ub medicine summer 2013

1U B M e d i c i n eS U M M e r 2 0 1 3

UB Medicines u m m e r 2 0 1 3

ConneCting alumni, friends and Community the university at Buffalo sChool of mediCine and BiomediCal sCienCes

THE EXCITEMENTIS BUILDINGmediCal sChool moves downtown,

set to open in 2016

InaUgUral

IssUe

D E A N ’ S M E S S A G E

D e a r a l u m n i , F r i e n D s a n D c o m m u n i t y,

i am pleaseD to introDuce UB Medicine, a magazine that

will inform you about our school’s pivotal role in medical education,

research and advanced patient care in Buffalo, Western new york

and beyond.

This inaugural issue is devoted to an overview of the transforma-

tive changes underway in the school.

These changes are guided by uB 2020, the university’s long-term strategic plan, a key

aim of which is to ensure that our school is at the forefront of academic medicine in the

21st century.

This bold plan, created by administrative and faculty leaders at uB and strongly sup-

ported by the governor and suny chancellor, calls for the medical school to expand and move

downtown to the Buffalo niagara medical campus, in close proximity to our regional health

care partners.

These steps represent change on an order of magnitude few in our generation have known

and provide a unique opportunity for you—our alumni, faculty, students, trainees, health care

partners and friends—to take part in an initiative that will benefit our community and its

medical school long into the future.

i invite you to join me in helping to realize this vision, a collaborative effort that will be

chronicled—and celebrated—in this and future issues of UB Medicine.

Michael E. Cain, MD

Vice President for Health Sciences

Dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Michael E. Cain, MD Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

EditorStephanie A. Unger

Contributing Writers Jim Bisco, Ellen Goldbaum, Charlotte Hsu, Judson Mead

Copy EditorTom Putnam

PhotographyPhilip J. Cavuoto, Sandra Kicman, Douglas Levere

Design & ProductionAlan Kegler, Nick PetersonOffice of University Communications

Editorial AdvisersJohn J. Bodkin, II, MD ’76Elizabeth A. Repasky, PhD ’81

Major Affiliated Teaching HospitalsErie County Medical CenterRoswell Park Cancer InstituteVeterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System

Kaleida Health’s Buffalo General Medical Center Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital

Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital of Buffalo Sisters of Charity Hospital

Correspondence, including requests to be added to or removed from the mailing list, should be sent to: Editor, UB Medicine, University at Buffalo, 901 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, NY 14214; or email [email protected]

UB Medicine is published by the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to inform its alumni, friends and community about the school’s pivotal role in medical education, research and advanced patient care in Buffalo, Western New York and beyond.

Visit us: www.medicine.buffalo.edu

13-DVC-005

UB MEDICINE MAGAZINE, Summer 2013

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

2 VItAl lINES

Progress notes

26 CollAboRAtIoNS

Partnerships at work

28 DoCtoR VISItS

Reflections oncareers

30 RESEARCH

Discoveries at UB

36 PAtHWAYS

People in the news

40 Q & A

Conversations with experts 6 Anatomy of Change

UBanditshealthcarepartnersinthecommunityare transformingBuffalo’smedical-sciencelandscape

8 A NEW MEDICAl SCHool, A NEW ERATheschoolisexpandingandmovingdowntowntoanchoraworld-classmedicalcampusandbiomedicalresearchcorridor

14 RESEARCH tHAt REACHES PAtIENtSTheUBClinicalandTranslationalResearchCenterisdramati-callychanginghowclinicalresearchisconductedinBuffalo

18 CoMPEtItoRS REoRgANIzE AS PARtNERS CollaborativehealthcareinitiativesaretheneworderinBuffalo

22 ExPANSIoN bY DEgREESWithleadershipprovidedbyanewgenerationofchairs,themedicalschoolwillgrowitsfacultyandincreaseenrollment

8

UbMEDICINE

New medical school entrance, Main and High streets

CoVER IMAgE: New medical school at Main and High streets. The Allen Medical Campus metro station will be located in the building to the left of the pedestrian archway.

U B M e d i c i n e2 S u m m e r 2 0 1 3

U B M E D V I T A L L I N E S

Largest gift in schooL history

a World War ii-era graduate of the school of Medicine and Biomedical sciences who spent his career practicing medicine in a small town has left the school $40 million in his estate—the largest gift from an individual in UB’s 167-year history.

the donor, who wished to remain anonymous for a period after his death, directed that his bequest be used for the priorities of the medical school as determined by the dean.

“this gift ensures that we can continue hiring top physician-scientists to teach and perform groundbreaking research in the UB medical school,” says Michael e. cain, MD, UB vice president for health sciences and dean, school of Medicine and Biomedical sciences.

“it truly is a gift that will keep on giving for many years to come.”

funds from the gift have already been used to support the hiring of a new generation of physician-scientist leaders and to acquire core equip-ment for their laboratories in the clinical and translational research center (see related article on page 22).

in the future, when the restric-tion of anonymity has been lifted, UB Medicine will tell the full story of this remarkable gift.

The excitement was palpable at the unveiling, as guests were eager to get a first glimpse of the new school, which will be built on Main and High streets—returning it to where it resided for 60 years, prior to moving to its current location on the South Campus in 1953. Pictured in the foreground are Robert Puleo, University Facilities, left; Animesh Sinha, MD, PhD, chair of dermatology, and his wife, Kristina Seiffert Sinha, MD, center; and C. Richard Zobel, MD, right.

The final design for the new School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences was unveiled at a special preview event held on April 9 in the Clinical and Translational Research Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. In attendance were invited guests, including UB faculty, alumni, student leaders, friends and community health care partners. The following day, a public viewing of the design was held that was well attended and reported on by media across the state. The architectural renderings displayed at these events are featured throughout this magazine.

Mrs. Judy Marine, Mrs. Judith Katz, left, and Leonard Katz, MD, right, talking with Kenneth Drucker, lead architect for the project.

Guests were eager to view the design for

the new school when it was unveiled at a special event

on April 9.

neW Design Brings hoMe the exciteMent

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SCHool WEbSItE WINS toP HoNoRS

TheOfficeofCommunicationsintheSchoolofMedicineand BiomedicalScienceshasreceivedthehighesthonorfromthe AssociationofAmericanMedicalColleges’GrouponInstitutionalAdvancement(AAMC-GIA)foritstransformationoftheDepartmentofPsychiatrywebsite.

TheAAMC-GIAAwardforExcel-lencerecognizesthemostcreativeandeffectiveap-proachesusedtopromoteacademicmedicineintheUnitedStates. Only a few institutionswontheawardin2013,makingUB’sac-complishmentthatmuchmoreno-

table,explainedawardschairDavidB.Anderson,associatedeanforadvancementattheUniversityofNorthCarolinaSchoolofMedicine.“Yourentryrepresentsthebestofthebest,”hesaid. TheOfficeofCommunicationswontheawardintheelectroniccommunications/websitecategory.Thegrouplaunchedthepsychia-trydepartmentsiteinthesummerof2012. TheawardwaspresentedattheannualAAMCmeetinginHol-lywood,Fla.onApril4.

MoRE StUDENtS CHooSINg Ub foR RESIDENCY

FiftypercentmorestudentsintheUBSchoolofMedicineandBio-medicalScienceshavechosenaUBresidencyprogramthisyearthanlastyear,accordingtostatisticscompiledonthegraduatesatMatchDay2013heldMarch15. Thirty-eightoutofthe150studentswhomakeuptheClassof2013havechosentostayinBuffaloanddotheirresidenciesatUB,upfrom24in2012,accordingtoRoseanneC.Berger,MD,seniorassociatedeanforgraduatemedicaleducation. “ThisisavoteofconfidenceforUB’sresidencyprograms,”saysBerger.“Wedoknowthattheresidentshaveatendencytoremainintheareaswheretheytrain,somanywillstarttheircareershere,providingqualityhealthcareforourregion.” “We’reexcitedtoseethis,”agreesDavidA.Milling,MD’93,seniorassociatedeanforstudentandacademicaffairsintheUBmedicalschool.“Wehaverecruitedsomanynewfacultyandthequalityof

ourtrainingpro-gramscontinuestoimprove,sostudentsaremorereceptive,not only staying in Buffaloforpost-graduatetraining,butsomewholeavealsowillreturnoncetheir training is complete.ThegrowthoftheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus,includingtheforth-comingmedicalschooldowntown,isalsoattractingyoungphysicianshere.” Seventy-threepercentoftheUBClassof2013areNewYorkStateresidents.Atotalof75students,halfoftheclassof2013,willstayinNewYorkStatetodotheirtraining.

“This is a vote of confidence for UB’s residency programs. We do know that the residents have a tendency to remain in the areas where they train, so many will start their careers here, providing quality health care for our region.”

—Roseanne C. Berger, MD

David A. Milling, MD ’93, and Roseanne C. Berger, MD

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U B M E D V I T A L L I N E S

“The big ideas and the big economies across the country all have the same formula. Ideas are now birthed in institutions of higher education.” —Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

Ub KEY to ‘bUffAlo bIllIoN’ PlAN

Gov.AndrewM.Cuomo’s$1billionpledgetoBuffalotookabigstepforwardwhenUBpresidentSatishK.Tripathiandcivicleader HowardZemsky,co-chairsoftheWesternNewYorkRegionalEco-nomicDevelopmentCouncil,presentedthegovernorwithaplanforthestate’sinvestmentintheregionduringavisithemadetoBuffalo. BeforeacrowdgatheredattheBuffaloConventionCentertoheartheplan,CuomoandotherspeakerspointedtothepowerfulroleUBcontinuestoplayinregionaleconomicdevelopment. “Thebigideasandthebigeconomiesacrossthecountryallhavethesameformula,”Cuomosaid.“Ideasarenowbirthedininstitu-tionsofhighereducation.Theycomeupwithanewgreatidea,agreatconcept,andtheythenbecomefertilizedintheentrepreneurialprivatesectortoformbusinesses.That’swhat’sworkingallacrossthecountry,andthat’sthemagicthatwehavetobringtoWesternNewYork.” TheUBRegionalInstitute,inpartnershipwiththeUrbanDesignProjectintheSchoolofArchitectureandPlanning,workedwiththecouncilandteamsfromtheBrookingsInstitutionandMcKinsey&Co.toframetheplan,identifytheregion’sdistinctiveassetsandadvantages,andoutlineinvestmentoptions. Thecouncil’seconomicdevelopmentplanidentifiestwosectorsforinvestmentthatwillinvolvetheuniversity:advancedmanu-facturingandlifesciences.ThesesectorswillleverageUBfacultystrengthsinmaterialsscience,aswellasresearchnowunderwayattheClinicalandTranslationalResearchCenterandcommercializa-tioneffortsatUB’sNewYorkStateCenterofExcellenceinBioinfor-maticsandLifeSciences. Thelifesciencessector,inparticular,willbenefitfromthereloca-tionofthemedicalschooltotheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus,

wheretherewillbeacontinuedpushtodevelopmedicalinnovationsandbringthemtomarket. Lt.Gov.RobertDuffythankedTripathiandZemskyfortheirworkinsupportoftheentireregion. “Thesetwogentlemenhavedoneanextraordinaryjobleadingthiseffort,bringingpeopletogetherandgettingthejobdone,”hesaid. Followingthepresentationoftheplan,Cuomoannouncedthestate’sinvestmentof$50milliontoattractAlbanyMolecularResearchInc.totheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus.HeexplainedthatthebiomedicalcompanywasdrawntotheareabythepotentialtocollaboratewithUBandotherlocalresearchinstitu-tionsindrugdevelopmentandcommercialization.

From left, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Howard Zemsky and President Satish K. Tripathi.

fIRSt NIAgARA PRoVIDES lAND foR NEW Ub MEDICAl SCHool

FirstNiagaraFinancialGroupInc.hasgiventoUBaparceloflandtobeusedintheconstructionoftheuniversity’snewSchoolofMedicineandBiomedicalSciencesontheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus. TheparcelisoneofthreepropertiesUBisacquiringindowntownBuffaloforitsnewmedicalschool.The.85-acreparcel,appraisedatapproximately$2million,isat973MainSt.,whereaFirstNiagararetailbankbranchiscurrentlylocated. “ThemagnitudeofFirstNiagara’sgenerosityfarsurpassesthephysicalboundariesofthelandthatischanginghands,”saysUBPresidentSatishK.Tripathi.“Withthisacquisition,UBcanmoveaheadwithitsplansforthenewmedicalschool,whichwillhelptodramaticallyimprovehealthcareandmedicaleducationinourregionwhileprovidingasignificantboosttothelocaleconomy.” “When we were made aware of how important the land was to the university,wejumpedatthechancetohelp,”saysGaryCrosby,FirstNiagara’sinterimpresidentandchiefexecutiveofficer. “WearecommittedtodoinggreatthingsinourcommunityandweareproudtocollaboratewithUBinordertoprovidethefinalpieceofthepuzzleforthemedicalschooltomoveforward,”Crosbycontinues.“WesternNewYorkisagloballyrecognizedleaderinlifesciences,innovationandresearch,andwearethrilledtohelpmakethenewmedicalschoolareality,asitwillpositivelyimpactourareaformanygenerationstocome.”

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uB med

ADDItIoN to RoSWEll PARK CANCER INStItUtENew facility will connect to the main hospital building

RoswellParkCancerInstituteisbuildingan11-storyClinical SciencesCenteronthenorthwestcornerofMichiganAvenue andCarltonStreet. The142,000-square-footfacilitywillconnecttothemainhospitalbuilding.Itwillincludeabreastcarecenter,anewmammographycenter,anexpandedchemotherapyinfusionclinic,aclinicforadoles-centsandyoungadults,patienteducationprogramsandofficespaceforphysiciansandresearchers. ConstructionoftheClinicalSciencesCenterstemsfromgrowthinclinicaldemand—anearly40percentincreaseinpatientsatthecom-prehensivecancercenteroverthepastfiveyearsanda60percentriseinoutpatientvisitsoverthepastdecade. Relocationofsomeservicestothenewcenteralsowillallow forrenovationandexpansionofotherservicesinthemain hospitalbuilding.

The addition will include a breast care center, a new mammography center, an expanded chemotherapy infusion clinic, a clinic for adolescents and young adults, patient education programs and office space for physicians and researchers.

Theprojectisenvi-sionedintwophases. Phaseone,atacostof$40million,will involvecompletionofsevenfloorsbyfall2015. ThebuildingwasdesignedbyFXFOWLEArchitectsofNew YorkCity.

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UB and its health care partners are transforming Buffalo’s medical-science landscape

AnAtomy of ChAnge

New medical school, looking west on High Street toward Main Street


heaLth care in BUffaLo anD Western neW york is

taking on a neW Life. That’s because systems and structures that not

long ago were bending and breaking under the weight of competition are now

being taken apart and rebuilt, piece by piece—collaboratively.

