樱花动漫

Stern College for Women
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Biology

The Department of Biology at Stern College for Women offers a broad liberal arts education, providing students with an understanding of the biotic world, from molecules and cells through organisms and ecosystems. A wide range of courses cover the fundamentals of modern biology, as well as cutting-edge areas of molecular biology and biomedical research.

Faculty have on-campus research laboratories and involve the undergraduates in their projects. Faculty members publish their research in scientific peer-reviewed journals, frequently listing their undergraduate research interns as co-authors. The quality of science training at Stern College for Women has made our students highly competitive for external summer undergraduate research internships in industry, universities and medical institutions.

Course work and research opportunities develop students' analytical and experimental skills, enabling them to continue their study of science at advanced levels of graduate and professional education. Students majoring in biology pursue careers in medicine, dentistry and optometry, as well as in a spectrum of other health-related professions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, physician assistant, nutrition and genetic counseling.

Other students continue their graduate education in public health, biotechnology and basic and applied biomedical research.

For an overview of recent student accomplishments in STEM, click here (PDF).

For an annual publication detailing our student and departmental accomplishments in STEM, please view our journal, .

For further information, please contact Dr. Alyssa Schuck, schuck@yu.edu

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Biology is for undergraduates majoring in biology to be prepared and to be qualified to pursue advanced studies in the biomedical sciences as related to human health care and/or to pursue employment in various biology-related fields. These milestones will be achieved by providing courses covering a spectrum of sub-disciplines with biology, so as to provide majors in biology with a comprehensive background in the principles of modern biology, with hands-on skills in the usage of laboratory instrumentation, with an understanding of scientific literature and of research methodologies, and with proficiencies in written and oral communication.

Program Student Learning Goals

  1. Biology majors will be able to understand the main principles of modern biology, with an emphasis on the biomedical sciences.
  2. Biology majors will be able to apply skills in modern laboratory techniques and knowledge of the scientific method to analyze scientific problems and to create their own scientific investigations.
  3. Biology majors will be able to critically evaluate scientific literature according to established scientific criteria.
  4. Biology majors will be able to express scientific ideas, both in written and oral communication.

Derech Hateva

Derech HaTeva, a Journal of Torah and Science is a publication of the undergraduate students of Stern College for Women that synthesizes Torah and scientific knowledge and thus represents the unique intellectual strengths and talents of our students. This journal is cataloged in the National Library of Congress. Derech HaTeva is distributed nationally and internationally and has received much praise. You can download a copy at the . 

YU Journal of Medicine and Dentistry

In the Spring semester, 2022, undergraduates at Stern College and Yeshiva College initiated a new publication, The 樱花动漫 Journal of Medicine and Science. According to their "Mission Statement," the journal was created "for the student body and faculty of 樱花动漫, as well as for the broader communities with which the university is associated and for the world at large." Articles can be found at the.

More Program Information

  • Anya Alayev
    Clinical Assistant Professor of Biology 
  • Harvey Babich
    Professor of Biology 
  • Karen Bacon
    Professor of Biology

    Bill Bassman
    Adjunct Instructor of Biology

    Yaniv Cohen
    Clinical Associate Professor of Biology
  • John Golin
    Adjunct Professor of Biology
  • Amanda Katz
    Clinical Assistant Professor of Biology
  • Brenda Loewy
    Clinical Associate Professor of Biology 
    Director, Pre-health advisement
  • Sharon Markovics
    Adjunct Instructor of Biology 
  • Jeffrey Mollin
    Senior Laboratory Instructional Specialist in Biology 
    Director, Pre-nursing, Pre-OT, Pre-PT, and Pre-PA
  • Jennifer Odien
    Adjunct Instructor of Biology
  • Tatyana Kievsky 
    Laboratory Instructional Specialist in Biology
  • Alyssa Schuck
    Clinical Professor of Biology
    Department Chair
  • Margarita Vigodner
    Professor of Biology
    Doris and Ira Kukin Chair in Biology
  • Raizy Weinreb
    Adjunct Instructor of Biology 
  • Richard Weiss
    Clinical Associate Professor of Biology  

Faculty Grants (only current grants are listed) 

Dr. Margarita Vigodner
NIH Rl5. "Sumoylation and its regulation in testicular Sertoli cells," 2023-2026, $450,000.

Chelst, Schreiber and Zwas Book Grant, $1,500 towards student research.

A recipient of the 2023-2024 Faculty Research Fund award through the YU Office of the Provost.

