Page 22 – BNMC

WCHOB and RPCI Partner to Create New Pediatric Hematology Oncology Center

November 1, 2012 by BNMCin Health care, Member Institution(s), News9 Comments

Continuing efforts to create a multifaceted children’s hospital, Kaleida Health‘s Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo (WCHOB) and Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) have partnered to build a pediatric hematology oncology center in the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Signing a memorandum of understanding to plan the new center today, the WCHOB and RPCI have begun the planning process for this physician-led initiative to combine their services, creating a single center of excellence for pediatric inpatient/outpatient care. The proposed Center will incorporate inpatient beds, an outpatient clinic, isolation beds for blood and bone marrow transplant/high-dose therapy patients, and infusion facilities for chemotherapy and blood products, all in a protected environment on the top floor of the new hospital.

Both institutions are two of the most prominent healthcare institutions in WNY, providing pediatric hematology-oncology services for more than forty years. Currently, WCHOB provides specialty pediatric services essential to the care of these children including surgery, anesthesia, intensive care, and diagnostic imaging. RPCI provides oncology clinical leadership and services including radiation therapy, certain highly-specialized diagnostic services, blood and marrow transplants and clinical trials. RPCI is expected hold a long-term lease for the Center and will be responsible for its medical direction. The planned Center will continue to capitalize on the unique expertise of both institutions.

“This partnership between the two organizations is an excellent example of the many opportunities the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is granting,” said Teresa Quattrin, MD, Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Professor of Pediatrics, SUNY at Buffalo, and Pediatrician-in-Chief, Chief, Division of Endocrinology-Diabetes, Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. “We look forward to continuing to create this integrated Hematology & Oncology Unit to further enhance the care provided to patients and their families throughout Western New York and beyond.”

WCHOB is submitting its Certificate of Need wp-contentlication for the new hospital to the New York State Department of Health on November 2nd. RPCI anticipates to submit the Certificate of Need for the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Center by the end of the year.

“Each institution contributes unique expertise and services to children and young adults with cancer and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease, hemophilia and anemia. The new hospital presents a great opportunity to develop a true pediatric Center of Excellence,” said Martin L. Brecher, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Chief of Hematology Oncology at Women & Children’s Hospital and Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University at Buffalo.

James R. Kaskie, President and CEO of Kaleida Health stated that “Together, and in conjunction with the University at Buffalo academic programs, we will jointly operate a center of excellence for children with cancer and blood diseases where expert clinical services are provided, innovative and pioneering research is advanced to find a cure and improve treatment options, and current and future health care professionals are trained and educated.”

“Management of cancer is best provided in facilities where hospital inpatient beds and outpatient facilities are in close proximity. The relocation of the children’s hospital to the medical campus provides the opportunity to pull together what have been two physically separate outpatient and inpatient units into a single, expanded service comprehensive facility to serve the needs of children of all ages with blood diseases and cancer,” said Donald L. Trump, MD, President and CEO of RPCI.

Each institution’s respective Board of Directors recognizes that the relocation of the WCHOB to the BNMC presents a unique opportunity to take an excellent pediatric hematology oncology program and make it extraordinary by bringing all the services together in a new state-of-the-art hospital. Philanthropic support for the hospital and for the pediatric hematology oncology center will be required to make the program consolidation a reality.

The 12-story, 430,000 sq. ft. John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital is scheduled to open in 2016.

BNMC Partners and Fruit Belt Residents Embark on Leadership Empowerment Program

October 29, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Fruit Belt, Healthy Communities, Member Institution(s), News, Outreach8 Comments

Members of the Fruit Belt neighborhood will begin leadership training that will ignite change within their community. These leaders will participate in an eight week course in which they will identify and create change in pursuit of increasing their quality of life. Led by a coalition of BNMC Partners, such as the University at Buffalo (UB), with other BNMC member institutions; Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Kaleida Health, the training provided by the UB School of Management and Leadership Buffalo will teach the group how to identify the most prevalent issues, build a plan to address each issue, and measure their success.
A kick-off event for the training will occur Wednesday, November 7th (rescheduled from Tuesday, October 30th) starting at 5:00 p.m. at Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Gaylord Cary Meeting Room in the Research Studies Center on Carlton Street. Group participants will convene with Council member Darius Pridgen to meet the mentors, the leadership trainer, institution representatives and become acquainted with one another as they prepare to embark on the four-month long journey to impact their community.

The expert training will also prepare the group with strategies on how to take advantage of collaboration opportunities with BNMC member institutions. The group will work collaboratively with churches, businesses, and other organizations interested in building partnerships that address the social, cultural, and economic issues they wish to improve.

Following the training, the group will develop a project that will be implemented to have a positive effect on the neighborhood.

The BNMC and its partners are committed to serving as a catalyst for groups in the neighboring communities that want to identify and change issues facing their community. To learn more about the training and how to participate, contact Ekua Mends-Aidoo at 716.218.7806 for more information.

Training Schedule:

Class 1: Wednesday, Nov. 7th 5-7 p.m.

Class 2: Saturday, Nov. 17th 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Class 3: Thursday, Dec. 6th 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Class 4: Monday, Dec. 17th 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Class 5: Wednesday, Jan. 9th 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Class 6: Wednesday, Jan 23rd 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Class 7: Wednesday, Feb 6th 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Class 8: Wednesday, Feb 20th 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Thereafter, project implementation.

