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Sa ckler M essenger The Volume 23 - Issue 1 January 2015 Sackler Institute of Biomedical Sciences New York University School of Medicine Staff Advisor: Lisabeth Greene Editor: Michael Burel Welcome from Naoko and Susanne Letter from the SSC Why did you choose Sackler? Alumni spotlight Food on a grad school budget 3D printing, recipes, and more! INTERVIEW EDITION Welcome to Sackler!

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Sackler MessengerTheVolume 23 - Issue 1 January 2015

Sackler Institute of Biomedical SciencesNew York University School of Medicine

Staff Advisor:Lisabeth Greene

Editor:Michael Burel

Welcome from Naoko and SusanneLetter from the SSCWhy did you choose Sackler?Alumni spotlightFood on a grad school budget3D printing, recipes, and more!

INTERVIEW EDITIONWelcome to Sackler!

From Our Desk to YoursNaoko Tanese and Susanne Tranguch

Happy New Year! We are looking forward to our first PhD admissions season as head of Sackler. Selecting our Sackler class of 2015 from such an outstanding pool is always a challenge, but it is also inspiring to see so many qualified applicants interested in pursuing a PhD in the biomedical sciences. When recruiting students, we are often asked – what sets the NYU School of Medicine (SoM) PhD program apart from other PhD programs in biomedical sciences? We often respond with the easy and obvious answers – our high caliber of faculty and research, outstanding training programs, and robust NIH funding; however, our program is also unique in its commitment to mentoring and in recognizing the need to prepare PhD candidates with skills outside of the bench, so Sackler graduates are able to pursue any career with a prepared and developed mind. We are excited to meet all of our applicants and look forward to welcoming our incoming students in 2015 and developing programs and workshops throughout their tenure at NYUSoM to prepare them for a successful career and life beyond Sackler.

Wishing you all the best for the upcoming year,Naoko and Susanne

Their Experience…1) Naoko has been with NYU School of Medicine for the past two decades.

2) In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Naoko manages her own lab, which is currently researching the molecular causes of Huntington’s disease.

3) Before joining NYULMC, Susanne was the editor of Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, which is a reviews journal published by Cell Press.

4) In addition to completing her PhD from Vanderbilt University in just 3.5 years, Susanne received her MBA from NYU Stern in less than 2 years while working full time as a grants editor for our NYULMC research community.

5) Naoko has a few patents including one for the production of reverse transcriptase, an enzyme included in kits to make DNA from RNA. Over the years, this patent was challenged by rival biotech companies with key evidence in the court cases being the lab notebooks Naoko kept as a grad student. She had to testify in court, explaining the discoveries outlined in her notes. The lesson: take meticulous notes because you never know when you will be asked to show proof of your discovery.

For Fun…6) Susanne shares her home with her partner, Rich, and her two pugs, Homer and Hootie. Homer is named after the artist, Winslow Homer, in honor of her favorite painting “Twilight at Leeds.” Hootie

16 things you didn’t knowabout Sackler leadership

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is named after Hootie & the Blowfish, because this band’s songs are Rich’s go-to karaoke tunes.

7) When Naoko was an early career scientist, she would bake during breaks in her experiments. Her skills were so impressive that her mentor installed an oven on their lab floor. This way, Naoko could prepare her ingredients at home and then bake at work for the lab without interrupting her research.

8) Susanne learned how to knit during her college semester abroad in Kenya and has knit over 100 hats since.

What If…9) While growing up, Susanne considered being an airplane pilot, but knew she wanted a career in science after an inspiring biology course in high school, while Naoko contemplated being nothing but a scientist!

What Else…10) Naoko was born in Tokyo and left home at age 16 as a high school exchange student. She spent a year with an American family in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She then went to U Chicago for undergrad, Columbia U for grad education, and UC Berkeley as a postdoc before moving back to NYC as a starting Assistant Professor at NYU. Naoko spoke with a Southern accent for a few years after living in Georgia.

11) Susanne was born in Arlington, Texas, then lived in Ohio briefly, before her family moved to Rome, Italy, for three years (K-3rd grade). She then spent most her life in Connecticut, before traveling to Davidson College for undergrad (NC), UNC for her MS, then to Vanderbilt for her PhD. Following a brief post-doc, she moved to Cambridge, MA to join Cell Press and then here to NYU. She now lives in Connecticut once more. #metronorthrider

12) Susanne’s recommended lunch spot close to the NYU Medical Center is Bhatti (Indian). Naoko suggests ordering the grilled cheese sandwich at Wichcraft.

