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College of Medicine to Partner with Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University BRONX, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institutes of Health has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine a five-year, $6.6 million grant to lead a New York-based consortium of medical schools to train young scientists in kidney, urology, and hematology research. The grant establishes the New York Consortium for Interdisciplinary Training in Kidney, Urological, and Hematological Research, or NYC Train KUHR (pronounced "cure"), bringing together experts in research and education from Einstein, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. "With NYC Train KUHR, more than 100 scientists skilled in kidney, urologic, and hematologic (KUH) disease research will work together to mentor pre- and post-doctoral fellows in interdisciplinary research involving these specialties," said Michal Melamed, M.D., M.S., the grant's lead principal investigator and professor of medicine, of pediatrics, and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and a nephrologist at Montefiore Health System. "These specialties are deeply intertwined and it's critical to train a new generation of investigators who can comfortably navigate these fields and lead research to improve the care and quality of life for people with KUH diseases. "Many of the diseases the trainees will focus on—such as sickle cell disease and kidney disease—disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic people, and other marginalized groups," continued Dr. Melamed. "We are particularly hopeful that advancing this interdisciplinary training will benefit our Bronx community." NYC Train KUHR is the only NIH-funded consortium focused on KUH disease research and training in the Northeast and one of only seven nationally. Trainees selected to participate in the program will have at least two mentors, who will help guide and inform their research. "Many of the diseases of these three body systems result in complications that impact how the others function, so it's imperative to reach across disciplines to effectively treat disease," said co-principal investigator Jonathan Barasch, M.D., professor of medicine, of pathology, and of cell biology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "While this program is focused on training early career physicians and scientists, we expect that the participating faculty members will also benefit from increased collaborations across institutions." The new grant builds on decades of established training programs at some of the participating institutions. "Individually, our institutions have impressive track records in basic science, translational, and clinical research achievements within these conditions. Together our strengths are magnified, and we can share our collective expertise with new trainees who will continue to make advances in the field," said Kirk Campbell, M.D., professor of medicine and co-principal investigator at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. NYC Train KUHR will recruit up to 10 trainees each year who will have opportunities to work under mentors from various institutions, access data and scientific models from past and current studies, and attend regular networking and professional development presentations. The grant also will enable the creation of an undergraduate summer program for students from groups historically underrepresented in medicine who are interested in kidney, urology, or hematology research. "A key priority is enriching the diversity of physicians and researchers in our fields," said co-principal investigator Sandeep Mallipattu, M.D., chief of the division of nephrology and hypertension at Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Other co-principal investigators and project leaders on the grant include Frederick Kaskel, M.D., Ph.D., and Kelvin Davies, Ph.D., at Einstein; Wadie Bahou, M.D., at Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University; Nancy Green, M.D., at Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Margaret Baron, M.D., Ph.D., at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The grant, titled "New York Consortium for Interdisciplinary Training in Kidney, Urological and Hematological Research (NYC Train KUHR)," was provided by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the NIH. (1U2CDK129502 and 1TL1DK136048) About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2022-23 academic year, Einstein is home to 740 M.D. students, 194 Ph.D. students, 118 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 225 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,900 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2022, Einstein received more than $202 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and view us on YouTube. SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Renaissance Foundation, established by Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Companies, announced it will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross to help people recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian. Renaissance serves thousands of plan members in the southern U.S., including Florida and the Carolinas, where the storm and flooding left a path of destruction in its wake. "We are thankful for the efforts of the American Red Cross and others who are working together to provide basic necessities and assistance to those affected by this storm," says Jeff Kolesar, interim president and CEO of Renaissance. "With thousands of people suffering losses from Hurricane Ian, we trust the Red Cross to help with relief and recovery efforts." "We are grateful to the Renaissance Foundation for its generous gift to support the Red Cross disaster relief and response efforts in Florida," says Eric Corliss, regional chief executive officer, American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, whose local workforce is among the more than 2,400 Red Crossers that have supported this relief effort to date. "The Red Cross is using financial donations to help provide shelter, meals and relief supplies to people in need. Our top priority is to get people the help and assistance that they urgently need." "We know it will take many months for communities to recover and rebuild, and we encourage others, whether corporations or individuals, to join in supporting relief efforts," says Kolesar. About the Renaissance Foundation The Renaissance Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established by Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company with a mission to protect the overall health and well-being of individuals and families. Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America and its sister company Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of New York, offer ancillary benefits for employer groups and individuals nationwide. With headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., Renaissance is focused on providing outstanding dental, vision, life and disability insurance solutions and service. Visit , and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America

