Who We Are & Our Success Stories

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Dr. Fagel conducted basic neuroscience and translational research for more than a decade and was lead author on articles featured in the Journal of Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology, Neuroscientist, Biological Psychiatry, International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, and Journal of Neurochemistry with 480 citations during an NIH-funded post-doctoral fellowship in molecular neuroscience and genetics, under Dr. Flora Vaccarino, Director of the Program in Neurodevelopment and Regeneration at Yale University. His P01 Program Project, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, identified mechanisms responsible for functional recovery following perinatal hypoxia. In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Fagel was first to prove the existence of postnatal cortical neurogenesis and demonstrate how the brain is capable of regenerating losses from neonatal injury; thus explaining why premature children improve over time. Subsequent studies showed that environmental enrichment increased neural stem cell proliferation and reversed cognitive deficits associated with hypoxic-ischemic injury. Finally, Dr. Fagel also completed an NIMH-funded post-doctoral T32 Training Program in childhood neuropsychiatric disorders, under Dr. James Leckman, Director of Research at Yale Child Study Center. 

Dr. Fagel completed his education at Yale School of Medicine, followed by an ICU internship at Yale- New Haven and Bridgeport Hospital, under Dr. Gregory Buller, currently Chief of Medicine at UCSF Fresno. The author served on the ethics committee, presented at morbidity and mortality conferences, participated in multi-disciplinary root cause analysis investigations, and wrote case reports involving patients who had been misdiagnosed due to rare conditions and unexplained causes. He received a great catch award for diagnosing patients with Levamisole induced necrosis syndrome (LINES) from ingestion of tainted cocaine; was first to identify propylene glycol poisoning from Fireball Whiskey; and took part in a multi-agency public health investigation after an outbreak of fentanyl-overdoses, later issued as an M&M Weekly Report by the CDC. 

Dr. Fagel was an Epic EMR “Physician Power User,” having received training on best practices for documenting notes, placing orders, and optimizing workflow; then teaching other physicians how to utilize the EMR/EHR properly. He served as an EMR physician consultant for UMass Memorial Health and Hackensack Meridian Health assisting in their transitions to Epic. Dr. Fagel also trained in pediatric oncology psychosocial services, under Dr. Andres Martin, Medical Director of Yale Children’s Hospital’s inpatient psychiatric service, helping to launch the PACT program at Smilow Cancer Hospital. 

Dr. Fagel has conducted healthcare simulation research and led workshops to train medical educators on utilizing high-fidelity mannequins to simulate trauma evaluations, under Leigh Evans, Director of Yale’s Center for Healthcare Simulation in the Department of Surgery and Emergency Medicine. He also advised the Health e-Heart Study at UCSF; served on the Board of Directors for Lawyers for Children America; and was a fellow at the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy, advocating for cancer patients in support of King v. Burwell, advising the Sandy Hook lawsuit against Remington and testifying in judiciary proceedings.