Shout Outs
By Office of the President | Nov 4, 2025
Downstate Professor Helps Shape International Dialogue on Psychiatric Genetics
Roseann E. Peterson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the POP-GEM Lab, helped lead Latin
American–focused science at the 2025 World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics in Cancún, Mexico. Dr. Peterson co-chaired the Latin American Genomics Consortium
Major Depressive Disorder Working Group symposium and served as both co-chair and
session discussant.
Dr. Peterson’s work highlights the importance of representation in science, ensuring that discoveries in psychiatric genetics accurately reflect the diversity of communities like ours. Brooklyn is home to many patients with Latin American and Caribbean roots. Including Latin American data in global studies strengthens the accuracy of research for our community, expands collaboration and training opportunities for our learners and faculty, and moves future diagnostics and treatments closer to the people we serve.
Thank you, Dr. Peterson, for advancing this essential work and representing Downstate on the global stage.
To learn more about Dr. Peterson’s lab and research, see the POP-GEM Lab, the Latin American Genomics Consortium, and the Major Depressive Disorder Working Group.
Dr. Xian-Cheng Jiang Represents Downstate at Wayne State Grand Rounds
Xian-Cheng Jiang, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology, presented Grand Rounds, “Sphingomyelin Synthase: What We Learned,” at Wayne State University on October 28. He is recognized for his work on sphingolipid
biology and its role in metabolism and cardiovascular disease. Thank you, Dr. Jiang,
for sharing your insights and representing Downstate so well.
Surgical Precision Meets National Praise
Congratulations to our UHD surgical teams for earning national recognition from the
American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP)
for achieving meritorious outcomes in surgical patient care.
The latest NSQIP report (April 2024–March 2025) ranks UHD as a low outlier for both morbidity and mortality, with exceptional observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios across multiple surgical outcome categories, and very few areas for improvement.
This recognition places Downstate among only 77 hospitals nationwide, out of more than 600 participating, to achieve this distinction. It reflects the exceptional skill, vigilance, and teamwork of our surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, residents, and the entire perioperative care team.
Thank you to Panos Kougias, M.D., MSc, FACS, and the entire surgical leadership team, comprising faculty, nurses, residents, and staff, whose collective efforts have set the standard for excellence, patient safety, and quality. Their dedication ensures that Downstate meets and exceeds national benchmarks for surgical care excellence.
Downstate Leaders Are a Class Act at SUNY ACT Conference
Rev. Kirkpatrick G. Cohall, Chair of Downstate’s SUNY Council, represented Downstate at the Association of Council
Members & College Trustees (ACT) Annual Conference in Albany on October 17–18, where
Council leaders from all 64 SUNY campuses met and heard updates on system priorities
from Chancellor John B. King Jr.
At the same conference, Dilip Nath, Dr.BA, MBA, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Officer at Downstate, joined colleagues from SUNY Geneseo and SUNY New Paltz on the “SUNY Leads Capstone Project Overview” panel. Dr. Nath highlighted his capstone project from SUNY’s AANHPI Leadership Institute, which develops leaders from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities across the system.
Dr. Lambert Honors a Legacy at NYU’s Joel D. Oppenheim Inaugural Event
This past weekend, W. Marcus Lambert, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Research Strategy and Operations, delivered the inaugural Joel D. Oppenheim Keynote Address at NYU’s What Can You Be With a Ph.D.? Symposium. This event has inspired thousands of doctoral trainees to explore career possibilities beyond the bench.
Dr. Lambert also received the Dr. Joel Oppenheim Award, presented by Dr. Susan Oppenheim, in recognition of his exceptional mentorship and dedication to developing the next generation of scientists. In his keynote, Dr. Lambert reflected on his journey from the lab to leadership, the importance of building mentorship networks, and how purpose serves as the most powerful long-term career strategy, particularly in uncertain times.
Congratulations, Dr. Lambert, on this well-deserved honor and for representing SUNY Downstate with excellence and pride.
The Creative Brilliance of Denise John
We extend our deepest gratitude to Denise John, Staff Assistant in Transplant Services, for her incredible creativity and thoughtful
designs that beautifully reflect Downstate’s mission of service to the community.
Denise is the creative talent behind some of our most inspiring visual pieces, including the Breast Cancer Awareness Month backdrop and the recent touching tribute design honoring Dr. LaRosa’s legacy.
