Zivadinov is Named SUNY Distinguished Professor

Zivadinov has devoted his career to the study of multiple sclerosis (MS), and he and his team have made numerous impactful discoveries in the field.

Zivadinov conducts what has been described as “seminal, groundbreaking and highly cited” research that has earned him a global reputation as an expert in MRI imaging, MS and other neurological disorders. His extensive scholarship in the field includes publication of more than 500 articles and 850 abstracts in leading, peer-reviewed journals with an author-level metric H-index of 89.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the State University of New York as a Distinguished Professor. It’s important to recognize what this reflects about our students, my faculty and research colleagues, our departments of Neurology and Biomedical Informatics, our Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and the University at Buffalo,” Zivadinov said. “We all are pursuing excellence and learning together, and with each success we take a step toward improving the lives of people affected by neurological diseases and disorders.”

Zivadinov joined the UB faculty in 2003 and, since 2004 has served as director of UB’s Neuroimaging Analysis Center in the Department of Neurology, establishing the center as a world leader in performing quantitative MRI analysis in neurodegenerative disorders.

In addition, he directs the Center for Biomedical Imaging at UB’s Clinical and Translational Research Center. He has also served as executive director of the New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium.

Zivadinov’s research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, commercial companies, foundations and the pharmaceutical industry. He is principal investigator, co-PI or co-investigator on 11 current research grants totaling nearly $9 million. He has secured more than $50 million in research grants for collaborative research projects involving UB investigators, as well as national and international collaborators.

A dedicated educator, Zivadinov has advised 13 doctoral students and 24 master’s students, and has served as a major adviser for more than 30 fellows.

He is currently pursuing research on quantitative magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography imaging findings in MS, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and aging. His interests also concentrate on therapeutic interventions, including strategies toward assessing neuroprotective efforts in neurodegenerative disorders, as well as cardiovascular comorbidities, genetic and neuroepidemiology fields of these diseases.

“At its core, research is about helping people. The better the research, the more people we help. So, I hope at least one thing this honor indicates is that my work, along with that of my colleagues and students, is not only published and frequently cited, but it’s also relevant, trusted and respectful of the urgency felt by people suffering from neurological disease,” Zivadinov said.