New leadership in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, new

demands on medical education in the 21st century and new economic realities

for health care providers have resuscitated ideas and partnerships that until

recently would have been dismissed as implausible.AnAtomy of ChAnge

in this inaugural issue of UB Medicine, we will describe this resurgence by providing you with a synopsis of some of the more notable—and concrete—alterations to Buffalo’s health sciences’ landscape.

these changes include plans underway to move the UB school of Medicine and Bio-medical sciences downtown, to the Buffalo niagara Medical campus—close to where it resided between 1893 and 1953 on what was known as “the high street campus.”

We will also tell you about the recently completed UB clinical and translational research center (ctrc), a world-class facility constructed in conjunction with kaleida health’s global Vascular institute. Located at goodrich and ellicott streets and connected by a sky bridge to Buffalo general Medical center, the ctrc serves as an anchor for UB’s medical-science facilities downtown.

you will also learn about the soon-to-be constructed John r. oishei children’s hospital on the Buffalo niagara Medical campus, which will be connected to the new school and to the recently opened research and clini-cal care buildings.

in addition to these “bricks-and-mortar” projects, there is another exciting building project taking place that we will report on.

in the last six years, under the leadership of Dean Michael e. cain, MD, the school has recruited nine nationally prominent medical educators to chair departments and divi-sions, many in close collaboration with our community health care partners. More new faculty leaders will be joining the school before 2016, when the first class of medical students enters its new home downtown.

this begins a planned expansion of the school, the goal of which is to add 100 new faculty and increase enrollment by 30 percent.

While these are the most visible com-ponents of change currently taking place, many other collaborative projects are unfolding behind these and other, yet-to-be-built walls.

each is serving in its own way to break down old barriers and revitalize a regional health care economy being transformed with the ultimate goal of improving care for residents of our community and beyond.

We look forward to telling you these stories in the years ahead as change takes place, one collaboration at a time.


AnAtomy of ChAnge

ConstruCtion is set to Begin on A new, lArger sChool downtownERA

A NEWWhen the Ub medical school was founded in 1846, the year

2020 must have seemed like science fiction to those living at

the time. the same could perhaps have been said in 2005,

when Ub’s leaders began to articulate a long-term strategic

plan they called Ub 2020—the centerpiece of which was a

bold idea to build a new, larger medical school downtown

in close proximity to its life sciences partners on the buffalo

Niagara Medical Campus (bNMC).

“Moving the medical school downtown is an

appropriate first step toward realizing our university’s vision of

excellence.”

—President Satish K. Tripathi

A new mediCAl sChool

BYS.A. UNGER


Yettodaythisplanisareality. Constructionofthenewschoolisscheduledtobeginthis summer. Thefirststudentswillenterthenewfacilityin2016,which,serendipitously,designatesthemtheClassof2020. ThefactorsdrivingthisdramatictransformationofUB’smedicalschoolarethreefold:theneedtomodernizemedicaleducationforthe21stcentury,theneedtomorerapidly translatebasic-sciencediscoveriesintoclinicalcare,andtheneedtogrowthemedicalschoolandreorganizehealthcareinourregiontobetterserveitspopulationandtoaddresseconomicrealities. “Movingthemedicalschooldowntownisanappropriatefirststeptowardrealizingouruniversity’svisionofexcellence,”

saysUBpresidentSatishK.Tripathi.Themovealsopresentsalumniandfriendsoftheschoolwithauniqueop-portunitytotakepartinaneducationalinitiativethatistransformativebothinitsscopeanditspotentialimpactongenerationstocome.“Thisisaonce-in-a-life-timeopportunitytobuildanewschoolfromthegroundup,”saysMichaelE.Cain,MD,vicepresidentfor

healthsciencesanddeanoftheSchoolofMedicineand BiomedicalSciences. “Weareinstitutingchangeonanorderofmagnitudefewinourgenerationhaveknown.Yetthischangerespondstoanecessitysimilartowhatthefoundersofourschoolidentifiedover167yearsagowhentheygalvanizedeffortstoestablishamedicalschoolinBuffalo.”

HIgH AND MAIN StREEtS REVISItEDPhase1ofthe$375millionplanwasbeguninMay2011, whenGov.AndrewM.CuomoandSUNYchancellorNancy L.Zimpherannounceda$35milliongrant—longinthe planning—thatservedasadownpaymentforthemedicalschool’snewhome. Inadditiontothestategrant,thenewmedicalschoolwillbefinancedbyUBcapitalandothersources;amedicalschoolpro-gramfee;privategiftsfrommedicalschoolalumniandfriends,corporationsandfoundations;andresearchgrants. InMay2012,followingayear-longinternationalcompeti-tion,UBselectedHOK—apremierU.S.architecturalfirmwithanextensiveportfolioofhealthsciencesandacademicbuild-ings—todesignthenewmedicalschool. Inthemonthsfollowing,landwasacquiredforthenew520,000-square-footbuilding,whichwillsitatthesoutheastcornerofHighandMainstreets. Thislocatestheschoolatthecenteroftheregion’semergingbiosciencescorridorandreturnsittoHighStreet,whereitfor-merlyresidedfor60yearsbeforemovingtoitscurrentlocationonUB’sSouthCampusin1953.

“Moving the medical school downtown is an

appropriate first step toward realizing our university’s vision of

excellence.”

—President Satish K. Tripathi

The seven-story medical school, viewed from Main Street, features two L-shaped structures linked to create a six-story, light-filled glass atrium that includes connecting bridges and a stairway.

U B M e d i c i n e1 0 S u m m e r 2 0 1 3

AnAtomy of ChAnge

lARgER ClASSES, MoRE fACUltYAsacentralpartoftheUB2020strategicvision,UBwilladd100newfacultypositionstotheschoolbetweennowand2016inordertoenlargeitsmedicaleducationcapac-ity,enrichitsresearchactivitiesandexpanditsclinicalprograms. Medicalschoolenrollmentwillgrowfromitscurrentclasssizeof140to180,producing40moreMDgraduatesperyearby2020. Thiswilladdressboththeregionalandthenationalphysicianshortageandhelptobettermeetthehealthcareneedsofalocalpopulationthathashigher-than-averageratesfordiabetes,cardiovasculardiseasesandneurologi-caldisorders. Medicalschoolfacultygrowthisalsodesignedtoclosegapsintheregion’sclinicalspecialtiesandaddtrain-ingprogramsinthoseareas.ItisanticipatedthatmanyresidentstraininginthosespecialtieswillstayandpracticeinBuffaloandWesternNewYork.This,inturn,willmakeitpossibleforpatientstostayinBuffaloforspecialtycarethatcurrentlyisnotavailablehere. UnderDeanCain’sleadership,theschoolisrecruitingnationallyprominentmedicaleducatorstochairdepart-mentsanddivisions.Nineoftheseleadershavejoinedthefacultysince2008andmorewillbejoiningtheschoolbefore2016(seerelatedarticleonpage22).

PRoxIMItY to PAtIENtS AND lAbSInitsnewlocationatMainandHighstreets,theschoolwillbeconnectedbyskybridgestoKaleidaHealth’sBuf-faloGeneralMedicalCenterandthenewJohnR.OisheiChildren’sHospital,projectedtoopeninearly2016. TheschoolalsowillconnecttotheUB-KaleidaHealthbuildingthathousesUB’sClinicalandTranslationalResearchCenter,KaleidaHealth’sGatesVascularInstituteandRoswellParkCancerInstitute;andtoanewmedicalofficebuildingthatwillhouseofficesforUBMD,themedi-calschoolfacultypracticegroup(seerelatedarticlesonpages18and22). Thiswillcreatea“coatless”environmentinwhichstu-dents,faculty,biomedicalresearchersandclinicianscanmoveeasilyfromclassroomtobedsidetolab.LocatingthemedicalschoolwithBuffalo’sprimaryhealthcaredeliverysystemsimprovesallaspectsoftheschool’smission:Itembedsmedicaleducationinaclinicalenvironment,bringsbiomedicalresearcherstogetherwiththeircolleaguesinaclinicalsettingandstrengthensclini-calcarefortheregion,notesCain. ItwillalsobeaboontotheBuffaloeconomy. “Postindustrialcities,likePittsburgh,Clevelandand St.Louis,haveachieveddramaticeconomicturnaroundsbyaligninguniversitymedicalcenterswithcommunityhospitalstobuildthriv-ingbiomedicalindustriesthatimprovepatientcare,”Cainsays.

CREAtINg A StRoNg SENSE of PlACEThenewmedicalschoolfacilitywillbeoneofthelargestbuildingstobebuiltinBuffaloindecades. ItwillserveasagatewaytoUB’sDowntownCampus,offeringapotentiallyseamlessconnectiontosurroundingAllentownandFruitBeltneighborhoods,aswellastotherestofdowntown. ThesitealsoincludesanewAllenMedicalCampusmetrostation.

WHAt WIll HAPPEN to tHE SoUtH CAMPUS?

Ub’s master plan calls for the current medical school buildings (Cary, farber and Sherman halls), dating to the 1940s, to be taken down. this will free up that portion of campus to be renovated as green space and to accommodate new and expanded uses that will provide a stronger link between the campus and the community, with an orientation to civic engagement and the urban setting.

Implementation of the master plan for the South Campus will restore its classic collegiate beauty, including the stately stone buildings, intimate quadrangles, expansive lawns and classic views—all core features of the E.b. green campus plan of 1930. the plan for the South Campus will rein-force historic quadrangles, remove unsightly temporary buildings, recover grand lawns from parking and revitalize landscapes. Access to campus and way-finding will be improved with new facilities for transit patrons and bicycle commuters, a simplified campus loop road, an improved bailey Avenue entrance and better connections to the neighborhood.

the university is fully committed to engaging faculty, staff and students of the five schools that will remain, in creating a strong and vibrant South Campus community. they are:

School of Architecture and Planning

School of Dental Medicine

School of Nursing

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

School of Public Health and Health Professions

1 1U B M e d i c i n eS U M M e r 2 0 1 3

Benefits to the region . . . and beyond:

* Ub will graduate more physicians annually and many will stay in the region (starting in 2016, class size will increase from 140 to 180).

* the medical school will expand faculty by more than 100, primarily in specialty areas not now available in buffalo (the number of medical school faculty will grow from 715 to approximately 850 by 2016).

* buffalo will become a destination for individuals seeking advanced medical care in certain specialty areas.

* thousands more people will be brought downtown each day.

* More than 3,000 jobs will be created.

* opportunities will arise for revitalization of surrounding neighborhoods.

UBisfinalizinganagree-mentwiththeNiagaraFrontierTransportationAuthoritytopermitthesta-tiontobeincorporatedintothemedicalschoolbuilding. Inaddition,theAllen-townhistoricdistrictandthehistorichousesonWashingtonStreet,aswellastheRooseveltBuildingonMainStreet,arebeingincorporatedintothe siteplan. Thenewmedicalschooldesignincludesgreenspaceandpedestrianways,suchasaparkalongEllicottStreetandapedestrianpas-sagethroughthebuildingfromAllenStreet.Thegoalistocreateastrongsenseofplaceforbothcampusandcommunity,aswellasphysicalconnectionsbetweenthem.

WIN-WIN foR WEStERN NEW YoRKThemedicalschoolmovewillbring1,200students,facultyandstaffdowntown,explainsRobertG.Shibley,deanoftheUBSchoolofArchitectureandPlanning,whoheadedthearchitectselectioncommittee.

“This move is a milestone in UB’s master plan for its downtown campus, which is to create a lively, urban, mixed-use district, well-connected to the surrounding neighborhood and downtown communities.”

—Robert G. Shibley, dean, School of Architecture and Planning

“ThismoveisamilestoneinUB’smasterplanforitsdowntowncampus,whichistocreatealively,urban,mixed-usedistrict,well-connectedtothesurroundingneighborhoodanddowntowncommunities,”Shibleysays. ItisanticipatedthatimplementationofPhase1ofUB2020willcreatemorethan3,000jobsinWesternNewYorkby2018. Themedicalschoolprojectisalsoacatalystforadditionaldevel-opmentwithKaleidaHealthandotherprivateandpublicentities,makingitanestimated$655millioninvestmentintheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus(seerelatedarticleonpage18). JamesR.Kaskie,presidentandCEOofKaleidaHealth,notesthatthemomentumcreatedbyUBandKaleidaHealth’sexpan-sionindowntownBuffalowillmaketheregionanationalhubforpatientcareandmedicalresearch. “Wehaveanunprecedentedopportunitybeforeustopioneernewtreatmentsandinnovativehealthcareandtotransformourregion’seconomy,”Kaskiesays. JeremyM.Jacobs,CEOofDelawareNorthCompaniesandchairmanoftheUBCouncil,saysUB’splanshaveearnedunprec-edentedsupportintheregion—frombusinessleaderstolegislatorstostudentstofaith-basedorganizations. “UB’splanisastrategyforourentireregiontomoveforward—economically,culturallyandsocially,”Jacobssays.“AbetterUBwillyieldabetter,strongerWesternNewYork.”

Judson Mead, John DellaContrada and Ellen Goldbaum contributed to this article.

Ub’s relocation of its School of Medicine and

biomedical Sciences to the buffalo Niagara Medical

Campus downtown is a major aspect of the

university’s Ub 2020 plan.

The primary goals of this move are to:

* enhance academic excellence by expanding and modernizing the school and situating it closer to its affiliated teaching hospitals

* stimulate biomedical innovations leading to commercial development

* improve health care in Western New York

* boost the local economy

oVERVIEW


AnAtomy of ChAnge

UB School of Medicine; completion 2016. See page 8.

Conventus Medical Office Building; estimated completion spring 2015. See page 18.

UB Institute for Health- care Informatics

John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital; estimated completion, early 2016. See page 18.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Center for Genetics and Pharmacology

UB New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinfor-matics and Life Sciences

Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute

HiGH

ELLiCOTTWASHinGTOn

MAin


UB Clinical and Translational Research Center/Kaleida Health’s Gates Vascular Institute. See page 14.

