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News from UC Davis Health System
December 2013
January distinguished lecture to address the link between the gut and the brain in autism
December 12, 2013
Alessio Fasano, an internationally respected pediatric gastroenterologist, research scientist and founder of the Center for Celiac Research at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, will present "Gut-brain interaction in autism spectrum disorder: What language do they speak, and do they understand each other?" during the January 2014 UC Davis MIND Institute distinguished lecture.
Stem cell agency funds UC Davis tissue-engineering research
December 12, 2013
Led by a renowned throat surgeon and a highly regarded stem cell researcher, a UC Davis team has received a $4.4 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to develop a stem cell-derived airway transplant to cure a difficult, life-threatening problem known as severe airway stenosis.
Hybrid clotting factor means fewer injections, better disease control for hemophilia patients
December 12, 2013
A Phase III clinical trial led by UC Davis researchers has confirmed that a new coagulation factor (rFIXFc) dramatically reduces the number of injections needed to maintain effective clotting for hemophilia B patients.
Electrical power restored at UC Davis Medical Center
December 12, 2013
Electrical power is back on at UC Davis Medical Center and all its facilities after an interruption in a SMUD power feed this morning.
Media advisory: An afternoon of holiday joy for pediatric cancer patients
December 12, 2013
UC Davis pediatric hematology and oncology patients get an afternoon of holiday fun with Santa Claus, the Sacramento River Cats' Dinger, games, arts and crafts and more.
Holiday toy drive benefits UC Davis Children's Hospital
December 10, 2013
UC Davis Children's Hospital is hosting a holiday toy drive this month to help spread cheer to its patients and their families staying this holiday season.
Sacramento Republic FC visits UC Davis Children's Hospital patients
December 10, 2013
Sacramento Republic FC scored big with UC Davis Children's Hospital patients when they visited Thursday morning.
Media advisory: Virtual sleigh brings Santa to UC Davis Children's Hospital
December 9, 2013
Thanks to the magic of the latest mobile and video collaboration technologies, Santa will be visiting hospitalized children at UC Davis Children's Hospital without leaving the North Pole.
Better guidelines, coordination needed for prostate cancer specialists
December 9, 2013
With a deluge of promising new drug treatments for advanced prostate cancer on the market, a new model of care is needed that emphasizes collaboration between urologists and medical oncologists, according to UC Davis prostate cancer experts. [en español]
Paul Knoepfler receives National Advocacy Award at World Stem Cell Summit
December 6, 2013
Paul Knoepfler, associate professor of cell biology and human anatomy at UC Davis School of Medicine, was honored this week at the World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego for his stem cell advocacy and awareness efforts.
Gallery reception on Dec. 11 raises funds for UC Davis Children's Hospital
December 6, 2013
JayJay Gallery in Sacramento will host a special gallery reception on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. in support of UC Davis Children's Hospital.
UC Davis Children's Hospital announces partnership with Sac Republic FC
December 5, 2013
Improving children's health is the goal for UC Davis Children's Hospital, as it teams up with Sacramento professional soccer team Sac Republic FC for its inaugural season.
Trauma-care quality improvement needs national focus
December 4, 2013
The ability to objectively measure and compare the quality and long-term outcomes of trauma care nationwide will be imperative under the new health-care payment models that are evolving, UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement Director Kenneth W. Kizer told attendees of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) of the American College of Surgeons last month.
Live auction and wine tasting event will benefit UC Davis School of Medicine's community clinics
December 4, 2013
Tickets are now on sale for the 34th annual UC Davis School of Medicine Silent Auction and Wine Tasting Benefit, set for Saturday, Jan. 11, from 5:30-9 p.m. in the Education Building, 4610 X Street, Sacramento.
UC Davis Medical Center named 2013 Leapfrog Top Hospital
December 3, 2013
UC Davis Medical Center ranks among The Leapfrog Group's list of Top Hospitals for 2013, a distinction that places UC Davis among a handful of health systems and hospitals in California and among the top 10 percent of hospitals participating in the national survey that met tough national standards for safety and quality. UC Davis and UC San Francisco Medical Center at Mount Zion were the only medical centers in the University of California system recognized as Top Hospitals.
November 2013
National study finds donor age not a factor in most corneal transplants
November 26, 2013
Ten years after a transplant, a cornea from a 71-year-old donor is likely to remain as healthy as a cornea from a donor half that age, and corneas from donors over 71 perform slightly less well but still remain healthy for most transplant recipients, according to a study funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and led by the UC Davis Health System Eye Center and the University of Cincinnati Eye Institute. [en español]
UC Davis stem cell research team visit study partners in Spain
November 26, 2013
The UC Davis Health System research team that is working to speed therapies to people suffering from critical limb ischemia (CLI) recently returned from visiting its collaborative partners in Spain.
Telemedicine reduces pediatric medication errors in rural emergency departments
November 25, 2013
A new study from researchers at UC Davis has shown that telemedicine consultations from pediatric specialists reduced the number of drug errors in eight rural emergency departments. Published today in the journal Pediatrics, the study is the latest in research from UC Davis which demonstrates that telemedicine consultations can improve quality of care in rural settings. [中文 Chinese] or [en español]
Med students find health policy conference inspiring
November 25, 2013
Five students recently got a further opportunity to engage in health-policy debates and discussions when they attended the California Medical Association's (CMA) House of Delegates convention in Anaheim.
Four health system faculty elected as AAAS fellows
November 25, 2013
Four UC Davis Health System faculty members have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). They are among 388 new fellows — including a total of 10 at the University of California, Davis — honored for their scientifically distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. The AAAS will publish the names of new members in the November 29 issue of Science andformally recognize them during the association's annual meeting in Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Health System IT team honored for state's first electronic referral for smoking cessation
November 25, 2013
The Sacramento County Tobacco Control Coalition has honored UC Davis Health System's Electronic Medical Records (EMR) team for creating the first two-way e-referral with the California Smokers' Helpline (1-800-NO-BUTTS) in the state.
Health insurance increases preventive care but not risky behaviors
November 22, 2013
People with health insurance are more likely to use preventive services such as flu shots and health screenings to reduce their risk of serious illness, but they are no more likely than people without health insurance to engage in risky health behaviors such as smoking or gaining weight, researchers at UC Davis and University of Rochester have found. [en español]
UC Davis Children's Hospital provides gift wrapping services to shoppers
November 22, 2013
UC Davis Children's Hospital will be making holiday magic for Roseville Galleria shoppers by offering gift wrapping services this holiday season.
Keeping Your Brain Healthy the subject of Alzheimer's Disease Center Community Discovery Lecture
November 21, 2013
Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, an associate professor of neurology, will discuss "Keeping Your Brain Healthy," during the final lecture in the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center 2013 Community Discovery Lecture Series. The event will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m at the UC Davis MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento.
Institute for Population Health Improvement expands high-tech health-care services for some 3.5 million Californians
November 20, 2013
Communication of clinical information needed to provide safe and effective, high quality health care is now easier in 12 rural California counties as a result of an initiative launched earlier this year by the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI).
The woman's view from the heart of families with fragile X syndrome
November 20, 2013
"Fragile X-Associated Disorders: A Woman's View from the Heart of the Family," is the topic of the December UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecture Series presentation.
Yellowlees appointed to Institute of Medicine Committee evaluating mental-health care for veterans
November 19, 2013
Peter Yellowlees, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has been appointed to a prestigious national committee established by the Institute of Medicine that will assess the quality and availability of mental-health care services for veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom (the Iraq war), Operation New Dawn (the Iraq war after August 2010), and Operation Enduring Freedom (the war in Afghanistan).
Institute for Population Health Improvement to direct leadership training program for nonprofits, public agencies
November 19, 2013
The UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI) received a $125,000 grant from the Sierra Health Foundation to restart the foundation's popular Health Leadership Program for nonprofits and public agencies. Faculty from the University of San Francisco School of Management will also collaborate on the project.
Institute for Population Health Improvement funds state's first "Blue Button" project for Medi‑Cal
November 18, 2013
As part of its mission to accelerate the adoption of health information exchange throughout California, the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement's California Health eQuality program awarded $400,000 to L.A. Care, the nation's largest publicly operated health plan, to develop Blue Button functionality. Blue Button will allow L.A. Care members to access their own prescription data online. The project is the first in California and among the first in the nation to develop the tool for Medicaid beneficiaries.
Register online for the UC Davis Mini Medical School
November 15, 2013
Online registration for next year's always-popular Mini Medical School is now available. The theme for the upcoming lecture series is "On the Quest for the Fountain of Youth: Restoring Function to the Older Adult."
The Campaign for UC Davis: $1 billion goal reached
November 15, 2013
The University of California, Davis, announced today (Nov. 15) it successfully reached its goal to raise $1 billion from more than 100,000 donors through its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, The Campaign for UC Davis.
UC Davis Children's Hospital offers access to pediatric subspecialty care for rural newborns with PEANUT Program
November 13, 2013
UC Davis Children's Hospital has been awarded a three-year, approximately $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for the Advancement of Telehealth - Health Resources and Services Administration (OAT-HRSA) to expand its services for infants through the new Pediatric Emergency Assistance to Newborns Using Telehealth (PEANUT) Program.
Causeway Classic supports UC Davis Children's Hospital
November 12, 2013
The UC Davis Athletics and Sacramento State Athletics are putting the "cause" in this year's Causeway Classic football game by fundraising for UC Davis Children's Hospital.
Omalu named among the top 20 forensic pathology professors online
November 8, 2013
Bennet Omalu, an associate clinical professor of pathology at UC Davis who discovered the neurological disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in retired professional football players, was named among the top 20 forensic pathology professors online by ForensicsColleges.com. He is also chief medical examiner of San Joaquin County and is a consulting forensic pathologist/neuropathologist.
Children who have autism far more likely to have tummy troubles
November 6, 2013
Children with autism experience gastrointestinal (GI) upsets such as constipation, diarrhea and sensitivity to foods six-to-eight times more often than do children who are developing typically, and those symptoms are related to behavioral problems, including social withdrawal, irritability and repetitive behaviors, a new study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. [en español] [中文 Chinese]
Children's book by MIND Institute author wins national award
November 6, 2013
Percy Learns to Fly, a children's book by Patricia Schetter, project coordinator at the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the UC Davis MIND Institute, has received a gold medal for outstanding contributions to children's literature in the 2013 Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award competition.
