Brahm H. Segal MD

Brahm Segal

Brahm H. Segal
MD

Professor of Medicine

Department of Medicine

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Immunology; Infectious Disease; Oncology

Contact Information
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Elm & Carlton Streets
Buffalo, New York 14263
Phone: (716) 845-5721
Fax: (716) 845-5777
bhsegal@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

I care for hospitalized patients and outpatients at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, where I am head of Infectious Diseases. My area of clinical expertise relates to infections in patients with cancer and stem cell transplant recipients, and I have served on several national panels that establish guidelines for preventing, diagnosing, and managing infections in these patients. I also have a specific interest in patients with primary phagocytic disorders (e.g., chronic granulomatous disease).

Roswell Park is the site of my clinical teaching. At Roswell Park, I serve asChair of the Dept. of Internal Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases. I teach medical students in lecture settings and in small group sessions in their first and second years, including courses in lung pathophysiology and microbiology-immunology. I mentor residents in their clinical training and in research. I also teach fellows in all aspects of their training and mentor those who perform their research projects in my lab. I have mentored a large number of trainees in lab research, including high school and college students on summer rotations, medical students, doctoral students, and post-doctoral fellows.

Our lab research has focused on innate immune responses to infection and injury. Over the past several years, we have extended our interest in innate responses to the cancer microenvironment with the overall goals of understanding mechanisms that drive tumor progression and developing novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic approaches. We find that the immune pathways that mediate antimicrobial host defense can also promote metastasis and impair anti-tumor immunity. Our most recent work points to neutrophils acquiring a suppressor function within the tumor microenvironment that results in suppression of T cell proliferation and activation required for anti-tumor immunity. We identified mechanisms driving this neutrophil suppressor phenotype, including complement signaling, that are potential targets for therapeutic modulation to enhance anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Education and Training:

  • Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1999)
  • Medicine, Tufts New England Medical Center (1995)
  • MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1992)
  • BS, Biology, McGill University (1988)

Employment:

  • Chair, Internal Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (2018-present)
  • Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Professor, Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
  • Professor, Internal Medicine and Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (2001-present)

Awards and Honors:

  • UB Exceptional Scholars - Sustained Achievement (2016)
  • Fellow, Infectious Diseases Society of America (2007)
  • Fellow, American College of Physicians (2005)
  • SUNY at Buffalo Department of Medicine Award for Teaching (2001)
  • Top Doctors

Research Expertise:

  • Infectious diseases in patients with cancer: I am Chair of Internal Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. My area of clinical expertise relates to infections in patients with cancer and stem cell transplant recipients. I have served on several national panels (e.g., NCCN, IDSA, CDC) that establish guidelines for preventing, diagnosing, and managing infections in these patients. I also have a specific interest in patients with primary phagocytic disorders (e.g., chronic granulomatous disease).
  • Innate Immunity: Our lab research relates to innate immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Our long term goal is to develop novel therapeutic approaches to enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • August 2022–August 2027
    Targeting complement to enhance antitumor immunity and control malignant effusions in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer
    NCI
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $3,310,823
  • June 2015–May 2023
    Novel Immunological Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer Prognosis
    NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $3,148,229
  • August 2019–May 2020
    A CRISPR-based platform for testing neutrophil responses in the ovarian cancer microenvironment (3R01CA188900-05W1)
    NCI
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $207,918
  • March 2016–March 2019
    The Mae Stone Goode Charitable Trust
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    $100,000
  • March 2016–March 2018
    Evaluation of HSCs and MSCs in ovarian cancer (PI: Dr. Thomas Cimato)
    Mae Stone Trust
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $100,000
  • March 2014–March 2016
    Evaluation of effectiveness of and immune responses to bacterial preparations
    Ventrus Biosciences Inc.
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $726,285
  • February 2009–January 2016
    Role of NADPH Oxidase in Regulating Inflammation
    NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $2,176,043
  • February 2014–June 2015
    RPCI-UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE Developmental Research Program (PI: Kunle Odunsi): Evaluation of novel immune biomarkers for ovarian cancer
    NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $50,000
  • June 2013–June 2015
    Development of Innate Immune Responses in the Tumor Microenvironment
    Roswell Park Cancer Institute
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $100,000
  • October 2012–October 2013
    Development of Xenomycins as a novel class of antifungal agents
    UB Center for Advanced Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology (UB CAT)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $50,000
  • June 2012–June 2013
    Overcoming Myeloid Cell-Mediated Immunosuppression in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
    Roswell Park Cancer Institute Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $30,000
  • May 2012–May 2013
    Role of NADPH Oxidase in Ataxia Telangiectasia-Related Tumorigenesis
    Wilmot Cancer Center / Roswell Park Cancer Institute pilot fund initiative
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    $100,000
  • April 2012–April 2013
    Overcoming Myeloid Cell-Mediated Immunosuppression to Enhance Vaccine Efficacy in Ovarian Cancer
    Pilot & Collaborative Studies for Clinical & Translational Research, Buffalo Clinical and Translational Center.
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $34,000
  • January 2012–January 2013
    Role of Beta-glucans and Echinocandins in Shaping Innate Immune Responses to Aspergillus
    Astellas
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $65,000
  • January 2012–December 2012
    Evaluation of xenomycins as novel antifungal agents
    Cleveland BioLabs
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $55,417
  • Evaluation of LAIR-1/2 and B7-H4 expression in human tumors
    NextCure
    Role: Principal Investigator
  • Regulation of Ovarian Tumor Growth in Mice by Complement and SIRPa/CD47 Pathway
    Apellis Pharmaceuticals
    Role: Principal Investigator
See all (7 more)