$1 Million Gift will Support New State-of-the-Art Gross Anatomy Laboratory BALTIMORE, July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that UMSOM will receive a new $1 million gift from Maurice N. Reid, MD '99, CEO and Medical Director, ExpressCare Urgent Care Centers, bringing his total giving to nearly $2.2 million. Dr. Reid, who has been a longtime supporter the School's initiatives, is a proud School of Medicine alumnus and member of the Dean's Board of Visitors. The gift, in support of medical education and the recently implemented Renaissance Curriculum, will be used to renovate UMSOM's gross anatomy laboratories and modernize that teaching environment for medical students. "The School of Medicine is deeply grateful to Dr. Reid for his generosity in providing a transformational gift that will undoubtedly improve the learning environment for all of our students," said Dean Reece , who is also Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. "This gift will help guide UMSOM into the future by providing the technologically advanced infrastructure required to equip our students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to practice medicine." Dr. Reid noted that modernized teaching facilities and new technology are essential for the implementation of innovative learning methods. "As a physician and graduate of the School of Medicine, I recognize the importance of being on the front lines of medicine and medical education," said Dr. Reid. "I am thrilled to be able to support the Renaissance Curriculum by supporting the creation of a state-of-the art anatomical learning facility that will help train future generations of physicians." The UMSOM's commitment to providing and maintaining an appropriate educational environment that is comfortable, technologically current, and conducive to learning is a leading priority for the Office of Medical Education. Donna L. Parker, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, believes the anatomy lab renovations afforded by Dr. Reid's gift will benefit students for the entirety of their pre-clerkship studies. " With our Renaissance Curriculum, students no longer learn anatomy in one course at the beginning of first year," she said. " They now revisit anatomy subject matter the anatomy laboratory during different blocks over the entire pre-clerkship curriculum. This allows them to learn anatomy along with the physiology and pathophysiology of each organ system." The current laboratory, originally built in the 1970s, will receive various "infrastructure improvements along with new equipment, such as moveable and height-adjustable operating bed stations with smart monitors and surgical drop lighting," said Dr. Parker. "We are also looking to add innovative technology to the facility. This gift from Dr. Reid will make it possible to provide our students with a wonderful and updated environment in which to learn." Adam C. Puche, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of the Dept of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the UMSOM, added: "As part of the Renaissance Curriculum, the teaching of anatomy was restructured with heightened clinical relevancy and tight integration into systems-based learning. During this process, we recognized the existing UMSOM gross anatomy laboratory infrastructure was inadequate to deliver modern teaching technologies to our students. The renovations possible with this gift will upgrade the UMSOM gross anatomy teaching laboratories to a state-of-the-art facility, providing our medical students a modern teaching environment for the study of anatomy." Dr. Reid's record of philanthropic giving to UMSOM is highly notable. His most recent contributions include a donation of $500,000 given in 2019 to support The Maurice N. Reid, MD Collaborative Learning Space. In 2021, he committed to more than $300,000 to support a pilot cohort for Point of Care Ultrasound training for medical students, along with a more recent $100,000 pledge to support the Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI). Dr. Reid earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1999, followed by a residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center. After completing his residency, he served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UMSOM and later worked as Clinical Director of the Emergency department at Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore, MD. In 2004, Dr. Reid left academia to pursue his desire to open an urgent care center in Harford County. In March of 2005, Dr. Reid founded ExpressCare Urgent Care Centers and opened its first location in Bel Air, MD. Since opening its doors, ExpressCare has grown to over 30 locations in three states and has formed a strategic partnership with LifeBridge Health, which now owns a minority share of ExpressCare. About the University of Maryland School of Medicine Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.3 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has nearly $600 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has an annual budget of over $6 billion and an economic impact of nearly $20 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2021, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #9 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 15 percent (#27) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu SOURCE The University of Maryland School of Medicine