Real-life Spider Men Using Protein Found in Venom to Develop Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

July 16, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, Research, WellnessLeave a Comment

News Release

Real-life Spider Men Using Protein Found in Venom to Develop Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

A grandfather is working with UB scientists in an attempt to save grandson’s life

JB, Jeff Harvey’s grandson. When Harvey discovered JB had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the grandfather started a company with UB researchers to develop a treatment.

UB researchers Frederick Sachs, Tom Suchyna and Philip Gottlieb are working to develop a treatment for muscular dystrophy using a peptide found in tarantula venom.

UB researchers are developing a treatment for muscular dystrophy using a peptide found in the venom of a Chilean rose tarantula.

Contact

Charlotte Hsu

chsu22@buffalo.edu

716-645-4655

Release Date: July 16, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — While Spider-Man is capturing the imagination of theatergoers, real-life spider men in Upstate New York are working intently to save a young boy’s life.

It all began in 2009, when Jeff Harvey, a stockbroker from the Buffalo suburbs, discovered that his grandson, JB, had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The disease is fatal. It strikes only boys, causing their muscles to waste away.

Hoping to help his grandson, Harvey searched Google for promising muscular dystrophy treatments and, in a moment of serendipity, stumbled upon University at Buffalo scientist Frederick Sachs, PhD.

Sachs was a professor of physiology and biophysics who had been studying the medical benefits of venom. In the venom of the Chilean rose tarantula, he and his colleagues discovered a protein that held promise for keeping muscular dystrophy at bay. Specifically, the protein helped stop muscle cells from deteriorating.

Within months of getting in touch, Harvey and Sachs co-founded Tonus Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company devoted to developing the protein as a drug. Though the treatment has yet to be tested in humans, it has helped dystrophic mice gain strength in preliminary experiments.

The therapy is not a cure. But if it works in humans, it could extend the lives of children like JB for years — maybe even decades.

Success can’t come quickly enough.

JB, now four, can’t walk down the stairs alone. When he runs, he waddles. He receives physical therapy and takes steroids as a treatment. While playing tee ball one recent day, he confided to his grandfather, “When I grow up, I want to be a baseball player.”

It was a heartbreaking moment.

“Oh, I would be thrilled if you could be a baseball player,” Harvey remembers replying. He’s doing everything he can to make sure that JB — and other boys like him — can live out their dreams.

For the complete story and multimedia, visit http://www.buffalo.edu/home/feature_story/good-venom.html.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise Produces In-Depth Relocation Guide

July 16, 2012 by BNMCin Amenities, Attractions, Community, EnvironmentLeave a Comment

The Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE) has created an extensive “Where Life Works” Relocation Guide for individuals considering a move to the Buffalo-Niagara region. As growing and thriving organizations continue to create new career opportunities, attracting people from other states and countries to the area, this new resource gives the best and brightest an in-depth look at reasons to make this area the place they want to work in and call home. Features include Erie and Niagara counties, also highlighting Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. The guide was produced with grant support from BNE investors, National Grid, and NYSEG. A hard copy and online version is available.
The guide can be used as a tool for businesses investing in the region and can also be used by local organizations to recruit employees from outside the area. The comprehensive 65-page guide provides lists of education, health care, business organizations, in addition to listing the top employers. There is a list spotlighting cultural and entertainment events that have become staples within communities.

“As part of our mission to attract business and talent to Buffalo Niagara, we showcase neighborhoods to prospects, and often, their spouses,” said Tom Kucharski, President & CEO of the BNE. “What’s been missing in this effort is a comprehensive, one-stop guide that answers common questions individuals and families have when making the decision on where to live and work.”

It serves as a Canada traveling tip resource too. Suggestions for day trips and descriptions of the area’s cities, towns and villages are included.

“We’ve really covered the gamut when it comes to pointing out the benefits of living and working in Buffalo Niagara,” Kucharski added. “Sidebars throughout the guide paint a vivid portrait of our culturally rich and geographically diverse region.”

Placing the region as a highly competitive destination to raise a family, build and enhance a career, and experience various cultures, this guide offers the pitch necessary to help people fall in love with the area.

UB Medical School Names Dubocovich Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Cultural Enhancement

July 13, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

News Release

UB Medical School Names Dubocovich Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Cultural Enhancement

New post reflects UB medical school’s emphasis on attracting — and serving — culturally diverse populations

UB’s Dubocovich is the new senior associate dean for inclusion and cultural enhancement in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Contact

Ellen Goldbaum

goldbaum@buffalo.edu

716-645-4605
twitter @egoldbaum

Release Date: July 13, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, chair of the University at Buffalo’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has been named the inaugural senior associate dean for inclusion and cultural enhancement in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She will continue to serve as chair of the UB Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

In making the announcement, Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences at UB and dean of the medical school, said: “In addition to being an outstanding scientist in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery, Dr. Dubocovich has the expertise, administrative leadership and visionary skills needed to develop and implement through the new Office of Inclusion and Cultural Enhancement innovative programs that insure the school and the university are enriched through cultural enhancement.”

Cain explains that the new post was established in line with the school’s diversity policy, which seeks inclusion and cultural enhancement as a means toward achieving excellence for students and faculty, enriching the learning environment, strengthening the school’s ties to nearby communities and contributing in measurable ways to improving the health of the community.

“Diversity within medical school classes enhances the educational environment,” he said, “by helping students to break down stereotypes and racial biases and challenge assumptions; broadening students’ understanding of how language and culture affect medical care; teaching how embracing differences in race, ethnicity and other cultural experiences can enhance interactions between doctors, patients and their families; increasing students’ awareness of health and health care disparities in nearby populations; and increasing students’ interest in service to underserved communities and overall civic commitment.”

