Faculty

Berk, Bradford , M.D., Ph.D. Rochester 1981
(Professor of Medicine, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO, University of Rochester Medical Center)
Molecular biology and genetics of cardiovascular disease

Boyce, Brendan , M.B., Ch.B. Glasgow 1971
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Director, Surgical Pathology)
Bone cell biology and bone pathology

Brown, Edward B. , Ph.D. Cornell 1999
(Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering)
Tumor biology, using an advanced microscopy technique which allows us to investigate processes inside living tumors. Currently exploring angiogenic signaling in tumor endothelial cells, the structure and function of the tumor extracellular matrix, and the effects of stress on tumor growth.

Burack, Richard , M.D., Ph.D. University of Virginia 1995, 1994
(Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Director, Hematopathology)
Molecular mechanisms of lymphoma progression.

Calvi, Laura , M.D. Harvard 1995
(Associate Professor of Medicine)
Microenvironment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), especially in osteoblasts (bone-forming cells); stem-cell microenvironmental interactions and pharmacologic strategies.

Chang, Chawnshang , Ph.D. Chicago 1985
(George Hoyt Whipple Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Professor of Urology and of Radiation Oncology)
Molecular mechanisms of steroid hormone function in prostate

Chen, Di , M.D. Tianjin Medical University, China, 1982
(Professor of Orthopaedics)
Signal transduction mechanisms and function in bone development and bone remodeling.

Demeter, Lisa M. , M.D. Rochester 1984
(Professof of Medicine)
Effects of drug resistance mutations on HIV-1 replication and reverse transcriptase function; evolutionary pathways that can compensate for the adverse effects of drug resistance mutations on HIV-1 replication and reverse transcriptase function.

di Sant'Agnese, P. Anthony , M.D. Columbia 1975
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Studies of neuroendocrine cells in the prostate; neuroendocrine differentiation of prostatic carcinoma.

Eliseev, Roman , M.D. Russian State Medical University, Moscow, 1995; Ph.D. Rochester 2002
(Research Assistant Professor, Center for Musculoskeletal Research)
The role of NF-kappaB in cancer and apoptosis; mitochondrial signaling and mitochondrial-nuclear communication in cancer.

Fay, Philip , Ph.D. Rochester 1982
(Professor of Medicine and of Biochemistry and Biophysics)
Human factor VIII structure and function; enzyme co-factor interactions.

Francis, Charles , M.D. Pittsburgh 1973
(Professor of Medicine and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Role of fibroblast growth factors and vascular endothelial growth factor in endothelial cell responses; effect of ultrasound on the enzymatic process of blood clot dissolution.

Friedman, Alan E. , Ph.D. California, Santa Barbara 1988
(Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine; Director, Proteomics Center)
Proteomics and the biological basis for disease.

Hayes, Jeffrey , Ph.D. Johns Hopkins 1990
(Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics)
DNA structure; chromatin; protein-DNA interactions.

Hsu, Wei , Ph.D. Mount Sinai, CUNY, 1994
(Associate Professor of Biomedical Genetics in the Center for Oral Biology and Associate Professor of Oncology and Dentistry)
Genetic regulatory circuits in development and disease.

Jiang, Rulang , Ph.D. Wesleyan 1995
(Associate Professor of Biomedical Genetics in the Center for Oral Biology and Assistant Professor of Biology and Dentistry)
Molecular genetic basis of craniofacial development and birth defects.

Jin, Xia , M.D. Peiping Union Medical College, China, 1988; Ph.D. Cambridge University Medical School, UK, 1995
(Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit)
Immunology of HIV infection and HIV vaccines.

Johnson, Gail V.W. , Ph.D. University of Delaware 1984
(Professor of Anesthesiology and of Pharmacology and Physiology)
Molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration; the regulation and function of Transglutaminase 2; tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease; mitochondrial dysfunction in Huntington's disease.

Keng, Peter , Ph.D. Colorado State 1978
(Professor Emeritus of Radiation Oncology and of Biochemistry & Biophysics)
The role of p53 in radiation sensitivity and cell cycle delay; mechanisms by which interferon beta enhances the radiation sensitivity in human tumor cells; the biochemical and functional properties of G2/M checkpoint proteins

Kiernan, Amy , Ph.D. Boston College 1997
(Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Central for Aging and Developmental Biology)
Molecular genetics of sensory disorders; investigating the development, differentiation, and survival of precursor cells in the eye and the inner ear.

