Publications
News releases
Welcome to the UC Davis Health System newsroom. Below you will find the latest health and medicine news from UC Davis. You can also use the advanced search feature to find additional press releases. If you are a journalist, our news service staff is available to help identify sources for stories about patient care, research and education. Also please review important information for journalists for details about patient privacy and arranging for interviews at health system facilities.
May 2013
Hales named Health Care Hero by Sacramento Business Journal
May 24, 2013 — Robert Hales, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has been named a Health Care Hero by the Sacramento Business Journal. The honor was announced today.
UC Davis Latino mental health expert to appear on PBS documentary
May 23, 2013 — Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, a UC Davis physician and internationally renowned expert on mental health and other conditions that frequently impact underserved populations, will appear in a documentary titled “A New State of Mind: Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness,” set to air Thursday, May 30, at 9 p.m. on Sacramento PBS station KVIE-Channel 6.
UC Davis researchers receive grant to study neurodegenerative disease FXTAS
May 22, 2013 — Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain have received a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct the first long-range study of the mental and psychological decline that accompanies the age-related neurological disorder fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, or FXTAS.
MIND Institute lecture focuses on autism risk genes
May 21, 2013 — Renowned geneticist Stephen Scherer, who holds the GlaxoSmithKline-Canadian Institutes of Health Research Endowed Chair in Genome Sciences at The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, will discuss “Interpreting the Many Autism Risk Genes” during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
Past trauma, poor understanding of health-care services common among Sacramento Iraqi refugees
May 20, 2013 — Past trauma and a lack of understanding of the U.S. health-care system are key factors affecting the mental and physical health of Iraqi refugees in Sacramento, according to a new report released today (May 20) by UC Davis’ Center for Reducing Health Disparities and Clinical and Translational Science Center, as well as Opening Doors, Inc. and the Mesopotamia Organization (MESO) — two community groups that serve refugee populations.
Study identifies new approach to improving treatment for MS and other conditions
May 17, 2013 — Working with lab mice models of multiple sclerosis (MS), UC Davis scientists have detected a novel molecular target for the design of drugs that could be safer and more effective than current FDA-approved medications against MS.
One million dollar incentive program for rural e-health information exchange launched
May 16, 2013 — The California Health eQuality (CHeQ) program, managed by the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI), has launched a new $1 million Rural Health Information Exchange Incentive Program to help physicians, clinics and hospitals in rural California implement technologies that enable the secure and reliable exchange of health information to improve health-care quality, lower costs and achieve federal meaningful use criteria.
Fenton recognized for cancer research with the 2013 Joan Oettinger Memorial Award
May 15, 2013 — Joshua Fenton, a UC Davis associate professor of family and community medicine, is the recipient of the UC Davis School of Medicine’s 2013 Joan Oettinger Memorial Award for his research in cancer screening and prevention and his dedication to improving the quality of health-care services.
UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities receives $1 million grant from Covered California
May 15, 2013 — The UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities has received a $1 million grant from Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, to provide outreach and education to underserved populations about obtaining health insurance.
Hertz-Picciotto and Baumler receive 2013 School of Medicine Research Award
May 15, 2013 — UC Davis faculty members Irva Hertz-Picciotto and Andreas Baumler have been selected to receive the 2013 UC Davis School of Medicine Research Award.
Unions resist pension reforms, call for strike May 21-22 at UC medical centers
May 14, 2013 — The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union announced on Friday (May 10) that it is asking UC patient care and service employees to strike at UC medical centers on May 21 and 22. The strike is scheduled to start at 4 a.m. on May 21 and continue until 3:59 a.m. on May 23.
Children's Hospital patient to appear on Animal Planet series
May 14, 2013 — Cable television channel Animal Planet was at UC Davis Children’s Hospital last week to produce an episode of the series “Monsters Inside Me” about Precious Reynolds, the Humboldt County grade-schooler who in 2011 became the third person in the United States known to have survived rabies infection.
