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All in One Day: Three Awards for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

September 20, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) received three honors on the same day this week: the BNMC was named 2012 Outstanding Research/Science Park by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP); its Four Neighborhoods, One Community: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Master Plan Update has been awarded the 2012 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning by the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (NYUAPA); and the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center, owned and operated by the BNMC, Inc., received the Innovative Design Award by international trade organization Global Workspace Association.

2012 Outstanding Research/Science Park Award by Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

Patrick J. Whalen, Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., was on hand to accept the award at AURP’s annual conference in Madison, WI.

“The Association of University Research Parks is pleased to announce the 2012 Awards of Excellence recipients and has named the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus the 2012 Outstanding Research Park,” said AURP President Kevin Byrne. “BNMC is a world-class medical campus that has created a strong community of innovation in Buffalo and throughout the region. We congratulate them for their outstanding achievements.”

AURP is a professional association of university related research and science parks. The association’s mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. More online at www.aurp.net.

Previous parks honored as Outstanding Research/Science Park of the Year include the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center; Innovation Place (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada); Sandia Science & Technology Park (Albuquerque, NM); and Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University.

RPCI Scientists Publish Findings About Novel Anticancer Agent

September 20, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

RPCI Scientists Publish Findings About Novel Anticancer Agent
Camptothecin analog FL118 shown to inhibit production of key cancer survival genes

BUFFALO — Some 500,000 people die of cancer in the United States each year, often because their cancers have become resistant to wp-contentroved therapies. Scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) have made headway in the effort to overcome resistance to treatment, publishing findings about a novel cancer drug that has been shown to inhibit several genes associated with the ability of cancer cells to survive and reproduce.

A team led by Fengzhi Li, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology in RPCI’s Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, assessed the antitumor effects of FL118, a camptothecin analog that is structurally similar to irinotecan and topotecan, in preclinical studies.

The ability of cancers to resist treatment with chemotherapy or radiation is rooted in the tendency of tumor cells to overproduce key genes that enable cancer cells to survive, such as survivin, Mcl-1, XIAP and cIAP2. Dr. Li and his colleagues found that FL118 inhibits expression of these genes in cancer cells and ultimately causes those tumor cells to die.

They also found that cancer cells die in the presence of FL118 even when the cells contained no p53, a key tumor-suppressing gene product. Because this protein is functionally eliminated in many cancers, it is important that cancer cells are sensitive to FL118 regardless of their p53 function. Preclinical studies showed a complete loss of detectable tumor mass in animal models following treatment with FL118, even for tumors that did not express “wild-type” p53 — a level of efficacy rarely seen with standard cancer therapies.

Importantly, FL118 was equally effective against tumor cells that are not normally considered to be resistant to therapy, and showed no wp-contentarent toxicity at these therapeutic levels.

“Our studies show that FL118 may become a superior option for effective control of both early and late-stage cancer, with or without metastasis,” said Dr. Li. “We still need to identify the exact biochemical targets as well as the pharmacokinetic and toxicological profile for FL118 before it goes into clinical studies, but we are encouraged by the implications of these compelling preclinical findings.”

The paper, “A Novel Small Molecule FL118 That Selectively Inhibits Survivin, Mcl-1, XIAP and cIAP2 in a p53-Independent Manner, Shows Superior Antitumor Activity,” published September 19 in PLOS ONE, is available at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045571.

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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Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Receives Three Honors in One Day by Different International & State-Wide Organizations

September 20, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, NewsLeave a Comment

For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 20, 2012

For more information:
Contact Kari Bonaro
kbonaro@bnmc-old.local, 716-218-7157

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Receives Three Honors in One Day by Different International & State-Wide Organizations

Received Outstanding Research/Science Park, Planning Excellence, and Innovative Workspace Awards

(BUFFALO, NY) – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus received three honors on the same day this week: the BNMC was named 2012 Outstanding Research/Science Park by the Association of University Research Parks; its Four Neighborhoods, One Community: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Master Plan Update has been awarded the 2012 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning by the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (NYUAPA); and the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center, owned & operated by the BNMC, Inc., received the Innovative Design Award by international trade organization Global Workspace Association.

2012 Outstanding Research/ Science Park Award by Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

Patrick J. Whalen, Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., was on hand to accept the award at AURP’s annual conference in Madison, WI. The BNMC has submitted a proposal to host the group’s 2014 meeting here in Buffalo.

The Association of University Research Parks is a professional association of university related research and science parks. AURP’s mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. More online at www.aurp.net.

2012 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning from the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association

In addition, the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (NYUAPA) announced that the Four Neighborhoods, One Community: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Master Plan Update has been awarded the 2012 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning. The 2012 NYUAPA Awards recognize outstanding work that is being done by planners and planning firms in Upstate New York. Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning recognizes plans that advance the science and art of planning.

