University at Buffalo (UB)
CTSI Annual Forum
The University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Annual Forum offers attendees an opportunity to examine the translational science accomplishments of Buffalo Translational Consortium (BTC) investigators and to consider what’s to come.
Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Annual Forum
April 16, 2026
12:00 to 4:45 p.m. (light refreshments at 1:15 p.m.)
Murphy Family Seminar Room, 5019 A&B, Clinical and Translational Research Center
AGENDA
12:00 p.m. Welcome
Sanjay Sethi, MD
Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Clinical Research Achievement Award Top Award and Finalist: Presentations/Awards
Anne Curtis, MD,
Award Committee Chair;
SUNY Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicine
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Clinical Research Achievement Awards Top Award
"Implementing a Community Health Worker Model to Address Health-related Social Needs in a Community Pharmacy Network: A Pragmatic Evaluation"
David Jacobs, PharmD, PhD
Associate Professor
Division of Outcomes and Practice Advancement
Department of Pharmacy Practice
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Clinical Research Achievement Awards Finalist
“Trends in Industry Payments and Volume and Distribution of Robot-assisted Surgeries”
Ekaterina Noyes, PhD, MPH
Associate Dean for Translational and Team Science
School of Public Health and Health Professions
1:15 p.m. Reception to recognize Clinical Research Achievement Award winner and finalist
1:50 p.m. Introductions/Welcome
Sanjay Sethi, MD
Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Allison Brashear, MD, MBA
Vice President for Health Sciences, UB
Dean, Jacobs Schol of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
2:00 p.m. "State of the CTSI"
Sanjay Sethi, MD
Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
2:45 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. “Engaging Patients and Communities in Clinical Research to Improve Health Care and Outcomes”
Tracy Yu-Ping Wang, MD, MHS, MSc
Chief Officer, Comparative Effectiveness Research
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
4:30 p.m. Closing Remarks
4:45 p.m. Adjournment
Past Annual Forum Agendas
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Welcome/Introductions | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
|
| 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy F. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) |
| 1:45 - 2:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. | Panel: Advancing Translational Science With Artificial Intelligence
Leveraging AI for Multiscale Drug Discovery - Dr. Samudrala
Patient-centered AI: Research Considerations - Dr. Markatou
Advancing Geospatial Health Research With AI - Dr. Yoo
AI Privacy and Ethics in Translational Science - Dr. Doyle | Moderators:
Jinjun Xiong, PhD
Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Panelists:
Ram Samudrala, PhD
Marianthi Markatou, PhD
Eun-Hye Enki Yoo, PhD
Scott Doyle, PhD |
| 3:30 - 3:45 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:45 - 3:50 p.m. | Clinical Research Achievement Awards and Presentations
Introduction of awardees | Anne B. Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| 3:50 - 4:05 p.m. | Top Award presentation followed by Q&A
Integrated Hepatitis C-Opioid Use Disorder Care Through Facilitated Telemedicine: A Randomized Trial | Andrew Talal, MD, MPH |
| 4:05 - 4:20 p.m. | Award Finalist presentation followed by Q&A
Ziftomenib in Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (KOMET-001): A Multicentre, Open-label, Multi-cohort, Phase 1 Trial | Eunice S. Wang, MD Professor of Oncology Chief, Department of Medicine — Leukemia Department of Immunology Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 4:20 - 4:35 p.m. | Award Finalist presentation followed by Q&A
Omics Analysis Reveals Galectin-3 to Be a Potential Key Regulator of Allergic Inflammation in Hereditary Angioedema | Stanley A. Schwartz, MD, PhD UB Distinguished Professor, Medicine and Pediatrics Division Chief, Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology Department of Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 4:35 - 4:45 p.m. | Closing Remarks | |
| 4:45 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Welcome/Introductions
Updates From NCATS | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
|
| 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy F. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) |
