2015

Elizabeth Helm, a medical school graduate, and her husband will travel with their children to Cameroon to serve as doctors in the central African nation.

Walter Grand, MD, clinical professor of neurosurgery, is interviewed about mentoring neurosurgery residents.

Daniel Antonius, PhD, director of the Division of Forensic Psychiatry, looks at how terror attacks such as the coordinated attack in Paris and the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., influence mental health. “The paradox of the fear that terrorism inspires is that while it can negatively affect people and societies, it can also serve to strengthen resilience,” he says.

Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD, senior associate dean for health policy, comments on the Supreme Court ruling to uphold low- and middle-income Americans’ ability to receive tax subsidies for health insurance — regardless of their state of residence.

An article about questions over whether babies are being fed too much iron, and the implications that has for their health later in life, quotes pediatric gastroenterologist Robert Baker. “If extra iron is given, iron adsorption will decrease,” he said.

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. 

Research by Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics, on children’s reactions to restaurants offering healthier menu items like salad or strawberries instead of French fries, finds that altering children's menus actually encourages healthier eating habits in the longterm.

A report on a research study that found the parasite that causes Toxoplasmosis alters neural pathways specifically related to the neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid, or GAMA, quotes Ira Blader, associate professor of microbiology and immunology.  “Our work is the first showing that an infection can alter this enzyme’s localization in the brain,” he says.

Steven Dubovsky, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, speaks to the psychological impacts of recent incidents of extreme violence. “These kinds of attacks traumatize everybody, especially when they’re mass attacks, we take them personally, and they are personal attacks, in a way,” he said.

Research led by Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine and chief of endocrinology, shows that boosting testosterone can significantly benefit many men with Type 2 diabetes.

Former UB Provost Elizabeth Capaldi Phillips, who was among the first to envision the concept of a medical campus in downtown Buffalo that would build on translating faculty research into new medical and scientific innovations, was interviewed upon her return to Buffalo. She visited the growing downtown campus, which she said, “succeeded beyond my wildest dreams and imagination. And it’s still growing….It’s inspiring.”

An opinion piece by Mark O’Brian, PhD, professor of biochemistry, looks at the lack of oversight of the dietary supplements industry and the risks to consumers.  

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.

UB’s Post-Baccalaureate Program is a shining example of the success of initiatives aimed at giving students of diversity a chance to pursue a career in medicine, according to the president and CEO of the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY), a consortium, of the state’s 16 medical schools,. In addition to academic enrichment and financial support, pipeline programs such as UB’s also provide mentorship and role models for students, according to Jo Wiederhorn of AMSNY.

A story on WIVB-TV about the near-death experience of a Niagara Falls woman some 40 years ago interviews David Holmes, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine, who said there are many unanswered questions surrounding near-death experiences that should not be dismissed as nonsense.

A special report on WKBW-TV about medical marijuana interviews Arie L. Weinstock, MD, professor of neurology, about an international clinical trial he is participating in at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to find out if medical marijuana can help patients with severe epilepsy.

A two-part news report makes reference to research by Arie Weinstock, MD, clinical professor of neurology, who focuses on how a medical marijuana compound might reduce seizures in patients with severe epilepsy.

Michael Bisogno, a student in the University at Buffalo MD/MBA program, and biomedical engineering student Kevin Carter are part of the biotechnology venture that won a UB entrepreneurship competition. The student team is collaborating with mentor Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, to develop a business venture for a chemotherapy delivery method that may improve cancer treatment.

The University at Buffalo Department of Psychiatry has been credited for contributing to the success of Erie County’s court-ordered effort to improve mental health care for inmates.

Jeffrey M. Lackner, PsyD, professor of medicine, is leading a pilot study to determine whether behavioral self-management of irritable bowel syndrome may lead to fundamental changes in the digestive system’s bacterial ecosystem. 

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.

Kaleida Health is seeking a plan to redevelop the existing Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo after it moves to its new downtown location, which is adjacent to the new University at Buffalo school of medicine. The hospital is one of many clinical training sites for UB medical students, residents and fellows.

A researcher team led by Jonathan Lovell, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, has created a biotechnology model that shows promise for developing an HIV vaccine and targeting cancer cells.

The Western New York Center for Survivors of Torture trains physicians to assist in the treatment of refugees who have experienced or witnessed torture in their countries. Kim Griswold, MD, associate professor of family medicine, directs the center.

New U.S. Soccer rules prohibit “heading” the ball for players 10 and younger, but John J. Leddy, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedics, says prospective long-term control trials have yet to be conducted to define whether repeated concussions have any significant lasting effects on children.

Commenting on a bill signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that grants emergency access to medical marijuana for patients with a serious needs, including cancer patients or children with severe epilepsy, Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Research Institute on Addictions, says the state is wise to roll out the program in a very methodical way.

Research led by Amy Jacobs, PhD, research associate professor of microbiology and immunology, has won a National Science Foundation award to further study the way Ebola viruses enter cells in an effort to develop delivery methods for treatment of the infection.

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.

The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation has given $4 million to the sports medicine program at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The money will establish the Center of Excellence in Sports Medicine, where physicians within the Department of Orthopaedics will help athletes and others who suffer concussions, injuries and other medical conditions associated with sports.

