DOWNSTATE FACULTY, STAFF HONORED BY SUNY
Sep 18, 2006
Henri Begleiter; Robert Wong; Eva Cramer; Stanley Friedman; SuzanneS. Mirra; Mohamed
Hussain; John Allen; Mary Germain Recognized
The State University of New York has honored four members of the faculty of SUNY Downstate
Health Sciences University with distinguished professorships awarded by the Board
of Trustees. Four SUNY Downstate faculty and staff also have been honored with Chancellor’s
Awards from SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan.
The distinguished professorship, distinguished service professorship, and distinguished
teaching professorship titles are the means by which the Trustees recognize excellence
among the faculty.
The distinguished professorship is the highest academic title conferred by the State
University, reserved for those who have achieved national or international prominence
and a distinguished reputation within his or her chosen field. The distinguished service
professorship recognizes extraordinary service far beyond the University, and the
distinguished teaching professorship confers University-wide recognition for consistently
superb teaching.
The Chancellor’s Awards were given for excellence in the categories of Faculty Service,
Librarianship, Professional Service, and Teaching.
Those named distinguished professor in 2005-2006 at Downstate are:
Henri Begleiter, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Dr. Begleiter, whose appointment was announced in March, less than a month before
his death on April 6, 2006, was a world-renowned scientist whose research on the biological
basis of alcoholism had a major impact on the fields of neuroscience, alcoholism,
and genetics. Dr. Begleiter was the first to characterize brain dysfunction in alcoholics
and the first to identify the genetic underpinnings of alcoholism. In his 42 years
at Downstate, Dr. Begleiter held the record for attracting the most NIH funding, totaling
more than $120 million. He received every major honor for alcoholism research.
Robert K. S. Wong, PhD, Professor and Chair of Physiology and Pharmacology
One of the nation’s leading physiologists, Dr. Wong’s groundbreaking studies have
advanced the understanding of the basic mechanisms of epilepsy. Dr. Wong looks at
means of communication among cells, particularly in the brain. With his colleagues
at Downstate, Dr. Wong has identified two neurotransmitters involved in stimulating
or inhibiting cell firing patterns during an epileptic seizure. Most recently, he
identified a neurotransmitter that appears to link epilepsy to fragile X syndrome,
a cause of mental retardation and autism.
The selection criteria for the rank of Distinguished Professor – an order above full
professor – are extremely rigorous. Only four SUNY Downstate faculty members have
previously received the title. They include Kiyomi Koizumi, PhD, a pioneer in the
field of hypothalamic electrophysiology (2003); Alfred Stracher, MD, an expert on
neuromuscular degenerative diseases (1997); Nobel Laureate Robert Furchgott, PhD,
(1988); and Chandler McCuskey Brooks, for his contributions to neuroendocrinology
(1971).
In addition to the distinguished professorships, the rank of distinguished service
professor was awarded to:
Eva Brown Cramer, PhD, Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Eva Cramer has had a profound impact on SUNY Downstate and its surrounding community.
In her role as vice president for biotechnology and scientific affairs, she has raised
more than $78 million in the past five years to build an Advanced Biotechnology Incubator
and Biotechnology Park and to develop the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) as a site for
biotechnology manufacturing. In doing so, she has established Downstate as a leader
in New York City’s emerging biotechnology industry.
The rank of distinguished teaching professor was awarded to:
Stanley Friedman, MD, Professor of Pharmacology
Stanley Friedman, MD, who is also senior associate dean for education, is a physician-scientist
who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to medical education at Downstate for
more than 40 years. Dr. Friedman has directed the pharmacology program for more than
20 years, as well as the MD/PhD program in the School of Graduate Studies. Medical
students give him high marks for his skill in facilitating case-based learning groups.
Dr. Friedman has been active on many committees dedicated to curricular issues, ensuring
that the first two years of basic science education remain current and clinically
relevant.
A Chancellor’s Award for 2006 for faculty service was given to:
Suzanne S. Mirra, MD, Professor and Chair of Pathology and Professor of Neurology
Suzanne S. Mirra, MD, is a world-class neuropathologist who has provided exemplary
service to her profession and to Downstate. An expert on Alzheimer’s disease (AD),
Dr. Mirra has made major contributions toward understanding this disorder. She played
a critical role in standardizing the neuropathological diagnosis of AD. From 2002-2005,
Dr. Mirra was chair of the Self-Study Task Force that prepared for the most recent
site visit by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, winning a full, eight-year
accreditation.
An award for librarianship was given to:
Mohamed F. Hussain, MSLIS, Assistant Director for Research Management
Mohamed F. Hussain, MSLIS, is an outstanding librarian whose in-depth knowledge of
the Medical Research Library comes from having worked in nearly each of its departments.
As assistant director, he is responsible for reference, technical, and access services,
as well as collection development, and has played a major role in ushering in the
digital age by integrating print and electronic media and upgrading services to meet
the changing needs of users.
An award for professional service was bestowed upon:
John M. Allen, Assistant Vice President for Scientific Affairs
John M. Allen has been central to the success of Downstate’s research enterprise for
over 20 years. Highly respected for his expertise and superb organizational skills,
he oversees virtually every research activity on campus. Mr. Allen is responsible
for managing all intramural and extramural grant applications. He represents Downstate
with foundations, private industry, and federal and state funding agencies.
Last, an award for teaching was given to:
Mary P. Germain, PhD, Associate Professor of Nursing
Dr. Germain is a leader in nursing education. The architect of graduate nursing education
at Downstate, she developed and implemented the clinical nurse specialist and nurse
practitioner program, and both have enjoyed full accreditation ever since. A retired
colonel in the Army Nurse Corps, Dr. Germain spent 21 years as a nurse practitioner
in the Reserves, performing overseas missions in Central America and in the International
Bridges Program.
###
About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.