University at Buffalo (UB) 
Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Clinical and Translational Science InstituteAdvancing research discoveries to improve health for all
Pilot Studies Colloquium
The annual University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Translational Pilot Studies Program Clinical and Translational Research Colloquium features presentations highlighting innovative research projects that received Translational Pilot Studies awards.
The colloquium provides unique opportunities for dialogue and for fostering new collaborations, with updates on projects and latest advancements in translational science — the field in which researchers find novel ways to overcome barriers in the translational pipeline. The researchers who present their work are bringing healthcare innovations directly to the community, allowing more treatments to reach people sooner.
In addition, the colloquium features presentations from recipients of CTSI Community Partnership Development Seed Grants. The grants address community-academic partnerships and successful collaborations on the design of research projects, specifically those that address health disparities and aim to improve health equity.
This program is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number UL1TR001412 to the University at Buffalo, as well as: UB’s Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; and the deans of UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, and School of Nursing.
Watch for updates on the next CTSI Pilot Studies Colloquium.
Past Agendas
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. | Welcoming Remarks, History and Overview of the CTSI Translational Pilot Studies Program
Introduction to Translational Pilot Studies Program | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Brahm Segal, MD |
| 12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Development of Smartphone-based Family Planning Intervention for African Refugee Women With Low Literacy | Kafuli Agbemenu, PhD, MPH, RN School of Nursing, UB |
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Examining the Feasibility of a Community Health Worker Program Embedded in Western New York Pharmacies to Address Social Determinants of Health | David Jacobs, PharmD, PhD Department of Pharmacy Practice School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, UB |
| 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Functional MRI Improves Clinical Outcome Prediction After Acute Stroke | Amit Kandel, MD, MBA Department of Neurology Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 1:15 - 1:30 p.m. | Classifying Sports-related Concussions by Symptom Profiles | Jeffrey Miecznikowski, PhD Department of Biostatistics School of Public Health and Health Professions, UB |
| 1:30- 1:45 p.m. | Integration of Cancer Survivorship Into the Rural United States (ICaRUS) | Ekaterina Noyes, PhD, MPH Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health School of Public Health and Health Professions, UB Director, UB CTSI Team Science Core and Workforce Development Core |
| 1:45- 2:30 p.m. | Poster viewing session | 2022 Pilot Studies Awardees |
| 2:30- 2:45 p.m. | Role of NANOG in Improving Function After Peripheral Nerve Injury | Kirkwood Personius, PT, PhD Department of Rehabilitation Science School of Public Health and Health Professions, UB |
| 2:45- 3:00 p.m. | A Framework for Fusing Histopathology and Genomics Features for Diabetes Diagnosis and Prognosis | Pinaki Sarder, PhD Department of Medicine University of Florida College of Medicine |
| 3:00- 3:15 p.m. | Home-based Dual-task Exercise for Older Adults With MCI | Nikhil Satchidanand, PhD, MS Department of Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 3:15- 3:30 p.m. | GsMTx4-D As an Exon-skipping Gene Therapy Adjuvant in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy | Thomas Suchyna, PhD Department of Physiology and Biophysics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 3:30- 3:45 p.m. | Targeting Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction to Treat Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction | Brian Weil, PhD Department of Physiology and Biophysics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 3:45- 4:00 p.m. | Introduction to CTSI Community Partnership Development Seed Grant Program | Laurene M. Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD Director of Community Translational Research Department of Family Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB CTSI Community Engagement Core |
| 4:00- 4:15 p.m. | Creating a Novel Outreach Program for Mental Health Needs in the Black Buffalo Community: Witnessing for Mental Health Smoking Cessation and Breastfeeding | Rebecca Ashare, PhD
|
| 4:15- 4:30 p.m. | Screening for Dental Homes: Supporting Dental Health Navigation Utilizing a Social Work Community Collaboration Approach | Sharlynn Daun-Barnett, LMSW
|
| 4:45 p.m. | Adjournment |
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. | Welcoming Remarks, History and Overview of the CTSI Translational Pilot Studies Program