Journal Articles:

See all (117 more)

Abstracts:

  • Emmons TR, Giridharan T, Singel KL, Khan ANH, Ricciuti J, Howard K, Silva-Del Toro SL, Debreceni IL, Aarts CEM, Brouwer MC, Suzuki S, Kuijpers TW, Jongerius I, Allen LH, Ferreira VP, Schubart A, Sellner H, Eder J, Holland SM, Ram S, Lederer JA, Eng KH, Moysich KB, Odunsi K, Yaffe MB, Zsiros E, Segal BH. (2022) Mechanisms Driving Neutrophil-Induced T-cell Immunoparalysis in Ovarian Cancer. (Feb), (33990375)
  • Alam A, Levanduski E, Denz P, Villavicencio HS, Bhatta M, Alhorebi L, Zhang Y, Gomez EC, Morreale B, Senchanthisai S, Li J, Turowski SG, Sexton S, Sait SJ, Singh PK, Wang J, Maitra A, Kalinski P, DePinho RA, Wang H, Liao W, Abrams SI, Segal BH, Dey P. (2022) Fungal mycobiome drives IL-33 secretion and type 2 immunity in pancreatic cancer. (Feb)
  • Takayoshi Yamauchi, Toshifumi Hoki, Takaaki Oba, Vaibhav Jain, Hongbin Chen, Kristopher Attwood, Sebastiano Battaglia, Saby George, Gurkamal Chatta, Igor Puzanov, Carl Morrison, Kunle Odunsi, Brahm H Segal, Grace K Dy, Marc S Ernstoff, Fumito Ito. (2022) T-cell CX3CR1 expression as a dynamic blood-based biomarker of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. (Feb)
  • Zhang N, Kim SH, Gainullina A, Erlich EC, Onufer EJ, Kim J, Czepielewski RS, Helmink BA, Dominguez JR, Saunders BT, Ding J, Williams JW, Jiang JX, Segal BH, Zinselmeyer BH, Randolph GJ, Kim KW. (2022) LYVE1+ macrophages of murine peritoneal mesothelium promote omentum-independent ovarian tumor growth. (Feb)
  • Griffiths EA, Segal BH. (2022) Immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines in patients with cancer: Promising results and a note of caution. (Feb)
  • Khan ANH, Emmons TR, Magner WJ, Alqassim E, Singel KL, Ricciuti J, Eng KH, Odunsi K, Tomasi TB, Lee K, Abrams SI, Mesa C, Segal BH. (2022) VSSP abrogates murine ovarian tumor-associated myeloid cell-driven immune suppression and induces M1 polarization in tumor-associated macrophages from ovarian cancer patients. (Feb)
  • Hahn T, Roy HN, Cooper M, Paplham P, Alam A, Baer MR, Bambach BJ, Chanan-Khan AA, Czuczman MS, Wetzler M, Segal BH, McCarthy PL. (2003) Oral Beclomethasone Dipropionate for Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Acute or Chronic Gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host Disease After Blood or Marrow Transplantation (BMT). Blood, (Nov) 446b-446b
  • Alam A, Varma H, Hahn T, Segal BH, Paplham P, Becker JL, Baer MR, Bambach BJ, Silva J, Slack JL, Wetzler M, McCarthy PL. (2002) Infectious Complications in Long-Term Survivors of Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (CBSCT): Experience at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Blood, (Nov)
  • Paola Ghione, Juan J Gu, Kristopher Attwood, Pallawi Torka, Shipra Goel, Suchitra Sundaram, Cory Mavis, Michael Johnson, Roshneke Thomas, Kenneth McWhite, Andrea Darrall, Joseph DeMarco, Jessica Kostrewa, Alice Mohr, Leah Rivas, Mirdza Neiders, Lakshmanan Suresh, Brahm H Segal, Elizabeth A Griffiths, Vince Ramsperger, Long Shen, Francisco J Hernandez-Ilizaliturri. (1900) Impaired humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with lymphoma receiving B-cell-directed therapies. (Jan)