Katz School Faculty Research Award, academic year 2023-2024.

 

Dr. Anya Alayev
Ongoing research support: NIH Grant Number 1 R15 CA220021-01 
Research area: Targeting Estrogen Related Receptor alpha in triple negative breast cancer 
Involves many undergraduate research interns   

 

Faculty Awards (academic year, 2023-2024)

Dr. Harvey Babich
2024 Dean Karen Bacon Faculty Award

Dr. Alyssa Schuck
2024 Senior Class Award for General Studies

Dr. Margarita Vigodner 
2023-2024 Faculty Research Fund Award 

Faculty Publications (2013-2023, only) 

 
Applebaum, N., Chemel, S., Matveev, S., Pal, S.S., Sengupta, A., Lucas, B., and Vigodner, M., 2023, Phosphoproteome analysis of the crosstalk between sumoylation and phosphorylation in mouse spermatocytes. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.  681:194-199.

Musheyev, D., Miller, E., Birnbaum, N., Miller, E., Erblich, S., Schuck, A., and Alayev, A., 2022, Inhibition of ERK signaling for treat1nent of ERRa positive TNBC, PLOS One 3 :480-496.

Alhumaidi, M., Nentwig, L.M., Rahman, H., Schmitt, L., Rudrow, A., Harris, A., Dillon, C., Retrepo, L., Lamping, E., Arya, N路., Ambudkar, S.V., Choy, J.S., and Golin, J., 2022, Residues forming the gating regions of symmetric multidrug transporter Pdr5 also play roles in conformational
switching and protein folding, J.Biol. Chem., 298(12): 102689 [Correction: 2023, 299(4): 104666.]

Banerjee, A., Rahman, H., Prasad, R., and Golin, J., 2022, How fungal multidrug transporters mediate hyper-resistance through DNA amplification and mutation, Mol. Microbiol., 118(1-2):3- 15.

Musheyev, D. and Alayev, A., 2022, Endocrine therapy resistance: what we know and future directions, Explor. Target Antitumor Ther., 3 :480-496.

Vigodner, M., Lucas, B., Kemeny, S., Schwartz, T., and Levy, R. 2020, Identification of  sumoylated targets in proliferating mouse spermatogonia and human testicular seminomas. Asian J. Urol., Mar 27.[Epub ahead of print].    

Cuesta, R., Berman, A.Y., Alayev, A., and Holz MK., 2019, Estrogen receptor 伪 promotes protein synthesis by fine-tuning the expression of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit f (eIF3f). J Biol Chem. 294::2267-2278.  

Schafler. E.D., Thomas, P.A., Ha, S., Wang, Y., Bermudez-Hernandez, K., Tang, Z., Feny枚. D.,   Vigodner, M., and Logan, S.K., 2018, UXT is required for spermatogenesis in mice pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29649254   PLoS  One. 13::e0195747.

Bostner, J., Alayev, A., Berman, A.Y., Fornander, T., Nordenskj枚ld, B., Holz, M.K. and  St氓l, O. 2018, Raptor localization and estrogen-dependent breast cancer growth. Breast  Cancer Res. Treat. 168:17-27. 

Alayev, A., Salamon, R.S., Schwartz, N.S., Berman, A.Y., Wiener, S.L., Holz, and  M.K., 2017, Combination of rapamycin and resveratrol for treatment of bladder cancer.    J. Cell Physiol. 232:436-446.  

Xiao, Y., Lucas, B., Molcho, E., and Vigodner, M., 2017, Cross-talk between  sumolyation and phosphorylation in mouse spermatocytes, Biochem. Biophys. Res.  Comm. 487:640-645. 

Alayev, A., Salamon, R.S., Schwartz, N.S, Berman, A.Y., Wiener, S.L., and Holz, M.K., 2017, Combination of rapamycin and resveratrol for treatment of bladder cancer.  J. Cell Physiol., 232:436-446. 

Xiao, Y., Pollack, D., Andrusier, M., Levy, A., Callaway, M., Nieves, E., and Vigodner M., 2016, Identification of cell specific targets of sumoylation during mouse spermatogenesis, Reproduction, 151:149-166. 

Alayev, A., Salamon, R.S., Berger, S.M., Schwartz, N.S., Cuesta, R., Snyder, R.B., Holz, M.K., 2016,  mTORC1 directly phosphorylates and activates ERR伪 upon estrogen stimulation, Oncogene 35:3535-3543.  

