The Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL) in Utica, New York has announced the formation of a national Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will include corporate and civic leaders as well as medical and scientific professionals, who will offer advice and assistance in identifying potential sources of support for the pioneering research conducted at the MMRL focused on cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest, sudden infant death syndrome, and other cardiovascular diseases.

According to Dr. Charles Antzelevitch, Executive Director of the MMRL, "Since our founding in 1958, the MMRL has been the beneficiary of expert governance and financial management from a dedicated Board of Directors. As our institute has evolved and its global reach expanded, the availability of government support in the form of research grants has continued to diminish. To remain competitive, it is essential that we have a broad-based group of advisors and supporters who believe in our mission and vision, and who can help us attract private sector support to grow our endowment so that we can withstand the fluctuations in government funding."

While the Advisory Board is still being formulated, a number of community and industry leaders have been invited and have agreed to serve. Theodore Max, M.D., a retired vascular surgeon from Utica, and Eugene Romano, CEO of Pacemaker Steel and Piping, Inc. will co-chair the Advisory Board. Other members include George Aney, Esq., an attorney from Little Falls, NY; Edward Bradley, M.D., retired Medical Director of the Masonic Home in Utica; NY, Jeffery Brosemer, Ph.D., a patent attorney from Holmdel, NJ; Carlton "Bud" DeWolff, a world-renowned architect from Rochester, NY; Arthur Fisch, Esq., an attorney from Brooklyn; NY, Brian Gaffney, M.D., a cardiologist from Utica, NY; Richard Hanna, CEO of Hanna Construction, of Cooperstown, NY; Michael Kelberman, M.D., a cardiologist from Utica, NY; Murray Nusbaum, M.D., Founder and Medical Director of the Ferre Institute, headquartered in New Hartford, NY; Susan Matt of Utica, NY; David Schneeweiss, a financial portfolio manager from Buffalo, NY; Stephen Zabriskie, a Director of Cayuga Lake National Bank from Aurora, NY and John Zogby, CEO of Zogby International headquartered in Utica, NY. Recently retired Congressman Sherwood Boehlert will serve as the Advisory Board's Honorary Chair.

Antzelevitch noted, "We are deeply honored that these distinguished individuals are willing to take time from their busy schedules to assist us in our mission. As we approach our 50th Anniversary, we will be celebrating five decades of dedicated service to humanity in which the contributions of our scientists have translated into renewed hope and a better quality of life for millions of individuals worldwide. With the assistance of our new Advisory Board, we can more effectively chart our course for the future with an eye at accelerating discovery and building on the momentum that we have been fortunate to enjoy."

David F. Schneeweiss, MMRL President, added "It is heartening to know that people are beginning to recognize the extent to which the MMRL is international in mission, scope, and benefit. Few missions have such a global impact. We look forward to having our Advisory Board members serve as strong advocates for the enhancement of medical research and thus contribute meaningfully to a better quality of life for all of us and our loved ones."

The Masonic Medical Research Laboratory is world-renowned for its studies of the electrical activity of the heart, especially as it applies to abnormal heart rhythms known as cardiac arrhythmias. Over the past five decades, MMRL investigators have been credited with either discovering or unraveling the mechanisms of the majority of known cardiac arrhythmias. As a result of their scientific achievements and those of similar institutions, the practice of medicine has been revolutionized and mortality from heart disease has been greatly reduced. For its size, there are few laboratories world-wide whose cutting-edge research is as productive and influential in the field of experimental cardiology. The MMRL is leading the way in genetic screening of cardiac disease as well as in the development of innovative and effective pharmacologic treatment for atrial fibrillation, one of the greatest unmet medical needs in our society.