Aspiring doctors

Local students conduct research at Einstein

Issue of August 15, 2008

Batya Matla Herzberg of Woodmere and David Pinn of Lawrence are conducting research in a laboratory at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, part of the Roth Scholars summer program for Yeshiva University undergraduates.

"It was a great opportunity to be at Einstein, which is an unbelievable medical school," said Pinn, reflecting on his experience. "Its programs are highly competitive and I was exposed to world class doctors."

Pinn, who graduated from DRS and attended Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel, is now an upper senior at YU, scheduled to graduate in January. He explained that the research experience was "way too good to pass up for someone interested in the medical field."

Under the tutelage of Dr. Allan Wolkoff, Pinn is researching protein receptors in liver cells.

"The liver plays a major role in the uptake and regulation of a lot of substances in the body, especially drugs and toxins," he explained. Recognition of substances is key in order for the liver to function and he has been studying one of the substances to see what it expresses.

Herzberg, who is entering her junior year at Stern College, said she chose to participate in the program because she wants to be involved.

"I want to be a part of something that could end up saving millions of people," she said.

Herzberg attended SKA and spent a year in Israel at Migdal Oz. While studying malaria in mice with Dr. Kami Kim, she has been testing different strains of a malaria vaccine that has been proven to have the same effect on mice as on humans. After studying different effects, "results were encouraging," said the young scientist.

Both scholars plan to attend medical school after graduating from Yeshiva University.

The annual Roth Scholars program at YU — with nine participants this year — pairs students with scientists at Einstein to help them gain experience and interest in research, as well as to form relationships to continue similar work. It is sponsored by the Ernst and Hedwig Roth Institute of Biomedical Science Education at Yeshiva University.