Professional Memberships:

  • Infectious Diseases Society of America; Member
  • American Association of Immunologists (AAI); Member
  • International Complement Society (ICS); Member
  • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR); Member
  • Service on NIH and DOD study sections (since 2015); 02/2021 NIH Transformative Research Award (TRA) Panel 10/2021 NIH III ZRG1-IDIA-D90

Presentations:

  • "The unexpected contributions of local complement in ovarian cancer" American Association of Immunologists 2023 meeting: International Complement Society (ICS) Symposium Location Matters: The Evolving Roles of Cell-autonomous and Local Complement (2023)
  • "Targeting neutrophils to enhance antitumor immunity" Medical Grand Rounds (2023)
  • "Targeting neutrophils to enhance antitumor immunity" Immunology Bridge (2022)
  • "Effective Time Management Practices for Physician Scientists" Joint Roswell Park and University of Pittsburg Retreat for T32 Immunology Fellows (2022)
  • "Inflammation Injury and Immunosuppression in the Tumor Microenvironment" Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Syracuse University (2021)
  • "Inflammation Injury and Immunosuppression in the Tumor Microenvironment" NIAID Medical Grand Rounds (2021)
  • "NADPH oxidase limits inflammation and injury in aspiration-induced acute lung injury" American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference; American Thoracic Society (ATS) (2011)
  • "Nrf2 is Protective in Neutrophil-mediated Acute Lung Injury" American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference; American Thoracic Society (ATS) (2011)
  • "Clinical Presentation and Non-BMT Management of Patients with CGD: New Approaches" American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT),; American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT),; Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD): Lessons From a Rare Disorder (2011)
  • "Immune System and Management of Aspergillosis" 12th Japan Mycoses Forum (2011)
  • "NADPH Oxidase: a Master Regulator of Antifungal Host Defense and Inflammation" Gordon Research Conference; Gordon Research Conference (2011)
  • "Immunity against Aspergillosis and Aspergillus-associated Diseases" 2nd Shanghai Oriental Respiratory Disease International Forum (2010)
  • "Treatment of Aspergillosis: 2008 Guidelines of IDSA and Clinical Practice" 2nd Shanghai Oriental Respiratory Disease International Forum (2010)
  • "Aspergillosis" New York State Thoracic Society Annual Scientific Assembly; New York State Thoracic Society (2010)
  • "Conventional and novel risk factors for invasive aspergillosis" 20th Focus on Fungal Infections (2010)
  • "Sunday Brunch with the Experts: Management of Treatment-related Infections, Thromboses, and Neuropathy" National Comprehensive Cancer Network 15th Annual Conference: Clinical Practice Guidelines & Quality Care,; NCCN (2010)
  • "Aspergillosis in chronic granulomatous diseases" 4th Advances Against Aspergillosis (2010)
  • "NADPH oxidase and inflammation" 4th Advances Against Aspergillosis (2010)
See all (8 more)

Service Activities:

  • NCI Special Emphasis Panel in response to FOA: PAR 20-052 and PAR 20-29; Member (2022)
  • Department of Defense CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Review Panel; Member (2022)
  • PAR-20-072, NIAID Investigator Initiated Program Project Applications (P01); Member (2021)
  • NIH Special Emphasis Panel, ZRG.1 BST-J (70) R review meeting; Member (2021)
  • Innate Immunity and Inflammation; Appointed member;; Panel Member (2016–2020)
  • President Review Board; Member (2014–present)
  • Unqualified Promotions; Chair (2012–2014)
  • Unqualified Promotions; Member (2011–2014)
  • Austrian Science Fund; Austrian Science Fund;; Grant Reviewer (2011)
  • Steering Committee member,NIH T35 Training grant to support summer research fellowships in infectious diseases, microbiology and immunology; Member (2011–present)
  • Innate Immunity and Inflammation;; Grant Reviewer (2010)
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche, France; Integrated Mechanisms of Inflammation (Programme M12);; Grant Reviewer (2010)
  • Chronic Granulomatous Disorder Research Trust; Chronic Granulomatous Disorder Research Trust;; Grant Reviewer (2010)
  • Topics in Microbial Pathogens;; Grant Reviewer (2009)
  • German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF); E-Rare funding initiative on transnational research consortia for rare dise;; Grant Reviewer (2009)
  • Health Research Board, Ireland; Health Research Board, Ireland;; Grant Reviewer (2009)
  • Institutional Review Board; Chair (2001–present)
  • Infection Control; Chair (2000–present)
  • Research Topic: Neutrophils in Cancer, Frontiers Immunol
  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines on COVID-19 vaccination in patients with cancer; Co-leader

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Contact Information

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Elm & Carlton Streets
Buffalo, New York 14263
Phone: (716) 845-5721
Fax: (716) 845-5777
bhsegal@buffalo.edu