Research

Building on the Jacobs School’s strengths in basic, translational, clinical and population health research, we are advancing discoveries that improve lives, expand scientific knowledge and drive economic growth throughout Western New York and beyond.

Through strategic investments in research infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, precision medicine and health equity, we are creating an environment where innovation thrives and transformative ideas move from the laboratory to the community.

Three groups — headed by leaders in research — are involved in the strategic planning:

Clinical Trials Group

Strategic plans for clinical research include: developing systems to better incorporate clinical research into practice, creating more incentives for clinicians to conduct research, hiring more clinical research coordinators and staff to support clinical research, and running more remote trials.

Basic Science Group

Since fundamental scientific inquiry is essential to the progress of biomedical research, we aim to better support investigators in our basic sciences departments. This increased support will serve as a stronger foundation for translational and clinical studies.

Translational Research Group

With an even stronger emphasis on translational research, we plan to find ways to enhance multidisciplinary collaboration among basic and clinical researchers and engage the community to determine their needs for bench-to-bedside innovations.

Leading the Effort

Marc W. Halterman, MD, PhD, is senior associate dean and executive director of research at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. He oversees the school’s research strategy and infrastructure, supporting faculty recruitment, research development, funding growth, interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific innovation across the research enterprise. A neurologist and NIH-funded scientist, he also conducts translational research focused on stroke and brain injury.

Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD is chair and professor of biochemistry at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and director of STEM outreach. Her research focuses on genome stability and DNA repair. A longtime UB faculty member, she also brings extensive leadership in undergraduate education, STEM outreach and inclusive excellence.

Linda Rudy, MBA serves as associate vice president for business operations at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She provides strategic oversight of the school’s business, financial and administrative operations, aligning resources and processes with priorities across education, research and clinical care. She brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education, academic medicine and community health care.

