The Power of Friendship: Advancing a Cure for CADASIL

Jeff Green and Steve Katelman

Jeff Green and Steve Katelman have known each other for nearly 20 years. Their friendship began when they discovered they had similar views on how to improve the digital advertising ecosystem. They grew even closer when they discovered they were both devilishly competitive.

“That started one time when we were at an industry event financed by one of my competitors, and there was somebody walking around with buckets of cheese,” Green recalled. “Then Steve asked me, ‘How many of those do you think you can eat?’ And I said, ‘More than you.’”

“And so it began,” added Katelman.

OK, but who won that initial cheese-eating competition?

“I think normally when it involves food, we call it a draw before somebody calls the police,” Katelman said.

“I think that was one of the first draws—a less exciting draw was when we had the competition to see who could fit the most gumballs in their mouth,” Green said. “We called a truce at like 84 when somebody was about to choke.”

So what happens when two close friends team up to channel that competitive drive into a shared mission for the greater good? The potential to impact one of society’s biggest problems—neurodegenerative disease.

Steve and Jeff, circa 2014

In 2021, Green signed on to the Giving Pledge, a promise by some of the world’s wealthiest people to give most of their fortunes to charitable causes. “My target is more than 90 percent of my wealth,” Green wrote in his pledge letter. “But I will also give of my time, my most precious commodity, to allocate those funds deliberately, and to be personally engaged.”

Little did he know at the time how personally engaged he would become with one of his generous grants.

Green is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Trade Desk, a successful digital advertising software company. To facilitate his philanthropic efforts, he started DataPhilanthropy, a charitable giving organization focused on causes where impact can be measured and scaled with data. He appointed Katelman, an advertising executive who had recently retired from 25+ years at Omnicom, as a key part of it.

“It was taking up a lot of his time, and he wanted me to help him because he trusted me and saw that so many of my previous skills could be utilized,” Katelman said. “So, we’re giving away hundreds of millions of dollars to causes we believe can advance through technology, just like we did with the advertising industry.”

Katelman is 60 years old. For close to 10 years, he’s known he has Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy, or CADASIL. It is an inherited brain disorder caused by a genetic mutation that affects the muscle walls in the brain’s arteries, affecting blood flow to the brain. CADASIL is often characterized by migraine headaches and multiple strokes that in some cases can lead to dementia. Other symptoms include cognitive deterioration, seizures, vision problems, and psychiatric problems such as severe depression and changes in behavior and personality. The disease affects people variably and it has no known cure and few effective symptomatic treatments.

Katelman discovered he had CADASIL when a half-sister he had never known called him out of the blue to tell him she had it. After years of chasing a diagnosis for her symptoms, she wanted to let any blood relatives know of her findings. She was trying to find out whether anyone on either side of her parents’ family had been tested for CADASIL or experienced any strokes. Not long before that, Katelman felt disoriented and experienced a headache while attending a music festival. An eventual test confirmed the diagnosis.

Katelman’s CADASIL doctor is Fanny Elahi, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and one of the world’s foremost specialists in the study of brain blood vessel abnormalities and associated degeneration of the brain’s white matter. When Dr. Elahi told him about her work with data and the latest technology, and her vision for the future, Katelman made the obvious connection.

Steve Katelman and Dr. Fanny Elahi

“I said, ‘I think I know a guy that can help,’” Katelman said. “I said, ‘Jeff, you know I have this condition,’ and just without hesitation, he said, ‘Just tell me what you need me to do.’ And then he met Fanny and they clicked, and there we are.”

In December 2024, Green pledged a transformative grant of $8 million to fund Dr. Elahi’s research by establishing a translational center dedicated to studying cerebral small-vessel diseases—a key contributor to neurodegenerative disease. The goal is to address the major gaps in the drug development pipeline for CADASIL and to develop an effective treatment. Green, Katelman, and Dr. Elahi view the effort as more of a collaboration than a financial transaction. Treatments for CADASIL could have broader societal impact, given the many features it shares with other age-related disorders that affect the brain’s blood vessels.

