Chairman, Editorial Board Donald F. Tapley, M.D. Senior Deputy Vice President for Health Sciences Editor Bonita Eaton Enochs Assistant Vice President, External Relations Director of Publications Contributing Writers William Allstetter Nicholas Christy, M.D. Michael Gershon Michael Hyde Elzy Kolb Naomi Starobin Assistant to the Editor Angela Muniz Alumni News Editor Marianne Wolff, M.D. Alumni Writer Peter Wortsman Designer Howard Roberts HRoberts Design Editorial Board Rita Charon, M.D. Suzanne Cullinane’00 Kenneth Forde, M.D. Bruce Forester, M.D. Oscar Garfein, M.D. Leonard C. Harber, M.D. Corrine Horn’00 Edgar Housepian, M.D. Georgiana Jagiello, M.D. Jonathan LaPook, M.D. Stephen E. Novak Carmen Ortiz-Neu, M.D. Herbert Pardes, M.D. Keith Reemtsma, M.D. John Schullinger, M.D. Joseph Tenenbaum, M.D. John Truman, M.D. Myron Weisfeldt, M.D. P&S is published three times a year for alumni, faculty, students, and other supporters of the College of Physicians and Surgeons. It is published by the college and the P&S Alumni Association through the Office of External Relations. William A. Polf, Ph.D. Deputy Vice President Address correspondence to: P&S Editor College of Physicians and Surgeons 630 W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032 E-mail: psjournal@columbia.edu Alumni should update their addresses by writing the Alumni Association at the address above or calling the alumni office at (212) 305-1454. Faculty should contact their departmental administrators to update their addresses, obtained through the Columbia University personnel system. Others with questions about the mailing list may contact the Office of External Relations at (212) 305-3877. P&S is printed on recycled paper Past issues of P&S are available on the World Wide Web at http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/news/journal/ The editor acknowledges the help of Angela Muniz of the Office of External Relations in preparation of this issue.

Letters Faculty Remembered: Edward B. Schlesinger, 1913-1997 Research Reports Arsenic and cancer Researchers synthesize compound with possible link to macular degeneration One or two drinks a day may keep stroke away Reversing breast cancer through gene therapy New approach for efficiently isolating differentially expressed genes Microbeam helps show how radiation mutates genes Researchers find little evidence to support religion-health link Clinical Advances Hole in skull relieves pressure during deadly stroke New treatment for snoring avoids postoperative pain Serotonin: Is There Anything It Can’t Do? Serotonin. Serotonin. Everywhere serotonin. This neurotransmitter has taken center stage in research and treatment projects. “The Second Brain” In this excerpt from his 1998 book, Dr. Michael Gershon describes the genesis of his love affair with serotonin. Class of 1999 Profiles of three who exemplify the best of the Class of 1999. Monica Manandhar Rosemary Sampogna Barry Sandoval Gerald Thomson: A Lifetime in New York Medicine He’s one of Columbia-Presbyterian’s own, making his mark as a physician, mentor, patient advocate, administrator, and trailblazer. P&S Students A new student group is making it easier for students to pursue learning experiences overseas. P&S News In Memoriam Alumni Section Profile: Howard Roffwarg’58 Postcard from the Past Back Issues

ON THE COVER: Three members of the Class of 1999 are, from left, Monica Manandhar, Rosemary Sampogna, and Barry Sandoval.