A $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health will fund efforts by half a dozen nonprofits working with the Erie County Department of Health, in partnership with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Department of Family Medicine, to reduce the teenage birth rate in Buffalo.

Research by Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics, indicates that more than two years after a healthier menu was introduced in an East Coast diner chain, three-quarters of children’s meal orders included a healthy side dish and three-quarters included a healthy beverage.  

An Olean middle school teacher equipped her classroom with standing desks, which John J. Leddy, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedics says strengthens the muscles around the torso and core. “You use more muscles standing to maintain your posture,” he said. “Those are muscles that also burn calories.”

Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, says that the new downtown building for the University at Buffalo school of medicine will provide “much-needed programmatic adjacencies that really do foster the interaction and collaboration within all components of the medical school.” The new building will essentially make the medical school whole again, he says.

A Georgia teenager who suffers from Krabbe disease and his family have been helped by the Hunter’s Hope Foundation and the Hunter James Kelly Research Institute through their research into the cause, prevention, treatment and clinical care for children suffering from Krabbe.

Research led by Melissa L. Rayhill, MD, clinical assistant professor of neurology, that found that only a quarter of publications reporting on headache studies were registered in an approved clinical trial registry despite a 2005 decision by major journals that they would only consider results of clinical trials that had been registered.

Albert H. Titus, PhD, professor and chair of biomedical engineering, discusses the potential for devices that could be used in farming to beam data points — such as plants’ sunlight levels and soil moisture levels — to a central location.

In a review of patient records, Jad Kebbe, MD, found that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder admitted to the intensive care unit and treated with mechanical ventilation had higher sedation requirements. “Their care should incorporate proper awareness of their PTSD, with particular attention to their sedation regimen,” said Kebbe, a fellow in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

More than 1,000 parking spaces will be added to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus when the Ellicott-Goodrich Garage expands. The expansion will coincide with the opening of the new Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2017. When it opens the $375 million medical school will house more than 2,000 students, faculty and staff, feature advanced education and laboratory facilities and a built-in NFTA-Metro station.

Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, looks at the success of a 25-year-old program that helps aspiring, underrepresented students achieve their dream of becoming a doctor by offering each of them an individualized curriculum designed to improve performance in areas in which they have demonstrated weakness, all taught by faculty members.

Melissa Rayhill, MD, clinical assistant professor of neurology, found that only a quarter of headache clinical trials published in the field’s primary journals over nine years were registered in an approved clinical trial registry. Of the registered trials, 38 percent published results that didn’t match what authors initially planned to report.

The lowest dose of liraglutide has little or no glycemic effect on Type 1 diabetes patients, said Paresh Dandona MD, PhD, UB Distinguished Professor of medicine. However, higher doses of liraglutide cause reduction of glycemic excursions, an increase in the duration patients maintain their blood sugars without increase in hypoglycemia and body weight loss. 

The expanding Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences influenced the decision of Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine, to join and recruit Anthony D. Martinez, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine. The two physicians, part of the division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, built the Center for Clinical Care and Research in Liver Disease at UB together once they saw the opportunity of establishing Buffalo’s first liver center. “I began to understand the vision here and the vision that could be built,” said Talal.

Skyrocketing drug prices call for a reexamination of how the Federal Trade Commission deals with drug companies, says John K. Crane, MD, PhD, professor of medicine. “One of the things we have on our side this time is the health insurance companies are on the same side as the patients,” he said. Crane hopes the new pressure from health insurance companies and the public will press Congress to make the changes needed to keep drug costs low for patients and insurance companies.

To avoid inspiring copycats, some victims’ groups, psychiatrists and law enforcement officials are asking the media to avoid using the names and personal information of mass-shooters. “It desensitizes everybody to violence and mayhem, so they have to do more ghastly things to make an impact on the media and public. There are quite a few people who would rather be famous than good,” said Steven L. Dubovsky, MD, professor and chairman of psychiatry.

Turing Pharmaceuticals drew outrage when it announced it raised the price of Daraprim, a generic drug used to treat the Toxoplasma parasite, from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill. But because it is the only drug on the market that treats the parasite, the price could be adjusted in whatever manner, according to Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases.

Jeffrey M. Lackner, PsyD, professor of medicine and director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic, is the author of a self-help book titled “Controlling IBS the Drug-Free Way.”

Scientists at UB's Hunter James Kelly Research Institute have developed a new method to more precisely capture how brain cells interact. M. Laura Feltri, MD, professor of biochemistry and neurology and an HJKRI researcher, was senior author on a research paper published on the topic.

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

Jeremy Jacobs and family have given $30 million to University at Buffalo's medical school, which will be named the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. "A gift of this size, from someone of Jacobs' stature, sends a message to other prospective donors that UB's medical school is worth supporting financially," said Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and medical school dean. UB's new, downtown, state-of-the-art medical school will house 2,000 faculty, students and staff when it opens in 2017. 

A new method developed by James R. Olson, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, and Diana Aga allows scientists to analyze bromated flame retardants and their breakdown products simultaneously, shortening two weeks’ worth of testing into a few days.

Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD, director of the Research Institute on Addictions, and professor of psychiatry, talks about his contributions to the field of addiction medicine and the link between substance abuse and domestic violence.