In 2008, Dubocovich was recruited to UB from Northwestern University, where she had founded and directed a highly successful professional development program for a diverse group of doctoral students in the biosciences.

In her first full year in Buffalo, she established a similar series of programs at UB, called Collaborative Learning and Integrated Mentoring in the Biosciences (CLIMB), which provides mentoring experiences for biosciences students at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels. The goal is to provide students from diverse populations the support they need to adapt and thrive in the biosciences, in college, graduate school and beyond.

This year, the program for graduate students, led by Dubocovich, was awarded a $1.9 million National Institutes of Health Initiative for Maximizing Student Development grant.

Cain said that the CLIMB programs complement the medical school’s other innovative Post-Baccalaureate Program and Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) initiatives.

Support for Bike Lanes Sought to Increase Safety for Riders

July 12, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO Bike Buffalo is helping to create a city where people of all ages can safely bike to work.
Through a push to create awareness of the need to establish safe streets for all users upon roadways, GO Bike is looking to increase safety on Buffalo’s streets through the Bicycle Lane Request Form. Unfortunately, most people choose not to ride their bicycles because they do not feel safe doing so. The initiative is a part of the Complete Streets campaign to promote health, safety, community, environmental sustainability, and quality of life for all, in every season.

GO Bike seeks to have parents in the City of Buffalo feel comfortable about allowing their children to bike to school and ensure fellow citizens have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation. By replacing drive-alone trips with alternative methods such as biking, individuals will not only improve their health, but the health of the environment and the health of the greater community will be improved as well.

Working with the City of Buffalo, Go Bike is looking to build safe and well-designed bicycle facilities throughout Buffalo. Join GO Bike by signing the Bicycle Lane Request Form in order for the demand and need for bike lane locations to be made known.

The goal is to reach 1,000 signatures by the end of July! For more information on how to increase safety on the streets for cyclists, visit the GO Bike Buffalo website, a GO Buffalo partner helping to increase alternative transportation options in Buffalo.

Help create a more bike-friendly city today!

UB Medical School Names Chair of Gynecology and Obstetrics

July 10, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

News Release

UB Medical School Names Chair of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Barnabei has conducted research on postmenopausal women through the Women’s Health Initiative and other federally funded studies

Dr. Barnabei will join UB’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on Oct. 1.

Download JPEG

Contact

Ellen Goldbaum

goldbaum@buffalo.edu

716-645-4605
twitter @egoldbaum

Release Date: July 10, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Vanessa M. Barnabei, MD, PhD, the Patrick and Margaret McMahon Endowed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, has been named the

new chair of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Barnabei (pronounced Barnaby), who also will serve as medical director of Women’s Health Services at Kaleida Health, will join UB on October 1.

The hiring of Barnabei brings to eight the number of new chairs recruited by Michael E. Cain, MD, UB vice president for health sciences and dean of the UB medical school, in the past four years. These national hires, Cain says, are a critical piece of his strategic vision for the medical school’s future.

According to Cain, Barnabei rapidly emerged as the top candidate following a comprehensive national search, possessing all the skills needed to advance the UB department and expand its basic and clinical research programs in service of UB’s 2020 strategic goals. Under Barnabei, Cain says, the department will enhance the excellence of its graduate medical education and mentored research training programs. She will help develop and align a comprehensive clinical program at Great Lakes Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the community.

Barnabei has been an investigator on some of the most important clinical trials examining the effects of hormone therapy on postmenopausal women, including the Women’s Health Initiative, the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) and the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions (PEPI) trial. Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and industry. Her early research focused on the genetics of the X chromosome as well as perinatal genetics.

Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barnabei also is a certified menopause clinician. She provides obstetrical care in the low-risk setting and manages the gynecological care of women of all ages, with expertise in the care of the midlife woman and vulvar disorders.

Barnabei has held leadership positions at both George Washington University and The Medical College of Wisconsin in areas of women’s health and menopause. In recent years, she has been involved in hospital- and community-based activities aimed at lowering the infant mortality rate in inner-city African American children.

A native of Vineland, New Jersey, Barnabei received her PhD in biology and her MD from the University of Virginia. She did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical Center in Chicago. She served as an assistant professor and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at George Washington University in Washington, DC. In 2010, Barnabei received the Outstanding Faculty Award from The Medical College of Wisconsin. She holds leadership positions in the North American Menopause Society and the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Buffalo CarShare Opens Up Transportation Options

July 3, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, Parking, TransportationLeave a Comment

Buffalo CarShare is making it easier to have access to reliable and convenient transportation without having to own a car. CarShare members have the option to choose from vehicles that best suit their needs and use them on an hourly basis. Whether at work or at home, if there is a CarShare hub nearby, members can easily reserve a car and use it to run errands.
For affordable monthly or yearly dues, members can use a CarShare vehicle located at 1 of the 10 hubs throughout the city. Members near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) can find 2 vehicles to choose from in the Washington Street parking lot near the BNMC/National Grid Model Energy Home. Hub locations are near many communities, colleges, and business districts. The options for memberships vary and can be extended to families and businesses, and there are even discounts for non-profit organizations. Flagged with the noticeable green leaf attached to a key ring logo, many of the cars can also be easily identified by the blue-colored paint.