“I think there’s an opportunity for perfect synergies—where DataPhilanthropy is very focused on data, and this challenge is very conducive to data and AI,” Green said. “Fanny’s extremely committed and passionate enough to navigate the system that often seems to prevent progress. And then Steve’s openness and collaboration and evangelism—there are some outcomes that could be world-changing on this.”

Katelman had seen several other CADASIL doctors around the country before he discovered Dr. Elahi a few years ago, when a friend read something about Dr. Elahi’s work at the University of California, San Francisco. After the Icahn School recruited Dr. Elahi to join its faculty in 2022, Katelman continued to see her.

Dr. Elahi has put together a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and collaborating institutions that aims to enhance the understanding of CADASIL by using cutting-edge technologies and modeling approaches. She described Green’s grant as “essential” to her work as a physician-scientist.

Dr. Elahi and team

“I’ve always said that if I couldn’t do research, I wouldn’t be a neurologist,” said Dr. Elahi. “It’s incredibly difficult to diagnose someone with a disease that has no available treatment. But as a physician-scientist, every patient I see not only deepens my understanding of the disease—it also strengthens my resolve to find solutions. I went into this field to solve problems. Knowing that our work could one day change the lives of patients fuels everything we do—and this grant makes that future feel within reach.” What’s crucial to Dr. Elahi’s research is the flexibility this grant will provide. Studying CADASIL with the goal of developing a treatment requires the ability to fail fast and pivot—a Silicon Valley-style approach to innovation that resonates deeply with a tech entrepreneur like Green.

“I’m a big believer in people that are passionate and focused—it’s the only way that you can put up with all the red tape, all the blockers,” Green said. “I just saw in her a commitment to progress the research. ‘One way or another we’ll figure it out’ is an attitude you often don’t hear from doctors.”

The potentially profound impact of this grant—and this unique collaboration with Dr. Elahi and Mount Sinai—is not lost on Green, either.

“There’s a version of the future, where Steve unfortunately having this can change thousands or more lives, just because we are more aggressive in getting ahead of it,” Green said. “It’s unbelievable to be a part of something that can potentially do that. To me, there’s all these challenges of trust in so much philanthropy. And then this case, when we’re all going as fast as we can and [we’re] open to transparency and data but also open to failure—I think we have the best chance at having the biggest outcome. I’m super optimistic and just eager to hear about progress.”

Fortunately for Katelman, he has thus far experienced few symptoms beyond occasional dizziness, lightheadedness, and fatigue, particularly after airline travel. He, too, is enthusiastic about the possibilities of collaborating with Dr. Elahi and Mount Sinai.

“Ultimately, obviously, if we found a cure to prevent it—awesome, you know?” Katelman said. “I’ve had a very successful and well-awarded advertising career, but this would be the feather in my cap.”

Introducing Our Modern Lactation Lounge Made Possible by Philanthropy

From center, David L. Reich, MD, and Lisa M. Satlin, MD

Mount Sinai recently celebrated the grand opening of a newly renovated Lactation Room in the Jo Carol and Ronald S. Lauder Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Kravis Children’s Hospital. The private space, away from the bedside, is designed with the comfort and needs of lactating parents in mind.  The hospital celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a significant step forward in supporting NICU families.

“Breastfeeding can be a challenging journey for any parent, and even more so when a baby is in the NICU,” says Megan Clampet, MSN, RNC-MNN, NICU Nurse Manager. “A calm and quiet space for pumping is essential to ensuring breastfeeding parents have the support they need to provide milk for their babies.”

The renovation was made possible by the support of a grateful family of two NICU graduates. Their kindness stems from a deeply personal place, as they wished to give back to other NICU families and to the dedicated Mount Sinai NICU team, who provided exceptional care for their twins.

“The generosity of our donors will go a long way in improving the experience for our NICU families.  Any and every way we can lessen the burden during such a stressful time has the potential to make a huge difference for parents, and we are incredibly grateful for the generosity that made this new lactation room possible,” says Courtney Juliano, MD, System Chief, Newborn Medicine. “We know the space will be an invaluable resource for our NICU parents,” she says, “Empowering them to continue their breastfeeding journey with comfort, privacy, and peace of mind.”

The serene and fully equipped lactation room offers a quiet escape for parents to privately pump breast milk away from the bedside. Every detail has been carefully considered to enhance comfort and privacy, with a design informed by input from prior parents with firsthand pumping experience.