13) Naoko’s favorite thing about being a scientist is making discoveries no matter how small, while she finds not having enough hours to do all the experiments that need doing an ever-present frustration.

14) Susanne is somewhat risk-adverse, and reports SNUBA (hybrid of snorkeling and scuba diving) as her most adventurous moment. This makes sense because of her fear of the ocean. Naoko likes traveling to the far reaches of the earth and has visited both the Arctic and Antarctic.

15) Best advice I give myself (Naoko): Life is a marathon; you will achieve your goals as long as you have both the will and the passion.

16) Best advice received from a mentor (Susanne): Never compare yourself to others. Only compare yourself to your own potential.

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Letter from the SSCJulia Derk and Nicole Wake

Dear Sackler,

We’ve had a wonderful first semester as your Sackler Student Council and would like to take the opportunity to address you and recount all that we have accomplished together. We started off the school year welcoming our new class of fellow graduate students, our delightful and dynamic first years. From dinners to baseball games and helping to get apartments set up through IKEA trips, we really got to know this new group of young scientists and hopefully gave them some insight on the adventure that living in Manhattan provides. Next was the annual Halloween party at Whitman and Bloom, complete with a private room to dance and enjoy as well as our very own Scooby Doo Crew, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Third Wheel,” Knock-out mouse, and even a few Wes Anderson Characters. Your creativity and passion for fun has continued to wow us!

In addition to that, we’ve had many opportunities to come together. Sackler has participated in two successful 5K’s – The American Heart Association Heart Walk and the Jingle Bell Jog in Brooklyn. We had our first annual potluck at Waterside with over 70 attendees and a verified cornucopia of delicious food. Our new leadership has created a weekly event “Coffee with Susanne” to foster connection with the Dean’s Office to better hear our needs as well as help us to understand critical decisions as we continue to strive to make NYU the best PhD training it can be. Furthermore, we are thrilled to see so many faces – of all years and training programs – attending happy hours from Skirball to Smilow to Albion. They’ve been a huge success and we’d love to hear your feedback on any ideas you may have to improve them. While it’s only our first year in organizing them, we’re ecstatic

to have the opportunity to find ways to make each gathering of students more fun, enhance networking, and provide you all an opportunity to connect in a low-key environment. We recognize the stress of Graduate School is real and we feel utterly thankful for a community so entrenched in support and friendship. Finally, a study space has been created for graduate students in the MSB basement Cafeteria, and we are continuing to work to create space reserved for students to study, network, and connect as a community. We would also like to take this opportunity to mention two new initiatives started by the student council in 2014:

1) Clear Direction. This program connects under-represented minority high school students here in

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New York City to Sackler PhD and MD/PhD student mentors with a specific focus on fostering passion for STEM fields. The first symposium was held in October and since then it’s been delightful to see mentors and mentees walking through our halls discussing science, college applications, ambition, and what it means to have a mentor. We are very excited to see this initiative take flight and hope that you’ll join in as we continue to expand and develop it.

2) Sackler Writing Center. This center has been created to provide editing services for Qualifying Exam proposals and eventually theses, papers, and grants. Please watch out for calls for applications to be editors or to submit proposals to be edited this Spring! Editors will be paid senior graduate students guided by our very own Susanne Tranguch (former Cell Press Editor). Qualifying Exam Proposals from any department in Sackler can be submitted for a free peer review for style, format, and clarity. We hope this provides not only an opportunity to get valuable feedback for those preparing for their exams, but also to give professional development to the editors that could potentially be interested in careers in writing.

Thus, we’re happy to report our community is alive and well! We are excited for the Spring semester and all the bounty it has to offer. Please contact us and watch out for emails for volunteer opportunities during interview weekends. We will also be hosting a slew of events including, but not limited to, the Sackler formal and a student weekend excursion!

We’re honored to be serving as your Student Council and wish you the happiest of holidays and peace in the New Year!

