Upstate Announcements for April 1, 2025

Advanced Practice Grand Rounds is April 1

Advanced Practice Grand Rounds will be held today, April 1 from noon to 1 p.m. via WebEx. Kristin Ramella, AGACNP, CHFN, will present Cardiology Basics: Assessing risk, managing blood pressure, and introduction to heart failure. To join, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m1645f7b2525de69ea5e8747a57636e17. Questions? Email Tiffany Senke at [email protected]. CME credit will be available for participants.

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Nominations for President's Employee Recognition Awards due April 1

Nominations are now being accepted for the President’s Employee Recognition Awards for individuals and teams that have gone above and beyond. Nominations are due today, April 1. For more information and the online nomination form, visit: www.upstate.edu/pera. For more information, email [email protected].

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Abstracts for Upstate Cancer Research Week due April 1

Research abstracts for presentation at the annual Upstate Cancer Research Week retreat or trainee symposium are due today, April 1. To submit, visit: https://redcap.upstate.edu/surveys/?s=CL38CCTRPAM3HRP8. For more information on the event, including speakers, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/cancer/research/retreat/index.php. Questions? Email [email protected].

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Donate Life Month events are April 1 and 18

To mark Donate Life Month, flag raising events will be held today, April 1 at 10 a.m. in the front circle near the Donate Life flag at Upstate University Hospital and again at 1 p.m. at Community. Mini flags for each organ, eye, and tissue donation will be placed and the large flag will be raised to commemorate the month.

Upstate’s Organ Donor Council seeks donations for the Donate Life virtual silent auction, to be held April 18 to 25. Donations are due by April 15. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative, most lucrative, and best theme. Proceeds from the auction will be used to help promote organ donation and register new organ donors. For more information about the auction and to have your submission picked up, email Liz Keesler at [email protected].

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Upstate celebrates Earth Month with an Eco-Challenge April 1 to 30

In celebration of Earth Month, Upstate will compete against other health systems across the country to support individual, community, and global health in the 2025 One Healthcare Eco-Challenge. To join the Upstate team, commit to taking simple actions throughout the month of April to earn Upstate points. Registration is open, here: https://onehealthcare.ecochallenge.org/users/join. Questions about the challenge? Email Paul Corsi at [email protected].

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Mercy Works/Synergy summer internship informational session is April 2

Upstate department managers willing to host a Mercy Works/Synergy summer intern this year are welcome to join an informational session Wednesday, April 2 from 4 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. Hosting a summer intern through this program is free to departments. Students are fully funded by Mercy Works.

To join the information session: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/2716299741?pwd=K05CVWZuK2tTZHB6cWh5RzZRbDZEUT09&omn=86197428080 (Meeting ID: 271 629 9741 Passcode: 4HSYeB).

To request an intern: https://alcclife.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2170/responses/new. For more information, email Chawka Albadeh at [email protected].

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Pedestrian safety presentation will be held April 3

A traffic and pedestrian safety presentation will be Thursday, April 3 at noon via WebEx. University Police and Upstate’s Traffic Safety Board will be joined by officers from the Syracuse Police Department and representatives from the Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board.

The event is designed to be an interactive opportunity to learn how to stay safe on the roads near the Upstate campuses while walking, biking, and driving. To submit a question in advance of the event, email [email protected]. To join this virtual presentation via WebEx, visit: www.upstate.edu/pedestrian-safety.

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Blood drives at Upstate are April 3, 4, 8

Blood drives will be held in three Upstate locations in the month of April. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit: www.upstate.edu/blood. The schedule is as follows:

April 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the conference rooms on the first floor of Upstate Cancer Center
April 4 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Performance Center on the 11^th floor of Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital
April 8 from noon to 5 p.m. in the cafeteria at Upstate Community Hospital

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Upstate Physician Assistant Program Night at the Syracuse Crunch is April 4

Upstate’s Physician Assistant Class of 2026 will host a night at the Syracuse Crunch hockey game Friday, April 4 at 7 .m. at the Upstate Medical University Arena. Students will host a table to share information on the program and sell pucks for the Chuck-A-Puck prior to the third period. Stop by to participate in Chuck-a-Puck and help raise funds for the class. Tickets are $18 and can be pre-purchased online at www.syracusecrunch.com/UPSTATEPA or using promo code UPSTATEPA. For any questions or ticket assistance, please contact Amber Butler at [email protected].