Kaleida Health’s Buffalo General Medical Center

Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Clinical Sciences Center addition; estimated completion, fall 2015. See page 5.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

CARLTOn

MiC

HiGAnELM

BuffAlo niAgArA mediCAl CAmPusnew uB sChool of mediCine And BiomediCAl sCienCes


Any biomedical scientist will tell you that conducting world-class research is a lot like growing a healthy organism: it’s not enough to have all the constituent parts; you also have to have them in the right place at the right time and in the right amount.

this ideal alignment of resources is how many scientists are describing the new uB Clinical and translational research Center (CtrC) on the Buffalo niagara medical Campus.

reseArCh thAt

reAChes PAtients

CliniCAl And trAnslAtionAl reseArCh Center is A

milestone for uB heAlth sCienCes

AnAtomy of ChAnge

By S.A. Un g e r

The170,000-square-footcenterwasdesignedwithinputfromUBphysician-scientistsandgrewfroma“build-it-and-they-will-come”confidencethatisprovingwelljustified. SinceopeninginSeptember2012,theCTRChasbeensteadilyfillingwithUBfacultyalongwithtopphysician-scientistsrecruitedfromaroundtheworld—allgravitatingtowardwhattheyconsidertobeanoptimalsettingfortranslatinglaboratoryfindingsmorerapidlyintoimprovedtreatmentsforsomeofsociety’smostintractablediseasessuchasAlzheimer’s,diabetes,heartdisease,strokeandmultiplesclerosis. JoiningthemintheCTRCarestart-uplife-sciencescompaniesrelocatingtodowntown Buffalototakeadvantageofthebuilding’sbiosciencesincubator—operatedbyUB’sOfficeofScience,TechnologyTransferandEconomicOutreach—anditsproximitytopotentialresearchandclinicalpartners. “TheCTRCwilltransformclinicalresearchinBuffaloasweknowit,”saysTimothyF.Murphy,MD,directorofthenewcenterandseniorassoci-atedeanforclinicalandtranslationalresearchintheSchoolofMedicineandBiomedicalSciences. Heexplainsthatthequesttobetterintegrateclinicalandlaboratoryresearchreflectsanation-allyrecognizedneedtochangethewayscience isconductedduetoadearthofbasic-science discoveriesthatarebeingtranslatedintoim-provedpatientcare. “Ifyoulookatbasicbiomedicalresearchoverthelast30years,theadvanceshavebeennoth-ingshortofremarkable—genomics,cellbiology,structuralbiology,immunology.Butifyoulookathoweffectivelywe’vetranslatedthosegreatad-vancesintonewtreatments—newdrugs,vaccines,preventions,diagnostics—it’snotspectacular.”

PRoDUCt of AN INNoVAtIVE PARtNERSHIPTheCTRCisafour-storybuildingthatsitsatoptheGatesVascularInstitute(GVI),aclinicalcarebuildingconstructedbyKaleidaHealth,Buffalo’slargesthealthcareprovider. Thefive-storyGVIishometoKaleida’scardiac,vascularandneurosurgeryunits.ItalsohousesthenewemergencydepartmentforBuffaloGen-eralMedicalCenter,Kaleida’sflagshiphospitalandaUBteachingaffiliate. Thetwobuildings-within-a-building—locatedatGoodrichandEllicottstreetsandconnectedtoBuffaloGeneralMedicalCenter—aretheuniqueproductofaninnovativepartnershipbetweenUBandKaleida.Tomaximizecostefficiencies,theyshareinfrastructureandanexterior;however,theywerefunded,designedandconstructedsepa-ratelyforatotalof$291million($118millionfortheCTRCand$173millionfortheGVI).

Photos from top to bottom: Timothy f. Murphy, MD, director of the CTRC and senior associate dean for clinical and translational research in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Stephen Rudin, PhD, SUNy Distinguished Professor of radiology and co-director of the Toshiba Stroke and Vascular Research Center; and John M. Canty Jr., MD ’79, who holds the Albert and Elizabeth Rekate Chair in Cardiovascular Disease in the UB Department of Medicine.

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u B m e d i C i n e1 6 s u m m e r 2 0 1 3

ThecostforUB’sportionoftheconstruc-tionwasreceivedfromNewYorkState;fundstofurtherequipandfurnishthebuildingwillbeprovidedthroughalumni,gratefulpatients,andcorporateandfoundationgifts.

bREAKINg DoWN SIloSAND oPENINg UPCollAboRAtIoNSDespitebeingseparatelyconstructed,thetwobuildingsarefullyutilizedasonefunctionalentitybythephysician-scientistswhopracticeinonepartandconducttheirresearchinanother.“ThisnewbuildingisthemostexcitingdevelopmentI’veseeninmycareeratUB,”saysJohnM.CantyJr.,MD’79,whoholdstheAlbertandElizabethRekateChairinCardiovas-cularDiseaseintheUBDepartmentofMedicine.“Itsverticalintegrationallowsphysician-scientiststoworkintheirlabsandtoprovideafullspec-trumofcarefortheirpatients, allinonebuilding.”Thiscareincludesconductingstate-of-the-artimagingstudies,

evaluatingpatientsforclinicaltrialsandfollowingthemasoutpatients,headds. FurtherintegrationtakesplacewithintheCTRC’slaboratories,whereopendesignsputresearchersside-by-side,whentraditionallytheywouldbeisolatedinindividuallabs. Thegoalwastobreakdownthe“silos”thatresultwhenresearchersinonedisciplineare

isolatedfromresearchersinanother.Thisatypicalfloorspaceencouragestheexchangeofideasandcollaborationbetweenresearchersindifferentareasofinquiry.

ENoRMoUS ADVANtAgES foR bIoMEDICAl EDUCAtIoNThissingle-locationintegrationoflaboratoryandclinicalresourcescreatesanoptimalenvironmentforteaching,whichinturnaidsintherecruitmentofstudents,aswellasworld-classresearchers. Italsomayplayaroleinencouragingmorestu-dentstoconsidercareersasphysician-scientists. ThepushfortranslationalresearchisalreadyreshapingthecurriculumatUB,makingitincreasinglyinterdisciplinary.Anewclinical-research-trackmaster’sprograminepidemiology,forexample,wasrecentlydesignedbyfacultyinallfiveofUB’shealthsciencesschoolsandRoswellParkCancerInstitute. “TheCTRCstrengthensoureducationalandtrainingprogramsbygivingUBstudents,resi-dents,fellowsandpostdocs—aswellasscientistsinourregion—theopportunitytoparticipateinstate-of-the-artresearchinasingle,inter-disciplinarysetting,”saysStephenRudin,PhD,SUNYDistinguishedProfessorofradiologyandco-directoroftheToshibaStrokeandVascular ResearchCenter. “Thescienceandengineeringresearchersinourlaboratoryarenowlocatedjustafewfloorsabovethesurgicalandinterventionalsuiteswhereourclinicalcolleaguesprovidecaretopatients,allofwhichprovidesamorereal-world,dynamiclearningenvironment.”

“There are very few other places in the

world that I’m aware of where—under

one roof—physicians and scientists are

given the tools they need to conduct

basic and clinical-translational research and to commercialize

their discoveries.”—Dean Michael E. Cain, MD

AnAtomy of ChAnge

The new UB Clinical and Translational Research Center features state-of-the-art laboratories to house the research pro-grams of 20 to 25 principal investigators, a biosciences incubator, an imaging center, a clinical research center, and a central biorepository. the following is a sampling of some of the Ub physician-scientists now located in the center and a description of their research focus:

Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory DisordersDirector: Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhDAssistant Professor, Neurology

Director, UB Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center Focus: new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease based on the identification of biomarkers and a comprehensive understanding of the disease’s genetic mechanisms.

Asthma, HIV/AIDS, Prostate CancerDirector: Stanley A. Schwartz, MD, PhD UB Distinguished Professor, MedicineFocus: better treatments for three serious public health problems that involve immune system dysfunction.

A SAMPlINg of lAboRAtoRIES

Skin DisordersDirector: Animesh A. Sinha, MD, PhD Rita M. and Ralph T. Behling, Professor and Chair, DermatologyFocus: next-generational diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies for autoimmune disorders of the skin.

Cardiovascular DiseaseDirector: John M. Canty Jr., MDAlbert and Elizabeth Rekate Chair, Cardiovascular DiseasesFocus: better understanding of heart and vascular disorders in order to develop new therapies.

(continued from page 15)

1 7u B m e d i C i n es u m m e r 2 0 1 3

INtEgRAtINg ACADEMIC AND CoMMUNItY-bASED RESEARCHTheCTRCismorethanitslaboratories,clinicsandmeetingplaces.Itisahubfortheclinicalandtrans-lationalresearchprogramsoftheinstitutionsthatcomprisetheBuffaloTranslationalConsortium. CreatedduringtheplanningfortheCTRC,theconsortiumincludesthefiveUBhealthsciencesschools,KaleidaHealth,ErieCountyMedicalCenter,RoswellParkCancerInstitute,themedicalschool’sfacultypracticegroup,andotherleadingBuffalomedicalresearchinstitutesandcenters. Consortiummembersarenationalleadersinareasofresearchthatincludebiomedicalinfor-maticsandontology,behavioralhealth,cancer,community-basedcare,cardiovasculardiseaseandpharmaceuticalsciences. TheClinicalResearchCenterintheCTRCassistsconsortiumresearcherswithtechnicalissuesrangingfromresearchdesignconsulta-tiontoregulatorysupport.ItalsosupportsCTRCresearcherswithexpertiseinhuman-subjectsresearch,including“bestpractices”forconductingclinicaltrials,studydesignandplanning,recruit-mentofparticipantsinstudiesandassessingstudyoutcomes. Bysharingexpertise,theconsortiumresearchcommunityisabletobridgegapsbetweendisci-plinesofbiomedicalscienceandthetreatmentinterventionsofclinicalmedicine.

AlsolocatedintheCTRC,onthefifthfloor,istheindependent,nonprofitJacobsInstituteestab-lishedtofosterpartnershipsinvolvingUB,KaleidaHealthandphysiciansandbiomedicalcompanies.

ElEVAtINg Ub IN tHE RANKS of RESEARCH UNIVERSItIESTheCTRCalsoisanimportantcomponentofUB2020,theuniversity’slong-termstrategicplantoelevateUBtotheranksofthenation’selitere-searchuniversitieswhilehavingapositiveimpactonthehealthofcitizensinBuffalo,WesternNewYorkandbeyond. “TheCTRCbringstogetherforthefirsttime atUBthecriticalcomponentsneededforinter-disciplinary,disease-focusedresearchthatwillmorerapidlytranslatebasicbiomedicalresearchintoimprovedpublichealth,”saysMichaelE.Cain,MD,vicepresidentforhealthsciences anddeanoftheSchoolofMedicineandBio- medicalSciences. “ThereareveryfewotherplacesintheworldthatI’mawareofwhere—underoneroof— physiciansandscientistsaregiventhetoolstheyneedtoconductbasicandclinical-translationalresearchandtocommercializetheirdiscoveries. I’mconfidentthisfacilitywillcontributeenor-mouslytoreshapingUB’shealthsciencescultureinthefuture.”

Judson Mead contributed to this article.

Diabetes and ObesityDirector: Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor, MedicineFocus: understanding the role of inflammation in diabetes and obesity in order to discover new treatments.

Ear and Respiratory Tract InfectionsDirector: timothy f. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor, Medicine and Microbiology Director, Clinical and Translational Research CenterFocus: vaccines to prevent ear infections in children and bacterial respiratory tract infec-tions in adults with CoPD.

Stroke and Heart DiseaseCo-directors: Stephen Rudin, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor, Radiologyl. Nelson “Nick” Hopkins, MD Professor and Chair, NeurosurgeryDirector, Toshiba Stroke and Vascular Research CenterFocus: tools and technologies that improve the effectiveness of minimally invasive procedures used to treat vascular disease in the brain and heart.

Future issues of UBMedicine will profile the work being conducted in these labs by established UB physician-scientists, as well as by new faculty recruits from around the world.


AnAtomy of ChAnge

UB’s new medical school, scheduled for completion in 2016, and its

recently opened Clinical and Translational Research Center are not the

only major changes to Buffalo’s health sciences landscape.

The medical school’s two major teaching affiliates—Kaleida Health

and Erie County Medical Center (ECMC)—also have begun large,

transformative building projects.

By S.A. Un g e r

Collaborative health care

initiatives are the new

order in Buffalo

COMPETITORS REORGANIZE AS PARTNERS

GREAT LAkES HEALTH SySTEM LEADERS, fRoM LEfT, James R. kaskie, president and CEo of kaleida Health; Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; and Jody L. Lomeo, CEo of Erie County Medical Center D

ou

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Thetwoentities—oncecompetitors—arenowpartners,workinginclosecollabora-tionwithUBviaanew,overarchingstruc-turecalledtheGreatLakesHealthSystem.Theaimofthenewallianceistoreplacecompetitionwithcooperation,eliminatingcostlyduplicationofserviceswhileenhanc-ingpatientcare,medicaleducationandtranslationalresearch. Thesenewrelationshipsareanout-growthofaseminalreportpublishedin2007bytheNewYorkStateCommissiononHealthCareFacilitiesinthe21stCentu-ry(alsoknownastheBergerCommission).Inthereport,thecommissionersreviewedhospitalandhealthcarecapacitythrough-outthestateandissuedrecommendations. TheformationoftheGreatLakesHealthSystemsignificantlyimpactsUBinaposi-tivewaybecauseECMCandKaleidaHealth(throughitsBuffaloGen-eralMedicalCenterandWomen&Children’sHospitalofBuffalo)houseUB’sacademic-medicinedepartmentsandprovidethesettingformostofthemedicalschool’sclinicaleducationprograms. “WithplanningledbyUBfacultyandcommunityphysicians,GreatLakesiscreatingcentersofexcellenceforclinicalcarebyidentifyingdispersedbutformidableresourcesfromthroughoutthecommunityandplacingthemindedicated,world-classvenues,”saysMichaelE.Cain,MD,vicepresidentforhealthsciencesanddeanoftheSchoolofMedicineandBiomedicalSciences. “TheseeffortsarebothrevitalizinghealthcareinBuffaloandsup-portingthemissionofUB’smedicalschoolbyexpandingthenumberofclinicalspecialtiesoptimalforteaching,trainingandresearch,” headds. Thefollowingisanoverviewofsomeofthemorehigh-profile collaborativeprojectsthatarecurrentlyunderwayorbeingplanned.FutureissuesofUB Medicine willupdatetheseandothernewproj-ectsastheyevolve.

