Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Adam Budzikowski Selected as 2020 Clinician Recipient of the Alfred Stracher Faculty
Recognition Award

CONGRATULATIONS to Adam S. Budzikowski, M.D., Ph.D., FHRS, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, on his recent selection as the 2020 Clinician
Recipient of the Alfred Stracher Faculty Recognition Award. The Alfred Stracher Faculty
Recognition Award honors Downstate faculty members who demonstrate an active involvement
in research to lessen the burden of severe illness and who exhibits an ongoing commitment
to mentoring junior faculty in their research and to helping them achieve independent
status.
Dr. Budzikowski earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Medical University of Warsaw in
Poland, and later pursued post-doctoral training in neurogenic mechanisms of salt-sensitive
hypertension at the Hypertension Unit of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
Most of his clinical training was completed in the United States, beginning with a
residency in medicine and a cardiology fellowship at SUNY Stony Brook. Dr. Budzikowski
also went on to pursue training in clinical cardiac electrophysiology at the University
of Rochester Medical Center. The Medical Center provided a unique exposure to hereditary
arrhythmias, given its registry of patients with long QT syndrome—the oldest and largest
in the country. Furthermore, being a home to all Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator
Implantation Trials, the Center allowed access to some of the most advanced devices
and groundbreaking device-based therapies. His training at Rochester proved to be
very influential in shaping a future research interest in device-based strategies
for reduction of ventricular tachycardia.
Since joining Downstate in 2007, Dr. Budzikowski has developed a complex ablation
program from the ground up, including the ablation of atrial fibrillation and scar-related
ventricular tachycardia. Several technological advances in electrophysiology were
introduced, including 3-dimensional mapping, irrigated catheter ablation, force sensing
catheters and high-density arrythmia mapping. Most recently, thanks to his efforts,
the institution acquired a laser ablation system for pulmonary vein isolation for
treatment of atrial fibrillation.
Mentoring and providing guidance in professional and research career development is
one of the most essential functions of an academic teacher. In addition to helping
supervise and mentor for the Student Summer Research Program, he has counseled numerous
residents and fellows. Currently, Dr. Budzikowski is an Associate Program Director
for the Cardiology Fellowship and a Program Director for the Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
Fellowship where he has been influential in the training provided to 14 electrophysiology
fellows and many general cardiology fellows.
Congratulations, Dr. Budzikowski, on this much-deserved honor and thank you for contributions
to scientific literature, as well as to the growth and success of Downstate’s medical
scholars.
Department of Urology Chair, Dr. Jeffrey P. Weiss, Earns his Doctorate

In exciting news, Jeffrey P. Weiss, Chair of the Department of Urology, recently earned his Ph.D. from the Faculty of
Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University in Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium this
past June.
The title of his dissertation was "Treatment Centered Diagnosis of Nocturia" and culminated
22 years in collective original contributions to the field of Nocturia.
Delving into the voiding-diary based scheme for Nocturia classification developed
by Dr. Weiss, the dissertation focused on treatment of both nocturnal polyuria and
small bladder capacity with therapy designed to diminish nighttime diuresis with behavioral
and pharmacotherapy. Investigation as to the prevalence of the Nocturnal Polyuria
Syndrome (lack of production of endogenous antidiuretic hormone during sleep) and
its treatment with a low dose preparation of intraoral dispersible desmopressin as
"replacement therapy", rounded out the discussion.
The Public Defense was a first for UGent, as the global coronavirus pandemic mandated
the use of a publicly available videoconferencing platform, enabling the proceeding
to be viewed live by nearly one hundred colleagues and trainees.
CONGRATULATIONS, Dr. Weiss for continuing to advance and develop your expertise, and
for completing your studies against all odds. Hats off!
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