The NICU Lactation Room features:

  • Private pumping pods ensure a tranquil and personal environment for each parent.
  • Comfortable chairs allow parents to relax and focus on pumping.
  • Mobile device holders enable parents to read, watch, or listen to their favorite media while keeping their hands-free for pumping-related tasks.
  • A water cooler provides essential rehydration during pumping sessions.
  • A sink and microwave provide convenient access for cleaning and sterilizing pumping parts.

Mobile device holder

Each year, approximately 1,000 NICU parents utilize this space, which is more than just a place to pump.  For parents who choose to breastfeed, it is a place to take a necessary break from the bedside, while continuing to support their baby’s health and development.  With the recent renovations, this space truly provides a peaceful reprieve.


This renovation is a major step forward in the Kravis Children’s Hospital plan to revolutionize children’s health—both in how and where we treat our young patients. Right now, we are seizing the moment to create a leading-edge environment of care that is centered on parents and children in a way that has never been seen before in the metropolitan area. Having listened to our community of families and caregivers, this forward-looking vision calls for a complete transformation of the Hospital that will welcome our youngest patients into a fully supportive and family-friendly world.

To learn more or to support children and families at Mount Sinai, please contact Jennifer Cole, Senior Director of Development, at jennifer.cole@mountsinai.org. Together, we can bring lifelong health and wellness to countless children throughout the region while developing innovative research to help babies, children, and adolescents worldwide.

The Gift of Healing: Philanthropy Supports NICU Music Therapy

A newborn receives music therapy in the NICU

In the bustling heart of Mount Sinai’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a groundbreaking project is unfolding, one that promises to change the lives of our tiniest and most vulnerable patients. This initiative, supported by a generous $257,000 gift from TMCity Foundation, aims to explore the profound impact of “song of kin” on the respiratory function of preterm babies.

“This funding enables our team to advance research that explores how parent-supported music therapy can strengthen respiratory function and neurodevelopment in our most vulnerable infants,” said Joanne Loewy, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, founding Director of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, and co-leader of the project with Rachel Reed, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Newborn Medicine.

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

The core of this research lies in the concept of “song of kin,” where parents or caregivers select a meaningful, culturally relevant, or personally significant piece of music, often a lullaby, which music therapists then use as a therapeutic intervention. The hypothesis is simple yet profound: when preterm babies hear this song, it will improve their respiratory function, leading to enhanced neurocognitive development.

This practice is not just about babies.

Such interventions have been shown to reduce parental stress and anxiety, help families transition the infant home from the NICU, and provide valuable insights for NICU staff to incorporate these interventions into routine care.

“By integrating and entraining familiar and culturally meaningful music, we hope to build healthier outcomes for preterm babies and strengthen the parent-child bond at a critical developmental stage,” explains Dr. Loewy.

The funds will support two dedicated music therapists who will study the role of entrainment—the synchronization of an infant’s physiological rhythms, such as breathing or heart rate—in live music therapy interventions to promote stability and regulation. Using technologically advanced monitors that measure lung volume capacity, the collected data will then be evaluated. The expected outcomes are promising, with the potential to revolutionize the standard of care in NICUs worldwide.

“TMCity is excited to support this important research into the benefits of music therapy for neonatal infants,” said Belen Cox, Executive Director of Philanthropy at TMCity Foundation. “We believe this work will build the evidence base for effective NICU treatments and make a meaningful impact on how we care for the development of vulnerable babies.”

TMCity Foundation is committed to funding cutting-edge research opportunities and transformative technologies that can advance our understanding of the brain and create innovative, real-world solutions to neurocognitive health care problems, making this project is a shining example of what can be achieved when like-minded organizations come together.

“We are extremely grateful to the TMCity Foundation for their generous support and belief in the power of music to transform neonatal care,” said Joanne Loewy.

As the project unfolds, the findings will not only benefit the babies at Mount Sinai but also inspire other institutions to explore the healing power of music. This initiative is more than just a research project; it is a beacon of hope for families and a testament to the transformative, healing power of music.

