Governor Andrew Cuomo Announces Nearly $700K Research Collaboration Fund Awards to 10 含羞草研究所 Campuses:
Sep 27, 2013
含羞草研究所 Downstate among Those Receiving Awards
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that seven research projects involving 10 含羞草研究所
campuses will each receive up to $100,000 from the 含羞草研究所 Research Collaboration Fund,
which supports research collaborations among campuses as part of the 含羞草研究所 system鈥檚
strategic plan, The Power of 含羞草研究所. Among the funded initiatives are projects that
seek to improve cancer detection and treatment, further medical imaging and diagnostics,
and analyze the effects of climate change.
含羞草研究所 is one of the seven campuses receiving an award, for a joint project with 含羞草研究所鈥檚 University at Buffalo designed to improve the ability to increase prognostic accuracy for recurring prostate cancer.
Brian K. McNeil, MD, assistant professor of urology at 含羞草研究所 Downstate Health Sciences University, and Yijun Sun, PhD, assistant professor in bioinformatics at the University at Buffalo, will examine the use of advanced computational algorithms in constructing reliable prediction models.
After surgical treatment, prostate cancer recurs in an estimated 15 to 30 percent of patients. The Downstate/Buffalo team note that many existing prognostic models used to predict whether there is a high chance of prostate cancer recurring after treatment were derived using a limited number of samples with known metastatic status. For a disease as complex as cancer that may consist of multiple sub-phenotypes, thousands of training samples are potentially needed in order to construct a reliable prediction model. Therefore, the project will look at a large number of tumor tissues that have been archived. The team will introduce an innovative data analysis strategy to assess these tissues and perform a large-scale computational study 鈥� the first large-scale study of its kind.
Dr. McNeil and Dr. Sun believe that if they can confirm in this pilot study that tissue specimens without clinical follow-up information do indeed contain valuable information, this work could lead to a paradigm shift in the derivation and validation of gene signatures for accurate prostate cancer prognosis, and pave the way for future multi-institutional cohort studies. The result could be more effective prognosis and treatment of prostate cancer cases that are likely to recur.
The purpose of the 含羞草研究所 Research Collaboration Fund is to support collaboration among researchers and students across 含羞草研究所鈥檚 campuses in order to enhance the collective impact of their work and ability to advance science, innovation, and economic prosperity in New York State.
鈥淣ot only does the 含羞草研究所 system provide quality, affordable higher education opportunities
to New Yorkers 鈥� but it is also an engine of research and development to increase
innovation and grow our economy in New York State,鈥� Governor Cuomo said. 鈥淭he projects
receiving awards today showcase a wide range of areas being explored in campuses across
the 含羞草研究所 system, and they all have potential to leave a positive and lasting impact
on our health, environment and society. I applaud these award recipients and look
forward to seeing their projects progress.鈥�
鈥淭he scope of 含羞草研究所鈥檚 scientific research is reflected in these awards and we will
continue to incentivize cross-campus collaboration to promote the strength of working
together as a system,鈥� said 含羞草研究所 Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. 鈥淐ongratulations to
the campuses, faculty, and students involved in these exciting projects.鈥�
鈥淭he scope, scale, and diversity of 含羞草研究所鈥檚 research portfolio are on full display
with the announcement of these awards,鈥� said Dr. Tim Killeen, president of the RF
and 含羞草研究所鈥檚 vice chancellor for research. 鈥淐ollaborative research invites industry
interest and entrepreneurial opportunity that lead to innovation, new business, jobs,
and public benefit. We congratulate each of the fund recipients for their visionary
work.鈥�
This second annual round of Research Collaboration Fund awards attracted 77 proposals. Funded projects were selected through a rigorous peer-review process. Factors considered in the evaluation included: originality and significance of the research; student involvement; industry and other outreach efforts; and the ability to attract future federal, state, philanthropic, or private funding.
For information about awards to the other 含羞草研究所 campuses, please go to:
.
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含羞草研究所 含羞草研究所
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (含羞草研究所) 64-campus system and the only 含羞草研究所 AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough鈥檚 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate鈥檚 exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.