Institute for Population Health Improvement receives grants to support health policy presence
November 6, 2013
The Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI) has received grants totaling $423,236 from the California HealthCare Foundation and The California Endowment to increase awareness of evidence-based policies to address a wide range of health issues facing California and the nation.
Schenker recognized by UC Davis and Harvard
November 5, 2013
Marc Schenker, a physician and specialist in occupational, environmental and pulmonary disease, has received the alumni award of merit from the Harvard School of Public Health and was recognized by UC Davis as a distinguished professor for his research accomplishments, teaching excellence and service to the university.
Interactive computer program helps patients talk with their physician about depression
November 5, 2013
Patients who used an interactive computer program about depression while waiting to see their primary-care doctor were nearly twice as likely to ask about the condition and significantly more likely to receive a recommendation for antidepressant drugs or a mental-health referral from their physician, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis.
Solving the pediatric obesity problem in rural communities
November 4, 2013
Using telemedicine to unite clinicians and provide health education for them — and by extension, their patients — is an effective way to manage childhood obesity in remote areas. For these communities, which often have limited access to pediatric subspecialists, having a HEALTH-COP can make all the difference. [中文 Chinese] or [en español]
New grant to advance career opportunities for young scientists
November 4, 2013
As part of a national effort to broaden scientific training opportunities for young scientists and engineers and better prepare them for a wide variety of careers, the National Institutes of Health has awarded UC Davis a five-year, $1.7 million grant to support the Frontiers of University Training to Unlock the Research Enterprise (FUTURE) program ̶ a campuswide effort that will expand academic offerings, internships and other experiential learning in the biomedical sciences for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
October 2013
UC Davis participates in leading-edge research on fibroid treatment
October 31, 2013
UC Davis Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology researchers are participating in a University of California-wide clinical trial to test the long-term efficacy of ablating uterine fibroids ― benign non-cancerous uterine tumors ― using high-frequency radio waves that heat, shrink and kill the fibroid tissues during minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
Media advisory: UC Davis experts available for interviews during COPD Awareness Month
October 29, 2013
November is COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Awareness Month and a good time to increase public awareness of symptoms and treatments for the disease along with research that is expanding options for patients. Several UC Davis pulmonary physicians, surgeons and health educators, including those listed below, are available as media resources on COPD. To schedule an interview, please contact Karen Finney at 916-734-9064 or email@example.com.
UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center to hold Caregivers Workshop
October 29, 2013
As part of its 2013 community engagement series, the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center will hold a workshop for those caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The Caregivers Workshop will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 8 a.m. to noon in the UC Davis MIND Institute auditorium, 2825 50th St., Sacramento.
Extra Life gaming marathon helps UC Davis Children's Hospital kids on Nov. 2
October 29, 2013
Supporters of all ages are using their joy of gaming to raise funds and awareness this month for UC Davis Children's Hospital, a member of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Kizer awarded for efforts to improve military personnel medical care
October 28, 2013
Kenneth W. Kizer, an internationally recognized health-care thought leader, change agent, and quality improvement and patient-safety advocate, received the 2013 Major Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for advancing medical processes and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. He accepted the award in Bethesda, Md., on October 24.
UC Davis Medical Center awarded an "A" on the Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Score
October 25, 2013
The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit coalition of some of the country's largest employers and health-care purchasers, has awarded UC Davis Medical Center the highest grade possible, an "A," on its most recent Hospital Safety Score, an evaluation that ranks hospitals nationwide on the likelihood that its patients will be free from preventable harm during their inpatient stays.
Animal Planet series airs episode starring Children's Hospital patient
October 25, 2013
Cable television channel Animal Planet aired an episode of the series "Monsters Inside Me", during the week of Oct. 15, which featured UC Davis Children's Hospital patient Precious Reynolds, the Humboldt County grade-schooler who in 2011 became the third person in the United States known to have survived rabies infection. The episode is entitled "Choosing Between Life and Limb."
Social brain development in autism the topic of November distinguished lecture
October 25, 2013
James C. McPartland, director of the Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the Child Study Center at Yale University, will discuss "Motivated for Change: Rethinking Models of Social Brain Development in Autism Spectrum Disorder" during the November UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation. The lecture will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento.
Endocrine surgeon brings new expertise to UC Davis
October 23, 2013
Michael Campbell recently joined UC Davis Health System as its first fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon. Campbell specializes in the evaluation and management of patients with thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pancreas disorders.
Consumers again rate UC Davis Medical Center among nation's best
October 22, 2013
For the 15th consecutive year, UC Davis Medical Center has been selected as a Consumer Choice Award winner by the National Research Corporation (NRC).
Ralph de Vere White wins lifetime achievement honor
October 21, 2013
Ralph de Vere White, associate dean for cancer programs at UC Davis School of Medicine, director of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and a distinguished professor of urology, has received the Huggins Medal Award from the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO).
Institute of Medicine names two UC Davis professors as members
October 21, 2013
Two faculty members at the University of California, Davis, have been elected to the Institute of Medicine, one of the nation's highest honors in health and medicine.
All probiotics are not the same in protecting premature infants from common, life-threatening illness
October 17, 2013
Treating premature infants with probiotics, the dietary supplements containing live bacteria that many adults take to help maintain their natural intestinal balance, may be effective for preventing a common and life-threatening bowel disease among premature infants, researchers at UC Davis Children's Hospital have found. [en español]
UC Davis nursing school opens applications for 2014 doctoral and master's degree classes
October 17, 2013
Applications are now open for fall 2014 classes in the Master of Science — Leadership and the Doctor of Philosophy Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Degree Programs offered through the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. The school provides generous financial support to all admitted fall 2014 students.
MIND Institute researcher partners to speed development of treatments for autism
October 15, 2013
Jacqueline Crawley, the Robert E. Chason Endowed Chair in Translational Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, will participate in the Preclinical Autism Consortium for Therapeutics (PACT), a new partnership sponsored by Autism Speaks to facilitate the discovery of effective treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Other collaborators in the initiative are at Boston Children's Hospital and at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
UC Davis CAARE Center awarded grant to help sexually exploited youth
October 14, 2013
The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs has awarded the UC Davis CAARE Center a two-year, $400,000 grant to provide assessment, group therapy, individual therapy and case management for underage youth and youth who are at risk of sexual exploitation.
Gunshot injuries in children more severe, deadly and costly than other childhood injuries, study finds
October 14, 2013
A research team led by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the University of California, Davis, reveals that childhood gunshot injuries, while uncommon, are more severe, require more major surgery, have greater mortality and higher per-patient costs than any other mechanism for childhood injury – particularly among adolescent males. The study is published online in the journal Pediatrics. [en español]
Chicago's public health leader to speak about the power of partnerships in improving health care
October 14, 2013
Bechara Choucair, a physician and commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, will speak in Sacramento as part of the 2013 UC Davis Health System Snively Visiting Professorship in Family and Community Medicine. His lecture is Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center auditorium, 4501 X St., with a reception at 5 p.m.
UC Davis MIND Institute announces 2013-2014 Minds Behind the MIND speaker series
October 10, 2013
The 2013-14 season of the UC Davis MIND Institute's Minds Behind the MIND series begins in November with nationally recognized MIND Institute researchers partnering with community representatives to provide the latest information on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one of many neurodevelopmental disabilities studied at the MIND Institute. Subsequent presentations focus on how technology can aid people with developmental disabilities and on new findings in autism treatments.
UC Davis study finds potential biomarker differentiating the inattentive and combined subtypes of ADHD
October 8, 2013
Using a common test of brain functioning, UC Davis researchers have found differences in the brains of adolescents with the inattentive and combined subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and teens who do not have the condition, suggesting that the test may offer a potential biomarker for the types of the disorder. [中文 Chinese] or [en español]
MIND Institute to participate in international study of schizophrenia in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
October 7, 2013
Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute will participate in an international consortium spanning four continents that will study the genetics of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders in chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome through a four-year, $12 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to the International Consortium on Brain and Behavior in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.
UC Davis forensic pathologist to be featured in documentary on traumatic brain injury in NFL players
October 4, 2013
Bennet Omalu, a UC Davis associate clinical professor of pathology who discovered the devastating neurological disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brain of the Pittsburgh Steelers legend Mike Webster, will appear in a PBS Frontline documentary titled "League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis." The program airs Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sacramento PBS station KVIE-Channel 6.
Cigarette alternatives may not be 'safe' tobacco
October 4, 2013
Cigarette alternatives, widely perceived to be safe, are often addictive and can be stepping stones to cigarette smoking, according to a scientific review published online in the journal Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.
Record-breaking year for student support and alumni giving
October 2, 2013
Nearly 40,000 donors committed $149.1 million to UC Davis during the 2012-13 fiscal year, surpassing the previous year's total of $132.4 million and marking the seventh consecutive year that philanthropic gifts exceeded $100 million.
Despite menu changes, calorie and sodium levels in chain restaurant entrées remain the same overall
October 1, 2013
Although a number of chain restaurants have announced healthy menu changes over the years, the overall calorie and sodium levels in main entrées offered by top U.S. chain restaurants assessed from 2010 to 2011 have remained the same, according to a study published today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. [en español]
September 2013
UC Davis researchers discover a biological link between diabetes and heart disease
September 29, 2013
UC Davis Health System researchers have identified for the first time a biological pathway that is activated when blood sugar levels are abnormally high and causes irregular heartbeats, a condition known as cardiac arrhythmia that is linked with heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
UC Davis, Marshall Medical Center partner to expand HMO access in El Dorado County and Folsom
September 27, 2013
UC Davis Health System and Marshall Medical Center have signed a contract that gives CalPERS employees in El Dorado County and Folsom the opportunity to select a new health maintenance organization (HMO) plan from Anthem Blue Cross for their health insurance. The HMO plan, which offers fixed co-pays for office visits and no deductibles, previously had been unavailable to CalPERS employees in El Dorado County who wanted to receive care from providers affiliated with Marshall Medical Center.
UC Davis School of Nursing conducts student information session
September 27, 2013
The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis will conduct a free information session at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, for students interested in the Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Science — Leadership Degree programs.
New center to translate innovations into products that improve heart, lung health
September 27, 2013
A consortium of the five University of California medical campuses at Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco has been awarded a $12 million grant and designated as one of three Centers for Accelerated Innovations by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The award, among the first of its kind from NHLBI, recognizes the University of California's potential to translate its leading-edge discoveries into innovative products that benefit patients.
