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Introducing the 2025 Friedman Brain Institute Research Scholars

Updated on Mar 3, 2025 | Featured

When the Friedman Brain Institute (FBI) Research Scholars Program launched in 2016, its goal was to secure early-stage funding for novel ideas and daring nascent brain research projects. Funded entirely by philanthropy, our donors recognized the essential role that private funding would play in bridging the gap between ideation and implementation, enabling researchers to gather the preliminary data necessary to secure external funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other sources. At the Friedman Brain Institute, we seized this unique opportunity to offer donors a front-row seat to some of the pioneering avenues of research that our scientists, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, are eager to pursue.

Since its inception, the program has expanded significantly, receiving more than 60 competitive applications each year. Many scholars publish their work, influencing their respective research fields. More than half secure additional funding after their initial support. Beyond the specific projects and scholars funded each year, the program’s uniqueness and commitment help Mount Sinai attract talented scientists who are drawn to the institute’s distinctive bench-to-bedside connection between research and patient care, as well as the entrepreneurial spirit supported by dedicated donors who believe in bold science.

This year, the FBI Scholars are focusing on personalizing treatments for patients with the aim of improving outcomes more rapidly. Their research includes examining communication between the brain and the heart; investigating the impact of sleep on postpartum depression and anxiety; exploring new treatments for schizophrenia; finding ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease earlier; and studying how sleep patterns can affect caregiving.

We thank this year’s donors—Joseph DiSabato and Nancy Sakamoto, Michael and Beth Fascitelli, Richard and Susan Friedman, Stuart Katz and Dr. Jane Martin, Joshua and Beth Nash, Ram Sundaram and Preethi Krishna, the Glickenhaus Family and the Lipschultz Family—for their spectacular support of this unique program and its exciting science.

 

Meet this year’s FBI Research Scholars:

 

Ram Sundaram and Preethi Krishna Research Scholar Award

Brain-Heart Communication

Filip Swirski, PhD, Professor, Medicine, Cardiology; Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Immunology and Immunotherapy
Abha K. Rajbhandari, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

 

Nash Family Research Scholar Award

New Approach to Neural Changes

Chrystian Junqueira Alves, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience
Daniel da Silva, PhD, MSc, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience

 

Lipschultz Research Scholar Award

New Schizophrenia Treatments

Deepak Kaji, MD, PhD, Instructor, Psychiatry

 

Joseph and Nancy DiSabato Research Scholar Award

Treatment Options for Alzheimer’s Disease

Eun-Jeong Yang, PhD, Instructor, Neurology

 

Jane Martin and Stuart Katz Research Scholar Award

The Hippocampus and Alzheimer’s Disease

Evan Schaffer, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience

 

Glickenhaus Research Scholar Award

Therapeutic Strategies to Combat Substance Use

Sai Ma, PhD, Assistant Professor, Genetics & Genomic Sciences
Zheng (Herbert) Wu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience

 

Richard and Susan Friedman Research Scholar Award

Matching Correct Depression Treatments to Patients

James Murrough, MD, PhD, Professor, Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Yael Jacob, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Stuti Bansal, BA, MD-PhD Student, Neuroscience
Laurel Morris, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Psychiatry

 

Fascitelli Research Scholar Award

Revolutionary Sleep Patch

Ankit Parekh, PhD, Assistant Professor, Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health
Maria de las Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Yun Soung Kim, PhD, Assistant Professor, Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology

Learn More About The Friedman Brain Institute

Step Into Heart Health: Easy Spirit Partners with Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital for a Cause

Updated on Feb 6, 2025 | Featured

This February, the women’s comfort footwear brand Easy Spirit is making a $25,000 pledge to support Anuradha Lala-Trindade, MD and Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital as part of their #MoveForHeart initiative. During national heart health month, Mount Sinai and Easy Spirit aim to build a stronger, healthier community by encouraging women to take meaningful steps toward wellness—at their own pace—by raising awareness of the powerful role walking and movement play in maintaining a healthy heart.

With heart disease as a leading cause of death for women over 45, Easy Spirit’s campaign leverages Dr. Lala’s expertise to educate women on the importance of prevention and to prioritize their heart health through simple, accessible activities like daily walking. At the heart of the campaign is the #MoveForHeart Limited Edition Romy Walking Shoe, with proceeds benefitting Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital. Easy Spirit’s philanthropic contribution will further the pioneering efforts of Dr. Lala, a renowned cardiologist dedicated to advancing heart disease prevention and treatment for women.