| 1:45 - 2:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:00 - 2:50 p.m. | Keynote Speaker Lung-brain Coupling in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities | Marc Halterman, MD, PhD Senior Associate Dean and Executive Director, Office of Research Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 2:50 - 3:05 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:05 - 3:10 p.m. | Clinical Research Achievement Awards and Presentations | Anne B. Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| 3:10 - 3:30 p.m. | 2023 Top Award Family-based Behavioral Treatment for Childhood Obesity Implemented in Pediatric Primary Care (Followed by Q&A) | Leonard H. Epstein, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| 3:30 - 3:50 p.m. | 2023 Finalist Phase IIa Study of SurVaxM Plus Adjuvant Temozolomide for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma (Followed by Q&A) | Robert Fenstermaker, MD Professor of Neurosurgery and Oncology Chair, Department of Neurosurgery Director, Neuro-Oncology Program Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 3:50 - 4:10 p.m. | 2023 Finalist Multiscale Analysis and Validation of Effective Drug Combinations Targeting Driver KRAS Mutations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (Followed by Q&A) | Ram Samudrala, PhD Professor and Chief, Division of Bioinformatics Department of Biomedical Informatics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 4:10 - 4:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Welcome/Introductions | Timothy F. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) |
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Updates From NCATS | Erica Rosemond, PhD Acting Deputy (Division) Director, Branch Chief and Acting Section Chief |
| 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy F. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) |
| 1:45 - 2:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. |
Panel Discussion on Health Literacy and Plain Language
| Health Literacy as a Social Determinant of Health: Kelly Wofford, MS Erie County Department of Health
Communicating with Researchers and Research Participants: Veronica Meadows-Ray Research team member and participant National Witness Project, Buffalo
Story-telling and Health Communication: Melanie Green, PhD Chair and Professor of Communication College of Arts and Sciences, UB
Video-based Education and Mobile Communication: Liise K. Kayler, MD Program Director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery Research Professor of Surgery Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB
Does AI Have a Role in Health Literacy? Jinjun Xiong, PhD SUNY Empire Innovation Professor Professor of Computer Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, UB |
| 3:30 - 3:45 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:45 - 4:20 p.m. |
Clinical Research Achievement Awards and Presentations
| Anne B. Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor
2022 Top Award: Steven E. Lipshultz, MD
2022 Finalist: Qianqian Zhu, PhD Professor of Oncology |
| 4:20 - 4:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: | |
12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Welcome/Introductions | Timothy F. Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) | |
| 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. | Keynote | Philip M. Alberti, PhD Founding Director, AAMC Center for Health Justice Senior Director, Health Equity Research and Policy | |
| 1:45 - 2:00 p.m. | Break | ||
| 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. | Career Perspectives and Vision for Clinical and Translational Research | Allison Brashear, MD, MBA VP for Health Sciences, University at Buffalo Dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences | |
| 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy F. Murphy, MD Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute | |
| 3:30 - 3:45 p.m. | Break | ||
| 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. | Clinical Research Achievement Awards and Presentations:
Hardest-to-place Kidney Transplant Outcomes in the United States
Late Health Outcomes After Dexrazoxane Treatment: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group
Efficacy of Inhaled Ciclesonide for Outpatient Treatment of Adolescents and Adults With Symptomatic COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial | Anne Curtis, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor Clinical Research Achievement Awards Committee Chair Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School
Liise K. Kayler, MD 2021 Award Winner and Finalists Program Director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery Department of Surgery, Jacobs School
Brian Clemency, DO, MBA Award Finalist Professor Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacobs School
Steven Lipshultz, MD Award Finalist A. Conger Goodyear Professor and Chair | |
| 4:45 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Welcome
State of the CTSI | Michael Cain, MD VP for Health Sciences, University at Buffalo
Timothy F. Murphy, MD |
| 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. | Keynote: “COVID-19 Vaccines: Past, Present and Future” | John R. Mascola, MD Director |
| 2:30 - 2:55 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:55 - 3:00 p.m. | Overview: Clinical Research Achievement Awards and Presentations | Anne Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor; Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School |