John R. oishei Children’s HospitalKaleidaHealthisconstruct-inganew10-story,$200millionchildren’shospitalatMainandHighstreetsontheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus,acrossthestreetfromthefuturesiteofthe UBmedicalschool. TheJohnR.OisheiChil-dren’sHospital—namedinhonorofa$10milliongiftfromtheBuffalo-basedJohnR.OisheiFoundation—isscheduledforcompletioninlate2015orearly2016.Itwillconnectviawalkwaystothemedicalschool,Buffalo

GeneralMedicalCenter,theGatesVascularInstituteandtheUBClinicalandTransla-tionalResearchCenter. ShepleyBulfinchRichardson&Abbott,oneofthecountry’stoppediatrichealthcarearchitects,isdesigningthefacility,whichwillreplacetheexistingsiteonBryantStreet. In2010,thehospitalmadepublicitsplanstorelocatetotheBuffaloNiagaraMedi-calCampus,attheurgingofitsphysicians. TeresaQuattrin,MD,A.CongerGood-yearProfessorandchairoftheUBDepart-mentofPediatricsandpediatrician-in-chiefatWomen&Children’sHospitalofBuffalo,ledthenewhospitalplanninggroup,com-prisingmorethanfourdozenUBandprivate-practicephysicians. “Fromthestandpointofthephysicians,allthedatawegatheredpointedtothefact

thatintegratingthechildren’shospitalintothemedicalcampusises-sentialforustoprovidehigh-qualitycare,”shesays. The430,000-square-footfacilitywillhouseastate-of-the-artneonatalintensivecareunit,whichreceiveda$2milliongiftfromtheChildren’sGuildFoundation;anambulatorycarecenter;andanemergencydepartment,namedtheAlfieroFamilyEmergencyCareCenterinhonorofa$5milliongiftfromBuffalo-areabusinessmanSalH.Alfiero. Futureplansincludeawomen’spaviliontohouselaboranddelivery,postpartumcare,aregionalperinatalcenterforhigh-riskpregnanciesandawomen’shealthcenterprovidingprenatalandgynecologicalcare.“WhenyouthinkofthebuildingonBryantbeingreplacedwithamodern,state-of-the-artfacility,properlysizedandproperlyequippedwithtechnology,staffandresources,it’sanamazingaccomplishmentandleveragesallofthepartnersontheBuffaloNi-agaraMedicalCampus,”saysJamesR.Kaskie,presidentandCEOofKaleida.“Allofthosepiecesarenowcomingtogethertoreallymake

adifferenceinthelivesofthepeoplethatweserve.”

Integrated Pediatric Hema-tology-oncology ProgramWomen&Children’sHospitalofBuffaloandRoswellParkCancerInstitutearees-tablishingaphysician-led,unifiedpediatrichematology-oncologyprograminthenewJohnR.OisheiChildren’sHospital.Forover40years,thetwoentitieshaveoperatedthepe-diatrichematology-oncologyservicefortheWesternNewYorkregion,withseparateandcomplementaryservicesofferedateachhospital.

COMPETITORS REORGANIZE AS PARTNERS

“With planning led by UB faculty and community physicians, Great Lakes is creating centers of excellence for clinical care by identifying dispersed but formidable resources from throughout the community and placing them in dedicated, world-class venues.”

—Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

John r. Oishei Children’s Hospital, scheduled to open in late 2015 or early 2016


“We’vebeendevelopingplansforenhancingourprogramun-deroneroofformanyyears,”saysMartinL.Brecher,MD,chiefoftheUBDivisionofPe-diatricHematology-Oncology,chairofpediatricsatRoswell,andchiefofhematology- oncologyatWomen&Chil-dren’sHospital. “Eachinstitutioncontrib-utesuniqueexpertiseandservicestochildrenandyoungadultswithcancerandblooddisorderssuchassicklecelldisease,hemophiliaand anemia.Thenewhospital presentsagreatopportunity todevelopatruepediatriccenterofexcellence.”

Theunifiedprogramwillincorporateinpatientbeds,anoutpa-tientclinic,isolationbedsforbloodandbonemarrowtransplant/high-dosetherapypatients,andinfusionfacilitiesforchemotherapyandbloodproducts,allinaprotectedenvironmentonthetopfloorofthenewhospital. “RoswellParkCancerInstituteandthenewJohnR.OisheiChildren’sHospitalhavejoinedforcesinacollaborativemodeltofurtherexpandandimprovethediagnosis,treatmentandresearchprogramsavailablelocallyforchildrenandtheirfamilieswhofacethismostdifficultofdiseases,”saysKaleidaHealth’sKaskie. “Together,andinconjunctionwiththeUniversityatBuffaloacademicprograms,wewilljointlyoperateacenterofexcellenceforchildrenwithcancerandblooddiseaseswhereexpertclinicalser-vicesareprovided,innovativeandpioneeringresearchisadvancedtofindacureandimprovetreatmentoptions,andcurrentandfuturehealthcareprofessionalsaretrainedandeducated.”

Kaleida Health and ECMC Integrate Cardiac CareKaleidaHealthandErieCountyMedicalCenter(ECMC)haveinte-gratedcardiacservicestocreatearegionalcenterofexcellenceforheartcare. Allheartsurgery,angioplastyandheartattackcarenowtakesplaceattheGatesVascularInstitute.TheECMCcampuscontinuestohaveon-sitecardiologymedicineservices,diagnosticcatheteriza-tionandthoracicservicesfortraumapatients. ECMC,astrongproponentoftheGatesVascularInstitute,madea$20millioninvestmentinthefacilityandhasworkedsinceitsinceptiontointegrateECMCcardiacservicesintheinstitute,whichopenedinMarch2012. “WhenweopenedtheGatesVascularInstitute,wesaidit wouldrevolutionizehealthcareinourcommunity,”saysKaleidaHealth’sKaskie.“Thatishappeningtodayaswecombinetwocardiacprogramsunderoneroof.” KaleidaHealthandECMC’scombinedcardiacprogramaccountfor8,000catheterizationproceduresandnearly1,000heartsurger-ieseachyearinWesternNewYork.

Kaleida’scardiacprogramhasbeenratedinthetop10percent forheartsurgeryandamongthetop5percentinthenationforcoronaryangioplasty. ECMCisanaccreditedChestPainCenterandhasreceivednumerousgoldawardsfromtheAmericanHeartAssociationforitsqualityofcareandresponsetimeforemergencyangioplasty.ECMCalsohassomethebesttraumasurvivalstatisticsinNewYorkState. “TheintegrationofECMCcardiacserviceswiththeGatesVascu-larInstitutetocreateoneprogramatbothsitescontinuesourgoaltoprovidequalitycareforpatients,supportfortheregion’straumacenter,andfurtherenhancetheclinicalexpertiseattheGatesVas-cularInstitute,”saidJodyL.Lomeo,CEOofECMC.“WorkingwithKaleidaHealth,wecontinuetoseetrueresultsofcollaborationasweimprovehealthcareforourentirecommunity.”

AnAtomy of ChAnge

“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.”

—James R. Kaskie, president and CEO of Kaleida

Center of excellence for Transplantation & Kidney Care: Dialysis Unit

Regional Center of Excellence for transplantation & Kidney CareTheRegionalCenterofExcellenceforTransplantation&KidneyCare—aclinicalcollaborationbetweenErieCountyMedicalCenterandKaleidaHealthSystem—wasopenedontheECMCcampusinDecember2011. Withthecollaboration,itbecametheonlykidneyandpancreastransplantcenterinWesternNewYork,concentratinginoneloca-tiontheexpertiseandresourcesoftwoformerlycompetingcenters. “Theopeningofthisnewcenterwasthefirstclinicalcollabora-tionbetweenECMCandKaleidaHealth,andwecouldn’tbemorepleased,”saysECMC’sLomeo.“Itisahistoricaccomplishmentforthecommunityandistheculminationofathree-yearphysician-ledplanningefforttoensureexcellenceinpatientcare.” BrianM.Murray,MD,associateprofessorofmedicineatUB,chiefmedicalofficerandtransplantprogramdirectorforECMC,istheinterimmedicaldirectorofthenew$27millioncenter,whichexpertshailasanimpressivenationalmodelinthetransplantationandkidneycarefield. “Thenewtransplantcenteristrulyastate-of-the-artfacilityforkidneypatientcareandtransplantation,”saysEdwardY.Zavala,administratoroftheVanderbiltUniversityTransplantCenter.“Thereare236kidneytransplantprogramsapprovedbytheOrganProcurementandTransplantNetworkintheUnitedStatesandthisisamongthenewestandmostcomprehensiveinthecountry.” Thecenter—housedonafloorofanewfree-standingbuilding,aswellasonthe10thfloorinthemainhospital—isprojectedtohandle150to200transplantsayear.


Itfeatures36modernhemodialysisstations,facilitiesforhomedialysistraining,outpatientandcommunityoutreachoffices, clinicalsupportspacesandroomforadditionaldialysisstationstomeetfuturegrowthneeds. Theredesignedareaonthehospital’s10thfloorincludesdoctors’officesandpatientandfamilyreceptionareas,anewvascularaccesscenterforinpatientsandoutpatientsthatincludestwooperatingrooms,anewinpatientdialysiscenterwithsixstate-of-the-art stations,andadministrativeandconferencerooms. “Thisisamajormilestoneforourtwoboards,ourdoctors,nursesandstaff,ourneighbors,theGreatLakesHealthboardandtheUniversityatBuffalo,”saysKaskie.“Thecenterbringstwoverygoodprogramstogetherintoonegreatprogram.Wenowhaveanational-lyrecognizedfacilitytohelppeoplefromalloverWesternNewYork,SouthernOntarioandtheUnitedStates,copebetterwithkidneyandpancreaticdisease.”

Center of Excellence for behavioral Health Care ECMCandKaleidaHealthareconsolidatingmentalhealthanddrugdependencytreatmentinone$35millionCenterofExcellenceforBehavioralHealthCare. Theinitiative—supportedbya$15millionHEALNYgrantfromtheNewYorkStateDepartmentofHealth—createsanew,state-of-the-artcenterontheECMCcampusthatwillincludeacomprehen-sivepsychiatricemergencyprogramandinpatientfacilities. YogeshBakhai,MD,associateprofessorofclinicalpsychiatryatUBandclinicaldirectorofpsychiatryatECMC;andMariaCarteg-ena,MD,chiefofpsychiatryatKaleida,areleadingtheeffort. TheconsolidationcombinesECMCandBuffaloGeneralMedicalCenter’sbehavioralhealthprogramstocreateone180-bedinpatientpsychiatricprogram.ItalsoincorporatesECMC’s22detoxificationbedsand20inpatientchemicaldependencyrehabilitationbeds,aswellasoutpatientclinicsoperatedbybothentities. Thenewcenter,scheduledtoopeninMarch2014,willexpandECMC’scurrentemergencybehavioralhealthfacilitiesfrom6,500squarefeetto16,000squarefeet. MentalhealthcareinWesternNewYork,likethatintherestofthestate,isfragmentedandcostlytothestate’sMedicaidpaymentsystem.Inthelast20years,theBuffaloPsychiatricCenterhasbeendownsizedfrom1,200to160beds,andtheGowandaPsychiatricandWestSenecaDevelopmentalcenterswereclosed. Otherinpatientfacilitieshavebeenclosedorreducedinsizeinrecentyears.Whileoutpatientservicesexist,thereisashortageofpsychiatristsintheregionandalackofcoordinationamongcommu-nityproviders. Thesefactorshavecombinedtocreateacrisisformentalhealthpatientsandtheirfamilies. “Thisnewcenter—byhavingallourexpertphysiciansandstaffinoneplace—willdeliveralevelofcarethatthementallyillinourcommunitydeserve,”saysECMC’sLomeo.“AndthisisanotherexampleofthesuccessofGreatLakesHealth.”

Conventus, A Center for Collaborative MedicineCiminelliRealEstateCorporationisconstructingaseven-story,300,000-square-footofficebuildingontheblockboundedbyMain,High,EllicottandGoodrichstreetsindowntownBuffalo,atthenortherngatewaytotheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus.

MajortenantswillbetheUniversityatBuffalomedicalpracticegroup,UBMD;KaleidaHealth;servicesrelatedtothenewJohnR.OisheiChildren’sHospitalandavarietyofsupportingretailservices. Ciminellihasnamedthenewbuilding“Conventus,”whichisLatinforcomingtogether.Thisreflectsthebuilding’splanned“coatlessconnections,”whichincludewalkwaystothenewmedicalschoolwhencompleted,theUBResearchInstituteonAddictionsandthenewchildren’shospital. Thepediatricoutpatientsurgerycenterinthechildren’shospitalwillusespaceinthebuilding,whichwillserveasthe“frontdoor”ofthesurgerycenter.Thesecondandthirdfloorsofthebuildingwillconnecttothehospital. KaleidaHealth,whichownstheland,alsowillusethenewbuild-ingforanumberofotherchildren’sservices,includingapharmacy;alaboratoryandclinics,includingdialysis;infusiontherapy;andtheRobertWarnerRehabilitationCenter. Scheduledforcompletioninspring2015,Conventuswillincludetwolevelsofundergroundparkingandlimitedretailbusinesses,primarilyinsupportoftenants. The$98millionproject,designedbyKideneyArchitectsofAmherst,isthemostexpensivesinglebuildingthatCiminellihasdevelopedandrepresentsthefirstmajorprivateinvestmentontheBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus.

Center of excellence for Behavioral Health Care: Scheduled to open in March 2014

Conventus medical office building: Scheduled to open in spring 2015


This expansion is in keeping with the school’smissionofmedicaleducation,patientcareandresearch. ItispivotaltothefutureofBuffalo’s

healthcarecommunity,thegrowthanddevelopmentofwhich havebeencloselytiedtothemedicalschoolsinceitsfounding 167yearsago. Byexpandingitsclinicalspecial-ties,themedicalschoolwillbebetterabletoattractandretainfaculty whohaveexpertisethatwilldraw topstudents,residents,postdocs andfellows. Alargerfacultyalsosupportstheschool’sgoaltoincreaseenrollmentinordertooffsetprojectedphysicianshortages and to help keep highly skilledpractitionersinourregion.Thiswillprecludepatientsfromhav-ingtotraveltoothercities,suchasRochesterandCleveland,toreceivecareincertainspecialties.

Theoverarchinggoal—asenvisionedbyUB2020,theuniversity’slong-termstrategicplanningeffortledbyPresidentSatishK.Tripathi—istoincreasethenetnumberoffull-timemedicalschoolfacultyby100andtoincreaseenrollmentby30percent.ThishiringinitiativeisbeingledbyMichaelE.Cain,MD,whosincebeingnameddeanoftheschoolin2006hasappointednine

newchairsandhigh-levelphysician-scientists.Oftheschool’s26academicde-partments,abouthalfarecurrentlybeingledbynewchairsorareactivelyengagedinasearchforone.Sixadditionalsearchesfornewchairsareunderwayinthedepart-mentsofBiochemistry,PhysiologyandBiophysics,FamilyMedicine,Neurosurgery,andOrthopaedics,aswellasinBiomedicalInformatics,adepartmentnewlyestablishedinconjunctionwiththeDepartment ofHealthPolicyandPracticeintheUBSchoolofPublicHealthandHealthProfessions.

EXPANSION BY DEGREESNew chairs, more faculty, increased enrollment

“Very few people in the course of their career have the opportunity to take part in building a new medical school. The faculty we recruit can sense momentum at UB and in Buffalo. They are excited by the possibilities we put in front of them.”

— Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

By el l e n go l d B A U m A n d S.A. Un g e r

In addition to its “bricks-and-mortar” projects, the School of Medicine and biomedical Sciences

is engaged in another historic effort to build toward the future.

this involves recruiting prominent academic physicians and scientists, adding medical

specialties and research programs, hiring new faculty and expanding educational and training

infrastructure to support an increase in enrollment.


“Departmentchairsarethekeystoneofaschoolofmedicine,soitisourresponsibilitytorecruitanewgenerationofvisionaryleaderstofulfillourschool’smission,”saysCain,aninternationallyrecognizedcardiologistwhoalsoservesasvicepresidentforhealthsciences. Eachofthenewclinicalrecruitsalsoholdsaleadershippositionwiththeschool’scommunityhealthcarepartners,andsomearealreadyfillinggapsinmedicalspecialtiesandresearch. “TheWesternNewYorkcommunitygainsfromthenewclinicalexpertisethatchairsandtheirfacultybring,”saysCain,whoexplainsthattheyapplythisexpertisethroughUBMD—thefacultypracticeplan—andaffiliatedhospitals,whereUBfacultyandmorethan800UBmedicalresidentsworkasattendingphysicians. opportunity to Help build a New SchoolCurrently,themedicalschoolhas715full-timefaculty.Cainexpectsittoemployapproximately850by2016,whenthenewschoolopens.

Inthepastfouryears,theschoolhashiredapproximately50newfacultyperyear.About40percentofthespaceinUB’sClinicalandTranslationalResearchCenterwillbeoccupiedbynewfaculty.“Veryfewpeopleinthecourseoftheircareerhavetheopportu-nitytotakepartinbuildinganewmedicalschool,”Cainsays.“ThefacultywerecruitcansensemomentumatUBandinBuffalo.Theyareexcitedbythepossibilitiesweputinfrontofthem.Therespectedfacultywhoalreadyserveourschoolarehelpingtorecruitandretainotherdistinguishedphysiciansandscientists.” Thehiringofnewfacultyatthemedicalschoolisreceivingsup-portfroma$40milliongiftin2011fromamedicalschoolalumnus—UB’slargestgiftever—aswellasresourcesprovidedbyNYSUNY2020,alandmarkpieceofNewYorkStatelegislationthatenablestheuniversitytopursuethenextphaseofitsstrategicplan.Furthersupportneededtofulfillthishiringinitiativewillbeprovidedbygiftsfromalumni,gratefulpatientsandfriendsoftheschool.

Recent high-profile appointments at the chair or equivalent level include the following physician-scientists:

international leaders in their fields

ANNE b. CURtIS, MD, is an expert in cardiac arrhythmias and one of the world’s leading clinical cardiac electrophysiologists. She joined Ub in 2010 to chair the Department of Medicine and to serve as its inaugural Charles and Mary bauer Professor. A key figure in developing national guidelines for treating atrial fibrillation, Curtis came to Ub from the University of South florida, where she served as professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Cardiology and director of Cardiovascular Services.

ANIMESH AMARt SINHA, MD, PHD, is an ex-pert in immunological tolerance and autoim-munity in skin diseases, such as alopecia, lu-pus and psoriasis. He came to buffalo in 2011 to chair the Department of Dermatology at Ub and Roswell Park Cancer Institute and to become Ub’s inaugural Rita M. and Ralph t. behling, MD, Professor of Dermatology. Sinha was formerly at Michigan State University, where he served as chief of the N.V. Perri-cone Division of Dermatology and Cutaneous Sciences and director of the university’s Center for Investigative Dermatology.

gIl I. WolfE, MD, is a leading authority on neuromuscular disorders, with special expertise in myasthenia gravis. He came to Ub in 2011 to serve as the Irvin and Rosemary Smith Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology. Wolfe was formerly at the Uni-versity of texas Southwestern Medical School, where he held the Dr. bob and Jean Smith foundation Distinguished Chair in Neuromus-cular Disease Research and served as profes-sor of neurology and neurotherapeutics.


JoHN E. toMASzEWSKI, MD, is an expert on genitourinary malignancies and immunopathology, with an emphasis on renal transplantation and advanced tissue image analysis. A past president of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, he came to Ub in 2011 to chair the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences. tomaszewski was formerly professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and in-terim chair of the Department of Pathology and laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

AnAtomy of ChAnge

tERESA QUAttRIN, MD, is an internationally known expert in child-hood diabetes and obesity. A former Ub professor of pediatrics, she was named A. Conger goodyear Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics in 2010. Quattrin also serves as chief of the department’s Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, as Kaleida Health’s pediatrician-in-chief, and as director of the Diabetes Center in the Women & Children’s Hospital of buffalo.

MARgARItA l. DUboCoVICH, PHD, is an internationally recognized expert in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery who specializes in the neuropharmacology of melatonin and its receptors. She came to Ub in 2008 to chair the Department of Phar-macology and toxicology. Dubocovich was formerly at Northwestern University’s fein-berg School of Medicine, where she served as professor of molecular pharmacology and biological chemistry and psychiatry.

All Pulling in the Same DirectionAnneB.Curtis,MD,theCharlesandMaryBauerProfessorandChairoftheDepart-mentofMedicine,arrivedinBuffalointhefallof2010.Sincethenshehaschairedsearchesfornewdivisionchiefsforthedepartment’sDivisionofGastroenterology,HepatologyandNutrition;andDivision ofNephrology(seerelatedarticleson page36).Shealsoischairingsearchesfordivisionchiefsofgeriatrics,palliativemedicine,andhematology,andco-chairedthesearchcommitteeforUB’snewprovost,CharlesF.Zukoski. “What’smakingiteasiertorecruittoBuffaloistheenergyaboutbuildingthenewmedicalschoolonthegrowingBuffaloNiagaraMedicalCampus,”shesays.“Wehaveanewmedicalschoolbeing

designedbyarenownedarchitecturalfirm,anewchildren’shospitalsoontobeconstructed,andanewmedicalof-ficebuildinggoingup.Wehavemanynewdepartmentchairsenthusiasticaboutthepotentialhere. “Ibelievewehavealreadyreachedacriticalmassthatisattractingatten-tionacrossthecountry.” NewrecruitstoUBpraise theconsistentvisionexpressedbyTripathi,CainandotherUBand medicalschooladministrators.Andtheyadmirethewaythisvision

extendsbeyondtheuniversitytoWesternNewYorkandthestatecapitalinAlbany. “Theleadershipalignmenthereisahugeplus,”says

“The key is that the university’s leaders are in alignment with where we all want to go and how to get there.”

—John E. Tomaszewski, MD, chair of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences


JAMES “JAY” D. bANgS, PHD,is an expert in the cell biology of the agent that causes African sleeping sickness. He came to Ub in 2012 to serve as the inaugural grant t. fisher, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Im-munology. bangs was formerly professor of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

lAWRENCE WRAbEtz, MD, is a highly regarded translational scientist who specializes in the study of myelin, the sheath protecting brain nerve fibers essential for all normal functioning of the nervous system. He came to Ub in 2010 as director of the university’s Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, which was established in 2004 by Ub and the Hunter’s Hope foundation. the institute conducts research on remyelination techniques and the biology and patho-physiology of Krabbe Disease, with the goal of discovering ways to correct the genetic defect responsible for it and other leukodys-trophies. Wrabetz was formerly head of the myelin biology unit at San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy.

VANESSA M. bARNAbEI, MD, PHD,is an expert on the effects of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopause. She came to Ub in 2012 to serve as chair of the Department of gynecology and obstet-rics. barnabei was formerly 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.

JohnE.Tomaszewski,MD,whowashiredin2011fromtheUniver-sityofPennsylvaniaasUB’snewchairofPathologyandAnatomicalSciences.“ThepotentialofUB’sstrategicplan,UB2020,isacon-sistentstoryfromSUNYtoPresidentTripathiondownthroughtheranksandintothecommunity.It’sacoherent,consistentstorythatresonateswithpeople.Thekeyisthattheuniversity’sleadersareinalignmentwithwhereweallwanttogoandhowtogetthere.” TeresaQuattrin,MD,aninternationallyknownphysician- scientistandanexpertinchildhooddiabetesandobesity,wasnamedA.CongerGoodyearProfessorandchairoftheDepartmentofPediatricsin2010. “Potentialleaderslookforconsistencyinthecultureatdifferentlevelswithinanorganization,”shesays.“Inrecruitingnewfaculty,ImakeitapointtoemphasizethattheleadershipatUBpaysgreatat-tentiontomakingsureallplayersarepullinginthesamedirection.”

“I believe we have already reached a critical mass that is attracting attention across the country.”

—Anne B. Curtis, MD, the Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine


U B M E D C O L L A B O R A T I O N S

By el l e n go l d B A U m

TheyalsohavefoundthatmeasurementofthisatrophyhasthepotentialtobecomeavaluablemethodforassessingnewMStreatments. MShastraditionallybeenviewedasadiseaseofthebrain’swhitematterbecauseitgraduallydestroysmyelin,thefattymaterialthatsurroundsneuronsandallowsthemtosignal. TherecentdiscoveriesbyUBresearchersarerevealinghowthethalamusandotherpartsofthebrain’sgraymatterplayakeyroleaswell. Overthepastthreeyears,theUBresearchersandtheirpartnersaroundtheworldhavepublishedjournalpapersandgivenpresentationsdemonstratingthat thethalamusregioniskeytoahostofissuesinvolv-ingMS. Inareviewpaperpub-lishedintheJanuary2013issueofNeurology, the researchersnotedthatgraymatterinjurycannotonlybedetectedinthedisease’searlieststagesbutalsothatitisassociatedwithawide range of symptoms

fromcognitivedeclineandmotordeficitstofatigueandchronicpain.

Providing a new window on MS Situatedontopofthebrainstem,nearthecenterofthebrain,thethalamusiskeytoawidevarietyofmotorandsensoryfunc-tions.Itisinvolvedintheregulationofsleepandwakefulness,memory,emotion,consciousness,awarenessandattention.Itservesasakindofrelaycenterinthebrain,taking in sensory information and sending ittothecerebralcortex;italsoprocessesinformationcomingfromthecortex. “ThethalamusisprovidinguswithanewwindowonMS,”saysRobertZivadinov,MD,PhD,UBprofessorofneurologyandleaderoftheresearchteam.“Inourrecentstudies,wehaveusedlargedatasetstoinvestigatetheevolutionofatrophyofthe

thalamusanditsassociationwithclinicalimpairmentinMS,startingwiththeearli-eststagesofthedisease. “Thelocationofthethalamusinthebrain,itsuniquefunctionanditsvulner-abilitytochangeswroughtbythediseasemakeitacriticalbarometerofthedamagethatMScausestothebrain.” AttheannualmeetingoftheAmericanAcademyofNeurologyinMarch,Zivadinovdiscussedastudyheperformedincol-laborationwithcolleaguesfromCharlesUniversityinPrague.Thestudyfoundthatatrophyofthethalamus,determinedwithMRI,canhelpidentifywhichpatientswithclinicallyisolatedsyndrome—apatient’sfirstepisodeofMS—areatriskforgoingontodevelopclinicallydefiniteMS. “Thisstudy,whichincludedmorethan200patients,showsthatthalamicatrophyisoneofthemostimportantpredictorsofclinicallydefiniteMS,”saysDanaHora-kova,MD,PhD,theprincipalinvestigatoratCharlesUniversity. “Basedonthesefindings,wethinkMRIshouldbeusedtodeterminewhichpatientsareathighestriskforasecondattack,”explainsZivadinov.

Associated with cognitive deteriorationAnotherstudythattheUBresearchersconducted,incollaborationwithStavangerUniversityHospitalinNorway,isthefirsttolookattheevolutionofthalamicatrophyovera10-yearperiodinMSpatients. Involving81patients,itfoundthatat-rophyinthecortexandinsubcorticaldeepgraymatter,includingthethalamus,wassignificantlyrelatedtopatients’decliningcognitiveabilities. “WefoundthatcognitivedysfunctionappearsearlyinthecourseofMSandthatthalamicatrophyplaysacentralroleinpredictingcognitivedeteriorationoverthelongterm,”saysZivadinov.

Lossofthalamicvolumeanditstissueintegritycanalsopre-dictcognitiveimpairmentin MSpatients,accordingtoastudyrecentlypublishedin Multiple Sclerosis Journal thatwasledbyUBneurologyprofessorRalphBenedict,PhD,incollaborationwithJeroenJ.G.Geurts,PhD,fromVUUniversityMedicalCenterinAmsterdam,theNetherlands.

A NEW IMAGE OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

“Since progressive pathology of the thalamus has been shown in all different MS disease types, including in pediatric MS patients, we must look at the thalamus as a biomarker for assessing new therapies.”

— Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD

NeurologistsatUBandtheirinternationalcollaboratorshave

foundthatmeasuringatrophyofthethalamususingroutine

magneticresonanceimagingcanbeanimportanttoolindetect-

ing,evaluatingandpredictingthecourseofmultiplesclerosis.

UB neurologists reveal key role of thalamus in the disease


“The location of the thalamus in the brain, its unique function and its vulnerability to changes wrought by the disease make it a critical barometer of the damage that MS causes to the brain.”

— Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD

A potential biomarker for assessing new therapiesResearchcurrentlyinpressbytheUBteamandperformedincollaborationwithcol-leaguesfromCharlesUniversityinPraguealsowasthefirstprospective,longitudinalstudytoinvestigateandfindassociationsbetweengraymatteratrophyandphysi-caldisabilityprogressioninpatientswithrelapsing-remittingMS,themostcommonandmostdisablingtypeofMS. Thefive-yearstudy,ledbyEvaHavrdova,MD,PhD,covered180patients.ItfoundthattheassessmentofthalamicatrophycouldpotentiallyserveasawaytoevaluatenewtherapiesforMS. “SinceprogressivepathologyofthethalamushasbeenshowninalldifferentMSdiseasetypes,includinginpediatricMSpatients,wemustlookatthethalamusasabiomarkerforassessingnewtherapies,”saysZivadinov.“MeasurementofthalamicatrophymaybecomeanidealMRIoutcomeforMSclinicaltrials. “AtrophyinMSpatientshappensinthethalamusmorerapidlythaninotherbrainstructures,”hecontinues.“Itisdetectableveryearlyinthediseaseanditislessaf-fectedbyfluidshiftsinthebrain,aneffect ofanti-inflammatorydrugsusedinMS. Thisfeature,inparticular,makesthalamicatrophyanidealcandidateforassessingnoveltherapies.” Thesefindings,saysZivadinov,arejustthebeginning.“Untilnow,existinginfor-mationaboutthalamicinvolvementinMShasstemmedmainlyfromneuropathologicandneuroimagingstudieswithalimitednumberofsubjectsandthatcontainnoclearpracticalimplicationsforclinicians.Theteamofresearchersandneuroimag-ingfellowsatUB,togetherwithourglobalpartners,isplanningtoundertakelarger,longitudinalstudiesinordertocomprehen-sivelydeterminehowbesttoapplytheseverypromisingfindings.”