2012 Innovative Design Award by the Global Workspace Association

About the BNMC

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is dedicated to the cultivation of a world-class medical campus for clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship on 120 acres in downtown Buffalo. It is home to the region’s top clinical, research, and medical education institutions, including: the University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Olmsted Center for Sight, Kaleida Health, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo Medical Group, Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, Unyts, and the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. There are over 40 public and private companies on the BNMC. More than 12,000 people come to work at the Medical Campus every day, and BNMC institutions see over one million patients and visitors annually. The Campus has an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion on the region. The Medical Campus consists of more than 6 million square feet of research, clinical, and support space. bnmc-old.local

About the BNMC, Inc.

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RIA Takes the Challenge on Reducing College Student Substance Use

September 20, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Member Institution(s), News, Research, WellnessLeave a Comment

For release: September 20, 2012Contact: Sara R. Saldi, saldi@buffalo.edu
University at Buffalo
716-645-4593

RIA Takes the Challenge on Reducing College Student Substance Use

BUFFALO, N.Y. — No longer considered an innocent rite of passage, binge drinking among college students contributes to wp-contentroximately 1,800 deaths and nearly 600,000 injuries each year.

And that’s just alcohol.

The University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), an internationally recognized leader on the subject of substance use and abuse since 1970, is tackling this problem head on.

This fall RIA will offer a three-pronged wp-contentroach to educating students, health care and mental health workers, and college administrators about the dangers, new trends and treatments for reducing substance use and excessive drinking in college kids.

RIA Director, Kenneth Leonard, PhD “Despite strong efforts, excessive alcohol and substance use among college students have not substantially diminished in the past decade. While many colleges have educational programs or referral services, many college administrators are not aware of or have not implemented services that have been shown to be the most effective.

“Therefore, there is a pressing need for a more active and ongoing dialogue among researchers, practitioners and administrators regarding the current state of knowledge about college student drinking and substance use—a dialog that will also benefit parents and their children in college.”

A photo of Leonard is available at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13681.

First, the RIA is releasing the fifth in its series of expert summaries, “RIA Reaching Others: College Student Drinking,” a fact sheet describing the dangers of college student drinking, especially binge drinking—the scope of the problem, specific points for parents and the value of prevention.

The fact sheet is available at: http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/ExpertSummaries/ES5.html.

Second, as part of RIA’s Fall 2012 Seminar Series, Mark Wood, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and an expert on substance use among college students, will speak on “Individual and Environmental Preventive Intervention to Reduce Collegiate Alcohol Abuse: A Full-Cycle Approach.”

His presentation will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 26 in Room 132 of the RIA building, 1021 Main St. on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. It will be free and open to the public.

For more information on the Wood presentation, visit: http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/events/index.html

Third, RIA is hosting a two-day conference, titled “The Challenge of Reducing College Student Substance Use: A Conversation in the Disciplines,” to take place Nov. 8 and 9 in the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, 2402 North Forest Road near the Audubon Parkway in Getzville, adjacent to the UB North Campus.

The two-day event will feature alcohol and substance use experts from UB and from across the state. It is sponsored by the Conversations in the Disciplines Program of the State University of New York.

The conference will bring together front-line staff from throughout the SUNY system who grwp-contentle with the real problems of college students’ alcohol and substance use and abuse, and the researchers who seek to develop and evaluate substance-use prevention and intervention strategies. It also will provide an opportunity for participants to present information about their programs and to discuss issues regarding the startup and operation of effective programs.

Even more importantly, however, the conference will explore the potential for developing a multi-campus network of researchers and practitioners across New York State to address excessive college student substance use.

“This will facilitate the development and evaluation of innovative and comprehensive wp-contentroaches to reducing substance use, and provide a communications network that will enhance the efforts of practitioners to offer the most effective strategies for their campuses,” Leonard said.

Information about the conference and how to register are available at http://www.ria.buffalo.edu/CID2012/index.htm

UB's Clinical & Translational Research Center Grand Opening

September 18, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

The University at Buffalo‘s (UB) Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) has opened its doors to function as the premier center placing clinicians right next to clinical and translational researchers.
The University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences held the grand opening event at the UB-Kaleida Health joint facility located on Ellicott and Goodrich Streets on Thursday, September 20. The CTRC commenced the research collaborations to take place in the immediate future with a ceremony featuring physicians, UB representatives, and city and state officials. Speakers at the event included: Timothy F. Murphy, MD, director of UB’s CTRC and SUNY Distinguished Professor, UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Michael E. Cain, MD, UB vice president for health sciences and dean of the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Jeremy M. Jacobs, chairman, UB Council; Satish K. Tripathi, PhD, UB President; Sam Hoyt, Regional President, Empire State Development Corp.; Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, NYS Assembly; Mark Grisanti, NYS Senate; and Byron W. Brown, mayor, City of Buffalo.