State-of-the-Art Bike Storage Shelter – Coming Soon!

October 29, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Transportation7 Comments

In an effort to continue to encourage employees to bike to work, the BNMC has partnered with GO Bike Buffalo on the construction and management of a state-of-the-art bike storage facility located on the corner of Ellicott and North Oak Streets. The facility will be completed by the end of the year and will open in Spring 2013.
Approximately 20 bicycle commuters will soon be able to securely access and lock their bikes inside the new facility without having to worry about theft, vandalism or inclement weather. Other amenities and maintenance items will also be made available. The creation of bicycle commuter storage facilities is a natural extension of our goal to promote the use of alternative transportation modes for a more active, sustainable and healthy BNMC.

Commuting by bike presents a fun way to exercise, improve your mental health and reduce stress. It also saves money! As a GO BNMC member, cyclists get rewarded for biking to work. Members receive a free GO Bike Buffalo membership, the opportunity to enter raffles and win prizes, and can participate in the Bicycle Commuter Tax Program. Help create a sustainable environment by reducing gas emissions as you choose to bike to work rather than drive.

Funding for the facility was made available by the Federal Transit Administration. Visit www.gobnmc-old.local to learn more to become a member of GO BNMC today. To sign-up to gain access to the storage shelter, contact us by e-mail at gobnmc@bnmc-old.local or by phone at 716.566.2316. Access will be given to cyclists on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Buffalo-Area Pharmacists Say No to Tobacco Sales in Pharmacies

October 29, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News8 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

Buffalo-Area Pharmacists Say No to Tobacco Sales in Pharmacies

BUFFALO — More than 75 percent of Western New York pharmacists say tobacco sales in pharmacies should be legally banned, according to research conducted by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and the University at Buffalo (UB), published in BMC Research Notes. The study found that more than 86% of pharmacists surveyed would prefer to work in a pharmacy that does not sell tobacco products.

The research, led by James Marshall, PhD, Senior Vice President for Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at RPCI, evaluated the opinions of Western New York pharmacists about the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and about their role in helping their patients to stop smoking.

“The sale of tobacco products in pharmacies in any locality sends conflicting messages to consumers who visit pharmacies for medication or health products,” said Dr. Marshall. “Pharmacists, dedicated to protecting the health of their customers, recognize tobacco sales as contrary to their professional ethics. They would, in overwhelming numbers, prefer not to be selling cigarettes. This research will inform policymakers and elected officials as they consider regulations of tobacco sales in pharmacies.”

The 2010 survey evaluated opinions of 148 pharmacy mentors from the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (UBSoPPS) and 345 local supervising pharmacists. Participants were contacted by mail and email. The combined response rate for both surveys was 31%.

The pharmacist’s role in assisting patients to stop smoking also was evaluated. The survey found that more than 75% of pharmacists say they “sometimes” or “rarely/never” ask about tobacco use. The majority of pharmacists also indicate that they are not required to document tobacco use among patients or to enter such information into patient records.

“A striking finding is that pharmacy mentors were more likely than supervising pharmacists to be familiar with patients’ tobacco use and take steps to offer advice and information about how to quit smoking,” said Peter Brody Jr., PharmD, Director of Experiential Education at UBSoPPS. “It was also surprising that area pharmacists seemed not to take full advantage of the opportunity to educate and counsel patients regarding tobacco use. We need to better understand why and do what we can to help correct this issue.”

“This research presents several interesting findings, including that the overwhelming majority of pharmacists would support legislation banning the sale of tobacco in pharmacies,” added Edward Bednarczyk, PharmD, Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at UB. “Importantly, this study also shows a considerable gap between theory and practice, with a substantial majority of pharmacists finding the sale of tobacco in pharmacies inwp-contentropriate, but doing little to prevent the sale or engage patients regarding tobacco use and smoking cessation.”

The study, Tobacco sales in pharmacies: a survey of attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of pharmacists employed in student experiential and other worksites in Western New York,” can be accessed at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/5/413/abstract.

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.

Research Shows Effectiveness of New Biomarker to Measure Prostate Tumors

October 23, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), Research12 Comments

New Research Uncovers Promising New Biomarker for Aggressiveness of Prostate CancerRoswell Park-led effort found increased levels of serum glutamate in both primary and metastatic prostate tumors

Research out of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) supports the adoption of a new biomarker to measure the aggressiveness of primary prostate tumors. A team of investigators from three institutions, led by Shahriar Koochekpour, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Cancer Genetics, Urology and Oncology in RPCI’s Department of Cancer Genetics, has for the first time produced data showing that levels of serum glutamate, a naturally occurring nonessential amino acid that plays a key role in cancer metabolism, are increased in patients with primary and metastatic prostate cancer.

Collaborators included James L. Mohler, MD, Gissou Azabdaftari, MD, and Kristopher Attwood, PhD, from RPCI; Robert L. Vessella, PhD, from the University of Washington School of Medicine; and Oliver Sartor, MD, from Tulane Cancer Center and the Tulane University School of Medicine. In a study involving 366 men, the team measured serum glutamate levels in 60 healthy adult males, 197 with primary prostate cancer and 109 with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer — cancer that progresses following androgen depletion therapy.

“Comparing normal, primary and metastatic prostate cancer tissues, we discovered that glutamate receptor is expressed at very high levels in primary and metastatic tumors, but at very weak or undetectable levels in benign prostate tissues,” notes Dr. Koochekpour. “And serum glutamate was detected at increased levels proportional to Gleason score, the standard index for rating prostate cancer aggressiveness and prognosis in patients with primary tumors.”

