May 2014 News from the Medical Schools: Research

The Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) brings you the following compilation of the most recent updates and news on research from the academic medical centers in the state.

Researchers at the Academic Medical Centers

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty and Students Present Research During Third Annual Research Day
May 14, 2014 – More than 80 posters were on display at the Touro College Third Annual Research Day, an event that showcases original research by faculty and students while celebrating the contributions Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine’s researchers have made in basic sciences, clinical practice, social work, law, economics, mathematics, and public health.

Magnetic Resonance Researcher Honored by International Society
May 13, 2014 – In recognition of his outstanding early-career research, Ferdinand Schweser, PhD, assistant professor of neurology from University at Buffalo’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been named a junior fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM).

Barbara Resnick, Ph.D., and John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., to receive honorary degrees
May 6, 2014 – Barbara Resnick, Ph.D, who is recognized for her innovative work in geriatrics, and John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., who leads the world’s largest voluntary cancer-fighting group, will each receive an honorary doctor of science degree from the State University of New York at the 2014 Upstate Medical University Commencement Sunday, May 18.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants for Research

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Awarded $2.7 Million from NIH to Investigate Novel Therapy for Eczema
May 13, 2014 – The National Institutes of Health has awarded a research team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai $2.7 million to study systemic treatments for patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema. Currently, no treatments are available that achieve long-term remission without difficult side effects for this debilitating skin disorder, characterized by inflammation, severe itching, and a rash that can adversely affect many aspects of everyday life.

Investigating the Role of Aging and Poor Nutrition on Colon Cancer: NIH Awards Einstein $3.2 Million Grant
May 8, 2014 – Two risk factors – getting older and eating poorly – are implicated in more than 80 percent of colon cancer cases in developed countries. Now, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have received a $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how aging and poor nutrition interact to cause the mutations responsible for driving colon cancer development.

Other Funds for Research

Stony Brook University School of Medicine Receives $3.5 Million to Establish “Bahl Molecular Imaging Laboratory’
May 16, 2014 – Kavita and Lalit Bahl of Stony Brook have pledged $3.5 million to establish the Kavita and Lalit Bahl Molecular Imaging Laboratory at Stony Brook Medicine. The high-tech laboratory will enable Stony Brook physicians and researchers to diagnose and monitor disease at the molecular level, as well develop new targeted treatments for cancer, neurological disorders, and other diseases. Plans for the laboratory include Long Island’s first Cyclotron, a particle accelerator that is used in medicine to create radioactive tracer molecules to enhance diagnostic capabilities or treat specific diseases, particularly cancer.

Bradford C. Berk, M.D., Ph.D., Gives $1.5 Million to University of Rochester
May 14, 2014 – Bradford C. Berk, M.D., Ph.D., University of Rochester Medical Center and UR Medicine CEO and senior vice president for health services, and his family are giving $1.5 million to the University of Rochester. In combination with a $500,000 gift from URMC’s Department of Medicine, the Berk contribution establishes a distinguished professorship in support of the University’s cardiovascular care, research, and educational efforts.

Emma Guttman, M.D., Ph.D., Receives $846,400 Grant from the Leo Foundation
May 13, 2014 – Despite considerable impact on quality of life, atopic dermatitis, or eczema, has not been studied extensively in children, although as many as one-in-five have eczema. We are proud to announce that one of the top researchers worldwide in the study of eczema, Emma Guttman, MD, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Inflammatory Skin Diseases, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will investigate blood biomarkers important in promoting and maintaining eczema in children.

No Increased Melanoma Risk with Celiac Diagnoses, Columbia University Medical Center Study Finds

May 16, 2014 – Patients with celiac disease do have an increased risk of developing certain cancers, including lymphoma and intestinal cancer. But previous studies of melanoma have yielded conflicting results; two found no relationship and one showed a significant association.

Take a closer look.
© 2014 Columbia University Medical Center. All rights reserved.

Cancer Stem Cells Under the Microscope at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Symposium

May 6, 2014 – Healthy stem cells work to restore or repair the body’s tissues, but cancer stem cells have a more nefarious mission: to spawn malignant tumors. Cancer stem cells were discovered a decade ago, but their origins and identity remain largely unknown

Take a closer look.
© 2014 Albert Einstein College of Medicine. All rights reserved.