UC Davis receives awards to study new treatments for childhood diseases
May 13, 2013 — Three researchers from the University of California, Davis, are among the scientists selected to receive Individual Biomedical Research Awards from The Hartwell Foundation this year. The awards recognize early-stage, innovative and cutting-edge biomedical research that has the potential to benefit children in the U.S. and beyond
Tailoring pulmonary rehabilitation could improve outcomes for women with COPD
May 10, 2013 — —One of the most effective treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — pulmonary rehabilitation — could potentially work even better if programs were designed based on gender, according to a UC Davis pulmonary physician.
Free hepatitis B screenings offered on May 19
May 10, 2013 — Asian Americans and adult children of foreign-born Asian Americans are invited to a free hepatitis B screening event Sunday, May 19 at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Brodie is president-elect of American Neurotology Society
May 10, 2013 — Hilary Brodie, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, is the president of the American Neurotology Society. He began his term as president of the society May 1.
UC Davis researchers identify mechanism for controlling calcium influx in cells
May 8, 2013 — When brain cells are overwhelmed by an influx of too many calcium molecules, they shut down the channels through which these molecules enter the cells. Until now, the “stop” signal mechanism that cells use to control the molecular traffic was unknown. In the new issue of the journal Neuron, UC Davis Health System scientists report that they have identified the mechanism. Their findings are relevant to understanding the molecular causes of the disruption of brain functioning that occurs in stroke and other neurological disorders.
First UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center distinguished lecture to explore artistry in dementia
May 7, 2013 — “Portraits of Artists with Dementia” is the topic of the first UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center Distinguished Lecture, to be presented by Bruce L. Miller, director of the UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, on Thursday, May 23. The lecture will be presented from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the UC Davis MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento. The discussion is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.
UC Davis radiation oncology chief leads development of new prostate cancer guideline
May 7, 2013 — Based on a major effort co-led by UC Davis prostate cancer expert Richard Valicenti, the nation’s leading urological and radiation oncology organizations today announced a new guideline for radiation therapy after prostatectomy.
UC Davis Medical Center named mother-baby friendly workplace
May 6, 2013 — UC Davis Medical Center has been named a recipient of the Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace Award from the Breastfeeding Coalition of Greater Sacramento, an affiliate of the California Breastfeeding Coalition. Each year, the coalition presents the award to local organizations that have been nominated by their employees to demonstrate appreciation for businesses that go 'above and beyond' to support their breastfeeding employees. The award will be presented on May 13 at 11 a.m. on the North Steps of the State Capital.
Ubiquitous engineered nanomaterials cause lung inflammation, study finds
May 6, 2013 — A consortium of scientists from across the country has found that breathing ultrafine particles from a large family of materials that increasingly are found in a host of household and commercial products, from sunscreens to the ink in copy machines to super-strong but lightweight sporting equipment, can cause lung inflammation and damage.
Lecture by University of Washington bioethics chair set for May 16
May 3, 2013 — Wylie Burke, professor and chair of the Department of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, will speak on Thursday, May 16, as part of the UC Davis Bioethics Distinguished Lecture series.
UC Davis recognized as a top school for family medicine
May 3, 2013 — The American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP) has recognized UC Davis School of Medicine as one of the nation’s top 10 schools for graduating medical students who go on to family medicine residencies.
UC Davis faculty awards reception set for May 14
May 3, 2013 — The Academic Senate and Academic Federation of UC Davis will come together on May 14 to present their highest faculty honors. Pain medicine specialist Scott Fishman and public health advocate Joy Melnikow of UC Davis Health System will be recognized for distinguished public service.
Mannis recognized for contributions to ophthalmology
May 2, 2013 — Mark J. Mannis, director of the UC Davis Eye Center, has been named to the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Wall of Fame.
April 2013
Commentary calls for greater transparency in highlighting social value of research
April 29, 2013 — In a commentary published in the May issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, UC Davis bioethicist Mark Yarborough proposes that more information about the social value of individual research studies be made available to patients during the informed consent process so they are more aware of the degree to which a study has the potential to improve health for all.
