Department of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

07/30/2025

TOMORROW at CityPickle | Ask the Expert with Mount Sinai Physiolab. Join us Thursday, July 31 from 12–2 PM at CityPickle Wollman Rink for a free, interactive event with the Mount Sinai Physiolab team. Meet Ryan W. Walker, PhD, MS — Associate Professor and Director of Physiolab — and get expert insights to help you reach your health and wellness goals.

Enjoy free on-site services including body composition readings, grip strength testing, and nutrition screening. Whether you’re playing or just passing by, stop in and take the next step in your wellness journey. Book your court or sign up for a Mount Sinai Community Clinic today — https://bit.ly/4fca4B7

07/30/2025

Starting in 2027, North Carolina residents will have a new way to register as organ donors, through their state tax forms. With nearly 4,000 people in the state waiting for a transplant, this new law is an important step toward expanding access and saving lives. But as experts point out, access alone isn’t enough. Building trust and addressing misinformation—especially in communities with a history of medical mistreatment are key to ensuring the success of this policy.

“We have to recognize that mistrust is often born of historic, lived, or vicarious experiences we have had within or outside of healthcare,” said Dr. Dinushika Mohottige, Assistant Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Education campaigns really need to be tailored to all communities to ensure equitable uptake.”

Read more:https://bit.ly/3H57Qae

07/29/2025

Mount Sinai is offering free heart screenings for Black men to help detect two serious and often overlooked conditions, supporting early detection and better health outcomes.

Mount Sinai is offering free heart screenings specifically for Black men to detect two serious conditions that often go unnoticed.

07/29/2025

In Mount Sinai’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a new research project is using the power of music to support the health of preterm babies.

With a generous $257,000 gift from the TMCity Foundation, our team is studying how “song of kin”—lullabies chosen by parents and delivered through live music therapy—can improve respiratory function and neurodevelopment in newborns.

Led by Dr. Joanne Loewy and Dr. Rachel Reed, this project also supports parents by reducing stress, easing the transition home, and strengthening the bond between parent and child during a critical stage of development. We’re proud to lead this innovative work and grateful to the TMCity Foundation for helping us bring healing through music to the NICU.

Learn more about the project: https://donorstories.mountsinai.org/nicu-music-therapy/

The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine

07/28/2025

A new study published in Nature Communications reveals why breastfeeding protects some women against breast cancer, but not others.

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that a mother’s mitochondria—the parts of cells that control energy—can shape how her body responds to breastfeeding at the cellular level. In mouse models, certain mitochondrial types triggered the growth of cells linked to postpartum breast cancer, while others were protective.

The team also discovered that a natural dietary supplement could shift the response from harmful to protective, offering a potential way to help more women benefit from breastfeeding.

“These findings may one day help identify women at risk and support them with a simple intervention,” said Dr. Mrittika Chattopadhyay, the study’s first author. The researchers are now studying human breast milk to explore how this applies to people—and what it could mean for postpartum cancer prevention.

Read the full study: https://bit.ly/4lQf80M

07/28/2025

A new study from investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, conducted in collaboration with colleagues from Rabin Medical Center in Israel and others, suggests that even the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models can make surprisingly simple errors when navigating complex medical ethics scenarios.

Published July 22 in NPJ Digital Medicine [10.1038/s41746-025-01792-y], the findings raise important questions about how and when to rely on large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, in health care settings.

“AI can be very powerful and efficient, but our study showed that it may default to the most familiar or intuitive answer—even when that response overlooks critical details,” says co-senior author Eyal Klang, MD, Chief of Generative AI in the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “In everyday situations, that kind of thinking might go unnoticed. But in health care, where decisions often carry serious ethical and clinical implications, missing those nuances can have real consequences for patients.”

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4o3cOoz

07/25/2025

New research highlights an important connection between heart health and breast cancer risk. Dr. Stephanie Bernik discusses a study showing that women with excess body weight who develop cardiovascular disease may face a significantly higher risk of breast cancer.

But type 2 diabetes alongside excess body weight does not, new research suggests.

07/24/2025

New research from Ryan Ungaro, MD, and Jean-Frederic Colombel, MD, offers hope for people living with Crohn’s disease. Their study identified unique biological markers in patients with mild Crohn’s, which could lead to more personalized care and less aggressive treatment options in the future.

A new study led by researchers at Mount Sinai Health System has identified distinct biological signatures in patients with mild Crohn's disease, offering a potential pathway toward more personalized and less aggressive treatment strategies.

07/23/2025

Samantha Dieras, RN, DCN, breaks down the nutritional differences between apples and bananas, including fiber content, vitamins, and overall health benefits.

Both bananas and apples are good for your gut health. They both contain soluble and insoluble fiber, experts said. Though apples contain slightly more fiber, either are a good choice to reach for in the produce aisle.

07/23/2025

Looking for a simple, low-impact way to stay active? Dr. Shawn Anthony and Dr. Heather Viola share the benefits of Japanese walking - a mindful, joint-friendly workout that’s gaining global attention for boosting physical and mental well-being.

Experts break down everything you need to know and give their advice on how to incorporate it into your routine.

07/22/2025

Whether your summer plans include relaxing by the pool, dining alfresco, or exercising, it’s crucial to stay properly hydrated—especially when heat and humidity levels are at their highest.

Dehydration happens when your body loses too much water. Common symptoms include thirst, less frequent urination, dry mouth or cracked lips, fatigue, and dizziness. While the Institute of Medicine recommends about 2.7 liters of fluids daily for women and 3.7 liters for men, individual needs can vary based on age, weight, activity level, and health conditions.

Taylor Stein, MS, RD, CDN, shares five simple tips to help you stay hydrated and healthy this summer.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4f0bheN