Newswise — Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation celebrated the formal investiture of Samuel A. Goldlust, M.D., on Thursday, October 26.  Dr. Goldlust is the recipient and steward of the prestigious Pitkin Foundation Endowed Professorship Fund for the Department of Neurology at the Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. 

“This is a very exciting day for the school of medicine, for Hackensack Meridian Health, and for both the Pitkin Foundation and the Goldlust family,” said Dr. Bonita F. Stanton, founding dean, Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “Our hats are tipped to the Pitkin Foundation for recognizing in such a wonderful way this inspiring young leader in the field of neurology, particularly neuro-oncology.  Dr. Goldlust has already had a remarkable career, and we are confident that he will continue to make incredible advancements in medicine in the years ahead.”

The endowed professorship recognizes a physician for their potential, and Dr. Goldlust was recognized for his potential as an accomplished neurologist at Hackensack University Medical Center. The endowed professorship will enable him to pursue teaching and research in the field of neurology and neurological oncology. 

“I would like to thank the Pitkin Foundation, Hackensack Meridian Health and the Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine for this incredible honor,” said Dr. Goldlust.  “I am so thankful for this recognition, as well as the continued support from my peers at the John Theurer Cancer Center.  I have no doubt that this endowed professorship will help open up new doors that will advance research and innovation in the fields of neurology and neurological oncology.” 

Dr. Goldlust joined the faculty of John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) in 2011 and founded the Brain and Spine Institute with Dr. George Kaptain. He has been instrumental in elevating the JTCC as a leader in brain tumor clinical care and research, serving as principal investigator or national lead investigator on more than two dozen studies of novel therapeutics, primarily glioblastoma.  He has been widely published in neuro-oncology medical literature, including Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology and The Lancet Oncology, the world-leading clinical oncology journal. He serves as JTCC lead investigator for ALLIANCE, the National Cancer Institute’s premier clinical trial collaborative, the Clinical Research Committee of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and has been recognized by the End Brain Cancer Initiative for his dedication to brain tumor patients.

“An endowed professorship through the Pitkin Foundation primarily recognizes someone for their outstanding achievements throughout their career,” said Frances Hoffman, PhD, a trustee of the Pitkin Foundation.  “With Dr. Goldlust, we are recognizing everything he has already accomplished in his work, as well as his great potential moving forward.”

Dr. Goldlust is board certified in neurology and focuses his research in neurological oncology. In addition, he is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and American Society of Clinical Oncology.  Dr. Goldlust received his medical doctorate at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.  He received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Miami University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.  He completed his residency in neurology and served as chief resident at New York University Hospitals.  He went on to complete his fellowship in neuro-oncology and was elected chief fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

“The Pitkin Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to present this endowed professorship to a distinguished physician, Dr. Goldlust,” said Joseph L. Basralian, Esq., a trustee of the Pitkin Foundation.  “There is no doubt that Dr. Goldlust is a leader in the field of neuro-oncology, and we know that his research will push the boundaries of medicine forward.”

The Winifred M. and George P. Pitkin Foundation was founded by Drs. Winifred and George Pitkin who were pioneers in the field of anesthesia. Dr. George Pitkin was a celebrated New Jersey physician, innovative surgeon, renowned medical author and prominent researcher.  The foundation areas of interest are in education and health care organizations.

 

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 13 hospitals, including two academic medical centers, two children's hospitals and nine community hospitals, physician practices, more than 120 ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care and after-hours centers. Hackensack Meridian Health has 28,000 team members, more than 6,000 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The Network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, the number one hospital in New Jersey as ranked by U.S. News and World Report, consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

The hospitals of Hackensack Meridian Health include: academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune; children's hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; community hospitals – Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous academic programs, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall embraces students of all religions and prepares them to be exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. In recent years, the University has achieved extraordinary success. Since 2009, it has seen record-breaking undergraduate enrollment growth and an impressive 93-point increase in the average SAT scores of incoming freshmen. In the past decade, Seton Hall students and alumni have received 24 Fulbright Scholarships as well as other prestigious academic honors, including Boren Awards, Pickering Fellowships, Udall Scholarships and a Rhodes Scholarship. In the past five years, the University has invested more than $150 million in new campus buildings and renovations. And in 2015, Seton Hall launched a School of Medicine as well as a College of Communication and the Arts. A founding member of the Big East Conference, the Seton Hall Pirates field 14 NCAA Division I varsity sports teams.

The University’s beautiful main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is only 14 miles from New York City — offering students a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. Seton Hall’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark. The University’s new Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in Clifton and Nutley, N.J. will open in the summer of 2018. The IHS campus will house Seton Hall's College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences as well as the Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.