UCSF News

Aspirin May Fight Cancer by Slowing DNA Damage

louise.chu — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:09:00 +0000

Aspirin is known to lower risk for some cancers, and a new UCSF-led study points to a possible explanation, with the discovery that aspirin slows the accumulation of DNA mutations in abnormal cells in at least one pre-cancerous condition.

Key Protein is Linked to Circadian Clocks, Helps Regulate Metabolism

louise.chu — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:33:00 +0000

Researchers at the UCSF-affiliated Gladstone Institutes have discovered how one important protein falls under direct instructions from the body’s circadian clock and how this protein regulates fundamental circadian processes.

Lisa Kroon Named Chair of UCSF Department of Clinical Pharmacy

louise.chu — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Lisa Kroon, PharmD, has been named the new chair of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy within the UCSF School of Pharmacy, effective July 1.

Kroon has served as interim chair of the department since July 2012, when the previous chair, B. Joseph Guglielmo, PharmD, became interim dean and later dean of the School of Pharmacy.

Memory-Boosting Chemical Is Identified in Brains of Mice

louise.chu — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Memory improved in mice injected with a small, drug-like molecule discovered by UCSF researchers studying how cells respond to biological stress.

Renowned UCSF Pain Researcher Awarded Prestigious Biomedical Research Prize

louise.chu — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:28:00 +0000

David Julius, PhD, who uses natural molecules found in tarantulas and hot chili peppers to study pain, has been named the winner of the 2013 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.

AMA Awards $1M to UCSF to Transform Physician Training

louise.chu — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:29:00 +0000

The UCSF School of Medicine is one of 11 medical schools that’s been selected by the American Medical Association (AMA) to receive $1 million over five years to develop and implement innovative curricula around the best medical practices.

Supreme Court Rules That Human Genes Can’t Be Patented

louise.chu — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:39:00 +0000

The scientific community at UCSF is reacting positively to the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling that human genes cannot be patented.

UCSF School of Dentistry Graduates Class of 2013

lisa — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:00:00 +0000

The UCSF School of Dentistry celebrated commencement on June 7 as students in the dental hygiene and dental class of 2013 received their degrees at a ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall.

Diabetes Researcher Joins Prestigious Community of Pew Scholars

rbaker — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:48:00 +0000

UC San Francisco's Shingo Kajimura, PhD, is one of 22 of the nation’s most enterprising researchers named Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The scholarships provide flexible funding to early-career scientists researching the basis of perplexing health problems — including diabetes, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer.

Residents Launch Pediatric Blog to Foster Conversation About Children's Health

rbaker — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:17:00 +0000

Third-year resident Rhea Boyd, MD, and chief resident Jessica Schumer, MD, created a blog for the Department of Pediatrics to better understand the role social media can play in an academic medical center.

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Ranked Among Nation’s Best

louise.chu — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:01:00 +0000

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital ranks among the nation's best children's hospitals in nine specialties, according to the 2013-2014 Best Children's Hospitals survey by the U.S. News Media Group.

School of Medicine Revamps Curriculum to Reflect Changing Health Practice

louise.chu — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:45:00 +0000

A low-key revolution is taking place at UCSF that aims to do nothing less than change the way medical students learn and patients receive care. It is called the UCSF Bridges Curriculum Redesign.

Men With Prostate Cancer Should Eat Healthy Vegetable Fats

rbaker — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:29:00 +0000

Men with prostate cancer may significantly improve their survival chances with a simple change in their diet, a new UCSF-led study has found.

Alzheimer’s and Low Blood Sugar in Diabetes May Trigger a Vicious Cycle

louise.chu — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:21:00 +0000

A new UCSF-led study looks at the close link between diabetes and dementia, which can create a vicious cycle.

UCSF Vice Chancellor Named Interim Vice Provost of Academic Affairs

rbaker — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:45:00 +0000

J. Renee Navarro, MD, PharmD, vice chancellor of Diversity and Outreach, has been appointed interim vice provost of Academic Affairs while an internal recruitment to fill the position is underway.

J. Renee Navarro, MD, PharmD

Scientists Map Process by Which Brain Cells Form Long-Term Memories

rbaker — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have deciphered how a protein called Arc regulates the activity of neurons – providing much-needed clues into the brain’s ability to form long-lasting memories.

