NEW YORK (June 1, 2017) – Dr. Ralf Holzer, a pediatric cardiologist and expert in minimally invasive techniques to treat children and adults with congenital heart disease, has been named chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, and director of Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization at The Komansky Children’s Hospital, effective June 1.

Dr. Holzer joined Weill Cornell Medicine as a professor of clinical pediatrics in 2016, following his appointment two years earlier as the medical director of cardiac catheterization and interventional therapy at the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar. There, he also served as the interim director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology. Dr. Holzer is internationally recognized for performing complex pediatric cardiology cases at the highest level of care.

“Dr. Holzer is a renowned expert who is committed to innovative interventional techniques and approaches to pediatric cardiology care. He is adept at even the most challenging pediatric cardiology cases, and brings a tremendous amount of proven skill, experience and talent that will enhance the already exceptional care we are known for,” said Dr. Gerald Loughlin, the Nancy C. Paduano Professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, and pediatrician-in-chief of The Komansky Children’s Hospital. “Patients with congenital heart disease and cardiac conditions are in the best possible hands under Dr. Holzer’s leadership.”

Dr. Holzer will maintain and enhance excellence in pediatric cardiology at The Komansky Children’s Hospital and further cement the division’s role as a leader in cardiac care. He is committed to quality-driven care, whether it be in interventional cardiology, cardiac intensive care, non-invasive cardiology, electrophysiology or other cardiology treatments and investigations, to ensure the best outcomes.

“Quality of care, patient satisfaction and helping our patients achieve positive outcomes is at the core of our clinical work,” said Dr. Holzer, who was recruited to Weill Cornell Medicine as the David Wallace-Starr Foundation Professor of Clinical Pediatric Cardiology. “I look forward to working with this team, which has already received national recognition for its treatment of congenital heart disease, to deliver the highest quality care to patients and their families.”

Dr. Holzer plans on closely collaborating with the pediatric cardiology programs at NewYork-Presbyterian’s affiliated centers across its Regional Hospital Network to continue to improve quality and efficiency. His own clinical focus will be on providing cardiac catheterization services for patients with congenital heart disease that cover the full spectrum of interventional procedures. Those include treating birth defects that cause a hole in the wall between the heart’s chambers, treating narrowed blood vessels through implantation of endovascular stents, as well as using a minimally invasive procedure to replace damaged valves. In addition, he is at the forefront of establishing and evaluating new and innovative procedures for patients with congenital heart disease, including procedures that are based on a close collaboration between interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. He has a strong academic focus on outcomes research, quality improvement and risk adjustment.

Dr. Holzer received his medical degree from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany. He completed his residency training in Germany and the United Kingdom, and his cardiology fellowship training at the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital in the United Kingdom. He also completed an advanced fellowship in transcatheter interventions at the University of Chicago Children’s Hospital. Following his training, Dr. Holzer worked as a consultant in pediatric cardiology and led interventional services at the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital. He subsequently served for nine years as an attending physician and co-director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Nationwide’s Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Qatar in 2014.

Dr. Holzer has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Pediatrics, Circulation, JACC, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention, Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiology in the Young. He is the author of more than 20 book chapters and numerous scientific abstracts and is committed to medical education. Dr. Holzer also holds a Master of Science in Information Technology, with distinction, from the University of Liverpool.

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare delivery systems, whose organizations are dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to patients in the New York metropolitan area, nationally, and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and innovative, patient-centered clinical care.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions:

• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the Honor Roll of “America’s Best Hospitals.”
• NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network comprises hospitals and other facilities in the New York metropolitan region.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services, which connects medical experts with patients in their communities.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health, encompassing ambulatory care network sites and community healthcare initiatives, including NewYork Quality Care, the Accountable Care Organization jointly established by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia.

For more information, visit www.nyp.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine — faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization—are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side's scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine's powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offers a Cornell University medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.

NEW YORK (March 29, 2017) — Dr. Joshua Milner, an allergist and immunologist who has made key discoveries into the origin of previously unidentified disorders that affect children and families, has been awarded the second annual Gale and Ira Drukier Prize in Children’s Health Research, Weill Cornell Medicine announced today.