MIND Institute, Yale study finds abnormalities in the placentas of children at risk for autism
April 24, 2013 — A study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Yale University School of Medicine has found that more than 95 percent of the placentas of infants who are among those at the greatest risk for developing autism contained abnormal cells, called trophoblast inclusions, suggesting that the abnormality may hold promise as a very early marker for autism risk.
Calendar announcement: Get your legs ready for summer
April 23, 2013 — UC Davis Health System vascular specialists provide the latest cosmetic and therapeutic treatments for varicose and spider veins.
Health-care worker visits increase hepatitis B screening rates for Hmong Americans
April 23, 2013 — In the first study of its kind, lay health workers increased screening rates for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and knowledge about the disease among a group of Asian Americans, known as the Hmong, UC Davis researchers have found. The study appears online today in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
UC Davis ophthalmology resident receives national fellowship award
April 23, 2013 — UC Davis ophthalmology resident Bobeck Modjtahedi has been awarded one of this year’s prestigious Heed Fellowships. A graduate of UC Davis and UC Davis School of Medicine, Modjtahedi will finish his residency training at the UC Davis Eye Center in June and then continue postgraduate training at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston.
Epidemiologist to give lecture on connections between autism risk factors and health-care claims
April 22, 2013 — Epidemiologist Craig Newschaffer of Drexel University will discuss "Autism Outcomes and Risk Factors: What Can We Learn from Health-Care Claims?” during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
Immunological factors, genes, and the environment in autism
April 18, 2013 — The UC Davis MIND Institute will host an update for parents and health-care professionals on research exploring the growing body of evidence suggesting associations between environmental mechanisms, immunological susceptibility and autism on Saturday, June 1.
Farmers market comes to UC Davis Health System
April 16, 2013 — UC Davis Health System launches a weekly farmers market on May 16, reflecting a national trend that expands access to fresh, locally grown produce sold directly to consumers.
Mammogram tool improves some breast cancer detection but also increases false alarms
April 15, 2013 — A costly and widely used mammography add-on increases detection of noninvasive and early-stage invasive breast cancer but also makes more mistakes than mammography alone, researchers from UC Davis and the University of Washington have found.
Women with advanced vascular disease have more complications but not common risks
April 12, 2013 — Research by UC Davis physicians has found that women with a severe arterial condition that restricts circulation to arms and legs are at greater risk than men of experiencing a heart attack or stroke yet are less likely to have a history of heart disease or diabetes — common risk factors for major cardiovascular events.
School of Nursing doctoral candidate wins prestigious Doris Duke Charitable Foundation fellowship
April 12, 2013 — Sheridan Miyamoto, a doctoral candidate in the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Degree Program at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, was awarded a prestigious Doris Duke Fellowship for the Promotion of Child Well-Being. Miyamoto is one of just 15graduate students nationwide selected for the award this year.
Study finds physicians often receive no information about harmful effects of medicines
April 10, 2013 — More often than not, family doctors receive little or no information about the harmful effects of medicines during clinic visits by pharmaceutical sales representatives (“sales reps”), according to an international study involving physicians in the United States, Canada and France.
Growing Up Latino and Surviving to 25 slated for April 23
April 9, 2013 — “Growing Up Latino and Surviving to 25,” a panel discussion exploring the mental-health challenges faced by Latino youth in the United States, will be held at UC Davis on April 23 and moderated by award-winning journalist and host of the National Public Radio program “Latino USA" Maria Hinojosa. [en español]
Tian receives international investigator award for brain function studies
April 9, 2013 — Lin Tian, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine, is one of 28 scientists worldwide awarded a 2013 Young Investigator Grant from the Human Frontier Science Program to better understand the complex mechanisms of living organisms.
Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic
April 9, 2013 — The most recent in a series of studies from a team at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has shown that a single molecule is at the heart of one of the most basic survival tactics of prostate cancer cells.
Minocycline, an antibiotic, improves behavior for children with fragile X syndrome
April 8, 2013 — Minocycline, an older, broad-spectrum antibiotic in the tetracycline family, provides meaningful improvements as a therapeutic for children with fragile X syndrome, a study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. The finding is important, the researchers said, because minocycline is readily available by prescription.