The $30 million gift from Jeremy Jacobs and family is a major step for the University at Buffalo's $200 million capital campaign, and puts the fundraising at $160 million. The money from the Jacobs family is unrestricted and can be spent whenever it is needed to support the overall project, said Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and medical school dean. $50 million of the total capital campaign will be used for construction of the new, state-of-the-art medical school and $150 of will be put towards recruitment for faculty and new programs. 

Common anesthesia used during surgeries may help combat viral and bacterial infections in the lung, according to a study by Paul R. Knight III, MD, PhD, professor of anesthesiology, and Krishnan Chakravarthy, MD, PhD. Chakravarthy earned his MD and PhD from the University at Buffalo and is currently at the Johns Hopkins Institute of Nanobiotechnology. The research showed animals exposed to volatile anesthetics had less viable bacteria compared to those not exposed. This could be helpful in the treatment of seasonal or pandemic influenza and pneumonia. 

Developed in partnership with the Department of Family Medicine and Journey's End Refugee Services, the Western New York Center for Survivors of Torture helps refugees and asylum seekers suffering with the consequences of torture to rebuild their lives in America. Services focus on conducting forensic exams and coordinating care between doctors to help refugees heal and adjust to their new community. 

Continued construction on the University at Buffalo's new state-of-the-art medical school downtown has temporarily closed the Allen Medical Campus rail station. At various points during the UB medical school construction project, the NFTA had to briefly close down the Allen Station. This is the first time the station will be closed long-term. When it opens in 2017, the $375 million medical school will be home to 2,000 students, faculty and staff.

The $30 million gift from Jeremy Jacobs and family to the University at Buffalo medical school says to potential donors that UB is worthy of investment. "The gift sends the right message about the school's growth and substance to prospective faculty and researchers at other medical schools and to undergraduates applying for medical school," according to The Buffalo News. When the newly renamed Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences opens its new campus in 2017, it will feature state-of-the-art laboratory space, an NFTA-Metro rail station and sky bridges that connect to other buildings on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

The Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute (HWI) has added four other life sciences firms into its facility on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. “UB is this large, well-funded entity, the large cruise ship that's going along and we're the little speedboat running alongside. So we can move rapidly into new areas of research and UB offers a fair bit of support,” said Edward H. Snell, PhD.

UB has been awarded a four-year $15 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health to speed the delivery of new drugs, diagnostics and medical devices to patients. “The grant will benefit our entire academic health center by raising the level of research, health care and training,” said Timothy F. Murphy, MD, senior associate dean for clinical and translational research.

The new, downtown, state-of-the-art medical school is a part of the high-tech renaissance transforming the city of Buffalo, which began to grow its advanced manufacturing and medical research industries 15 years ago. The 628,000-square-foot medical school will be home to 2,000 students, faculty and staff and feature advanced education facilities, laboratories, and a built in NFTA-Metro station.

The Ebola outbreak has changed U.S. hospital facilities and protocol, putting hospitals on the defensive to prevent the spread of not only Ebola, but other highly infectious diseases. “In a perverse way, the Ebola outbreak had a positive impact on what we do. We all have to be prepared for at least the first line of triage, whether it's Ebola, Marburg or MERS corona virus,” said John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor in the division of infectious diseases.

Two lipid-lowering drugs have been approved by the FDA and cardiologists are wasting no time in prescribing them. Though he cautions the risks of early adoption of drugs approved while outcome trials are ongoing, Stanley F. Fernandez, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the division of cardiology, remains impressed with the drugs. These drugs are "very exciting for the cardiology community,” he said. “The degree of LDL lowering seen in this class...is very impressive; and its side effect profile is very reassuring,” said Fernandez. 

Consumers should be wary of claims made by companies selling dietary supplements, which do not need approval or evaluation from the Food and Drug Administration. “The Food and Drug Administration does not have the authority to approve advertisements for dietary supplements. In contrast with drugs, the FDA cannot require that a dietary supplement do what it claims to do or even that the product is safe to use,” said Jerrold C. Winter, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology. 

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 growing number of successful University at Buffalo spinoff companies are contributing to the recent biotechnology boom in Buffalo. For-Robin, founded in 2012 by Kate Rittenhouse-Olson, PhD, professor of biotechnology, received a $2 million federal grant to further test its breast cancer therapy. Empire Genomics, founded in 2007 by Norma Nowak, PhD, professor of biochemistry, is based off research done at UB and offers a variety of genomic tests that detect cancer.

Addyi, the first pill to boost women's sexual desire, requires abstinence from alcohol or patients could suffer from fainting as a side effect. “In real life, women are not going to be compliant like they are in clinical trials. They're going to say, ‘I feel OK. I'm going to have a drink,’ and boom, they go down,” said Vanessa M. Barnabei, MD, PhD, professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology. 

A research team led by Richard M. Gronostajski, PhD, professor of biochemistry, has discovered a new way to generate oligodendrocytes, which has the potential to enhance treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS). “In terms of treatment, this could lead to the development of a small molecule that could be used to shut off NFIX activity in MS patients, thus promoting the growth of more oligodenrocytes,” said Gronostajski.

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.

"Vehicle weight and price have a positive relationship with vehicle safety," says Dietrich Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine. His research, presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, has determined that some of the most popular cars are the least safe. 

