Published October 30, 2012 This content is archived.
Faculty in the Departments of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, Anesthesiology and Pharmacology and Toxicology were recognized at the Oct. 3 Celebration of Faculty and Staff Academic Excellence.
Paresh Dandona MD, PhD, UB Distinguished Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, was appointed a State University of New York Distinguished Professor.
Anthony L. Auerbach, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, and Mark J. Lema, MD, PhD, professor and chair of anesthesiology, received Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.
James R. Olson, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, was designated a UB Distinguished Professor, a rank recognizing UB professors who have achieved national or international distinction through significant contributions to their field.
A widely published scholar, Olson studies health risks of exposures to organophosphate pesticides and the biological and toxicological effects of exposure to dioxins, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls.
He has received funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Cancer Institute.
Olson serves as director of the Division of Environmental Health Sciences in the Department of Social and Preventative Medicine.
Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, and Zhen Yan, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, received Exceptional Scholar Awards for Sustained Achievement.
These awards recognize senior scholars for outstanding research at different stages of their careers.
Russo was honored for his first-class scholarship, contributions to top-ranked journals, record of successful grantsmanship, passion for research and commitment to excellence in education.
Yan was recognized for her oft-cited papers, research grants totaling $10.3 million, scholarship record and the productive mentoring environment she cultivates.
J. Paul Binette, MD, associate professor of medicine, was one of two UB faculty honored for completing 50 years of service to the university.
Binette has been researching and practicing internal medicine for more than 60 years. Though semiretired, he remains actively involved in teaching students physical diagnosis and problem-based learning.