A walk-through of the CTRC and a keynote address by pioneering genomics scientist J. Craig Venter, who was conferred a SUNY honorary doctorate followed the ceremony.

A 170,000 sq. ft. biomedical research facility created to lessen the interval between discovery and cure, the CTRC will allow UB’s physician scientists to do their research upstairs in the CTRC and to see patients and work with clinicians downstairs in the Gates Vascular Institute (GVI).

The CTRC was designed by Cannon Design and constructed by with significant input from UB’s researchers so as to maximize this kind of collaboration in order to catalyze medical breakthroughs and innovative treatments. UB is recruiting more world-class researchers to work within the CTRC; the facility is part of UB’s medical school, which is relocating to downtown Buffalo in 2016 under the UB 2020 plan and with the support of Governor Cuomo’s NYSUNY 2020 legislation. A Biosciences Incubator within UB’s CTRC will assist UB researchers with the commercialization of new medical therapies and technologies.

“The opening of the CTRC is an important step in the relocation of UB’s medical school to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, under the UB 2020 plan and with the support of the NYSUNY 2020 legislation,” said UB President Satish K. Tripathi.

While Kaleida’s GVI occupies the first 4 floors of the facility, the CTRC is housed on floors 5 – 8 with the Jacobs Institute (which will open in October 2012) located on the 5th floor between the two. Read more about the CTRC here.

Division within WCHOB Department of Pediatrics Receives $1.1 M Grant

September 17, 2012 by BNMCin Health care, Homepage, Member Institution(s), News, WellnessLeave a Comment

The Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo’s (WCHOB) Division of Neonatology received a grant for $1.1 M from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. A published SUPPORT report trial revealed that there is a lack of knowledge regarding oxygen supplementation, delivery and toxicity in newborn infants. The Optimal Oxygenation in Neonatal Lung Injury grant will be used to propel the research focusing on infant oxygen supplementation.
Neonatal resuscitation is necessary when an infant is asphyxiated. When an infant is born, its pulmonary circulation shifts in order to adjust to the environment outside of the womb. When that adjustment is not flawless and is met with immediate complications, the result can be a condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) which can be fatal.

Dr. Satyan Lakshminrusimha, the Chief of the Division of Neonatology and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University at Buffalo, is the grant’s principal investigator. His research focuses on the pathophysiology of the cardio-pulmonary transition – how fetal lungs change at birth in order to breathe air – and disorders of this transition such as birth asphyxia, PPHN, retained lung liquid and respiratory distress syndrome.

The Division’s research goals are to deliver the best critical care to infants with respiratory depression at birth and reduce oxygen toxicity; to discover the optimum management of newborns with PPHN; and to further the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gastrointestinal disease that disproportionately affects pre-term infants.

The grant’s disbursement over a 5-year period, with $235, 523 given to the Division each year will go towards the collection of physiological data that will help to establish guidelines for optimal oxygen delivery to premature infants.

The WCHOB has the region’s only level 4 unit in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, meaning it can provide immediate trauma care that can evaluate, diagnose, and stabilize patients, also offering a degree of surgery and critical care services. The hospital is Western New York’s center for state-of-the-art pediatric, neonatal, perinatal and obstetrical care.

Discovery of Essential Genes for Drug-Resistant Bacteria Reveals New, High-Value Drug Targets

September 14, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

Release Date: September 14, 2012Contact: Ellen Goldbaum, goldbaum@buffalo.edu
University at Buffalo
716-645-4605

Discovery of Essential Genes for Drug-Resistant Bacteria Reveals New, High-Value Drug Targets

By studying A. baumannii under “clinically relevant” conditions, the researchers have a more precise understanding of how the bacteria infects humans — and how best to fight it

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Biomedical scientists collaborating on translational research at two Buffalo institutions are reporting the discovery of a novel, and heretofore unrecognized, set of genes essential for the growth of potentially lethal, drug-resistant bacteria. The study not only reveals multiple, new drug targets for this human infection, it also suggests that the typical methods of studying bacteria in rich laboratory media may not be the best way to identify much-needed antimicrobial drug targets.

The paper (http://mbio.asm.org/content/3/4/e00113-12) focuses on a Gram-negative bacteria called A. baumanni. It is published in the current issue of mBio, as an ‘editor’s choice’ paper. The findings may be relevant to other Gram-negative bacteria as well. (A graphic related to the research is at http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13673.)