Introduction to Translational Pilot Studies Program | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Brahm Segal, MD |
| 12:15 - 12:30 p.m. | Drugging Gene/Pathway Dependencies in Pancreatic Cancer | Irwin H. Gelman, PhD Director of Research Integration Distinguished Professor of Oncology Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Repurposing Tamoxifen for Triple Negative Breast Cancer | Gokul M. Das, PhD Professor of Oncology Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Data Analytic Models Will Improve Prediction of Symptomatic Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage | Jason M. Davies, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Neurosurgery Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Plasma NETosis Signature to Predict Thrombosis in Pancreatic Cancer | Christos Fountzilas, MD Assistant Professor of Oncology Department of Medicine Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 1:15- 1:30 p.m. | A Miniaturized Spectrometer Imager for Super-sensitive Sensing of Lung Cancer Biomarkers on a Chip | Yun Wu, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 1:30- 1:45 p.m. | Mobilizing the Immune System to Reduce the Need for Chemotherapy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer | Shipra Gandhi, MD Assistant Professor of Oncology Breast and Early Phase Clinical Trials Department of Medicine Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 1:45- 2:15 p.m. | Break — Poster Viewing | 2021 Pilot Studies Awardees |
| 2:15- 2:30 p.m. | Optimization of the “Vulvodyne” — A Prototype Device for Improved Diagnosis and Treatment of Vulvodynia | Vanessa M. Barnabei, MD, PhD Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 2:30- 2:45 p.m. | Feasibility of an eHealth Educational Intervention for African Americans With End-stage Kidney Disease | Liise K. Kayler, MD, MS Program Director Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery Department of Surgery Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 2:45- 3:00 p.m. | Feasibility of Measuring the Salivary Microbiome in a Prospective Cohort of Older Women | Michael J. LaMonte, PhD, MPH Research Professor Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health School of Public Health and Health Professions, UB |
| 3:00- 3:15 p.m. | Impact of Children’s Book About Clinical research on Research Knowledge and Intent to Participate in Research: A Demonstration Project and Pilot Study | Teresa Quattrin, MD UB Distinguished Professor Senior Associate Dean for Research Integration Department of Pediatrics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB CTSI Recruitment and Special Populations Core |
| 3:15- 3:30 p.m. | Maternal Oxysterol Metabolism During Pregnancy | Todd C. Rideout, PhD Associate Professor Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences School of Public Health and Health Professions, UB |
| 3:30- 3:45 p.m. | Prediction of Opioid-related Drug Combinations Using CANDO and a WNY Retrospective Cohort | Ram Samudrala, PhD Professor and Chief, Division of Bioinformatics Department of Biomedical Informatics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 3:45- 4:00 p.m. | Lung and Breast Cancer Prevention by an Integrated Intervention of Maternal Smoking Cessation and Breastfeeding | Xiaozhong Wen, MD, PhD Associate Professor Department of Pediatrics Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB |
| 4:00 - 4:15 p.m. | Introduction to CTSI Community Partnership Development Seed Grant Program | Laurene M. Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD Director of Community Translational Research Department of Family Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB CTSI Community Engagement Core |
| 4:15 - 4:30 p.m. | Developing Culturally Appropriate Health Equity Research Methodologies Through a Community Partnership With the Seneca Nation | Anne E. Lally, PhD Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation Community Health Interventions Lab Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, UB |
| 4:30 - 4:45 p.m. | Education-mental Health Integration to Better Serve Racialized Youth: A Community Practice | Candra Skrzypek, MSW PhD Student School of Social Work, UB |
| 5:00 p.m. | Adjournment |
Friday, October 15, 2021
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. | Welcoming Remarks, History and Overview of the CTSI Translational Pilot Studies Program
Introduction to Translational Pilot Studies Program | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Brahm Segal, MD |
| 12:15 - 12:30 p.m. | Blood-based T-cell Biomarkers for Prediction of Treatment Response and Early Diagnosis of Immune-related Adverse Events to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors | Fumito Ito, MD, PhD Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | The Role of Extracellular Adenosine Pathway in Age-driven Decline in Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte (PMN) Anti-pneumococcal Responses | Elsa Bou Ghanem, PhD Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UB |
