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The summer heat couldn't keep our incredible team away from an afternoon of fun, food, and friendly competition at our recent surgical practice summer party! This year, we celebrated our hard work and dedication at the newly renovated Transit Lanes, and what a fantastic time it was! It was wonderful to see our operating room and hospital staff, alongside our dedicated administrative team, all come together outside of the usual clinical setting. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as everyone arrived, ready to relax and enjoy some well-deserved downtime. Forget scalpels and schedules for a few hours – the focus shifted to bowling balls and strikes! Lanes were filled with laughter and cheers (and maybe a few good-natured groans at gutter balls!), as colleagues from different departments teamed up and went head-to-head in the spirit of fun. The newly renovated Transit Lanes provided the perfect backdrop for our gathering. The modern and inviting space added to the festive atmosphere, making it an even more enjoyable experience for everyone. More than just an afternoon of bowling and food, this summer party was a chance to celebrate the incredible teamwork and dedication that defines our surgical practice. It's the collaboration between our OR staff, hospital team, and administrative professionals that allows us to provide the best possible care for our patients here in Buffalo and beyond. A huge thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and made the party such a success! We're already looking forward to the next opportunity to connect and celebrate our amazing team.

The Department of Surgery at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, proudly celebrates the remarkable achievements of our 2025 graduating class of general surgery residents! This exceptional group of individuals has dedicated the past 5-7 years to rigorous training, unwavering commitment, and the pursuit of surgical excellence. They have honed their skills, expanded their knowledge, and demonstrated the resilience necessary to excel in the demanding field of general surgery. As they embark on the next chapter of their careers, we recognize the diverse paths they have chosen, reflecting their individual passions and expertise. We extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to each of them: Briana DiGiore  will be pursuing a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care / Acute Care at UC San Diego. Her dedication to the most critically ill and injured patients will undoubtedly make a significant impact. Holly Johnson  will remain at the University at Buffalo to complete a fellowship in Flexible Endoscopy. Her commitment to advancing minimally invasive techniques will benefit countless patients. Caitlin McGee  will also be staying at the University at Buffalo to specialize in Bariatric Surgery through a fellowship. Her focus on helping patients improve their health and quality of life is commendable. Fernanda Maria Nunez De La Vega  will be joining UBMD Surgery as a Surgery Attending in private practice. We are thrilled to have her join our faculty and serve the Western New York community. Joe Pollichemi  will continue his training with a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University at Buffalo. His dedication to this critical subspecialty will ensure exceptional care for our region's most vulnerable patients. Carrie Ryan  will be advancing her expertise through a Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Ohio State University Medical Center. Her commitment to the fight against cancer is truly inspiring. Rebecca Scott  will be pursuing a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Michigan State University. Her focus on the intricate world of blood vessels will be invaluable to her future patients. Kevin Todd  will be heading to Baylor College of Medicine for a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. His pursuit of excellence in this demanding field is a testament to his dedication. Kathryn Zelenova  will be specializing in Hand Surgery through a fellowship at the University of Miami. Her focus on restoring function and improving the lives of patients with hand and upper extremity conditions is admirable. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of each of these graduates. They represent the future of surgery, and we are confident they will make significant contributions to their respective fields and the lives of their patients. The faculty and staff of the Department of Surgery at the University at Buffalo wish them all the best in their future endeavors!

Breast Surgeon, Dr. Stuti Tambar and Dr. Roseanne Berger from UBMD Primary Care joined WIVB's Daytime Buffalo to talk about breast cancer screening for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month.

Dr. Stuti Tambar is a breast surgical oncologist with UBMD Surgery, General Physician, PC and Kaleida Health. She's leading part of a national clinical trial in Buffalo to see if radial ablation — laser technology that burns tumors — can cure cancer getting rid of the need for surgery. "These are procedures that I do in my office under local anesthesia. Patients are completely awake. It's a 15-minute procedure, and their tumor is at least in theory burned, and they no longer need surgery," Dr. Tambar said. Right now, this is only for women with non-aggressive breast cancer and small tumors. "It would be revolutionary, to be honest, because right now, all breast cancer patients are recommended to undergo surgery, and there are many women who are not able to undergo surgery because of age, because of other medical diagnoses, or for any reason that they're not able to undergo surgery, and these women are put on palliative treatment, medications to basically live with their cancer," Dr. Tambar said. Dr. Tambar will monitor the women for a few years to see if the cancer comes back and compare that data to the outcomes for patients who just have surgery. "They're excited, I mean, right now we are doing a trial where patients, after having their tumor radial ablated, they still need surgery to prove that their cancer was actually entirely killed from this treatment, but once this takes over and is cleared by the national agencies, we're able to offer this as the primary and only treatment, and remove the need for surgery afterwards," Dr. Tambar said. They are still looking for more women to be in the trial. Tumors have to be less than a centimeter-and-a-half and non-aggressive. People interested in this trial can contact the office of clinical research at 716-529-6470.

