Tulane Medical Alumni Association

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Tulane Medical Alumni Association

Keeping the Tulane School of Medicine legacy strong by connecting alumni, students, and the School in a lifelong network of support

08/17/2026

A career without limits: Dr. Olga Emgushov’s journey from Tulane to NASA

On any given day, Dr. Olga Emgushov (R *01) might help determine whether a NASA employee can safely handle rocket fuel, sit in on a discussion of the medical risks of a future mission to Mars or consider questions few physicians ever encounter, such as how astronauts could perform CPR in space without floating away.

“I really feel like Tulane and Charity just prepared me for anything,” Emgushov said. “I have done multiple different things, and I feel like whatever I need to do, I’m able to do it. I had that basis from Tulane.”

As NASA’s interim director of health and medical systems and senior medical officer, Emgushov oversees programs that support the physical and mental well-being of approximately 90,000 people whose work makes space exploration possible. Her responsibilities span occupational medicine, environmental health, employee wellness and fitness and safety standards across NASA’s 14 centers and facilities nationwide.

Read the full story here:
https://tmaa.tulane.edu/career-without-limits-dr-olga-emgushovs-journey-tulane-nasa

08/12/2026

The TMAA invites Tulane School of Medicine alumni, faculty, and staff to submit a nomination for the 2027 Outstanding Alumni Award. This award recognizes career accomplishments and excellence in the medical profession of an MD alum who is at least 10 years past graduation.

To submit a nomination and to view a list of past recipients: https://tmaa.tulane.edu/tmaa-award-nominations

Deadline to nominate for 2027 Outstanding Alumni Award: August 16, 2026

The TMAA invites Tulane School of Medicine alumni, faculty, and staff to submit a nomination for the 2027 Outstanding Alumni Award. This award recognizes career accomplishments and excellence in the medical profession of an MD alum who is at least 10 years past graduation.

Pictured are past recipients: Drs. Karen DeSalvo (2026), Joseph Bavaria (2025), Debra Houry (2024), Cliff Gevirtz (2023)

08/05/2026

From a former Naval officer to a student who was delivered by Dr. Chi Dola, program director of the OB/GYN Residency Program at Tulane University School of Medicine, the Class of 2030 is filled with remarkable students from across the country and around the world.
Out of 15,877 applications for just 190 seats, here's a look at the Class of 2030! Check out the link in bio for more stats on this impressive group of students.
Video by Ian McLachlan

08/04/2026

On Saturday, the School welcomed parents of incoming medical students to attend a parent orientation information session.

Alexies Ramirez, MD (Tulane Med Class of '99) and his wife Michelle were there supporting their daughter, Casandra. They shared this photo that was taken at Dr. Ramirez's 15th reunion in 2014 with his family, including Casandra, posing in front of his class photo. Now in 2026, Casandra is following in her father's footsteps at Tulane School of Medicine.

Yamila Nunez, MD (Tulane Med Class of '91) and her husband Thomas Zaydon, MD were also in attendance, proudly supporting their daughter, Yasmine.

Congratulations to these students and their families, as well as to all of the incoming students and families from the Class of 2030!

08/03/2026

Congrats and welcome to the Tulane School of Medicine Class of 2030! 🌊💚💙

As you begin this incredible journey, know that the Tulane Medical Alumni Association is here for you -- cheering you on and ready to support you!

The TMAA is proud to sponsor the white coats given to each student at the White Coat Ceremony, along with a pin and message from the TMAA.

Thank you to Dr. Ashley Kiefer Autrey (TMAA 1st Vice President, Tulane Med Class of '15) for presenting the TMAA message to students, as well as to Dr. Paul Finger (Tulane Med Class of '82) for presenting the Dr. Wallace K. Tomlinson Lecture and Keynote talk at yesterday's ceremony.

Click here to view a recording of their speeches and the full ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL7NEmtAsXg

07/17/2026

Researchers led by Xuebin Qin, professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, have identified the molecular signals that coordinate kidney repair.