Recent Research News

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Study: To Combat Youth Vaping Epidemic, AI Can Help Determine Cessation Strategies That Will Work Best
5/6/26
UB cancer researchers published a study on why young people vape, and used AI to determine the best ways to get them to stop.
Meet the 2026 CTSI K Scholars
5/11/26
The 2026 cohort of CTSI K Scholars features faculty from the University at Buffalo and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The mentored career-development program enhances research and professional development.
Research Focuses on Retinal Ganglion Cell Development
5/12/26
Xiuqian Mu, MD, PhD, professor of ophthalmology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has received additional funding from the National Eye Institute for his research on retinal development, which could help develop strategies to treat degenerative retinal diseases such as glaucoma.
Biochemistry Research Scientist Awarded BBRF Grant for Schizophrenia Study
5/13/26
Jamie A. Abbott, PhD, a research scientist and research assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has received a Young Investigator Award from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) for her research on schizophrenia.
UB Part of Joint $17 Million NIH Grant to Study TMDs
1/7/26
Dental medicine, medicine and philosophy professors collaborate on multi-institution project.
Exploring Neural Networks Behind Brain Communication
1/8/26
To study how a key chemical neuromodulator affects signaling in the brain's cortex, Garrett Neske, PhD, has received a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Whitehall Foundation, a nonprofit organization funding basic neurobiology research.
UB Researchers Develop New Inhalable Treatment for TB
2/5/26
Researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences have developed a new inhalable form of tuberculosis (TB) treatment that could significantly reduce the burden of current therapy.
Solving Protein Structures Made Simple
3/10/26
Michael Martynowycz, PhD, assistant professor of structural biology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, recently described a new technique for solving protein structures in a recent Nature Communications paper
Jacobs School Neurologist Co-Author on JAMA Neurology Paper
3/12/26
The paper, co-authored by Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, further strengthens the connection between multiple sclerosis and the Epstein-Barr virus.
When Antibiotics Fail, Living Viruses Can Treat Infection
4/1/26
In a first for Buffalo, bacteriophage therapy, which harnesses living viruses, sucessfully treated a patient with a chronic MRSA bacterial infection.
FDA Approves Cancer Drug Based on Clinical Trial Led by UB, Roswell Park Researcher
4/3/26
The FDA has approved a drug for patients who are 12 and older with classical Hodgkin lymphoma based on the results of a randomized clinical trial led by a UB researcher.
UB Delivers More Than $1M to Faculty Impacted by Grant Cancellations
4/8/26
UB LAUNCH and UB COMPLETE helped mitigate the negative impacts of the murky federal funding landscape.
JAMA Paper Points to Specific Signs of Pediatric Concussion
4/13/26
An early-career scientist from UB is a co-author on the study, which provides important information for clinicians and bystanders alike.
Plan for ‘UB-HWI Bridge’ Initiative Takes Shape
6/11/26
Initiative combines historical strengths in structural biology and AI, Provost Weber tells UB Council.
Gene Tied to Energy Production in Brain Could Lead to New Treatment for Cognitive Disorders
6/22/26
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences researchers’ findings published in Science Advances journal.
Studying Astrocytes’ Role in Potential Harmful Effects of Maternal Immune Activation
7/23/26
An interdisciplinary and international team of researchers is using a National Institutes of Health grant to investigate how astrocytes — star-shaped brain cells that support neurons — contribute to the link between prenatal viral infections and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD and schizophrenia.
Rethinking Glucose Monitoring for Diabetes
8/24/26
Leonard E. Egede, MD, is principal investigator on a new five-year, $3.8 million grant to study how adults with diabetes who aren’t on insulin could benefit from continuous glucose monitors.
Illuminating and Advancing Health Equity Research
5/5/26
On April 25, the fourth annual research day presented by UB’s Community Health Equity Research Institute (CHERI) brought together researchers, students, community partners, leaders and others to explore and advance health equity research.
UB researchers selected as Simons Empire Faculty Fellows
8/19/26
Established by the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International, the program supports tenure-track faculty positions.
More UB Research Finding Its Way Into Startup Companies
8/4/26
More than 30 faculty-founded startups have collectively raised more than $213 million in grants, investment and licensing revenue in the last two decades.
Jacobs School Climbs Four Spots in NIH Rankings
2/26/26
The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences jumped four spots in the annual ranking of medical school research funding received from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to data compiled by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
MRI Scanner Positions CBI as Regional Hub for Advanced Imaging Technologies
2/9/26
The University at Buffalo’s Philips MR7700 3 Tesla scanner continues to be a cornerstone of cutting-edge biomedical research and clinical innovation across the university and the greater Western New York community.
CTSI Awards Translational Pilot Studies Grants for 2026
1/13/26
UB’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Translational Pilot Studies Program has awarded 10 new grants in 2026.
NIH Grant to Support Study of Salivary Gland Regeneration
3/17/26
Investigators at UB's dental school and medical school are conducting research to repair and regenerate glands that affect eating, speech and quality of life.
Structural Racism Influences Diabetes Prevalence, Study Finds
4/14/26
Both historic redlining and contemporary structural racism are linked with higher diabetes occurrence among African Americans.
Huang Lab Studying Human Gut Bacteria in New NIH Grant
4/16/26
Researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences are leveraging a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to advance their mechanistic insights into gut microbes.
Study: In Myasthenia Gravis, Surgical Removal of the Thymus Gland Proves to be Effective and Economical
4/23/26
In patients with myasthenia gravis, the surgical removal of the thymus gland added “quality adjusted life years” to patients and was also cost-effective.
UB and Roswell Park Develop AI Tool to Assess Lung Cancer Surgery Complication Risk
4/27/26
Multimodal model delivers personalized risk estimates and clinician-adjustable insights to support surgical decisions.
Blumental-Perry Awarded $50,000 From SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund
1/20/26
The grant will help advance treatments for the life-threatening lung condition acute respiratory distress syndrome.
‘Recognize and Remove’ Key to Detecting, Managing Youth Concussions
1/15/26
UB concussion expert John J. Leddy, MD, is a co-author of the new guidelines for parents and coaches.
CTSI Video Series Shares Insights on Team Science
1/21/26
The ongoing series aims to provide guidance from veteran investigators who have had success working in large interdisciplinary teams.
Study: With the Help of AI, MS Researchers Can Now View Previously Invisible Brain Lesions On MRI Scans
7/7/26
MS researchers have found a way to use artificial intelligence to reveal otherwise invisible cortical lesions strongly implicated in disability and cognitive issues by reviewing existing MRI scans.
Trauma Triage is Challenging: A UB Study Assesses How AI Might Help Improve Accuracy
7/10/26
Researchers tested how artificial intelligence, specifically large language models, could be used to help improve the accuracy of initial emergency medical services information.
Study: Family-Based Behavioral Treatment for Overweight or Obese Children Can Prevent Metabolic Disease
6/24/26
A new study reveals that a family-based behavioral treatment developed at UB can prevent children from developing metabolic disease when they grow up.
Study: Three-in-One Vaccine Shows Promise Against ‘Tripledemic’
6/30/26
University at Buffalo researchers are developing a single shot for flu, COVID-19 and RSV.
UB Spinout Receives Up to $9.7 Million for Vaccine Platform
6/15/26
Funding will help Buffalo-based company advance a bird flu vaccine candidate and test its vaccine platform for future outbreak response.
Beyond Blood Sugar: An NIH-Funded Study of Personalized Approach to Diabetes Care for Older Adults
9/3/26
Raphael A. Fraser, PhD, research associate professor of medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Department of Medicine and Division of Population Health, has received a five-year, $3.75 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
SUNY TAF Supports UB Research on Circadian Disorders and Semiconductors
9/17/26
The work could lead to improvements in electric vehicles and AI, treatments for sleep disorders.
Maximizing the Impact of STCs is Focus of NSF Grant Awarded to UB Associate Vice President
9/18/26
A UB associate vice president has received NSF funding to examine the leadership, organizational and team practices that contribute to the success of NSF Science and Technology Centers.
NIH Awards UB-HWI’s National Crystallization Center $5.5 Million to Advance Pioneering Research Nationwide
9/3/26
The NIH has awarded the National Crystallization Center a five-year, $5.5 million award so that it can continue to advance pioneering research in the field of structural biology.
Unlocking the Molecular Machinery of Pain at the Atomic Scale
9/18/26
Feng Qin, PhD, professor of physiology and biophysics, is principal investigator on a new $2.2 million, four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the molecular structure of pain receptors.
Study: One-Third of Older Adults With Cognitive Disorders Taking Prescription Drugs That Could Harm Them
9/17/26
However, incidents of exposure to inappropriate drugs dropped between 2011 and 2022.
Making Healthy Lifestyle Change Accessible for Teens Goal of Zielger’s ADA Grant
9/16/26
Preventing diabetes by making healthy living tools easily accessible for adolescents is the goal of a new American Diabetes Association grant awarded to a Jacobs School researcher.
Neske Awarded NIH Grant to Study Visual Brain Networks
9/15/26
Garrett Neske, PhD, has received federal funding to study ways that different areas of the brain communicate over long distances.