Beyond the Knife: Exploring Social Justice and Health Equity The University at Buffalo Department of Surgery is proud to present the 5th Annual Beyond the Knife Lecture in Social Justice and Health Equity. This annual endowed lecture provides a platform to discuss critical issues at the intersection of healthcare and social justice. Event Details Date:  Thursday, February 27, 2025 Time:  5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Location:  M&T Lecture Hall, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Keynote Speaker:  David Ansell, MD, MPH, the Michael E Kelly Presidential Professor of Internal Medicine and Senior Vice President/Associate Provost for Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.  Attend In-Person or Virtually For those unable to attend in person, a Zoom link will be provided.

Buffalo, NY - UBMD Surgery, a prominent surgical practice affiliated with the University at Buffalo and Kaleida Health, is participating in a groundbreaking clinical trial for Medtronic's robotic-assisted surgery system (RAS), Hugo™. The clinical trial underway, Enable Hernia Repair, is a prospective, multicenter study evaluating the safety and performance of the Hugo™ RAS system in support of the company’s planned submission to the FDA.  The clinical trial is being conducted at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Buffalo, NY, and is sponsored by the University at Buffalo Research Department. UBMD surgeons Drs. Ajay Panchal, Jeffrey Berndtson, and Alan Posner will perform hernia cases using the Hugo™ RAS system. UBMD’s first two cases within the trial, a groin hernia repair (inguinal) and a belly button hernia repair (umbilical), were successfully performed by Dr. Ajay Panchal. "Participating in this clinical trial with Medtronic's Hugo™ RAS system is a significant milestone for UBMD Surgery and for the Buffalo medical community," said Dr. Ajay Panchal, Lead Investigator of the trial. “We are excited about the potential benefits this technology can bring.” Benefits of robotic surgery, including potential cost savings and fostering innovation in surgical techniques, are expected to have a profound impact on future medical practices. "As part of the UBMD Physicians' Group, UBMD Surgery remains committed to advancing surgical care through cutting-edge technology and rigorous research," said Dr. Steven Schwaitzberg, President of UBMD Surgery. "Our goal is to establish Buffalo as a hub for excellence in robotic surgery, while continuing to uphold our tradition of exceptional patient care and surgical education.” The Hugo™ RAS system brings the precision, dexterity, ergonomics, and visualization benefits of robotic surgery together in a modular system that provides flexibility and open surgeon console that supports communication among the surgical team. The Hugo™ RAS system is not cleared or approved in all markets. Regulatory requirements of individual countries and regions will determine approval, clearance, or market availability. In the U.S., the Hugo™ RAS system is an investigational device not for sale. For more information about Hugo, visit  medtronic.com/hugo .