The Jeremy H. Boal Endowed Fund: A Legacy of Compassion and Care at Mount Sinai

In a touching ceremony attended by family, friends, and colleagues, the Mount Sinai Health System recently announced the establishment of the Jeremy H. Boal, MD, MSH ’96, Endowed Fund in recognition of Dr. Boal’s extraordinary career and enduring impact. The Fund ensures vital support for the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program, which Dr. Boal co-founded in 1995 with Drs. David Muller and Laurent Adler, and the Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine.

From his training as a Brookdale Fellow to his leadership roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Boal’s career exemplifies a deep commitment to improving health care for the most vulnerable. He played a pivotal role in Mount Sinai’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and championed initiatives addressing access to care.

“I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of Mount Sinai in so many ways. I’ve had clinical, academic, operational, and strategic responsibilities. I’ve been responsible for maintaining and improving the quality and safety of the entire Health System at times. It’s been a joy to have had the chance to do all of those things and learn so much.”
–Jeremy H. Boal, MD, MSH ’96

In 2023, Dr. Boal received a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Yet, even as he stepped down from his formal roles at Mount Sinai to focus on his health, Dr. Boal remains dedicated to a lifelong pursuit of compassion, empathy, and care as an active advocate for medical aid-in-dying legislation. Read Dr. Boal’s recently published essay here.

(Update: as of June 9, 2025, the New York State Senate passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act, the first time this has happened since the legislation was introduced in 2016. If signed into law by Governor Hochul, New York will become the 12th state to authorize this end-of-life care option.)

 

In His Own Words: Dr. Boal Reflects Upon a Career of Curiosity and Compassion

From left: Drs. David Muller, Laurent Adler, and Jeremy Boal, circa 1996

“I came to Mount Sinai in the early nineties as a second-year internal medicine resident. During my residency, I was curious about a number of patients in our practices who clearly needed care but were missing appointments. David Muller and I came up with the idea to use some elective time to track down some of these patients and ask them if we could go visit them in their homes to try to figure out what the gaps were in accessing care.

Even as busy as residencies are, I was developing this incredible curiosity and passion for understanding how the system works or doesn’t work and figuring out how to make it work better. That’s how the Visiting Doctors Program was started—with the intention of creating a clinical platform to bring care to patients in our communities who had great difficulty or simply couldn’t come to the hospital or our practices to get care.

When we proposed this idea to our residency director, Dr. Larry Smith, our chair of medicine, Dr. Barry Coller, and to other leaders, there was an interest and a willingness to explore it with us while recognizing that it was a daunting goal.

The response we got was: “let’s figure this out, and if you hit roadblocks, come tell us and we will help you.” It was a combination of us and our curiosity and our desire to make things better. And being lucky to be at a place like Mount Sinai that embraces taking on hard challenges. Mount Sinai has always been a place of profound curiosity and a willingness to try new things.

Since then, the program has operated continuously, caring for tens of thousands of New Yorkers all over Manhattan, significantly impacting those most vulnerable and at risk of losing access to care.

Being at Mount Sinai for most of my career and then having a chance to step away gave me an opportunity to gain a lot of insight into what makes Mount Sinai truly unique and truly special. In addition to the intense curiosity that is part of Mount Sinai’s DNA, another key characteristic is an absolute commitment to excellence and an intolerance for mediocre outcomes. If you work at Mount Sinai, you’re working at a place where we demand the best possible outcome for every patient and for our communities. And we are not afraid to be clear about that, we’re not afraid to take on really tough challenges.

Over the years, we’ve become a health system with many assets, hospitals, ambulatory sites, and virtual care, but we’ve never lost track of our vital mission and values. COVID was an extraordinary challenge and bearing witness to so much pain and suffering and so much loss transformed us as an organization. We had to flatten our hierarchy even more, create a structure where we could react and proactively act to address unpredictable challenges, at the speed at which they were occurring and experiment our way forward. This approach allowed us to save many more lives and protect our staff to a much greater degree.