It is very easy to reserve a CarShare vehicle which can be done 1 of 3 ways. Members can go to the Buffalo CarShare office located at 14 Allen Street, call 716.898.0850, or go online to reserve a vehicle. Once it is reserved, members go to a hub, use their personalized key fob to gain access to the car in order to drive it. The car has technology within it that tracks the time it is taken out, the time it is brought back, and the number of miles traveled. When done, all members have to do is park it back at the same hub they drove it from.

An opportunity to bring another transportation option that is less strenuous on the wallet and the environment to the Medical Campus and other locations has been created through grant funds received by Buffalo CarShare. In August, BikeShare will be introduced through a beta program which will be tested by 200 bike riders. In partnership with Go Bike Buffalo, CarShare will launch bike-sharing by offering the use of 75 new social bicycles, all equipped with GPS systems and locks operated by access codes.

The Department of Transportation and NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) granted funds a total of $284,000 in to Buffalo CarShare, BNMC, and GO Bike Buffalo.

“One thing that CarShare does and what BikeShare will do for the Medical Campus is to provide employees who take transit, carpool or use alternative modes to get to and from work easier,” said William Smith, who is working hard to enhance access to the BNMC. “Both help to create added-mobility options for things such as wp-contentointments, errands, meetings and lunches once employees are already at work.”

As a collective, Buffalo CarShare, the BNMC, Go Bike Buffalo, and other partners form GO Buffalo, an initiative to enhance and promote the transportation options in Buffalo. CarShare received $143, 000 to create the bike-share program. The BNMC is using the awarded $121,000 to create the Transportation Toolkit through GO BNMC and to incentivize use of transportation alternatives, and GO Bike Buffalo is using the $20,000 awarded to help create Complete Streets throughout the City of Buffalo.

To see the cost for your vehicle each day, month, and year, use the Car Cost Calculator to determine how much money you could be saving if you were to join Buffalo CarShare. For more information about the BikeShare program, contact Buffalo CarShare at info@buffalocarshare.org.

Higgins and Supporters Advocate for Creation of Western Gateway

June 25, 2012 by BNMCin Allentown, Amenities, Community, Construction, Homepage, NewsLeave a Comment

Congressman Brian Higgins expressed his support of the creation of a Western Gateway welcoming patients, visitors and employees of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) into the historic Allentown neighborhood. The City of Buffalo’s Mayor Byron Brown and the President of the Allentown Association, Ed Castine are in support of the project as well.
With a total of $6.8 million from the Federal Highway Administration and other resources, the Allentown Association and the City of Buffalo supports the enhancement of the urban experience at the intersection of Allen and Main Streets connecting the Allentown neighborhood and business district with the Medical Campus. The University at Buffalo’s (UB) School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will bring 1,200 new employees to the Medical Campus, this in addition to other planned developments will more than double the 2012 employee base of 8,500 to more than 17,500 by the year 2016. The City of Buffalo’s 2012-2013 Capital Budget has $100,000 designated for design work for improvements on Allen Street. Nearly $2 million will be needed for the conversion of Kevin’s Walk to the public right-of-way with enhanced amenities for pedestrians from Washington Street to North Oak Street. The remaining funds will be used for additional infrastructure development moving from Main Street westward along Allen Street.

Higgins encouraged partners who will make the gateway possible to move forward with zeal and urgency since the funds designated for the Allen Street Extension have been redirected. “The rapid growth of the Medical Campus brings exciting new opportunities for Buffalo and Western New York. We must act urgently to harness the good things hwp-contentening here. There is great potential for local business and job growth as well as quality of life enhancements” stated Higgins. “Improvements to the western gateway would tap into that potential and significantly benefit the Allentown community.”

Emphasizing the desire to spread the fruit of the economic development taking place on the BNMC, the campus’s President and CEO, Matt Enstice, stated that “This project will facilitate that and reassert the importance of sustainability – both in supporting the built environment that already exists and leveraging new investment to create a modern, walkable environment unlike anything Buffalo has seen in this post-industrial era.”

The streetscape and infrastructure improvements will help to further connect businesses, restaurants, and residents in the Allentown neighborhood with the large population of patients, visitors, employees who travel to the BNMC daily. This development will bring new life and economic activity to the already lively Allentown neighborhood. The Western Gateway will serve as a welcoming presence to the historic neighborhood and compliment the significant opportunity the relocation of UB’s Medical School represents for the Allentown neighborhood, the Medical Campus, the City of Buffalo and the Western New York region.

RPCI Launches New Applications

June 25, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) launched its new digital edition of Roswellness, a consumer magazine dedicated to sharing advancements in cancer research and care. The magazine’s first digital issue, “Redefining Survivorship” is available to all iPad users. The free digital issues can be downloaded from the Apple Store. Users can go to library and click on the cover graphics to launch the interactive publication. The RPCI mobile website for smartphones will be up and running on June 25th.
“Taking advantage of new technology tools is attractive because they enable significant cost savings, along with broader reach, thus enhancing our ability to share information,” said Roswell Park President and CEO Donald L. Trump, MD. “These web- and wp-contentlication-based tools are interactive and more engaging than conventional print communications, and they give us even better ways to tell our story, share with the reader what we do and recommend to them resource links they should know about.”

RPCI is one of the first healthcare organizations to create an interactive digital publication. Roswellness has been created using the same technology major publications like Time and Sports Illustrated use to craft their digital editions.

“Going digital with the magazine allowed us to create a fuller, more dynamic user experience,” said Julie Wesolowski, Roswellness editor, who will be demonstrating the publication in the Survivorship Tent at The Ride For Roswell June 22nd–23rd at the University at Buffalo. “We incorporated lots of interactive elements into this first digital edition — an animated cover design, slide shows, video, maps and social media feeds. With all those elements at our disposal, we were able to include incredible resources for Ride For Roswell participants and volunteers.”