There was a palpable buzz of excitement in the air as Buffalo Public Schools students gathered May 4 for UB’s annual Drone STEM competition. Music from Buffalo DJ Pros made sure the fifth floor of UB’s Clinical and Translational Research Center was bumping as the students competed at several stations that simulated laparoscopic surgical skills. James “Butch” Rosser, MD, clinical professor of  surgery  in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences , and CEO of Stealth Learning Company, which helped develop the competition, served as master of ceremonies. “I call it stealth learning because they learn without knowing they are learning because they are having fun,” he said. Video Game, Drone Flying Simulate Surgical Skills High school students from Health Sciences Charter School, Leonardo da Vinci High School and Research Laboratory High School, along with middle school students from PS37 Futures Academy, participated in the event. They took turns competing at four different stations: Super Monkey Ball, Drone Simulation, Pea Drop and Peg Transfer. “All of the activities have been clinically validated to help make better surgeons,” Rosser said. “All of them have been scientifically validated as being important for helping surgeons make fewer errors.” Rosser says his research has shown that video games, drones and rap music can all help one achieve. “In our hospital, we have a video game warmup suite because research has shown that Super Monkey Ball helps surgeons warm up and be more successful,” he added. “These things are fun, but they are real.” The timed exercises all simulate surgical precision and emphasize precision instrument control and depth perception. The origins of the Drone STEM program started in 1996 at the American College of Surgeons when Rosser was asked to develop a program for minority students. In 2010, he worked with Steven D. Schwaitzberg, MD , SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and chair of surgery, to introduce the program at SAGES (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons) before bringing the program to the Jacobs School in 2019. “It has a long heritage of impacting kids and getting them on the right path in STEM — science, technology, engineering, medicine and math,” Rosser said. Asking Students to Believe in Themselves During a pep talk leading up to the competition, Rosser told the students “this is not what you think it is; that it’s going to be a stuffy situation. This is a par-tay! The music, your music, is going to be the heartbeat of this whole thing. We gonna be bumping.” Rosser also told the students, “now, you don’t know me, but I know you. I know you because I was you.” He explained that he grew up in a small town in Mississippi in the segregated South, but never stopped believing he could make a difference in people’s lives. “And I believe in you. We need you and we want you to dare to believe in yourself,” he told the students. “You do not have to change who you are to be in this arena.” “I know I don’t look like a surgeon. I walked away from football. I was an offensive lineman for the University of Florida Gators, but I walked away because I wanted to be in this arena more than the NFL,” Rosser said. “Everyone called me crazy when I said I was leaving, but as you can see, I did not turn out so bad,” he added. “And I did not have to change who I was.” In her opening remarks, Allison Brashear, MD, MBA , UB’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School, said the Jacobs School “wants to get more students interested in STEM.” “We want to make sure that is an inclusive group,” she said. “We are committed to diversifying the face of medicine. We see you as the future of medicine.” Like Many Things, Surgery is a Team Effort Schwaitzberg, who has known Rosser for 30 years, told the students surgery is a team sport and “just like in the operating room, each of you are an incredibly important member of your team.” “So even if you think you are not having your best day, you must push on because every score counts. And last year, the team that actually had no individual winners won the whole competition because they were the best team.” “You may think you are high school and middle school students, but today you are surgeons in training and your skills will be tested,” he said. “Some of the skills we are going to put you through are the real skills that all board-certified surgeons actually have to do to in order to get there. These are the real deal.” “We want you to believe that every single person in this room could, if they chose, could go become somebody’s physician, or somebody’s nurse, or somebody’s social worker,” Schwaitzberg said. “Every single person in the room has that capacity to do that. And for our little part, we’re here to help you get on your way.” Medical Students, Surgery Staff Help Coach Lynn Larkin is a guidance counselor at PS37 Futures Academy, which is located on Carleton Street. “We are so close. We have been wanting to participate. Our school is only two blocks away, so we walked over this morning,” she said. “I love it, I think it is a beautiful program, especially for middle schoolers. I think they should think about also offering it to younger students as well.” Two dozen volunteers, made up of Department of Surgery staff and medical students , worked to mentor and coach the students at each of the stations. Nargis Hossain, PhD, MBA, academic programs officer in the Department of Surgery, was one of the main organizers of the event. She noted that each team had five practice sessions in the UB RISE lab at the Jacobs School during school days before the actual competition. “The principals and teacher champions worked together to make sure the kids could get here during typical school hours,” she said. “The middle schoolers actually had some of the best scores during the practice sessions.” This year’s competition winners were: Team: 1st Place: Health Sciences Charter 2nd Place: Leonardo da Vinci High School 3rd Place: Futures Academy 4th Place: Research Laboratory Individual: 1st Place: Ayub Osman: Health Sciences Charter 2nd Place: Clarence Barber: Health Sciences Charter 3rd Place: Abdul Malik: Leonardo da Vinci High School 4th Place: Ocean Brooks: Health Sciences Charter