Dr. Boal, front row, second from left, celebrates the 2017 opening of the Mount Sinai-Union Square Urgent Care with Mount Sinai leaders, local politicians, and community organizers

I’ve had the chance to spend decades working with extraordinary people on the most important mission of all: to create a world in which everybody can live the longest and healthiest, most disability-free life possible. There’s a unique ecosystem at Mount Sinai. It’s grounded in its values and in this commitment to collaborative discovery that allows for the creation of miracles, of extraordinary change. I’ve been witness to that for decades. I’m blown away by what our medical school creates. I’m blown away by what our hospitals and our ambulatory environments create and what they deliver. There’s just a fire in the belly of this organization to not accept the status quo. And that fills me with joy and gratitude.”

The above is excerpted from an interview with Dr. Boal upon receiving the 2024 Jacobi Medallion, the highest award bestowed upon a member of the Mount Sinai community.

 

“We celebrate Dr. Boal for what he has done, but also for who he is; for his clinical brilliance, his leadership, his tenacity, his kindness, his thoughtfulness, his friendship, his fervent belief in equity, and for simply doing the right thing for everyone around him every time—even during the most difficult circumstances.”

Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, Chief Executive Officer, Professor and Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Distinguished Chair, Mount Sinai Health System

“Jeremy’s empathy for people and human suffering is the foundation that drove all of the work that he’s done over the course of his career. He has such empathy for human suffering. There are no awards for that.”

David Muller, MD, MSH, ’95, Dean Emeritus for Medical Education, Director, Institute for Integrity and Justice in Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Co-founder of MSVD with Dr. Boal


About the Jeremy H. Boal, MD, MSH ’96, Endowed Fund

Through the establishment of the Jeremy Boal Endowment, Mount Sinai not only celebrates Dr. Boal’s remarkable achievements but also fortifies the future of initiatives that embody his values. This fund is a cornerstone for advancing health care delivery and education, ensuring our most vulnerable patients receive the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve.

The Fund supports the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program and the Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine.

While certain aspects of the Visiting Doctors program’s invaluable work are covered by insurance, many vital services—such as social work and caregiver support—depend on generous philanthropic contributions. The Jeremy Boal Endowed Fund ensures the sustainability of this transformative program, allowing it to amplify its reach and magnify its impact on the lives of homebound individuals and their caregivers. Generous support from donors helps Mount Sinai continue to be national leaders in home-based primary care.

About the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program

Now in its 30th year, the program serves more than 1,000 homebound patients annually, providing compassionate, multidisciplinary care that addresses complex medical and social needs. The MSVD team—comprising physicians, nurses, social workers, and dedicated administrative staff—delivers personalized, multidisciplinary care directly to patients in their homes. This innovative approach encompasses not only physical examinations and medical management but also helps patients navigate essential resources and support systems, enabling them to remain in the comfort of their own homes. By doing so, MSVD has set a national standard in home-based primary care.


About the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Additionally, the endowed fund supports the Brookdale Fellowship, fostering the next generation of leaders in geriatrics and palliative medicine. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness and is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment. This fellowship empowers physicians to meet the distinctive needs of ill and/or aging populations, an area where Dr. Boal has made significant strides. His legacy serves as a powerful inspiration for emerging clinicians, researchers, and advocates dedicated to providing holistic and compassionate care.


To learn more or contribute to the Jeremy Boal Endowed Fund, please contact Bryce Shaffer, Associate Director of Development, at bryce.shaffer@mountsinai.org or 929-637-3399. Together, we can honor Dr. Boal’s legacy and continue his mission of transforming care for generations to come.

Empowering Women’s Health: Highlights from the Dubin Breast Center’s Annual Fact vs. Fiction Luncheon and Symposium

On May 12th, the Dubin Breast Center hosted its annual Fact vs. Fiction Luncheon and Symposium at the Metropolitan Club, providing a platform to discuss advancements in breast cancer care and women’s health. A distinguished panel of experts from Mount Sinai engaged an audience of more than 200 attendees, including Dubin Breast Center advisory board members, patients, families, and friends, with their insights into the latest innovations and emerging trends in breast health.

The event was led by visionary Mount Sinai Health System Trustee, Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, who established the Center in 2011, alongside Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Center. Among the highlights was the inspiring story of Vanessa Rissetto, a Dubin Breast Center patient, registered dietitian, and CEO of Culina Health. Her journey resonated deeply with the crowd, illustrating resilience and hope in the face of adversity.

