Media Coverage

Jian Feng, PhD, professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, has found a faster way to screen for new treatments for Parkinson's disease. "With this new finding, we can now generate in a dish the neuronal misfiring that is similar to what occurs in the brain of a Parkinson's patient. A variety of studies and drug discovery efforts can be implemented on these human neurons to speed up the discovery of a cure for Parkinson's disease," said Feng.

A study by researchers in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology finds exercise, coupled with methamphetamine, may help recovery of those addicted to the drug and increase their odds of avoiding relapse. Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of pharmacology and toxicology, is senior author. Randall Hudson, PhD, research professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, is a co-author.

Along with other researchers, Mark D. Parker, PhD, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, has proposed a single, unifying model for an elusive membrane transport protein involved in a rare hereditary condition that results in vision loss. A doctoral candidate in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics is first author of the research, which has been published in the American Journal of Physiology — Cell Physiology.

Frederick Sachs, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of physiology and biophysics, has been working with spider venom since the mid-1980’s. His research has led to a developing drug that combats the symptoms of muscular dystrophy at the core genetic level. Based on scientific data in pre-clinical trials, the drug was linked to a 40 percent increase in mobility and other effects the disease has on the body.

Parkinson’s disease patients are using boxing to improve their physical and cognitive function.

Health & Tech, a regular feature highlighting life sciences and high-tech companies throughout the region, reports on Cytocybernetics, a company founded by Glenna C. Bett, PhD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Randall L. Rasmusson, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, that has developed a technology they say can cut the time and money needed to bring new drugs to market.

Zhen Yan, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health to study the impact of stress on cognition and mental function.

Zhen Yan, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has received a $540,000 grant from the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation to explore how disrupting certain brain communications could have implications on treatments for autism.

Research by Jian Feng, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has identified a key obstacle in the cell conversion process, a breakthrough that has big implications for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, allowing scientists to create functional neurons to replace those damaged by the condition. 

Zhen Yan, PhD, professor of physiology and neuroscience in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, will use a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health to how stress affects cognition and mental function. Yan and her colleagues will study molecular mechanisms underlying the physiology of stress as well as therapeutic strategies for stress-related disorders, such as depression, post-traumatic stress and anxiety.

University at Buffalo spinoff company Cytocybernetics has won $500,000 in the 43North business idea competition. The company — created by Glenna C. Bett, PhD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Randall L. Rasmusson, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics — is developing biotechnology that could halve the time and money needed to bring new drugs to the market.

Judges at the 43North business plan competition were impressed with the science behind Cytocybernetics, one of the winners of $500,000 in the competition for startups. The company — created by Glenna C. Bett, PhD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Randall L. Rasmusson, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics — is developing biotechnology that could halve the time and money needed to bring new drugs to the market.

Cytocybernetics, a spinoff compancy of UB, is testing a new biotechnology to enhance drug safety screening.

Cytocybernetics, a company founded by Glenna C. Bett, PhD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Randall L. Rasmusson, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has created new technology that could cut the amount of money and time needed for preclinical drug trials in half. The company has attracted approximately $291,000 in funding.

A research team led by Zhen Tan, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has identified the mechanisms behind a genetic mutation that produces autistic behaviors in mice, as well as therapeutic strategies to restore normal behaviors. "Our results suggest a promising therapeutic strategy for treating autism," she said.