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Real-time Dynamics of Drug-induced Nephrotoxicity | Lee Chaves, PhD Department of Medicine, UB |
| 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Development of Deep-learning Tools for Translation of Neuroimaging Biomarkers to Clinical Routine Use | Michael Dwyer, PhD Department of Neurology, UB |
| 1:15- 1:30 p.m. | Advancing the Translational Science of Real-world, Real-time Data Capture | Julie Gass, PhD Department of Psychology College of Arts and Sciences, UB |
| 1:30- 1:45 p.m. | Improving Adherence to a Diabetic Diet With a Grocery Shopping Intervention | Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, PhD Department of Pediatrics, UB |
| 1:45- 2:15 p.m. | Break — Poster Viewing | 2020-21 Pilot Studies Awardees |
| 2:15- 2:30 p.m. | Early Detection of Respiratory Compromise to Prevent Harm of the Hospitalized Opioid Treated Patient | Carla Jungquist, PhD School of Nursing, UB |
| 2:30- 2:45 p.m. | The Pathway to Sleep Health Disparities in Middle-aged and Older Adults: The Role of Social Determinants | Rebecca Lorenz, PhD, RN School of Nursing, UB |
| 2:45- 3:00 p.m. | Interaction Between Meal Composition and Weigth Status on Feeding- and Stress-related Hormones | Elizabeth Mietlicki-Baase, PhD Naomi McKay, PhD |
| 3:00- 3:15 p.m. | Development of Radiotherapy Regimens for Improved Antigenicity of Human Renal Cell Carcinoma | Jason Muhitch, PhD Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 3:15- 3:30 p.m. | Introduction to CTSI Community Partnership Development Seed Grant Program | Laurene M. Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD Director of Community Translational Research Department of Family Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Director, UB CTSI Community Engagement Core |
| 3:30- 3:45 p.m. | Reproductive Health Advisory Committee for the African Refugee Community (RHACARC) | Kafuli Agbemenu, PhD, MPH, RN Sondra Dawes, BS Christopher St. Vil, PhD |
| 3:45- 4:00 p.m. | Co-creating Solutions to Enhance Kidney Transplant Access of Black Western New Yorkers With End-stage Kidney Disease | Liise Kayler, MD, MS Barbara Breckenridge |
| 4:00 p.m. | Adjournment |
Friday, October 16, 2020
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. | Welcoming Remarks, History and Overview of the CTSI Translational Pilot Studies Program
Introduction to Translational Pilot Studies Program | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Brahm Segal, MD |
| 12:15 - 12:30 p.m. | Hospital Observation Upon Reversal (HOUR) With Naloxone: A Multicenter Decision Rule Validation | Brian Clemency, DO Department of Emergency Medicine, UB |
| 12:30 - 12:45 p.m. | Nivolumab-Augmented Vaccination Against Decitabine-Induced NY-ESO-1 in MDS/AML | Michael Nemeth, PhD Departments of Medicine & Immunology Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | Diurnal Variation of Biomarkers That Are Related to Radio-Sensitivity in Human Oral Mucosa | Fangyi Gu, MD, ScD Department of Cancer Prevention and Control Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. | Is There a Lead Diet? Harnessing Population-Based Evidence for Translatable Public Health Messages on Lowering Childhood Lead Exposure | Gauri Desai, MPH, PhD Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, UB |
| 1:15- 1:30 p.m. | Aligning With Schools to Help Manage Asthma (Project ASTHMA) | Lucy Holmes, MD, MPH Department of Pediatrics, UB |
| 1:30- 1:45 p.m. | Biomarkers of Ischemic Stroke Subtype to Aid Post-Thrombectomy Workup | Vincent Tutino, PhD Department of Neurosurgery, UB |
| 1:45- 2:30 p.m. | Break — Poster Viewing | 2019-20 Pilot Studies Awardees |
| 2:30- 2:45 p.m. | Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Antibody-Based Therapy to Improve Cardiac Repair After Acute Myocardial Infarction | Brian Weil, PhD Department of Physiology and Biophysics, UB |
| 2:45- 3:00 p.m. | Assessment of Phosphodiesterase-4D as a Novel Target for Neuropsychiatric Indications in Treatment of Memory-Related Disorder Using a Translational Mouse-Model Approach | Ying Xu, MD, PhD Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UB |
| 3:00- 3:15 p.m. | Chronic Kidney Disease Associated Dysbiosis Effects on Cardiovascular Diseases | Lee Chaves, PhD |
| 3:15- 3:30 p.m. | Detection of Cancer Mutations in Circulating Tumor DNA Using CRISPR-Cas13a | Edwin Yau, MD, PhD Departments of Medicine and Cancer Genetics & Genomics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 3:30- 3:45 p.m. | Community Partnership Development Seed Grant Program | Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD Kim Griswold, MD, MPH, RN Danielle Bernas, LMSW |
| 3:50- 4:00 p.m. | Tips for Success in Obtaining CTSI Pilot Studies Funding and Stipulations | Brahm H. Segal, MD Director, CTSI Pilot Studies Program Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases and Professor of Oncology Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| 4:00 p.m. | Adjournment |