YSM News and Recognition

Michael Girardi, MD, vice chair for faculty development and scientific innovation and Evans Professor of Dermatology, has received a Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust Catalyst Award from Health Resources in Action for his project to develop an antibody drug conjugate for T cell leukemias and lymphomas. The award supports high-risk, high-reward translational research that addresses critical scientific and therapeutic roadblocks and can be transferred to clinical practice in the near term.

Robert Pietrzak, PhD, MPH, professor of psychiatry and of public health (social and behavioral sciences), will receive the Distinguished Contribution to the Science of Psychology Award from the Connecticut Psychological Association during its annual convention on Oct. 24 at Yale West Convention Center. The award recognizes scientists whose research has significantly enriched the field of psychology. Pietrzak is director of the Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory, Clinical Neurosciences Division, at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD.

Bohdan Pomahac, MD, Frank F. Kanthak Professor of Surgery (Plastics), and division chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery, has received a Clinical Research Achievement Award from the American Association of Plastic Surgeons in honor of his significant contributions to advancing the field of plastic surgery through innovative research and clinical excellence. Pomahac’s team performed the first three full-face transplant procedures in the United States, and the first successful bilateral upper extremity transplantation in the Northeast.

The Keck MS & Proteomics Resource, part of the Yale School of Medicine’s Research Core infrastructure, has been awarded a $2 million NIH High-End Instrumentation grant to acquire a state-of-the-art Orbitrap Astral Zoom mass spectrometer. This next-generation system will significantly advance Yale’s proteomics research infrastructure and community and broaden access to transformative mass spectrometry technologies. The initiative is led by TuKiet Lam, PhD, the grant’s principal investigator and director of the Keck MS & Proteomics Resource; faculty advisor Sreeganga Chandra, PhD, professor of neurology and neuroscience; and an internal advisory committee that will ensure the funded instrument will be maximally utilized to support as many researchers as possible.

Fortunay Diatta, MD, MBE, a resident in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, was awarded the 2025 Vincent R. Hentz Scholarship at this year’s American Society for Surgery of the Hand annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding residents and fellows who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and a commitment to advancing the field of hand and upper extremity surgery.

Jennifer Rockfeld, MD, MHS, associate clinical professor of medicine (general medicine), has been appointed director of ambulatory medical education for Yale School of Medicine, expanding her current role at Northeast Medical Group. Rockfeld will work to enhance the educational partnership between the health system and the school by developing and sustaining an infrastructure to support clinical instructors and students in ambulatory settings. Rockfeld also will continue leading educator development through the Center for Medical Education to foster a robust community of clinician educators.

David P. Kuwayama, MD, MPA, MPhil, associate professor of surgery (vascular), and his team reached an important milestone in the Yale Heart and Vascular Center’s aortic program on Sept. 21 with the implantation of its 100th fenestrated/branched thoracoabdominal aortic endograft. The minimally invasive surgical device is used to repair complex aneurysms in the aorta, avoiding the need for open surgery and leading to reduced risk and faster recovery for patients.

Yona Lei, an MD-PhD student in the Department of Immunobiology and a member of the HAVEN Free Clinic board of directors, organized the QA/QI (Quality Assurance/Improvement) Team to participate in the clinic’s 5K race on Oct. 5. She and her team raised $4,475, coming in second place for fundraising for the event. Team QA/QI also received the Ultimate Care Givers title.