Dr. Lala’s Prescription for a Healthy Heart

1. Walking as a Preventative Tool
Regular walking can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Did you know?

  • Walking at least 30 min. daily can lower the risk of cardiovascular events by 35% and reduce overall mortality by 30%.
  • Brisk walking for 150 min. a week reduces the likelihood of developing hypertension and type 2 diabetes and improves cardiovascular health.
  • Studies suggest that every additional 1,000 steps per day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by approximately 10%.

2. Movement and Stress Reduction
Walking benefits both the body and mind. Physical activity releases endorphins—your body’s “feel-good” chemicals—while reducing cortisol, the stress hormone, which is directly linked to heart health.For added benefits, Dr. Lala recommends walking outdoors in nature, which promotes mindfulness and relaxation.

3. Dr. Lala’s Heart Health Philosophy
Dr. Lala emphasizes that walking and other forms of movement keep her energized, mentally clear, and emotionally balanced. “Prioritizing heart health allows me to care for loved ones and patients, pursue my goals, and maintain physical and mental well-being,” she says. She also incorporates yoga, running, weightlifting, and mindful eating into her daily routine to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

4. How to Get Started
For those new to walking, Dr. Lala advises starting with short, achievable goals and gradually building consistency. “The beauty of walking is that you can begin anytime, anywhere, no matter what age, or level of fitness,” she says. Whether it’s taking the stairs, parking farther away from the grocery store or work, or enjoying a walk with loved ones, every step counts toward a healthier heart.

A Shared Mission

Through this collaboration, Easy Spirit and Dr. Lala hope to inspire individuals to embrace walking as a simple yet powerful way to prioritize heart health. By making small, sustainable changes, anyone can experience the long-term benefits of movement.

Learn More about Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital
Support Dr. Lala’s Lifesaving Work

A Decade of Discovery: Celebrating the Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease

Updated on Feb 7, 2025 | Donor Profile, Events, Featured

Daniel S. Loeb, Mount Sinai Health System Trustee

More than 250 members of the Mount Sinai community and guests recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, founded through a generous donation from Mount Sinai Trustee Daniel S. Loeb and his wife, Margaret Munzer Loeb. The center is named for Daniel’s father, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

At the event, Mr. Loeb spoke eloquently about his family’s personal experience with AD and his father’s continued legacy. “I tell his story because this is a disease that doesn’t care how kind you are or how decent you are. It is indiscriminate. And the pain that it’s caused has been severe,” he told the audience, which included leading AD clinicians and researchers. “Ultimately, you are scientists, and you look at the disease, and this is a disease that profoundly affects individuals and their families. Seeing this group come together to make such great progress over the last 10 years is really inspiring. So thank you very much for all you do.”

Today, nearly 7 million Americans have AD, a number that is expected to rise to 13 million by 2050.

The inaugural director of the Loeb Center—whose recruitment was made possible by the family’s philanthropy—is Alison Goate, DPhil, the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics and Chair of the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences. Dr. Goate has recruited a roster of outstanding faculty, and their research on AD and other neurodegenerative diseases—in many cases, groundbreaking—have helped establish it as a preeminent center, known worldwide. Dr. Goate told the attendees that during its first decade, faculty recruits have doubled and National Institutes of Health funding has more than tripled.

Specifically, the Loeb Center has been at the forefront of exploring the role of microglia—the brain’s immune cells—in the development of AD, and by integrating large-scale molecular data from patients using artificial intelligence (AI), they have been able to identify new drug targets. In the next decade, Dr. Goate believes their work holds great potential for uncovering possible new treatments for patients.

Alison Goate

Alison M. Goate, DPhil, Director of the Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease; Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics; and Chair of the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences

The Loeb Center has become a leading force in translational research, assuring that patients have access to the latest laboratory breakthroughs. These are often made possible by insights gained from its deep repository of human brain tissue, which has yielded new knowledge into the underpinnings of neurodegenerative disease. It has also recently made gains by developing novel blood biomarkers that will help toward improving early diagnosis.

Presentations from faculty also focused on the role of genomics in studying new therapeutics and highlighted their commitment to training the next generation of scientists, featuring a poster presentation from students and trainees who showcased their most recent work. Keynote speaker Jim Ray, PhD, Director of the Belfer Neurodegeneration Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center, spoke compellingly about the challenges of finding a cure for neurodegenerative diseases, but he also projected optimism, saying that research built on AI, genomics, and new disease models holds greater promise.