Rousek receives Janet Gordon Armour M.D., Scholarship
September 24, 2013
UC Davis medical student Hayley Rousek has been selected to receive the 2013-14 Janet Gordon Armour, M.D., Scholarship, which benefits an outstanding first-year female student pursuing primary care medicine. The award, established in 1997, honors Janet Gordon Armour, a 1978 graduate of the UC Davis School of Medicine.
Gun retailers strongly support expanded criteria for denying gun purchases, UC Davis survey finds
September 23, 2013
A scientific survey of gun dealers and pawnbrokers in 43 U.S. states has found nearly unanimous support for denying gun purchases based on prior convictions and for serious mental illness with a history of violence or alcohol or drug abuse – conditions that might have prevented Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis from legally purchasing a firearm.
12th Annual UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series kicks off Oct. 9
September 23, 2013
The UC Davis MIND Institute begins the 12th year of its Distinguished Lecturer Series on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The venerable series' presenters include nationally and internationally recognized researchers in autism spectrum disorder, fragile X-associated disorders and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Breastfeeding fraught with early challenges for most first-time mothers
September 23, 2013
Breastfeeding problems are extremely common among first-time moms, often causing them to introduce formula or completely abandon breastfeeding within two months, report researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
UC Davis nursing school honors nurse scientist Linda Burnes Bolton with annual leadership award
September 20, 2013
Linda Burnes Bolton, the nurse scientist who led the two-year initiative that resulted in the landmark Institute of Medicine's 2010 report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," was honored Thursday with the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis 2013 Excellence in Leadership Award.
UC Davis researchers find how viral infection disrupts neural development in offspring, increasing risk of autism
September 19, 2013
Activating a mother's immune system during her pregnancy disrupts the development of neural cells in the brain of her offspring and damages the cells' ability to transmit signals and communicate with one another, researchers with the Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology have found. The researchers said the finding suggests how maternal viral infection might increase the risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia.
UC Davis MIND Institute researcher receives grant to explore four neurodevelopmental disorders
September 19, 2013
Jacqueline N. Crawley, an internationally renowned behavioral neuroscientist, has received a five-year, nearly $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to understand the synaptic dysfunctions that limit how people with certain neurodevelopmental disorders form memories and learn. The research also will investigate the effectiveness of potential targeted therapies for the disorders: fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, Down syndrome and Angelman syndrome.
Study finds that a subset of children often considered to have autism may be misdiagnosed
September 17, 2013
Children with a genetic disorder called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, who frequently are believed to also have autism, often may be misidentified because the social impairments associated with their developmental delay may mimic the features of autism, a study by researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute suggests.
UC Davis names new medical vice chancellor and dean
September 17, 2013
Julie Freischlag, currently the William Stewart Halsted professor and department director and surgeon-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, has been named the UC Davis vice chancellor for human health sciences and dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi announced today.
Novel vaccine approach to human cytomegalovirus found effective
September 17, 2013
An experimental vaccine against human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, which endangers the developing fetus, organ transplant recipients, patients with HIV and others who have a weakened immune system, was safe and more effective than previous vaccines developed to prevent infection by the ubiquitous virus.
Cancer report cites advances, need for more funding
September 17, 2013
A comprehensive report released today by the American Association for Cancer Research details progress against cancer thanks to biomedical research and advances in prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment.
UC Davis study applies timely cost-effectiveness analysis to state breast cancer screening program
September 16, 2013
When public health budgets are constrained, mammography screening should begin later and occur less frequently, a cost-effectiveness analysis for California's Every Woman Counts (EWC) program concludes. [en español]
UC Davis Medical Center selected as 2013 Enterprise HIMSS Davies Award winner
September 16, 2013
UC Davis Medical Center is a winner of the 2013 Enterprise HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence, which recognizes excellence in the use of health information technology.
Wintemute to receive distinguished career award for injury prevention efforts
September 13, 2013
Garen Wintmute, one of the nation's foremost scholars addressing violence as a public-health problem, has been selected to receive the 2013 Distinguished Career Award from the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section of the American Public Health Association. He will receive the award at the association's annual meeting in Boston in November.
Oct. 23 seminar lays out strategies for building new med-tech companies
September 12, 2013
Brook Byers, a general partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers, a venture capital firm that launched Google, Amazon, Genentech and several other industry-defining companies, will describe lessons learned from a decade of helping scientists and entrepreneurs build medically focused companies based on molecular diagnostics, biotech and informatics breakthroughs.
Kohl's Department Stores, UC Davis Children's Hospital team up for Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up Program
September 11, 2013
The UC Davis Injury and Trauma Prevention Program has received a grant for $233,774 from Kohl's Cares® to support its child and adolescent injury prevention efforts in the Sacramento area. Kohl's will formally present the donation at the UC Davis Children's Hospital free Community Concert at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept.12.
Ulfat Shaikh to speak at Fall Convocation
September 11, 2013
Ulfat Shaikh, director of Healthcare Quality at the UC Davis School of Medicine and UC Davis Children's Hospital pediatrician, is scheduled to speak at the 2013 Fall Convocation on Davis campus this year.
"Incidental findings" rare but significant events in pediatric CT scans
September 11, 2013
The largest study of computed tomographic (CT) scans taken in emergency departments across the country for children with head injuries describes the prevalence of "incidental findings" – results that were not expected from the injury – and categorizes them by urgency. The article, titled "Incidental findings in children with blunt head trauma evaluated with cranial CT scans," was published in the August issue of Pediatrics, and provides a context for doctors in emergency departments who encounter these situations.
Brain circuitry loss may be a very early sign of cognitive decline in healthy elderly people
September 9, 2013
The degeneration of a small, wishbone-shaped structure deep inside the brain may provide the earliest clues to future cognitive decline, long before healthy older people exhibit clinical symptoms of memory loss or dementia, a study by researchers at the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center has found.
UC Davis School of Medicine honors three alumni for contributions to health and medicine
September 9, 2013
The UC Davis School of Medicine honored an alumni trio for their individual contributions to medicine and community service as part of this year's Alumni Day festivities.
Saving Jordan Herbst
September 5, 2013
Jordan Herbst, a 14-year-old resident of Bishop, Calif., is at home recovering from a life-threatening and rare infection with hantavirus.
UC Davis endowed chair for clinical cancer research established
September 4, 2013
Karen Kelly, Associate Director for Clinical Research at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, is the recipient of the university's first endowed chair in Cancer Clinical Research.
Virtual reality and social training for autism study seeks participants
September 3, 2013
Using a virtual‐reality game, UC Davis researchers have begun to examine how children with high‐functioning autism learn in classroom settings, where social deficits can form obstacles to the engagement with teachers and classmates necessary for academic success. The study will examine their virtual classroom behavior and attention and compare it with that of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those with typical development.
August 2013
Study finds seizure drugs equally effective in treating children
August 29, 2013
Researchers who participated in a National Institutes of Health study, including pediatric emergency medicine physicians at UC Davis Medical Center, have settled an important question on how to treat children with status epilepticus, a potentially fatal seizure disorder characterized by continuous or repeated seizures.
Nobel laureate to explain the importance of the Higgs particle
August 29, 2013
Gerard 't Hooft, one of the international scientists whose Nobel Prize winning research contributed to the discovery of the Higgs particle, will speak in Sacramento on September 5 about how the particle was detected, what it means in terms of understanding the subatomic world and the future discoveries it will likely inspire.
Study identifies better blood glucose monitor for burn care
August 28, 2013
Glucose monitoring systems with an autocorrect feature that can detect red blood cells (hematocrit), vitamin C and other common interferents in burn patients' blood are better for monitoring care, a pilot study conducted by UC Davis researchers at the School of Medicine and College of Engineering has found. The study was published in the Journal of Burn Care Research.
UC Davis team "spikes" stem cells to generate myelin
August 28, 2013
Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue.
UC Davis nursing school addresses nation's faculty shortage crisis early in its launch
August 27, 2013
Two Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Postdoctoral Fellows recently received appointments at prestigious nursing colleges, adding their names to a growing list of the school's postdoctoral alumni tapped to educate the next generation of nurses at colleges and universities nationwide.
The 90+ Study the topic of UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center Distinguished Lecture
August 23, 2013
Claudia Kawas, the Al and Trish Nichols Chair in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of California, Irvine, will discuss 'The 90+ Study,' one of the largest population-based studies of "the oldest of the old" in the world, during the October UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation. The lecture will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the UC Davis Health System Education Building, Room 1222, at the intersection of X and 45th streets.
UC Davis offers Young Adult Bereavement Art Group
August 23, 2013
The UC Davis Hospice Program and UC Davis Children's Hospital Bereavement Program will offer an eight-week Young Adult Bereavement Art Group for individuals 17 to 24 who are coping with the recent loss of a loved one.
UC Davis Children's Hospital celebrates the community at free outdoor concert
August 23, 2013
The young and the young at heart are invited to a free and festive evening of music featuring perennial favorite Mumbo Gumbo, a cornucopia of wares from the weekly Farmers Market, and the Kids Zone at the annual outdoor concert, presented by UC Davis Children's Hospital. The concert is co-hosted by the UC Davis Health System Community Advisory Board and Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California.
Nicholas Kenyon honored for innovative engineering and medicine training program
August 21, 2013
Nicholas Kenyon, a pulmonary and critical care physician at UC Davis Medical Center, has been recognized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for building a collaborative training program with the UC Davis College of Engineering known as Capstone Senior Design Course.
New strategy tests for dangerous stage of tuberculosis in Asia
August 20, 2013
More than 20,000 people in Pakistan are being tested for the potentially deadly stage of tuberculosis using a new strategy developed at UC Davis Health System to effectively detect the disease in children for the first time.
UC Davis researchers discover molecular target for the bacterial infection brucellosis
August 15, 2013
UC Davis scientists have uncovered a potential drug target for the development of an effective therapy against the debilitating, chronic form of the bacterial disease brucellosis, which primarily afflicts people in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries.
UC Davis researchers receive $2.5 million grant to study telepsychiatry
August 15, 2013
Researchers at UC Davis have received a five-year, $2.5 million grant to study whether viewing videotaped interviews with patients to assess them and guide their mental-health treatment is more cost-effective and better for patient outcomes and satisfaction than real-time telepsychiatric evaluation.
Targeting aggressive prostate cancer
August 14, 2013
A team of researchers from UC Davis, UC San Diego and other institutions has identified a key mechanism behind aggressive prostate cancer.
Trends in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treatments
August 14, 2013
Many patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are not benefiting from the expanding array of treatments now available to combat these serious autoimmune disorders, researchers led by a UC Davis dermatologist report in a new study published online today by JAMA Dermatology.