Two Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences  faculty members are among the University at Buffalo recipients of a 2024 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence. The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities recognizes the work of those who engage actively in scholarly and creative pursuits beyond their teaching responsibilities.  Recipients are: Liise K, Kayler, MD , clinical professor of surgery , program director of kidney and pancreas transplantation and chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery Michal K. Stachowiak, PhD , professor of pathology and anatomical sciences Advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Kayler is praised as an “ardent advocate for several initiatives to increase access to transplantation for all patients, but particularly those who are underserved or are from vulnerable populations.” Internationally renowned for her expertise in renal transplantation, Kayler focuses her scholarly pursuits on determining the factors that make a kidney ideal for successful transplant procedures. Her goal, award nominators say, is to create a larger pool of available transplantable kidneys. Since joining UB, Kayler has been the PI, site PI or co-PI on 16 grants totaling more than $8 million from the National Institutes of Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the New York State Department of Health, among others. In 2021, she was named the co-PI on a $2.6 million NIH R01 grant to increase live donor kidney transplantation through video-based education and mobile communication. Kayler also is the site PI for two other trials: a $2.5 million grant to test the utility of cell-free DNA testing compared to standard creatinine testing, and a $383,000 grant to evaluate whether introducing cell-free DNA testing into clinical practice reduces the number of renal biopsies performed when compared with usual care. An advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in health care and combating structural racism, Kaylor co-founded and is president of the New York Center for Kidney Transplantation, a statewide collaborative to improve access to kidney transplantation, and serves on the board of directors of the Kidney Foundation of WNY. In her clinical practice, she established an academic-community partnership with underrepresented patients that established themselves into the nonprofit organization Kidney Health Together to improve the lives of all kidney failure patients.

We're so excited to share that Nargis Hossain is the incoming president of the Association of Academic Surgical Administrators! An AASA member since 2008, Nargis plans to focus on strategic sponsorship, membership engagement, bringing innovative ideas to the field of academic surgery administration. Congratulations!

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Andrew Nordin, MD, who has been appointed as the Medical Director of our Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Dr. Nordin is also an attending pediatric surgeon as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo. He is also the Pediatric ICU Surgical Director and the Pediatric Surgery representative of the Vascular Anomalies Center. Dr. Nordin graduated cum laude from Baylor University with a BA in Biochemistry, attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, and completed his general surgery residency training at the University at Buffalo. He also completed a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a fellowship in Pediatric Surgery at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Following the completion of his residency, he performed an additional Pediatric Surgery Research fellowship at Oishei Children’s Hospital and completed a pediatric surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. In addition to his clinical training, he has completed several years of research in pediatric surgery at various institutions. He is board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care, and board-eligible in pediatric surgery. Over his career, Dr. Nordin has authorized over 20 publications and presented at multiple local and national conferences. He received the 2017 American Pediatric Surgical Association Quality and Value in Surgery Award and the 2020 Worthington B Schenk Resident Teacher of the Year Award. He is a member of multiple professional organizations including the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Pediatric Trauma Society, the American College of Surgeons, and serves as an instructor for Advanced Trauma Life Support. In his role as Trauma Medical Director, Dr. Nordin will oversee the American College of Surgeons verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center at Oishei Children’s Hospital, one of only eight in New York State and the only one serving the entire western region, including referrals from the northern Pennsylvania border and eastern Ontario. The trauma center treats an average of 12,000 injured children annually, with approximately 420 admissions annually. Trauma care throughout a patient’s hospital course and recovery is dependent on integrated multidisciplinary care; as such, Dr. Nordin is committed to working with providers of all roles in all specialties to ensure that all children receive and benefit from excellent collaborative care.

