Discover | Teach | Heal

45th edition | July 2026 Dear Colleagues, UC Irvine School of Medicine has completed our Commencement and Hooding Ceremonies, and summer is now here. For many of us, it’s a time of rest and reflection before the upcoming academic year begins. Read the Dean's Full Message School of Medicine Dean Michael J. Stamos, MD, Appointed As Interim Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs Dean Stamos will succeed Steve Goldstein, MD, PhD, who has accepted a new role as president of the University of New Mexico. Read More

Oswald Steward, PhD, is Awarded Prestigious 2026 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience Oswald Steward, PhD, is the founding and current director of UC Irvine’s internationally renowned Reeve-Irvine Research Center. Read More   UC Irvine Launches Nation's First Multischool Depression Research Institute The Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries will formally unite multiple academic schools in a coordinated effort to address depression. Read More

Researchers Develop a Potential Blood Test for Diagnosing ALS UC Irvine researchers are part of an international team developing a new blood test to diagnose ALS and track its progression. Read More   CBD to Alleviate 'Chemo Brain' in Cancer Survivors A new study suggests that CBD can help treat “brain fog” for people with cancer-therapy-related cognitive impairments (CRCI). Read More

Researcher Secures Nearly $4 Million NIH Grant to Help End Genital Herpes Lbachir BenMohamed, PhD, receives an NIH grant to develop and test a novel therapeutic vaccine designed to prevent recurrent genital herpes. Read More   Sounding the Alarm: A New Strategy in Cancer Therapy Researchers have identified a mechanism that could enhance both DNA damage and inflammatory signaling in tumor cells, potentially improving cancer treatment response. Read More

New Screening Approach Advances Understanding of Defective Alternative RNA Processing Researchers carried out the largest screening of RNA-binding proteins, providing new links between alternative RNA processing and diseases, including cancer. Read More   Utah's Stricter 0.05 BAC Limit Significantly Reduces Drunk Driving Fatalities A study led by Federico E. Vaca, MD, shows that lowering the legal alcohol limit can save lives, providing timely evidence to other states considering similar laws. Read More

Creatively Integrating Medical Ethics, Sociology and Humanities into Clinical Care Changes to the Medical Ethics, Sociology and Humanities (MESH) course help future physicians broaden their understanding of clinical care. Read More   Celebrating Patient Problem Solvers: 2026 UC Irvine Graduate Hooding Ceremony MD/PhD candidate Emily Tom spoke to fellow graduates about persistence and curiosity and about problem-solving for the next generation. Read More

2026 Faculty Research and Mentoring Awards The event celebrated groundbreaking achievements in basic science and clinical research, excellence in mentoring, and contributions with a lasting impact on their fields. Read More   2026 Graduate Medical Education Award Recipients Staff and faculty members were recognized for their exceptional support and dedication to UC Irvine Graduate Medical Education. Read More

UCI Health Celebrates 50 Years An unwavering commitment to its mission — Discover. Teach. Heal. — has spurred its transformation from a single hospital into one of California’s largest academic health systems. Read More   Valery Vilchez Parra, MD, Receives 40 Under 40 Award The National Hispanic Medical Association honored the colorectal surgeon and researcher for her leadership and commitment to Hispanic health. Read More

First Patient Receives Neural Stem Cell Therapy in Huntington’s Disease Clinical Trial If the trial is successful, it could allow those who have Huntington’s Disease to live independently longer and reduce long-term care costs.  Read More   The Problem with Good Enough: One Neurosurgeon's Push for Better Tools Ichiro Yuki, MD, designed a hydrogel material intended to move through tiny blood vessels without it sticking to the catheter delivering it. Read More

UCI Health Named Healthcare Design 10 Outstanding Organization Earlier this month, UCI Health was also awarded the Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, placing it among North America’s top health systems for sustainability. Read More   Peer Support Program Unites Colleagues Across Disciplines The program provides confidential support and resources to colleagues who have experienced stressful occupational events, such as adverse patient outcomes, malpractice lawsuits or other challenging workplace experiences. Read More

Should Your Pet Be in Hospice? | NPR First In-Human Stem Cell Therapy Trial for Huntington’s Disease Begins at UCI Health | Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News UC Irvine Neurobiologist Had His ‘A-Ha’ Moment in 1981. Now He’s Won the Prestigious Kavli Prize |The Orange County Register  Estrogen Levels in Both the Male and Female Brain May Shape Memory’s Resilience in Face of Stress | Live Science Ear Ringing and the Residual Self | Psychology Today SEE ALL NEWS July 24-25: Fifth Annual Spine by the Sea Symposium July 31: Center for Neuropolitics Lecture Series: The Hostility Habit: How Partisan Expectations Shape Political Conflict  Aug 7: White Coat Ceremony ​​​​​​Aug 17-19: CNCM 2026 Conference: Neural Circuits in Health & Disease Oct. 10: 10th Annual Anti-Cancer Challenge SEE ALL EVENTS UC Irvine School of Medicine Strategic Plan UCI Health SOMNews@uci.edu

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