Icahn School of Medicine Study Explores Cancer Risks and Oral HPV Prevalance in Partners with HPV Related Throat Cancer

May 2, 2014 – Many patients with throat cancer associated with oral human papillomavirus (HPV) have anxiety about transmitting the virus to their partners’ and increasing their cancer risk. However, a multi-center prospective study co-led by researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that cancer risk in partners remain low. The research is reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO).

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© 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. All rights reserved.

Stony Brook University Researchers Tackle Life-Saving Issues for End-Stage Heart Failure Patients

May 5, 2014 – The 7.5 million patients in the United States suffering from end-stage heart failure desperately need a lifeline. One option is a ventricular assist device (VAD), which serves as a “bridge” to a heart transplant and, in long-term use, as “destination therapy,” continuing to support heart function if a transplant is not an option. Researchers at Stony Brook University have developed an innovative technique to evaluate VAD efficacy and safety. Their device thrombogenicity emulation (DTE) methodology uses advanced simulation and testing with human blood to help determine which VADs cause less damage to blood while minimizing or eliminating the risk of blood clotting, stroke, or death.

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Two Genes Together Drive Aggressive Prostate Cancer

May 12, 2014 – Two genes work together to drive the most lethal forms of prostate cancer, according to new research from the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). These findings could lead to a diagnostic test for identifying those tumors likely to become aggressive and to the development of novel combination therapy for the disease.

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© 2014 Columbia University Medical Center. All rights reserved.

Gene Discovery Links Cancer Cell ‘Recycling’ System to Potential New Therapy

May 1, 2014 – University of Rochester scientists have discovered a gene with a critical link to pancreatic cancer, and further investigation in mice shows that by blocking the gene’s most important function, researchers can slow the disease and extend survival.

Mount Sinai Researchers Identify Subtle Changes that May Occur in Neural Circuits Due to Cocaine Addiction

May 7, 2014 – A research team from the Friedman Brain Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has published evidence that shows that subtle changes of inhibitory signaling in the reward pathway can change how animals respond to drugs such as cocaine. This is the first study to demonstrate the critical links between the levels of the trafficking protein, the potassium channels’ effect on ne
ronal activity and a mouse’s response to cocaine. Results from the study are published in the peer-reviewed journal Neuron on May 7, 2014.

Brain Noises Found to Nurture Synapses

May 7, 2014 – A study has shown that a long-overlooked form of neuron-to-neuron communication called miniature neurotransmission plays an essential role in the development of synapses, the regions where nerve impulses are transmitted and received. The findings, made in fruit flies, raise the possibility that abnormalities in miniature neurotransmission may contribute to neurodevelopmental diseases. The findings, by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), were published today in the online edition of the journal Neuron.

Researchers Reveal New Cause of Epilepsy

April 30, 2014 – A team of researchers from SUNY Downstate Medical Center (SUNY Downstate) and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) has found that deficiencies in hyaluronan, also known as hyaluronic acid or HA, can lead to spontaneous epileptic seizures. HA is a polysaccharide molecule widely distributed throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues, including the brain’s extracellular space (ECS). Their findings, published on April 30 in The Journal of Neuroscience, equip scientists with key information that may lead to new therapeutic approaches to epilepsy.

Technology Zaps Away Acid Reflux Without Surgery

May 5, 2014 – Over 30 million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) on a daily basis; experiencing symptoms like burning in the chest or throat, difficulty swallowing, regurgitation of food and a sour taste in the mouth. While many patients manage their condition by changing their diet and popping over-the-counter and prescription medications, a new technology may help relieve the burn for good.

Genetic and Environmental Influences Are Equally Important Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder

May 5, 2014 – In the largest family study on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to date, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, along with a research team from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm Sweden and King’s College in London found that individual risk of ASD and autistic disorder increased with greater genetic relatedness in families – that is, persons with a sibling, half-sibling or cousin diagnosed with autism have an increased likelihood of developing ASD themselves. Furthermore, the research findings showed that “environmental” factors unique to the individual (birth complications, maternal infections, etc.) were more of a determinant for ASD than previously believed.

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