Marc K. Rosenblum, M.D. ’79, Honored with Hall of Fame Award
Unlike some in the medical profession, Marc K. Rosenblum, M.D. ’79, wasn’t always sure he wanted to attend medical school, much less become a physician following in the footsteps of his father.
It wasn’t until he rotated through the pathology department as a medical student at the University of Miami that he knew he had found his niche.
From left, Henri R. Ford, M.D., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School of Medicine; Marc K. Rosenblum, M.D. ’79; Julio Frenk, president of the University of Miami; and Alberto A. Mitrani, M.D. ’84.
“Working with the physicians there convinced me that there was a type of medicine that interested me,” Dr. Rosenblum recalled.
Forty years later, Dr. Rosenblum’s instincts were proven right as he received the Miller School Medical Alumni Association’s (MAA) highest honor. He became the 28th recipient of the MAA’s annual Hall of Fame award, which honors alumni for their contributions to medicine and society as a whole.
Dr. Rosenblum, who is chief of neuropathology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine in the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, is renowned for his work characterizing novel neoplasms of the central nervous system that are distinguished by their morphologic attributes and specific molecular genetic profiles.
Alberto A. Mitrani, M.D. ’84, the chair of the Alumni Awards Selection Committee, said Dr. Rosenblum’s work is recognized by pathologists the world over and included in the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors of the Nervous System.
“Your work has changed the pathological evaluation of neurologic tumors,” said Dr. Mitrani, who is also an associate professor of clinical medicine. “Your contributions in neuropathology have been revolutionary.”
Dr. Rosenblum was honored during the annual Hall of Fame ceremony, which was held March 7 at the InterContinental Miami Hotel as a part of the Miller School’s Medical Alumni Weekend.
More than 75 people, including Dr. Rosenblum’s family, crowded the room to see him accept the honor, where he thanked his teachers, his family, and his parents. The celebration, he said, belongs to a worldwide collaboration of medical professionals.
“Medical science is never accomplished by a single individual,” Dr. Rosenblum said. “I never would have been able to delineate the tumor types that I did without the collaborations of neuropathologists and neurosurgeons all over the world.”
Dr. Rosenblum’s work has focused on the histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic characterization of neoplasms arising in the central nervous system. He recalls his interest in the field started early in his career thanks in part to the right timing; molecular biologists were beginning to devise methods to not only better understand the causes of neuro tumors but also on how to intervene to benefit the patient.
After graduating from the University of Miami, Dr. Rosenblum completed a residency in anatomic pathology at Mount Sinai in New York and then several fellowships in oncologic surgical pathology and cytology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Sloan Kettering then sponsored him to train in neuropathology, specifically, at the New York University-Bellevue Medical Center in New York.
His bibliography includes more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, more than 40 invited book chapters, and a textbook on the pathology of nervous system neoplasms.
Dr. Rosenblum credits his success to both the quality of education he received at the University of Miami and the inspiration of his teachers.
“If you have inspiring faculty and staff, that is a big part of it,” he said. “I’m very proud to be an alumnus of the Miller School.”
To see more on the Hall of Fame honor and Medical Alumni Weekend, click here: https://magazine.med.miami.edu/
For more information on alumni events and news, visit http://www.alumni.med.miami.edu/.
Tags: Dr. Marc Rosenblum, Hall of Fame award, Medical Alumni Association, Miller School of Medicine