A University at Buffalo study found three in four people in treatment for heroin used prescription opioids first. To curb the problem, New York State is legislating to control over-prescribing. "If we let the healthcare system create drug addicts and then discharge them from the healthcare system, the dealers in the illicit marketplace will be right there," warned Richard D. Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine.

A research team led by Jian Feng, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has grown human serotonin cells from lung fibroblasts in a petri dish. "With this new technology, scientists can generate serotonin neurons from patients who suffer from serotonin-related mental illnesses," says Feng. 

Jeffrey P. Johnson, MD, division director of obstetrics and gynecology, and a team of doctors at Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, successfully used a novel treatment on a 32-week-old fetus with a rare congenial abnormality known as fetal hydrothorax. The condition is so rare it is unlikely a clinical trial comparing their use of doxycycline to standard therapy will ever occur.

As the nation suffers a shortage of addiction medicine specialists, patients are left under the care of their primary doctors, who are often undertrained to give proper treatment. “There are more doctors out there prescribing heavy doses of narcotics than there are out there trying to help people get off of them,” said Richard D. Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine and National Center for Physician Training in Addiction Medicine board member. 

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC), future home of UB's new state-of-the-art medical school, continues to grow beyond expectations. BNMC leaders predict the campus will have 20,000 employees by 2020.

In the wake of China and Belgium introducing lanes for pedestrians using smartphones Dietrich V. Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine, reiterates how dangerous texting while walking can be. "While talking on the phone is a distraction, texting is much more dangerous because you can't see the path in front of you," said Jehle.

The new, downtown, state-of-the-art medical school is a part of the high-tech renaissance transforming the city of Buffalo, which began to grow its advanced manufacturing and medical research industries 15 years ago. The 628,000-square-foot medical school will be home to 2,000 students, faculty and staff and feature advanced education facilities, laboratories, and a built in NFTA-Metro station. 

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.

Two major health initiatives, the Global Health Equity and Genome, Environment and the Microbiome initiatives, will unite faculty throughout the University at Buffalo towards addressing global issues as a part of the Communities of Excellence program. 

"Vehicle weight and price have a positive relationship with vehicle safety," says Dietrich Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine. His study used a method different from the government and has determined some of the most popular cars least safe. 

A research team led by Zhen Yan, PhD, was able to recognize mechanisms behind a genetic mutation that produces certain autistic behaviors in mice and then reverse them. 

Movie theaters could hold significance for a potential attacker selecting a crime scene, says Daniel Antonious, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry. “I think movies can represent certain world views or political views that it's easy for these shooters to latch onto as a sort of symbol of whatever they are for or against,” he said. 

Not everyone gets the rash that signifies the tick-spread, rocky mountain spotted fever, says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. This unreliable symptom can make experts' ability to diagnose the disease even more complicated.

Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD, director of the Research Institute on Addictions and professor of psychiatry, was awarded the American Psychological Association (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology's Distinguished Scientific Contribution award at the annual APA conference in Toronto. "His contributions to our understanding of the interaction of violence and substance abuse changed practice worldwide," said psychiatry chair Steven L. Dubovsky, MD.

According to a study of retired NFL players, athletes who lose consciousness after concussions may be at greater risk for memory loss later in life. John J. Leddy, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedics, discusses the study’s reliance on players to report their own concussion history. “Retrospective recall of concussions by athletes is notoriously inaccurate,” he says.

According to a study by Dietrich V. Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine, vehicle weight and price have a positive relationship with vehicle safety. “We found that vehicle type, curb weight and price are all significant predictors of personal-injury cost,” he said. 

UB neurosurgery expert Adnan Siddiqui, MD, PhD, performed a successful experimental treatment on a man whose doctors offered discouraging prognoses. The patient traveled to Buffalo from Australia for the treatment, which is “a simple procedure,” according to Siddiqui. “We have been doing it for years, and our data shows angioplasty is far better than medical therapy,” he said.

A 250-foot tower crane on the downtown skyline signals the next phase of construction in the new medical school.

Educating physicians and communities is the best approach to preventing opioid addiction, according to Richard Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine. “If we let the health care system create drug addicts and then discharge them from the health care system, the dealers in the illicit marketplace will be right there,” he says.

Stories on the modifications our bodies make when walking and texting cite a 2014 UB study that found the practice results in more injuries than distracted driving.

Michal K. Stachowiak, PhD, professor of pathology and anatomical sciences, led a team that found a single "master" growth factor of the genome. The discovery could help scientists with treatments for various types of cancer and schizophrenia. 

It's getting harder for junior faculty members to get a foothold in today's biomedical research industry, says Gabriela K. Popescu, PhD, professor of biochemistry. "Junior faculty must have access to a strong mentoring committee to keep them on track. If you want high quality junior scientists at your institution, make sure you support them, train them, and mentor them, and give them the resources and the time they need," said Popescu.

When an SUV hits a car, the driver in the car is four times more likely to die — even if the car has a better crash-test rating, according to research led by Dietrich Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine.

Research led by James Jarvis, MD, clinical professor of pediatrics, finds that most of the genetic risk for juvenile idiopathic arthritis occurs in regions of the genome where epigenetic influences also operate.

