News from AMSNY

The Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) extends its sincere gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature for their unwavering support of biomedical research in the FY26 State Budget. These strategic investments ensure that New York remains at the forefront of scientific innovation, economic growth, and public health advancement.

Key Research Investments Include:

• $10 million reappropriated to the New York Fund for Innovation in Research and Scientific Talent (NYFIRST): This funding empowers medical schools to recruit and retain top-tier researchers, fostering groundbreaking discoveries and strengthening New York’s position in the global life sciences arena.
• $3.445 million restored to the Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program (ECRIP): ECRIP provides vital support for early-career physician-scientists, facilitating clinical research that directly benefits New Yorkers and enhances the state’s healthcare delivery system.
• $8.5 million allocated to the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (NY SCIRP): SCIRP funds cutting-edge research aimed at developing treatments and cures for spinal cord injuries, improving quality of life for affected individuals and advancing neurological science.

These investments not only bolster New York’s research infrastructure but also stimulate job creation, attract federal funding, and drive economic development.

We thank our state leaders for their visionary commitment to biomedical research and look forward to continued collaboration in advancing health and science across the state.

Highlights

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: Expanded Screening for Lynch Syndrome Could Cut Deaths from Colon Cancer

Most people have never heard of Lynch Syndrome, but approximately one million Americans have inherited genes that cause the condition, which significantly raises the risk of developing several types of cancers, including colon cancer. Frequent screening can detect many of these cancers early, when they’re easier to treat, yet only one in two people with Lynch Syndrome know they have the condition. Learn more.

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: Examining the Cancer Epidemic

Each year, approximately 115,000 people in New York State are diagnosed with cancer. Long Island bears a disproportionately high burden of these rates. Learn more.

Artificial Intelligence

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, SUNY: Clinical AI Tool Developed at UB Outperformed Most Doctors on USMLE Exams

A powerful clinical artificial intelligence tool developed by University at Buffalo biomedical informatics researchers has demonstrated remarkable accuracy on all three parts of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (Step exams), according to a paper published April 22 in JAMA Network Open. Achieving higher scores on the USMLE than most physicians and all other AI tools so far, Semantic Clinical Artificial Intelligence (SCAI, pronounced “Sky”) has the potential to become a critical partner for physicians, says lead author Peter L. Elkin, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB and a physician with UBMD Internal Medicine. Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Is AI in Medicine Playing Fair?

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly integrates into health care, a new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that all generative AI models may recommend different treatments for the same medical condition based solely on a patient’s socioeconomic and demographic background. Their findings, which are detailed in the April 7, 2025 online issue of Nature Medicine [DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03626-6], highlight the importance of early detection and intervention to ensure that AI-driven care is safe, effective, and appropriate for all. Learn more.

Diabetes

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Investigating Two Major Cell Types to Help Curb Diabetic Kidney Disease

Preserving the health of kidneys in patients with diabetes can be challenging because the disease often brings complications over time. Sandeep Mallipattu, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Nephrology & Hypertension in the Department of Medicine in the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, investigates cell-to-cell communication within the kidneys, a process that helps maintain the health and function of kidneys. Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Einstein Research Leads to Designation of New Type of Diabetes

Malnutrition-related diabetes—typically affecting lean, malnourished teens and young adults in low- and middle-income countries—is now officially recognized as a distinct form of the disease, known as type 5 diabetes. The new designation, made today by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), stems largely from the research and advocacy of Meredith Hawkins, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine, the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Medicine, and founding director of the Global Diabetes Institute at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Learn more.

Neurology

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry: Brain’s Own Repair Mechanism: New Neurons May Reverse Damage in Huntington’s Disease

New research shows that the adult brain can generate new neurons that integrate into key motor circuits. The findings demonstrate that stimulating natural brain processes may help repair damaged neural networks in Huntington’s and other diseases. Learn more.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: “I Feel Like I Can Walk a Mile”

A few years ago, when University of Pittsburgh researchers fired up the electrodes they had implanted in Doug McCullough’s spinal cord, they hoped to rejuvenate his legs, which had been severely weakened by spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a progressive neurodegenerative disease. At first, there was no response. Learn more.

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry: Modulating the Brain’s Immune System May Curb Damage in Alzheimer’s

New research suggests that calming the brain’s immune cells might prevent or lessen the damaging inflammation seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The study points to the key role of the hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine, and this new understanding could pave the way for more focused treatments that start earlier and are tailored to the needs of each person. Learn more.

Cancer

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Approved Cancer Drugs May Have Potential to Treat Hemorrhagic Stroke

There is currently no effective drug to treat a hemorrhagic stroke, when a ruptured blood vessel causes bleeding into the brain. Researcher Ke Jian Liu, PhD, however, believes that a drug treatment for hemorrhagic stroke may emerge by way of repurposing certain drugs that are already Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to treat cancer. His approach and experiments are supported by a five-year $2.6 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Possible New Treatment for Form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Post-MPN AMLis is a condition in which a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) develops into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients with post-MPN AML don’t respond to currently available therapies for either AML or MPN, and those treatment options generally don’t extend survival for more than a year. Learn more.

Student News

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: Student Researchers Shine at Medical Symposium

In early April, student researchers from the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) took top honors at a poster symposium hosted by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY). The competition took place during the society’s annual House of Delegates Meeting, held April 3–6 in Tarrytown, N.Y., where Melissa Ikizoglu and Katsiaryna Milashevich were named first-place winners for their poster, “Unveiling the Impact of Vitamin C Deficiency in Pediatric Anesthesia: A Case Series and Comprehensive Literature Review.” Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: How Mount Sinai Unlocked a Student’s Passion for Biomedical Research

As he embarked on a career after graduating college, Henry Weith did not initially think about continuing his education beyond a bachelor’s degree. Instead, he focused on finding the right job in industry. Learn more.

Awards, Grants and Recognitions

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Researcher Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Cancer researcher Cory Abate-Shen has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Abate-Shen is professor of molecular pharmacology and therapeutics and the Robert Sonneborn Professor of Medicine, with additional appointments in the Departments of Urology and Systems Biology at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is also a member of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Institute for Cancer Genetics at Columbia. She is among 120 newly elected members announced by the academy on April 29, 2025. Learn more.

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell Ranked Among Top Schools for Research by U.S. News and World Report

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell has been recognized as a national leader in medical research, achieving Tier 1 status in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Medical Schools rankings. The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is one of only 16 medical schools nationwide, and one of just two schools in New York State, to receive this prestigious designation. Learn more.

More News

New York Medical College Researchers Identify Novel Strain of Syphilis Bacterium

A team of researchers at New York Medical College (NYMC) has identified and characterized a novel strain of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis. Designated NYMC01, the new strain was associated with a painful oral lesion in primary syphilis—a presentation that challenges long-held clinical teachings that syphilitic chancres are painless. Learn more.

New York Medical College Study Links Cellular Receptor GPR75 to the Progression of Liver Disease

Liver disease—particularly chronic forms like metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis—represents a major global health challenge, responsible for millions of deaths annually. Yet despite its severity and rising prevalence, current treatments mainly manage complications rather than stop or reverse the disease itself. A new study by researchers at New York Medical College (NYMC), published in Frontiers, offers hope for changing that, potentially paving the way for more effective therapies that improve outcomes for people with liver disease. Learn more.