Expanded role of paramedics shows promise for closing California's health-care gaps
August 14, 2013
In a new report, the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI) recommends that the state launch pilot programs to test a new model of community-based health care that would expand the role of paramedics under certain circumstances.
International research team identifies top risk factors for children during influenza pandemics
August 13, 2013
An international team of pediatric specialists, representing the world's five major pediatric emergency medicine research networks, has identified several crucial risk factors for alerting clinicians to children most susceptible to life-threatening infections from the H1N1 influenza (flu). It is the first study to detail which clinical factors at hospital arrival in children with influenza-like illness and H1N1 infection are associated with the progressive risk to either severe infection or death.
New support offered for people with colorectal cancer
August 12, 2013
Recently diagnosed colorectal cancer patients in the Sacramento area now have access to trained cancer peer navigators who can coach them through their treatment.
UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center to hold sixth annual Spanish Mini-Medical School
August 9, 2013
UC Davis Health System will hold its sixth annual Spanish Mini-Medical School on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the UC Davis MIND Institute from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event was sponsored by the health system's Alzheimer's Disease Center, Center for Healthy Aging, Center for Reducing Health Disparities and Clinical and Translational Science Center. [en español]
Telemedicine consultations significantly improve pediatric care in rural emergency rooms
August 8, 2013
Telemedicine consultations with pediatric critical-care medicine physicians significantly improve the quality of care for seriously ill and injured children treated in remote rural emergency rooms, where pediatricians and pediatric specialists are scarce, a study by researchers at UC Davis Children's Hospital has found. [en español]
Nancy E. Lane honored with 2013 Paula Stern Achievement Award
August 7, 2013
The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) has named Nancy E. Lane, endowed professor of internal medicine and rheumatology, as this year's recipient of its Paula Stern Achievement Award.
Health system receives golden and silver awards in Sautter Award Program
August 6, 2013
UC Davis Health System has been selected to receive golden and silver awards in the UC Office of the President's 2013 Larry L. Sautter Award Program.
UC Davis "lab on a chip" measures heart disease risk
August 6, 2013
Using a special microchip that can perform laboratory functions, a team of cardiologists and biomedical engineers from UC Davis has identified cells linked with inflammation and varying degrees of heart disease.
Knoepfler to receive award for stem cell advocacy
August 6, 2013
Paul Knoepfler, associate professor of cell biology and human anatomy, will be honored in December by the Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) with one of its annual Stem Cell Action awards.
How a cancer drug unties knots in the chromosome that causes Angelman and Prader-Willi syndromes
August 5, 2013
UC Davis researchers have identified how and where in the genome a cancer chemotherapy agent acts on and 'un-silences' the epigenetically silenced gene that causes Angelman syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability, seizures, motor impairments, and laughing and smiling.
UC Davis researchers receive grant to study depression and suicide in older men
August 2, 2013
Researchers at UC Davis have received a three-year, $725,000 grant from the National Institute on Mental Health to develop new, creative approaches to decreasing the burden of late-life depression and the risk of suicide among older men.
Hertz-Picciotto appointed to prestigious NIH scientific review committee
August 1, 2013
Environmental epidemiologist Irva Hertz-Picciotto, UC Davis professor of public health sciences, has been appointed to the Neurological, Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology (NAME) Study Section of the Center for Scientific Review of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The appointment is effective immediately and ends in June 2017.
July 2013
UC Davis expands access to vascular care
July 26, 2013
Beginning Aug. 2, vascular specialists Misty Humphries and Nasim Hedayati will be available for Friday appointments at UC Davis Medical Group locations in Davis and Elk Grove.
Novel inhibitor of C-reactive protein holds promise as cardiovascular disease treatment
July 24, 2013
UC Davis scientists have developed a novel cardiovascular agent which, unlike currently available drugs for heart disease, does not target high blood cholesterol or high blood pressure.
A new weapon against stroke
July 23, 2013
One of regenerative medicine's greatest goals is to develop new treatments for stroke. So far, stem cell research for the disease has focused on developing therapeutic neurons — the primary movers of electrical impulses in the brain — to repair tissue damaged when oxygen to the brain is limited by a blood clot or break in a vessel. New UC Davis research, however, shows that other cells may be better suited for the task. [ 中文 (Chinese)] [en español]
New herbal supplement helps slim and trim without side effects, studies show
July 23, 2013
Study participants who took a new herbal supplement, while also exercising and controlling their food intake, had greater success in losing weight and slimming down than did those who didn't take the supplement, report researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in India.
Health system professor, physician to lead UC Center Sacramento
July 19, 2013
Richard L. Kravitz, professor of internal medicine with UC Davis Health System, has been appointed interim director of the University of California Center Sacramento — a systemwide program managed by UC Davis.
UC Davis MIND Institute researchers seek participants for study on generalizing learning in autism
July 18, 2013
Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute are seeking adolescents to participate in a groundbreaking brain imaging study aimed at understanding one of the most critical aspects of autism spectrum disorders: how people with autism generalize things they learn to new contexts.
UC Davis Nursing doctoral candidate examines impact of privacy laws on researchers' abilities to share data
July 16, 2013
Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Doctoral Candidate Katherine Kim and a team of researchers recommend the development of guidelines that protect patient preferences and privacy while allowing investigators to share data through electronic health records and other databases. The research, "Development of a Privacy and Security Policy Framework for a Multi-state Comparative Effectiveness Research Network," is published today in Medical Care, a national public health journal.
Eye specialist to develop novel eye imaging technologies
July 15, 2013
UC Davis Health System's Eye Center has received a $250,000 Career Development Award from Research to Prevent Blindness to support the research of Ala Moshiri, an assistant professor of ophthalmology and director of electrophysiology services at the Eye Center.
UC Davis named a "Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality"
July 11, 2013
For a third consecutive year, UC Davis Medical Center has been recognized as a "Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality" in the Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the country's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organization.
UC Davis named national leader in health information technology
July 10, 2013
For a third consecutive year, UC Davis Health System has been designated as one of the nation's health leaders in information technology. The designation is based on the results of the 2013 "Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study" published in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine.
Excessive cerebrospinal fluid and enlarged brain size in infancy are potential biomarkers for autism
July 9, 2013
Children who were later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder had excessive cerebrospinal fluid and enlarged brains in infancy, a study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute has found, raising the possibility that those brain anomalies may serve as potential biomarkers for the early identification of the neurodevelopmental disorder. [en español or 中文 Chinese]
UC Davis MIND Institute researchers find exposure to prenatal maternal antibodies affects behavior, development in offspring
July 9, 2013
Researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute have found that prenatal exposure to specific antibodies found only in mothers of children with autism leads to changes in the brain that adversely affect behavior and development. [en español]
UC Davis MIND Institute researchers identify specific fetal antigens attacked by maternal antibodies
July 9, 2013
UC Davis MIND Institute researchers have identified the specific antibodies that target fetal brain proteins in the blood of a subset of women whose children are diagnosed with autism. The finding is the first to pinpoint a specific risk factor for a significant subset of autism cases, as well as a biomarker for drug development and early diagnosis. The researchers have named autism related to these antibodies "Maternal Autoantibody-Related," or MAR autism. [en español] [中文 Chinese]
Are the 'U.S. News' medical school rankings for primary care education relevant?
July 8, 2013
The U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings inspire discussion and marketing, but do they actually reflect quality differences between schools when it comes to medical education in primary care? Researchers at the UC Davis School of Medicine are believed to be the first to take on that question by analyzing the primary care rankings from 2009 through 2012, reconstructing scores and proposing alternative measurements.
Nearly half of sarcoma surgeries done by nonsurgical oncology specialists
July 8, 2013
Orthopedic oncologists and surgical oncologists, who have been trained in the complex procedures required to remove sarcomas located deep in the muscles and other soft tissues of the limbs, conducted only 52 percent of these operations at 85 academic medical centers during a three year period, according to an analysis of national data by UC Davis researchers that is published online today in the Journal of Surgical Oncology.
June 2013
New chief diversity officer for UC Davis Health System
June 28, 2013
David A. Acosta, previously chief diversity officer at the University of Washington School of Medicine, has been named associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at UC Davis Health System, effective July 8. [en español]
UC Davis Medical Center receives "WATCHDOG" award for reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia
June 28, 2013
In recognition of its success in reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia, UC Davis Medical Center has received a 2013 HAI WATCHDOG Award from Kimberly-Clark Health Care.
A second amyloid may play a role in Alzheimer's disease, UC Davis researchers find
June 27, 2013
A protein secreted with insulin travels through the bloodstream and accumulates in the brains of individuals with type 2 diabetes and dementia, in the same manner as the amyloid beta (Αβ) plaques that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, a study by researchers with the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center has found. [en español or 中文 Chinese]
Aerial mosquito spraying study finds no immediate public health risks
June 27, 2013
In what researchers say is the first public health study of the aerial mosquito spraying method to prevent West Nile virus, a UC Davis study analyzed emergency department records from Sacramento area hospitals during and immediately after aerial sprayings in the summer of 2005. [en español]
UC Davis scholars spend week in nation's capital to focus on policy
June 27, 2013
A group of seven UC Davis Health System students, faculty and fellows traveled to Washington, D.C., to take part in a program designed to develop health-care professionals' leadership skills and policy expertise, meet with members of Congress and visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Staying safe while celebrating Fourth of July
June 26, 2013
Fireworks and food are a central part of Americans' celebration of the Fourth of July holiday, but they also can be health hazards without proper precautions.
UC Davis pathologist recognized for years of public health service
June 26, 2013
Yvonne Wan, vice chair for research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, received certificates of appreciation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institute of Health (NIH) for her many years of service in the area of public health. She was honored during a June 6 NIH Study Section session in Bethesda, Md.
UC Davis holds Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disorders
June 26, 2013
UC Davis holds its annual Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Research to Practice on Friday, Aug. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UC Davis Conference Center. The daylong conference offers nine interactive seminars on a broad array of subjects by some of the world's leading experts on neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome associated with interference in circadian, metabolic genes
June 25, 2013
Researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute and Agilent Laboratories have found that Prader-Willi syndrome — a genetic disorder best known for causing an insatiable appetite that can lead to morbid obesity — is associated with the loss of non-coding RNAs, resulting in the dysregulation of circadian and metabolic genes, accelerated energy expenditure and metabolic differences during sleep.