With respect and admiration, Sackler Student Council 2014-2015

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Sackler Out & About

Why Did You Choose Sackler?Michael Burel

There is a reason why NYU Sackler has a higher PhD completion rate compared to the 60% national average: People love it here. We asked current students why they chose to come to Sackler for their graduate studies over other schools they considered.

Harikrishna Rallapalli, First-Year PhD StudentOpen Program“I chose NYU Sackler because of the encouragement to pursue my own projects in parallel with my potential advisor’s interests. Our faculty recognizes that we have goals or crazy ideas that just might work, but they are also experienced enough to know when to pull us back to reality. In addition, my classmates challenge me to experience as much as I can. This is important to developing as a researcher and as a human being. I have only been here for four months, yet my progress towards my goals is quantifiably greater than during my four years of college. Most importantly, I LOVE being able to do what I do here!”

Jessica Douthit, Second-Year MD/PhD StudentDevelopmental Genetics“I chose to attend NYU because I felt that the faculty was genuinely interested in my success, and I believed that the collaborative environment here would make for a great experience in graduate school. Also, the students I met were all well-balanced with diverse interests and hobbies they explored outside of graduate school. So far, NYU has surpassed my expectations. I am able to participate in first-rate research while also having time to take advantage of this wonderful city.”

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Julie Diamond, Third-Year PhD StudentPathobiology“I chose to come to NYU because it was the only school I visited that had the ultimate trifecta of appeal. 1) The world-class research and the programs that truly fostered translational science. 2) The people! Not only was everyone helpful and kind (including all the administration and professors), but the population of students in Sackler are also unique and wonderful. I’ve learned so much from my peers here and made lifelong friends. On top of that, you won’t find a program with students that are so helpful to one another. From study groups, to helping with experiments and presentations, to support systems during exams, Sackler students have the best vibes around. 3) Living in the middle of Manhattan! There’s no other place like NYC, and Sackler did an amazing job of showing me all of the fun opportunities I had at my disposal. On top of that, living in the city exposes you to all sorts of events, academic and recreational alike, that you won’t find anywhere else. Life has truly never been more exciting for me, and it is all because I chose to come to NYU.”

Anthony Bainor, Fourth-Year PhD StudentBiochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology“On deciding to pursue my PhD in Biomedical Sciences, I knew I needed an environment that would allow me to succeed in my cross-discipline transition from biomedical engineering to basic science research. I also knew I needed a program that would allow me to experience all aspects of biomedical science without selecting a specific topic from the very beginning, as I did not already know what area of research interested me. NYU Sackler fulfilled my every requirement. The first year course work, while challenging, caught me up to my peers and smoothened the transition from engineering to the sciences. Being an umbrella program, Sackler also allowed me to set my rotations in very different areas, enabling me to explore different aspects of research from mouse models of cancer to fruit fly stem cell niches. I feel like the faculty and supporting staff here at Sackler truly care not only about your success as a scientist, but also about your well-being as a person.”

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Monique Foster, Fifth-Year PhD StudentPathobiology“When I interviewed at NYU, I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the student body. After being on five other interviews, I couldn’t believe that there were so many students from so many different backgrounds, cultures, and religions here at NYU. I felt like I could actually fit in here, that I wouldn’t have to change or conform, but that I would be accepted exactly as I was. And I still stand by that decision today. NYU has just made a stronger me. “

Krysti Todd, Recent AlumnaPathobiology“I chose to come to Sackler for my PhD shortly after arriving for my interview. I was impressed with the caliber of research and available coursework, but the deciding factor for me was the strong student community. Having a support system of fellow students has been invaluable throughout my graduate career.”

Alumni Spotlight: Eric Vieira, PhDLydia Grmai

Dr. Eric Vieira is the Director of Special Research Programs in the Office of the Vice Chancellor Research for the City University of New York (CUNY). He earned his PhD from work he conducted under Dr. Ruth Lehmann here at NYU, and has since held numerous positions within and outside academia. Here, we learn a bit more about Dr. Vieira – the past, the present, and how he connected the two.

