Messages from the Dean

A centralized resource for significant communications from the Dean of Medicine to our community.

  • Champion of Science and Community Engagement Named Chair of Biochemistry
    6/10/25

    I'm pleased to share that Dr. Jennifer A. Surtees has been appointed chair of the Department of Biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

  • Honoring the Memory of May 14
    5/14/25

    As spring unfolds on medical campuses with commencements and white coat ceremonies, here at the Jacobs School, May carries a particular significance. Today, we mark May 14 with solemn remembrance, acknowledging the third anniversary of the tragic, racially motivated shooting at Tops Friendly Supermarket, a profound event for our community.

  • Dr. David Dietz to Join University of Kansas as Dean
    5/5/25

    It is with a mix of both pride and sadness that I announce David Dietz, PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, will be leaving the University at Buffalo to assume the role of dean at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, effective Aug. 1.

  • Announcing Search Committees for New Department Chairs
    3/7/25

    The Jacobs School of Medicine is launching two critical leadership searches for the chairs of the Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Pathology/Anatomical Sciences. 

  • Beth Smith Named Chair of Department of Psychiatry
    3/5/25

    It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Beth A. Smith, MD, as the permanent chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo and president of UBMD Psychiatry, the school’s practice plan, effective March 1. After a rigorous national search, Dr. Smith, a highly accomplished clinician-scientist with proven leadership, was chosen to lead the department, building upon her successful tenure as interim chair since July 2023.

  • Celebrating Our Residents and Fellows: A Special Thank You
    2/27/25

    This Friday, Feb. 28, marks the culmination of a week-long celebration of our incredible Jacobs School trainees across Western New York, leading up to this special Thank a Resident & Fellow Appreciation Day. We extend our gratitude to these individuals for their extraordinary contributions. Their resilience, dedication and vital role in our community are invaluable.

  • Reynolds Departing as Chair of Ophthalmology
    2/21/25

    With great appreciation, I extend my heartfelt thanks to James D. Reynolds, MD, the Jerald and Ester Bovino Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, for his remarkable 28 years of leadership. A visionary in the field, Dr. Reynolds will retire from his role as chair on July 1, 2025.

  • Celebrating Leadership Excellence and Embracing New Beginnings in Faculty Affairs
    2/12/25

    Suzanne G. Laychock, PhD, will be stepping down from her role as senior associate dean for faculty affairs at the Jacobs School. Jessica L. Reynolds, PhD ’03, will be stepping into this role.

  • Tomaszewski Stepping Down After a Decade of Transformative Leadership in Pathology
    1/31/25

    It is with great appreciation that I thank John E. Tomaszewski, MD, a SUNY Distinguished Professor, for his outstanding contributions since 2011 as Peter A. Nickerson,  PhD Professor and Chair of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences (PAS) at the Jacobs School and chief of service for Kaleida Health Laboratories. As he steps down from these roles, effective July 1, we extend our deepest gratitude for his outstanding contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

  • UB CTSI Receives $28.4 Million in Renewed Funding from NIH
    1/17/25

    I am thrilled to announce that the University at Buffalo has once again been awarded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). 

  • New Leadership Announced in the Department of Otolaryngology
    1/17/25

    I’m pleased to announce that Steven D. Schwaitzberg, MD, has accepted the role of interim chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, effective Feb. 1. Dr. Schwaitzberg succeeds David A. Sherris, MD, who served as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology since 2005.

  • Beardslee Serving as Interim Director of the Office of Medical Computing
    1/6/25

    We are pleased to announce that Bradley Beardslee will be assuming the role of interim director of the Office of Medical Computing (OMC), effective Jan. 4.