The UB research described here was conducted in the Department of Neurology’s Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center. The center, directed by Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, is located in Kaleida Health’s Buffalo General Medical Center, a UB teaching affiliate.

Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, recently gained worldwide attention for imaging studies he conducted on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and its relationship to multiple sclerosis. Turn to page 31 to read more about this research and a related study conducted by UB neurosurgeons that examined the “liberation treatment” for MS.


U B M E D D O C T O R V I S I T S

StIll PRACtICINg AftER 65 YEARSHarold J. Levy, an early advocate of collaborative psychiatry

HaroldJ.Levy,MD,’46,recallstheoldUBmedi-calschoolonHighStreetthatheattended.Thefacilitieswereantiquated,hesays,butthefacultywasverydedicatedandprovidedanexcellent

educationforthepracticeofmedicine. “Theentrancerampwentthroughthebuildingandouttheback.Itwasbuiltinthedayswhenthedoctors-professorshadtheircar-riagesdrivenintothebuildingsotheydidn’thavetowalkthroughinclementweather.” Minussuchaccommodations,Levywelcomestheschool’sreturntothesite.“Ithinkit’samuchmorefunctionalarrangement.TheproximitytoBuffaloGeneral,GatesVascularInstitute,Children’sHospitalandRoswellPark—andtheinclusionofresearchfacilities—createsatypeofcampusthatismuchmoreefficient.” TheLevynamehasbeenassociatedwiththemedicalschoolforacentury.Hisfather,Sidney,receivedhismedicaldegreein1915andbecameoneofthefirstradiologiststopracticeinBuffalo.Atage21,HaroldbecametheyoungestUBmedicalschoolgraduateandwaselectedtotheAlphaOmegaAlphaHonorMedicalSociety.

Hisson,Sanford,continuedthefamilytraditionbyearninghismedicaldegreein1986andbeginninghispracticeasaninternistwithaspecialinterestinholisticmedicine. Afteraninternship,residencyandateachingpositionattheschool,LevyservedaschiefofpsychiatryinthearmyinKoreaandHawaiifrom1948to1950.HethenreturnedtoBuffalowhereheresumedhisfacultypositionandpursuedaresearchfellowshipinthebuddingfieldofpsychosomaticmedicine—thecombinedstudyofpsychiatryandinternalmedicine—atwhatwasthentheE.J.MeyerMemorialHospital(nowErieCountyMedicalCenter). Becausethepsychosomaticapproachlackedrecognitionatthetime,Levychosepsychiatryandbeganhispractice.Atage88,he isstillpracticingparttimeinhislongstandingofficeinBuffalo’s CentralParkarea. Anearlyadvocateofthecollaborativeapproachofpsychiatry,herecallsestablishingthefirstprivatepracticeinthecommunitythatincorporatedpsychologistsandpsychiatricsocialworkers. “Psychotherapyistheartofrelatingtopatientsandhelpingthemtogainanunderstandingofthemselves,somethingthatisveryhardtoacquire,”hesays.Heworriesthatthefieldhasbecometooreliantonprescribingmedications.“Istillbelieveweneedtotalktoourpatients.” Lastyearattheschool’sSpringClinicalDay,LevywashonoredwithaLifetimeAchievementAwardforhisworkinthecommunityandattheschoolwherehetaughtformorethan50years. “IchosetheprofessionbecauseIwantedtohelpothers,whichiswhyI’mstillpracticingafter65years,”hesays.

By Ji m Bi S c o

“Psychotherapy is the art of relating

to patients and helping them

to gain an understanding of themselves,

something that is very hard to

acquire.”


A CoMMUNItY IN NEED Michael DiGiacomo finds a home in psychiatry

MichaelDiGiacomo,MD’09,wasanEnglishmajorwhoworkedhiswaythroughcollegeasajazzsaxophonistinapopularlocalband.HecontemplatedacareerasaprofessionalmusicianbeforedecidingtoenterUBmedicalschool.At

firsthethoughthewantedtobecomeasurgeon,butaninfluentialcourseduringhissecondyearturnedhimtowardpsychiatry. “Ilovedhearingaboutthedifferentdisorders,”herecalls.“Fromthere,Ireallylikedtheideaofsittingandtalkingwithpatients,tryingtounderstandtheirthoughtprocess.IncollegeIwasreallyinterestedinstudyingcharactersinthenovelsIwasreading.IthoughtthatgoingintopsychiatrywouldbeanextensionofbeinganEnglishmajor.” DiGiacomodescribesamedicaleducationthatpreparedhimtoimmediatelygrasphospitaldemands.“AssoonasIstartedasanintern,IfeltlikeIhadagoodsenseofhowtosolvetheproblemsthatIneededtosolveinthehospital.MaybeIdidn’tknowexactlywhatmedicationstogiveorexactlywhatintervention,butIhadagoodsenseofhowtogettothatpoint.” AfterthreeyearsofresidencyintheDepartmentofPsychiatryatErieCountyMedicalCenter,aUBteachingaffiliate,hebecamechiefresidentandnowhelpssupervise25youngdoctors.“Mytraining

hereinvolvesbothpsychotherapyandpharmacologyandhasbeenexcellent,”hesays.“Bymeetingandspeakingwithmypatients,I’mabletogainagoodunderstandingofthemandcanhelpthemgetontherightmedicationstorelievetheirsymptoms.” DiGiacomofeelsthatthenewCenterofExcellenceforBehavioralHealthCareatECMC—acollaborativeeffortwithKaleidaHealthandUB—willhaveagreatimpactinacommunitywithasevereshortageofpsychiatrists(seerelatedarticleonpage18). “AsIgothroughresidency,Igetalotofcallsfrompeopleaskingwho’sagoodpsychiatristandhowtheycanbereached.Thewaitlistsarelong.Familiesincrisisoftendon’tknowwheretobringtheirfamilymembers.Ithinkthathavingacenterherethroughtheuniversitywillbeagreatresourceforthecommunityandforourstudents.” Aclinicalrotationontheadolescentunitduringhissecondyearofresidencysparkedaninterestinchildpsychiatry. AftergraduationfromresidencyinJune,DiGiacomobeginsatwo-yearfellowshipatUBthatwillpreparehimtopracticeasaclinicalchildandadolescentpsychiatrist. “Therearen’talotofchildpsychiatristsrightnow.There’saneedformore,”saysDiGiacomo,whointendstostayandpracticeathomeinWesternNewYork.

By Ji m Bi S c o

“As I go through residency, I get a lot of calls from people asking who’s a good psychiatrist and how they can be reached. The wait lists are long.”

U B M e d i c i n eS U M M e r 2 0 1 33 0

U B M E D r E S E A r c h

New Clues to aN urgeNt ProblemDiscovery shows promise against antibiotic resistance

By Ch a r l o t t e hs u

UB researchers have discovered that a protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse the antibiotic resistance of bacterial species that cause dangerous pneumonia and staph infections. In petri dish and animal experiments, the protein complex—called HAMLET—increased bacteria’s sensitivity to multiple classes of antibiotics, such as penicillin and erythromycin. The effect was so pronounced that bacteria, including penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), regained sensitivity to the antibiotics they were previously able to beat, says researchers Anders Hakansson, PhD, Laura Marks, and Hazeline Hakansson, PhD, all in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “HAMLET has the potential to reduce the concentrations of antibiotics needed to fight infections and makes it possible to effectively kill bacteria with the well-established antibiotics they are resistant against,” says Anders Hakansson, lead researcher. The findings hold great promise in an era when hospitals are struggling to contain drug-resistant “superbugs” like MRSA, a major culprit behind lethal hospital-acquired staph infections. Bacteria also seem to have difficulty developing resistance to HAMLET, dying in huge numbers even after being exposed to it for many generations, a notable advantage of the molecule.

Naturally occurring, Not syntheticMarks, an MD/PhD student in the UB Medical Scientist Training Program, described another of HAMLET’s benefits: “Unlike synthetic drugs, HAMLET is a naturally occurring human milk protein-lipid complex, so is not associated with the types of toxic side effects that we so frequently see with the high-powered antibiotics needed to kill drug-resistant organisms.” The idea to test HAMLET in combination with other antibiotics was inspired, in part, by a presentation Marks saw on using drug cocktails to treat HIV. “What really hit home for me in this lecture was the idea of using drug combinations where each drug had a different mechanism that could enhance the action of the other drug as an appealing way to optimize therapy for resistant organisms,” she says. “I was immediately curious to see if using HAMLET together with existing therapies could result in synergistic interactions.”

Patent Filed and Company FoundedUB’s Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR) has filed a provisional patent application detailing

HAMLET’s antibiotic capabilities, and Anders and Hazeline Hakansson have founded a company called Evincor to further develop HAMLET. “The pharmaceutical industry is currently reluctant to develop antibiotics because they are only used for a short time, and they will be used infrequently and only when nothing else works,” says Hazeline Hakansson. “HAMLET, on the other hand, is an adjuvant that has no killing activity in itself but sensitizes bacteria to antibiotics. HAMLET can therefore be used widely in combination with common antibiotics, which provides a huge potential market that is only going to increase in the next couple of years as antibiotic resistance increases.” The Hakanssons, a husband-and-wife team, say the next step is to test HAMLET on additional strains of S. pneumoniae and S. aureus—including those currently infecting patients—and to expand the in-vivo infection models used for testing to provide a proof of principle.

HAMLET’s effects on S. aureus were published in the journal PLOS ONE on May 1, 2013, with Marks, Anders Hakansson and UB PhD student Emily Clementi as authors. HAMLET’s effects against S. pneumoniae were pub-lished in PLOS ONE in August 2012.

Anders Hakansson, PhD

U B M e d i c i n eS U M M e r 2 0 1 3 3 1

“HAMLET has the potential to reduce the concentrations of antibiotics needed to fight infections and makes it possible to effectively kill bacteria with the well-established antibiotics they are resistant against.”

—Anders Hakansson, PhD

about Hamlet

+ HAMLET stands for Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumor Cells. Discovered during Anders Hakansson’s time in Catharina Svanborg’s laboratory in Lund, Sweden, HAMLET has shown the ability to selectively kill both tumor cells and bacteria.

+ In certain bacteria (including S. pneumoniae and S. aureus), HAMLET binds to and halts the activity of biological pumps and transporters that help regulate the flow of ions in and out of a cell. HAMLET also binds to and blocks the activity of two enzymes needed for glycolysis, a process bacteria use to obtain energy.

+ In the bacteria it kills, HAMLET appears to spark a chain of chemical reactions that mirrors what happens in nature when bacterial cells self-destruct for the greater good of a bacterial community (a “biofilm”). This deadly process includes an influx of calcium and the activation of a serine/threonine kinase, and ends with cells rupturing.

laNdmark multiPle sClerosis, CCsVi studies

in 2008, italian vascular surgeon Paolo Zamboni, md, proposed that a condition called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCsVi) con-tributes to ms symptoms and might even cause the disease by constrict-ing veins in the brain.

the hypothesis attracted intense interest worldwide and over the past three years an estimated 30,000 ms patients have undergone interven-tional endovascular therapy (balloon angioplasty) to open their veins in the hope of relieving or curing their disease. sometimes called the “liberation treatment,” the surgical procedure costs between $10,000 and $40,000 and has resulted in at least two reported deaths.

ub researchers led by robert Zivadinov, md, Phd, have published or presented more than 25 imaging studies on CCsVi and its relationship to multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases (see related article on page 26).

“our findings over the last three years indicate that CCsVi is more prevalent in ms patients than in healthy controls but the cause or consequence of these venous abnormalities has not been established,” says Zivadinov, professor of neurology and director of the ub buffalo Neuroimaging analysis Center, where the studies took place.

in 2010, researchers in ub’s departments of neurosurgery and neurol-ogy collaborated on the first controlled clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of the “liberation treatment.”

their study, called the Prospective randomized endovascular therapy in ms (Premise) trial is believed to be the first prospective randomized double-blinded, controlled study of balloon angioplasty for ms performed in the u.s. with institutional review board approval.

results were presented in march at the annual meeting of the american acad-emy of Neurology. “what we found was rather surprising and unexpected,” says adnan siddiqui, md, associate professor of neurosurgery and principal investigator. “the study showed that endovascular treat-ment of stenosed veins had no effect in ms patients.”

the ub researchers found no difference in clinical symptoms, brain lesions as deter-mined on mris or quality of life outcomes between ms patients who underwent balloon angioplasty to correct CCsVi and those who did not receive the treatment.

“our strong recommendation to patients and to practitioners who have, in earnest, been seeking betterment for their disease and a cure for ms is that they should instead consider enrolling in trials, rather than under-going these procedures on a fee-for-service basis,” said siddiqui.

the researchers stressed that the ub study was small and that larger, controlled trials should be conducted in a rigorous fashion, as was Premise.


U B M E D R E S E A R C h

“Sjogren’s patients get diagnosed too late. They go to the doctor because their eyes are dry or they can’t swallow, but by that time, their salivary or tear glands are already dead.”

—Julian L. Ambrus Jr., MD, professor of medicine

DISCoVERY CHANgES tREAtMENt PARADIgMEnables early intervention for painful autoimmune disease


ResearchersatUBandthelocalcompanyImmcoDiagnosticshavediscoverednovelantibodiesthatwillallowformuchearlierdiagnosisofanautoimmunediseaseaffectingmorethan4millionAmericans. TheirbreakthroughmeansthatpeoplewithSjogren’ssyndrome,aconditioncharacterizedbypainfullydryeyesandmouth,willreceivetreatmentwhenthey’remorelikelytobenefitfromit.

late Diagnosis, little Relief for PatientsTheresearchteamobservedthenovelantibodiesin45percentofpatientswhometmostoftheclinicalcriteriaforSjogren’ssyndromeexceptthetwoantibodiescurrentlyrequiredforadiagnosis.

Thesetwoantibodies—called “Ro”and“La”—appearlatein thedisease. Theresearchersteamfoundatleastoneofthenewantibodiesin76per-centofpatientswithsymptomslastinglessthantwoyears,butwithouttheRoandLaantibodies. TheirfindingswerepublishedasahighlightedarticleinClinical Immu-nologywithaneditorialbyRobertI.Fox,MD,consideredoneoftheworld’stopSjogren’sscientists. AlthoughSjogren’ssyndromeisoneofthethreemostcommonautoim-munediseases,itisnotwellknown. Theconditionoftentakesyearstodiagnose,accordingtoJulianL.AmbrusJr.,MD,professorofmedicineandseniorauthoronthepaper. “Sjogren’spatientsgetdiagnosedtoolate,”hesays,notingthat90per-centofpatientsarewomen.

