Straubinger named UB Distinguished Professor

UB Distinguished Professors are members of the faculty who have been full professors for a minimum of five years with a demonstrated record of excellence in artistic or scholarly contributions.

Straubinger's area of research focuses on delivery mechanisms to optimize treatment of difficult-to-access solid cancer tumors. This work examines nanoparticle delivery systems, mechanisms involved in tumor development, evolution of improved biomarkers (including pharmacogenomics, proteomics and imaging), and predictive mathematical modeling.

More recently, he has concentrated his efforts on treatments impacting pancreatic cancer, where he obtained NIH and pharmaceutical industry support to lead a three-nation collaborative research project, “Tumor priming sequences combined with novel nanoparticle drug carriers for enhanced therapeutic efficacy in pancreatic cancer," with overall funding of $4.8 million.

Straubinger has been the key lead faculty member supporting the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences' core facilities and instrumentation labs where he is responsible for the Pharmaceutical Genetic Laboratory as well as the LC/MS/MS Laboratory.  These facilities provide key tools for drug discovery and identification of biomarkers for SPPS faculty research.  His success in these areas has been taken University wide with the establishment of the LC/MS/MS Proteomics Facility at New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Science. He has also had successful applications for NIH shared instrumentation grants and Kresge Foundation grants.

His research has resulted in his publication of 94 articles in high-impact journals along with 11 review articles or book chapters. He has nine patents and technology disclosures, one of which earned him third place as a Niagara Frontier Inventor of the Year in 2002.

Straubinger, an accomplished teacher, has mentored over 10 visiting scientists, 10 post-doctoral fellows, 14 PhD students, 20 MS students, 15 PharmD students, and more than 20 undergraduates. He serves on many departmental and university committees, as well as editorial and scientific advisory boards, is a scientific manuscript reviewer, and regularly participates in NIH grant review committees. He also has been an invited lecturer at many national and international meetings.

He will be honored with this award at the University at Buffalo Celebration of Academic Excellence to be held this fall.