Watch Vanessa’s full story in the event recording here:

In her opening remarks, Dr. Port painted a vivid picture of the Center’s advancements, emphasizing the integration of artificial intelligence in preventive breast care. “We continue to harness new technologies so that AI works for us, not instead of us,” she stated, reassuring the audience that their mammogram experience would remain personal—“You will never show up and be greeted by a robot.”

“We treat more than just breast cancer; we care for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit,” Dr. Port affirmed, setting the tone for an engaging discussion. The panel, which included esteemed Mount Sinai experts Susan S. Khalil, MD, Laurie Margolies, MD, FSBI, FACR, Jeffrey I. Mechanick, MD, PhD (hc), Georges Naasan, MD, Amy Tiersten, MD, and Christina Weltz, MD, explored vital topics ranging from gynecological care and IVF to the cognitive changes that accompany menopause and the innovative role of AI in imaging.

Their diverse insights created a rich tapestry of perspectives on women’s health throughout every stage of life, making the event not just informative but truly transformative. Together, they illuminated a path in women’s health care that prioritizes innovation, compassion, and holistic well-being.

In post-event communications, Drs. Port and Andersson-Dubin encouraged attendees to share the video with friends and family, and we hope you will do the same.

Outlined below are some of the essential insights presented at the event and featured in the video:
  • Gynecologic Care: Dr. Khalil discussed the management of menopausal symptoms, emphasizing a precision approach and the importance of understanding the most bothersome symptoms and tailoring treatment accordingly. Options include non-hormonal medications for vasomotor symptoms, hormonal treatments, and addressing vaginal symptoms with moisturizers, lubricants, and pelvic floor physical therapy.
  • Weight Management: Dr. Mechanick discussed the role of GLP-1 medications in reducing the risk of breast cancer. He explained that these medications, originally developed for diabetes, have shown effectiveness in weight loss, which is crucial as excess weight is a known risk factor for breast cancer. He emphasized the importance of a healthy eating pattern, regular exercise, and progressive resistance training to preserve muscle mass and reduce cancer risk. Dr. Mechanick also highlighted the need for personalized conversations with doctors about using these medications.
  • Personalized Treatment Plans: Dr. Tiersten discussed the importance of neoadjuvant (essentially “pre-surgery”) therapy in breast cancer treatment. She explained that administering systemic therapy, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy, before surgery allows doctors to see how well the treatment works. This provides crucial information about prognosis and helps determine the best post-surgery treatment plan. Dr. Tiersten emphasized that this approach is particularly beneficial for HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer patients, as it significantly reduces the risk of recurrence.
  • Chemo Brain: Dr. Naasan explained that cognitive symptoms around menopause are common and may be related to a loss of estrogen. He noted that these symptoms are typically mild and often go away later. Dr. Naasan also mentioned that breast cancer treatments, particularly those that lower estrogen, can contribute to cognitive changes and what some patients refer to as “chemo brain.”
  • Heart Health: The experts underscored the importance of cardiovascular health in breast cancer patients. Dr. Margolies noted that AI algorithms are being developed to detect breast artery calcifications, which can indicate cardiovascular disease risk. This is crucial as more women are dying from cardiovascular disease than from breast cancer.
  • AI Imaging: Dr. Margolies also discussed the advancements in AI imaging, particularly in mammography. AI algorithms are improving in detecting smaller cancers and reducing false positives. They are also used to compare with prior images and detect cardiovascular disease risk.
  • IVF: Drs. Khalil and Weltz discussed the role of IVF in breast cancer patients, noting that IVF is often performed in conjunction with an aromatase inhibitor to keep estrogen levels down—an approach that is effective in preserving fertility while minimizing the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

About the Dubin Breast Center
From our inception, the Dubin Breast Center has had an enduring mission to treat and care for every patient regardless of their ability to pay, in a tranquil, soothing environment designed to promote healing, with compassionate caregivers who are with them on every step of their medical journey. We treat everyone individually and holistically, intending to alleviate fears and worries, enrich lives, and support well-being.

We see between 180 and 200 patients a day. In 2024, our team provided 12,000 mammograms, operated on 900 women and men, and proudly provided cold-capping services to 500 women. The Center recently surpassed 400,000 patient visits, encompassing imaging, surgery, and treatment services.

