Research News: Genomic Medicine

Dr. Norma Nowak, one of the leaders involved with the Genomic Medicine Initiative.

Dr. Norma Nowak, one of the leaders involved with the Genomic Medicine Initiative.

The University at Buffalo is uniquely positioned to help New York State become a national leader in genomic medicine. By partnering with the New York Genome Center (NYGC) in Manhattan, UB will advance new ways to treat, prevent and manage serious disease—accelerating recent advances in genomic medicine directly into clinical care.

In addition, the initiative will require resources from UB, such as the Center for Computational Research, as genomic medicine requires the analysis of large amounts of information, also known as “big data.” This was one big reason why UB was selected to co-lead this initiative.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s investment in the university stems from the expertise in high performance computing and recognized national leadership in genomics research—making an excellent partnership with NYGC to usher in a new era of personalized medicine, as well as breakthrough treatments in diabetes, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease. 

“We are grateful for Gov. Cuomo’s continued support of the University at Buffalo and his recognition of UB as a national leader in the emerging field of big data genomics,” said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. “We’re poised to help make his vision for Buffalo and New York State a reality.” 

UB receives $50 million from Cuomo’s Buffalo billion-dollar commitment, building on other significant investments from the state to support the growth of UB’s biomedical research and supercomputing strengths. Four companies are already benefiting from the partnership:

  • Computer Task Group (CTG) – a Buffalo-based information technology solutions firm with global business that develops innovative health care products and services.
  • Empire Genomics – created in 2006 by UB faculty member Norma Jean Nowak, PhD, a recognized leader in the field of genomics, from research started at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
  • AESKU.Diagnostics – a Germany-based life sciences firm seeking to establish a new operation in medical diagnostics in Western New York.
  • Lineagen – a Salt Lake City, Utah-based firm seeking to expand its medical diagnostics business via co-location in Western New York.

“This is exactly the type of public-private partnership that can lead to medical breakthroughs and innovations originating from New York State,” said Alexander N. Cartwright, UB vice president for research and economic development.  “UB’s expertise and strong track record in big data analytics and biomedical research makes us the ideal partner to help lead this effort.”