image: This is Dr. Patricia Broderick of the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, the City College of New York. view more
Credit: Courtesy of City College
One of the biggest science stories at the end of 2014 was the finding by Dr. Patricia Broderick of The City College of New York that caffeine could be used as treatment for Parkinson's disease and cocaine addiction. It punctuated a stellar year for the neuroscientist and inventor marked by several honors including a Lifetime Achievement Award from publishers Continental Who's Who.
Medical Professor in Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience in City College's Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education and adjunct Professor in Neurology in NYU Langone Medical Center and Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, her other accolades were:
- The Industry Expert 2014 Award from the National Association for Distinguished Professors for her invention of the BRODERICK PROBE®for imaging neurochemicals in the brain of the epilepsy patient during surgery as well as in the mammalian brain, in real life.
- 2014- 2015 VIP Woman of the Year for "Outstanding Excellence and Dedication to her Profession and the Achievement of Women," in the professor/educator category, from the National Association of Professional Women;
- Recognition for her work by the Fourth International Congress on Sensors that named her the plenary session speaker and chair of the neurosensors session to be held in July 2015 in Basel, Switzerland in conjunction with Beijing, China.
- Named Course Director, Pharmacology, Physician's Assistant Program, The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, in affiliation with the Harlem Hospital Center.
Professor Broderick also received several editorial appointments, among them editor-in-chief, Journal of Caffeine Research; member of the board and field editor, the Journal of Neural Transmission (Heidelberg, Germany);member of the board and academic editor, the International Neuropsychiatric Journal; and member of the board and editor-in-chief, the Journal of Biochips and Tissue Chips.
In her laboratory at the City College of New York, you will see a busy, pleasant and productive site wherein Professor Broderick trains her students from all over the city in "nanotechnology to treat diseases of the brain". Students include high school students citywide, undergraduate and graduate students and medical doctors and scientists worldwide.
In addition to her groundbreaking research and teaching, Professor also runs the Broderick Brain Foundation that she established in 2000. It promotes neuroscience education and research as well as supports those expanding the boundaries of medical science.
When asked what Professor Broderick thinks of all of her accomplishments, she simply says rather in an unassuming way, "It is what I do" with a smile that is truly warm and surely testifies to her approachable personality.
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