Undergraduate students begin summer pathology research fellowships
June 21, 2013
Nine undergraduate students from across the country joined the pathology and laboratory medicine department this week to begin eight weeks of study and research as Hugh Edmondson Summer Research Fellows.
Experts call for consistent pain management education for new health professionals
June 20, 2013
More Americans are coping with chronic pain than ever before. Yet clinicians' understanding of pain and their pain management skills vary widely because no such educational framework exists. Following an Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendation, two UC Davis researchers led a team of experts to develop expectations for consistent, comprehensive pain management education for new health professionals, including nurses, physicians, pharmacists and physical therapists.
Evolution of an outbreak: complications from contaminated steroid injections
June 19, 2013
A study of the patients who received injections of steroids contaminated with the fungus Exserohilum rostratum from the New England Compounding Center has found that some patients had fungal infections even though they did not experience a worsening of their symptoms and that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help detect spinal infections, especially among those individuals who received injections from highly contaminated lots. The study, along with an editorial by UC Davis Assistant Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology George R. Thompson, appears in the June 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Father's brain tumor treatment sparks essay, then college scholarship
June 17, 2013
A Sacramento-area college student received a $2,500 college scholarship for an essay detailing her family's experience following her father's brain tumor diagnosis and treatment.
School of Nursing professor named director of new center devoted to boost women's numbers in academia
June 17, 2013
Professor Mary Lou de Leon Siantz was recently appointed by UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi as director for the new Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science (CAMPOS). The center is part of a new effort, led by Katehi, to increase the participation of women, especially Latinas, in academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.
AMA awards $1 million to UC Davis-Kaiser Permanente partnership for innovative primary care training
June 14, 2013
UC Davis School of Medicine in partnership with Kaiser Permanente has received a $1 million grant from the American Medical Association (AMA) for an innovative education program designed for an elite group of medical students committed to careers in primary care.
UC Davis nursing school celebrates 2013 graduation
June 14, 2013
From the class representative to the keynote speaker at the 2013 Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing Graduation Celebration, the messages included a similar theme to the Master of Science in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership graduates: Be the nurses who lead improvements in health care.
LGBT questions to become standardized demographic elements in electronic health records
June 13, 2013
UC Davis Health System will become the first academic health system in the country to incorporate sexual orientation and gender identity as standard demographic elements within the electronic health records for its patients.
Top grad helps address health-care disparities
June 11, 2013
The University of California, Davis, thinks Nicole Sitkin is going to go places and have an impact on the world — it has named her this year's University Medalist as the top graduating senior.
Reducing unnecessary and high-dose pediatric CT scans could cut associated cancers by 62 percent
June 10, 2013
A study examining trends in X-ray computed tomography (CT) use in children in the United States has found that reducing unnecessary scans and lowering the doses for the highest-dose scans could lower the overall lifetime risk of future imaging-related cancers by 62 percent. The research by a UC Davis Health System scientist is published online today in JAMA Pediatrics. It is accompanied by a journal editorial. [en español]
UC Davis a longtime leader in appropriate CT scanning in children
June 10, 2013
UC Davis has a long history of research pertaining to appropriate CT scanning in children with trauma, and the risks to children of unnecessary CT scans. This work has been performed through its leadership in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the only federally funded pediatric emergency care research network in the U.S., co-founded by Nathan Kuppermann, chair of the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine and an internationally respected pediatric emergency medicine physician.
UC Davis Children's Hospital re-verified as a level I pediatric trauma center
June 6, 2013
UC Davis Children's Hospital has been re-verified as a level I Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons, making it one of only three level I Pediatric Trauma Centers in California and the only one between the Oregon border and Los Angeles.
Researchers find diminished balance in those with poor vision
June 6, 2013
UC Davis Health System Eye Center research has found that visually impaired individuals and those with uncorrected refractive error — those who could benefit from glasses to achieve normal vision but don't wear glasses — have a significantly greater risk of diminished balance with their eyes closed on a compliant, foam surface than individuals with normal vision.
Epidemiology doctoral student wins award from American Telemedicine Association
June 6, 2013
Nikki Yang, a Ph.D. candidate in the UC Davis Graduate Group in Epidemiology, recently won the 2013 Student Paper Award from the American Telemedicine Association.
UC Davis nursing school opens applications for new nurse practitioner, physician assistant programs
June 5, 2013
The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis expands its graduate programs this summer to include master's-degree offerings for aspiring nurse practitioners and physician assistants with a focus on preparing primary-care providers for rural and underserved communities.
Emergency medicine faculty honored at national meeting
June 4, 2013
Three members of the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine were honored recently for their achievements and leadership at this year's annual Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) meeting in Atlanta.
Lack of awareness limits use of flexible career policies in academia
June 3, 2013
To attract and maintain a diverse, qualified academic workforce, institutions of higher education should have — and promote — policies to help balance career and family life, according to an article published by UC Davis researchers in the June 2013 issue of Academic Medicine.
Code Blue training initiative pulsates with innovation and success
June 3, 2013
Working to improve cardiac arrest training — training for what are called "Code Blue" events — a multidisciplinary UC Davis Health System team has created a novel initiative that takes advantage of the university's high-tech simulation facilities and equipment and its highly regarded emergency and trauma-care expertise.
May 2013
First-year medical student wins prestigious pathology award
May 31, 2013
First-year UC Davis medical student Amrita Krishnamurthy has won the 2013 Hematology Opportunities for the Next-Generation of Research Scientists Award, also known as the HONORS Award, from the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
School-located vaccination programs could reduce flu cases and deaths among children
May 31, 2013
Offering flu vaccines at elementary schools could expand vaccination rates and reduce costs, according to a new study reported in the scientific journal Vaccine by researchers from UC Davis Health System; the Monroe County, N.Y., Department of Public Health; University of Rochester Medical Center; and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [en español]
UC Davis professors honored for excellence and achievement
May 30, 2013
Two UC Davis School of Medicine faculty have been recognized with the C. John Tupper Prize for Excellence in Teaching and the Hibbard Williams Extraordinary Achievement Award as part of this year's commencement events.
Mann designated Fellow of Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh and London
May 30, 2013
Nirmal S. Mann, professor in the UC Davis Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, has been designated as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh and London.
Father and son to present their respective cancer research at ASCO
May 29, 2013
What started as a dinner-table conversation between a teen and his father has become a bonafide cancer research study for Matthew Lara, a Davis High School sophomore and the son of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center medical oncologist and researcher Primo (Lucky) Lara Jr.
Health differences explain most geographic variation in Medicare costs
May 28, 2013
Wide geographic variation in Medicare costs is largely explained by health differences across communities rather than inefficient care delivery, according to a study published online today in the SAGE journal Medical Care Research and Review.
UC Davis hosts Veterans and Diversity Career Fair on June 3
May 28, 2013
UC Davis will host its first Veterans and Diversity Career Fair on Monday, June 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento. The event is free and open to the general public.
Two UC Davis physicians honored as health-care heroes
May 24, 2013
Two UC Davis Health System faculty were recognized today as 2013 Health Care Heroes by the Sacramento Business Journal for their outstanding achievements in making a difference in the health of the Sacramento region. Psychiatrist Robert Hales was recognized in the mental health practitioner category and cardiologist Amparo Villablanca was recognized in the researcher category.
Hales named Health Care Hero by Sacramento Business Journal
May 24, 2013
Robert Hales, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has been named a Health Care Hero by the Sacramento Business Journal. The honor was announced today.
UC Davis Latino mental health expert to appear on PBS documentary
May 23, 2013
Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, a UC Davis physician and internationally renowned expert on mental health and other conditions that frequently impact underserved populations, will appear in a documentary titled "A New State of Mind: Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness," set to air Thursday, May 30, at 9 p.m. on Sacramento PBS station KVIE-Channel 6.
UC Davis researchers receive grant to study neurodegenerative disease FXTAS
May 22, 2013
Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain have received a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct the first long-range study of the mental and psychological decline that accompanies the age-related neurological disorder fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, or FXTAS.
New STEPS program to support children with acute or chronic life-limiting illnesses at UC Davis Children's Hospital
May 21, 2013
A comprehensive new program at UC Davis Children's Hospital brings together an array of services to support children and adolescents with acute or chronic life-limiting illnesses and their families.
Past trauma, poor understanding of health-care services common among Sacramento Iraqi refugees
May 20, 2013
Past trauma and a lack of understanding of the U.S. health-care system are key factors affecting the mental and physical health of Iraqi refugees in Sacramento, according to a new report released by UC Davis' Center for Reducing Health Disparities and Clinical and Translational Science Center, as well as Opening Doors Inc. and the Mesopotamia Organization (MESO) — two community groups that serve refugee populations.
Study identifies new approach to improving treatment for MS and other conditions
May 17, 2013
Working with lab mice models of multiple sclerosis (MS), UC Davis scientists have detected a novel molecular target for the design of drugs that could be safer and more effective than current FDA-approved medications against MS.
One million dollar incentive program for rural e-health information exchange launched
May 16, 2013
The California Health eQuality (CHeQ) program, managed by the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI), has launched a new $1 million Rural Health Information Exchange Incentive Program to help physicians, clinics and hospitals in rural California implement technologies that enable the secure and reliable exchange of health information to improve health-care quality, lower costs and achieve federal meaningful use criteria.
Fenton recognized for cancer research with the 2013 Joan Oettinger Memorial Award
May 15, 2013
Joshua Fenton, a UC Davis associate professor of family and community medicine, is the recipient of the UC Davis School of Medicine's 2013 Joan Oettinger Memorial Award for his research in cancer screening and prevention and his dedication to improving the quality of health-care services.
UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities receives $1 million grant from Covered California
May 15, 2013
The UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities has received a $1 million grant from Covered California, the state's health insurance marketplace, to provide outreach and education to underserved populations about obtaining health insurance.
Hertz-Picciotto and Baumler receive 2013 School of Medicine Research Award
May 15, 2013
UC Davis faculty members Irva Hertz-Picciotto and Andreas Baumler have been selected to receive the 2013 UC Davis School of Medicine Research Award.
Children's Hospital patient to appear on Animal Planet series
May 14, 2013
Cable television channel Animal Planet was at UC Davis Children's Hospital last week to produce an episode of the series "Monsters Inside Me" about Precious Reynolds, the Humboldt County grade-schooler who in 2011 became the third person in the United States known to have survived rabies infection.
Unions resist pension reforms, call for strike May 21-22 at UC medical centers
May 14, 2013
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union announced on Friday (May 10) that it is asking UC patient care and service employees to strike at UC medical centers on May 21 and 22. The strike is scheduled to start at 4 a.m. on May 21 and continue until 3:59 a.m. on May 23.
