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2024 Lab Coat Ceremony

Celebrate our newly matriculated PhD students as they take the next steps in their academic journey
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PhD Lab Coat Ceremony

GRADUATE

On Monday, September 16, 2024, first year PhD and third year MD-PhD students from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai were celebrated at our 7th annual Lab Coat Ceremony. The students, faculty, family, and friends arrived at Goldwurm Auditorium for the presentation of lab coats. Mount Sinai offers PhD degrees in biomedical sciences, neuroscience, and clinical research, and a dual MD/PhD medical scientist training program degree.

Marta Filizola, PhD, the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Sharon & Frederick A. Klingenstein-Nathan G. Kase, MD Professor, started the ceremony by highlighting the significance of providing the lab coats to students. “This ceremony holds profound significance because it represents the beginning of our students’ journey in academic research and training. The lab coats we present to them are a symbol of the professionalism and authority that trainees will cultivate and foster during their time in our programs.” Dr. Filizola spoke about how our institution is moving into new research frontiers, such as artificial intelligence and other technologies in medicine, that can help improve patient health and quality of life. She mentioned that our students are integral in this process by adding diverse perspectives and experiences that drive changes in how we conduct research.

Dr. Filizola next invited Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Dean for Academic Affairs at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Chief Scientific Officer for the Mount Sinai Health System, to the podium to welcome our students and their guests. Dr. Nesler reflected on the current higher education landscape, specifically why integrity in research is so important. In his view of science, nothing should be settled, as we should always be evaluating and questioning what we know, especially when new insights become available. He took the audience through each stage of the Scientific Method and shared why this approach is so important for all scientists. Dr. Nestler shared the history of the Scientific Method and how this changed during the Enlightenment period, which led to the current version that we use today. He reviewed this history to remind students that scientific fraud is a threat to our nations and the world’s scientific enterprise. He believes it degrades the public’s trust in science and how upholding integrity is crucial for our incoming students. Dr. Nestler concluded his speech by telling the students, “By earning a PhD degree, you are the new generation upon whom society will depend on to continue this most important tradition, with the goal of further improving the health and lives of its citizens”.

Denise Dilley, Director of Alumni Relations, spoke briefly on behalf of Alexis Colvin, MD, Dean for Alumni Relations. She encouraged students to take advantage of having access to Mount Sinai alumni and to utilize their mentorship program.

Dr. O’Connell then introduced our guest speaker Neil Dhawan, PhD, who graduated from our PhD in Biomedical Sciences program in 2016. Dr. O’Connell spoke about Dr. Dhawan’s time in the program and how he admired his ambition and how he pivoted his career goals during his time in the program. Dr. Dhawan greeted the students and told them about his personal experiences as a student at Icahn Mount Sinai. His first story was about his first day of class, where the professor challenged the class to answer a question with limited information. Dr. Dhawan remarked, “Science is messy and unpredictable - real skill in science lies in the fact that this it is its own art form - it is the art form of navigating this messiness and beginning to outline the core and common principles and you are that artist. So, when you feel frustrated or confused by your classes, your teachers, or your experiments, good. That means you are likely on to something.” He emphasized the vast knowledge of our faculty and encouraged students to reach out to them for their expertise and guidance.

Dr. Dhawan also spoke about his goal of discovery and developing a drug and how it felt unachievable. He spoke about being doubted by others, but remarked that he went on to create Titus Medicines, a successful biotechnology company that develops drugs using covalent molecules to target undruggable proteins. Dr. Dhawan’s advice to ignore negativity with a quote from Lil’ Wayne drew enormous applause and laughter from the audience. He encouraged the students to be persistent, resilient, and have a willingness to list and adapt during their time at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. His last story touched upon how difficult it can be to move to New York City, but that it ultimately brings together people of various cultures and what a benefit that is. Dr. Dhawan concluded his speech by congratulating the students and wishing them all success on their academic journeys.

Each student received a lab coat with their name embroidered on the front left. Matthew O’Connell, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs, Talia Swartz, MD, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for MD-PhD Education, and Emilia Bagiella, PhD, Associate Director, Clinical Research Education Program read the names of students to come up and be coated by our Multidisciplinary Training Directors. Dr. O’Connell then led the students in reciting the Oath for Doctoral Students to “to uphold the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, scholarship, and honor.” The ceremony concluded with all the coated PhD students turning to face the audience and showing their appreciation of the support they receive with a round of applause.

The ceremony was followed by a reception, which was filled with newly coated PhD students taking selfies, enjoying food, and being celebrated by family and friends. Congratulations to our participating students!

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Marta Filizola

Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Marta Filizola, welcoming our students and guests to the 7th annual Lab Coat Ceremony