The researchers also demonstrated, for the first time, that glutamate deprivation significantly decreases the growth, migration and invasiveness of prostate cancer cell lines, suggesting potential clinical wp-contentlications. They also report that the glutamate antagonist riluzole (Rilutek), a well-tolerated oral medicine used for mood and anxiety disorders, depression and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), induces cell death while inhibiting the progression and motility of human prostate cancer cells.

“We detected one major difference between African-Americans and Caucasians in the study,” Dr. Koochekpour notes. “In African-Americans, serum glutamate levels were higher among those men with metastatic disease than in those with primary prostate cancer, and we didn’t see that trend in Caucasian men. This finding may implicate a role for glutamate metabolism in inter-racial disparities of prostate cancer.”

Dr. Koochekpour and colleagues are currently conducting a preclinical study assessing the effectiveness of riluzole in preventing growth of human prostate cancer cells in animal models, and hope to build on these results in the clinical setting within the next 12-18 months. The paper, “Serum Glutamate Levels Correlate with Gleason Score and Glutamate Blockade Decreases Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion and Induces Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells,” was published October 16 in Clinical Cancer Research and can be accessed at http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2012/10/10/1078-0432.CCR-12-1308.

Annie Deck-Miller; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org; 716-845-8593

BMG is the 1st Physician's Group Outside of Northeast Ohio to Join Quality Alliance

October 19, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), News5 Comments

As one of the oldest and largest multi-specialty physician groups in the state of New York, Buffalo Medical Group, P.C. is the first organization to join the Cleveland Clinic Community Physician Partnership’s Quality Alliance that is outside of northeast Ohio.
Improving the quality of care, the Quality Alliance program couples independent physicians with Cleveland Clinic physicians, aiming to implement thorough and reviewed best practices and evidence-based clinical protocols in order that the best possible care can be given to patients. Cleveland Clinic is an academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education.

The Cleveland Clinic Community Physician Partnership designed the network to bring about the improvement of the quality and consistency of clinical care; reduce costs and increase efficiency; and provide access to expertise, data and experience. The alliance meets these goals through physician-led review of patient care, physician-developed clinical protocols, mechanisms assuring adherence to those protocols, and common data collection and reports. With over 900 independent physician members, the Alliance is one of the third largest networks in the nation of its kind striving to standardize and improve the quality of care.

“Partnering with the Cleveland Clinic Community Physician Partnership and Quality Alliance is a logical extension of BMG’s commitment to providing exemplary care for our patients” said Irene S. Snow. M.D., Medical Director of the BMG.

Chief Medical Officer of Cleveland Clinic’s Community Physician Partnership & Quality Alliance, Tarek Elsawy, M.D., stated that “The Buffalo Medical Group is the right type of partner, as it has demonstrated through its highly engaged culture of quality and commitment to process improvement.”

BMG is committed to providing the best comprehensive care for patients, having achieved the highest level of recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for Patient Centered Medical Home – the first health care provider in WNY to do so. BMG has also been recognized for its care for diabetes patients by the same committee. BMG adds more than 100 primary care, specialty care and sub-specialty physicians to the program.

'Know Your Stats' Promotes Prostate Cancer Screening for 2nd Year

October 15, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Event, Member Institution(s), WellnessLeave a Comment

Roswell Park, Buffalo Bills Team up on ‘Know Your Stats’ Awareness Campaign for Second YearAmerica’s first cancer center, Bills partner to host prostate cancer screening clinic at Ralph Wilson Stadium

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but with early detection, about 90 percent of these cancers will be cured. Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and the Buffalo Bills are encouraging men over 50, or those 40 and over with risk factors such as a family history of the disease, to get informed about prostate cancer and talk with their doctor about whether early detection is right for them.

For the second consecutive year, RPCI and the Bills are hosting the Prostate Cancer Early Diagnosis Outreach Clinic, a free prostate cancer education and screening event, in connection with the American Urological Association Foundation’s Know Your Stats about Prostate Cancer® campaign. RPCI doctors will be performing free screenings that will include prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and digital rectal exams (DRE) for eligible men at the event on Tuesday, October 23rd from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ralph Wilson Stadium located at 1 Bills Drive in Orchard Park.

Special wp-contentearances will be made throughout the event by the Buffalo Jills, Buffalo Bills alumni and Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver David Nelson. Tours of Ralph Wilson Stadium will be offered for attendees, who will also be eligible to win raffle prizes.

Men planning to attend the clinic should call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or complete the online registration form at http://www.roswellpark.org/knowyourstats. From that site, visitors can also access ads featuring Bills wide receiver David Nelson, whose father is a prostate cancer survivor.

Light-A-Life 2012 Gives the Gift of Remembrance

October 11, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Fundraiser, Member Institution(s)Leave a Comment

A great way for families to memorialize a loved one that they have lost.

Every year, the holiday season presents an opportunity to give gifts to our loved ones and to those we may not even know. While the holiday season ignites feelings of charity, love, food, and family, nostalgia often arises when it is time to make new memories in the midst of remembering those of old.