“Our trending over the years has shown an increase in our customers moving to our web-based wp-contentlications, and now we’re seeing more than 10,000 users a month accessing RoswellPark.org from mobile phones,” says Laurel DiBrog, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Public Affairs, “so our goal will be to continue to enable users to get all the functionality of our main site — information and navigational tools for our patients and our other audiences, job listings and wp-contentlication forms, clinical trials — in a format that’s more convenient and easier to read from those devices.”

Four Neighborhoods, One Community Receives Planning Award from American Planning Association

June 19, 2012 by BNMCin Allentown, Community, Event, Fruit Belt, Homepage, Networking, News, OutreachLeave a Comment

Four Neighborhoods, One Community was selected to receive the Outstanding Planning Award for Comprehensive Planning from the Western New York Section of the American Planning Association. Recognizing the planning efforts designed to create a collaborative partnership between City of Buffalo and the Fruit Belt, Downtown, and Allentown neighborhoods, the initiative integrates the shared vision of community leaders, residents, and business owners within the surrounding neighborhoods with the planning that takes place throughout the campus. These collaborative efforts are paving the way for the use of this initiative as a best-practice model as it continues to gain recognition.
“the Medical Campus is blessed to be surrounded by neighborhoods that are collaborative and active in shaping their future,” said Michael Ball, the Director of Planning and Implementation for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. “Four Neighborhoods, One Community will position Buffalo as a national model for how the Medical Campus as an urban campus and economic development engine can effectively develop and grow in conjunction with surrounding neighborhoods for the benefit of the greater community.”

Over 100 residents, business owners, employees, and community members gathered to discuss the changes they would like to see in their neighborhoods. As a strategic plan, Four Neighborhoods, One Community focuses on engagement that is designed to further integrate Medical Campus-wide planning efforts as well as those of the individual BNMC institutions with those occurring in the surrounding community.

It is the desire of all stakeholders involved that this initiative continues to produce tangible results as the dialogue moves forward identifying, addressing, resolving the issues that stifle economic development, neighborhood sustainability, and the improved health for all individuals that have connection to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and are in one of the near-by neighborhoods.

The outcome-goals manifesting from the planning include workforce development, streetscape improvements, increased transportation options, environmental sustainability changes, and policy improvements to help create healthy communities. The purpose of this initiative is not to keep growth within the Medical Campus, but to combine and improve resources in order that community goals might align with institutional goals to enhance the overall attractiveness of the City of Buffalo.

Architecture Firms Design State of the Art Buildings for BNMC Member Institutions

June 14, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Construction, Homepage, Member Institution(s), News, RenovationsLeave a Comment

After much anticipation about where the new University at Buffalo‘s (UB) School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences would be and the firm that would design it, it is evident that the new buildings being built on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) are setting the standard for creative submissions by many globally competitive design firms to design innovative facilities within the Buffalo-Niagara region.
UB’s announcement to have HOK design its $375 million medical school came after holding a second-round architectural ideas competition to decide which firm could present the best creative design for the project. Although the actual design has yet to be revealed, what can be said is that the plan will go down in the books as one of Buffalo’s most sustainable structures to be built. The HOK planning goal is to aim for a LEED Gold certification for the facility.

The medical school will be located on the corner of Main and High Streets and will either incorporate the NFTA Metro Rail Station into the design or be built alongside it. The groundbreaking is set to take place in the fall of 2013 with the goal of completing construction by 2016. The facility will bring 1,200 students, faculty and staff to the BNMC.

HOK model that won the architectural competition to design the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Continue reading “Architecture Firms Design State of the Art Buildings for BNMC Member Institutions”

Ride for Roswell Raises $3.7 Million

June 11, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, WellnessLeave a Comment

In its 17th year, the 2012 Ride for Roswell annual fundraiser held on June 23rd raised $3.7 million, which is $500,000 more than the amount raised for 2011’s Ride. The event which began at the University at Buffalo’s North Campus had over 10,000 supporters. With more than 8,000 cyclists who took one of the ten route options, participants had a great time at the event. Pictures from The Ride show a range of cyclists showing their support.
Over time, millions of dollars have been raised to support cancer research and patient care at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). This year’s funds will support 25 lifesaving cancer research studies and 30 patient care programs, bringing RPCI closer to its goal to fully fund a new building that will house a new breast center and chemotherapy clinic.

For the first time, an opening ceremony kicked off the event on June 22nd. The opening ceremony honored and celebrated cancer patients, survivors and those who have lost a battle with cancer. The event featured remarks by cancer research advocate and former Buffalo Bills linebacker Chris Spielman and a live concert by Grammy winner Rick Springfield.

High School Students Participate in Apprenticeship Program Through Hauptman-Woodward Institute

June 5, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Outreach, ResearchLeave a Comment

The Hauptman-Woodward Institute (HWI) offers the opportunity for high school students to gain a tremendous experience researching evolution and bioinformatics through the High School Apprenticeship Program. The program is led by Dr. William L. Duax, HWI’s H.A. Hauptman Distinguished Scientist. Dr. Duax is also a biology professor at the University at Buffalo, with a highly extensive research background, especially involving genetic coding. Spinning off of a City Honors School program in place since 2006 that was created to introduce students to medical research, Dr. Duax’s Apprentice Program reached an enrollment peak as 30 students from various schools in Buffalo took a course learning how to use state-of-the-art computer programs heavily used for biological analysis, as well as unique programs developed at HWI.
Since 2006, Dr. Duax has had students spend a great deal of time in his lab, developing their research skills as they unlocked the intricacies of molecular biology through experiments. Not only did the students get to identify research goals and perform the research, they also have been given the opportunity to present their findings at science research fairs. The students can be qualified to be coauthors of abstracts published in national and international leading scientific journals. Many of Dr. Duax’s students have attained scholarships and have gone on to choose career paths involving medical research.