Early Riser: Profile of Surgeon Nancy Ascher

rbaker — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:16:00 +0000

The pace at which Nancy Ascher, UCSF’s first female chair of surgery and one of the nation's top doctors, propels through every day is the velocity required for the steep ascent of a remarkable career.

Experts Call Attention to Disparities of Social Security Benefits Among LGBT Families

louise.chu — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:13:00 +0000

A panel of experts at UCSF is calling attention to the fact that Social Security fails to provide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples and their families with the same benefits that heterosexual couples and their children receive.

Two-Year-Old Matthew Ouimet Gets New Kidney, Liver at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital

louise.chu — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:48:00 +0000

After waiting more than a year for a kidney and liver transplant, 2-year-old Matthew Ouimet now has his two new organs after surgery at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

Sleep Study Finds Important Gender Differences Among Heart Patients

rbaker — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:48:00 +0000

A new UCSF study finds that poor sleep – particularly waking too early – appears to play a significant role in raising unhealthy levels of inflammation among women with coronary heart disease.

UCSF Faculty, Non-Represented Staff to Receive Salary Hikes

lisa — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:39:00 +0000

UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann today announced that effective July 1, 2013, the University of California will implement systemwide salary increases for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

UCSF Joins Global Alliance for Genomic Health

rbaker — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:36:00 +0000

UCSF has joined nearly 70 other health care, research and patient advocacy organizations in a global alliance to enable researchers and physicians around the world to share genomic and clinical data.

Parnassus Campus Courtyard Caffé to Close This Summer

rbaker — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:42:00 +0000

The Courtyard Caffe at the UCSF Parnassus campus will close this summer.

Q&A With Director of UCSF's K Scholars Program

louise.chu — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:01:00 +0000

UCSF is working across disciplines to develop collaborative and creative leaders, and one example its K Scholars program, which brings together junior faculty from all UCSF schools who are committed to building careers in clinical and translational research.

Investigating a Link Between Oral Health and Kidney Function

louise.chu — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:50:00 +0000

Researchers are investigating the connection between gum infections and kidney disease, a new and emerging field of study.

Looking for Asthma Clues in the Wood Stoves of Honduras

louise.chu — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:05:00 +0000

In the search for clues on the global increase of asthma rates, Joshua Galanter, MD, is turning to the Olancho region of Honduras, an area with high rates of asthma compared to the rest of the world.

Antibiotic Resistance Is Focus of New Nationwide Network Led by UCSF, Duke

rbaker — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Investigators at Duke Medicine and UCSF have been selected to oversee a nationwide research program on antibacterial resistance, which will focus on the growing unmet challenges associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.

ER Patients Unlock Vital Info to Treating Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

louise.chu — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:38:00 +0000

Cutting-edge research led in part by UCSF's Carolyn Calfee, MD, is opening the door to the possibility of diagnosing and treating Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome before it becomes life-threatening.

Free Skin Cancer Screening Draws Hundreds on Sunny San Francisco Day

louise.chu — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:47:00 +0000

The turnout for this year's free skin cancer screening hosted by the UCSF Department of Dermatology made it one of the most successful. The blazing Saturday sun may have been an appropriate reminder about the importance for getting checked.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Announce Oncology Innovation Alliance

rbaker — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:50:00 +0000

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONXX) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center today announced the formation of the Oncology Innovation Alliance (OIA), a public-private partnership focusing on the discovery and development of novel therapies and their potential role in treating various types of hematologic cancers and solid tumors.

UCSF CEO Urges Academic Medical Centers to Embrace Profound Changes

rbaker — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:37:00 +0000

Mark Laret, chief executive officer of UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, says academic medical centers “must embrace profound, meaningful changes to time-honored, treasured and now increasingly ineffective and unaffordable ways of carrying out our missions.”

Novel Research Program Dares Scientists to Dig Deeper, Defy Status Quo

louise.chu — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:35:00 +0000

UCSF’s Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research “dares our scientists to dig deeper, ask tougher questions, and invent novel ideas and approaches that defy the status quo."

MEDIA ADVISORY: UCSF Holds Symposium on Social Security Inequities for LBGT Families

louise.chu — Fri, 31 May 2013 00:05:00 +0000

WHAT: UC San Francisco will hold a special symposium, “Living Outside the Safety Net: LGBT Families & Social Security,” in which a panel of experts will discuss disparities in Social Security laws for same-sex couples and their children.