The Hospice Foundation of Western New York gives individuals and families the opportunity to memorialize loved ones during the holiday season. In its 24th year, the annual Light-A-Life fundraiser serves to honor lost loved ones and to assist with the care of patients within Hospice Buffalo. Helping to keep memories alive and provide the best care for individuals with serious end-of-life illnesses, the Hospice Foundation is shooting for a $120,000 goal this year. With the overwhelming support of family and friends last year, gifts in 2011 reached $117,000. By remembering your loved one, you can help the Hospice Foundation reach this year’s goal to support patients in hospice care.

The Light-A-Life commemorative bells will be given to supporters who give a gift of $55. The porcelain bells are the 18th in a collectible series that can be remembered for future generations. The hand-painted bells by Buffalo ceramic artist Becky Plummer of Barking Spider Pottery will have your loved one’s name inscribed in the inside by a dedicated Hospice volunteer. The traditional Light-A-Life Memorial Tree lighting event will take place on Saturday, December 1st. The trees will be adorned with red, silver, gold and green bows and tags with loved ones’ names on them. The event is free and open to the public.

Additional gift levels include:

Did you know that Hospice Buffalo is the only licensed hospice program in Erie County? Hospice Buffalo places an emphasis on offering the best quality of life services to patients enduring end-of-life illnesses. Patients are guaranteed to receive holistic care that not only caters to physical needs, but to the social, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient as well. With the help of its team of doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual advisors, and volunteers, Hospice Buffalo serves the patient and their family members, helping each to live their best lives.

To give the gift of life and honor your loved one, please visit www.community.hospicebuffalo.com/lal2012-support

Cuomo Seeks to Boost Organ and Tissue Donations in NYS with Lauren's Law

October 8, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

With the help of Unyts, one the leading procurement organizations in the nation, Western New York has one of the highest organ and tissue consent rates in the country. New York State, though, is the 3rd state with the lowest consent rates for organ and tissue donations in the U.S. With 113,000 people on the national waiting list for organ and tissue donations, 9,700 of them are residents of New York State, yet, the Empire State only has 18% of its adults registered as donors. The national average is 43%.
Beginning in October 2013, the number of New York State residents who become organ and tissue donors is expected to increase based on new language on the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles driver’s license wp-contentlication. A new bill signed into legislation by Governor Andrew Cuomo, called “Lauren’s Law,” requires wp-contentlicants to check one of the two options for organ donor registration. Applicants can either check “yes” or “skip this question” under the organ registration section.

Back in June, Lauren’s Law was passed by unanimous vote by the New York State Assembly and Senate. Governor Cuomo stated that “By adding this new language to DMV wp-contentlication forms, it is our hope that many more New Yorkers sign up to be on the list of those willing to donate an organ or tissue.” Cuomo recognized Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange) and Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) for their efforts to support the passing of the bill into law along with advocate Lauren Shields.

The President and CEO of Unyts, Mark Simon said that “[The bill] will result in increased donations and more opportunities for life safe and life enhancing transplants.”

Lauren Shields, who is now a 12 year old girl, received a heart transplant back in 2009. Officials named the law Lauren’s Law as a result of Shields’ advocacy efforts to help save lives by organ and tissue donations. Shields is a resident of Stony Point in Rockland County. She began her battle with heart failure when she was 9 years old, diagnosed with viral myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), an illness preventing her heart from being able to pump blood through her body because it was so swollen. Today, as a recipient of a successful transplant and a healthy child, Shields aspires to become a cardiologist to help save lives.

For more about Shields’ story, watch the video below:

“I never want anyone to have to wait for a transplant like I did.” -Lauren Shields

To learn how to register and become a donor and help save a life, please visit www.unyts.org/get-involved/donor-registry/.

On-the-Spot Mammograms and Breast Cancer Education at Patient Voices Network Event

October 8, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Event, Health care, Healthy Communities, Outreach, WellnessLeave a Comment

Free wellness event and walk are sponsored by Patient Voices Network, a network of patient action teams, established by UB Family Medicine and Jericho Road Ministries
A free breast cancer awareness walk and wellness event will be held Saturday, October 13 at 10 a.m. in Masten Park by the Patient Voices Network. The network is a patient empowerment partnership between the University at Buffalo Department of Family Medicine, and patients from UBMD Family Medicine at Jefferson and Jericho Road Family Practice.

The 1.6 mile walk will start at 10 a.m. at the Best Street entrance to Masten Park, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. The wellness event begins at 11 a.m. in Masten Park. Health care providers will be available to talk to participants and there will also be information on breast health, breast cancer and screening. Healthy snacks and free T-shirts will be distributed.

On-site screening mammograms will be available for women who have a prescription and who pre-register by calling WNY Breast Health at 1-855-464-7465, prior to the event. Free services through the Cancer Services Program are available for the uninsured. Those who are unable to get screened on Oct. 13 will be provided with an wp-contentointment for another day.

The idea for the event originated with members of the Patient Voices Network, which was formed by the UB Primary Care Research Institute of the Department of Family Medicine and Jericho Road Ministries. In the network, patients living with chronic illness work together to improve primary care and to boost the rate of cancer screenings at the network’s practice partners, Jericho Road Family Practice and UBMD Family Medicine at Jefferson, which is operated by the UB Department of Family Medicine.

“We were talking about how everyone knows what the pink ribbon means, but to really reach people on Buffalo’s East Side, we would need to put on an event right in the community,” says Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD, associate professor of family medicine and director of community translational research at the Primary Care Research Institute in UB’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “We started talking about walking right down Jefferson Avenue, bringing people out of their homes to join us and to get screened for breast cancer.”