While the science is complex, it was made clear that the first 10 years of the Loeb Center have been pivotal in making the discoveries that will bring scientists everywhere many steps closer to improved diagnosis and treatment. These advances would not have been possible without the visionary philanthropy of Daniel and Margaret Munzer Loeb, says Dr. Goate, and it is upon that success that the Loeb Center has positioned itself as a leader in the field for decades to come.

 

 

Learn More About Exciting Discoveries in Alzheimer's Research

How a Decorated Marine Continues His Military Service in an Unlikely Way

Jan 7, 2025 | Donor Profile, Featured

Renee and Bob Parsons

Upon his return from the Vietnam War, Bob Parsons battled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for decades—and while doing so, grew a small software business operating out of his basement into the powerhouse internet domain registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy. From humble beginnings to becoming an entrepreneurial billionaire, nothing came easy for Bob. He talks openly about his mental health struggles following the war, and how, by 2018, just a mention of the war could trigger him to cry. Time was not healing his wounds. As Bob recalls, “I couldn’t handle it. The longer time went on, the worse it got for me.” Around this time, he read the New York Times best-selling book How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan and a glimmer of hope appeared for him. Bob developed an interest in the scientific use of psychedelics to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

“My own battle with PTSD lasted for decades,” says Bob, United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran and co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “It was psychedelic-assisted therapy that finally brought me home after all those years, and even with the FDA’s recent decision, we’re digging in and funding more research because I have all the evidence I need—I know it works.”

Bob is referring to the 2024 decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withhold approval for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. While it would not be surprising if donors shied away from supporting this nascent scientific field, Bob and his wife Renee, who helped establish Mount Sinai’s psychedelic psychotherapy research center in 2021, recently made a second foundational gift of $5 million.

“We are hopeful that the innovative research and training being done at Mount Sinai will go on to transform the lives of veterans and others who endure debilitating mental health conditions,” says Renee. “Bob and I know firsthand the detrimental impacts of PTSD—not only on the individual but on the entire family. We remain committed to battling the stigma surrounding mental health and shining a light on such promising treatments.”

Bob and Renee have focused some of that light here at Mount Sinai. Under the direction of internationally acclaimed researcher Rachel Yehuda, PhD, the Center has expanded and moved to a new location, increasing capacity for therapy, research, and therapist training, with a primary focus on veterans. It is now being renamed The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing to acknowledge the couple’s deep commitment to improving the lives of veterans and others struggling with PTSD.

The Parsons Center

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 17 veterans die by suicide each day on average. “New treatment options are desperately needed for the millions of people, both civilians and veterans, who have mood and anxiety disorders such as PTSD and major depression,” says Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System.

Adds Dr. Yehuda: “This is an existential moment for the field of psychedelic research in mental health, and The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is shining a light on a path forward. With their vision and commitment, and the continued generosity of our donors, we will meet the needs of the moment.”

Renee and Bob celebrating the publication of “Fire in the Hole!”

In his recently published memoir, Fire in the Hole! Bob shares how he turned his hardships into motivation, from his mother’s mental illness to his harrowing yet transformative experience in Vietnam. A poignant and humorous storyteller, Bob reminds us that true wealth is not solely measured in financial terms but in the kindness and generosity we share with others. He discusses his healing process and his decision to donate funds aimed at impacting PTSD. For Bob and other veterans, sharing their stories is a continuation of their military service, fulfilling the promise of the soldier’s creed: I will never leave a fallen comrade.

His journey is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the importance of giving back.

Learn More about the Parsons Center

A Night of Inspiration: The Dubin Breast Center Annual Benefit Honors Jill Martin

Updated on Jan 23, 2025 | Events, Featured

On December 9th, the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai hosted its annual benefit at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, celebrating the extraordinary patients, physicians, staff, caregivers, and supporters who have contributed to the Center’s success since its founding 14 years ago. Jill Martin, NBC’s TODAY lifestyle contributor, was honored for her advocacy in breast cancer awareness, testing, and wellness.

Since her diagnosis in 2023, Jill has used her broadcasting and social media platforms to share the story of her breast cancer journey, displaying strength and resilience through numerous surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy treatments. As she has done so, millions of Americans have learned about BRCA and other genetic testing and how knowing one’s cancer risk can help lead to life-saving prevention and early detection. As Jill shared, “With my platform, I felt I had a responsibility to not only raise awareness but also to acknowledge other people going through something similar who may not have the ability to share in the way that I can.” That selflessness and vulnerability inspired both her television audience and her health care team at the Dubin Breast Center.

