News and Awards

A summer research program focused on providing undergraduate students from diverse groups guidance toward graduate and professional careers in the biosciences recently wrapped up a successful 2022 campaign. 

The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) has announced that Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of pharmacology and toxicology, is the recipient of the 2022 Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology.

Research led by Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of pharmacology and toxicology, unravels the many physiological roles of melatonin.

The University at Buffalo has a number of successful programs that provide career and professional development and opportunities for underrepresented students to develop into successful scientists and health professionals. 

Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, has been named a 2020 fellow of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) and a 2021 Scientific Achievement Award winner.

Oscar G. Gomez, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and chief of its Division of Infectious Diseases, has completed the genomic analysis of a specific strain of Shiga-toxin E. coli (STEC) that can cause severe disease outbreaks and is increasingly common. 

CLIMB, an innovative and comprehensive diversity program at the University at Buffalo that provides intensive mentoring experiences for biosciences students from undergraduate through postdoctoral levels, has received an award from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine.

UB ranks 100th in Regional Research Reputation ranking, which measures academics’ opinions of other universities within their regions.

Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry, is leading an effort to track the genomics of COVID-19 in Western New York.

Research led by Zhen Yan, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of physiology and biophysics, describes a sensitive and reliable new protocol for assessing social deficits in animal models of autism and certain psychiatric conditions.

From the science of taste to transistor technology to understanding plate tectonics and volcanoes, the funded projects will address issues of societal importance.

UB is the No. 1 public university in New York State and ranks 31st among public colleges and universities nationwide in the 2021 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings.

SUNY Distinguished Professor Marilyn Morris has been appointed a fellow of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.

For the seventh consecutive year, UB is ranked among the nation’s Top 50 Public Universities, coming in at No. 34. UB also ranks No. 88 among Best National Universities, public and private, according to U.S. News.

Researchers have completed the genomic analysis of a specific strain of Shiga-toxin E. coli (STEC) that can cause severe disease outbreaks and is increasingly common. 

Faculty members, residents, medical students and a staff member were among the recipients of 2020 Awards of Excellence for promoting inclusion and cultural diversity at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Thirteen students in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences were honored for outstanding achievements at the University at Buffalo’s 2020 Celebration of Student Academic Excellence.

CLIMB, an innovative and comprehensive diversity program that provides intensive mentoring experiences for biosciences students, has received an award from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine.

UB’s Eva Zurek is a key member of the Center for Matter at Atomic Pressures, which is led by the University of Rochester.

Scientists exploring the nature of immunity after vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae have discovered that a type of white blood cell called neutrophils plays a more critical role than was previously known.

The decision, effective immediately, aligns with the university’s commitment to fight systemic racism and create a welcoming environment for all.

A team of Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences physicians has launched a project to explore both biomedical and public health factors of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A live, online public forum on racial equity and anti-racism will be held from 1 to 3 p.m.  July 14. The forum is being organized by the Community Health Equity Research Institute of the University at Buffalo and the Buffalo Center for Health Equity.

UB biochemist Mark O'Brian says the severe scrutiny of two major papers on the coronavirus is part of science's normal process of self-correction.

The PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PPBS) recognized 14 students from the Class of 2019-2020 — 11 doctoral students and three MD-PhD Program students — who completed their first year in the program and are moving on to their research laboratory match.

A series of papers published by vision researchers is revealing important new information about the possible cause of a condition that underlies a rare form of irreversible blindness in young children.

Trainees, faculty and administrators of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the units in the Academic Health Center (AHC) are responding to the police killing of George Floyd and the international protests it has engendered against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The university was ranked No. 46 among all U.S. universities in the QS World University Rankings: USA.

The company is developing iron-based contrast agents for MRI.

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place UB No. 1 among U.S. universities in SDG 13, which addresses taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

M. Laura Feltri, Jo Freudenheim, Amit Goyal, Elad Levy and Stephen Tiffany received the highest faculty rank in SUNY.

Two faculty members in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine were honored for their outstanding efforts in the areas of research, training and mentorship.

UB Schools and programs received honors spanning several fields, including pharmacy, nursing, business, engineering, law, education and more.

A basic research breakthrough by Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, reporting the effects of new molecules on circadian rhythms in mice could result in treatments for people affected by jet lag, sleep disorders or even depression.