Three levels of participation are available to the students who have gone through the wp-contentlication process, afterward being accepted:

-Students at City Honors Schools can attend the program all day every Friday throughout the school year.

-Students from any Buffalo area school can attend the program one or two afternoons after school throughout the school year

-Students can choose the summer internship option which takes place 5 days a week for up to 12 weeks.

Students from 15 schools in Buffalo worked on projects last summer analyzing proteins. As the program grows in its popularity, the need to accommodate the demand continues to increase. Dr. Duax opened the program to an 8th grader last year, and this year he is expected to have 3 more middle school students participate. The efforts to expose students to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields continues to excite interest in students at an early age, increasing their opportunities to become the next generation of doctors and researchers that help advance the medical industry. Applicants are interviewed, given a tour of HWI research facilities, and receive an overview of the goals of the research project, and learn how they will help reach those goals.

Because of the number of wp-contentlicants into the summer program, more than 40 students are expected to participate with the help of donated computers and printers for the summer of 2012 group. As the students learn to wp-contently the learned research skills, present complex research in layman terms to various audiences, and continue to explore ways to break down the genome structure, they also get the opportunity to work in the midst of a cutting-edge Medical Campus full of experts, entrepreneurs, and researchers with a world of knowledge. To-date, there has not been one student who has been turned away from the program. Although increased demand and limited computer resources may change the acceptance standards, the support of donors could change the number of students the program services dramatically. For more information on how to donate resources to enable the program to increase or to find out more about the program, please contact Dr. Duax at 716.898.8616 or duax@hwi.buffalo.edu.

Canvassing in the BNMC Surrounding Neighborhoods

June 4, 2012 by BNMCin Allentown, Community, Fruit Belt, Healthy Communities, Homepage, TransportationLeave a Comment

Canvassing is taking place in the Allentown, Fruit Belt, Linwood and downtown Buffalo neighborhoods because of each community’s proximity to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The canvassing will conclude October 2012. Go Buffalo-a partnership between the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Buffalo CarShare, and GO Bike Buffalo- is looking to learn how residents are getting around.
Five canvassers have been recruited to help spread the word about how residents can use alternative modes of transportation that are environmentally friendly and healthy. The different transportation options include biking, walking, public transit and car sharing.

In addition to sharing more sustainable ways to commute, the canvassers will share information about how local residents can find out about job openings and job training opportunities for future positions on the campus.

GO Buffalo will have a table at the Allen West Festival June 9-10, the Juneteenth Festival June 16-17, and the Fruit Belt Coalition’s National Night Out August 7.

For more information or if you would like to become a GO Buffalo Champion (a leader in sustainable transportation) please call Holly Hutchinson, Street Team Leader, at 716.566.2314.

Check out testimonials from people who cycle, use Buffalo CarShare, or walk to various destinations.

Buffalo Green Code Open House Meetings

May 31, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Construction, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

Buffalo Green Code open house meetings for the community will take place June 4 until June 9. Through the City of Buffalo’s new zoning ordinance, a land use plan that was created last year will be improved upon as specific and detailed laws will govern development that takes place throughout the city.
The open house meetings will offer community members the opportunity to learn more about how the zoning ordinance will work and benefit their neighborhoods. There will also be Youth and Family Sessions. The BNMC and Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) partners have organized and will lead the family sessions at the meetings. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Buffalo will help kids and parents provide input into the process and fully understand the zoning initiative.

HKHC Blog.

Visit the Buffalo G reen Code website for more information.

Community	Date	Time	Location	Address
West	Mon, 6/4	6-8:30 pm	Lafayette HS	370 Lafayette Ave.
Northwest	Tue, 6/5	6-8:30 pm	Riverside HS	51 Ontario St
South	Tue, 6/5	6-8:30 pm	South Park HS	150 Southside Pkwy.
Ellicott	Wed, 6/6	6-8:30 pm	Montessori School #32	342 Clinton St.
Northeast	Wed, 6/6	6-8:30 pm	Bennett HS	2885 Main St.
North	Thurs, 6/7	6-8:30 pm	North Park Academy	780 Parkside Ave.
Central Morning	Fri, 6/8	8-10:30 am	Central Library	1 Lafayette Square
Central Afternoon	Fri, 6/8	Noon-2:30pm	Central Library	1 Lafayette Square
E. Delavan-Masten	Sat, 6/9	9-11:30am	East HS	820 Northampton St.
East	Sat, 6/9	1-3:30pm	Matt Urban Center	1081 Broadway Pkwy.

Roswell Chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology to Speak at BUILD of Buffalo Convention

May 31, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Event, Healthy CommunitiesLeave a Comment

Dr. Kunle Odunsi will give the opening address at the BUILD (Build Unity, Independence, Liberty & Dignity) of Buffalo Convention. The convention will take place June 1-2. The theme for the event is “Closing the Gap: Healthcare is a Civil Right…Not a Privilege” which will explore access to health care, employment, education, economic development. He is the Chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Director of the Center for Immunotherapy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Dr. Odunisi earned his medical degree from the University of Ife in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He completed his postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. After completing a research fellowship in molecular oncology, he earned a doctoral degree at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories overseas from the University of Oxford. He also completed a residency at the Yale University School of Medicine, and a clinical fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Roswell.