UC Davis neurosurgeons launch clinical trial for acute spinal cord injury
April 3, 2013 — Spinal surgeons at UC Davis Health System are enrolling individuals immediately following spinal cord injury in a multi-center clinical trial of an investigational compound that is being tested to determine whether it can protect and regenerate the spinal nerves after catastrophic injury.
Fatty acid metabolite shows promise against cancer in mice
April 2, 2013 — A team of UC Davis scientists has found that a product resulting from a metabolized omega-3 fatty acid helps combat cancer by cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients that fuel tumor growth and spread of the disease.
UC Davis MIND Institute's Rogers receives prestigious Autism Centers of Excellence award from the NIH
April 2, 2013 — Autism researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have received a prestigious $13 million award from the National Institutes of Health to establish an Autism Center of Excellence and Treatment Network, making the MIND Institute one of only nine such centers in the United States.
March 2013
UC Davis researchers discover how cells distinguish friend from foe
March 31, 2013 — Researchers at UC Davis have shown how the innate immune system distinguishes between dangerous pathogens and friendly microbes. Like burglars entering a house, hostile bacteria give themselves away by breaking into cells. However, sensing proteins instantly detect the invasion, triggering an alarm that mobilizes the innate immune response. This new understanding of immunity could ultimately help researchers find new targets to treat inflammatory disorders. The paper was published in Nature on March 31.
Opposites attract: How cells and fragments move in electric fields
March 28, 2013 — Like tiny, crawling compass needles, whole living cells and cell fragments orient and move in response to electric fields — but in opposite directions, scientists at the University of California, Davis, have found.
Development of the brain's networks topic of next MIND Institute Distinguished Lecture
March 27, 2013 — Bradley L. Schlaggar of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will discuss “Development of the Brain’s Functional Networks” during the next UC Davis MIND Institute Distinguished Lecturer Series presentation.
New insights into how genes turn on and off
March 27, 2013 — Researchers at UC Davis and the University of British Columbia have shed new light on methylation, a critical process that helps control how genes are expressed. Working with placentas, the team discovered that 37 percent of the placental genome has regions of lower methylation, called partially methylated domains (PMDs), in which gene expression is turned off. This differs from most human tissues, in which 70 percent of the genome is highly methylated.
UC Davis stem cell scientist wins elevator pitch challenge
March 27, 2013 — UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler has added a unique honor to his curriculum vitae: He is among the winners of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) first-ever Elevator Pitch Challenge, which were announced today.
Earl Wolfman, first Department of Surgery chair, dies at 86
March 26, 2013 — Earl Frank Wolfman, Jr., the first chair of the UC Davis Department of Surgery, died on March 3 in Elk Grove, Calif., at the age of 86.
Abbeduto receives grant to study language acquisition in fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome
March 26, 2013 — A team of researchers led by UC Davis MIND Institute Director Leonard Abbeduto will investigate the effectiveness of testing procedures to examine the spoken language development of people with fragile X syndrome and people with Down syndrome, through a new five-year, $3 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.
Study shows that blocking an inflammation pathway prevents cardiac fibrosis
March 21, 2013 — New research from UC Davis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that blocking an enzyme that promotes inflammation can prevent the tissue damage following a heart attack that often leads to heart failure.
UC Davis research advances efforts to prevent dangerous blood clots
March 20, 2013 — New research from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, published in the Journal of Surgical Research, may help clinicians determine which patients are at highest risk for post-surgical blood clots in the legs or lungs.
UC Davis study calls for research on the efficacy and safety of vena cava filters
March 19, 2013 — An evaluation of practice patterns in California hospitals showed a large variation in the use of metal devices called inferior vena cava filters, or VCFs, despite little evidence of their safety and effectiveness. Led by UC Davis physicians, the study demonstrated that patients in larger, urban and private hospitals with more than 400 beds were most likely to be treated with one of the metal devices, which are placed intravenously to prevent pulmonary embolism.