A. baumannii is responsible for a growing number of hospital-acquired infections around the world. It can be fatal to patients with serious illnesses, the elderly and those who have had surgeries. Infections also have been seen in soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with battlefield injuries.

“Generally, healthy people don’t get infected,” explains lead author Timothy C. Umland, PhD, research scientist at Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute (HWI) and professor of structural biology in the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “But what’s challenging about A. baumannii is that it can survive in the hospital environment and is very hard to eradicate with common disinfectants, leading to healthcare-associated infections.”

Typically, the way that essential genes for microbial pathogens are found is by growing the bacteria under optimal conditions, says co-author Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor in the UB departments of medicine and microbiology and immunology. Genes found to be essential for growth are then entered into the Database of Essential Genes (DEG), which contains genes considered essential for the sustenance of each organism.

The researchers at HWI and UB decided to try to better understand what A. baumannii needs in order to grow when infecting patients.

“Laboratory conditions create a different type of environment from what hwp-contentens in patients,” Umland says, “where certain nutrients the bacteria need will be present in very low amounts and where the bacteria encounter immune and inflammatory responses. We were purposely trying to test for genes that are important for growth in these more realistic environments.”

The team performed a genetic screen designed to identify bacterial genes absolutely required for the growth and survival of A. baumannii in human ascites, a peritoneal fluid that accumulates under a variety of pathologic conditions.

“We found that nearly all of these 18 genes had not been identified as essential in the DEG because they weren’t necessary for growth in an ideal laboratory environment,” explains Russo. “This is a large set of genes that has been flying under the radar.”

He adds: “The biggest concern is that quite a few strains of A. baumannii are resistant to nearly all anti-microbial drugs and some strains are resistant to all of them. To make things worse, there are no new agents being tested for human use in the drug pipeline that are active against A. baumannii. This is a huge problem.”

Not only do the new genes suggest brand new, high-value drug targets for A. baumannii infections, but the genes that have been identified may be relevant to other Gram-negative infections.

“So far, our computational models show that these genes seem to be conserved across Gram-negative infections, meaning that they may lead to new drugs that would be effective for other drug-resistant infections as well,” says Umland.

The researchers who collaborated on the study are now pursuing antibacterial drug discovery efforts focused on the newly identified bacterial targets.

The research was funded by grants from the Telemedicine and Advance Technical Research Center of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, an interdisciplinary grant from UB and a VA Merit Review grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Other co-authors are: L. Wayne Schultz, PhD, of HWI and UB, and Ulrike MacDonald, Janet M. Beanan and Ruth Olson of the UB Department of Medicine, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and UB’s Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis.

Researchers Create Approach to Analyze Genetic Disease Data More Efficiently

September 10, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Homepage, Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

Collaborating with the Center for Human Genome Variation at Duke University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) researchers have developed a method to dexterously determine genetic factors that cause disease.
In a recent research study published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, RPCI’s Dr. Qiangian Zhu and fellow researchers have established a computational method called the “preferential linkage disequilibrium” wp-contentroach to isolate causal variants, the genetic irregularities that suggest the presence of a particular disease.

Dr. Zhu is a biostatician who is also the Assistant Member of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and the Director of Statistical Genetics and Genomics Resource at RPCI. Her research interests lie in developing statistically sound and computationally efficient methods to find the causal genetic variants of human diseases and traits utilizing high-throughput genetics and genomics data.

Continuing her postdoctoral research after joining RPCI, Dr. Zhu, along with her research collaborators, used variants recorded from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) that analyze people’s DNA to capture genetic variations associated with a disease. The group of researchers cross-referenced variants with a comprehensive variant catalog generated through robust “next generation” sequencing in order to identify the causal variants.

The study examined the DNA from 479 individuals of European descent. “To test our method, we ran it on five diseases for which the causal variants are known, and in every case we did identify the real causal variant,” said Zhu. The group hopes to have the method wp-contentlied to GWASs related to diseases that do not have specific causal variants, resulting in advances towards the development of targeted wp-contentroaches to treating diseases.

Fellow author of the study, David B. Goldstein, Richard and Pat Johnson Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Human Genome Variation at DUMC stated that “This wp-contentroach helps to intergrade the large body of data available in GWASs with the rapidly accumulating sequence data.”

Learn more about the study: Prioritizing Genetic Variants for Causality on the Basis of Preferential Linkage Disequilibrium

National Study Recommends Smoke-Free Apartment Policies

September 10, 2012 by BNMCin Environment, Health care, Healthy Communities, Member Institution(s), News, WellnessLeave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 10, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

National Study Recommends Smoke-Free Apartment Policies
Majority of those surveyed support policies prohibiting smoking anywhere in multi-tenant residential buildings

BUFFALO — A majority of Americans who live in multi-unit housing have adopted smoke-free rules in their private homes but millions remain involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke in this environment, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers led by senior investigator Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), recommend smoke-free building policies to protect all multiunit residents from secondhand smoke exposure in their homes.