| 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. | Early Subthreshold Aerobic Exercise for Sport-Related Concussion: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Cytochrome c Deficiency Confers Apoptosome and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in African-American Men With Prostate Cancer
Hospital Observation Upon Reversal (HOUR) With Naloxone: A Prospective Clinical Prediction Rule Validation Study
| John Leddy, MD 2019 Award Winner and Finalists Clinical Professor Department of Orthopaedics Jacobs School
Dhyan Chandra, PhD Award Finalist
Brian Clemency, DO, MBA Award Finalist
|
| 3:45 - 4:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 4:00 - 4:45 p.m. | Golimumab and Beta-Cell Function in Youth With New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes
Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in HIV-Uninfected Infants Exposed in Utero to Antiretroviral Therapy
Minimal Manifestation Status and Prednisone Withdrawal in the MGTX Trial | Teresa Quattrin, MD Award Winner
Steven Lipshultz, MD Award Finalist
Gil Wolfe, MD Award Finalist |
| 5:00 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
1:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Welcome
Perspective on an evolving partnership with the CTSI | Michael Cain, MD VP for Health Sciences, University at Buffalo
David Hughes, MD Executive VP and Chief Medical Officer, Kaleida Health |
| 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. | Publishing a landmark study on concussion: It takes a village | Barry Willer, PhD Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Jacobs School |
| 2:45 - 3:10 p.m. | Break and Networking Reception | |
| 3:10 - 3:55 p.m. | Scholars’ Research Projects Highlights | Margarita Dubocovich, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor, Jacobs School and Director, Workforce Development; Program Lead, KL2 Mentored Career Development
Maximiliano Rapanelli, PhD Research Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School; KL2 Scholar
Bonnie Vest, PhD Research Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School; BTC Scholar
Jessie Polanco, PhD Student, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School; CTSI Graduate Scholar |
| 3:55 - 5:00 p.m. | Clinical Research Achievement Awards | Anne Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor and Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School
Jeffrey Lackner, PsyD Professor; Chief, Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School “Improvement in Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Refractory Irritable Bowel Syndrome”
Michael LaMonte, PhD, MPH Research Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions“Physical Activity and Incidence of Heart Failure in Postmenopausal Women”
Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor; Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Department of Medicine, Jacobs School “Efficacy and Safety of Dapaglifloxin in Patients with Inadequately Controlled Type 1 Diabetes: The DEPICT-1 52-week Study” |
| 5:00 p.m. | Adjournment |
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
1:15 - 1:30 p.m. | Welcome
Remarks | Michael Cain, MD VP for Health Sciences, University at Buffalo
Satish Tripathi President, University at Buffalo |
| 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. | State of the CTSI | Timothy Murphy, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| 2:15 - 3:00 p.m. | Catalyzing Translational Innovation | Christopher Austin, MD Director, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences |
| 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. | A Community-Academic Partnership Case Study: The Jewels in our Genes | Heather Ochs-Balcom, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions Veronica Meadows-Ray Community research partner and advocate |
| 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. | Scholars’ Research Projects Highlights | Margarita Dubocovich, PhD SUNY Distinguished Professor, Jacobs School and Director, Workforce Development; Program Lead, KL2 Mentored Career Development
Jason Davies, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Departments of Neurosurgery and Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; KL2 Scholar
Jason Muhitch, PhD Assistant Professor, Departments of Urology and Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; BTC Scholar |
| 4:15 - 5:00 p.m. | Clinical Research Achievement Awards
Implications of Understanding Liver Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Inpatient or Outpatient for Severe Alcohol Use Disorder? Determining Optimal Level of Care | Anne Curtis, MD SUNY Distinguished Professor and Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School
Andrew Talal, MD, MPH Professor, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Robert Rychtarik, PhD Senior Research Scientist, Research Institute on Addictions |
| 5:00 p.m. | Adjournment |