Mone Zaidi, MD, PhD, MACP, is the Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program and Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In 2019, he received the J. Lester Gabrilove Award from the Mount Sinai Alumni Association, presented at the Alumni Reunion and Award Ceremony.
Dr. Zaidi studied medicine at King George’s Medical College, India, and trained clinically at the Hammersmith Hospital, London. After obtaining a PhD and MD from the University of London, Dr. Zaidi held appointments as Lecturer at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School and Senior Lecturer and Consultant at St. George’s Hospital Medical School for over 8 years. He joined Mount Sinai in 1999 as Professor of Medicine and Founding Director of The Mount Sinai Bone Program.
Research During COVID-19 Pandemic
During these uncertain times, Dr. Zaidi is leading a team of researchers at ISMMS, in collaboration with GenScript, in developing a synthetic antibody to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This antibody is intended to block the virus from entering human lung cells, and would be another potential treatment option for COVID-19.
The first step, now underway, is to create a custom version of the S1 spike’s peptide sequence, which will be used to generate the antibody. Once the peptide sequence is available, Dr. Zaidi’s team will collaborate with GenScript to generate a human antibody, which will be tested for efficacy in human cells in culture and animal models. Dr. Zaidi and his team hope to then collaborate with Mount Sinai’s Department of Microbiology for further antibody testing. “It’s hard to project how long it will take to have something we can test in patients, but my aim is to have a targeted antibody for first human trials within the next 12 months if all goes as planned, but it could be earlier,” said Dr. Zaidi.
Importance of Mentorship
Dr. Zaidi’s advice to students is to have a mentor. He is a firm believer in mentorship and firm believer in having people who can guide you through the path. Choosing a mentor is often very difficult but it is important to have someone who can help guide you through the system. You have to choose wisely because if you get the wrong mentor it can be not beneficial as well.
In order to choose a mentor it is highly varied across medical schools throughout the country. The philosophy of mentoring and strategy is very different across medical programs. His advice is you have to choose your mentor and that mentor has to be a role model that you want to emulate. The best way to begin the relationship is to directly ask the potential mentor. It is also important to choose someone who is available and has time for the student. Finally, it is on the student to proactively bring up conversations with the mentor and if it is not working, the student should find another individual that would be better matched.