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Upstate to celebrate Public Health Week April 7, 8, 9, 10

Upstate Community Hospital will host information tables featuring a variety of topics and programs in celebration of Public Health Week April 7, 8, 9, and 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in and around the Cafeteria at Community. Experts will be available to discuss topics, such as: burns, cancer, tobacco cessation, CPR, EAP, EPIC, 4-Kare, Upstate Well, diabetes, sustainability, lead exposure prevention, domestic violence, parenting, child abuse, substance abuse, reiki, breast feeding, poison prevention, and more. Questions about the event? Email Beth Sellers at [email protected].

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IMT Training to host Ask Me About Epic drop-ins April 7 and 28

IMT Training experts will host Ask Me About Epic drop-ins April 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the cafeteria at Community and April 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the cafeteria at Upstate University Hospital. All Epic users are welcome to stop by to ask questions. For more information and additional drop-in dates at both hospitals, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/training/intra/contactus/signup.php#AMAE. Questions? Email Amy Hunsinger at [email protected].

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Beyond the Doctorate Research Day is April 9

Beyond the Doctorate Research Day will be held Wednesday, April 9 from 1 to 6 p.m. in 4414 A/B/C Academic Building. The Upstate community is welcome to celebrate the research accomplishments of Upstate's postdocs, residents, and fellows.

Keynote speaker Mario Delmar, PhD, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, will present Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: Molecular Mechanisms and The Promise of Gene Therapy at 3:30 p.m. For full event details, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/postdoc/postdoc-life/beyond-doctorate-research-day/index.php. Questions? Email Shaunna Arnold at [email protected].

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HealthLink on prostate cancer side effects is April 9

Benjamin Cedars, MD, Upstate Urology fellow, will present Erectile Dysfunction and Incontinence with Prostate Cancer Wednesday, April 9 at 5 p.m. at the HealthLink/Oasis Learning Center, 6333 State Route 298, East Syracuse. There will be a Zoom option. Cedars will discuss side effects from prostate cancer treatments, options for each side effect, recovery processes, and success rates. Register for the discussion here: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpceygqz0uEtV7TEsuRfkAc-exffC7LTPn#/registration. Questions? Email Amy Allen at [email protected].

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Upstate Mental Health REACH workshop is April 10

Upstate Mental Health REACH workshop will be held April 10 beginning at 8:30 a.m. via Zoom. REACH aims to help primary and family medicine providers screen, identify, treat, and refer patients who need mental health care. The program is free, and 6.25 AMA PRA credits will be awarded to participants. Questions? Email Rosemarie Earle at [email protected]. Registration is required, here: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqd--opzkrGNxF0dXaN72pvZgBNyLxUEPo.

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Housecalls for the Homeless and In My Father’s Kitchen fundraiser is April 10

Hope and Dignity will be held Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Middle Ages Brewery, 120 Wilkinson Street, Syracuse. The fundraiser supports the work of Upstate’s Housecalls for the Homeless and the In My Father’s Kitchen community outreach program for the homeless population in Onondaga County. For tickets or to donate, visit: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/rnPTmA?vid=1i9gsb. For more information, email Carolyn Hendrickson at [email protected].

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Reiss Family Visiting Lectureship events are April 10 and 11

Jennifer James, PhD, MSW, MSSP, associate professor in the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California San Francisco, will present during four events as this year’s Reiss Lecturer in Ethics and Equity. The schedule of her presentations is as follows:

April 10 from 8 to 9 a.m., 1144 Academic Building with a virtual option — Structural Racism and Carceral Medicine: Imagining an Abolitionist Alternative
April 10 from noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom — Black Bioethics in the Age of Black Lives Matter
April 11 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., 2244 Academic Building with a virtual option — Surveilled Bodies: Reproductive Care at the Intersection of Medical Authority and State Control
April 11 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Salt City Market — From Forced Sterilizations to Reproductive Control: Prisons as Eugenic Institutions

To register for each event, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/bioethics/education/reiss-lectureship.php. Questions about the lectureship events? Email Andrea Chiaravalloti at [email protected].