“A vast majority of multi-unit housing residents continue to be exposed to toxic compounds found in secondhand smoke in spite of the adoption of voluntary smoke-free rules for their private homes,” said Dr. Hyland. “This study demonstrates widespread support of the adoption of smoke-free building policies.”

The national study evaluated attitudes, experiences and acceptance of smoke-free policies among residents of multi-unit housing in the United States. Approximately 80 million Americans live in multi-unit housing. Using the results of this study, the researchers estimate that 30 million multi-unit housing residents with smoke-free rules in their homes may still be exposed to tobacco smoke that enters their residence from other areas of the building.

Hyland and colleagues conducted a nationally representative survey of multi-unit housing residents who live in apartments, duplexes, double/multifamily homes, condominiums or town houses was 2010. The study sample included both landline and cell-phone-only users. Overall, 29% reported living in smoke-free buildings. Among all respondents, 56% support the implementation of policies prohibiting smoking in all areas of their building, including living units and common areas.

The study also found that 79% of multiunit housing residents have implemented voluntary smoke-free home rules. Those who have reported having these rules were more likely to be non-smokers, have higher education and live with children. Forty-four percent of those with smoke-free rules at home reported being exposed to secondhand smoke in the past year that originated from smoking in other parts of their buildings.

“Residents of multi-unit housing are particularly susceptible to secondhand smoke exposure from nearby units and shared areas such as hallways,” said lead author Andrea Licht, MS, a doctoral student with the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University at Buffalo. “These residents are trying to protect their families from the dangers of secondhand smoke by not allowing smoking in their homes and would welcome policies that support that goal.”

The publication, “Attitudes, Experiences, and Acceptance of Smoke-Free Polices Among U.S. Multi-unit Housing Residents” can be found at http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300717.

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WTCBN Receives Funds to Help Increase Medical Device Trade Between WNY Manufacturers and China

September 6, 2012 by BNMCin Entrepreneurs, Investment Opportunities, NewsLeave a Comment

The World Trade Center of Buffalo Niagara (WTCBN), a local not-for-profit international business development organization helping to facilitate regional growth through global trade, has received nearly $682,000 to help increase medical device trade between Western New York (WNY) manufacturers and China. In that pot of money is $218,000 from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Through a program that will be administered over a three-year time period, WTCBN and partners that work with medical device companies will enhance trade relations knowledge to place devices in one of the largest populace nations in the world. Partners include the University at Buffalo’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, The Buffalo Niagara Partnership, MedTech, the Jacobs Institute and the Department of Commerce, in addition to others who assist and house medical device companies.

“This three-year project will serve as a template for a greater regional export strategy,” said Chris Johnston, president of WTCBN. Johnston also stated that it will be “a great opportunity for collaboration among various groups, including the federal, state and regional government, with local organizations such as the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, UB and World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, which will maximize the benefits for Western New York companies.”

The Accelerating Upstate New York’s Competitiveness and Exports in the Global Economy program will offer training and expertise to least 40 local manufacturers, teaching them how to navigate Chinese import laws, how to effectively market their products in China and the logistics of shipping goods there. They will also provide access to export loans and credit insurance. An estimated $25 million could come from Chinese contracts over a four-year period, leading to the creation of hundreds of jobs in this area.

At a roundtable discussion moderated by Congresswoman Kathy Hochul, New York’s 26th Congressional District Representative, companies had the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback on how to identify and capitalize on new medical device markets, and to learn more about the program. Congresswoman Hochul said the program is “a critical step toward opening new markets, fostering innovation, and expanding manufacturing right here at home. Meaningful investment in Western New York’s medical device industry and work force will help add good-paying, sustainable jobs to our local economy.” The discussion served as an indicator of the collaboration and knowledge-sharing between experts and companies that is soon to come.

Congresswoman Hochul also said “It is vital that we continue to work to ensure our local businesses have the resources necessary to expand and reach new global markets.” With over $1.9 trillion in exportation of goods and services in 2011, China is currently the largest exporting country in the world. Efforts to increase the importation of medical devices made from the U.S., more so in the WNY region to China, will undeniably generate revenue increases for many local companies.

The U.S. Commerce Secretary, Rebecca Blank, stated that “The awards given by the Commerce Department’s Market Development Cooperator Program will help us continue to make progress toward achieving the President Obama’s goal of doubling exports by the end of 2014. Higher exports lead to more jobs: in 2011, jobs supported by exports increased by 1.2 million over 2009.”