Colón has recruited dozens of Puerto Rican students to UB over 25 years, with about 20 earning advanced degrees.

The University at Buffalo has been awarded a five-year, $21.7 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue Buffalo’s rapid trajectory growing its health care and research sectors.

Salaam is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Keynote Speaker in the 2019-2020 Distinguished Speakers Series lineup.

Researchers have discovered through a vast and novel computational library the first molecules that can modulate circadian rhythms by binding with high selectivity to the MT1  melatonin receptor in the biological clock.

The award recognizes UB’s progress in bringing the benefits of clinical and translational science to patients, including the tripling of clinical trials since 2015.

Timothy F. Murphy, MD, senior associate dean for clinical and translational research and SUNY Distinguished Professor of medicine, is leading a major initiative addressing health disparities among people living on Buffalo’s East Side.

Community Health Equity Research Institute brings together community partners and faculty, students from 10 UB schools to improve health of underserved neighborhoods.

Eight faculty members from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences were among those honored for notable achievement and service at the 16th annual University at Buffalo Celebration of Faculty and Staff Academic Excellence.

An abstract co-authored by Rasheen Powell, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has been selected as a “Neuroscience 2019 Hot Topic” by the Society for Neuroscience.

Gabriela K. Popescu, PhD, professor of biochemistry, has been elected chair of the Council of Faculty and Academic Societies (CFAS) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

David Dietz, PhD, associate professor and chair of pharmacology and toxicology, is senior author on a pair of papers dealing with the study of drug relapse.

Pinaki Sarder, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and anatomical sciences, and doctoral student Brandon Ginley have developed a new method that automates the classification of progressive diabetic kidney disease, reducing variability and boosting precision.

Sixty-seven oral and poster presentations were showcased at the 13th annual Neuroscience Research Day of the neuroscience program and the Buffalo Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN).

Women who did the highest amount of physical activity had an 18% lower risk of hip fracture and 6% lower risk of total fracture.

The board provides scientific and technical expertise to the EPA.

The neuroscience major is a collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

A prestigious and highly competitive National Institutes of Health program called the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, has issued awards to two UB faculty members.

Special journal issue focuses on actions and investigations for how clinical psychologists can contribute their expertise to the crisis.

In preparing to host Biomedical Sciences Career Day & Vendor Show, Thomas Melendy, PhD, wanted to expose students and trainees in the biomedical sciences to the numerous opportunities available to them.

Eighty-four student-scientists presented projects during the Ninth Annual Buffalo Summer Research Conference, an interdisciplinary forum marking the culmination of their summer research in Buffalo.

UB is ranked No. 5 among public universities in the Northeast, No. 48 among all colleges in the Northeast, and 110th nationally.

The growth is linked to UB recruiting world-class faculty to Buffalo and developing state-of-the-art research labs.

An innovative researcher and others who have made significant contributions to their fields and to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences were honored with 2019 Faculty-Staff Recognition Awards.

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science’s Class of 2023 — 180 students strong ­ — celebrated entry into medical school with a traditional White Coat Ceremony Aug. 9 at the UB Center for the Arts.

The PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PPBS) conducted its third annual white coat ceremony to recognize 19 students from the Class of 2018-2019 — 14 doctoral students and five MD-PhD students — who completed their first year in the program and are moving on to their research laboratory match.

Students from laboratories affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry shared their findings during the department's annual Research Day.

The award is one of the most competitive and respected scientific fellowships in the U.S.

M. Aleksander Wysocki has been elected to full membership in Sigma Xi. Wysocki is a doctoral candidate in the Computational Cell Biology, Anatomy and Pathology program.

The number of students from underrepresented groups in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Class of 2022 is nearly twice that of the previous year’s class.

Jennifer A. Martin, a doctoral student in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has received a prestigious Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The newly published Smilodon: The Iconic Sabertooth includes a chapter authored by a PhD candidate in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences.

Among public universities, UB is No. 39 nationally and No. 1 statewide.

Seventy-five student-scientists presented projects during the Eighth Annual Buffalo Summer Research Conference, an interdisciplinary forum marking the culmination of their summer research in Buffalo.