BUILD of Buffalo’s two-day event will mark its 18th annual convention. The address will take place at 9 a.m. Friday, June 1, at the Friends Inc. Center located at 118 East Utica Street. Dr. Odunsi will discuss his path toward a career as a physician and researcher working to develop vaccine therapies to treat cancer, and give perspectives on how to close the gap on healthcare disparities.

Having partnered with Roswell before to promote health and improve the quality of life for the region’s residents, BUILD now looks to tackle another joint initiative that supports responsible tobacco retailing by limiting the advertising of tobacco products in delis and convenience stores. BUILD has also partnered with Roswell Park’s Office of Cancer Health Disparities Research to bring awareness of cancer screening and treatment programs to the minority community.

Additional 2-day event speakers:

LaVonne Ansari, PhD, of the Community Health Center of Buffalo

Rev. George Franklin Nicholas of Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church

Charley H. Fisher III, BUILD President.

For more information and to register, call 716-650-8889.

Registration (breakfast included): $20 for individual attendees, $50 for families (up to five people) and $100 for groups of six or more.

BNMC Becomes a Tobacco-Free Zone

May 31, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Healthy Communities, News, WellnessLeave a Comment

As the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus continues to promote healthy lifestyles and sustainable environments, on July 4 the Medical Campus will officially be declared a tobacco-free zone across its 120 acre footprint which spans from Goodell Street to North Street and east-west from Michigan Avenue to Main Street. The tobacco-free adoption wp-contentlies to all of the BNMC’s employees, visitors, patients, vendors, contractors and will not be permitted on any of the BNMC properties.
Many of the member institutions such as the Buffalo Medical Group, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the University at Buffalo have already declared that their sites are tobacco-free zones. Working with the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, BNMC created a tobacco-free plan that included data from campus employees about their receptiveness for creating a tobacco-free campus. There was a great deal of support from many of the employees who took the survey since a major reason mentioned for choosing to work at one of the medical and research institutions was to help create healthier environments.

This adoption will affect more than 1 million patients and visitors, as well as the 12,000 employees and students. Secondhand smoke is a dangerous contributor to tobacco-related health issues. Residents that live near the BNMC will be influenced by this change as well, ceasing the litter that builds up on neighboring properties. To continue to show dedication to becoming a good neighbor promoting healthy communities, a detailed implementation strategy will be established in order to promote and enforce the initiative.

For information about tobacco cessation resources, please visit the NYS Department of Health Tobacco Control Program and the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition websites.

Read coverage about the adoption below:

City Hall Looks to Broaden New Tobacco Ban on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is Now Smoke Free

Medical Corridor Snuffs Out Smoking

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Going Tobacco-free

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to Ban Smoking

Medical Campus Wants to Expand Smoking Ban

Smoking Banned at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Reduce the Risk Factors as You Walk on Wednesdays

May 22, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, WellnessLeave a Comment

Did you know that walking can help prevent many chronic and cardiovascular diseases? On the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus we are encouraging healthy lifestyles through our Healthy Communities, Wellness, and Transportation initiatives, all created with the goal of improving your quality of life in mind.

Begin your commitment to maintain a healthy lifestyle right where you live and/or work. Walking for 30-40 minutes each day can ultimately have a positive affect on your life expectancy. Join the Walking on Wednesdays group as they meet at Roswell Park Cancer Institute‘s Kaminski Park every Wednesday starting May 23 until September 26 from 12:10 – 12:50 p.m. Every week, there will be a different route and giveaways as the walks take place in rain or shine.

Need more motivation to begin walking while on the BNMC or walking in general? Check out all of the great benefits of walking every day as you add Walking on Wednesdays into your daily activity routines. Walking can:

Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
Lower your blood pressure
Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
Manage your weight
Improve your mood
Help you stay strong and fit
Burn up at least 100 calories of energy if you walk one mile (1.6km). Walking two miles (3.2km) a day, three times a week, can help reduce weight by one pound (0.5kg) every three weeks.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are also often risk factors for other chronic diseases. Many risk factors are related.
Reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases associated with physical inactivity. Risks for cardiovascular disease associated with physical inactivity are similar to that of cigarette smoking.

For more information on how walking can increase your health, take a short 10 minute break to watch the video below by the University of Toronto’s Dr. Mike Evans, who is a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health for the university.

Last Beakers 'n Beer Event on the Spring Schedule Tonight

May 22, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Event, NetworkingLeave a Comment

Beakers ‘n Beer

This event is on 22 May 2012 5:00pm at Ulrichs Tavern

BNMC employees and members of the community, join us as we have a great time tonight at Beakers ‘n Beer. This evening’s event will also be the last networking event on the spring schedule! Come and celebrate 10 years of Beakers ‘n Beer with us at Ulrich’s! You’ll have the opportunity to network with fellow professionals and enjoy free food and drinks!

It’s not too late to RSVP. E-mail RSVP@bnmc-old.local. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Transformation of the New BNMC Employee Multi-Modal Transportation Structure on High Street

May 18, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Construction, Homepage, Parking, RenovationsLeave a Comment

The new BNMC Multi-Module Transportation Structure located at 134 High Street contains more than two thousand parking spaces. The first five levels are currently open and it has more and more cars stationed in it every day. When fully open next month at nine levels, employees are sure to find a safe place to park their vehicle away from the extreme elements of the scorching sun and heavy snow. The structure was built as a partnership between the University at Buffalo, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the BNMC to meet demand created by the new developments on the campus.
Managed by BNMC Parking, LLC, the facility offers the safety of pass-only access. There are different ways to pay for employees. To fill out the wp-contentlication and learn about the different options, download the wp-contentlication.