After a hazmat team searched a suspected ecstasy lab in his neighborhood Steven L. Dubovsky, MD, chair and professor of psychiatry, shared with the community what ecstasy can do to the brain. "It will induce psychosis and also it will dissolve part of your brain," he said.

A psychiatrist shortage has driven more patients with mild to moderate mental illness into the offices of pediatricians and primary care doctors, who are not always prepared, says David L. Kaye, MD, professor of psychiatry. "This isn't like dealing with a kid with a cold or sore throat. That takes a few minutes. Mental health treatment takes more time," said Kaye.

Marking another milestone of progress, construction crews have begun erecting steel beams for the new state-of-the-art medical school. The new medical school will act as a gateway to the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. 

For-Robin, founded by Kate Rittenhouse-Olson, PhD, professor of biotechnology, has been awarded $2 million from the National Cancer Institute to support promising research on a treatment for various types of cancers, including breast cancer.

University at Buffalo medical students have the opportunity to receive $30,000 scholarships if they pledge to practice in Western New York after they graduate. John J. Bodkin II, MD, an alumnus of UB’s medical school and family medicine residency, started the scholarship program and hopes to fill a shortage of doctors in the region.

Personal trampolines are accidents waiting to happen says Richard D. Galpin, MD, professor of orthopaedics. Safety net enclosures give a false sense of security since most injuries happen on the trampoline. “I would say in 19 of 20 cases there was more than one kid, or a parent, on a trampoline. There was a big person and a little person. The little person is the one who gets injured every time,” he said.

John J. Leddy, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedics, says that too much rest for concussion patients can actually worsen their symptoms. Recent research has shown that if you put patients on complete rest they actually report more symptoms than if they get back into their normal levels of activity, he said.

Dietrich V. Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine, conducted research that found a correlation between accidents in which personal injury claims are filed and the size and price of the vehicles involved. 

Amy L. O’Donnell, MD, associate professor of medicine, provides insight on veterans’ risk factors for diabetes and discusses common conditions she sees in the endocrinology clinic at the Buffalo VA Medical Center. She also explains the endocrine system and advises on treatments for patients facing diabetes. 

Peter Winkelstein, MD, executive director of the Institute for Healthcare Informatics and clinical professor of pediatrics, asserts that professionals in the health care information technology field are aware of electronic health records’ challenges and strive to improve the technology to provide better health care.

Empire Genomics — founded by Norma J. Nowak, PhD, professor of biochemistry — offers a variety of diagnostic tests that detect cancer. The company is raising a $15 million round of venture capital and expects to close it in the last three months of this year. Its customers include a global network of major hospital systems.

University at Buffalo and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have been awarded a $1.85 million grant to create an interdisciplinary stem cell research training program. Sriram Neelamegham, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering will co-direct the program with Richard M. Gronostajski, PhD, professor of biochemistry. The grant’s principal investigator is Stelios Andreadis, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering.

Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD, director of UB’s Research Institute on Addictions and professor of psychiatry, says that to treat addiction, people need help developing psychosocial skills in addition to taking medication.

University at Buffalo neurosurgeons contributed to a New England Journal of Medicine study that shows significant advantages for stroke patients treated with both a stent device and clot-busting drugs. “This is exactly a game-changer,” says study co-author Elad I. Levy, MD, professor and chair of neurosurgery.

"Treat your patients as you would want yourself or family members treated. This was good advice 45 years ago and is still good advice now," wrote Sharon and Paul Kuritzky, MD '73 in response to an opinion piece by incoming medical student Brienne Ryan about how important bedside manner is. 

The James H. Cummings Foundation has announced a second $1 million gift to the new UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The gift will go toward developing a Structural Science Learning Center, which will be led by John E. Tomaszewski, MD, chair of the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences.

In the U.S., packaged foods for toddlers often have high amounts of sodium or added sugars, a new study shows. “Regretfully, parents need to read labels carefully to avoid added salt and sugars in food commercially prepared for toddlers,” says Susan S. Baker, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and co-chief of the UB Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Center, who co-authored an editorial published with the report.

The number one priority to moving forward after a shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina church is community support, according to Steven L. Dubovsky, MD, professor and chair of psychiatry. "The community must support one another and seek professional help. Reliving what happened in a controlled, private manner will be helpful," he said.

Five new studies have shown mechanical endovascular therapy demonstrates a significant advantage over standard therapy for acute stroke. "Stroke is now a surgical disease. In centers with advanced systems of stroke care, endovascular therapy can significantly improve functional outcomes without compromising safety as compared to standard therapy," said Kenneth V. Snyder, assistant professor of neurology. 

Zhen Yan, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, has identified the mechanisms behind a genetic mutation that produces certain autistic behaviors in mice, as well as therapeutic strategies to restore normal behaviors.

Gil I. Wolfe, MD, Irvin and Rosemary Smith chair of neurology, has been selected to receive the 2015 Doctor of the Year award from the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA). Wolfe has been on the foundation's medical scientific advisory board since 2001 and serrved as its immediate past president.

The University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Timothy F. Murphy, MD, senior associate dean for clinical and translational research, received the Arts Integration Award from the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York. A panel of cultural representatives from throughout Western New York selected the winners, who were announced at the 2nd annual Spark Cultural Awards Party.