Dr. Linda Harris , a UBMD Vascular surgeon from Buffalo, NY, is among a group of 63 esteemed surgical educators inducted into membership in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators ® on October 6, 2023, during a program event in Chicago. This is the sixth cohort of members inducted into this distinguished Academy. Dr. Harris was inducted as a Member of this highly coveted Academy. She is a Professor of Surgery with tenure in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Harries is a dedicated surgeon educator whose experience in the field includes 21 awards and honors throughout her career and has worked with 53 various grants relating to her vascular expertise. Dr. Harris is the Program Director for the Vascular Fellowship and Vascular Residency Programs. She is also a Fellow of the Society of Vascular Surgeons and a member of the Society of University Surgeons. The ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators works to advance the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties. Individuals are selected as Members, Associate Members, or Affiliate Members following a stringent peer review process. This year’s cohort includes Members (27 Inductees), Associate Members (35 Inductees), and Affiliate Members (1 Inductee). The first inaugural cohort was inducted in 2018 and the Academy has grown to include 358 Members, Associate Members, and Affiliate Members who represent ten surgical specialties other than general surgery. Inductees are from 18 states and the District of Columbia. They come from nine countries in addition to those from the United States. Once inducted, Academy members actively engage in advancing the Academy’s programs and goals, which are to advance the science and practice of innovative lifelong surgical education, training, and scholarship in the changing milieu of health care; foster the exchange of creative ideas and collaboration; support the development and recognition of faculty; underscore the importance of lifelong surgical education and training; positively impact quality and patient safety through lifelong surgical education and training; disseminate advances in education and training to all surgeons; and offer mentorship to surgeon educators throughout their professional careers. “This Academy of preeminent surgical educators has been making landmark contributions to surgical education and is introducing many transformational changes in surgical education that will endure into the future,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, Director of the ACS Division of Education and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy. “We look forward to leveraging the expertise of the members as we explore innovations that will continue to advance the field of surgical education and positively impact the careers of surgical educators.” “The Academy of Master Surgeons Educators, a vital and ‘living body’ of the American College of Surgeons, continues its legacy of advancing the science and practice of surgical education. The Academy is pleased to induct the 2023 cohort of distinguished and highly accomplished educators. This recognition is a true testament to the unwavering commitment of the College to develop and promote ‘best practices’ in surgical education, with the overarching goal to always improve patient care.” said L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon), MAMSE, past president of the ACS, and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy. To learn more about the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, please visit the Academy’s homepage. “MAMSE” designates that a surgeon is a Member of the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. The University at Buffalo is internationally recognized as a leader in education, research, and patient care, with a long history of excellence in medical education that began in 1846. We have achieved this recognition by blending academic excellence, exceptional bedside clinical teaching, and thoughtful innovation designed to meet the changing needs of future clinical practitioners. About the American College of Surgeons The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an influential advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 88,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.

Just 3 years since its inception, the UB Department of Thoracic Surgery earned a noteworthy three-star top rating in Lung Cancer Resections from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) . The ratings are based on patient care and outcomes of the most recent general thoracic surgery database. A three-star rating is the maximum score, signifying the highest quality outcomes and places the Thoracic Surgery Team in the top tier of teams for Lung Cancer Resection. “Participants in STS are highly specialized, so the high ranking is something we are especially proud of,” said Yaron Perry, MD, FACS , thoracic surgeon and Division Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the University at Buffalo. “Everything is transparent. The data helps us get a better understanding of how we can perform better.” Historically, very few general thoracic surgery centers nationwide achieve this distinction with only about 13 percent of participants receiving the STS three-star rating for lung cancer resection. The STS General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) is a true clinical benchmark, allowing hospitals and CT surgeons to identify best practices and potential gaps, and evaluate their performance against national and regional competitors. The GTSD contains nearly 700,000 general thoracic surgery procedure records and includes about 1,000 participating surgeons. Participating physicians report 11 quality measures related to operative mortality, 30-day outcome, major morbidity, and other quality measures. STS issues star ratings based on whether participants perform better, worse, or as expected. Yaron Perry, MD, FACS joined UBMD Surgery from University Hospitals in Cleveland where he developed and directed the minimally invasive robotic surgery program to treat chest and gastroesophageal conditions and malignancies. Dr. Perry has an office located at Buffalo General Medical Center , where patients receive minimally invasive surgery with innovative and personal care for lung and esophageal cancer as well as other benign and malignant thoracic conditions. Dr. Perry is board-certified in General and Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Perry and UBMD Surgery are proud partners with Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative . About Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative (GLCCC) GLCCC partners take a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer including surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, and other cancer specialists, as well as medical imaging, dermatology, urology, and gastroenterology practices. Together, the partners create individualized treatment plans for each patient to ensure the best possible outcome. Members of the collaborative include Cancer Care of Western New York; ECMC; Gastroenterology Associates, LLP; General Physician, PC; Great Lakes Medical Imaging; Kaleida Health; Niagara Dermatology; UBMD Physicians Group; Western New York Urology; Windsong; and Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York.