Lee, Yi-Fen , Ph.D. Wisconsin, Madison 1997
(Associate Professor of Urology and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Non-genomic action of androgens and antiandrogens; vitamin D signaling in the prostate; physiological roles of the human testicular receptor 4.

Libby, Richard , Ph.D. Boston College 1997
(Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology)
Neurobiology of glaucoma; mouse models and advanced mouse genetics to probe the pathophysiology of glaucoma; investigation of the molecular processes that lead to retional ganglion cell (RGC) death in glaucoma and why RGCs are more likely to die in some patients than in others.

Mayer-Proschel, Margot , Ph.D. Wuerzburg, Germany 1990
(Associate Professor of Biomedical Genetics)
Biological and molecular mechanisms governing precursor cell division, differentiation and survival in the brain.

Messing, Edward , M.D. NYU 1972
(Professor and Chair of Urology)
Early detection, prevention and treatment of urologic malignancies.

Miano, Joseph , Ph.D. New York Medical College 1992
(Associate Professor of Medicine, Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute)
Smooth muscle cell differentiation control with special emphasis on transgenic mouse models, genomics, and bioinformatics.

Milner, Laurie A. , M.D. Texas Southwestern, Dallas 1986
(Associate Professor of Pediatrics)
Molecular mechanisms responsible for generation of diverse cell types from pluripotent stem cells; relation of aberrations in normal developmental pathways to pediatric malignancies.

Mooney, Robert , Ph.D. Johns Hopkins 1980
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Mechanisms of obesity-dependent insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.

Noble, Mark D. , Ph.D. Stanford 1977
(Professor of Biomedical Genetics)
Stem cell biology; regeneration in the central nervous system; redox modulation of precursor cell function; developmental disorders; brain tumor biology and adverse effects of chemotherapy on neural stem cell populations.

O'Keefe, Regis J. , M.D. Harvard 1985, Ph.D. Rochester 2000
(Professor and Chair of Orthopaedics)
Growth plate chondrocyte differentiation and maturation; biochemical mechanisms of prosthetic implant loosening; mechanisms of tumor mediated bone loss.

Palapattu, Ganesh S. , M.D. Baylor College of Medicine 1997
(Assistant Professor of Urology)
The role of dietary carcinogens and inflammatory agents in the development of prostate cancer, and the role of bone marrow derived cells in this process.

Palis, James , M.D. Rochester 1981
(Professor of Pediatrics in Hematology/Oncology, Professor of Oncology and Biomedical Genetics)
Development of the hematopoietic system in the mammalian embryo.

Pearce, David A. , Ph.D. Bath, Englan, 1990
(Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics)
Yeast and mouse models for the study of human disease.

Perkins, Archibald S. , M.D., Ph.D. Columbia University 1986, 1987
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Genetic mechanisms of leukemogenesis.

Pierce, Robert H. , M.D. Brown 1993
(Adjunct Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, at Schering-Plough Biopharma)
Liver immunobiology with particular emphasis on the role of hepatic macrophages (Kupffer cells) in liver pathophysiology.

Pinkert, Carl , Ph.D. Georgia 1993
(Adjunct Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama)
Gene transfer, expression, and regulation using transgenic animal modeling; mitochondria and mitochondrial gene transfer.

Proschel, Christoph , Ph.D. University of London, England 1995
(Assistant Professor of Biomedical Genetics)
Astrocyte development and white matter disease.

Puzas, J. Edward , Ph.D. Rochester 1976
(Donald and Mary Clark Professor of Orthopaedics)
Molecular and cellular biology of the skeletal system.

Ricke, William , Ph.D. Missouri 2000
(Assistant Professor of Urology and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Roles of hormones and micro-environment on the development, treatment, and prevention of cancer

Rosier, Randy , M.D. Rochester 1978 Ph.D. Rochester 1979
(Professor of Orthopaedics, Professor of Oncology, and of Biochemistry and Biophysics)
Regulation of endochondral ossification

Rothberg, Paul , Ph.D. SUNY Stony Brook 1981
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Director, Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory)
Molecular genetics of cancer and of neurodegeneration.

Ryan, Daniel , M.D. Johns Hopkins 1975
(Professor and Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
B-Cell development and differentiation.