Julian L. Ambrus Jr., MD, left, and Long Shen, PhD, first author, research assistant professor of medicine


PotENtIAl CUlPRIt IN NEURoDEgENERAtIVE DISEASESFirst time molecular mechanism is described

Research conducted by Jennifer Surtees, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry, has revealed a molecular mechanism that could contribute to neurode-generative diseases.

In collaboration with research-ers at the University of Roch-ester Medical School, Surtees and her lab have described the means by which a DNA mismatch repair promotes trinucleotide repeat expansions (tNR), the genetic basis for Huntington’s disease, myotonic dystrophy and other neurode-generative disorders.

“this is the first time that a real mechanism has been described for replication and repair fac-tors in promoting expansions,” says Surtees, whose research was published in the Aug. 30 issue of Cell Reports.

Although genetic evidence indi-cates errors in DNA replication and repair cause neurodegen-erative diseases, clear molecular mechanisms have not been described until now.

Surtees and colleagues studied the role of the mismatch repair complex Msh2-Msh3 in tNR expansions. the complex previously had been shown to

promote expansions in mouse models of Huntington’s disease and myotonic dystrophy, but researchers did not know how this happened.

the current research indicates that Msh2-Msh3 interferes with normal DNA processing at the replication fork, particularly in the presence of trinucleotide repeats, leading to incremental increases in repeat lengths dur-ing processing.

this mismatch repair system, best known for its role in post-replicative mismatch repair, pro-vides a critical line of defense in protecting the integrity of the genome. Researchers don’t fully understand the molecular mechanisms for these critical repair pathways, which regulate genome stability. Surtees aims to learn how the correct repair pathway is initiated.

In the long term, she seeks to examine and clarify the mechanisms that bridge damage recognition by MSH complexes and DNA repair.

— Carol blackley

Jennifer surtees, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry

“Theygotothedoctorbecausetheireyesaredryortheycan’tswallow,butbythattime,theirsalivaryortearglandsarealreadydead.They’rewaypastthepointwheretheycangenerallybenefitfromtreatment.”

locally Developed test with International ImpactThediscoveryofthenovelantibodiesgrewoutofacollaborationbetweenUBandImmcothatin2006resultedinasuperioranimalmodelforSjogren’ssyndromenowbeingusedinlabsworldwide. “Ouranimalmodelhascompletelychangedhowpeoplethinkaboutthisdisease,”Ambrussays. “Sjogren’sdiseaseinouranimalmodelmarchesalonginexactlythesamewaythatthehumandiseasedoes,reproducingeverystageofthedisease.” Oncescientistsdetectedthenewantibodiesinmice,theystartedtestingpatientsatBuffaloGeneralMedicalCenter,findingthesameantibodies,evenatearlystagesofthedisease. UBhasfiledapatentonthebiomarker-basedmethodand licensedthetechnologytoImmco,whichhasdevelopedanew diagnostictoolbasedontheresearchthathassignificant proprietaryvalue. “Wewillbetheonlycompanyintheworldtoofferandmarketthistestacrossanyplatform,”saysImmcoCEOWilliamMaggio. OncetheassayundergoesNewYorkStateDepartmentofHealthvalidationthisyear,physicianswillbeabletostartusingit. BecauseSjogren’ssyndromepresentswithvarioussymptoms, thetestwillbemarketedtoseveraldifferenttypesofphysicians,includingoralsurgeons,ophthalmologists,rheumatologists anddentists. Immcowilltestpatientsamplesfromaroundthecountry.Thecompanyalsoisdevelopingadiagnostickittomarketworldwide. “Thisisaverygoodexampleofhowresearchandindustry collaboratetoproducesomethingthatwillbringalotofgoodto thehealthcareindustry—andit’shappeninghereinBuffalo,” Maggiosays.

finding Help for Chronic PainInadditiontothechronicpainresultingfromaninabilitytoproducetearsorsaliva,Sjogren’ssyndromeisassociatedwithmildkidneyandlungdisease.Fiveto10percentofpeoplewithSjogren’sdevel-oplymphoma. “Sjogren’spatientsaremiserable,”saysco-authorLakshmananSuresh,DDS,Immco’svicepresidentforresearchanddevelopmentandaclinicalassociateprofessoroforaldiagnosticsciencesintheUBSchoolofDentalMedicine.“Theycannottasteanything,theyoftenhaveserioustoothdecay,andtheyfeelasthoughtheyhavesandpaperorgritintheireyesallthetime.Ifwecanfindtheanti-bodiesearly,thenwecanstarttodeveloptherapiestotargetthem.Thefirststep,though,istomakethediagnosis.”

NIH grant furthers Sjogren’s ResearchTheUBresearchersrecentlyreceiveda$450,000grantfromthe NationalInstitutesofHealthtostudyhowtheimmunesystem becomesdysfunctionalinSjogren’ssyndrome. Lastsummer,theprojectreceivedfinancialsupportfrom UB’sCenterforAdvancedBiomedicalandBioengineering

Technology,oneof15centersfundedbytheEmpireState Development’sDivisionofScience,TechnologyandInnovation toencourageuniversity-industrycollaborationinresearch,educa-tionandtechnologytransfer.

First author on the ClinicalImmunology paper is Long Shen, PhD, research assistant professor of medicine at UB. Along with Ambrus and Suresh, co-authors are Jingxiu Xuan, PhD, research assistant professor in the UB Department of Medicine; and Matthew Lindemann, PhD, director of assay development, Przemek Kowal, PhD, director of biopolymers, and Kishore Malyavantham, PhD, director of scientific initiatives, all from Immco.


U B M E D R E S E A R C h

PRogRAMMED foR obESItY IN INfANCYBabies’ diet may lead to obesity in adulthood


Fornearly20years,MulchandS.Patel,PhD,andhisUBcolleagueshaveconductedinnovativeanimalstudiesthathavehelpedtoelucidatethebiochemicalmechanismsunderlyingobesity. Recently,theteamreceivedwidemediaattentionwhentheyreportedthatfeedingratpupsamilkformulahighincarbohydratesimmediatelyafterbirthprogramsthemforweightgainandobesitythroughouttheirlives,eveniftheydietintermittentlyasadults. “Thisisthefirsttimethatwehaveshowninourratmodelofobesitythatthereisaresistancetothereversalofthisprogrammingeffectinadultlife,”explainsPatel,aSUNYDistinguishedProfessorofbiochemistryandassociatedeanforresearchandbiomedicaleducationintheSchoolofMedicineandBiomedicalSciences. Theresearch,Patelfurtherexplains,hasimplicationstotheproblemofobesityintheU.S.,particularlyasitrelatestoinfantnutrition. “ManyAmericanbabyfoodsandjuicesarehighincarbohydrates,mainlysimplesugars,”hesays.“Ourhypothesishasbeenthattheintroductionofbabyfoodstooearlyinlifeincreasescarbohydrateintake,therebyboostinginsulinsecretionandcausingmetabolicprogrammingthatinturncanpredisposethechildtoobesitylater inlife.”

Critical Period for the Hypothalamus Forthepasttwodecades,PatelandhisUBcolleagueshavestudiedhowtheincreasedintakeofcarbohydrate-enrichedcaloriesjustafterbirthcanprogramindividualstoovereat. Fortheirratmodelofobesity,theyadministeredtonewbornratpupsspecialmilkformulastheydevelopedthatareeithersimilartoratmilkincomposition(higherinfat-derivedcalories)orenrichedwithcarbohydrate-derivedcalories. “Thepupswhowerefedahigh-carbohydratemilkformulaaregettingadifferentkindofnourishmentthantheynormallywould,”explainsPatel,“whichmetabolicallyprogramsthemtodevelophyperinsulinemia,aprecursorforobesityandtype2diabetes.” Atthreeweeksofage,theratpupsfedthehigh-carbohydrate(HC)formulawerethenweanedontoratchoweitherwithfreeaccesstofoodorwithamoderatecalorierestriction,sothattheirlevelofconsumptionwouldbethesameaspupsrearednaturally. “WhenfoodintakefortheHCratswascontrolledtoanormallevel,thepupsgrewatanormalrate,similartothatofpupsfedbytheirmothers,”Patelsays.“Butwewantedtoknow,didthatperiodofmoderatecalorierestrictioncausetheanimalstobetrulyreprogrammed?Weknewthattheproofwouldcomeonceweallowed them to eat ad libitum,withoutanyrestrictions.

“During this critical period, the hypothalamus, which regulates appetite, becomes programmed to drive the individual to eat more food. We found that a period of moderate caloric restriction later in life cannot reverse this programming effect.”

— Mulchand S. Patel, PhD

“WefoundthatwhentheHCratundergoesmetabolicreprogramming for developmentofobesityin early postnatal life andthenissubjectedtomoderatecaloricrestriction,similartowhenanindividualgoesonadiet,theprogramming is only suppressed,noterased,”hesays. Thisisduetodevelopmentalplasticity,whichextendsfromfetaldevelopmentinto the immediate postnatalperiod.

AccordingtoPatel,previousresearchbyothershasrevealedthatduringtheimmediatepostnatalperiod,pancreaticisletsandneuronscontinuetomature. “That’swhyanalterednutritionalexperienceduringthiscriticalperiodcanindependentlymodifythewaycertainorgansinthebodydevelop,resultinginprogrammingeffectsthatmanifestlaterinlife,”Patelsays.“Duringthiscriticalperiod,thehypothalamus,whichregulatesappetite,becomesprogrammedtodrivetheindividualtoeatmorefood.Wefoundthataperiodofmoderatecaloricrestrictionlaterinlifecannotreversethisprogrammingeffect.”


KoSMAN NoMINAtED to fACUltY of 1000

Daniel Kosman, PhD, Ub Distinguished Professor of biochemistry, has been named to the faculty of 1000, joining a worldwide body of experts who select and evaluate the most significant articles from biomedical research publications for inclusion in the f1000 directory.

He was nominated by section heads Stephen benkovic, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University; Judith Klinman, PhD, of the University of California at berkeley; and JoAnne Stubbe, of the Massachusetts Institute of technology.

“I’m honored that people who are at the top of the field would ask me to do this,” Kosman said, noting

that all three section heads belong to the National Academy of Sciences.

“As a senior faculty member, I feel strongly that it’s my responsibility to serve my community. When you’re asked to serve by people you admire a great deal, it’s quite an honor.”

Kosman says that f1000Prime is particularly useful for spotlighting valuable articles that appear in lower-profile journals.

“biocatalysis is quite broad, so some of the papers you see recommended in the directory are ones you might not have read if you picked up your favorite journal.

“this is a way of broadening the readership of articles that would be of interest to your own community.”

lifestyle Change RequiredThesefindingsindicatethatinordertoaddresstheobesityepidemicinourcountrysignificantlifestylechangesmustbeencouraged,notesPatel,whoemphasizestheneedforpermanentcaloricrestriction. “Aslongasyourestrictintake,youcanmaintainnormalbodyweight,”hesays. Toavoidmetabolicreprogrammingthatpredisposesababytoobesitylaterinlife,hesaysparentsshouldfollowtheAmericanAcademyofPediatrics’guidelines,whichstatethatinfantsupplementalfoodsshouldnotbegivenbeforeababyis4-6monthsold. Pateladdsthatthisstudyinvolvedonlymoderatecaloricrestriction;heandhiscolleagueswouldliketostudywhetherornotmoreseverecaloricrestrictionforalimitedperiodcanresultintruemetabolicreprogrammingtonormalmetabolicphenotype.

The research described in this article was published in the March 2013 issue of theAmericanJournalofPhysiology:EndocrinologyandMetabolism. The study was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Co-authors with Patel are Malathi Srinivasan, PhD, research assistant professor, and Saleh Mahmood, PhD, postdoctoral associate, both in the UB Department of Biochemistry.

PoPESCU’S PAPER SElECtED bY fACUltY of 1000

A paper by senior author gabriela K. Popescu, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry, has been selected and evaluated by the faculty of 1000, placing her work in its library of the top 2 percent of articles in biology and medicine.

the article received two out of three stars—or a “very good” rating—by an evaluator with the post-publication peer review service.

to be recommended for f1000Prime, a research article has to have been recognized as being “of special excellence,” says senior managing editor Martin Delamare.

Popescu’s paper sheds light on processes involving the synaptic protein NMDA receptor, whose overactivity has been implicated in neurodegenerative conditions and mental illness.

bruce E. Maki, a PhD candidate in neuroscience at Ub, is lead author on the paper, which was originally published in the october 19, 2012 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Co-authors are teresa K. Aman, a postdoctoral associate in biochemistry, and former PhD students Stacy A. Amico-Ruvio and Cassandra l. Kussius.

Mulchand Patel, MD


CANtY ElECtED PRESIDENt of CARDIologY ASSoCIAtIoN

John M. Canty Jr., MD ’79, Albert and Elizabeth Rekate Professor and chief of cardiovascular medi-cine, has been named president of the Association of Professors of Cardiology, the foremost professional organization for division directors of cardiology and cardiovascular medicine at accredited institutions.

A faculty member in the Department of Medicine since 1983, Canty focuses on devel-oping bench-to-bedside person-alized treatments

for heart disease patients.

Since his appointment as head of cardiovascular medicine in 2006, he has helped advance programs in education, research and clini-cal care. He has also integrated Ub’s cardiology sections at Erie County Medical Center, Kaleida Health and buffalo Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he is a staff cardiologist.

HoPKINS APPoINtED SUNY DIStINgUISHED PRofESSoR

l. Nelson Hopkins, MD, profes-sor and chair of neurosurgery, is one of three University at buf-falo faculty members appointed SUNY Distinguished Professor, the highest faculty rank in the SUNY system.

Hopkins pioneered the field of endovascular neurosurgery and has trained a new generation of

neurosurgeon leaders skilled in catheter-based technol-ogy for mini-mally invasive neurosurgery.

A strong believer in translational medicine, Hopkins is president and CEo of the Jacobs Institute—located in Ub’s Clinical and translational Research Cen-ter—which aims to catalyze medi-cal collaboration and innovation through partnerships between Ub, Kaleida Health, community physicians and industry. He also serves as chairman of the board and president of the gates Vascu-lar Institute.

QUIgg NAMED CHAIR IN NEPHRologY, DIVSIoN CHIEf

Richard J. Quigg Jr., MD, an inter-nationally known researcher on the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie kidney disease, has been named the inaugural Arthur M. Morris Chair in Nephrology and chief of the Division of Ne-phrology in the Department of Medicine.

Quigg came to Ub from the University of Chicago, where he served as professor of medicine, chief of the Section of Nephrology and director of its functional ge-nomics facility.

He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from boston Univer-

sity. He completed residency training at SUNY at Stony brook and served research and clinical fellowships at boston University Medical Center.

ExPERt IN HCV NAMED DIVISIoN CHIEf

Andrew H. talal, MD, MPH, a highly regarded authority on viral hepatitis in HIV-infected individuals, has been named pro-fessor of medicine and chief of the Division of gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in the Department of Medicine.