Dr. Joshua Milner

The Drukier Prize honors an early-career pediatrician whose research has made important contributions toward improving the health of children and adolescents. Dr. Milner, chief of the Genetics and Pathogenesis of Allergy Section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is being recognized for his innovative research focusing on the discovery and understanding of the genetic and physiologic basis for allergic diseases and his work to find advanced treatments and cures.

“Dr. Milner’s important discoveries have greatly contributed to our understanding of genetic and allergic diseases that affect children, helping to illuminate the causes behind previously unknown disorders and providing hope for the future for many families,” said Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. “As a young investigator dedicated to advancing the field of pediatric research using inventive scientific approaches, Dr. Milner exemplifies the spirit of the Gale and Ira Drukier Prize in Children’s Health Research. We are thrilled to honor him this year.” 

Dr. Milner’s investigations through basic, translational and clinical research have yielded many significant breakthroughs, including the discovery of a genetic change that causes elevated blood levels of the protein tryptase, which is frequently linked to allergic reactions like hives and itching, but also to other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, headaches and chronic pain. His discovery of alpha tryptase genetic duplications offered a medical explanation for patients suffering from difficult-to-treat symptoms, many of whom had spent much of their lives without a diagnosis. Multiple copies of the gene are present in approximately 4 percent of the population, Dr. Milner found, suggesting that what investigators had previously believed to be a rare and unexplained disease was, in fact, an extreme form of more common conditions. Those findings were published Oct. 17 in Nature Genetics, and Dr. Milner is now seeking ways to block alpha tryptase, with the goal of curing or reducing patients’ symptoms.

Dr. Milner also identified a rare genetic disorder — as well as the mutation that drives it — that is characterized by an allergic reaction to cold temperatures. Patients who have been diagnosed with the condition, called PLAID, experience hives or occasionally more severe physical reactions. While further study of the mutation is needed, recognizing the disorder may provide relief for patients through improved disease management. Additionally, Dr. Milner also discovered PGM3 deficiency, another rare genetic disorder, in which a mutation in the PGM3 enzyme leads to multiple types of severe allergies and infections that start in childhood. His research team is currently investigating new approaches to diagnose and treat this disease.

Dr. Milner formally accepted the award and delivered a public lecture on March 29 about the increasing prevalence of allergies in the United States and their connection to environmental and lifestyle changes, as well as to genetic disease.

“The genetic cause of allergy, particularly in relation to children’s health, is an area of science that we are only now truly beginning to uncover,” said Dr. Gerald M. Loughlin, the Nancy C. Paduano Professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, and pediatrician-in-chief at the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Dr. Milner’s commitment to making new discoveries and finding innovative treatments for allergic disease in children has greatly advanced this area of pediatric research. He is an ideal recipient of this award, and we hope it will help bolster his work as he continues to investigate these disorders and provide care for this vulnerable population.”

“Dr. Milner exemplifies the kind of passion and innovation we need in pediatric research,” said Dr. Virginia Pascual, the Drukier Director of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Health. “His medical discoveries are helping to shed light on the science behind hard-to-diagnose genetic and allergic diseases in children. This research will open the path for understanding more common allergic disorders, finding new therapies and bringing relief for countless families. The Drukier Institute is delighted to honor Dr. Milner with this award.”

The Gale and Ira Drukier Prize in Children’s Health Research was established in December 2014 as part of a $25 million gift to Weill Cornell Medicine. The gift also created the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Health – a premier, cross-disciplinary institute dedicated to understanding the underlying causes of diseases that are devastating to children. As part of its mission, the institute awards the prize annually to recognize the work of young investigators in the pediatric research community.

Dr. Milner received a bachelor’s degree in biology from MIT and a medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Following a residency in pediatrics at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, he was the recipient of the Pediatric Scientist Development Program Fellowship and completed a clinical fellowship in allergy and immunology at NIAID. He was then appointed to the NIAID Transition Program in Clinical Research, and was hired in 2009 in the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases (LAD) in the NIAID. He received tenure and became a senior investigator in 2013, as chief of the Genetics and Pathogenesis of Allergy Section within the LAD.

Dr. Milner is board-certified in allergy and immunology, and in pediatrics. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Henry Kunkel Society, and is a recent recipient of the Phadia Allergy Research Forum Award and multiple NIH awards. He has published multiple studies on immunology and allergies and serves on the editorial board of numerous scientific journals.

Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine — faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization — are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side's scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine's powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offers a Cornell University medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.

NEW YORK (December 4, 2014) — Weill Cornell Medical College announced today that it has received a $25 million gift from Gale and Ira Drukier to establish a premier, cross-disciplinary institute dedicated to understanding the underlying causes of diseases that are devastating to children. Its goal will be to rapidly translate basic research breakthroughs into the most advanced therapies for patients.

The extraordinary gift names the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children's Health and will enable the medical college to recruit a team of leading scientists, including a renowned expert who will serve as the Gale and Ira Drukier Director, to pursue innovative research that improves treatments and therapies for the littlest patients. The Drukier Institute, a marquee program that will be headquartered on the 12th floor of Weill Cornell's new Belfer Research Building, will also expand and enhance the medical college's already-distinguished research and clinical care programs that strive to end diseases and disorders that affect children and adolescents, including asthma, autism, cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and schizophrenia."We couldn't be more grateful to Gale and Ira, whose generous gift exemplifies their commitment to advancing human health and their steadfast support of Weill Cornell Medical College," said Sanford I. Weill, chairman of the Weill Cornell Board of Overseers. "The Drukiers' investment will better the lives of children in New York and beyond, and will leave a lasting mark on our next generation."

"We are greatly appreciative of Gale and Ira Drukier, whose remarkable gift will enable Weill Cornell to expand its world-class research and clinical care programs for children, who can't be treated like little adults," said Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. "The Drukiers' generosity is critical in allowing us to attract the best and brightest minds in pediatric research, who will lead the way as we pursue innovative treatments and therapies that will ensure the health of children now and in the future."

"As parents and grandparents, Gale and I appreciate the tremendous impact medicine can have on growing children," said Dr. Ira Drukier, a member of the Weill Cornell Board of Overseers. "When you cure children, you give them their entire life back. It's with immense pride that we are able to make this investment, which will empower Weill Cornell Medical College to focus and direct all of its outstanding pediatric research under the auspices of one institute and provide vital resources to develop tomorrow's treatments and cures."

"It gives us great joy to be able to support Weill Cornell Medical College and make such a tremendous difference in children's lives," Dr. Gale Drukier said. "This gift also continues our enduring relationship with Cornell University, with which we have been connected for 40 years."

The Drukiers have a legacy of philanthropy at Cornell University, having provided generous support to its Herbert F. Johnson Art Museum and College of Architecture, Art and Planning.

"We at Cornell are immensely grateful to Gale and Ira Drukier for their extraordinary leadership and generosity, which has already been felt across the university," President David Skorton said. "With this spectacular new gift, the Drukiers are enabling us to achieve an unprecedented level of excellence in pediatric research. The bench-to-bedside approach of the Drukier Institute will have a lasting impact on children and their families, giving hope when they need it most."

"The gift from Gale and Ira Drukier establishing the Drukier Institute for Children's Health makes a powerful statement about the importance of focusing the energies of a major research institution on improving the health and wellbeing of children," said Dr. Gerald M. Loughlin, the Nancy C. Paduano Professor of Pediatrics and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and pediatrician-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "It is a wonderful legacy for these visionary philanthropists."

Caring for children is particularly challenging because their bodies are constantly changing as they grow, and their metabolisms and immune systems are vastly different than those of adults. Understanding the factors that spur growth in children can present possible lines of inquiry into other diseases, such as cancer, because tumors are also programmed to grow. There are also many genetic and developmental diseases that arise in childhood and pose serious health risks during adulthood. But treating these conditions can be arduous for pediatric patients. Many of the common treatments and therapies available to adults have toxic effects on children, making it critical to devise new and better interventions.

Using genomics and other cutting-edge research approaches, the cross-disciplinary Drukier Institute will drive excellence and innovation in pediatrics, seeking to rapidly and seamlessly catalyze research breakthroughs into the most advanced, safe and effective patient care. The Drukiers' generosity will empower the medical college to recruit five top-flight investigators — including a faculty member who conducts clinical research in pediatric genetics — to augment the distinguished team of physician-scientists already at Weill Cornell, as well as train the next generation of researchers in the field.

To help realize this vision, the Drukiers' gift will enable Weill Cornell to secure the latest research equipment, such as sequencing and informatics technology, as well as develop an infrastructure to establish a biobank. Investigators at the institute will work in close collaboration with clinicians in Weill Cornell's Department of Pediatrics to ensure that children immediately benefit from the latest research advances.

To encourage and support faculty development, research and education, the gift will endow the Drukier Lectureship, an annual lecture at Weill Cornell on a research or clinical topic in the field of children's health. It will also establish the Drukier Prize, which will be awarded once a year to a junior faculty member in the United States or abroad for excellence and achievement in advancing research on childhood diseases or disorders.

About Gale and Ira Drukier

A Cornell University graduate, Ira Drukier is co-owner of BD Hotels, LLC, a real estate development company that owns and operates more than two-dozen hotel properties in New York City, including the Mercer, Hotel Elysee and the Maritime.

Dr. Drukier graduated from Cornell in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a focus on solid-state physics and in 1967 with a Master in Engineering, earning a doctorate in electrical engineering in 1973 from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Upon graduation, he joined RCA Corporation's David Sarnoff Research Center, conducting research in the field of microwave semiconductors, which culminated in his development of the first high-power compound semiconductor field effect transistor. In 1976, he joined Microwave Semiconductor Corporation (MSC) and established a division to develop and manufacture high-power microwave transistors for commercial and military use. Siemens Corporation acquired MSC in 1981, and Dr. Drukier stayed on as corporate vice president until 1983, when he ventured into a career in real estate.

Dr. Drukier has served on the Weill Cornell Board of Overseers since 2012, sat on Cornell University's Board of Trustees for eight years and was a member of the Cornell Tech Task Force to help develop the Cornell NYC Tech campus on Roosevelt Island. He is chair of the council for the Johnson Art Museum at Cornell, chair of the board of trustees building committee of the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, N.Y., and serves on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's President's Council. Dr. Drukier is vice-chair of the American Society for Yad Vashem and is a member of the Museum of Jewish Heritage's Board of Overseers. He has also published numerous papers and given lectures in the field of microwave electronics and has contributed a chapter to a book on Gallium Arsenide Field Effect Transistors.

Gale Drukier graduated from New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development in 1972 with a degree in speech pathology and audiology, later earning a Master of Science ('73) and a Doctor of Education degree ('79) in audiology from Teacher's College at Columbia University. Dr. Drukier began her career as an audiologist at Bellevue Hospital and at Veterans Affairs hospitals in metropolitan New York, later joining Trenton State University — now the College of New Jersey — as a professor. During her 17-year tenure there, Dr. Drukier conducted research, taught and developed the college's nationally accredited graduate program in audiology. She was consistently recognized by her students as the "Best Teacher." After retiring from teaching, Dr. Drukier joined her family's business, BD Hotels, and has managed and renovated properties on Manhattan's West Side for more than 12 years.

Dr. Drukier has continued to serve NYU since her graduation. She has been a member of the Steinhardt Dean's Council since 2005 as a supporter of the educational and fundraising initiatives of the school. In 2007, Dr. Drukier joined the NYU Board of Trustees and presently chairs its Academic Affairs Committee. In 2010, Dr. Drukier endowed and named the deanship of NYU's Steinhardt School of Education. She was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by NYU in 2013.

Dr. Drukier has also been active at Cornell University, chairing the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art's Program Committee and is a member of the Plantations Council. Dr. Drukier and her husband endowed the deanship at Cornell's College of Architecture, Art and Planning, endowed the curator of prints and drawings at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum and created a garden at Plantations at Cornell University. The couple is also active in the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, N.Y., and serves on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's President's Council. Dr. Drukier is an animal lover, particularly of felines, and is on the board of directors of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons. The Drukiers have one daughter and four grandchildren.

Weill Cornell Medical College

Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Cornell University is the first in the U.S. to offer a M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, and most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.

This release was updated on Dec. 16, 2014.

Kit designed in collaboration with Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian and Marvel Custom Solutions to ease anxiety of pediatric patients undergoing an MRI exam

If Marvel's Captain America can lay still during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam, so can kids. That's the message of a special comic book designed to ease children's fears before they undergo a scan, which requires them to lay still in a narrow, loud machine in order for it to produce clear images. The new Marvel Custom Solutions comic book is included in an "MRI Heroes Kit" developed by Siemens Healthcare and Marvel Custom Solutions in collaboration with Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College. The kit is designed to empower young patients by educating them about the procedure in a gentle and compelling way.