Sanz, Ignacio , M.D. Santander, Spain 1978
(Professor of Medicine, and of Microbiology and Immunology; Chief, Immunology and Rheumatology Division)
Human B-cell tolerance and autoimmunity, development and function; B-cell depletion therapy; innovative approaches to the study and treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Schwarz, Edward , Ph.D. Yeshiva, Einstein 1993
(Professor of Orthopaedics and of Microbiology and Immunology)
Pro-inflammatory cytokine signal transduction and novel drug and gene therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.

Sheu, Shey-Shing , Ph.D. Chicago 1979
(Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology, of Medicine (Cardiology), and of Anesthesiology)
Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ transport mechanisms in heart and neuronal cells.

Simpson-Haidaris, Patricia J. , Ph.D. Notre Dame 1991
(Associate Professor of Medicine, of Microbiology and Immunology, and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Role of fibrinogen in acute phase response in pneumonitis and fibrinogen gene expression in liver and lung.

Sims, Peter J. , M.D., Ph.D. Duke 1980
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Regulation of immune/inflammatory events and thrombo-embolic events by phospholipids and other components of the plasma membrane; structure and function of the phospholipid scramblase gene family: proteins implicated in control of the topology of plasma membrane phospholipids and in the regulation of cell proliferation, cell maturation, and apoptosis.

Smith, Harold C. , Ph.D. SUNY Buffalo 1982
(Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Pathology, and Toxicology)
Diversification of expressed genomic sequences through RNA editing and DNA modification evaluated through biochemical, physiological and structural analysis.

Sparks, Charles , M.D. Jefferson Medical 1968
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Biology of lipoprotein metabolism; lipoproteins as a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Sparks, Janet L. DeHoff , Ph.D. Pennsylvania 1980
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Insulin regulation of hepatic lipoprotein production through phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase activation via insulin receptor signaling pathways

Sun, Jun , Ph.D. Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology 1998
(Assistant Professor of Medicine-Gastroenterology-Hepatology)
Microbial-host interaction under normal and inflammatory states: the link between inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal carcinogenesis; role of bacterial effector AvrA in inhibiting inflammation; expression and function of vitamin D receptor in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Wang, Nancy , Ph.D. Minnesota 1978
(Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Pediatrics, and Genetics; Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory)
Cancer cytogenics; chromosome microdissection and microcell-mediated chromosome transfer; tumor suppression gene identification for human ovarian cancer.

Wiedmer, Therese , Ph.D. University of Bern, Switzerland 1977
(Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Role of phospholipid scramblases in growth factor signaling pathways underlying cell proliferation, maturation, and apoptosis; regulation of membrane phospholipid asymmetry.

Wright, Terry W. , Ph.D. Rochester 1995
(Associate Professor of Pediatrics and of Microbiology and Immunology)
Host immune response as a major component of lung injury associated with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; murine models of this disease; development of improved methods of treatment through targeting the inflammatory and immune pathways involved.

Xing, Lianping , Ph.D. Penn Sate 1994
(Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Molecular mechanisms by which TNF mediates the formation, activation and survival of osteoclasts in inflammation induced bone.

Xu, Haodong , M.D. Soowchow, China, 1987, Ph.D. Soowchow 1993
(Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Mechanisms in the regulation of voltage-gated potassium channels underlying cardiac repolarization; molecular mechanisms of lung tumor and fibrosing interstitial pneumonia.

Yeh, Shu-yuan , Ph.D. Wisconsin, Madison 1996
(Assistant Professor of Urology and of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
Chemopreventive roles of vitamin E in prostate cancer; the cross talk of kinase pathways, androgen receptor and coregulators.

Young, Fay , M.D. Harvard 1982
(Associate Professor of Medicine-Hematology-Oncology)
Normal and abnormal B-lymphocyte development.

Zhang, Xinping , M.D. China-Shanghai Chinese Medical College 1990; Ph.D. Rochester 1998
(Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics)
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of skeletal repair and regeneration.

Zlokovic, Berislav , M.D. University of Belgrade; Ph.D. Queen Elizabeth College, London
(Dean's Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology)
Brain vascular mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease and stroke.

Zuscik, Michael J. , Ph.D. Rochester 1993
(Associate Professor of Orthopaedics)
Cellular and molecular processes that govern cartilage development and maturation.