Researchers and their mentors in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology were honored for their in-depth studies presented at the 2018 Experimental Biology meeting and related forums.

Thirteen students from the Class of 2017-18 in the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PPBS) took part in a white coat ceremony to recognize the completion of their first year in the program and celebrate their moving on to a research laboratory match.

The Office of Inclusion and Cultural Enhancement recognized staff, students, trainees and faculty during the 2018 Faculty-Staff Recognition Awards ceremony.

Discovery — centered on a gene called CD36 — illuminates a process tied to the aging of cells and organisms.

Collaboration and a sense of community were on display at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences during a daylong event to address Buffalo’s African-American health disparities.

A new study led by vision researchers has demonstrated that the addition of widely available antioxidants to the current standard-of-care prevented vision loss in an animal model of a rare genetic disease.

Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of pharmacology and toxicology and senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion, has been awarded the inaugural Dolores Shockley Minority Mentoring Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).

Colleagues of late University at Buffalo nursing researcher Ellen Volpe will carry on her professional legacy by completing a research project that was left unfinished at the time of her death. 

Seventy-six student-scientists presented projects during the 2017 Buffalo Summer Research Day, an interdisciplinary forum marking the culmination of their summer research in Buffalo.

The work will address extreme weather, air pollution and autism spectrum disorder, and sustainable energy.

Three residents provided presentations concentrating on retinal diseases and treatment at a symposium sponsored by the Department of Ophthalmology and the Ross Eye Institute.

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences celebrated scientific achievements, outstanding service and significant teaching contributions during its 2017 Faculty and Staff Recognition Awards event May 18.

A dozen faculty members, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology participated in the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting.

Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion and SUNY Distinguished Professor of pharmacology and toxicology, has been awarded the UB President’s Medal, given in recognition of extraordinary service to the university.

Anthony J. Jones, a doctoral student in the neuroscience program, has received a two-year fellowship award in pharmacology/toxicology from the PhRMA Foundation.

The inaugural Jacobs Arts Festival showcased works by Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences students and faculty alike in celebration of where art and medicine meet.

Jun-Xu Li, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology, has received the Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award from the College of Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) for his research on pharmacotherapy for stimulant abuse.

Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, and Mark R. O’Brian, PhD, are recipients of the 2015-16 Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award.

Graduate student and trainee researchers and their mentors in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology received positive feedback on in-depth studies they presented at the 2016 Behavior, Biology and Chemistry: Translational Research in Addiction meeting.

Medical school faculty members Margarita Dubocovich and Mark O’Brian are the recipients of the 2015-16 Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award.

Ninety-five student-scientists presented projects during the 2015 Buffalo Summer Research Day, an interdisciplinary forum marking the culmination of their summer research in Buffalo.

Chemistry professor Luis Colón will head to the White House to receive a national award for excellence in mentoring.

Rajendram Rajnarayanan, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology, has been honored with a 2014 President Emeritus and Mrs. Meyerson Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring.

The one woman Kerri Pryce dedicates his research to can hardly remember his name.

UB has received $1.9 million from the NIH to fund the education of 20 UB biomedical and behavioral scientists from underrepresented groups.

Jason Ma, a pharmacology and toxicology major, was one of four UB undergraduates selected to present original research findings to SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and state elected officials.

Undergraduates from across the country have come to UB this summer to participate in a mentoring research program launched by Margarita Dubocovich, PhD.

Ekue B. Adamah-Biassi and Anthony J. Hutchinson have received Maximizing Access to Research Careers Travel Awards for this year’s Experimental Biology meeting.

David Thorn, a PhD student in pharmacology and toxicology, received a travel award to attend the Behavior, Biology and Chemistry Annual Meeting.

The two-year award supports MD/PhD candidate Alice Crane’s research on how genetic variability impacts human susceptibility to the pesticide chlorpyrifos.

Three PhD students and a recent postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Ji Li, PhD, presented their research at the world’s largest and most prestigious heart research meeting.

PhD candidate Shannon Clough and postdoctoral associate Anthony Hutchinson, PhD, received travel awards to attend a prestigious conference on translational research in addiction.

Jason Ma has received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow Travel Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

PhD candidate Bethany Rankin has received a Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award from the American Association for Cancer Research.