The Department of Urology at the NYU School of Medicine is recognized as one of the best in the country. The Department is ranked among the top medical schools in the United States on the basis of grant awards funded by the National Institutes of Health. This success is based in large part on the accomplishments of our research programs.
The NYU Urology Research Group has made many important contributions, especially in Urologic Oncology. A few examples include:
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our loyal patients and friends. Over the past ten years, more than $10 million in private contributions has been given to urology research at NYU. Philanthropy was, and still is, the key to our success.
In 2006, the Department launched a $20 million fund raising campaign to build the best urologic oncology research program in the world. These funds will provide for key recruitments, core facilities, start-up funds for new research programs and enhanced support for existing research focusing on urologic cancers. Both endowment and expendable funds are needed to support basic, translational and clinical outcomes research programs. Endowed funds enhance our ability to recruit senior faculty and anchor research programs so that support is guaranteed in perpetuity. Expendable funds provide resources to support new research initiatives as well as ongoing research programs.
Following is a list of giving opportunities for your consideration. We are seeking major gifts to endow professorships, fellowships and programs; in return, the donor's name will be attached in perpetuity. We are seeking gifts in any amount for the expendable funds; donors will be recognized in the final campaign report. These funds will not only enhance the stature of NYU's urology research program, but, more importantly, will yield important advances in the war on urologic cancers that affect men, women and children. With your help, we can make an important difference. Thank you in advance for your generous support.
The Endowed Professor of Urologic Oncology also serves as the Director of Genitourinary Oncology Program at the Comprehensive Cancer Center. This endowed position will be responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing a strategic plan for the NYU Genitourinary Oncology Program. The Director will oversee basic science and clinical research, and training/educational activities related to urological oncology at NYU School of Medicine. The James M. Neissa and Janet Riha Neissa Professorship of Urologic Oncology, Department of Urology, NYU School of Medicine was established May 2006.
The Genitourinary Oncology Program plans to recruit a nationally recognized senior investigator who will be responsible for building upon the existing multidisciplinary approach to basic science research in genitourinary cancers. There are many distinguished scientists currently actively engaged in independent urologic oncology research at NYU School of Medicine. The Endowed Professor of Urological Research will weave a common theme among the oncological research programs. A cohesive research program will likely yield increased federal funding.
Vaccines and gene therapy represent an exciting new frontier for the treatment of urological malignancies. To date, limited success has been achieved treating kidney and prostate cancers with vaccines. NYU Langone Medical Center recently recruited Dr. Nina Bhardwaj, an international expert in vaccines therapies targeting cancer. The Endowed Program in Genitourinary Immunobiology will support a multidisciplinary team of basic scientists, medical oncologists and urologists working together to develop and test new vaccines targeting urological cancers.
Dr. Henry Sun, Professor of Dermatology, Cell Biology and Urology, directs the Epithelial Biology Program at NYU School of Medicine. Dr. Sun and his team characterized uroplakin, a bladder specific protein. He has assembled a team of five basic scientists who are the recipients of the largest single research grant awarded by the NIH for bladder research. The Uro-Epithelial Biology Research Program is focusing on unraveling the pathobiology and improving the treatment of bladder cancer, kidney stones and urinary tract infection.
Dr. Lynn Wilson, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Urology is the Director of the Prostatic Stem Cell Program. Dr. Wilson was the first scientist to characterize prostatic stem cells in the prostate. This research has important implications for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Dr. Susan Logan, Assistant Professor of Urology and Biochemistry, is the Director of the Prostate Growth Regulation Program. This research program focuses on how androgen regulates prostate cancer cell growth. Unfortunately, prostate cancer cells ultimately become hormone in sensitive, contributing to the demise of men with the disease. Dr. Logan's laboratory has identified several novel proteins that regulate transcription of the androgen receptor, which may represent new targets for treating prostate cancer.
Improving the treatment of prostate cancer mandates a rigorous assessment of the outcomes of current treatment options. NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the largest tertiary referral centers in the world for the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. Dr. Herbert Lepor has performed over 3,000 radical prostatectomies on men from all corners of the world. Dr. Lepor has pioneered early catheter removal, intraoperative biopsy, prophylactic use of PDE-S inhibitors to restore potency and use of recombinant erythropoietin to decrease transfusions and expedite recovery. The NYU Genitourinary Oncology Program plans to recruit a fellowship-trained expert in outcomes research who will leverage our large prospective database to provide important insights into opportunities for optimizing the surgical management of prostate cancer.
An important obligation and responsibility of an academic institution is to train the next generation of scientists and clinicians. Because of the rich training environment within the NYU Department of Urology, a dedicated fellowship in Urologic Oncology will be a highly desirable addition to the educational programs of the Department. We seek to create a two-year fellowship with one year of clinical training and one year of rigorous research training. In 2005, the Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation made a substantial gift to support the GD fellowship for five years. Additional support is needed to endow this position.
The NYU Urology Department represents one of the highest volume urooncological centers in the world. We anticipate that over the next several years, there will be important advances in the detection and staging of prostate and other malignancies. A tissue and serum bank will streamline the process of validating these new tumor markers and molecular staging approaches. A fund endowing the tissue and serum bank will provide the personal support to manage this vital core facility.
This fund provides resources for investigator-initiated clinical trials, recruitment of clinical faculty, purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment, support of interdepartmental research collaborations and enhancement of clinical research infrastructure to support the development of new, novel cancer therapies. In January 2006, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Calcagnini made a major gift to the Excellence Fund in Clinical Urologic Oncology.
This fund provides resources for initiation of basic and translational research projects, recruitment of research faculty and support staff, support of interdepartmental collaboration and "bridge funding" during lapses of grant funding—all aimed at developing novel cancer therapies. The J. Weinstein Foundation contributes an important gift to this Fund every year.
If you have any questions about making a contribution or would like to make a Major Gift to the Urology Research Program, please contact:
Christopher E. Sickels
Senior Director of Major Gifts
Office of Development
NYU Langone Medical Center
e-mail: christopher.sickels@nyumc.org
Phone: (212) 404-3646