“Jill is an entrepreneur and a multi-Emmy Award-winning television broadcaster—an amazing woman as you have seen,” said Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery for the Health System, Director of the Dubin Breast Center, and Jill’s physician. “Her courage and passion were inspiring to watch. Jill exemplifies the idea that the airwaves should serve the public trust. Through her resolute insistence on sharing her journey, advocating for genetic testing, and maintaining an inspiring attitude, Jill fulfilled her highest calling both to herself and her profession.”

Perri Peltz, the Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker served as master of ceremonies for the evening, and the event included performances from country singer Will Moseley, and Broadway actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer Jared Grimes, and featured a special performance by Grammy- and Academy Award-winner, Ms. Lisa Fischer, accompanied by Michael Mitchell and Friends.

Some notable guests included tennis great Mary Joe Fernández, Academy Award-nominated producer and film director Shawn Levy, SoulCycle founding senior master instructor Stacey Griffith, and fashion models Molly Simms and Karlie Kloss. Seven patients who shared their breast cancer experiences in a video capturing their remarkable stories were also in attendance.

Dr. Port and Center Co-founder and Mount Sinai Health System Trustee Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, received a standing ovation before expressing their gratitude to the event’s Co-Chairs, Benefit Committee, and Advisory Board for their dedicated efforts in supporting the Dubin Breast Center’s mission.

“Building a top-tier cancer center within a full-service hospital, equipped to address all the medical needs of a patient, was a novel idea,” Dr. Dubin said. “We wanted to build a cutting-edge breast cancer treatment facility within a caring, nurturing environment—and most importantly, open it to all regardless of ability to pay. The idea was new and now it has succeeded beyond our dreams.”

Jill says of her time at the Center, “I felt like it was home for me. I still feel like that. I feel like everyone, from the doctors to the nurses, to the front desk, it was like a club that you never wanted to be a part of, but when you went to it you were just regarded with such love. When I picture my time here at Dubin, I just picture safety. I mean, they saved my life. So if you have to go through something like this, having Dubin as your anchor is incomparable.”

Mount Sinai Health System Chief Executive Officer, Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, also addressed the audience. “Breast cancer is personal for me, as it is for many in this room. It has impacted many members of my family and has taken several from us far too early,” said Dr. Carr, Professor and Kenneth L. Davis Distinguished Chair. “I’m proud to recognize Dr. Dubin and Dr. Port for their leadership and vision in the creation and the growth of the Dubin Breast Center over the last 14 years. Thank you to the donors and supporters for helping make our center a trailblazer in breast cancer care.”

The 2024 gala raised a record $3.8 million.

 


Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in eight over a lifetime. The Dubin Breast Center stands as a symbol of progress, providing world-class care to all patients while advancing early detection and treatment innovations. Since its founding 14 years ago, the Center has become an internationally renowned beacon of hope and innovation in breast cancer care. The Center is on track to surpass 400,000 patient visits by 2025, encompassing imaging, surgery, and treatment services. Early detection efforts and the survivorship program continue to deliver better outcomes for patients, embodying the Center’s commitment to comprehensive, compassionate care.

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Small Acts, Big Impact: Supporting the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital

Updated on Jan 23, 2025 | Donor Profile, Featured

In 2023, something special unfolded as Mount Sinai Health System Trustee Nathan Hoffman joined forces with the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital to launch a holiday fundraising campaign. More than 100 fashion apparel stores owned by Hoffman’s company, MadRag, invited customers nationwide to contribute at the register.

With gifts ranging from just a penny to an astonishing $1,000, 85,000 customers came together to support the Hospital, raising a total of $47,600. With an average gift of $0.56, it was a testament to the power of community and the profound impact of small acts of kindness.

A Trustee since 2022, Mr. Hoffman spoke warmly about the initiative, stating, “It is truly an honor to share the opportunity to give back to our renowned Kravis Children’s Hospital with our customers across the country. Witnessing their generosity firsthand during my visits to our MadRag stores is incredibly heartwarming.”

Now in its second year, this campaign serves as a powerful reminder that every contribution, no matter how small, can create significant change. It reflects not only a commitment to health but also the strong bond between Mount Sinai and the communities we serve, fostering hope and healing for children in need.

Learn More About Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital
Donate Now to Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital