St. Lawrence University neuroscience alumna, Dr. Elle Levit, presents the annual Thomas A. Bersani ’78 Pre-Health Lecture
On October 22nd, 2024 students and faculty members gathered to listen to the annual Thomas A. Bersani ’78 Pre-Health Lecture presented by Elle Levit, M.D. The title of the lecture was “Multiple Sclerosis: From the SLU Bench to Clinical Practice.”
Dr. Levit graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience from St. Lawrence University in 2012. She pursued her medical education at Stony Brook University Medical School and followed that with a neurology residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. Upon completion of her residency, Dr. Levit pursued further training via a clinical fellowship in Neuroimmunology at Yale University. Dr. Levit is currently a board-certified neurologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology in the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.
In her lecture, Dr. Levit discussed the arc of her career from an undergraduate student at St. Lawerence researching novel therapies for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) with her SLU Fellowship mentor, Dr. Joseph Erlichman, to her current position as an academic physician who treats MS patients. Dr. Levit discussed the evolution of her career interests as well as the opportunities that she pursued along the way that led her to where she is today. Dr. Levit chose to subspecialize in neuroimmunology because she enjoys getting to know MS patients and their families over the years of treatment, and because neurology is a growing field where research continues to expand our understanding of the brain and treatment options for neurological conditions. Dr. Levit is a clinical scientist contributing to research aimed at facilitating a more definitive diagnosis of MS via imaging so that treatment could start earlier, improving the quality of life of MS patients. Students were also inspired and challenged to think critically as Dr. Levit went through some anonymous case studies that demonstrated the ways in which neurologists diagnose, treat, and manage chronic conditions related to the brain and spinal cord in patients.
The Bersani Pre-Health Careers Endowment Fund, which funds the annual lecture, was established in 2005 through the generosity of Dr. Thomas A. Bersani, Class of 1978 and his wife, Joan Christy, M.A.R.D. With this fund, the donors wished to recognize the work of, and inspiration provided by, David Hornung, Ph.D., Professor of Biology Emeritus at St. Lawrence University. The Biology department is grateful to Dr. Bersani and Joan Christy, for continuing to sponsor this annual lecture which helps connect our current pre-health students to our alumni representing a variety of health careers.
