Three SUNY Downstate Faculty Members Named Distinguished Professors
May 17, 2011
The State University of New York Board of Trustees has appointed three faculty physicians at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University to distinguished ranks, the highest system honors conferred upon SUNY instructional faculty. Todd C. Sacktor, MD, has been named distinguished professor; Jack A. DeHovitz, MD, MPH, has been named distinguished service professor; and Lisa R. Merlin, MD, has been named distinguished teaching professor.
The Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon individuals at SUNY’s state-operated campuses who have achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within the individual’s chosen field. This year, the Board of Trustees approved the appointments of 25 faculty members to distinguished ranks.
“SUNY has now conferred its highest faculty honor upon more than 880 current and retired
professors from across the system,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “In doing
so, we proudly recognize the extraordinary achievements of our teachers, scholars,
and mentors, all of whom serve as stellar examples of SUNY's commitment to excellence."
“It is with great pride that we recognize the brilliant scholars and teachers whose
service merits one of the SUNY distinguished ranks,” said Board Chairman Carl T. Hayden.
“The Board joins with the recipients’ families and campuses in celebrating their academic,
service, research, and teaching accomplishments.”
“These three members of our faculty have distinguished themselves in the eyes of the State University and within their professions,” said Downstate President John C. LaRosa, MD. “They are role models for our students and an inspiration to us all.”
SUNY Downstate holds the distinction of having had the first distinguished service professor in the SUNY system. The late Jean Redman Oliver, MD, a former chair of pathology, was given the honor in 1953.
Dr. Sacktor, a professor of physiology and pharmacology and of neurology, made headlines when his laboratory discovered a biological mechanism responsible for the persistence of long-term memory storage. He and his colleagues showed that the protein kinase Mzeta (PKMzeta) was necessary and sufficient for maintaining memories over time. They found that blocking this molecule could erase memories without damaging the brain’s ability to form new memories. This work was hailed by the editors of Science as one of the 10 leading scientific breakthroughs of the year in 2006. Dr. Sacktor’s work has important implications for neurology and psychiatry and may pave the way for new treatments for memory loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, phantom limb, and chronic pain.
Dr. DeHovitz is a leader in the fight to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, both in this country and abroad. In addition to his academic role as professor of medicine, he is director of Downstate’s HIV Center for Women and Children, an interdepartmental program that focuses on HIV care, research, and education. He also directs the STAR Health Center, one of the largest HIV clinical care programs in the city, and is program director of the NIH Fogarty New York State AIDS International Training and Research Program, which provides advanced research training to academics and public health leaders in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Dr. Merlin, a Downstate alumna, is professor of neurology and of physiology and pharmacology. As vice chair of education for neurology, she trains students at all levels, from first-year medical students through those doing their clinical rotations, as well as graduate students who earn their PhD working in her laboratory. Her research on the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors in epilepsy has enhanced her effectiveness as mentor and role model. In recognition of her unique teaching abilities, she received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2004 and teaching awards from the College of Medicine Alumni Association and the American Neurological Association. Dr. Merlin is director and founder of the College of Medicine's Clinical Neurosciences Pathway, a program of advanced studies in the neurosciences that has attracted numerous applicants to Downstate.
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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.