James is a qualitative researcher and Black feminist scholar who conducts qualitative community-engaged research on the intersection of race, gender, and health. Her empirical ethics research is grounded in Black bioethics and challenging and advancing the way justice is considered in health and healthcare. Her current work is focused on experiences of health and illness for people who are or have been incarcerated.

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Cardiology Grand Rounds is April 11

Cardiology Grand Rounds will be held Friday, April 11 at 7:30 a.m. in 0103 Weiskotten Hall and via WebEx. John Bisognano, MD, PhD, University of Michigan, will present Seven Disasters in Hypertension. To join virtually, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=md18e53d9ed187d496fd2032d93007118. CME is available for this session. For more information, email Lisa Carroll at [email protected].

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Neuro Research Day is April 11

Neuro Research Day will be held Friday, April 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 4709 Neuroscience Research Building at IHP. For a full schedule of events, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/neurosurgery/research/research-day.php. The event is presented by Neurosurgery and the Neuroscience Graduate Program, with special thanks to the Jacobsen family for support.

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Mini symposium on induced pluripotent stem cells is April 11

A mini symposium on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) will be held April 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. in 4709 Neuroscience Research Building at IHP. The Upstate community is welcome to attend. The event is part of Neuro Research Day.

The event will feature an exploration into iPSC methodologies in neuronal, pancreatic and cardiac model systems. Speakers include:

1 p.m. — Evangelos Kiskinis, PhD, Northwestern University, will present Using iPSC technologies to model developmental epileptic encephalopathy and ALS.
2 p.m. — Kaiming Ye, PhD, Binghamton University, will present Multi-omics-driven iPSC organoid biofabrication.
2:30 p.m. — Tracy Hookway, PhD, Binghamton University, will present Autonomic innervation of engineered cardiac issues.
3 p.m. — Panel discussion
4 p.m. — Reception

For more information, email Lisa Grace at [email protected].

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Walk with a Doc is April 12

Walk with a Doc will be held Saturday, April 12 at 9 a.m. on the indoor track located upstairs at the Baldwinsville YMCA. The walk will begin with a brief talk by Asalim Thabet, MD, who specializes in pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. Dr. Thabet will speak on summer safety reminders and wellness. Participants will then walk at their own pace and distance. The event is free and open to the public. Doctors interested in leading a walk and all other questions, email [email protected]. To register, visit: https://walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/syracuse-new-york/.

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Registration deadline for Rolling for Recovery is April 16

Save the date: Upstate’s Stroke Team will host Rolling for Recovery May 2 at Flamingo Bowl in Liverpool. Shifts for bowling will begin at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. To register, visit: https://e.givesmart.com/events/Gnf/. Proceeds benefit the Stroke Foundation Fund, supporting a stroke camp retreat for survivors and their caregivers. Register by April 16 to receive a free event shirt. The event will include a silent auction. To donate an item, email Emily Talbot at [email protected].

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Spring into Wellness health fair is April 18

Spring into Wellness, a mini health fair, will be held Friday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to noon on the first floor of Upstate Cancer Center. Stop by to learn about financial counseling, nutrition counseling, survivorship, smoking cessation, and much more. Questions about the event? Email Christine Benton at [email protected].

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Kick Butts Earth Day event is April 22

The Tobacco-Free Task Force will host a Kick Butts Earth Day event Tuesday, April 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning in the lobby of Upstate Cancer Center and from 1 to 3 p.m. beginning in the main lobby of Community. Help beautify Upstate’s outdoor spaces by cleaning up cigarette butts and other litter. Clean-up will happen rain or shine, and grabbers will be provided. R.S.V.P. to Jackson Tarr at [email protected].