When did you attend NYU for your PhD?I attended NYU from 1998-2003, an exciting time to do research. We were awash with money from the doubling of the NIH budget as well as from other funding sources, like the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the age of genomics was just getting started with the sequencing of the C. elegans and Drosophila genomes. (This was incredibly relevant for me, as I had just joined Dr. Ruth Lehmann’s fly

lab.) Having a wonderful advisor, ample resources, and great teams of scientists to work alongside (not only the Lehmann Lab but many colleagues from the Development Genetics program and the Skirball Institute) made for a rewarding experience. I learned so much and it gave me plenty to think about as I was transitioning to the next stage of my life beyond grad school.

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What is your current position - where are you working, and in what capacity?I am currently the Director of Special Research Programs in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at the City University of New York (CUNY). CUNY is one of the largest urban public university systems in the country with over 500,000 matriculating students at any given time. I work in CUNY Central, comprising central administration members for the entire system. This means that we don’t work specifically for any of the 24 different CUNY colleges, but rather provide general oversight, policy, management assistant and guidance to the faculty, staff and leadership on all campuses.

What does a typical day/week look like for you?My typical days and weeks are filled with meetings, phone calls, email communications, presentations and the occasional event attendance. I am part strategist, innovator, program developer and manager, but also a diplomat, teacher, counselor, mentor and confidant. I see it as my mission to make the experience of our researchers a rewarding one, whether they are a community college student venturing into the lab for the very first time or a seasoned postdoctoral fellow who is transitioning to the next stage of his/her career. I build programs that will leverage what we currently have at CUNY and look for ways to engage organizations outside the college campuses (corporations, non-profits and government agencies). I am tasked, specifically, with assisting in the development of new Master of Science programs that more closely align with industry/government needs. I am also working on ways to better prepare our graduate students and postdoctoral researchers for careers beyond academia, which are now more plentiful than tenure-track faculty positions.

When you made the decision to start graduate school, is this the type of job you thought

you would land? If not, could you explain the gradual transition from one career goal to another? What steered you away from academic research/toward your current position?By the time I had entered graduate school I had quite a bit of research experience under my belt as an undergraduate researcher at Rutgers, a scientist at a biotech company in NJ, and a technician at the Monoclonal Antibody Core Facility at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. My decision to go to graduate school was for the challenge, not necessarily to become a professor. I wanted to test myself intellectually and better understand what was happening on the frontiers of science. I was very interested in understanding how discoveries in academia eventually make their way to the market to better our health, individually, and the world, in general. I really had no idea what kind of jobs were available for those like me who wanted to be involved with science – not so much at the bench, but in society making science accessible and meaningful to our lives.

How I got to where I am today is a long story, but the short of it is that I always looked ahead to opportunities that piqued my interest, I talked with as many people as I could to understand what they did, the culture of their work environment, and what skills and knowledge I needed to make a smooth transition. And finally, I needed to come up with a value proposition for them to hire me. I have had a fair amount of rejections and complete blunders along the way. And I continue to seek out opportunities for future growth and success.

The ability to achieve some level of “work/life balance” is a priority for most. What are your thoughts on this, and how do you achieve your idea of work/life balance? Are there any interests that you pursue outside of your “bill-paying” job, so to speak?Now that I have children, the work/life balance

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is utterly important. I am fortunate to be at the stage in my career where I have some autonomy and control of my schedule, so I can more easily balance the two. I couldn’t do that, say, ten years ago when I was in the early developing stage of my career; I knew if I did not put time in the lab I probably would not have finished in the same amount of time. Also, one of the many reasons I left Wall Street (yes, I did spend time in the financial sector as a biotech analyst) was that my position didn’t allow much time for me to see my (then infant) son.

I am a big fan of mobile technology and cloud computing. Moving away from the bench to a career that can be done anywhere has made work/life balance an attainable concept. That’s not to say, though, that one cannot find a meaningful work/life balance at the lab bench, because you can. You just need to be given autonomy and the freedom to develop your schedule. Oh, and maybe an extra pair of hands to help. You can get more done if it’s a team approach.

I do find time for things outside my ‘day job’ as I like to call it. I continue to teach, and co-lead an entrepreneurship lab for the City of New York. The daily commute from NJ gives me an opportunity to read and the weekends, which are mine, are for my family who I love to travel with and cook for.