The kidneys filter about 50 gallons of blood every day, removing waste while helping regulate blood pressure, balance fluid levels and serve other vital functions. But when those organs are damaged by illness or injury, a specialized group of immune cells helps determine whether the kidneys recover or sustain lasting damage.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication of severe infections, surgery, trauma, dehydration or reduced blood flow to the kidneys, accounting for roughly 1 in 5 hospitalized adults. Even when patients survive the initial injury, incomplete healing can increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.

Now, researchers at Tulane University have uncovered new details about how those immune cells rebuild themselves after being depleted, offering new insight into the body’s natural repair process and laying the foundation for future therapies for kidney disease.

The study, led by Xuebin Qin, professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, appears in the journal Cells.

The research focused on kidney-resident macrophages, immune cells that serve as the kidney’s first responders. In healthy kidneys, these cells remove dead tissue, monitor for infection and help coordinate healing following injury.

Until now, scientists understood relatively little about how this network is restored after those macrophages are lost.

Using a unique and specialized mouse model and single-cell RNA sequencing, Qin and colleagues tracked individual immune cells as they repopulated the kidney over time. Rather than simply replacing missing cells, the team found that kidney cells and macrophages engage in an intricate molecular conversation that guides the rebuilding process.

07/15/2026

After a national search that attracted leading candidates from both within and beyond the university, Chad Steele has been named Tulane University’s new vice president for research, effective Wednesday, July 1. Steele, who has served as the interim vice president for research since September 2025, joined the faculty of Tulane's School of Medicine in 2018 as professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Steele brings to the position his experience as a world-class scientist and administrator, as well as a deep commitment to strengthening Tulane’s position as a leading national academic research institution. He assumes this leadership role at a time of unprecedented growth at the university, where federal research funding has increased 87% over the past 10 years.

“I am honored to be selected as the vice president for research and grateful for the opportunity to rapidly advance Tulane's research portfolio while navigating compliance in a dynamic landscape to protect, enable and broadly support faculty development in research,” Steele said.

A leading researcher of lung immune response, Steele has co-authored 139 articles and served as principal investigator of nine National Institutes of Health grants totaling more than $9 million. In 2020, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology by the American Society for Microbiology.

“I look forward to working closely with Chad in the coming months and years to ensure the ongoing growth of the reach and impact of the extraordinary research taking place across Tulane’s campuses,” Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robin Forman wrote in a message announcing Steele’s appointment.

07/13/2026

Mitesh Dave, MBBS, MS, is Professor of Structural and Cellular Biology and the Course Director of Histology at Tulane University School of Medicine. While he originally wanted to go into surgery, he developed a passion for anatomy and has been teaching anatomy and histology courses for over 20 years. He is recognized by Tulane medical students as an excellent teacher, and he enjoys providing them with the scientific building blocks that will shape their medical careers to come.

07/10/2026

Tulane Med Wellness & Tulane SOM Walk With a Doc Chapter

SOM Walk With a Doc

This is a free, inclusive walking program designed to bring together community members, healthcare professionals, and students for movement, conversation, and health education. Each walk is led by a local physician or medical student and is open to people of all ages and abilities. Occurs on the second Saturday of every month. For more information, contact [email protected].

WHEN: 10-11 am
WHERE: Audubon Park @ Gumbel Fountain, starting at 9:30 am for 10 am walk.

Register here: https://walkwithadoc.org/rsvp/?id=177900&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=REGISTER&utm_campaign=Weekly%20Rounds%201.26.26

07/08/2026

The American Heart Association honored pioneering Tulane cardiologist Dr. Keith C. Ferdinand with its 2026 Physician of the Year Award on June 23 at the association’s National Volunteer Awards ceremony in Irving, Texas.

The award recognized Ferdinand, the Gerald S. Berenson Chair in Preventive Cardiology and director of clinical cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine, for his dedication to preventing heart disease, improving lives, and ensuring more people, especially patients in under-resourced communities, have access to cardiovascular care.

Read more about the award here: https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/keith-c-ferdinand-never-far-from-the-ninth-ward

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Telephone

+15049886248

Website

http://tmaa.tulane.edu/, http://medreunions.tulane.edu/

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