Features include:

An enclosed waiting area on the first level coming out of the High Street entrance. The enclosed space is near the shuttle stop which takes passengers anywhere on the Medical Campus.
LED lighting for clear illumination of pathways throughout the entire structure.
A windshield cleaning station on the first level.
10 Electric Vehicle charging stations on the first level.
Soon-to-be-installed bike racks on the first level.
Emergency blue-light call stations on each floor.
Security cameras on each level.
Soon-to-be-installed solar trees on the top 9th level.

Take a look at the construction transformation that took place over the past several months.

Laying the foundation.

It’s up, standing strong and tall.

Now it’s time for the accessories.

Networking and Investor Support for Early-Stage Companies

May 8, 2012 by BNMCin Entrepreneurs, Investment Opportunities, Life Sciences CompaniesLeave a Comment

Early-stage, high-tech companies had the opportunity to network with angel investors and venture capitalists, along with other business professionals who can offer resources and advice on how to take their companies to the next level at the 2012 Venture Forum presented by a SmartStart/UNYTECH and Bright Buffalo Niagara partnership. Angel investors are enthusiastically encouraging emerging businesses on the cusp of industry advancements. Because many early-stage companies are high-risk, gaining the financial capital necessary to compete and grow is not always an easy task to accomplish.

As angel investors and venture capitalists invest their money, time, and talents in companies that have the most potential to succeed and grow, entrepreneurs can take comfort in knowing that there are people who believe in the business they have started and where it can ultimately go. With high-return-on-investment expectations, investors had the opportunity to see 32 unique presentations that introduced them to great business opportunities that can help enhance their portfolios.

With a keynote address from Victor Thorne, the director of the Ohio TechAngel Funds entitled “Building an Innovation-based Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” start-ups and angel investors received insight about how the Ohio TechAngels work.

Presentations included multiple 10-minute pitches, and 1-minute pitches as well, highlighting each company’s specialty, market research, potential for growth, and investment opportunities. Awards were give to the companies with the most potential to be funded, for the best presentation, and for the most promising technology. Overall, it was a great turnout.

For more information about investment resources in the region, visit Western New York Venture Association.

Roswell Park Graduate Student Earns Research Scholar Award from Nicolay Foundation

May 7, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s)Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 7, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

Roswell Park Graduate Student Earns Research Scholar Award from Nicolay Foundation

BUFFALO, NY — Maryann Mikucki, a pre-doctoral trainee in the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), has received a Research Scholar Award from the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation (JMNMF). As part of the JMNMF’s ongoing support for promising graduate students at major academic cancer centers, the competitive award includes a $10,000 grant toward Mikucki’s research on melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Mikucki is working toward a joint MD/PhD degree from the University at Buffalo (UB) and the Roswell Park Graduate Division of UB. One of nine graduate students to receive the awards this year, she works under the direction of Sharon S. Evans, PhD, whose internationally recognized laboratory investigates checkpoints controlling mobilization of blood-borne T cells to tissues during immune responses.

“The work I’ll be performing with the Nicolay grant aims to understand the mechanism by which tumor cells interfere with delivery of toxic T cells to melanoma tumor tissues, allowing them to evade destruction,” noted Mikucki, a native of Danbury, CT, who now lives in Amherst, NY. “These proof-of-concept studies are expected to uncover a novel mechanism of melanoma resistance to T cell-based immunotherapy and also lay the foundations for translational research.”

“Our Foundation’s Research Scholar Awards are invaluable at the grassroots level, to specifically grow interest in melanoma research at qualified cancer centers across the country,” said Robert E. Nicolay, JMNMF Chairman. “If we can attract the brightest minds that are considering, or already within, the nation’s cancer research pipelines, to pursue a career in melanoma research, we’re that much closer to better understanding the disease, identifying the means for effective treatments and, most importantly, finding a cure for this deadly and very prevalent disease.”

The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation is a nonprofit public charity founded in January 2004 to foster melanoma education, advocacy and research. In just eight years, the Foundation has grown dramatically to become an influential voice in the melanoma community and is now established as a national, and international, “voice for melanoma prevention, detection, care and cure.”

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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Editor’s note: Photo caption, from left: Kelvin Lee, MD, Chair of the Department of Immunology, Sharon Evans, PhD, research mentor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Immunology, Nicolay Award winner Maryann Mikucki and Richard Hershberger, PhD, MBA, Chief Academic Officer.

A Healthier Way to Travel

May 3, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, News, TransportationLeave a Comment

National Bike Month May 2012

In an effort to promote and support commuting by bicycles, the League of American Bicyclists brings this month-long biking initiative to communities in states across the country with the support of SealLine as a sponsor. Just like with any group of people who share common interests, cyclists can take this nationally recognized month to build more of a community by organizing events that encourage biking to work and other destinations. Coming off of the heels of the Complete Streets Summit, cyclists can join together to emphasize the importance of streets that are safe for bike travel.

Bike to Work Week is May 14 – May 18. Bike to Work Day is that Friday, May 18.