Were there any skills you learned/refined during graduate school that prepared you for the job you have now? Graduate school certainly refined my analytical thinking skills, which I use on a daily basis. I also learned to be creative and think systemically about a problem. Working in graduate school with a model organism (the fruit fly), I had to think often about what changed in the system to result in the observed phenotypes. This is not much different from what a doctor must do when they are seeing

a patient for the first time. Or what a consultant does when their client wonders why product sales are not meeting their expectations. There are many things (probably too many to list here) we are not taught in graduate school that would serve one well for their next career move, whether they plan to continue research or move to a non-academic career. The ones that come to mind first are business principles, such as accounting and project management, writing both technically and for a lay audience, public speaking, leadership & diplomacy, system & design thinking, and technology commercialization & entrepreneurship.

What are the best and worst parts of your current position?In my current role, I am intimately involved with the leadership of a large university system. This insider’s perspective provides me a unique opportunity to learn how a university functions, how and why certain decisions are made, and the future goals and missions of the university. In addition, I continue to interact with smart people,

— continued on pg. 14

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Mechanical 3D PrintingNicole Wake

3D printing, an additive technology in which objects are built up in many thin layers, is currently revolutionizing the medical field. Although 3D printing was created 30 years ago, 3D printers have only now become inexpensive and ubiquitous. 3D printers have been used to build things such as rockets, houses, and cars. The UPS Store and Staples now offer 3D printing services for the general public. Customers can bring their own STL or CAD file to participating locations and 3D print their design using 3D printing technology. Here at NYU, the Advanced Media Studio (AMS) is a state-of-the-art facility that provides rapid prototyping/3D printing services and has a self-service 3D printing workstation. Access to the AMS is granted to the entire NYU community.

In the medical field, 3D printed anatomical models are being built, and these models can produce more complex shapes than traditional manufacturing has allowed. These models provide instantaneous understanding of complex anatomy and may help to improve patient outcomes through pre-surgical planning of complex cases. From custom implants to organ models, research teams are using this technology and are making new breakthroughs nearly every day. At the University of Michigan, 3D printing is being used to successfully stop life-threatening tracheobronchomalacia. Custom-

designed, custom-fabricated airway models are created directly from CT scans of the suffering infant’s trachea and bronchi and are implanted to keep the airway open. Researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston are creating 3D printing models of patients’ heads and are using the models to assist in facial transplants. At New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, physicians are using 3D printed models of a congenital heart defects to assist with complex cardiac surgeries.

We have recently started medical 3D printing in the Biomedical Imaging Department at NYULMC, and we are learning about the intricacies of the process. Deriving 3D printed models from medical images is non-trivial. Steps include the following:

1) Medical images are archived in DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format and images are viewed on a 2D workstation.2) Image segmentation is performed to create an anatomically accurate 3D surface model of the specified region. 3) 3D images are converted into STL files using dedicated software tools.4) Materials are chosen and images are sent to the 3D printer for printing.

3D printing of a kidney model using the MakerBot Replicator Desktop printer.

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3D printed anatomical models are not limited to surgical planning and implants. 3D printed models may be used to educate medical students and house officers. These models may also be used to communicate findings from imaging studies to patients in a tangible, easy-to-understand manner.

Finally, living 3D models may also be printed using bioprinters, which are currently experimental. This technology is being used to facilitate drug discovery and to build biocompatible scaffolds with porous microstructures. At any given time, the waiting lists for critical organ transplants far exceed available organs. Developing organs for surgical implantation will address the shortage of tissues available for transplantation and will revolutionize patient care. As 3D printing continues to become more popular in the medical field, it is important to understand this complex technology and to take advantage of its potential.

Food on a Grad School BudgetJuan Rivera-Correa

Living in one of the food capitals of the world on a graduate stipend may not be the most ideal scenario, but there are definitely good deals to be found. I have taken the search for good food/drink deals as a serious matter so I will share some of my top picks for lunch specials.