Philanthropy is essential in advancing our bold and ambitious vision. It ensures that the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute is one of the premier breast cancer treatment centers in New York City and beyond.

Mount Sinai’s 40th Annual Crystal Party Honors Dean Dennis S. Charney, MD

Accented by a sparkling springtime sunset overlooking the Hudson River, the Mount Sinai Health System held its 40th annual Crystal Party celebration at Pier Sixty in Chelsea Piers on May 20.

The evening was a smashing success, raising $5 million and bringing together more than 960 guests including family, friends, Health System leadership, Trustees, staff, and other supporters. This year’s event, which was chaired by Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz and Jana Pasquel de Shapiro and Adam Shapiro, honored Dennis S. Charney, MD, who will step down on June 30 after 18 years of leadership and service as the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs.

“Dennis has been a transformative leader for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,” Trustee Joel Ehrenkranz told the crowd. “When he became Dean in 2007, the School was well-respected. Today, after 18 years of Dennis’ leadership, the Icahn School of Medicine is one of the best medical schools in the country.”

During the event, it was announced that the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment at Mount Sinai would be renamed the Dennis S. Charney, MD Depression and Anxiety Discovery Center to honor Dr. Charney, a preeminent expert in neurobiology who has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of human anxiety, fear, depression, and resilience. Having played a key role in the discovery of new treatments for mood and anxiety disorders, Dr. Charney was recently named one of the 2025 TIME 100 Most Influential People in Health for his breakthrough treatments for depression.

Attendees were captivated by a video tribute that painted an intimate and inspiring portrait of Dr. Charney’s remarkable journey and impactful legacy.

Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, Chief Executive Officer and Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Distinguished Chair of the Mount Sinai Health System, saluted Dr. Charney as someone who “personifies Mount Sinai’s sense of mission and our spirit of invincibility,” adding that “his success is widely recognized, far beyond the halls of Mount Sinai.”

Much to the delight of Dr. Charney—an avid New York sports fan—Dr. Carr then queued up personalized video tributes from New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera and New York Knicks legend Walter “Clyde” Frazier.

“Congratulations on 18 winning seasons as Dean of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,” Rivera said. “And I thank you and your team for all the jobs that you have done to advance science and medicine and bring blessings and good health to all New Yorkers. All New Yorkers congratulate you. You are the best, Dennis.”

Frazier flashed his two NBA championship rings and congratulated Dr. Charney with his familiar, inimitable flair. “They tell me that you were quite the basketball player back in the day—dishin’ and swishin, boundin’ and astoundin’ opponents across Long Island,” Frazier said. “But I appreciate that you brought your greatest game to medicine and science. Kudos and bravos for sure, for 18 years of grandeur, as Dean of the School.”

“Dennis Charney is to science and medicine what every professional sports team would love to have: An all-star player, coach, and general manager—all wrapped up in one exceptional person,” said Richard A. Friedman, Co-Chairman of the Boards of Trustees at the Mount Sinai Health System.“

“Mount Sinai has an extraordinary commitment to serving its community,” said Adam Shapiro, also a Trustee of the Health System. “Sinai reaches far and wide to serve over six million patients per year. It serves people in need, and it serves them with the same compassion and cutting-edge care that all patients receive. Its exemplary standards are those of a world-class academic medical center. And many of those standards were set by Dennis Charney.”

In his remarks, Dr. Charney referenced the 1904 opening of The Mount Sinai Hospital’s first building on Fifth Avenue and how its then-president, Isaac Wallach, characterized Mount Sinai as a “House of Noble Deeds.”

“This holds true today,” said Dr. Charney, who will remain on the faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine and plans to continue writing, researching, and mentoring. “Our team has the talent. We have the drive. We have the spirit of collaboration. And we have the technology. These are the essential elements that will enable us to keep climbing the mountaintops of scientific discovery—and to write new chapters of biomedical innovation in the epic history of this House of Noble Deeds.”

Proceeds raised at the Crystal Party fund a variety of programs and departments across the Icahn School of Medicine and the Mount Sinai Health System. Thank you for your support.