Published January 8, 2014 This content is archived.
Earlier today in his State of the State address, Governor Cuomo announced that the University at Buffalo has been selected to co-lead a statewide effort to position New York State as a national leader in genome research. UB will partner with the recently opened New York Genome Center in Manhattan to accelerate recent advances in genomic medicine directly into clinical care. As part of this effort, UB will receive $50 million from Governor Cuomo’s Buffalo billion-dollar commitment to build out additional research capacity, especially at its Center for Computational Research.
This is tremendous news for the University at Buffalo and the broader communities we serve throughout our region and state through our scholarly expertise, innovation, and leadership as a premier research university.
The analysis of vast amounts of information, or “big data,” is integral to the field of genomic medicine, and UB possesses enormous faculty expertise and research capacity in this area. We are acknowledged as an international leader in biomedical research, life sciences innovation and high-performance computing. This trifecta of strengths has ideally positioned us for a leadership role in helping revolutionize medical diagnosis and health care delivery through the analysis of complex genomic data and extensive patient health information. By tapping into UB’s unique blend of expertise in these areas, this statewide initiative will break critical ground in the field of personalized medicine, revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases from diabetes and heart disease to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
The state’s investment in UB through the Governor’s “Buffalo Billion” commitment builds upon other major investments made by the state over the years in UB’s life sciences, medical informatics, and supercomputing resources, including the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, the Center for Computational Research, and the Institute of Healthcare Informatics—all housed on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
This most recent investment enables UB to continue building upon its unique assets in big data capabilities, medical information, and genomics and life sciences expertise. It will also have a significant impact in expanding interdisciplinary research synergies across multiple UB schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Public Health and Health Professions, and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. As a result, our multidisciplinary leadership in this important effort will help transform the field of medical genomics while advancing our ongoing leadership in enriching the quality of life and building a strong innovation economy in Western New York.
We are grateful for Governor Cuomo’s recognition of UB as a national leader in the emerging field of big data genomics, and we embrace this opportunity to further our commitment to building stronger, healthier communities through our leadership in life sciences research and innovation.
Sincerely,
President