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Patient Experience Champion Focus Team meeting is April 23

Upstate Patient Advocacy has created the Patient Experience Champion Focus Team, inviting staff to provide feedback on how to improve experiences for Upstate patients and families. Staff insight is invaluable in understanding various perspectives, including successes and suggestions for improvement. To join the meeting Wednesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. in 1502 Upstate University Hospital, visit: RSVP. There will be an option to join the meeting virtually. Questions? Email Patient Advocacy at [email protected].

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Throughput Operations Center open house is April 23

An open house for the new Throughput Operations Center will be held Wednesday, April 23 from noon to 4 p.m. at the center in the KPH building, Suite 109, 6333 State Route 298, E. Syracuse. The Upstate community is welcome. Questions? Email Karin McMullen at [email protected].

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Celebration of the Faculty is April 23

Celebration of the Faculty will be held April 23 at 4 p.m. in 4414 B/C Academic Building. The 2025 Gold Standard Awards will be presented at the event. Upstate faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Registration information will be forthcoming. For more information, email Kelly Donovan at [email protected].

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State travel cards available for pickup April 25

JP Morgan state travel cards will be available for pickup April 25 from 11 a.m. to noon outside Café 750 on the second floor of Upstate University Hospital. For more information, email Sharon McGillvray at [email protected].

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Sarcoidosis Patient Support Group is April 25

The Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Division’s Sarcoidosis Patient Support Group will host an in-person meeting Friday, April 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the conference room on the fifth floor of Upstate Health Care Center. The meeting will provide support for patients and insight on sarcoidosis. To register, email [email protected].

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Deadline to register for yoga retreat at Upstate is April 30

Upstate will host a yoga retreat Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Performance Center on the 11^th floor of Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. The deadline to register is April 30.

Rebecca Alexander Carey, PT, DPT, E-RYT/YACEP, Integrative Medicine at Upstate, and Nayla Khoury, MD, RYT, Upstate Psychiatry, will host the free two-day yoga workshop. The event is designed to offer wellness strategies for health care staff to support personal self-care and help foster healthy interactions with patients and colleagues. The goal is to improve mindfulness and compassion while reducing burnout and fatigue.

Those with a valid Upstate ID are welcome to register, here: Yoga Retreat. Registration is required in advance, as space is limited. The deadline is April 30, or when the class fills. 10 continuing education credits toward yoga certification will be available to participants and all participants will receive a certificate of completion. Questions? Email Nayla Khoury at [email protected].

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Applicants sought for Upstate’s mentoring program

Applications for Upstate’s mentoring program will be accepted now through April 30. The one-year program is open to all Upstate staff. Mentors and mentees meet monthly.

For mentees: This program is an opportunity to be matched with a mentor, create a professional development plan, and work toward your goals.

For mentors: Seasoned professionals with time to dedicate to a mentee are sought to serve as mentors. All training is provided.

For more information and applications, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/nursing/mentoring/.
Questions? Email MaryAnn Stark at [email protected].

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Upstate Trauma to host free Stop the Bleed classes April 30 and June 25

Upstate Trauma will offer Stop the Bleed Wednesday, April 30 from 5 to 6 p.m. at HealthLink/Oasis (6333 NY-298, E. Syracuse). To register, visit: April's Stop the Bleed Sign-Up. The course is free and open to the public.

Stop the Bleed will also be held Wednesday, June 25 from 11 a.m. to noon at HealthLink. The course is free and open to the public. To register, visit: June's Stop the Bleed Sign-Up.

Licensed staff interested in becoming instructors, email [email protected] to begin the process. Interested staff must have attended and completed a Stop the Bleed course to instruct. Questions? Email [email protected].

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Upstate Well announcements

Tranquility Tuesday will be held today, April 1 (and every Tuesday) from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. on the second floor of Nappi Wellness Institute or virtually via WebEx. To join the virtual option, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m4cf0ace0b87237183612a0b6496ca516 (Meeting ID: 2305 438 7566, Password: jyYW3FriJ74). Each session is a unique meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing, and relaxation practice experience. Questions? Email [email protected] or [email protected].