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.’s COO, Patrick J. Whalen stated that “the Department of Commerce grant will showcase the assets in Western New York to medical device companies around the world, and we look forward to working together to help existing companies succeed and grow.”

While WNY is home to nearly 250 medical equipment manufacturers and medical research centers, WTCBN reports that an overwhelming majority of the companies export their goods to the one country it is closest to which is Canada. Past innovations from the region include the implantable pacemaker, the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, photodynamic therapy (used to treat malignant cancers), and multiple sclerosis therapy.

The inaugural session of the 2012-13 Life Sciences Commercialization Lecture Series will present an opportunity for local companies to learn more about the program. The session will take place on Thursday, September 27 from 4-5 p.m. at the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences located at 701 Ellicott Street. For more information and to register for the event, click here.

Class of 2016 Participates in UB's Pharmacy Practice White Coat Ceremony

September 4, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

News Release

Class of 2016 Participates in UB’s Pharmacy Practice White Coat Ceremony

The PharmD class of 2016 at the White Coat Ceremony

Download JPEG

Contact

Sara Saldi

saldi@buffalo.edu

716-645-4593

Release Date: September 4, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — One hundred and twenty-six students took their first, public step toward becoming pharmacists when they participated in the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual White Coat Ceremony 2012 in the Lippes Concert Hall on Aug. 23.

The White Coat Ceremony symbolizes passage into the initial stages of the profession of pharmacy practice and represents a contract for excellence in providing compassionate patient care.

This event also highlights the importance of scientific scholarship and emphasizes the highest principles of moral, ethical and legal conduct. UB PharmD students taking part in this tradition are welcomed to begin study among the ranks of pharmacy professionals.

During the “Calling of the Class,” each of the students in the Class of 2016 were called to the stage to be presented with their coat while their hometown was identified by Karl D. Fiebelkorn, RPh, MBA and UB associate dean for student affairs and professional relations.

Wayne K. Anderson, PhD, dean and professor of the UB’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, gave the welcome.

Keith Wagner, PharmD, ’00, MBA, ’03 and MBA director of trade and specialty accounts for Eli Lilly and Company, gave the keynote address.

Kaleida's WCHOB Receives $2 M Grant from The Children's Guild Foundation

August 27, 2012 by BNMCin Construction, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

Kaleida Health‘s Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo (WCHOB) has received a $2 million grant from The Children’s Guild Foundation for the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The grant is the largest gift given by The Children’s Guild Foundation since its 102-year establishment. Having supported the WCHOB for more than a century, the non-profit foundation continues to carry out its mission to “advocate and fund rehabilitative healthcare, research, education and therapeutic recreation programs for special needs children.”
“The Children’s Guild Foundation has been an incredible advocate and supporter for the Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo and countless children with special needs for generations,” said Cheryl Klass, Senior Vice President of Operations of the Buffalo General Medical Center and President of the WCHOB. She also stated that “This enormously generous gift will now ensure that future generations of newborns and their families will have direct access to the best possible critical care available.”

The gift is the first for the WCHOB and will support the construction of a state-of-the-art unit that will serve the hospital’s premature and ill infants. Nearly 250 newborns are transferred to the WCHOB from various hospitals throughout the region. Waiting for the arrival of the infants in need of care is an on-the-ground team of neonatal nurse practitioners and respiratory therapists who receive the babies from an air transport team made up of the same medical professionals.

The Board of Directors from The Children’s Guild Foundation presented the endowment to the physician and executive leadership from Kaleida and WCHOB at the Gates Vascular Institute, with the new WCHOB site view nearby. The Foundation’s Board Chair, Wendy T. Stahlka, stated that “The funding of the Neonatal Instensive Care Unit will have a direct and positive impact on the children who start their lives with developmental and physical challenges.”

“As excitement about our physician- and family-led plans for a new Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo continues to build throughout our community, this gift gives us great momentum for the move,” said James R. Kaskie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaleida Health.

The new 12-story, 430, 000-square-foot hospital will be connected by bridges to an ambulatory care building that will sit behind the hospital, housing outpatient clinics and other support programs for the WCHOB. The hospital is set to open in 2016 on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Safe Routes to School Program Launches at PS 74

August 27, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, News, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO Bike Buffalo has launched the Buffalo Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) at Hamlin Park School 74 . A part of a national program promoting the benefits of walking and biking to school for students, SRTS seeks to help students become more physically active. SRTS also aims to reduce vehicle congestion around schools, resulting in safer access and lower exhaust emissions.
Through a technology class at Hamilton Park, the Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) program will be incorporated into the curriculum. At Hamlin Park, students will learn how to build bicycles using salvaged parts and they will be taught how to make environmentally sound transportation choices which will undoubtedly have an impact on the health of the communities they live in. As they grow in their understanding of the importance of being physically active, the SRTS program will also teach them how to ride bicycles safely.

