Guiseppe Andres to Deliver Witebsky Lecture

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Extending and enhancing human life through organ transplants will be the topic of the 28th annual Ernest Witebsky Memorial Lecture of the University at Buffalo at 7:30 p.m. on April 22.

Sponsored by the UB Department of Microbiology and the Ernest Witebsky Center for Immunology, it will be free and open to the public.

Guiseppe A. Andres, M.D., will deliver the lecture in Butler Auditorium in Farber Hall on the UB South (Main Street) Campus.

A professor emeritus and former researcher at UB, Andres is an immunopathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, visiting professor of pathology at Harvard University Medical School and clinical professor of pathology at Columbia University 's College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Andres' lecture will focus on the importance of and progress on allografts -- human organ transplants between individuals other than identical twins -- and xenografts -- cross-species transplants from animals to humans.

Educated in his native Italy, he was a member of the UB medical faculty from 1970 until his retirement in 1990.

Andres has authored or co-authored seven texts on immunopathlogy, 150 articles for scientific publications and served on the editorial boards of a dozen professional journals.

He belongs to more than a dozen professional societies and has received numerous awards for his work.

Witebsky, first chair of the then Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, was internationally known for his research in autoimmunity and blood transfusions.

Six students will receive awards at the program.

Receiving the Ernest Witebsky Memorial Award for proficiency in microbiology will be medical student Hope E. Cawdery of Eden, dental student Robert Berls of Rochester and microbiology students Melanie J. Filiatrault of Antwerp and Kevin Militello of Cheektowaga.

Medical student Melissa A. Wolf of North Buffalo will receive the Marek B. Zaleski Award for exemplifying the Renaissance interests and ideals of the late UB faculty member and supporter of the Solidarity Movement.

Microbiology graduate student Mark L. Hayman of Syracuse will receive a travel award in memory of UB faculty member Eugene A. Gorzynski.