Yoga for All is open to all Upstate staff and no experience is necessary. For more information on yoga and to receive the link for virtual-only yoga dates, email [email protected]. For Teams yoga options noted below, use Meeting ID: 235 863 538 811, Passcode: VL3YM9C9. The schedule is as follows:

April 2 from 6:10 to 6:40 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 2 from 7:30 to 8 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 9 from 6:10 to 6:40 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 16 from 6:10 to 6:40 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 16 from 7:30 to 8 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 23 from 6:10 to 6:40 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 23 from 7:30 to 8 a.m., Community Room at Community
April 30 from 6:10 to 6:40 a.m., Classroom A/B at Community

Pet a Pooch for staff will be held:

April 9 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Room 0124 at Community
April 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside cafeteria at Community
April 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 0124 at Community
April 23 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Suite M at 550 Harrison

Wellness Speaks 10 @ 10 will be held on April 10 from 10 to 10: 15 a.m. Jackson Tarr, Tobacco Treatment Education Coordinator, will speak about Stress and Tobacco Use: Myths, Addiction, and Healthy Coping. To register, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/weblink/register/redda223f054516bafaa6c08efa7d3fa7

Mundane to Magic: Building Resiliency to Thrive and Become Your Best Self will be held April 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. virtually. Course instructors are Annemarie Cristino, LCSW, EAP senior lead coordinator, and Christine Cole, MS, wellness program coordinator. Learn the multifaceted factors of wellness, explore strategies to build resiliency and optimize well-being, and discover how to cultivate personal health and well-being skills, mindset and beliefs. To register, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/pdl/intra/register/index.php?topicid=196843. Upstate Login is required.

4-KARE provides access to wellness and mental health resources for the Upstate community. A 4-KARE commercial was created to profile the services offered. Watch here: https://upstate.video.yuja.com/V/Video?v=12407204&node=54114937&a=84594384.

For more on Upstate Well resources, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/wellness/. For information about 4-KARE, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/wellness/intra/4-kare/index.php.

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Apparel sales

Upstate’s International Students Association offers apparel and magnets for purchase to support essential resources for Upstate’s international students. To view and purchase merchandise, visit: ISA sale. Order deadline is April 6. Pickups will be held the week of April 21 in various campus locations, including Weiskotten Hall, the Academic Building, and IHP. Questions? Email Avipsha Datta at [email protected].
Patient Advocacy shirts are available for purchase online, here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/office-of-patient-advocacy-shirt-shop/. Proceeds are used to fund staff recognition initiatives and patient experience improvement projects. Questions about this sale? Email Amanda Kersey at [email protected].
Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Division is selling shirts to help spread the awareness of Sarcoidosis. Visit: https://www.bonfire.com/store/suny-upstate-sarcoidosis-awareness/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=store_page_published_share&utm_campaign=suny-upstate-sarcoidosis-awareness&utm_content=default. Questions? Email Shania Edwards-King at [email protected].
Vascular Surgery shirt sale is open. Proceeds are used for education and research. To order, visit: https://www.bonfire.com/store/vascular-surgery/. Questions? Email Courtney Martuscello at [email protected].

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Upstate Pediatrics to relocate from Baldwinsville to Liverpool in May

Upstate Pediatrics in Baldwinsville will close at end of business Friday, May 2 and reopen May 6 at the new location—8687 Carling Road, Suite C, Liverpool, NY 13090. The office will be open to phone calls and MyChart inquiries during the transition. Beginning May 5, the new Upstate Pediatrics phone number will be 315-473-3700; new fax 315-473-3701. Questions about the move? Email Dina Mawson at [email protected].

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The Informed Patient

The Informed Patient podcast recently featured interviews with Upstate experts about childhood shots, sarcoma and lymphedema.

For more on The Informed Patient, visit: www.upstate.edu/informed.