According to Tumiel-Berhalter, patients and providers were committed to making sure that both the walk and the event be free in order to ensure the highest possible participation rate. Those who want to donate to breast cancer research will be able to do so; gift bags for participants will include information on how to donate.

“This is not a fundraiser,” she stresses. “This is an event we are holding to educate people on the East Side about breast cancer and to screen them for it.”

The free walk and event are being made possible by grants to the Patient Voices Network from the Western New York Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and from the New York State Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).

During the event, women who have pre-registered will be screened at the WNY Breast Health’s Mobile Mammography Unit, which will be stationed in Masten Park. Additional screenings will take place on Oct. 18, when the unit will be stationed in front of UBMD Family Medicine at Jefferson and UBMD Gynecology Obstetrics, 1315 Jefferson Ave. in Buffalo.

Throughout the rest of the fall, women will have additional opportunities to receive mammograms. The unit will be stationed at Jericho Road Family Practice, 184 Barton St., Buffalo, on the fourth Tuesday of every month and at Jericho Road Family Practice, 1609 Genesee St. on the third Tuesday of every month. To pre-register, call 1-855-464-7465.

“By stationing the mammography machines in such convenient and visible locations, we hope that as many people as possible in the community will get screened,” says Tumiel-Berhalter.

If a screening indicates that further tests are necessary, patients will be referred to an wp-contentropriate health care provider if they do not already have one.

The need for breast cancer education in minority communities is urgent, says Tumiel-Berhalter, because:

–Among African-American women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of death;

–African-American women have a higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40 and are more likely to die from it at every age than are non-Hispanic, white women;

–While mortality rates decreased for white breast cancer patients from 1975 to 2003, they actually increased for African-American women.

The Patient Voices Network began with a grant Tumiel-Berhalter received from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health. She used the grant to develop an organization in which patients could promote ways to improve primary care in their community by helping one another. The response from patients was so enthusiastic that the group, which began meeting monthly, now meets on a weekly basis. The network provides education and assistance in the community for patients with diabetes and, with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, has promoted colorectal cancer events and screenings. More information on the network is here: http://www.fammed.buffalo.edu/patientvoices.

Ellen Goldbaum (UB); goldbaum@buffalo.edu; 716.645.4605; @egoldbaum

UB Ranked One of the World’s Best Universities by Times Higher Education

October 3, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

UB Ranked One of the World’s Best Universities by Times Higher Education

Times Higher Education has named the University at Buffalo as one of the world’s top 200 universities.

UB is ranked 198th in the 2012-13 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, up from last year’s ranking among the top 201 to 225 universities worldwide. The assessment uses 13 performance indicators to analyze how well a university is doing in core missions including teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

“This is very good news. Moving into the top-200 will enhance UB’s already-strong reputation overseas and help us attract outstanding students from around the world,” said Stephen C. Dunnett, PhD, UB professor and vice provost for international education.

“International students are particularly conscious of university rankings, and UB’s steady ascent in various international rankings in recent years — a reflection of our strong institutional commitment to excellence — is certainly well recognized and wp-contentreciated by students and their families overseas.”

Times Higher Education is a leading higher education magazine, and the recognition of UB as a top-200 university demonstrates UB’s growing global reputation. The data for the rankings were collected by Thomson Reuters, which considered about 700 institutions in 69 countries.

In recent years, UB has invested in recruiting additional high-quality faculty, attracting researchers from around the world to Western New York. These faculty members conduct research on some of the world’s most pressing problems, and provide students with an excellent education in the classroom.

Under President Satish K. Tripathi, UB has embarked on the next phase of its UB 2020 plan for academic excellence. With the support of the NYSUNY 2020 legislation, signed into law last year by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, UB is in the midst of a historic transformation. The university is hiring 250 new faculty over the next five years, offering new programs to enrich students’ academic experiences and opening new facilities on its three campuses, with the goal of becoming one the world’s leading public research universities and increasing its regional economic impact.

Abroad, the university has cultivated relationships with distinguished educational institutions throughout the world, cooperating with international partners on student exchanges, joint research projects and the delivery of degree programs overseas.

At home, UB consistently places in the top 20 in the United States for international student enrollment, according to annual data published by the Institute of International Education. In 2010-11, for instance, UB had 5,185 foreign students, the 17th largest population in the nation.

John DellaContrada; dellacon@buffalo.edu; 716-645-4601

UB Department of Medicine Names New Chief of Nephrology Division

October 1, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

Release Date: October 1, 2012Contact: Ellen Goldbaum, goldbaum@buffalo.edu
University at Buffalo
716-645-4605

UB Department of Medicine Names New Chief of Nephrology Division

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Richard J. Quigg Jr., MD, professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and former chief of its nephrology section, has been named the inaugural Arthur M. Morris Chair in Nephrology and chief of the division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine in the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

A photo of Quigg is at http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13714.

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.

The primary focus of Quigg’s research laboratory is to identify pathogenic mechanisms that underlie kidney disease. He is nationally and internationally renowned for his research into diseases of the glomeruli. Glomerular diseases damage the clusters of blood vessels called glomeruli, which filter blood in the kidneys, letting protein and sometimes red blood cells leaks into the urine, ultimately interfering with proper kidney function.