Leslie J. Bisson, MD, June A. and Eugene R. Mindell, MD, professor and chair of orthopaedics, urges discretion for those considering a new program that places knee surgery patients in flat rate "recovery suites." There is a higher rate of infection, blood clots and of having a heart attack during joint replacements. "You just want to make sure you're doing it in a safe patient population," he warned.

The new state-of-the-art medical school is one of six major construction projects in downtown Buffalo. Throughout the rest of the year a tower crane will erect the last four floors of the eight-story, 628,000-square-foot structure, which will hold 2,000 students, faculty and staff when it opens in 2017.

UB Spin-off business For-Robin, founded by Kate Rittenhouse-Olson, PhD, professor and director of the biotechnology program, is one of six businesses accepted into the Start-up NY program through the University at Buffalo. For-Robin will locate to Sherman Hall on campus, create two new jobs and invest $5,000. 

Andrew H. Talal, MD, professor of medicine, joins two other physicians from leading institutions to weigh in on which factors increase the severity of HCV disease. "Alcohol is synergistic with the virus so it's more than additive in terms to fibrosis progression," warns Talal. 

The deal between 12 pacific rim nations could block competitive drug producers from entering the market. "If medications become more expensive, that's a huge public health threat," said David M. Holmes, MD, director of global health education. 

Some depression symptoms can persist for months in cancer patients even after the drug has left the system, said Steven Dubovsky, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry. 

UB physician-scientists attract both patients and observing doctors state-wide, as well as internationally, to the Gates Vascular Institute. "Our group is on the cutting edge," said L. Nelson Hopkins, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor, professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, and president of Gates Vascular Institute. 

According to Richard Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine, expectant mothers with substance abuse issues should enter a program immediately. "Most people who do heroin cycle in and out of withdrawal, and that is bad for babies in-utero. It is much better to have them on a steady dose of a prescription medication," he said.

"Nobody finds it useful to grade concussions any longer because the initial treatment is the same for all concussions: remove immediately from at-risk activity," said John Leddy, MD, UB professor of clinical orthopaedics, of the University at Texas study.

According to Nancy Nielsen, MD, PhD, senior associate dean for health policy, though the trend of concierge medicine allows patients to get personalized care in exchange for an annual fee, a lot of doctors may be offering some of those benefits without the fee. 

Researchers from the University at Buffalo are collaborating with Berkley, California colleagues on multiple sclerosis research with a new $1 million grant. Ralph H. Benedict, PhD, professor of neurology, received the four-year research grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Faye E. Justicia-Linde, MD, clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, provides insight on misconceptions about hysterectomies, laparoscopic versus robotic surgery, different types of hysterectomies, hormone replacement therapy and reasons women need the surgery. 

Anthony D. Martinez, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine, discusses the latest advancements in hepatitis C and notes that injection drug users constitute the main group physicians need to reach. “This group is responsible for most of the incidents or new cases of hepatitis C in the United States, so it really behooves to treat them,” he says. 

John M. Canty Jr., MD, Albert and Elizabeth Rekate Professor of medicine and chief of cardiovascular medicine, provides insight on the pacemaker, which was invented in Buffalo, New York. “With what's going on in Western New York with the health care industry here and the burgeoning Buffalo Niagara Medical campus, I suspect if it was developed in 2015, the technology probably would have stayed here,” says Canty.

A news story about three diabetes drugs that have been linked to ketoacidosis refers to research led by Nitesh D. Kuhadiya, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine. In a trial of 10 type 1 diabetes patients on insulin, liraglutide and dapagliflozin, one of the patients developed diabetic ketoacidosis, according to the research.

A state agency is giving scientists at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center a $1.85 million grant to create a stem cell research training program. The grant will support eight graduate students per year for five years.

Marking another milestone of progress, crews have begun erecting the steel frame of UB’s state-of-the-art medical school in downtown Buffalo. The school is set to open in 2017.

To deal with gastrointestinal disorders, Thomas C. Mahl, MD, clinical professor of medicine, advises patients to consider food choices and behavioral therapy. A new treatment under study for infection involves inserting healthy stool into the colon, says the interim chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition.

Mark R. O'Brian, PhD, professor and interim chair of biochemistry, says BMPEA — an amphetamine-like compound found in diet pills and sports supplements — is “something no one should be taking.”

Visitors to UB’s Museum of Neuroanatomy can learn about how the human brain functions and how beautiful it is, says curator Christopher S. Cohan, PhD, professor of pathology and anatomical sciences.

Older adults who participate in Erie County’s free University Express program this spring will have opportunities to learn from faculty members in UB’s Department of Neurology.

Medical 3-D printing has come a long way, and NIN Ventures has brought on multi-organ transplant surgeon Sunil K. Patel, MD, clinical assistant professor of surgery, to spearhead investments in the medical 3-D printing industry. 

Researchers will begin clinical studies on a new imaging system at Erie County Medical Center, one of the clinical training sites for the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “The 3-D scanner could have broad applications for orthopaedics and sports medicine,” says John M. Marzo, MD, clinical associate professor of orthopedics.

