Once again, I take pleasure in introducing this latest issue of Einstein magazine, with its cover story on the wide-ranging research and community programs at Einstein and Montefiore addressing the devastating impact of asthma in the Bronx. Other highlights are in-depth interviews with one of Einstein’s promising junior investigators in the field of aging, Derek Huffman, and an outstanding clinical department chair, ophthalmologist Roy Chuck.

Writing this message is bittersweet, because it will be my last as Einstein’s dean. The past 12 years have unequivocally been challenging, but also highly rewarding. The success of our outstanding research faculty, including many I recruited personally, is something we can all take pride in. Seeing junior, tenure-track investigators make remarkable discoveries as they progressed to become world-class, tenured full professors made my efforts to find the resources to recruit and then support them all worthwhile. Our faculty’s success is also enabled by the hard work and creativity of our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Despite a difficult funding environment and other challenges, many of our grad students and postdocs have been highly successful in their career advancement.

Enhancing our medical students’ education has also been a priority for me. Improving the physical resources by establishing our Clinical Skills Center and our Education Center and, equally important, appointing outstanding deans for education and for student affairs have kept Einstein at the forefront of medical education.

Nothing I was able to accomplish as dean over the past 12 years would have been possible without tremendous support from key people: my own leadership team, whose selfless dedication and outstanding performance proved invaluable; Montefiore’s leaders, whose vision of a synergistic relationship with Einstein immeasurably improved the strength of both institutions; and members of the Einstein Board, who were steadfast in offering not merely critical financial support but also encouragement and sage advice in difficult times.

Thanks to all of these people, Einstein can truly look forward to future success in its research and educational missions as an integral part of Montefiore Medicine.

Allen M. Spiegel, M.D.
The Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Executive Vice President,
Chief Academic Officer
Montefiore Medicine