UC Davis Medical Center named one of top hospitals with great oncology programs
March 19, 2013 — UC Davis Medical Center has been named one of “100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs” by Becker’s Hospital Review, a national publication geared to hospital and health system leaders.
UC Davis Medical Center awarded for efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care
March 18, 2013 — UC Davis Medical Center’s expansive, highly successful collection of race, ethnicity and language data from its patients has received a “Best Overall Project” award for 2012-13 from the Disparities Leadership Program.
Highest percentage of UC Davis School of Medicine graduates in a decade pursue primary-care residencies
March 18, 2013 — Nearly half of the 107 medical students graduating from UC Davis in June will enter primary-care medicine residency programs, the highest percentage in more than a decade, demonstrating the school’s ongoing commitment to alleviating the nationwide shortage of providers in the specialty.
Sleep study reveals how the adolescent brain makes the transition to mature thinking
March 15, 2013 — A new study conducted by monitoring the brain waves of sleeping adolescents has found that remarkable changes occur in the brain as it prunes away neuronal connections and makes the major transition from childhood to adulthood.
“Come Out for Health Week” planned for March 25-28
March 12, 2013 — In honor of the 11th annual National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Health Awareness Week, UC Davis Health System will host its first "Come Out for Health" week March 25-28, targeting people from diverse backgrounds. This LGBT and diversity health awareness week will feature a lecture and film series, focusing on reducing health disparities and promoting health for all. All events are free of charge.
Researchers discover key biochemical step to heart failure, new therapies on horizon
March 12, 2013 — Some 5.8 million Americans suffer from heart failure, a currently incurable disease. But scientists at Temple University School of Medicine's Center for Translational Medicine and UC Davis Health System have discovered a key biochemical step underlying the condition that could aid the development of new drugs to treat and possibly prevent it.
Study to examine mental-health effects of Mexican parents' deportation on their American children
March 12, 2013 — How the deportation of undocumented Mexican migrants affects their American-born children, who are faced with either going with their parents to Mexico or remaining in the land of their birth without them, is an issue of paramount importance as the nation engages in discussion of comprehensive immigration reform ― and is the subject of groundbreaking new research by The University of Texas, Austin, UC Davis Health System and the National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico. [en español]
U.S. News & World Report ranks UC Davis School of Medicine among nation's best
March 12, 2013 — U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Davis School of Medicine among America's best medical schools for the quality of its educational programs in primary care and research. The news magazine's annual listing appeared today on the publication's website and will be published in its 2014 guidebook, “America's Best Graduate Schools.”
Large study finds that physician gender does not affect patient-care costs or mortality
March 11, 2013 — Female doctors’ patients do not use health-care services more or die less frequently than patients treated by male doctors, a prospective, observational study by researchers at UC Davis Health System has found.
Gun retailers take a hard line on illegal firearm sales, UC Davis survey finds
March 11, 2013 — A scientific survey of more than 1,600 gun retailers in the U.S. has found that gun buyers frequently try to make illegal purchases and that gun retailers take a dim view of fellow sellers who engage in illegal activity — regardless of whether they are actively breaking the law or simply looking the other way.
New firearms law and mortality study fails to guide next steps
March 6, 2013 — In an invited commentary, Garen Wintemute, an emergency medicine physician and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, discusses important limitations of a new firearms and crime study linking firearms laws with lower firearm-related deaths.
UC Davis MIND Institute holds National Autism Awareness Month activities
March 5, 2013 — April is National Autism Awareness Month and the UC Davis MIND Institute, an institute respected internationally for its groundbreaking research into therapies for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, is holding a series of free, inclusive events in recognition of the month-long observance. The events also mark the 15-year anniversary of the MIND Institute, founded in 1998.
Rogers honored for "Breaking the Glass Ceiling"
March 5, 2013 — Sally J. Rogers, UC Davis professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, was honored on Monday during the Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. The awards celebrate the successes of California women in breaking barriers in the fields of science, technology, the arts, the judiciary and beyond. The ceremony was part of the Assembly’s celebration of Women’s History Month during the Floor Session.