Lawrence Wrabetz, MD, professor of neurology and biochemistry and director of the Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, has co-authored a paper in the journal Science about a new candidate drug that can markedly improve Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Workers have started erecting steel for the University at Buffalo’s new Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The $375 million project borders the new John R. Oishei Children‘s Hospital and the Conventus medical building — a 350,000-square-foot center for collaborative medicine. The three sites are “designed to be synergistic with one another,” said Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Mark R. O‘Brian, PhD, professor and chair of biochemistry, says regulation of the dietary supplement industry needs “substantial reform so that products are scrutinized before they reach the consumer to ensure safety and efficacy.” 

University at Buffalo neurosurgeons — including Elad I. Levy, MD, professor and chair of neurosurgery — have contributed to a New England Journal of Medicine study that shows significant advantages for stroke patients treated with both a stent device and clot-busting drugs.

Immigrants and refugees who are trained as physicians, nurses, engineers and educators face challenges in trying to obtain licensing to practice in the United States. “It’s hard to get here and get the tests taken, and it costs money to take refresher courses,” says Kim Griswold, MD, associate professor of family medicine, psychiatry and social and preventive medicine.

Frederick Sachs, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of physiology and biophysics, hopes to develop a therapy for muscular dystrophy from a compound found in the venom of a South American spider. His research is just one example of a quest to transform posions from animals into medicines for humans.

Richard Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine, and Jack Freer, MD, professor of medicine, urge medical professionals to carefully prescribe pain medications to curb a growing epidemic of opiate addiction.

Three first-year students in UB’s medical education program are the first to receive scholarships designed to keep locally trained doctors in Western New York. The new doctors will help fill growing needs for medical care.

Behavioral medicine expert Jeffrey M. Lackner, PsyD, associate professor of medicine, says constipation significantly affects people’s quality of life, functioning and digestive health.

Wesley L. Hicks, MD, professor of otolaryngology, has been honored for his significant contributions to the community by the Mary B. Talbert Civic and Cultural Club.

Michael R. Cummings, MD, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry, expresses support for his staff members at a hospital psychiatric unit, some of whom have been assaulted by patients. He notes the unit’s open plan raises safety concerns, but says it has improved patient care.

James Reynolds, MD, professor and chair of ophthalmology, dispels a group’s claim to have induced night vision using a substance found in the eyeballs of many deep sea fish.

Daniel Antonius, PhD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, says the widest-reaching effect Al-Shabaab can have on Western New Yorkers has already taken place. “With terror attacks, the main purpose is the terror — to instill fear,” he said. “It’s not even about the deaths and killing people, though that certainly is a goal as well. With unspecific threats, you never know when the next attack will happen and that creates an underlying fear.”

David L. Kaye, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry, has received a $1.2 million grant extension from the state Office of Mental Health for the statewide initiative Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Primary Care, the nation’s second-largest pediatric mental health program. 

UB Distinguished Professor Anne B. Curtis, MD, Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and chair of medicine, discusses a study showing that weight loss might eliminate atrial fibrillation among overweight or obese individuals, particularly if patients maintain their weight loss.

Medical Schools in New York are asking the legislature to include $50 million for faculty development in the state budget. Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said the funding creates the infrastructure needed for research that leads to new industry.

A study led by Fraser J. Sim, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology, found that solifenacin, a drug used to treat overactive bladder, may promote stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Construction progresses on UB’s state-of-the-art medical school, set to open in 2017 — a key part of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence.

David M. Holmes, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine, says the very young, the elderly and people with mental illness are especially vulnerable to frostbite and hypothermia.

“Everyone sees the world differently,” says James J. Reidy, MD, professor of ophthalmology, explaining why people saw varying colors in an online photo of a dress.

The first-year class of medical students at the University at Buffalo has a higher percentage of New York residents than other medical schools in the state.

Combination therapy with Vytorin to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood appears to provide an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce proinflammatory mediators after consumption of fatty foods, according to research by Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, UB Distinguished Professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

Shipra Singh, MD, MPH, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, says studies linking less pollution with better lung function failed to report an indicator many believe more sensitively measures small airways disease.

Despite reports that marijuana is safer than alcohol, Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD, professor of psychiatry, warns that substances in cannabis have been linked to brain changes that may impair memory, particularly among younger, regular users.

University at Buffalo researchers have designed a biomedical device that could make chemotherapy more efficient, reduce its side effects and improve how doctors treat some of the most deadly forms of cancer. “We are developing a novel endoscopic device that will improve our ability to detect and destroy cancer cells,” says Ulas Sunar, PhD, of the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Gregory Roloff, a University at Buffalo medical student, says legal action should be taken against people who refuse vaccinations. “We must remember that many people cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions. They rely on us to insulate them by maintaining our own immunity,” he writes.

Jeffrey R. Johnson, MD, of the Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, shares his expertise about the accuracy of prenatal tests that diagnose potential health issues by detecting chromosomal defects in unborn children.

An international team led by Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD, of the UB Department of Biomedical Engineering, has created a nanoparticle that may pave the way for “hypermodal” imaging — the ability to merge results from six different imaging modes using one contrast agent.

Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, led an international team that has designed a nanoparticle capable of being detected by six different imaging modes. The technology may pave the way for all-in-one imaging scans using one contrast agent.

Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD, assistant professor of clinical neurology and American history buff, examines how neurological conditions such as stroke, migraines and Alzheimer’s disease have affected several top U.S. leaders.

UB neurosurgeons have played leading roles in testing what has proved to be a dramatically improved treatment for acute ischemic stroke.