If you’re a fan of Asian food at a convenient price, you should definitely check out Spice restaurants. Thai food is usually inexpensive, but what makes Spice stand out from the rest is their great lunch special: both appetizer and main dish for only $8.00. From dumplings to spring rolls to pad thai, you’re bound to find something delicious on the menu. With various locations around Manhattan (including one in Union Square), they’re definitely a place worth checking out. Another Asian

alternative and close to NYU is the Great Sichuan at 3rd avenue between 27th and 28th street. This Chinese restaurant has probably the best General Tso chicken I have tried in NYC so far. Similar to other Chinese restaurants, their menu is pretty lengthy and you’re bound to find something you like (including vegetarian dishes!). Apart from their finer taste, what makes this restaurant stand out is their great lunch special where you get an appetizer and entrée for less than $6.00! ($8 if you order one of the fish entrees). Their convenient location, great price and taste should make them a no brainer for hungry graduate students. Whether you have a long incubation time or just need a long break from lab during lunch time, these places are a guaranteed hit both for your stomach and your graduate school budget.

— continued on pg. 14

3D segmentation and visualization of the abdominal aorta using the Mimics software

platform by Materialise®.

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“Nobody knows theTruffles I’ve seen…”

An excerpt from The Journal of Experimental CookingLydia Grmai

For many years, farmers around the world have been tirelessly sowing and harvesting the precursor to one of our most beloved creations, affectionately referred to as “chocolate.” The fruit of the cacao plant has given rise to many a luxurious treat, ranging from fudgy brownies to decadent lava cake to heavenly mousse. The level of joy and contentment brought by a chocolate-y moment is comparable to few of life’s experiences. Chocolate itself has certainly transcended the labels “preference” or “affinity”; chocolate is a way of life. In acknowledgement of one of the most socially acceptable human addictions, actress Terry Moore described “the 12-step chocolate program: NEVER BE MORE THAN TWELVE STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE!”

In an equally frantic tone, ladies and gentlemen, I come to you with a heavy heart and dark news. It appears that the world’s chocolate supply is unable to keep up with our constitutive, obsessive need for it. If things continue the way they are going, we will be faced with a bona fide chocolate scarcity as early as the year 2020. If I haven’t yet convinced you that chocolate is an essential pillar of the human existence, then maybe we should turn to the opinion of the esteemed astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson: “I’m often asked whether I believe in [chocolate]. I now just reply with the question: ‘Do you believe in Gravity?’” …Okay, so I may have adapted the quote a bit. Am I comparing the travesty and urgency of the impending chocolate crisis to that of global warming? Sue me.

Quote manipulation or not, the “gravity,” if you will, remains constant in both emergencies. The world’s chocolate supply is disappearing. Fast. And if you ask me, there are two ways we can deal with this situation. We could preserve our precious cacao supply to avoid this terrible choco-famine fate for as long as possible. But that feels too much like denial to me, and I believe in facing challenges head-on. While it may be the right solution for our global warming crisis, in the context of chocolate it just doesn’t feel right. No, if we’re going to be left with a chocolate-less world, then I want to enjoy life, as we know it, to the fullest. Think about it: if you were told you only had a month left to live, would you spend it eating healthy, exercising daily, popping those Flintstones vitamins once a day like a mature adult? (First of all, Flintstones vitamins are chalky and subpar compared to the delicious gummy ones they make now. Get it together.) Correct me if I’m wrong, but you would probably spend those 30 days doing all of the things you’ve been afraid to do for so long, indulging in “guilty pleasures” that you had otherwise convinced yourself to enjoy in moderation.

Which brings me back to my point: in the face of such an inevitable tragedy, I want to eat as much chocolate as possible, as often as possible, for as long as the universe will allow. So here, in the Messenger’s second excerpt from the Journal of Experimental Cooking, I present one of many chocolate desserts to add to your disaster-preparation toolbox. Do not use in moderation – time is running out:

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Chocolate Pie RecipeIngredients:9-inch pie shell (chocolate graham cracker crust works well)2/3 cup sugar1/3 cup corn starch½ teaspoon salt4 egg yolks3 cups milk2 tablespoons butter/margarine, softened1 tablespoon vanilla extract12 oz. dark chocolate chips (1 package)Optional: whipped topping

Directions:1) Bake pie shell; cool. Mix sugar, corn starch, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. 2) Combine egg yolks and milk in a container with a pouring spout. Gradually blend liquid mixture into saucepan with sugar mixture.3) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil/stir for one minute.4) Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. 5) Add most of chocolate chips to saucepan (leaving some aside for topping at the end). Stir to melt chocolate.6) Pour into a prepared pie shell. Press plastic wrap over filling and allow to cool for several hours/overnight.7) Garnish with whipped topping and/or leftover chocolate chips.

including scientists at all stages of career from students to world-renowned investigators. Lastly, I can impact change by launching university-wide initiatives and connecting like-minded individuals/organizations who have similar interests and complementary resources. With any large organization, there are bureaucracies and deeply entrenched behaviors and attitudes. My

role requires a fair amount of ‘sales & marketing’ negotiations, something that I was never trained in. Diplomacy is key and keeping the ball rolling is paramount. I have learned that relationships are what make the world go around and if you can’t play well with others in the same sandbox, you will find many challenges to progress and forward movement.