UC Davis receives awards to study new treatments for childhood diseases
May 13, 2013
Three researchers from the University of California, Davis, are among the scientists selected to receive Individual Biomedical Research Awards from The Hartwell Foundation this year. The awards recognize early-stage, innovative and cutting-edge biomedical research that has the potential to benefit children in the U.S. and beyond
Tailoring pulmonary rehabilitation could improve outcomes for women with COPD
May 10, 2013
—One of the most effective treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — pulmonary rehabilitation — could potentially work even better if programs were designed based on gender, according to a UC Davis pulmonary physician.
Free hepatitis B screenings offered on May 19
May 10, 2013
Asian Americans and adult children of foreign-born Asian Americans are invited to a free hepatitis B screening event Sunday, May 19 at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Brodie is president-elect of American Neurotology Society
May 10, 2013
Hilary Brodie, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, is the president of the American Neurotology Society. He began his term as president of the society May 1.
UC Davis researchers identify mechanism for controlling calcium influx in cells
May 8, 2013
When brain cells are overwhelmed by an influx of too many calcium molecules, they shut down the channels through which these molecules enter the cells. Until now, the "stop" signal mechanism that cells use to control the molecular traffic was unknown. In the new issue of the journal Neuron, UC Davis Health System scientists report that they have identified the mechanism. Their findings are relevant to understanding the molecular causes of the disruption of brain functioning that occurs in stroke and other neurological disorders.
UC Davis radiation oncology chief leads development of new prostate cancer guideline
May 7, 2013
Based on a major effort co-led by UC Davis prostate cancer expert Richard Valicenti, the nation's leading urological and radiation oncology organizations today announced a new guideline for radiation therapy after prostatectomy.
First UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center distinguished lecture to explore artistry in dementia
May 7, 2013
"Portraits of Artists with Dementia" is the topic of the first UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center Distinguished Lecture, to be presented by Bruce L. Miller, director of the UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, on Thursday, May 23. The lecture will be presented from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the UC Davis MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento. The discussion is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.
UC Davis Medical Center named mother-baby friendly workplace
May 6, 2013
UC Davis Medical Center has been named a recipient of the Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace Award from the Breastfeeding Coalition of Greater Sacramento, an affiliate of the California Breastfeeding Coalition. Each year, the coalition presents the award to local organizations that have been nominated by their employees to demonstrate appreciation for businesses that go 'above and beyond' to support their breastfeeding employees. The award will be presented on May 13 at 11 a.m. on the North Steps of the State Capital.
Ubiquitous engineered nanomaterials cause lung inflammation, study finds
May 6, 2013
A consortium of scientists from across the country has found that breathing ultrafine particles from a large family of materials that increasingly are found in a host of household and commercial products, from sunscreens to the ink in copy machines to super-strong but lightweight sporting equipment, can cause lung inflammation and damage.
Lecture by University of Washington bioethics chair set for May 16
May 3, 2013
Wylie Burke, professor and chair of the Department of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, will speak on Thursday, May 16, as part of the UC Davis Bioethics Distinguished Lecture series.
UC Davis recognized as a top school for family medicine
May 3, 2013
The American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP) has recognized UC Davis School of Medicine as one of the nation's top 10 schools for graduating medical students who go on to family medicine residencies.
UC Davis faculty awards reception set for May 14
May 3, 2013
The Academic Senate and Academic Federation of UC Davis will come together on May 14 to present their highest faculty honors. Pain medicine specialist Scott Fishman and public health advocate Joy Melnikow of UC Davis Health System will be recognized for distinguished public service.
Mannis recognized for contributions to ophthalmology
May 2, 2013
Mark J. Mannis, director of the UC Davis Eye Center, has been named to the University of Florida College of Medicine's Wall of Fame.
April 2013
Commentary calls for greater transparency in highlighting social value of research
April 29, 2013
In a commentary published in the May issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, UC Davis bioethicist Mark Yarborough proposes that more information about the social value of individual research studies be made available to patients during the informed consent process so they are more aware of the degree to which a study has the potential to improve health for all.
MIND Institute, Yale study finds abnormalities in the placentas of children at risk for autism
April 24, 2013
A study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Yale University School of Medicine has found that more than 95 percent of the placentas of infants who are among those at the greatest risk for developing autism contained abnormal cells, called trophoblast inclusions, suggesting that the abnormality may hold promise as a very early marker for autism risk.
Calendar announcement: Get your legs ready for summer
April 23, 2013
UC Davis Health System vascular specialists provide the latest cosmetic and therapeutic treatments for varicose and spider veins.
Health-care worker visits increase hepatitis B screening rates for Hmong Americans
April 23, 2013
In the first study of its kind, lay health workers increased screening rates for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and knowledge about the disease among a group of Asian Americans, known as the Hmong, UC Davis researchers have found. The study appears online today in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
UC Davis ophthalmology resident receives national fellowship award
April 23, 2013
UC Davis ophthalmology resident Bobeck Modjtahedi has been awarded one of this year's prestigious Heed Fellowships. A graduate of UC Davis and UC Davis School of Medicine, Modjtahedi will finish his residency training at the UC Davis Eye Center in June and then continue postgraduate training at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston.
Epidemiologist to give lecture on connections between autism risk factors and health-care claims
April 22, 2013
Epidemiologist Craig Newschaffer of Drexel University will discuss "Autism Outcomes and Risk Factors: What Can We Learn from Health-Care Claims?" during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
Immunological factors, genes, and the environment in autism
April 18, 2013
The UC Davis MIND Institute will host an update for parents and health-care professionals on research exploring the growing body of evidence suggesting associations between environmental mechanisms, immunological susceptibility and autism on Saturday, June 1.
Farmers market comes to UC Davis Health System
April 16, 2013
UC Davis Health System launches a weekly farmers market on May 16, reflecting a national trend that expands access to fresh, locally grown produce sold directly to consumers.
Mammogram tool improves some breast cancer detection but also increases false alarms
April 15, 2013
A costly and widely used mammography add-on increases detection of noninvasive and early-stage invasive breast cancer but also makes more mistakes than mammography alone, researchers from UC Davis and the University of Washington have found. [en español]
Women with advanced vascular disease have more complications but not common risks
April 12, 2013
Research by UC Davis physicians has found that women with a severe arterial condition that restricts circulation to arms and legs are at greater risk than men of experiencing a heart attack or stroke yet are less likely to have a history of heart disease or diabetes — common risk factors for major cardiovascular events.
School of Nursing doctoral candidate wins prestigious Doris Duke Charitable Foundation fellowship
April 12, 2013
Sheridan Miyamoto, a doctoral candidate in the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Degree Program at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, was awarded a prestigious Doris Duke Fellowship for the Promotion of Child Well-Being. Miyamoto is one of just 15graduate students nationwide selected for the award this year.
Study finds physicians often receive no information about harmful effects of medicines
April 10, 2013
More often than not, family doctors receive little or no information about the harmful effects of medicines during clinic visits by pharmaceutical sales representatives ("sales reps"), according to an international study involving physicians in the United States, Canada and France.
Growing Up Latino and Surviving to 25 slated for April 23
April 9, 2013
"Growing Up Latino and Surviving to 25," a panel discussion exploring the mental-health challenges faced by Latino youth in the United States, will be held at UC Davis on April 23 and moderated by award-winning journalist and host of the National Public Radio program "Latino USA" Maria Hinojosa. [en español]
Tian receives international investigator award for brain function studies
April 9, 2013
Lin Tian, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine, is one of 28 scientists worldwide awarded a 2013 Young Investigator Grant from the Human Frontier Science Program to better understand the complex mechanisms of living organisms.
Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic
April 9, 2013
The most recent in a series of studies from a team at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has shown that a single molecule is at the heart of one of the most basic survival tactics of prostate cancer cells.
Minocycline, an antibiotic, improves behavior for children with fragile X syndrome
April 8, 2013
Minocycline, an older, broad-spectrum antibiotic in the tetracycline family, provides meaningful improvements as a therapeutic for children with fragile X syndrome, a study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. The finding is important, the researchers said, because minocycline is readily available by prescription.
UC Davis neurosurgeons launch clinical trial for acute spinal cord injury
April 3, 2013
Spinal surgeons at UC Davis Health System are enrolling individuals immediately following spinal cord injury in a multi-center clinical trial of an investigational compound that is being tested to determine whether it can protect and regenerate the spinal nerves after catastrophic injury.
Fatty acid metabolite shows promise against cancer in mice
April 2, 2013
A team of UC Davis scientists has found that a product resulting from a metabolized omega-3 fatty acid helps combat cancer by cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients that fuel tumor growth and spread of the disease.
UC Davis MIND Institute's Rogers receives prestigious Autism Centers of Excellence award from the NIH
April 2, 2013
Autism researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have received a prestigious $13 million award from the National Institutes of Health to establish an Autism Center of Excellence and Treatment Network, making the MIND Institute one of only nine such centers in the United States.
March 2013
UC Davis researchers discover how cells distinguish friend from foe
March 31, 2013
Researchers at UC Davis have shown how the innate immune system distinguishes between dangerous pathogens and friendly microbes. Like burglars entering a house, hostile bacteria give themselves away by breaking into cells. However, sensing proteins instantly detect the invasion, triggering an alarm that mobilizes the innate immune response. This new understanding of immunity could ultimately help researchers find new targets to treat inflammatory disorders. The paper was published in Nature on March 31.
Opposites attract: How cells and fragments move in electric fields
March 28, 2013
Like tiny, crawling compass needles, whole living cells and cell fragments orient and move in response to electric fields — but in opposite directions, scientists at the University of California, Davis, have found.
Development of the brain's networks topic of next MIND Institute Distinguished Lecture
March 27, 2013
Bradley L. Schlaggar of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will discuss "Development of the Brain's Functional Networks" during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
New insights into how genes turn on and off
March 27, 2013
Researchers at UC Davis and the University of British Columbia have shed new light on methylation, a critical process that helps control how genes are expressed. Working with placentas, the team discovered that 37 percent of the placental genome has regions of lower methylation, called partially methylated domains (PMDs), in which gene expression is turned off. This differs from most human tissues, in which 70 percent of the genome is highly methylated.
UC Davis stem cell scientist wins elevator pitch challenge
March 27, 2013
UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler has added a unique honor to his curriculum vitae: He is among the winners of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine's (CIRM) first-ever Elevator Pitch Challenge, which were announced today.
