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36th edition | September 2025 Dear Colleagues, It’s hard to believe another school year has started.  ​​​​​​ We recently welcomed 114 new medical students and watched them take their physician oaths at the 2025 White Coat Ceremony. Read More UC Irvine Expands National Leadership in Alzheimer's Research with $21 Million Grant The five-year award will support the continued work of UCI MIND’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), which has been advancing the understanding of memory impairments and engaging with the community for over 40 years. Read More

Women with Down Syndrome May Develop Alzheimer's Disease More Rapidly than Men The findings, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, can shape how we understand and approach treatments for Alzheimer’s. Read More   Spotlighting Zhina Sadeghi, MD, for Urology Awareness Month Learn how recent Rising Stars Award recipient Zhina Sadeghi, MD, cares for patients while advancing research to improve pelvic health. Read More

Advancing Gene Therapy to Address Deafness Using gene therapy to treat hereditary deafness is safe and effective in both children and adults, according to new findings from a multicenter clinical trial involving hearing scientist Fan-Gang Zeng, PhD, from the Department of Otolaryngology. Read More   Eric Vilain, MD, PhD, Appointed Vice Dean for Clinical Research Vilain currently serves as professor of pediatrics, associate vice chancellor for scientific affairs, and director of the Institute for Clinical & Translational Science, and was previously the interim director for the Master of Science in Biomedical and Translational Science (MS-BATS) program. Read More

New Insight into Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment to Improve Immunotherapy New research enhances our understanding of the complex interplay among cancer, immunotherapy and brain health, potentially leading to improved treatments and better quality of life for cancer survivors. Read More   UC Irvine Researchers Discover Drug Compounds to Block Angiogenesis in Skin and Tumors The study measured the effects of the drugs discovered by Anand Ganesan’s research team — called CDC42-effector interaction inhibitors — on blood-vessel branching. Read More

Future Physicians Welcomed at the 2025 White Coat Ceremony The Class of 2029 donned their white coats for the first time and recited the physician’s oath during the time-honored tradition of the White Coat Ceremony. Read More   Ed Monuki, MD, PhD, Appointed Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program Monuki currently serves as the Warren L. Bostick Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, where he has led the department through a decade of significant growth. Read More

Recent PhD Graduate Cuauhtemoc (Temoc) Ramirez Blends Metabolic Research and Mentorship This UC Irvine School of Medicine postdoc fellow is starting his research career driven by the impact of metabolic diseases in his own family and mentoring students as he was once mentored. Read More   Teen Driver Safety Event Held in Anaheim Federico E. Vaca, MD, MPH, collaborated with Ford Philanthropy for its signature Driving Skills for Life event at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Aug. 16-17. Participants learned to recognize hazards, handle their vehicle, and avoid the dangers of distracted and impaired driving. Read More

NIH Reinstates UC Irvine's All of Us Research Program UC Irvine has been an enrollment partner of the All of Us Research Program since 2017, and is proud to be a part of this historic effort to build one of the largest biomedical research and databases of its kind. Read More   UCI Health Marks Historic Milestone in Spine Surgery UCI Health spine surgery team has successfully performed the world’s first endoscopic spinal fusion using augmented reality (AR) technology. Read More

UCI Health — Orange Emergency Department Nationally Recognized for Nursing Quality, Innovation The hospital is just one of 100 in the U.S. to receive the 2025 Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award. Read More   UCI Health Physician Network Adds SoCal Eye as a New Affiliate This addition strengthens the academic health system’s ability to provide comprehensive, high-quality ophthalmology care. Read More

The Herb Linked to Reduced Inflammation, Lower Anxiety and Reduced Blood Sugar | The Guardian The Overlooked Symptom that Makes Depression So Hard to Treat | WebMD I Traded Booze for THC drinks. But Are There Hidden Risks? | The Guardian Memory Loss Isn’t Always Worrisome: But Here’s When It Is, What To Do | USA Today Does Breathing Actually Matter for Your Workout? | The New York Times Got a Question about Aging? UC Irvine Expert Might Have Your Answer | Orange County Register Neuromodulation Effective for Migraine With and Without Aura | Medscape SEE ALL NEWS Sept.19 – 2025 UCI CTVR Symposium: Breaking Barriers: Trailblazing Innovations in Medical Research  Sept. 20-21 – 15th Reunion for the UC Irvine School of Medicine Class of 2010 Sept. 26-27 – Third Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Conference Oct. 3-4 – UC Irvine Gavin Herbert Eye Institute 19th Annual Colloquium Oct. 11 – UC Irvine School of Medicine 60s Reunion Oct. 11 – UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge SEE ALL EVENTS UC Irvine School of Medicine Strategic Plan UCI Health SOMNews@uci.edu

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