African-American, Latino Children Drink More Sugary Fruit Juice Than Their White Peers

louise.chu — Thu, 30 May 2013 23:47:00 +0000

While there's been a steep decline in kids’ consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in California, African-American and Latino children may be replacing soda with 100 percent fruit juice while their white peers are not, according to a new UCSF study.

Can Wellness Cure?

rbaker — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:31:00 +0000

UCSF has long led the way in demonstrating the positive effects of living a healthy lifestyle. Turns out, a healthy lifestyle can not only keep illness at bay, but it may even stop a disease like cancer dead in its tracks.

UCSF Research Festival Showcases Innovative Projects By Students, Residents

louise.chu — Wed, 29 May 2013 21:53:00 +0000

The academic endeavors and innovative research that distinguish UC San Francisco were on display earlier this month at the 12th annual Inter-School Research and Scholarly Activity Festival.

Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation Partners with UCSF to Expand Drug Discovery Capabilities

rbaker — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:42:00 +0000

Pfizer has announced the expansion of its Centers for Therapeutic Innovation into the development of small-molecule drug candidates through a partnership with UCSF.

Graduate Division Salutes Achievements of Master’s, Doctoral Students

rbaker — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:30:00 +0000

At this year's Graduate Division commencement ceremony, UCSF celebrated the achievements of 104 master’s students, 43 doctoral students in physical therapy, and 121 PhD students.

MEDIA ADVISORY: UCSF Offers Free Skin Cancer Screening

louise.chu — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:38:00 +0000

WHAT: The UC San Francisco Department of Dermatology is offering free skin cancer screenings. No appointment is necessary and no insurance is required.

WHEN: Saturday, June 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The screenings will take approximately 30 minutes.

WHERE: Castro Mission Health Center
3850 17th Street at Noe Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

UC Asks for Feedback About Proposed IT Accessibility Policy

lisa — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:22:00 +0000

The University of California is seeking input on a proposed systemwide policy on information technology (IT) accessibility.

UCSF Opens New Pediatric Emergency Department

rbaker — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:32:00 +0000

UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital opened a new pediatric emergency department on the Parnasssus campus in April to help fill the need for child-focused emergency services in San Francisco.

UCSF Students Form Nonprofit to Improve Health in Nicaragua

rbaker — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:51:00 +0000

UCSF classmates Noah Hawthorne and Kris Coontz graduated this month from the School of Medicine after starting a nonprofit dedicated to improving health care for people in Nicaragua.

MEDIA ADVISORY: UCSF Holds Special Event to Honor Breakthrough Biomedical Research

louise.chu — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:02:00 +0000

UCSF will commemorate the 15th anniversary of a unique scientific research program that fosters basic science projects of potentially high impact, allowing scientists to be creative and to take risks.

Depression Linked to Telomere Enzyme, Aging, Chronic Disease

rbaker — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:32:00 +0000

UCSF researchers have found that activity of an enzyme called telomerase is greater, on average, within cells of the immune systems of individuals untreated for major depression.

Depth of Field: UCSF Students Drawn to San Francisco's Legacy of Social Justice

rbaker — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:23:00 +0000

The many ways in which UCSF students reach out to the community are as diverse as San Francisco itself, from combating Hepatitis B to hosting radio shows about science careers.

Strike Impacts Medical Services at UCSF

louise.chu — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:57:00 +0000

UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, which treat some of the most critically ill patients, has prepared for the two-day strike by working to reduce the number of patients in the hospitals by half.

Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research to Celebrate 15 Years

rbaker — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:15:00 +0000

A program that fosters basic science projects of potentially high impact that allow researchers to be creative, risky, and transformative is celebrating 15 years of discovery at UCSF.

Court Issues Injunction Limiting Strike at UC Medical Centers

rbaker — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:06:00 +0000

In response to a request filed by the California Public Employment Relations Board, a judge today issued an injunction limiting the number of union employees that may strike UC medical centers.

UCSF School of Medicine Sends Newly Minted Doctors into the World

rbaker — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Marking a significant milestone in the lives of medical students, the UCSF School of Medicine conferred doctor of medicine degrees to the Class of 2013 during a commencement ceremony on May 16.

UCSF Seeks Nominations for Awards that Foster, Support Diversity

lisa — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:41:00 +0000

UCSF is requesting nominations for the Chancellor Diversity Awards highlighting the contributions individuals make in the advancement of disability service, diversity, GLBT leadership and women.