Her artistry brings heart, meaning, and pride to every project she undertakes. We are incredibly proud and grateful to work alongside such a talented colleague, and look forward to many more of Denise’s amazing creations!
We also extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who stopped by our Breast Cancer Awareness Month backdrop to snap a photo and show their support for survivors and the fight against breast cancer. Your participation helped turn awareness into action, speaking volumes about the compassion and unity that define our Downstate family.
Mock Interviews, Real Impact!
A huge shoutout to our impressive MPH and MHA students from Communication Skills for Public Health, who brought their A-game to a recent Mock Interview Workshop in the Communications & Marketing production studio!
Thank you to Ronaldo Alfred, Suzette Graham-Hill, M.D., Merzulie Gregoire, Rachelle Hamadi, M.D., Idowu Kehinde, and Destiny Williams for showing up prepared, passionate, and ready to shine. Each of you shared your story, your purpose, and your vision for advancing public health with authenticity and confidence. You made the studio come alive!
For a third semester, Dawn S. Walker, MPA, Communications & Marketing Vice President, put on her best “interview voice” and “camera-ready face” as part of the fun! Watching our students grow bolder and more polished each round is the best part of this exercise.
A special thank you to Wendy Williams, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Pedagogical Advancement and Evaluation at the School of Public Health, for leading this meaningful and energizing session and for guiding our future public health leaders with enthusiasm.
The future of public health is bright, and it sounds great on camera, too!
A Spooktacular Halloween Parade!
This Halloween, Downstate was bursting with spirit as our youngest patients and staff from Pediatrics brought joy to campus during the annual Halloween Parade! From superheroes to witches, pumpkins, and plenty of boo-tiful costumes, it was all treats and no tricks. The day was full of laughter, candy, and care – a reminder that healing happens through both science and smiles.
Children, families, and staff brought the magic to campus, filling the day with laughter, candy, and fun, reminding us with every step of the parade that joy and healing go hand in hand.
A fang-tastic thank you to Lisa Smith and the incredible team at the Child Life Center for organizing such a frightfully fun celebration. Your creativity and care bring smiles brighter than jack-o’-lanterns to our littlest and most precious patients all year long!
Wicked Good Fun Pumpkin Painting
The Student Center was glowing with autumn magic as the Student Center Governing Board and Art Installation Society brewed up a bit of Halloween fun with a Mini Pumpkin Painting Party. Students from every school carved out time to unwind and let their creativity run
wild, transforming ordinary pumpkins into spooky masterpieces, glittering gourds,
and fall-inspired works of art.
Between brushstrokes, laughter, and plenty of pumpkin puns, folks fueled their festive spirits with warm empanadas and seasonal treats. It was a “gourd time” for all, and a perfectly wicked way to paint away stress and kick off the Halloween season!
Purple Reigns!
Across New York State, a wave of purple swept through offices, campuses, and communities as New Yorkers stood in solidarity with victims and survivors of domestic violence.
On Thursday, October 16, 2025, officially designated by Gov. Kathy Hochul as Purple Thursday, organizations statewide hosted events to raise awareness. Governor Hochul reaffirmed her commitment, emphasizing the state’s ongoing work to combat domestic violence and support survivors.
At Downstate, the spirit of purple shone during the Celebrating Survivors event, led by Nicole Sharpe, Benefits Associate and DV Agency Liaison; Cepeda Johnson, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and DV Agency Liaison; and Magda Alliancin, Ed.D., CEAP, EAP Manager and Wellness Ambassador. The gathering featured educational resources, campaign highlights, and interactive activities, including a photo booth, raffle, and backpack-packing session for the Urban Resource Institute (URI) shelter.
Founded in 1980, URI is the nation’s largest provider of shelter and support services for survivors of domestic violence, offering emergency housing, counseling, economic empowerment, and pet-friendly shelters that allow families to stay together in safety.
Downstate proudly joins URI and partners statewide in proving that when it comes to courage and compassion, Purple Reigns.
Note: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available.
- Call the New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 1-800-942-6906
- Text 844-997-2121
- Chat online at opdv.ny.gov
All services are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In an emergency, call 911.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Display
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we invited members of the Downstate community to stop by and take a photo in front of the beautiful awareness display created by Denise John, and you showed up! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped spread hope, strength, and solidarity throughout our campus. We were happy to hand out swag #KeepCareClose swag to those who did!