Quigg’s research interests include the role of the complement system, a major factor in the body’s immune response and other defenses, in glomerular disease, lupus nephritis, and diabetic nephropathy. He uses a variety of contemporary techniques to investigate disease pathogenesis and to identify sites of potential therapeutic manipulation. In addition to using animal models, his lab is involved in clinical studies examining the role of the complement system in various kidney diseases and examining gene profiles from renal tissue obtained from patients with these conditions.

Quigg received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Boston University. He completed his medical residency at SUNY Stony Brook and research and clinical fellowships in nephrology at the Boston University Medical Center. He was wp-contentointed to the University of Chicago in 1994 as an associate professor, and was promoted to professor in 2001. He served as chief of the Section of Nephrology at the university and was director of its Functional Genomics Facility. Before joining the University of Chicago, he was an assistant professor at the Medical College of Virginia.

Investigational Brain Cancer Vaccine to Be Tested in Phase I Roswell Park Study

September 27, 2012 by BNMCin Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 27, 2012
Contact: Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

Investigational Brain Cancer Vaccine to Be Tested in Phase I Roswell Park Study
Peptide vaccine targets cancer survival protein, putting tumor cells in a Catch 22

BUFFALO — A new clinical research study at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) will test a first-of-its-kind cancer “vaccine” that may prove effective against many forms of solid-tumor cancers. The vaccine, to be investigated in a trial involving patients with brain cancer, generates an immune response that wp-contentears to put the target molecule, the cancer survival protein survivin, into a bind it can’t escape.

The peptide vaccine, developed at Roswell Park by Robert Fenstermaker, MD, and Michael Ciesielski, PhD, is based upon a specially engineered small protein molecule called a “peptide mimic.” Dr. Fenstermaker is principal investigator of the phase I clinical research study, which will test the safety and immunological effects of the vaccine in patients with two types of brain cancer: glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and anaplastic glioma. Called SurVaxM, the injectable vaccine will initially be given in four doses to nine patients.

Survivin, produced by at least 80% of cancers, is a protein that helps cancer cells to survive under stressful conditions. It is present only in diseased cells, which are caught in an unwinnable situation when exposed to the vaccine.

“SurVaxM puts cancer cells in a Catch 22,” says Dr. Fenstermaker, who is Chair of RPCI’s Department of Neurosurgery and Director of the Institute’s Neuro-Oncology Program. “The vaccine kills tumor cells that express survivin. If the cells turn survivin off to escape the vaccine, they’re essentially committing suicide.”

The engineered peptide used in the vaccine is able to stimulate an immune response because the cancer recognizes it as a foreign molecule.

“We arrived at this peptide through reverse immunology,” notes Dr. Ciesielski. “We knew we wanted to target survivin because it is expressed by so many tumors. We looked at many survivin peptides trying to find the best one to use as our vaccine. Once we identified one that looked promising, we engineered it to be more potent and produce a better response by enlisting multiple arms of the immune system.”

In preclinical studies, the vaccine was effective against several cancers, including gliomas and prostate, ovarian, breast and kidney tumors that produce survivin. Studies in which human glioma, lymphoma and leukemia cells were exposed to the vaccine outside the body also produced a strong response. “In those earlier studies, the response was persistent,” Dr. Ciesielski says. “It wp-contentears that the vaccine continues to provide lasting immunity after the tumor has been eliminated.”

Roughly 15,000 people are newly diagnosed with glioblastomas and anaplastic gliomas in the U.S. every year. These cancers are very difficult to treat, and are often fatal.

“Survival rates for malignant gliomas have improved modestly over the last two decades, but better therapies are desperately needed,” Dr. Fenstermaker says. “We’re anxious to move ahead with this study and, hopefully, go on to larger studies in the years ahead, but we first have to show that this is a safe and well-tolerated drug for a group of terrible diseases.”

Because they enlist the body’s own cells to fight cancer, immune-based therapies generally have few adverse side effects. The trial is the fourth clinical research study launched through RPCI’s Center for Immunotherapy this year.

The study is National Cancer Institute trial no. NCT01250470. For more information about SurVaxM and this new phase I research study, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

Ciesielski and Fenstermaker credit early seed funding from donations with helping to move their research forward and generating additional dollars in new grant funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (R21 NS049309-01) and the American Cancer Society. Additional support from The Jayne and Phil Hubbell Family was instrumental in advancing the team’s research.

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Editor’s note: Photo caption: Robert Fenstermaker, MD, left, and Michael Ciesielski, PhD. Video interview with Drs. Fenstermaker and Ciesielski available at https://vimeo.com/48443468. For additional photos and multimedia, including B-roll video, send request to: annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org.

Landmark Gift From Oishei Foundation for Children's Hospital

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

A $10 million donation to Kaleida Health means the brand new hospital will be named the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital, continuing to serve the women and children of Buffalo. The donor, The John R. Oishei Foundation, named the facility after the late industrialist and philanthropist, John R. Oishei, who established the Foundation in 1940.
Jim Wadsworth, Chairman of the Foundation stated that “The primary reason [Oishei] began his philanthropy back in the 1940s was to benefit the children of his employees and of the community.” The mission of the Foundation is “to be a catalyst for change to enhance economic vitality and the quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region.”