With the support of City Hall representative, Council Member Demone Smith, the program’s success will most likely be included into additional Buffalo Public Schools as a useful educational program. Smith stated that “Instituting healthy lifestyles and behaviors early in life are essential to developing healthy young people and communities. We will continue to work with GO Bike Buffalo to make improvements in the District as well as among our youngest residents.”

At International Cardiology Meeting, UB Chair of Medicine is Honored for Her Distinguished Clinical Research

August 22, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

News Release

At International Cardiology Meeting, UB Chair of Medicine is Honored for Her Distinguished Clinical Research

UB’s Curtis is one of the world’s leading clinical cardiac electrophysiologists and an expert in cardiac arrhythmias.

Contact

Ellen Goldbaum

goldbaum@buffalo.edu

716-645-4605
twitter @egoldbaum

Release Date: August 22, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Anne B. Curtis, MD, Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine in the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been awarded the Walter Bleifeld Memorial Award for Distinguished Work in Clinical Research. Bleifeld, considered one of the pioneers of modern cardiology, was a professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Hamburg.

Curtis was presented with the award in July at the 17th World Congress on Heart Disease of the International Academy of Cardiology in Toronto.

The award recognizes Curtis’s outstanding contributions to clinical research. She is one of the world’s leading clinical cardiac electrophysiologists and an expert in cardiac arrhythmias. Her clinical research has significantly advanced knowledge of human cardiac electrophysiology and heart-rhythm abnormalities.

Curtis’s research interests include clinical trials in implantable device therapy for prevention of sudden cardiac death and management of heart failure, as well as clinical trials in atrial fibrillation. She has been principal investigator, co-investigator, sponsor or steering committee member on 85 research studies and clinical trials and has written more than 250 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, reviews and editorials. She also is author of a book on cardiac pacing.

Curtis received a 2010 Distinguished Fellowship Award from the International Academy of Cardiology.

In 2011, she was a key contributor to guidelines on atrial fibrillation that are issued periodically by the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines.

Earlier this year, she received the 2012 Distinguished Service Award from the Heart Rhythm Society.

She lives in Buffalo.

RPCI Welcomes New Vice Chair to Surgical Oncology Team

August 7, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

Steven Hochwald, MD, FACS, has joined Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) as Vice Chair, Chief of Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgery and Professor of Oncology in the Department of Surgical Oncology.
He is the former University of Florida Edward M. Copeland Professor of Surgical Oncology. He was also the Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology and Physician Leader of the GI Oncology Center at the University of Florida’s Shands Cancer Center. His research focuses on technical advances in minimally invasive esophageal and GI surgeries and developing new targets and agents for treatment of pancreatic and other GI cancers.

A graduate of John Hopkins University, Dr. Hochwald went on to receive an MD from New York University (NYU). He did his residency at the NYU Medical Center Department of Surgery, serving as Executive Chief Resident from 1996-97, and completed clinical and research fellowships in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

“There’s a well-developed infrastructure in Roswell Park’s surgical program and a collaborative atmosphere throughout the institution,” said Dr. Hochwald. “The Institute is poised to make significant advances that will benefit cancer patients, and I’m very pleased to be working alongside this outstanding team.”

He was featured on the Best Doctors, Inc.’s Best Doctors list. In 2007, Dr. Hochwald received the Cancer Liaison Physician Outstanding Performance Award from the Commission on Cancer. He is a member of many professional societies. He serves on numerous editorial boards including: Open Surgical Oncology Journal, World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, International Journal of Surgical Oncology, World Journal of Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, World Journal of Surgical Procedures and Cancer Reports. He has also served on several National Institutes of Health study sections and scientific advisory boards for the American Cancer Society.

“Dr. Hochwald has been a terrific addition to our surgical team,” said William Cance, MD, FACS, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Surgical Oncology. “He brings so much as a surgeon, in his interactions with patients, as a mentor and instructor, and his research complements our program beautifully.”

UB CAT Awards More Than $415,000 to 16 WNY Companies Developing Life Sciences Technologies

July 18, 2012 by BNMCin Life Sciences Companies, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

News Release

UB CAT Awards More Than $415,000 to 16 WNY Companies Developing Life Sciences Technologies

Contact

Marcene Robinson

marcener@buffalo.edu

716-645-4650

Release Date: July 18, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo Center for Advanced Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology (UB CAT) has awarded more than $415,000 to companies in Western New York to aid them in the development of new life sciences technologies.