What career advice would you give your younger self? (Or even grad school advice, we like to hear that, too!)I would tell my younger self that there are no career ladders to climb, but rather a “constellation” of opportunities that exist – some are close by and easy to reach, while others will take a few steps to get there. Your mission is to keep learning, stay relevant, be humble and leave a few crumbs behind so others can find their way through the crazy, ever-changing experience we call life. You can’t predict the future, and history isn’t a good guide for tomorrow. Believe in yourself and your abilities, don’t think you need to know everything, and be confident enough to ask others for help. You shouldn’t do it alone – and in reality, those achieving the greatest success got there after much failure and from the support of many. Don’t be afraid to carve your own path, but choose that approach wisely, as it requires the right timing (and sometimes an iron-clad stomach). Let science be your foundation, let your interests be your guide. Your skills will make it happen and your passion will keep you alive.

(continued from pg. 10 - Alumni Spotlight)

(continued from pg. 12 - Food on a Budget)To combat this cold winter, how about (inexpensive) warm drinks? Let’s face it, it’s extremely cold outside and if you’re going out for any reason, there better be something warm involved. Exploring the city in the cold is not a good idea, so here are some tips on places where you can warm up for a bit. First

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up: Warm Apple Cider! If you haven’t discovered the wonder that is warm apple cider, you’re missing out on a lot. There’s nothing like the warmness of this drink to make you forget about lab problems or the winter apocalypses occurring outside. One great place to find hot apple cider is Café Angelique on Bleecker Street (close to the 6 train stop). Another great place to find delicious warm cider, and not too far from NYU, is The Grey Dog’s Coffee at Union Square. If hot apple cider is not your thing, this place offers also another warm drink perfect for this winter weather: Spiced Hot Wine. This delicious concoction of red wine infused with many different spices will definitely lift your spirits and warm you during this winter. They also serve regular coffee and all its variants. For good coffee, it’s also worth checking out the Whynot Bistro at Christopher Street (West village). This French-style bistro has a delicious menu full of choice of both coffees and teas. They also have a great range of pastries, delicious croissants and entrees. Also, if you need another kind of drink to warm you up, they have this amazing 50% off discount on their selection of French wines on select days. Hope these tips are useful and stay warm this winter!

Honors & AwardsMichael Burel

NSF GRFP

Lamia HarperNSF GRFP

Jordan JastrabNIH NRSA

Wilnelly Martinez-OrtizCareer Development Activities Award, NYU Clinical and Translational Science

Institute, NIH/NIDDKD

Carlos SanchezNIH NRSA

Ayana SawaiNIH NRSA (NINDS)

Manushka VaidyaSigma Xi Research Grant

Kirsten WiensHHMI International Student

Research Fellowship

First-Author PublicationsAryal B, Rotllan N, Fernández-Hernando C. 2014. Noncoding RNAs and atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 16(5):407.

Bowling H, Zhang G, Bhatacharya A, Perez-Cuesta LM, Deinhardt K, Hoeffer CA, Neubert TA, Gan WB, Klann E. and Chao MV. 2014. Antipsychotics activate mTORC1-dependent translation to enhance neuronal morphological complexity. Science Signal. 7(308):ra4.

Goedeke L and Fernández-Hernando C. 2014.

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May 2015 Graduation DeadlinesRegister on Albert at home.nyu.edu through February 6, 2015

(http://www.nyu.edu/registrar/graduation/apply.html)

Preliminary Thesis Deadline: March 20, 2015Final Thesis Deadline: May 8, 2015

Note: GSAS has announced a new policy that there will be no extensions of the preliminary deadline in 2015. The final deadline remains, as always, final.