The new Marvel Custom Solutions comic book is included in an "MRI Heroes Kit."

MRIs are capable of delivering high-quality scans of nearly every region in the body without utilizing potentially harmful ionizing radiation. But for all their benefits, MRI scans can create anxiety for children. The loud, clanging noise of the machines and the long duration of the scan can rattle patients (especially children) to the point where they require sedation. In rare circumstances, sedation can cause medical complications for patients, including allergic and adverse reactions. With a better understanding of the MRI procedure, children hopefully will be more likely to remain still for the lengthy imaging procedure.

The MRI Heroes Kit — which includes 100 copies of the educational comic book, 100 hero-themed capes, 100 Captain America and Iron Man plush toys, an educational DVD and a mini-model1 of a Siemens MRI scanner — is designed to help diffuse pediatric patients’ anxiety. In the comic book, Captain America’s nagging shoulder pain following a heated battle prompts Iron Man to urge his reluctant partner to obtain an MRI scan. The educational video walks patients through the process of an MRI exam by sharing the experiences of a fictional 10-year-old girl who recently received a scan. Children can play with the mini-model of a Siemens MRI scanner in the waiting room and read the comic book. The plush toy, which patients can hold during the exam, brings the comic book to life. And after the scan, patients can be awarded a hero cape as a reward for their valor. Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian will be the first facility to use the kit, which will be made available to Siemens customers who purchase its MRI systems.

"Siemens is excited to collaborate with Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian in the creation of the MRI Heroes Kit, which addresses the long-recognized problems associated with young patients who have trouble handling the sometimes unsettling aspects of an MRI examination," said Sarah Moore, vice president of the magnetic resonance business unit at Siemens Healthcare.

"MRI remains one of the most powerful imaging tools we as clinicians have, but it can be particularly challenging to perform scans on children, who can be scared and have deep anxiety about the procedure," said Dr. Robert J. Min, chairman of Radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College, radiologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and president of Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian. "The MRI Heroes Kit provides children and their parents with the tools and information they need to be more comfortable with an MRI exam. By helping them understand what an MRI is, I am convinced we can make a difference."

"It is vital that we provide compassionate and gentle care to children, and the MRI Heroes Kit will enable us to do just that," said Dr. Gerald M. Loughlin, the Nancy C. Paduano Professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and pediatrician-in-chief at the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. "This child-friendly kit empowers our littlest patients to learn about MRIs in a compelling way, easing their anxiety so that clinicians can get the highest-quality scans."

1Works in Progress. The product is under development and is not commercially available.

MR scanning has not been established as safe for imaging fetuses and infants under two years of age. The responsible physician must evaluate the benefit of the MRI examination in comparison to other imaging procedures.

About Siemens AG

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a leading provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions and automation and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading supplier of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2013, which ended on September 30, 2013, revenue from continuing operations totaled €75.9 billion and income from continuing operations €4.2 billion. At the end of September 2013, Siemens had around 362,000 employees worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

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About Marvel Custom Solutions

Custom Solutions is Marvel's in-house creative agency that leverages all the greatest talent within Marvel Entertainment to create highly dynamic and compelling content and campaigns for global brands. Marvel Custom Solutions has the ability to deploy the work it creates through its robust print, digital, social and theatrical platforms, adding scale to the programs it creates.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit marvel.com.  © 2014 MARVEL

Weill Cornell Medical College

Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Cornell University is the first in the U.S. to offer a M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and most recently, the world’s first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive hospitals and a leading provider of inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine. With some 2,600 beds and more that 6,500 affiliated physicians and 20,000 employees, NewYork-Presbyterian had more than 2 million visits in 2013, including close to 15,000 infant deliveries and more than 310,000 emergency department visits. NewYork-Presbyterian comprises six campuses: NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester Division and NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital. The hospital is also closely affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area, according to U.S. News & World Report, and consistently named to the magazine’s Honor Roll of best hospitals in the nation. Affiliated with two world-renowned medical schools, Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, NewYork-Presbyterian is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. For more information, visit www.nyp.org.