July 2021  14th Edition
A Message from the Dean

As the COVID-19 restrictions lift around California, and we move full force into summer, the UCI campus and School of Medicine are humming with activity.  

On June 5th, we watched as 104 new physicians entered the world of healthcare, ready to take on new challenges and start their residencies. It was our second annual drive-through graduation, and we were thrilled to have UCI President Michael Drake, MD, as our guest speaker. Check out this year’s highlights.
 
Discover Row 1
Philip Felgner, PhD, chosen for prestigious award in Spain
Philip Felgner, director of the UCI Vaccine Research and Development Center, was one of seven scientists whose contributions to creating COVID-19 vaccines was chosen for the Princess of Asturias award in Spain for scientific research.
 
Study finds cellular stress associated with Huntington’s disease
A new study finds that the persistence of a marker of chronic cellular stress, previously associated with diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, also takes place in the brains of Huntington’s disease patients.
 
Discover Row 2
Vladimir Kefalov, PhD, joins UCI Departments of Ophthalmology and Physiology & Biophysics
After a nationwide search, world renowned researcher, Vladimir Kefalov, PhD, has joined UCI Departments of Ophthalmology and Physiology & Biophysics.
 
Low levels of a sugar metabolite associates with disability and neurodegeneration in MS
Findings from a study, led by Michael Demetriou, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), may help identify patients at risk of multiple sclerosis disease progression and neurodegeneration.
 
Discover Row 3
Study reveals new therapeutic target for C. difficile infection
A new study paves the way for the development of next generation therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), the most frequent cause of healthcare-acquired gastrointestinal infections and death in developed countries.
 
Can endocannabinoids improve life expectancy in dialysis patients?
New UCI-led study finds long-term dialysis patients with higher levels of natural endocannabinoids have a lower mortality rate, pointing to a potential path for reversing poor life expectancy rates among people with end-stage kidney disease.
 
Discover 1 Article Rows
UCI-led study sheds light on mysterious genotype-phenotype associations
New data contributes to knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying many human complex traits and diseases
 
Rongsheng Jin, PhD tackles Botox bacteria
When the average American thinks about Botox, they imagine injections that deliver wrinkle-free foreheads and migraine relief.
 
Teach Row 1
2021 ICTS Summer Mentoring and Research Training (SMART) Awardees
The Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) is pleased to announce the NIH NIDDK T-35 SMART program award recipients.
 
Medical Student Class of 2021 Honors and Awards
The UCI Department of Medical Education recently honored medical students for their outstanding efforts in the areas of academics, research, service and the humanities.
 
Teach Row 2
School of Medicine student finally becomes a doctor after 22 years
After 22 years, Axana Rodriguez-Torres finally fulfilled her dream of becoming a physician. She walked across the stage to be hooded and receive her diploma on June 5, 2021.
 
LEAD-ABC program graduates first three students
In June, the LEAD-ABC program saw its first three students graduate: Kaosoluchi Enendu, Sean Williams and Kelley Butler.
 
Teach Row 3
Dynamic Womxn of UCI Awardees announced
The Dynamic Womxn of UCI Awards event celebrated and honored the incredible womxn who are leaders and role models actively making a difference in our community.
 
2020-2021 Mentorship Awards
The School of Medicine is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020-2021 Mentorship awards, recognizing excellence and innovation in faculty mentoring at the UCI School of Medicine.
 
Heal Row 1
Chao family gifts for UCI Health cancer care top $50 million
With its current gift, longtime UCI Health benefactors, the Chao family, have committed $50 million since 1995 to UCI Health toward advancing cancer care in Orange County and beyond.
 
UCI Medical Center named an age-friendly health system
UCI Medical Center has been awarded the highest designation for excellence in caring for older hospitalized patients from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
 
Heal Row 2
Brian Fargo, inXile founder, gives $1 million to advance UCI research for tinnitus treatment
Funding will support the development of innovative implantable electronic stimulation device.
 
Teens should get the COVID-19 vaccine, a UCI Health pediatric infectious disease expert tells parents
With a COVID-19 vaccine now approved for children ages 12 to 15, parents should get their kids vaccinated.
 
Heal 1 Article Rows
Game-changing technology pulverizes kidney stones
The super-pulsed thulium fiber laser can reduce even large stones to dust particles.
 
SOM in the News

Another respiratory virus is spreading as US gets back to pre-COVID-19 life

Delta-8 THC is legal in many states, but some want to ban it

Fight Fatigue by Harnessing the Power of Your Internal Clock

OC continues encouraging COVID-19 trends

Top undergrad majors at the best medical schools

New insights from study of people age 90 and above

 
Calendar

August 5 – Class of 2025 White Coat Ceremony

August 6 – Class of 2024 White Coat Ceremony

August 9 – First day of classes for the School of Medicine

September 10 – UCI Mind 32nd Annual SoCal Alzheimer's Disease Research Conference
 
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