Alayev, A., Salamon, R.S., Manna, S., Schwartz, N.S., Berman, A.Y., and Holz, M.K., 2016, Estrogen induces RAD51C expression and localization to sites of DNA damage. Cell Cycle 15:3230-3239.  

Alayev, A., Salamon, R.S., Sun, Y., Schwartz, N.S, Yu, J.J, and Holz, M.K., 2015, The combination of rapamycin and resveratrol causes apoptosis and reduces .growth of   TSC2-deficient xenograft tumors, Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., Apr 6 [Epub ahead of print].     

Alayev, A., Doubleday, P.F., Berger, S.M., Ballif, B.A., and Holz, M.K., 2014, Phosphoproteomics reveals resveratrol-dependent inhibition of Akt/mTORC1/S6K1 signaling, J. Proteome 鈥疪es. 13:5734-5742. 

Xiao, Y., Pollack, D., Nieves, E., Winchell, A., Callaway, M., and Vigodner, M., 2015,  Can your protein be sumoylated? A quick summary and important tips to study SUMO- modified proteins. Anal. Biochem., 77:95-97.

Alayev, A., Sun, Y., Snyder, R.B., Berger, S.M., Yu, L.J., and Holz, M.K., 2014, Resveratrol prevents rapamycin-induced upregulation of autophagy and selectively induces apoptosis in TSC-2 deficient cells, Cell Cycle, 13: 371-382.

Shrivastava, V., Marmor, H., Chernyak, S., Goldstein, M., Feliciano, M., and Vigodner, M., 2014, Cigarette smoke affects posttranslational modifications and inhibits capacitation-induced changes in human sperm proteins, Reprod. Toxicol. 43:125-129.  

Vigodner, M., Shrivastava, V., Gutstein, L.E., Schneider, J., Nieves, E., Goldstein, M., Feliciano, M., and Callaway, M., 2013, Localization and identification of sumoylated proteins in human sperm; excessive sumoylation as a marker of defective spermatozoa, Human Reprod. 28: 210-223. 

Schuck, A.G., Weisburg, J.H., Greenbaum, R.E., Golfeiz, M.D., Segal, J.R., Weiss, R.A., Liebman, E.C.,  Zuckerbraun, H.L., Babich, H., 2013, Selective cytotoxicity of a grape seed proanthocyanidin extract to human oral carcinoma HSC-2 cells, Cell Develop. Biol. 2:121-128. 

Schuck, A.G., Weisburg, J.H., Esan, H., Robin, E.F., Bersson, A.R., Weitschner, J.R., Lahasky, T., Zuckerbraun, H.L., and Babich, H., 2013, Cytotoxic and proapoptotic activities of gallic acid, an inducer of oxidative stress, to human oral cancer HSC-2  cells, Oxid. Antioxid. Med. Sci. 2:225-229. 

Weisburg, J.H., Schuck, A.G., Reiss, S.E., Wolf, B.J., Fertel, S.R., Zuckerbraun, H.L. and Babich., H., 2013, Ellagic acid: A dietary polyphenol, selectively cytotoxic to HSC-2 oral carcinoma cells, Anticancer Res. 33:1829-1836.

 

 

Torah U鈥橫ada Publications (2022-2023, only):

Weiss, R., 2023, "Kriat Yam-Suf: In G-d and people we trust," National Council of Young Israel/Pesach Torah Journal, 2(3)45-47,

Babich, H, 2023, The science behind some Mishnaic and Talmudic passages, 27:55-65.

Weiss. R., 2022, Passover Seder priorities for health care professionals, National Council of Young Israel/Pesach Torah Journal, 3 42-45.

Babich, 1-I., 2022, Adom HaRishon and his contemporaries-soulless humanoids, 26:47-52.


Torah U'Mada Presentations: (2022-2023, only):


Weiss, R., 2023, Ethical dilemmas in transplant medicine., Panel Discussion/Israel Bonds-NJ Health
Professionals/Chabad SE Morris County, March 16.

Weiss, R., 2023, Infertility: Halachic approaches, Health Education for Students Society/SCW (HESS),
February 22.

Weiss, R., 2022, Ethical and halachic risks associated with harvesting organs, YI/Talmud Torah of
Flatbush, December 3.

Weiss, R., 2022, Embryo selection, Olami's Jewish Health Club/NYU, Hunter College, November 8.

  1. On-campus research opportunities in the laboratories of Dr. Vigodner, Dr. Alayev and Dr. Schuck
     
  2. Bar Ilan University - YU Summer Undergraduate Research Internship