Earl Wolfman, first Department of Surgery chair, dies at 86
March 26, 2013
Earl Frank Wolfman, Jr., the first chair of the UC Davis Department of Surgery, died on March 3 in Elk Grove, Calif., at the age of 86.
Abbeduto receives grant to study language acquisition in fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome
March 26, 2013
A team of researchers led by UC Davis MIND Institute Director Leonard Abbeduto will investigate the effectiveness of testing procedures to examine the spoken language development of people with fragile X syndrome and people with Down syndrome, through a new five-year, $3 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.
Study shows that blocking an inflammation pathway prevents cardiac fibrosis
March 21, 2013
New research from UC Davis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that blocking an enzyme that promotes inflammation can prevent the tissue damage following a heart attack that often leads to heart failure.
UC Davis research advances efforts to prevent dangerous blood clots
March 20, 2013
New research from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, published in the Journal of Surgical Research, may help clinicians determine which patients are at highest risk for post-surgical blood clots in the legs or lungs.
UC Davis study calls for research on the efficacy and safety of vena cava filters
March 19, 2013
An evaluation of practice patterns in California hospitals showed a large variation in the use of metal devices called inferior vena cava filters, or VCFs, despite little evidence of their safety and effectiveness. Led by UC Davis physicians, the study demonstrated that patients in larger, urban and private hospitals with more than 400 beds were most likely to be treated with one of the metal devices, which are placed intravenously to prevent pulmonary embolism.
UC Davis Medical Center named one of top hospitals with great oncology programs
March 19, 2013
UC Davis Medical Center has been named one of "100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs" by Becker's Hospital Review, a national publication geared to hospital and health system leaders.
UC Davis Medical Center awarded for efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care
March 18, 2013
UC Davis Medical Center's expansive, highly successful collection of race, ethnicity and language data from its patients has received a "Best Overall Project" award for 2012-13 from the Disparities Leadership Program.
Highest percentage of UC Davis School of Medicine graduates in a decade pursue primary-care residencies
March 18, 2013
Nearly half of the 107 medical students graduating from UC Davis in June will enter primary-care medicine residency programs, the highest percentage in more than a decade, demonstrating the school's ongoing commitment to alleviating the nationwide shortage of providers in the specialty.
Sleep study reveals how the adolescent brain makes the transition to mature thinking
March 15, 2013
A new study conducted by monitoring the brain waves of sleeping adolescents has found that remarkable changes occur in the brain as it prunes away neuronal connections and makes the major transition from childhood to adulthood.
"Come Out for Health Week" planned for March 25-28
March 12, 2013
In honor of the 11th annual National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Health Awareness Week, UC Davis Health System will host its first "Come Out for Health" week March 25-28, targeting people from diverse backgrounds. This LGBT and diversity health awareness week will feature a lecture and film series, focusing on reducing health disparities and promoting health for all. All events are free of charge.
Researchers discover key biochemical step to heart failure, new therapies on horizon
March 12, 2013
Some 5.8 million Americans suffer from heart failure, a currently incurable disease. But scientists at Temple University School of Medicine's Center for Translational Medicine and UC Davis Health System have discovered a key biochemical step underlying the condition that could aid the development of new drugs to treat and possibly prevent it.
Study to examine mental-health effects of Mexican parents' deportation on their American children
March 12, 2013
How the deportation of undocumented Mexican migrants affects their American-born children, who are faced with either going with their parents to Mexico or remaining in the land of their birth without them, is an issue of paramount importance as the nation engages in discussion of comprehensive immigration reform ― and is the subject of groundbreaking new research by The University of Texas, Austin, UC Davis Health System and the National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico. [en español]
U.S. News & World Report ranks UC Davis School of Medicine among nation's best
March 12, 2013
U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Davis School of Medicine among America's best medical schools for the quality of its educational programs in primary care and research. The news magazine's annual listing appeared today on the publication's website and will be published in its 2014 guidebook, "America's Best Graduate Schools."
Large study finds that physician gender does not affect patient-care costs or mortality
March 11, 2013
Female doctors' patients do not use health-care services more or die less frequently than patients treated by male doctors, a prospective, observational study by researchers at UC Davis Health System has found.
Gun retailers take a hard line on illegal firearm sales, UC Davis survey finds
March 11, 2013
A scientific survey of more than 1,600 gun retailers in the U.S. has found that gun buyers frequently try to make illegal purchases and that gun retailers take a dim view of fellow sellers who engage in illegal activity — regardless of whether they are actively breaking the law or simply looking the other way.
New firearms law and mortality study fails to guide next steps
March 6, 2013
In an invited commentary, Garen Wintemute, an emergency medicine physician and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, discusses important limitations of a new firearms and crime study linking firearms laws with lower firearm-related deaths.
UC Davis MIND Institute holds National Autism Awareness Month activities
March 5, 2013
April is National Autism Awareness Month and the UC Davis MIND Institute, an institute respected internationally for its groundbreaking research into therapies for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, is holding a series of free, inclusive events in recognition of the month-long observance. The events also mark the 15-year anniversary of the MIND Institute, founded in 1998.
Rogers honored for "Breaking the Glass Ceiling"
March 5, 2013
Sally J. Rogers, UC Davis professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, was honored on Monday during the Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards of the California Legislative Women's Caucus. The awards celebrate the successes of California women in breaking barriers in the fields of science, technology, the arts, the judiciary and beyond. The ceremony was part of the Assembly's celebration of Women's History Month during the Floor Session.
UC Davis scientist wins prestigious grant to explore cancer spread and stem cell function
March 1, 2013
Frederic A. Troy, II, professor and chair emeritus of biochemistry and molecular medicine, has received a globally competitive research grant from the Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience to better understand structural changes associated with metastasis of adult cancer cells and stem cells.
February 2013
Nurse scientist Nilda Peragallo to speak at annual UC Davis nursing school lecture
February 28, 2013
Nurse scientist Nilda (Nena) Peragallo, one of the nation's foremost researchers in HIV/AIDS risk reduction and prevention in Latinos, will discuss health disparities and the recruitment and retention of minority scientists as the featured speaker at the 2013 Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Lecture Series: Leading Change, Advancing Health from 4 to 5 p.m. March 6 at the UC Davis Sacramento campus.
Sacramento leaders come together as champions of women's heart health
February 26, 2013
Crystal Ching has no family history of heart disease. She is under 50. Her cholesterol is low. She maintains a healthy weight. Yet she has heart disease.
A new role for microglia
February 26, 2013
In a surprise breakthrough, researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and their colleagues have found that microglia remove healthy neural progenitor cells (NPCs) through phagocytosis to control neuron production during brain development. This newly discovered mechanism keeps neuron numbers in check, preventing brain overgrowth. The discovery could open up new avenues for brain research and lead to therapies for a variety of neurological conditions.
Neurobiologist Paul Patterson to give lecture on gut-brain-immune connections in autism
February 25, 2013
Neurobiologist Paul Patterson, the Anne P. and Benjamin F. Biaggini Professor of Biological Sciences at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, will discuss "Gut-Brain-Immune Connections: Modeling an Environmental Risk Factor for Autism," during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
Cake marks end of therapy for pediatric cancer patient
February 21, 2013
The UC Davis Pediatric Infusion Center started a new tradition Wednesday with the presentation of a beautifully frosted cake in honor of the end of therapy for one young cancer patient.
Carmichael receives $100,000 grant to study vascular brain disease, Alzheimer's
February 21, 2013
Beginning in midlife, heart disease leads to subtle blood-flow problems in the brain that develop insidiously, gradually damaging neurons and contributing to cognitive decline. Knowledge of clinically silent blood-flow problems in the brain has led to the "healthy heart, healthy mind" hypothesis that preventing or treating heart disease also may help prevent age-associated cognitive decline.
Background checks, permanent records needed for all firearm transfers, not just gun sales by retailers
February 20, 2013
Gun violence in the United States can be substantially reduced if Congress expands requirements for background checks on retail gun sales to cover firearm transfers between private parties, a new report by the director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program concludes.
First-year student wins Virginia Toombs, M.D. Memorial Scholarship
February 20, 2013
Karina Chavez, a first-year student at the UC Davis School of Medicine, is the 2012-13 recipient of the Virginia Toombs, M.D. Memorial Scholarship.
Mushroom-supplemented soybean extract shows therapeutic promise for advanced prostate cancer
February 20, 2013
A natural, nontoxic product called genistein-combined polysaccharide, or GCP, which is commercially available in health stores, could help lengthen the life expectancy of certain prostate cancer patients, UC Davis researchers have found.
First-year student wins Julita A. Fong Scholarship
February 19, 2013
A first-year student has been named as the winner of an annual scholarship provided to women medical students at the UC Davis School of Medicine.
Pharmacologist to test new therapy for protecting diabetics from heart failure
February 15, 2013
A UC Davis pharmacologist has been awarded a two-year, $95,000 Innovation Award from the American Diabetes Association to find out if blocking the pancreatic hormone amylin can reduce diabetic heart failure.
Gershwin honored by international immunology association
February 12, 2013
UC Davis researcher M. Eric Gershwin has been recognized with the first Vasco da Gama Award for Explorations in Autoimmunity by Medinterna Association, an international organization dedicated to improving therapeutic strategies for immune-system diseases.
Dennis Matthews elected SPIE fellow
February 12, 2013
Dennis Matthews, professor emeritus at UC Davis and director of the NSF Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology, was elected a SPIE fellow for achievements in biophotonics innovation and commercialization. SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies.
Children's Hospital, Cancer Center get major boost for Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department
February 11, 2013
A program that provides children with support through education, play, music and art received a big boost Friday with the gift of $56,360 from the Spirit of Halloween Superstores.
Gun violence prevention experts call for more physician involvement
February 11, 2013
A new commentary in the Annals of Internal Medicine from researchers with The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research and University of California, Davis, calls for more physician engagement in the current gun policy dialogue.
Vascular brain injury greater risk factor than amyloid plaques in cognitive aging
February 11, 2013
Vascular brain injury from conditions such as high blood pressure and stroke are greater risk factors for cognitive impairment among non-demented older people than is the deposition of the amyloid plaques in the brain that long have been implicated in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, a study by researchers at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at UC Davis has found.
Scientists find key to growth of "bad" bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease
February 7, 2013
Scientists have long puzzled over why "bad" bacteria such as E. coli can thrive in the guts of those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causing serious diarrhea. Now UC Davis researchers have discovered the answer—one that may be the first step toward finding new and better treatments for IBD.