Andrew H. Talal, MD — a professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition — discusses treatments for individuals with hepatitis C virus who have genotypes two through six of the virus.

Of the tens of thousands of pedestrian-related accidents requiring a trip to the emergency room, an estimated 10 percent result from texting while walking, says Dietrich Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine.

Ulas Sunar, PhD, research assistant professor, and Jonathan Lovell, PhD, assistant professor, both in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, are developing a targeted cancer-fighting system using a novel endoscopic device and nanoballoon drug delivery.

More than 4,350 aspiring doctors have applied to UB’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a 3.5 percent increase over last year, which school officials attribute in part to a new state-of-the-art medical school, set to open in 2017.

UB medical students were among the panelists discussing medical and scientific careers at the Western New York Brain Bee — a competition and awareness event for high school students.

Recent measles outbreaks are causing medical educators — including those at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences — to place a stronger emphasis on the disease in their lectures and clinical training for medical students.

Physicians with the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences — including urology residents, otolaryngology faculty and an obstetrics and gynecology trainee — discuss the financial, regulatory and customer-service challenges that young physicians encounter in their practices.

Pioneering human genomics researcher Norma J. Nowak, PhD, professor of biochemistry and founder of Empire Genomics, has been promoted to executive director of UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences.

Anne B. Curtis, MD, Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and chair of medicine, says out-of-the-ordinary stress while shoveling or blowing snow can put heart disease patients at risk of cardiac arrest.

In a pilot study involving 190 healthy volunteers, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, professor of neurology, and colleagues found that gender-specific factors may interact with dietary influences on brain iron concentrations.

Commenting on a Pediatrics study that found high salt and added sugar in pre-packaged foods geared to toddlers, UB professors of pediatrics Susan S. Baker, MD, PhD, and Robert D. Baker, MD, PhD, warn that such foods could influence lifelong taste preferences.

David M. Holmes, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine discusses the measles outbreak. “It seems like there is a myth or concern out there that the measles vaccine causes autism,” he says. “They’ve done extensive research and have not found any link between the measles vaccine and autism or any other illness.”

Western New York has the highest rate of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the Northeast, matching the stroke rates of the “stroke belt” areas in the Southeast, according to L. Nelson Hopkins, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of neurosurgery and professor of radiology.

Sarah K. Scouten, PhD, who earned her doctorate in biochemistry from UB in 2009, will locate her diagnostic testing firm Illuminating Diagnostics in UB's Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

The growing acceptance of the need for mental and behavioral health care is leading to more assistance from mainstream medical providers, notes David L, Kaye, MD, professor of psychiatry.

More pedestrians than drivers are injured while using cell phones, says Dietrich Jehle, MD, professor of emergency medicine.

UB’s new state-of-the-art medical school, set to open in 2017, is one of several UB projects resulting in a “Best of Green Schools” recognition for collaboration from the U.S. Green Building Council.

John J. Leddy, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedics, warns that athletes experiencing a concussion need to rest first, then carefully resume a safe level of activity.

Updated statistics compiled by Susan G. Komen WNY and the University at Buffalo’s Department of Family Medicine shows local incidence and deaths from breast cancer remain above state and national averages. “To some extent, the data confirms what we already know,” said La’Tasha Williams, research associate in the department of family medicine. “But the report also highlights that there are still major barriers for some people, particularly transportation,” she said. 

Primary care doctors should be trained on how to properly communicate with children suffering from mental illnesses, said David L. Kaye, MD, professor of psychiatry. “This isn’t like dealing with a kid who comes in with a cold or a sore throat. Mental health treatment takes more time, and what should these doctors do if they find out their patient needs a referral for more intensive care?” he said. 

Construction is “brimming” on the new, state-of-the-art Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and is contributing to a rising demand for construction workers in Western New York. The $375 million medical school will feature interconnected spaces for laboratories, education facilities and collaboration, sky bridges with access to other buildings on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and — when it opens in 2017 — will be home to over 2,000 students, faculty and staff. 

Nurses are a vital complement to doctors on the front lines of health care, using science to combat disease and building powerful relationships with patients and families, says third-year medical student Gregory Roloff. “For questions about what it takes to keep a sick, hospitalized patient alive, ask a nurse,” said Roloff. 

Strong ties to Western New York and a family history of University at Buffalo alumni led Jeremy Jacobs, of Delaware North, to gift $30 million to UB. When the recently renamed Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences opens its new, downtown Buffalo building in 2017, it will feature state-of-the-art laboratory space, an NFTA-rail station and be home to 2,000 students, faculty and staff. 

Violent crime doesn't always follow predictable patterns related to its root causes, said Daniel Antonious, PhD, assistant professor and director of the division of forensic psychiatry. “The complexity of the problems — anger, drug use, gangs — offers no simple solutions. But even though there are no simple solutions, I think it is important that we have resources that foster further public awareness on how to manage conflicts both in the community and in the home,” said Antonious.

The New York Center for Nanomedicine Research, co-founded by Stanley A. Schwartz, MD, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of medicine, ended its first six months with a dozen staffers and more than $1 million in revenue. The company applies nanotechnology to clinical applications and its roots go back several years, when a $1.2 million state grant helped Schwartz co-found a center to train physician-researchers in nanomedicine.