The unprecedented gift will enable the hospital to continue expanding the specialized health care services offered to its infant and women patients. The 430,000 sq. ft., 12-story facility will house a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit which received a $2 million gift in August, a connected ambulatory care center, and a family resource center. In the future, plans include a Women’s Pavilion to house labor and delivery, post partum care, the regional perinatal center for high-risk pregnancies, and a women’s health center providing prenatal and gynecological care.

“Similar to how John R. Oishei sought the best technology available in his time to create the first automobile wiper blades and ultimately the Trico Products Corporation, the Foundation that now bears his name and legacy will share its resources to make advanced technologies and care available today to improve the health and lives of families throughout our community,” said James R. Kaskie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaleida Health.

Set to open in 2016, the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital will sit on the corner of High and Ellicott Streets, across from the Buffalo General Medical Center.

Read more coverage about the gift below:

Oishei Gift Boosts Medical Campus

Oishei Makes $10M Pledge to New Children’s Hospital

Oishei Foundation Gives Hospital $10M

New Oishei Children’s Hospital Receives $10 Million Gift

Oishei Gifts $10 Million Towards New Children’s Hospital

J. Craig Venter Receives Honorary Doctorate, Extols Virtues of the CTRC, UB's Newest Research Facility

September 24, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

“I’m actually jealous,” said J. Craig Venter, speaking of UB’s Clinical and Translational Research Center, after receiving the SUNY Honorary Doctorate in Science.

World-renowned genomic researcher calls UB facility “some of the most beautiful lab space I’ve seen.”

J. Craig Venter, PhD, the pioneering biologist who led the first team to sequence the human genome, received a State University of New York Honorary Doctorate in Science at the University at Buffalo on Sept. 20. The honorary degree was conferred on him at a ceremony that followed the grand opening of UB’s Clinical and Translational Research Center in the joint UB-Kaleida Health building in downtown Buffalo.

UB President Satish K. Triapthi called Venter “one of the 21st century’s most influential scientists and widely regarded as the world’s foremost leader in the field of genetic research.” He said he couldn’t think of a more fitting individual to honor on the occasion of the CTRC opening.

The degree was conferred on Venter by Angelo Fatta, UB Foundation board of directors chair, and SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin.

Venter, a former UB and Roswell Park Cancer Institute scientist, developed a revolutionary strategy for rapid gene discovery while working at the National Institutes of Health. He later founded The Institute for Genomic Research and, in 1995, he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism. At Celera Genomics, which he founded in 1998, Venter sequenced the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. The successful completion of this research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal Science.

Speaking before the audience that gathered in the fifth floor atrium of the CTRC, Venter expressed his honest admiration for UB’s newest research facility.

“I’m actually jealous,” he said, after accepting the SUNY honorary degree. “This is some of the most beautiful lab space I’ve seen and the views are always improving.” Venter then described his newest building, now under construction on the University of California San Diego campus, which, he conceded, will have even better views because it is located right next to the Pacific Ocean.

In addition to the CTRC’s physical assets, Venter praised UB and Buffalo for committing to the creation of a life sciences economy. “I’m a strong believer that the future does rest in a bioeconomy,” he said.

Venter also gave an update on genomics, describing the massive amounts of digital information that the research has produced and the challenge caused by this “digitizing of biology.” While the mammalian genome has largely been completed, he said, there is plenty of genetic diversity on the planet that has yet to be discovered.

“By sequencing the microbiome, we find we are not alone,” he said. “In addition to the 2 million human genes we have, each of us also contains about 10 million additional microbe genes. We live in a microbial world; we are visitors here.”

He and his colleagues are also looking at the vast genetic diversity in the ocean. “Every time we take a sample of seawater, we see between 1 and 3 million genes that haven’t been seen before,” he said.

While noting that the idea that it’s possible to sequence your own genome for about $1,000 may be an overstatement, he said that personalized medicine based on a patient’s genetic information “will be a standard part of medicine within a few years.”

Venter is founder and president of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a not-for-profit, research and support organization dedicated to human, microbial, plant and environmental genomic research, the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics, and alternative energy solutions through genomics. He and his team continue to blaze new trails in genomics research and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as the first complete diploid human genome, environmental genomics and synthetic genomics.

Venter also is founder and chief executive officer of the company Synthetic Genomics Inc., a privately held company commercializing genomic advances.

Ellen Goldbaum; goldbaum@buffalo.edu; 716-645-4605; @egoldbaum

UB Partners with Zimbabwe Universities to Create International Nanotechnology Center

September 24, 2012 by BNMCin Life Sciences Companies, Member Institution(s), News, ResearchLeave a Comment

For release: September 24, 2012Contact: Sara R. Saldi, saldi@buffalo.edu
University at Buffalo
716-645-4593

UB Partners with Zimbabwe Universities to Create International Nanotechnology Center

BUFFALO, N.Y. — With 14 percent of Zimbabwe’s population living with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as a co-infection, the need for new drugs and new formulations of available treatments is crucial.

To address these issues, two of the University at Buffalo’s leading research centers, the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics (ILPB), and the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences have signed on to launch the Zimbabwe International Nanotechnology Center (ZINC) — a national nanotechnology research program — with the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT).

This collaborative program will initially focus on research in nanomedicine and biosensors at UZ and energy at CUT. ZINC has grown out of the NIH Fogarty International Center, AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) that was awarded to UB and UZ in 2008 to conduct HIV research training and build research capacity in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries in southern Africa.

