Albany Medical College Announces 170th Commencement Ceremonies
ALBANY, N.Y., May 7, 2008 - Albany Medical College’s 170th commencement ceremonies will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
The college expects to award approximately 200 degrees at the ceremony, including medical degrees, Master of Science degrees in physician assistant studies, nurse anesthesiology and bioethics, and Master of Science or doctoral degrees in biomedical science.
This year’s keynote speaker, Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D., has essentially defined the field of receptor biology. Through his work with G protein-coupled receptors, the largest and most pervasive family of cell receptors, Lefkowitz shed light on how these receptors interpret and translate our exposure to hormones. His groundbreaking discoveries helped give rise to a new and rapid phase of drug development, including many of today’s most commonly used prescription drugs.
Lefkowitz, who currently is James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at Duke University Medical Center, was recognized with the 2007 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research for his pioneering research.
Also addressing the graduates will be John B. Robinson, chairman of the Board of Directors of Albany Medical Center, and Vincent Verdile, M.D., dean of the Medical College and executive vice president for health affairs at the Medical Center.
Albany Medical College, which was founded in 1839 as one of the nation’s first private medical schools, has nearly 700 students. The College trains medical students and provides continuing medical education programs for area physicians. In addition to medical degrees, the College also offers Master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral programs in the basic and clinical sciences, which includes educating nurse anesthetists, physician assistants and bioethicists.
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Sue Ford
