Discover | Teach | Heal

8th Edition | April 2020 So far, this year has proven to be the most unprecedented and trying time for our entire UCI community, not to mention the world at large. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I want to take a moment to express how proud I am of each and every one of you for the commitment and dedication you have displayed throughout this crisis.  To our dedicated staff on the front-lines, our tireless researchers, our student volunteers, and those of you who continue to support our mission by working from home or at off-site locations, you have my complete admiration. Together, we have demonstrated how teamwork, and how all of us contributing to a common goal, can lead to new discoveries and new solutions for diagnosing, treating and monitoring, and caring for people as we battle this deadly disease.   Read More

Campus labs making sample-preserving fluid for COVID-19 test kits 'Mini task force' of UCI researchers responds to urgent need at medical center; organizes to synthesize viral transport media, a liquid used to preserve coronavirus testing samples. Read More   Study finds modifiable risk factors could play a role in Alzheimer’s disease Amyloid is a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease, but the accumulation of these sticky proteins may not be the only risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.  Read More

Purified, prescription-strength fish oil could prevent thousands of cardiovascular events each year UCI researchers conduct a statistical analysis that predicts more than 70,000 adverse cardiovascular events could be prevented each year in the U.S. through the use of a highly purified fish oil therapy. Read More   UCI researcher receives $3.5 million grant to study older adults diagnosed with dementia Researchers at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, were awarded a five year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study a type of dementia called hippocampal sclerosis (HS) that often mimics Alzheimer’s. Read More

New UCI-led study reveals how skin cells prepare to heal wounds UCI researchers published the first comprehensive overview of the major changes that occur in mammalian skin cells as they prepare to heal wounds.  Results from the study provide a blueprint for future investigation into pathological conditions associated with poor wound healing, such as in diabetic patients. Read More   New discovery may drive better immunotherapies to treat breast cancer New cancer immunotherapy approaches are revolutionizing treatment options for breast cancer patients.  However, many lead to insufficient immune responses rendering the therapies incapable of completely eradicating tumors. Read More

Zombie scanning enables researchers to rapidly study peptide-receptor interactions on the cell surface Hijacking the cell machinery allows rapid studies of peptide variants to expose mechanisms of action.  Read More Skin and non-adhesive cells on the skin’s surface found to play pivotal role in the formation of fingers and toes New discovery reveals how congenital malformation involves more than just the insufficient removal of the connective tissue as previously thought.  Read More Bifunctional nanobodies proven effective at protecting against botulinum neurotoxins including Botox Study reveals potential for developing novel antibody-based antitoxins against botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), including the most commonly used, yet most toxic one, Botox. Read More Low oxygen levels in the heart predispose people to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias Discovery offers new targets for therapies aimed at preventing sudden death caused by heart attacks. Low oxygen levels in the heart have long been known to produce life-threatening arrhythmias, even sudden death.  Until now, it was not clear how.  Read More UCI has two teams in annual Stat Madness contest STAT Madness is an annual competition that brings together the biggest and best science ideas of the year. The contest is a bracket style, head-to-head match-up and votes determine the winner. It’s similar to basketball’s March Madness, but for science. Two of our UCI School of Medicine researchers were among the 64 finalists. Read More Philip Kiser, PhD awarded Pisart award in vision science Dr. Philip Kiser, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, is the recipient of the Pisart Award in Vision Science given by the Lighthouse Guild. Read More

Interdisciplinary team designs, tests, produces and delivers 5,000 units to medical center in 17 days Two first year medical students, Tim McMullen and Ermin Dzhic, led a week-long effort with six volunteers to cut and assemble 5,000 face shields for UCI Medical Center staff.  The students partnered with the UCI Beall Applied Sciences to utilize laser printers to cut the materials for the shields. Read More   PRIME-LC students help Hispanic community during COVID-19 pandemic As  COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, healthcare statistics have shown a wide disparity amongst the Hispanic and African American population when it comes to the virus. In New York, the Hispanic community has the highest death rate among COVID-19 cases, according to the New York Department of Health.  Read More

Medical students help out in community and collect over 25,000 pieces of PPE equipment First year medical student Jaspal Bassi organized the drives with classmates and is being supported by 40 volunteers. So far, the group has collected thousands of surgical masks and N95s, hundreds of goggles, disposable gowns, face shields and boxes of gloves, packages of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers Read More   2020 Virtual Match Day  On the morning of Friday, March 20, 91 graduating medical school students participated in annual Match Day activities, marking the beginning of their careers as doctors as they learn where they will serve as resident physicians after earning their M.D.s in May. Read More

Donovan A. Argueta, PhD selected as UC President's Postdoc Fellow Donovan A. Argueta, PhD has been selected as a 2020 University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellow. His proposed research will study pleasure-induced modulation of endocannabinoids in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Read More   Leslie Thompson, PhD named Donald Bren Professor Leslie Thompson, PhD, a UCI faculty member internationally acclaimed for her work on the fight against Huntington’s disease has been awarded the title of Donald Bren Professor. Read More

Student ophthalmology team wins Volk award The second Volk Visionary winner has been awarded to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Ophthalmology Medical Student Research Team.  Read More Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, PhD selected for 2020 MEHP excellence award Congratulations to Dr. Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, associate vice chancellor and vice dean of medical education, who has been selected as the recipient of the 2020  Masters of Education in the Health Profession (MEHP) Graduating Fellow Excellence Award from Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Read More

Chad Lefteris appointed CEO of UCI Health  Chad T. Lefteris has been appointed as chief executive officer of UCI Health, effective immediately. He has been serving as chief operating officer since 2018.  Read More   UCI team creates bridge ventilator UCI surgeon Brian Wong and anesthesiologist Govind Rajan are partnering with Tom Milner, acting director of the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, to conceive and drive the design and creation of what they call a “bridge” ventilator.  Read More

UCI Health launches therapeutic clinical trial for COVID-19 UCI Health clinicians have launched a clinical trial to test the efficacy of the antiviral drug remdesivir as a potential therapy for COVID-19. Read More   Medical students help out in UCI Health commissary  With clinicians and staff putting in extra hours during the COVID-19 response, UCI established a commissary to help staff with basic food and household supply needs.  Read More

Jim Mazzo receives the Ellis Island Medal of Honor  Jim Mazzo, member of the UCI foundation board and the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute steering committee has been chosen to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2020.  Read More   Henri Leinonen receives Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc grant Henri Leinonen, PhD, DPharm, postdoctoral scholar in the Center for Translational Vision Research was awarded a $70,000 Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc grant.  Read More

Doctors race to develop coronavirus drug, speeding through hurdles Could a blood test for Coronavirus antibodies get California back to normal? UCI med students hold community drive UCI medical students kick off supply drive to help hospital's healthcare workers UCI Med Students step up to help collect masks and PPE Where California stands with Coronavirus testing right now A Beginner's Guide to CBD: What Is It and How It Works April 23 - Crash Course in Special Education  May 8 - UCI Brain & Kidney Symposium  May 13 - UCI School of Medicine Achievement Night (Details to be announced)  May 30 - Commencement (Details to be announced) June 3 - Giving Day    See All Events UCI School of Medicine UCI Health SOMNews@uci.edu

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