The funding will support a range of projects in the 2012-13 fiscal year, from development of eye-controlled keyboards to development of a new cancer immunotherapy. Companies must work with a UB professor as principal investigator, and also get access to UB facilities and equipment.

Firms receiving an award, which typically ranges between $10,000 and $50,000, must match the funding with their own money.

The UB CAT is one of 15 centers across New York State that Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) funds to support university-industry collaboration in research, education and technology transfer. The focus is on linking academic research with commercial interests to help New York State-based businesses gain a technological edge on their competition.

UB received its most recent re-designation by NYSTAR as a Center for Advanced Technology in 2007. The designation lasts 10 years, during which the UB CAT receives nearly $1 million annually from NYSTAR.

Since 2005, the UB CAT has supported over 75 projects leading to more than $140 million in non-job economic impact. The center has also helped Western New York’s life sciences sector create over 280 new jobs.

“The UB CAT provides companies with funding and resources during a critical stage in the development of new technologies,” said Marnie LaVigne, UB associate vice president for economic development. “The projects we have supported over the years have helped create jobs in New York State, facilitated long-term partnerships between UB and industry, and led to the commercialization of new and improved life sciences products and services.”

This year, 16 businesses were chosen from a group of 22 wp-contentlicants, all vying for aid in creating new technologies that benefit the fields of health and medicine.

One such company, IMMCO Diagnostics Inc., will use its $40,000 award to develop a more sensitive and specific test for Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which white blood cells attack the glands that produce tears and saliva.

The syndrome is the second most common autoimmune disease, affecting some 4 million Americans. Nine out of 10 patients are women, including tennis champion Venus Williams.

Williams was first diagnosed with this disease in 2011, but suffered with Sjogren’s for a while before doctors could determine the cause.

Current tests for Sjogren’s syndrome are not sensitive enough, missing almost two-thirds of cases. However, research by Julian Ambrus Jr., MD, rheumatologist, immunologist and an associate professor in UB’s Department of Medicine, led to the discovery of a diminished protein in those with the syndrome.

IMMCO, founded in Buffalo in 1971 by several UB professors, is one of the world’s first autoimmune disease diagnostic companies. Their lab will manufacture the new testing kits, which will detect the disease in 70 to 80 percent of patients.

“Most autoimmune diseases are difficult to diagnose, simply because we really do not know the exact causes for most of them,” said Lakshmanan Suresh, assistant vice president of lab services at IMMCO. “This collaboration between IMMCO and UB will help diagnose the disease earlier so treatment can be delivered sooner.”

He adds, “The grant also helps us get this test from the bench stage to the market quicker.”

Information regarding the UB CAT and the center’s award wp-contentlication process is available online at http://www.bioinformatics.buffalo.edu/cat.php.

UB Department of Medicine Names Head of Gastroenterology Division

July 17, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

News Release

UB Department of Medicine Names Head of Gastroenterology Division

Andrew H. Talal, MD, MPH, has been named chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.Download JPEG

Contact

Sara Saldi

saldi@buffalo.edu

716-645-4593

Release Date: July 17, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Andrew H. Talal, MD, MPH, associate professor at the Weill Cornell Medical College has been named chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition in the University at Buffalo’s Department of Medicine; he also has been wp-contentointed UB professor of medicine.

The announcement was made by Anne B. Curtis, MD, Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine in UB’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Talal will join UB in September, when Thomas Mahl, MD, clinical professor, who recently served as interim chief, steps down; previously Michael Sitrin, MD, professor, had been leading the division.

Talal has an international reputation for his clinical and translational work in hepatology, the branch of medicine that deals with the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas, and management of these disorders. He has been recognized as an authority on viral hepatitis in HIV-infected individuals. A board-certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist, he is a physician-scientist in the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, a consortium between Rockefeller University, Weill Cornell Medical College and New York Presbyterian Hospital.

His research interests include: the development of biomarkers of the progression and treatment outcomes in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; the evaluation of hepatitis C virus-specific immune responses in injection drug users; treatment outcomes in special populations infected with hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV co-infection, methadone maintenance, patients with bleeding disorders and thalassemia); and novel treatments for hepatitis C.

Talal currently is conducting research funded by such federal agencies as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control on HCV evaluation and treatment among patients in drug treatment programs and risk factors for AIDS among IV drug users.

Talal was the recipient of a Clinton Global Initiatives award from the W.J. Clinton Foundation in 2006, which fostered the development of treatment algorithms for hepatitis viruses B and C.

Talal earned his MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and received his MPH from the University of North Carolina. He completed his medical residency at the University of Iowa and research and clinical fellowships in gastroenterology at the University of North Carolina.

Before joining the Weill Cornell Medical College, he was a research associate and clinical scholar at the Rockefeller University in New York.

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.

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.

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.

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”