He came to Ub from Weill Cornell Medical College, where he was an associate professor and a physician-scientist in the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, a consortium between Weill Cornell, Rockefell-er University and New York Presby-terian Hospital.

talal earned his medical degree at the University of texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed his residency at the University of Iowa and clinical fellowships in gastroenterology at the Univer-sity of North Carolina, where he also received his MPH.

DUboCoVICH HEADS offICE of INClUSIoN, CUltURAl ENHANCEMENt

Margarita l. Dubocovich, PhD, has been named the inaugural senior associate dean for inclu-

U B M E D P A T h w A y S


tal role in implementing an electronic medical records system for UbMD.

the Institute for Healthcare Informatics is a computing center on the buffalo Niagara Medical Campus that stores, aggregates and innovatively analyzes health care data that can be used to improve health locally, statewide and nationally.

sion and cultural enhancement in the School of Medicine and biomedical Sciences.

She also will continue as chair of the Department of Pharmacology and toxicology.

In 2008, Ub recruited Dubo-covich from Northwestern University, where she had founded and di-rected a highly successful pro-

fessional development program for a diverse group of doctoral students in the biosciences.

In her first year at Ub, she established a similar series of programs, named ClIMb (Collab-orative learning and Integrated Mentoring in the biosciences).

In 2012, the National Institutes of Health awarded ClIMb’s gradu-ate student program $1.9 million to fund the education of 20 new biomedical and behavioral scientists.

WINKElStEIN lEADS INStItUtE foR HEAltHCARE INfoRMAtICS

Peter Winkelstein, MD ’90, MbA, professor of pediatrics and chief medical informatics officer for UbMD, the faculty practice plan, has been named executive direc-tor of the Institute for Healthcare Informatics.

Winkelstein played an instrumen-

zhijian (James) Chen, who earned his doctorate in biochemistry at Ub in 1991, received the 2012 National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular biology.

the prestigious award recognizes a recent notable discovery in molecular biology by a young scientist who is a U.S. citizen.

the academy cited Chen for his creative use of elegant biochemistry in elucidating processes im-portant to understanding cancer and immunity.

Chen is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investi-gator and the george l. Macgregor Distinguished Chair in biomedical Science at the University of texas Southwestern Medical Center.

“Past recipients of the National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular biology represent an all-star list of prominent scientists, including numerous who have gone on to win the Nobel Prize,” says Kenneth M. blumenthal, PhD, chair of the Department of bio-chemistry and senior associate dean for research and graduate education at Ub.

“Howard Hughes Medical Investigators are also an elite group to which James has belonged since 2005. We all congratulate him on his outstanding accom-plishments.”

At Ub, Chen completed his doctoral work in the labo-ratory of the late Cecile Pickart, PhD. In addition, he studied under Ed Niles, PhD, another former biochem-istry faculty member, whom he credits with teaching

him molecular biology.

Chen traces his current research interests back to his thesis work in Pickart’s lab, where he studied the role of ubiquitin in protein degradation.

As an independent investigator, Chen uncovered novel roles for ubiquitin in signaling pathways unrelated to degradation—findings recognized by the National Academy of Sciences in the presentation of the award.

these pathways include those important to innate and adaptive immune responses as well as those in normal cell cycle regulation that can be corrupted in some types of cancer.

last fall, Chen returned to Ub, where he was honored as the School of Medicine and biomedical Sciences 2012 Distinguished biomedical Alumnus.

The academy cited Chen for his creative use of elegant biochemistry in elucidating processes important to understanding cancer and immunity.

AlUMNUS RECEIVES 2012 NAtIoNAl ACADEMY of SCIENCES AWARD

ALUMNI— WE WANt to HEAR fRoM YoU!

We are currently creating a new webpage for our alumni that will include a Classnotes section.

We encourge you to send news about your career and family to: [email protected]

In the next issue of UB Medicine, we will publish the address for the new webpage, where your Classnotes and other alumni news will be posted.

U B M e d i c i n eS U M M e r 2 0 1 33 8

U B M E D P A t h w A y S

CaiN reCeiVes leadersHiP buFFalo award

michael e. Cain, md, vice presi-dent for health sciences and dean of the school of medicine and biomedical sciences, was honored with a leadership buffalo Value award for inclusion.

these annual awards honor com-munity leaders who embody one of leadership buffalo’s four core values: inclusion, service, diversity and openness to change. the 2013 awards were presented on may 2 during a luncheon at the Hyatt regency buffalo.

the “inclusion” designation reflects a leader who seeks mul-tiple perspectives on issues and considers the interests of various stakeholders.

broadcaster and former buffalo sabre michael robitaille and his wife, isabel, Ceo of robitaille relocation and real estate in williamsville, nominated Cain for the award. in their nomina-tion, the couple lauded Cain for

“Michael has been a key player

in a coalition of stakeholders that

is committed to creating a more

efficiently integrated health care system

for Western New York.”

—Michael and Isabel Robitaille

erie County medical Center. dur-ing that time, the unmet needs of the community, especially in poor and medically underserved areas, made a strong impression on him. Calkins believes medical institutions have an obligation to improve the quality of, and access to, health care throughout the community.

the Calkins research award grants $1,500 to residents whose projects are imple-

mented in community settings, including community-based clini-cal practices, ambulatory clinics and emergency room settings in ub-affiliated hospitals.

recipients of the award are expected to present their projects at the following year’s scholarly exchange day.

saCHs reCeiVes Cole award

Frederick sachs, Phd, suNY distinguished Professor of physiology and biophysics, has won the 2013 kenneth s. Cole award from the biophysical society.

the award is given annually to an investigator who has made significant contributions to the understanding of cell membrane biophysics.

in 1983, sachs discovered mechanosensitive ion channels. Found in every cell, these are sensors for systems including

the senses of hearing, touch and balance.

He is responsible for finding the only drug to inhibit these channels and applying it to find possible therapies and cures for diseases such as muscular dystrophy and sickle cell anemia.

along with Fanjie meng, Phd, research assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, sachs invented fluorescent probes that measure stress in proteins of living cells and transgenic animals. these probes may eventually help physicians diagnose metastatic cancers.

He also invented a device to electrically measure cell volume in real time with collaborator susan Zonglu Hua, Phd, from the departments of mechanical and aerospace engineering and physiology and biophysics.

sachs conducted the first voltage clamp studies of isolated adult heart cells and is responsible for the first single channel recording

from tissue cultured cells.

He has been involved in developing the patch clamp electrophysiological technique since its inception in the late 1970s.

the Cole award, given by the membrane biophysics subgroup, has been previously awarded to such dignitaries as Nobel laureate erwin Neher.

his strong leadership and vision during an exciting, transforma-tive time for ub and our community.

“michael has been a key player in a coalition of stakeholders that is committed to creating a more efficiently integrated health care system for western New York,” they stated. they noted that, in addressing complex changes in the community’s health care en-vironment, “michael has worked thoughtfully and collaboratively with his colleagues to consider these issues and to maintain respectful, open dialogues that support consensus.”

the couple also praised Cain for creating an office of inclusion and Cultural enhancement; in-volving the school in community outreach, such as the lighthouse Free medical Clinic; and appoint-ing women to leadership roles.

CalkiNs establisHes researCH award

evan Calkins, md, has established a Community-based research award. the annual award will be given to residents and junior faculty members who conduct community-based research or quality improvement projects.

Calkins served as chair of the department of medicine at ub from 1968 to 1977.

He also served for 12 years as di-rector of medicine at what is now


Naughton was an internationally known cardiologist with expertise in the prevention of coronary heart disease. He developed the Naughton treadmill Protocol, widely used in exercise testing.

Naughton was a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine— which he served as president—the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Physicians.

After stepping down as dean in 1996, Naughton returned to the Ub fac-ulty as a professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, where he also served as interim chair from 1993 until retiring in 2009.

In 1997, he received the Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal, Ub’s high-est award, given to individuals whose accomplishments have greatly added to the prestige of the city of buffalo and the university.

Naughton is survived by his partner, Nancy glieco, a retired medical school staff member; four sons, george, Michael, thomas and bruce, an associate professor of medicine and chief of the Division of geriatrics; two daughters, Marsha luto-stanski and lisa bolten; a brother, Joseph M.; and a sister, Anne f. Edlefson.

JoHN P. NAUgHtoN, MD, SCHool’S loNgESt-SERVINg DEAN

John P. Naughton, MD, the longest-serving dean in the history of the School of Medicine and biomedical Sciences, died May 21, 2012. He was 79.

As dean for 21 years (1975-1996) and vice president for clinical affairs for the last 12 of those years, Naughton is credited with elevating the national stature of the medical school, dramatically reshaping Ub’s relationship with its affiliated teaching hospitals and improving the university’s ties with the Western New York medical community.

Naughton was one of the key players in establishing Ub’s innovative consortium of teaching hospitals—a model that subsequently garnered national attention as a new approach to medical education.

Under his guidance, the school instituted aggressive new approaches to medical training for underrepresented groups and placed a renewed emphasis on programs in primary care medicine.

Naughton also developed the Ub faculty Management Plan, the precur-sor of UbMD, the university’s physician practice plan.

A graduate of St. louis University, Naughton received his medical degree from the University of oklahoma College of Medicine.

before coming to Ub in 1975 to serve as dean, he was professor of medi-cine and dean for academic affairs at george Washington University.

f. CARtER PANNIll, foRMER DEAN, VP foR HEAltH AffAIRS

fitzhugh Carter Pannill Jr., MD, former Ub vice president for health affairs, acting dean and professor of medicine, died June 30, 2012, in New braunfels, texas, after a brief illness. He was 91.

Pannill was recruited to Ub in 1973, serving as vice president for health affairs and, for the first two years of his tenure, the medical school’s acting dean.

Among other accomplishments, Pannill is credited with integrating the educational programs of the five health science schools and steadying the medi-cal school’s course a little more than a decade after the university merged with the State University of New York system.

Under his leadership, John Naughton, MD, was recruited to Ub.

A 1945 graduate of Yale University School of Medicine, Pannill trained in internal medicine in Houston and began his career in academic medicine in 1951 at baylor University Medical College. He subsequently spent six years in private practice before re-entering academic medicine in 1960, holding positions in Philadelphia and Dallas.

In 1965, he was recruited to serve as the founding dean of the University of texas Medical School at San Antonio, a position he held until coming to Ub.

At Ub, his family and colleagues established the f. Carter Pannill Award in his honor, given annually to a junior faculty member in the Department of Medicine who demonstrates the exemplary bedside teaching that Pannill modeled.

Pannill is survived by his wife of 66 years, the former Mildred treat; a son, fitzhugh Carter III, MD; two daughters, Elizabeth, and Mary gilroy; a sister, lelia birrell; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

I N M E M o R I A M


U B M E D Q & A

“We need to be doing science differently in this country; it needs to be more translational.” This refrain drives medical research today, yet many people don’t know why. UBMedicine asked Timothy F. Murphy, MD, director of the Clinical and Translational Research Center, to explain. An internationally recognized researcher, Murphy led landmark studies at UB in the late 1990s that overturned conventional wisdom about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Q: Is translational research new?A:Whatwecall“translationalresearch”isnotnew.Forexample,therehasbeendrugdevelopmentthroughoutthemodernerainmedicine. Whatisnewisthatwenowrecognizetranslationalresearchasbeingadistinctstageinmov-ingadiscoveryfromthelabbenchtoactualtreatment.Wealsorecognizethatthereareparticularrequirementsfordoingitwellandthatwecantrainresearchersinthoseareas.

Q: the National Institutes of Health [NIH] made translational research a priority a few years ago and Ub has just opened its $118 million Clinical and translational Re-search Center. Why all this interest now?A:Overthepast30years,theadvancesinbasicmedicalsciencehavebeenjustamazing—ingenomics,immunology,structuralbiology,tonamethreeareas.Butwhenyoulookathowthesediscoveriesareaffectinghealthcare,therecordisn’tasimpressive.Newdrugdevelopmenthasbeenessentiallyflatsince1980.Infact,thereweremorenewdrugsintroducedin1980thanin2011.

Q: So, in practical terms, what’s different today from, say, 10 years ago?A: Ithinkthebiggestdifferenceistheemphasisonovercominginterdisciplinarybarriers. Wecan’texpecteveryonetoknoweverything,soinordertodevelopnewdrugs,forinstance,weneedpeoplewithmanytypesofexpertiseonaproject.Weneedtogetgoodatdoingwhat’scalled“teamscience,”whichisnewformostresearch-ers.Weneedtosittogether,learneachother’slanguages.Thisisnotassimpleasitmaysound. Asecondimportantwaythattoday’soutlookisdifferentisthatweandotherinstitutionsareinvestingintrainingprogramsforthiskindofwork. Untilnow,peoplelikemehavesortofwanderedintoclinicalresearch.There’sbeennomap.Weneedtodoabetterjoboftrainingyounginvestigatorsforcareersinclinicalandtranslationalresearch.HereatUBwe’vedevelopedamaster’sdegreeinclinicalresearch.We’vealsodevelopedanondegreeprogramthatteaches14coreclinicalandtranslationalresearchcompetenciesidenti-fiedbytheNIH.

Q: How did your own research career develop?A: Otherthananundergraduatesummerexperiencedoinglabworkonantifoulingpaints,Ididn’t

setfootinalabuntilthesecondyearofmyfellowshipininfectiousdiseasesatTufts. I’ddonemaybefiveorsixmonthsofresearch—Ihadnopapers,nogrants—when MichaelApicellahiredmehereatUB.Iwasverylucky.Ireallylearnedtobeare-searcherasayoungfacultymemberunderhismentorship.IwasstudyingHaemophilus influenzaewiththehopethatifIunderstoodthebacteriumImightsomedaycreateavaccinetopreventtheillnessesthatitcaused. Iwasdriventounderstandthediseaseinordertoknowwheretogo.IthoughtofwhatIwasdoingasbasicscience,butinalotofwaysIwasdoingtranslationalresearchrightfromthebeginningofmycareer.Istillam.

—Judson Mead

“Until now, people like me have sort of wandered into clinical research. There’s been no map.”


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Natalie Gugino knew a good university when she saw one, so she made UB her top choice for medical school after earning a BA in biomedical sciences in 2011. “UB has everything a student could want: supportive and progressive faculty, fun campus events, and a friendly atmosphere conducive to academic success.” A UB Medical Alumni Association scholarship recipient, Gugino has a brother with autism spectrum disorder. She hopes to treat similarly disabled patients: “I know what a difference a competent, caring physician can make in the lives of those struggling with such a devastating illness.”

The best reason to support UB is what students like Natalie will do in the future.

Thanks to you, I’ll work to improve my patients’ lives.

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