Jacobs School Distinguished Alumni Awards

Each year we present a Distinguished Medical and Biomedical Alumnus/a Award to an MD, PhD, Resident and Volunteer of our school who is recognized nationally or internationally for his or her outstanding contributions to medicine and the biomedical sciences, the arts or the humanities. This event takes place annually during Reunion Weekend.

In 2024, the Distinguished Health Sciences Alumni Award is added to build upon collaborative efforts in health sciences and look for additional ways to honor our accomplished alumni who have a variety of experiences in medicine/health in general. Criteria for this award celebrates an esteemed alumnus from our five health sciences schools, renowned globally for their exceptional contributions to academic medicine, health care, and research. Their remarkable achievements bring distinction and pride to our health sciences community. 

We are proud to recognize our Distinguished Medical and Biomedical Alumnus/a for their outstanding accomplishments and the distinction they bring to our school!

Margaret Paroski, MD ‘80, MMM
Emeritus professor, neurology
Chief medical officer, Catholic Medical Partners

Dr. Paroski is the is the chief medical officer of Catholic Medical Partners, an independent practice association with almost 900 physician members. A board certified neurologist, Dr. Paroski has held various administrative positions including medical director at Erie County Medical Center; senior associate dean of Academic Affairs & Admissions and interim vice president of Health Affairs and Interim Dean at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo; and executive vice president and chief medical officer at Kaleida Health. She served as president & CEO and CMO of Catholic Medical Partners from 2020 until March 9, 2025.

She began her medical career at the Buffalo VA Medical Center and held hospital appointments at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center. In addition to her clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Paroski has been a faculty member in the neurology department at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for over 40 years. She was the clerkship director for neurology for 28 years, and has won multiple teaching awards.

As chief medical officer of Catholic Medical Partners, Dr. Paroski leads clinical integration and standardization efforts and physician relations among the organization’s medical and specialty practices. She is also responsible for engaging physician members in population health initiatives and value based payment model adaptation. 

Menghang Xia, PhD '93
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Group Leader of Systems Toxicology
Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
National Institutes of Health

Dr. Menghang Xia is a group leader of Systems Toxicology at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health. She received her Bachelor of Medicine with a specialty in toxicology from Shanghai Medical University, followed by her PhD in pharmacology from the State University of New York at Buffalo under the mentorship of Dr. Suzanne Laychock. Dr. Xia did her postdoctoral training at the University of California at San Francisco under the mentorship of Dr. Edward Goetzl.

Serving as a co-chair of Assay Evaluation and Screening working group at the US Tox21 program, Dr. Xia led the major effort to develop and validate a battery of in vitro assays in a quantitative high throughput screening platform. Dr. Xia and her team have developed and screened more than 120 assays using advanced technology and robotic systems, and profiled environmental chemicals on various pathways and targets, such as stress response signaling, developmental pathways, and nuclear receptors. Dr. Xia is an author of over 250 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters, as well as an editor of two books. She has given numerous scientific presentations at national and international conferences. She also has served as an editorial board member for several scientific journals. She received numerous awards including NIH and NCATS Director’s Mentorship Awards, NIH and NCATS Director’s Awards for Scientific and Medical Achievement, Uncommon Collaboration Award from the Chordoma Foundation, EPA Scientific and Technological Achievement Award, the 2024 SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award and the 2025 Mentoring Award from the WIT Special Interest Group of SOT.

David Milling, MD ‘93, BS ’85, FACP
Executive director of the Office of Medical Education
Senior associate dean for medical education

David Milling, MD ’93, has responsibility for the Offices of Student and Academic Affairs, Medical Curriculum and Medical Admissions. He oversees the development, delivery and success of the medical educational program, including the growth and management of the new medical education curriculum to be implemented in 2023. Milling is the senior associate dean for medical education.

Milling earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a medical degree from UB. He completed his residency in internal medicine at UB, serving as chief resident. Following residency, he completed a primary care faculty development fellowship at Michigan State University.

Milling joined UB’s faculty in 1993 as a clinical instructor and is a two-time recipient of the coveted Louis A. and Ruth Siegel Award for Teaching Excellence (1994 and 2000). He also is a recipient of the Carter F. Panell Award for Outstanding Teaching, presented to a junior faculty member in the Department of Medicine (2000).

Prior to his current position, Milling served in a number of roles in the UB Office of Medical Education, including associate dean for multicultural affairs, medical director of the Clinical Competency Program, director of the Post-Baccalaureate Program and director of the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP).

He is board-certified in internal medicine and is a member of the American College of Physicians and the National Medical Association.