Experimental gene therapy treatment for duchenne muscular dystrophy offers hope for youngster
February 7, 2013
Jacob Rutt is a bright 11-year-old who likes to draw detailed maps in his spare time. But the budding geographer has a hard time with physical skills most children take for granted ― running and climbing trees are beyond him, and even walking can be difficult. He was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne when he was two years old.
UC Davis enhances nurse practitioner, physician assistant program to offer master's degrees
February 6, 2013
Already, a majority of UC Davis nurse practitioner and physician assistant graduates go on to work as primary-care providers in underserved areas and with hopes of further increasing these rates, the program will offer master's degrees beginning with classes that enroll this summer.
Are deaf and hard of hearing physicians getting the support they need?
February 5, 2013
Deaf and hard of hearing (DHoH) people must overcome significant professional barriers, particularly in health care professions. A number of accommodations are available for physicians and other health providers, such as electronic stethoscopes and closed-captioning technologies, but are these approaches making a difference?
Generous, hungry donors get an early taste of National Pancake Day
February 1, 2013
Generous – and hungry – donors at UC Davis Children's Hospital were treated on Feb. 1 to a great breakfast on the run as a preview of IHOP National Pancake Day and to benefit the children's hospital and Children's Miracle Network (CMN).
Needless abdominal CT scans can be avoided in children, study says
February 1, 2013
A study of more than 12,000 children from emergency departments throughout the country in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) has identified seven factors that can help physicians determine the need for a computed tomography (CT) scan following blunt trauma to the abdomen. Because CT scans pose radiation hazards for youngsters, the findings may enable doctors to determine which children do not need to be exposed to such tests after a traumatic injury.
Second-year student wins Habbas Scholarship
February 1, 2013
Gaber Saleh, a second-year medical student, has won the 2012-13 Amin and Nancy Habbas Scholarship, established to help high-achieving students of Arab origin enrolled at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Saleh has received a $1,000 scholarship.
New radiation oncology device reduces treatment times, increases safety
February 1, 2013
With radiation oncology treatments, the goal is to hit the tumor with as much ionizing X-ray energy as possible, while sparing adjacent, healthy tissue.
January 2013
Catherine Lord, internationally respected autism researcher, to give Distinguished Lecture
January 31, 2013
Catherine Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, will discuss "Longitudinal Studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder" during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
A quilt for life
January 30, 2013
Quilts are often given to celebrate a life change such as a marriage or the birth of a baby. Marilyn Jackson's latest quilt celebrates much more: a life saved. On January 30, she presented UC Davis cardiothoracic surgeon David Cooke with a quilt she made for his 3½ year old daughter, Audrey.
Muscular dystrophy group awards neuromuscular research grant to UC Davis team
January 28, 2013
A New Jersey-based nonprofit organization, the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), has awarded UC Davis physician Craig McDonald $175,000 to expand ongoing international research into better understanding the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and determine the benefits of current standards of care that have been established by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Three UC Davis recipients awarded fellowships from UC innovation center
January 28, 2013
Three UC Davis researchers are among the 10 new recipients of fellowships awarded by the University of California's Center for Health Quality and Innovation. Representing five UC campuses, the recipients received the fellowships to support projects to improve the quality and value of care delivered by UC Health.
Making policy changes to reduce gun violence
January 28, 2013
Research by Garen Wintemute, director of the Violence Prevention Research Program and professor of emergency medicine at UC Davis, forms the basis for several recommendations put forward earlier this month at the summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America, an event organized by the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health that brought together 20 of the world's leading gun-policy experts representing the fields of law, medicine, public health, advocacy and public safety to summarize relevant research and its implications for policymakers and concerned citizens.
Biggest weight losers don stylish clothing after doffing pounds
January 25, 2013
When it comes to weight-loss surgery, Rafael Torres is happy to be a role model for others, even when it means becoming a model for the latest in fashion. The 41-year old Sacramento resident plans to proudly show off his new, healthy physique at UC Davis Medical Center's 10th annual bariatric fashion show.
Enhanced training in primary care thanks to state support
January 25, 2013
The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) has awarded more than $300,000 to UC Davis training programs to help ensure a robust primary health-care workforce in California.
Oxford immunologist to discuss the potential of HIV vaccines
January 24, 2013
Professor Sir Andrew McMichael of the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom will be the UC Davis School of Medicine's 2013 Nelson Scientific Lecturer. He will speak on "T-cell immune responses against HIV-1: Can they be harnessed by vaccines?"on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at noon in Davis and at 5 p.m. in Sacramento.
UC Davis scientist receives funding from Shriners Hospitals for Children for juvenile arthritis research
January 18, 2013
Iannis Adamopoulos, a researcher dedicated to studying diseases of the immune and skeletal systems, has received $1 million in grants from Shriners Hospitals for Children to find new treatment targets for juvenile arthritis — the most common cause of orthopaedic disability among children.
UC Davis nursing school dean appointed to statewide primary care committee
January 18, 2013
Heather M. Young, associate vice chancellor for nursing at UC Davis and founding dean at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, joined more than a dozen health-care leaders in San Jose Jan. 15 to launch the California Advanced Primary Care Institute (CAPCI), a multi-pronged effort to improve the appeal of primary care as a career choice for health professionals and also elevate the performance of primary-care teams.
UC Davis' CHeQ program awards contract to better manage state's electronic immunization records
January 17, 2013
The California Health eQuality (CHeQ) program, managed by the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI), has awarded a $417,011 contract to Scientific Technologies Corporation (STC), a population health informatics service company based in Tucson, Ariz.. STC, in collaboration with CHeQ and the California Department of Public Health, will develop an immunization "gateway" that allows health-care providers throughout most of California to electronically submit patient immunization records for routing to state regional immunization registries and ultimately will enable secure access by doctors, schools, day-care centers and parents who need the information.
UC Davis medical student honored with national leadership award
January 16, 2013
Olivia Marie Campa, a third-year medical student at UC Davis, will receive the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation's 2013 Leadership Award for outstanding non-clinical leadership skills in advocacy, community service and education at the annual Excellence in Medicine Awards ceremony on February 11, 2013 in Washington, D.C. [en español]
Low levels of common flame-retardant chemical damages brain cells
January 16, 2013
A common ingredient in flame retardants, BDE-49 accumulates in human blood, fat and breast milk. Despite these concentrations, little research has been done on the chemical's potential health risks. However, a study by scientists at the UC Davis MIND Institute is shedding new light on BDE-49's potential danger to brain health. The study showed that even tiny amounts of the compound damage neural mitochondria, the energy plants that power our cells. The chemical, quite literally, reduces brain power.
Philip Palmer, founding faculty member of UC Davis medical school, internationally known advocate of broad access to radiology, dies at 91
January 11, 2013
Dr. Philip E.S. Palmer, emeritus professor of radiology and the first director of diagnostic radiology at the UC Davis School of Medicine, died on Jan. 3. He was 91 years old.
MIND Institute researchers receive grants from Autism Speaks
January 11, 2013
Two internationally respected UC Davis MIND Institute researchers have received grants from Autism Speaks, a national autism advocacy and science organization, to study autism from two different perspectives.
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Joaquin Community Hospital affiliate for cancer care
January 11, 2013
Residents of Kern County, where cancer rates overall are higher than the state average, will now have access to the expertise and experience of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers and clinicians through a new hospital affiliation. [en español]
UC Davis study deflates notion that pear-shaped bodies more healthy than apples
January 10, 2013
People who are "apple-shaped" — with fat more concentrated around the abdomen — have long been considered more at risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes than those who are "pear shaped" and carry weight more in the buttocks, hips and thighs. But new research conducted at UC Davis Health System published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism provides further evidence that the protective benefits of having a pear body shape may be more myth than reality. [en espanol]
Students to hold first Davis Dance Marathon
January 10, 2013
A dance craze that is sweeping the nation and will benefit sick children is coming to UC Davis for the first time.
School of Nursing hosts leadership event with award-winning journalist Suzanne Gordon
January 10, 2013
Suzanne Gordon, an award-winning journalist and author and a visiting professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, spoke to more than 100 students, faculty and community members Wednesday evening at a leadership event at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.
Knoepfler Lab names Roman Reed "Stem Cell Person of the Year"
January 10, 2013
UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler has named Roman Reed as his first "Stem Cell Person of the Year" awardee.
Researchers to scale Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for fragile X research
January 10, 2013
UC Davis Professors Paul and Randi Hagerman have devoted their lives to finding cures for a host of disorders that all spring from an inherited defect on the X chromosome that causes lifelong intellectual disability in children, tremors in older men and reproductive problems in women.
UC Davis reproductive health leader honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
January 9, 2013
Jeanne Conry, associate clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and an alumna of the UC Davis School of Medicine, today was honored by United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson as an environmental health champion for her national leadership to advance understanding of the risk to reproductive health of exposures to environmental toxins.
Next Minds Behind the MIND lecture to focus on Down syndrome
January 7, 2013
Recent estimates place the prevalence of Down syndrome at 1 in 691 births, making it the leading known genetic cause of intellectual disability. During the January UC Davis MIND Institute "Minds Behind the MIND" presentation, researchers will provide an update on what is known about Down syndrome, its impact on the individual and their family, and possible treatments.
UC Davis study links low wages with hypertension, especially for women and younger workers
January 3, 2013
Workers earning the lowest wages have a higher risk of hypertension than workers with the highest wages, according to new research from UC Davis. The correlation between wages and hypertension was especially strong among women and persons between the ages of 25 to 44.
Tiny infant has a big impact on his community
January 3, 2013
Though nicknamed "Tiny" by his family, an infant treated at UC Davis Children's Hospital in 2011 is having a big effect on the lives of children with congenital heart disease in Sacramento and on his community.
MIND Institute lecture explores gap between autism detection and intervention
January 3, 2013
Wendy L. Stone, director and Susan & Richard Fade Endowed Chair at the University of Washington Autism Center in Seattle, will discuss "From Early Detection to Early Intervention: Bridging the Gap in Autism Services" during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
Gary Small, New York Times best-selling author, to speak on Alzheimer's disease
January 2, 2013
New York Times best-selling author Gary Small, professor of psychiatry at UCLA and one of the world's leading physician/scientists in the fields of memory and longevity, will present a special lecture titled "Alzheimer's Prevention Strategies for Keeping Your Brain Healthy," on Monday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m. in the UC Davis MIND Institute auditorium.