Mount Sinai hosts Fourth Annual Prostate Cancer Research Gala

The Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will host its Fourth Annual Prostate Cancer Research Gala on Wednesday, November 6, at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, Chair of the Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System and the Kyung Hyun Kim, MD Professor of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, started the gala with the goal of raising money for the Prostate Cancer Program within the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology. Its mission is to eliminate prostate cancer through programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and education for students, trainees, professionals, and the public.

Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, and Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer, will co-chair the event, which will be emceed by Seth Meyers, host of the NBC show Late Night with Seth Meyers.

The gala will honor Arthur Blank, owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer's Atlanta United, and Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) and Director of Immunotherapy at The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for their contributions to prostate cancer research.

Mount Sinai offers cutting-edge medical advances and groundbreaking treatment approaches for prostate cancer, and we're grateful to Mr. Blank and Dr. Bhardwaj for their support in advancing our understanding of this disease."

Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, Chair of the Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System

The work being done by Mount Sinai has forever changed the course of research and medicine. I feel beyond fortunate to have been one of the lives saved because of their work and will continue to be a champion for their efforts."

Arthur Blank, owner and Chairman of the Blank Family Businesses

Mr. Blank is a member of The Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology Chairman's Board and a funder of Dr. Tewari's research.

"I am most grateful to Dr. Tewari and his team for the opportunity to work together in advancing novel immunotherapies in prostate cancer," said Dr. Bhardwaj. "The multidisciplinary Prostate Cancer Research Program at Mount Sinai will unquestionably enhance the treatment of prostate cancers at all stages, and I am most fortunate to be engaged in the high level research that it supports."

Dr. Bhardwaj's research focuses on the study of dendritic cells, which serve a crucial function as sentinels of the immune system. These cells provide context-dependent instruction to T-cells to direct the appropriate type of immune response. The Bhardwaj lab focuses on methods of antigen delivery for vaccines using dendritic cells in HIV, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

The Prostate Cancer Research Gala is the kickoff event to the 2019 International Prostate Cancer and Urology Symposium at The Mount Sinai Hospital from Thursday, November 7, to Saturday, November 9. This year's program will feature lectures from more than 100 urologists, surgeons, oncologists, and mid-level providers who will provide offer in-depth training and instruction. Topics will include advanced imaging in genomics, artificial intelligence in prostate cancer treatment, and 3-D robotic techniques for nerve sparing. The courses have been certified by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

A featured guest speaker will be Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. He is the author of more than 86 books translated into 43 languages.

The Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System has more than 190 urologists on staff, more than any other health care system in New York City. Its robotic surgery program is among the most robust in the country. Genomic testing and advanced imaging are routine for patients with prostate cancer, providing personalized and precise treatment protocols.