Four SBUMC Professors and Researchers Recognized for Outstanding Contributions

The 2006 Fall Semester marked the end of a great year at the Stony Brook University Medical Centre (SBUMC) as four professors, Cristina Leske, Rahman Pourmand, Lorne Golub, and Smadar Kort were recognized by various institutions for exceptional research and contributions in their respective fields.

On December 4th, Dr. Cristina Leske, a distinguished Professor of Preventive Medicine and Ophthalmology and internationally recognized epidemiologist was selected as the winner among nominees nationwide as a recipient of the 2006 Marion Spencer Fay Award. Dr. Leske was recognized for her international epidemiological research in ophthalmology and cancer, for advancing knowledge of health disparities, and her outstanding record in medicine and public health. Dr. Leske participates in voluntary teaching and mentoring in the United States and Latin America, acting as a role model for women in medicine, especially for Latinas. She has been awarded two Distinguished Professorships and is the first woman to chair a medical school department at Stony Brook.

Dr. Pourmand, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Neuromuscular Disease Center at SBUMC, was named “Physician of the Year” by the Metro New York Chapter of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA). Myasthenia gravis is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission that is acquired through immunological or genetic abnormalities. The prevalence of myasthenia gravis in the United States is estimated at 14 to 20 per 100,000 population. It is highly misdiagnosed with symptoms such as muscle weakness, ocular motor disturbances, speech difficulty, and problems with swallowing and smiling. Although there are a wide range of potentially effective treatments available, there is no cure and the cause of the disease remains unknown.

Dr. Pourmand was recognized for his continuous involvement with the MGFA, his clinical work at SBUMC with myasthenia gravis patients, and his instrumental role in starting a support group in Suffolk County. Dr. Pourmand is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease and Director of the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Comprehensive Care Clinic at SBUMC.

On the forefront of dental research is Dr. Lorne Golub, who was the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Gold Medal Award for Excellence. Now with the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology, Dr. Golub has been a faculty researcher at Stony Brook since 1973. He was recognized for his contribution to the fight of adult periodontal disease through his development of Periostat®. The drug remains as the most widely used treatment in the world for the treatment of the diasease since gaining FDA approval in 1998. In addition to the Gold Medal, Golub received $25,000 and a three-year position on the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.

The achievements of SBUMC faculty however extend beyond borders. While in India, Dr. Smadar Kort, Director of Cardiac Imaging, and Echocardiography received a lifetime achievement award for her outstanding contribution in the field of clinical and preventive cardiology. With 24 other individuals who received this award, she had the privilege of receiving her award from the President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, during a ceremony that took place in the President’s house in New Delhi.
Dr. Kort attended the World Congress on Clinical and Preventive Cardiology in Mount Abu, Rajastan, India where she gave the keynote address, a separate lecture on the newest developments in echocardiography, and chaired three sessions. At the congress, Dr. Kort also received a distinguished service award for her contributions in clinical and preventive cardiology in the world.