GO Bike Buffalo and other sponsors will offer tune-ups for riders prior to the week of biking to work as well as Bicycle Breakfasts to greet riders on their way to work and a Bike Away from Work Hwp-contenty Hour amongst other events to support the riders below:

Friday, May 11 – Tune-up Night at GO Bike Community Workshop

From 7 – 10 p.m. GO Bike Buffalo staff will be assisting bicyclists, checking bikes and providing light tune-ups for riders getting ready for Bike to Work Week at the GO Bike Community Workshop, located at 98 Colvin Avenue (at the corner of Linden). The shop—which is normally only open to GO Bike members—will be open to the public for this event.

Saturday, May 12 – Commuter Workshop

From 1 – 4 p.m. GO Bike Buffalo staff will be hosting a workshop introducing people to commuting by bicycle. Topics include equipment and maintenance, cycling law and cyclists’ rights, wardrobe choices and roadside repair. In addition, workshop attendees will receive a commuter tool kit. This kit contains commuting essentials including but not limited to a helmet, patch kit, light set, adjustable wrench and bell.

For less than the cost of a tank of gas, our knowledgeable staff will put you on the path towards occupying your proper place in the street. Contact our shop manager-stacy@greenoptionsbuffalo.org.

Bicycle Breakfasts

Local businesses are helping motivate bicyclists to bike to work by hosting Bicycle Breakfasts at the start and end of Bike to Work Week. Come enjoy refreshments while you meet and greet fellow bicyclists on your way to work.

Monday, May 14

From 8 – 10 a.m. Sweetness 7 Café is providing a free cup of coffee and discount breakfast specials at both of their locations— Grant Street & Lafayette Avenue on the West Side and Parkside Avenue & Russell Street across from the Buffalo Zoo.

Friday, May 18

From 7 – 10 a.m. Café Taza will provide a free cup of coffee to bicycle riders with a special treat for early-birds provided by Five Points Bakery.

Friday, May 18

From 8:30 – 10 a.m. Employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus who bike to work are encouraged to come by the lobby of the Innovation Center to enjoy bagels, coffee and fruit, meet some of the GO Bike Buffalo staff and learn more about what they do.

Don’t forget to inquire about Bicycle Benefits discounts for bicyclists at all three locations!

Bike Away from Work Hwp-contenty Hour

Finish off the excitement of Bike to Work Week at Cantina Loco on the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Allen Street from 5 – 8 p.m. Bike valet will be provided and all bicyclists receive discounts on food and drinks.

GO Bike Launch Party

The organization has grown and changed yet again, so come celebrate the launch of our newest incarnation—GO Bike Buffalo. $20 gets you a discounted membership and admission to this exciting event with live music, DJs, bike fun and $1 drafts of Rusty Chain beer all night. Current members of Green Options Buffalo/GO Bike get in for FREE! This event takes place at the Essex Street Art Complex (Big Orbit Art Gallery) starting at 7 p.m.

Join GO Bike Buffalo!

GO Bike memberships support efforts to assist employees and clients who bicycle—however often they ride. This includes educational programs, community bicycle workshop, policies to promote bicycling and the addition of bike lanes and bike parking throughout the city. You will be helping to make Buffalo a more bicycle-friendly community.

GO Bike Buffalo works to create healthy, environmentally sustainable, community-friendly transportation in the greater Buffalo region. Through advocacy, infrastructure improvements and community programs, GO Bike strives to enhance Buffalo’s quality of life by making positive impacts in our environment, economy, community and personal health.

As the BNMC looks to create models for healthy communities on the Medical Campus and throughout the city and region, through alternative transportation initiatives the BNMC will continue to offer more ways to commute to work in healthier and more sustainable ways.

DoubleTree Club by Hilton Makes Renovations, Enhancing the Guest Experience

May 3, 2012 by BNMCin Amenities, RenovationsLeave a Comment

The DoubleTree Club by Hilton looks to enhance the overall guest experience by renovating space within the hotel.
Guestrooms and corridors have been renovated, and they are in the process of installing WiFi in all of the 100 guestrooms. The rooms include plush beds with comfortable decor to meet the needs of those who wish to spend their time in a comfortable and flexible setting.

Promoting healthy lifestyles, DoubleTree is now a 100% smoke-free hotel. Connected to both Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Buffalo General Medical Center via an indoor walkway, patient family members, visitors in the area on business and from the community can enjoy easy access to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Member Institutions and amenities in downtown Buffalo.

With event space that hosts many of the Beakers ‘n Beer social events, DoubleTree is one of the many amenities on the Medical Campus that offers comfort and the opportunity to enjoy the City of Buffalo. For more information about reservations, accommodations, dining, and other services offered by DoubleTree, click here.

32nd Annual JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge

April 30, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Homepage, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

Employees from various organizations will run and walk the 3.5-mile course in WNY’s largest annual race which will be held this year on Thursday, June 7, with the traditional 6:45 p.m. start at Delaware Park. In its 32nd year, the Buffalo JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge has averaged 12,000 registrants from nearly 400 companies. Teams are being put together and projected finish times are being thrown into the pool. With Kaleida‘s Spring into Fitness 5K orchestrated by the Kaleida Health Foundation and other races like it kicking off the spring push to encourage employees and the community to improve their health by promoting physical activity, the Corporate Challenge is bound to offer a healthy and fun time for those who attend.

After the race, participants will retreat to their company tents and enjoy the customary meal offered as they eat, drink and be merry. The JPMorgan Chase Foundation will make a donation on behalf of all participants to the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo.

A new feature, a timing chip, will allow for times to be recorded based on when runners cross the start and finish lines. No more collecting and entering finish times after the race. Participants will have to go online to confirm their scoring teams.

Entry Fee: $32 until close-date Thursday, May 24, 2012.

REGISTER HERE