UB faculty and research directors in the ZINC partnership include Paras N. Prasad, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Physics, Medicine and Electrical Engineering, the Samuel P. Capen Chair, executive director of ILPB; Gene D. Morse, PharmD, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, associate director of the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences and director of the Translational Pharmacy Research Core; Alexander N. Cartwright, PhD, UB vice president for research and economic development and interim executive director of the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences , who will work with Professor Levi Nyagura, UZ vice chancellor; Professor David T. Simbi, CUT vice chancellor, and Dr. Charles Maponga, PharmD, UZ pharmacy school director.

ZINC will establish a long-term international research and training platform in the field of nanotechnology, focused in areas that promote Zimbabwe’s strength, and advance the development of nanotechnology as an avenue for Zimbabwe’s commercial growth.

The UB ILPB and TPRC collaboration recognized that the fields of pharmacology and therapeutics have increasingly developed links with emerging areas within the field of nanosciences in an attempt to develop tissue/organ targeted strategies that will lead to disease treatment and eradication. Research teams will focus on emerging technologies, initially focused in nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine for health care.

“Developing nanoformulations for HIV and tuberculosis diagnostics and therapeutics, as well as new tuberculosis drug development, are just a few of the innovative strategies to address these co-infections that this research collaboration can provide,” said Morse.

“In addition, the development of new nanotechnology-related products will jumpstart the economy and foster new economic initiatives in Zimbabwe that will yield additional private-public partnerships.”

A photo of Morse is available at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/13694.

Morse says that the current plans for a “Center of Excellence” in clinical and translational pharmacology in Harare at UZ will create a central hub in Africa, not just for Zimbabwe but for other countries to gain new training and capacity building in many exciting aspects of nanotechnology as well.

Morse adds that this initiative creates an opportunity for additional involvement from a number of UB centers such as those represented by UB’s Strategic Strengths in areas such as Health and Wellness across the Lifespan, Integrated Nanostructured Systems, Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics and Information and Computing Technology.

“With an international program like ZINC, we are hoping to attract pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms who will have similar interests in joining this unique partnership that will enhance the likelihood of economic success through efficient, innovative research.”

“Locally, these efforts will be linked to the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus resulting in a truly global partnership with one anchor in Buffalo–a comprehensive ‘UB matrix’ of innovation and excellence,” says Morse.

GO BNMC Rewards Your Smart Commuting Choices

September 21, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Parking, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO BNMC offers employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus incentives for choosing to save money, improve their health, and help the environment by utilizing alternative transportation options. Now BNMC employees can get rewarded for choosing greener and healthier ways to commute to and from work.
A plethora of incentives including the monthly Smart Commuting Raffle, subsidized Metro Bus and Rail monthly and weekly passes, free GO Bike Buffalo memberships, discounted and free trial Buffalo CarShare memberships, and more are available. Sign up today at www.gobnmc-old.local.

Did you know that other than walking, biking is the greenest way to get around? There are bike racks throughout the Medical Campus. Coming soon will be the walk-in secure bike stations that can be accessed by GO BNMC members, allowing bikes to be stored in a dry location. Bike shelters that will be added to the University and LaSalle Stations in the near future, and a walk-in storage facilities will be added on the BNMC for those who want to store their bike out of the elements.

Signing up to become a GO BNMC member is quick and easy. Employees simply create a profile, begin logging commutes and voilà! Once the profile is created, members can enter into the monthly raffles.

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.

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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.

UB Awarded $1.6M Grant for Students to Study Cybersecurity

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

News Release

Cory Nealon

cmnealon@buffalo.edu

716-645-4614

Release Date: September 18, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo has received a $1.6 million federal grant to teach students how to protect the United States from cyberattacks.

UB will use the grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation, to bring up to 16 students into its Center of Excellence in Information Systems, Assurance, Research and Education (CEISARE). It is one of wp-contentroximately 50 federally designated centers that supply the United States with graduates trained to protect the nation from computer-based attacks. For more information, visit: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/caeiae.

The grant will cover the cost of student stipends ($25,000), in-state graduate tuition and fees ($12,000) and books, travel expenses and health insurance ($3,000) for two years. At roughly $80,000 per student, this equals $1.3 million. The remainder of the grant, roughly $345,000, will cover the cost of running the center for five years.

In exchange for the financial support, students must agree to work for the federal government for two years upon graduation. CEISARE Director Shambhu Upadhyaya said students can choose from numerous agencies including the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and the FBI.

“When students graduate with a specialty in cybersecurity, they can basically go wherever they want,” said Upadhyaya, professor of computer science and engineering.

For a picture of Upadhyaya, visit: http://ubphoto.smugmug.com.

An interdisciplinary program, CEISARE includes a varied group of UB faculty. For example, the grant’s co-investigators are: Thomas Cusick, professor of mathematics; H. Raghav Rao, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in management science and systems department; and Mark Bartholomew, associate professor of law.

The diversity reflects the nuances of computer warfare, which Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said is the most serious economic and national security threat that the United States faces. She and other national security officials have warned that electric grids, transportation systems, banks and other industries reliant on computer systems are susceptible to cyberattacks.

Upadhyaya pointed to the 2009 hacking of sensitive information from the Pentagon’s $300 billion, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project as an example.

The $1.6 million grant is the second multi-year award received by CEISARE. In 2008, it received $860,000 to educate 11 students, some of whom went on to work for the National Security Agency, the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of Inspector General.

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.