's doctors and medical researchers to understand and advance the health of all citizens globally. Dr. Nabel, a proponent of value-based and personalized medicine, will discuss how getting the right treatment to the right person at the right time involves a mix of modern technology, clinical research, community engagement, and participation in research.

The choice of Dr. Nabel as commencement speaker is consistent with Einstein's commitment to training world-class doctors and scientists who serve patients with knowledge, dedication, and dignity in a collaborative environment. This culture of humanity is a hallmark of Einstein and one of its guiding principles. The College is honored to welcome Dr. Nabel to the 51th commencement ceremony.

"During my tenure at the National Institutes of Health, I had the opportunity to work closely with Elizabeth Nabel," said Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., The Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean of Einstein. "A longtime and dedicated champion of translational medicine, Dr. Nabel is an innovative researcher, compassionate clinician, and focused leader who has worked tirelessly to develop and inform the public about preventive care and clinical treatments that directly improve their health and welfare. It is an honor for our graduates and the entire Einstein community that she will be joining us this year."

Dr. Nabel received her M.D. at Cornell University Medical College and completed her residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, in internal medicine and participated in a clinical/research fellowship in cardiovascular (CV) medicine. In 1987, Dr. Nabel began her career as an assistant professor of medicine for the University of Michigan, and by 1997 was the director of the division of cardiology. While working at the University of Michigan, Dr. Nabel became known for her research in molecular cardiology and vascular biology and for her gene studies in the CV system, which have led to gene and cell-based trials for CV disease in the United States and Europe.

In 1999, Dr. Nabel became the scientific director for clinical research at NHLBI and since 2005 has served as Institute director. Currently, Dr. Nabel's research is focusing on Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a rare premature aging disorder beginning in childhood, where she has characterized the smooth muscle cell defect leading to premature heart attack and stroke in children in their early teens.

Dr. Nabel has received several prestigious awards including: the Willem Einthoven Award; the Amgen-Scientific Achievement Award; Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Heart Association; and Distinguished Alumni Award from Weill Cornell Medical College. She is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians (APP), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. She serves on both the IOM and AAP councils, as well as on the editorial board of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Spiegel will join Yeshiva University President, Richard M. Joel, in presenting the diplomas at the June 2nd ceremony. This year, Einstein will confer 181 M.D. degrees, 59 Ph.D. degrees and 10 M.S. degrees. Fourteen graduates will receive both an M.D. and a Ph.D. degree.

During the graduation ceremony, alumni and teaching awards will be given to a number of individuals. The class of 1959, which is celebrating its 50th reunion, will also be recognized.