UC Davis Health News
This is your comprehensive source for what is happening at UC Davis Health. 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. Also please review important information for journalists for details about patient privacy and arranging for interviews at health system facilities.
December 2019
Employees invited to receive free hand-crafted items for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
December 9, 2019
According to social worker Esther Lara, the gift of a blanket or shawl gives Alzheimer’s patients so much more than warmth. It has a comforting and soothing effect. Pick up an item to share.
2018 California Safety and Wellbeing Survey details firearm ownership in the state
December 6, 2019
UC Davis researchers asked Californians if they owned firearms and when, where and how they got them. They estimated 4.2 million California adults personally own a gun, and an additional 3.1 million live in a home with someone else who does. Find out more.
Out-of-state family chooses UC Davis Children's Hospital for life-changing heart procedure
December 6, 2019
Internationally renowned interventional cardiologist Frank Ing does for Katie Herrmann what others can't: perform a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure on the tiniest of patients.
New funding for high-tech approaches for detecting Alzheimer’s in women and communities of color
December 6, 2019
Machine-learning approaches to detect abnormalities in blood vessels associated with dementia and liquid biopsy-guided strategies to define dementia across disease stages are two exciting areas funded prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Sacramento Modular Railroaders thanked for almost a decade of service to UC Davis Children’s Hospital
December 6, 2019
Going to the doctor’s office is not something kids typically look forward to. Unless, that is, they’re headed to the pediatric specialty clinic at the Glassrock Building at UC Davis Health where a train runs continuously and has for years, thanks to a local group of railroad enthusiasts.
Lars Berglund is the new Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
December 5, 2019
Lars Berglund will serve as the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, effective January 1, 2020.
New memorial at School of Medicine honors those who donate their bodies to science
December 5, 2019
Medical school leaders dedicate tribute to body donation program
First of its kind study seeks to answer whether the effects of the “abortion pill” can be reversed
December 4, 2019
Women who initiate medical abortion but opt to stop in the middle of treatment may be at risk for serious blood loss, a UC Davis Health study finds.
Enroll in UC Davis' mini medical school
December 3, 2019
Get ready for UC Davis’ 18th annual Mini Medical School, the highly regarded six-week curriculum that prepares attendees for life’s second half. Enroll in the engaging series of classes, which begin Feb. 1, 2020 and run for six Saturdays.
UC Davis nursing school receives $37.5 million from Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to support nurse leaders and innovators, expand national impact
December 3, 2019
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation grants UC Davis $37.5 million to establish a national fellowship for nurse leaders and innovators.
More than 200 UC Davis Health physicians named 'Top Docs'
December 2, 2019
UC Davis Health physicians named among Sacramento Magazine's Top Docs practice in more than 60 specialty areas, including 16 pediatric subspecialties.
November 2019
Medical school training program is transforming health care in California
November 26, 2019
The UC Davis PRIME program trains medical students to better serve the state's evolving health needs
Neurological surgery professor elected as AAAS fellow
November 26, 2019
UC Davis Health neuroscientist, Robert Berman, has been elected as a AAAS fellow for his contributions to understanding traumatic brain injury, autism and Fragile-X-related disorders.
How to have heart-healthy holidays
November 26, 2019
A UC Davis Health dietitian offers guidance for making it through the holidays without compromising healthy eating goals.
Sex, drugs and arrhythmia: Modeling approaches to enable precision cardiac pharmacology
November 26, 2019
To promote cardiac safety, researchers at the GRANDi laboratory are using computer simulations to understand and predict the impact of new drugs on the cardiac cells.
Clinical trials now searchable through MyUCDavisHealth portal
November 22, 2019
Through new functionality on the web portal, UC Davis Health patients can browse studies currently seeking volunteers and take the first steps to participate in cutting-edge research.
Lung cancer screening campaign brings message to the community
November 22, 2019
UC Davis Health and community leaders join forces to kick off lung cancer screening campaign.
UC Davis Health Joins ACRP’s Clinical Research ‘Workforce Innovation Steering Committee’
November 22, 2019
UC Davis Health has joined the Association of Clinical Research Professionals as the latest member of its “Workforce Innovation Steering Committee” for improving training and development for the clinical research workforce.
Diana Farmer recognized for global leadership
November 21, 2019
UC Davis Health's leading pediatric and fetal surgeon has won a 2020 U21 Award.
UC Davis researchers recognized for being highly cited
November 21, 2019
Sixteen UC Davis researchers – six from the School of Medicine - have been recognized in the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2019 list.
Customized human milk provides targeted nutrition for premature babies
November 20, 2019
Premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UC Davis Children’s Hospital will get customized breast milk, fortified with the nutrients, thanks to a new Miris human milk analyzer machine donated by the Children’s Miracle Network.
Antibiotic resistance now poses bigger problems than previous estimates
November 18, 2019
Deadly superbugs that have developed a resistance to antibiotics are on the rise. UC Davis Health experts are helping lead efforts to address this dangerous trend.
Constantly connected: A webcam for every NICU bed
November 18, 2019
All Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds at UC Davis Children’s Hospital are now set up with a webcam, providing parents and families with a 24/7 lifeline to see their baby remotely.
Mapping the pathway to gut health in HIV and SIV infections
November 18, 2019
Study found that a strain of bacteria rapidly repaired damaged gut lining (known as leaky gut) in monkeys infected with chronic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), an HIV-like virus.
UC study estimates mild cognitive impairment among diverse Latino populations at 10%
November 17, 2019
A study of over 6,300 Latinos of Dominican, Central American, Cuban, Mexican Puerto Rican and South American heritage estimates that nearly 10% of middle-age and older Latinos in the U.S. meet the criteria for mild cognitive impairment.
Opioid prescription doses are increasingly being tapered, often more rapidly than recommended
November 15, 2019
New research shows that opioid dose tapering can occur at rates much higher than recommended, increasing the risks of withdrawal, uncontrolled pain or mental health crises.
Farmer becomes a regent of the American College of Surgeons
November 14, 2019
Diana Farmer has been elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The 24-member board formulates policy and directs the affairs of the ACS.
Lloyd Michener to share practical strategies to promote community engagement in health centers
November 14, 2019
Lloyd Michener from Duke University School of Medicine will present at the Community Engagement Seminar Series on Nov. 21 on how academic health centers can better engage their communities.
UC Davis nursing professors named distinguished gerontological educators
November 12, 2019
Three faculty from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis are recognized for their expertise in gerontological nursing.
Frederik Shic to present on everyday technologies in the lives of children with autism
November 12, 2019
Frederik Shic will present on Nov. 13 on everyday technologies in the lives of children with autism as part of the 2019 Distinguished Lecturer Series in the MIND Institute auditorium.
Q&A in urinary incontinence
November 12, 2019
In honor of Bladder Health Month, UC Davis urogynecologist Amy George shares information about urinary incontinence.
Military partnerships help advance health for all
November 8, 2019
A training partnership between UC Davis Medical Center and the U.S. Air Force, which began in 1995, has blossomed into a variety of integrated medical residency programs with the military that helps physicians stay prepared for deployment while they provide high-quality patient care here stateside in Sacramento.
Automated quitline referrals help patients give up tobacco
November 7, 2019
Electronic health record systems that house patient medical histories can also easily link them with telephone counseling services ― or quitlines ― that improve their chances of giving up tobacco.
Radiology professor awarded "Trailblazer" grant for hybrid imaging research
November 7, 2019
Guobao Wang received a "Trailblazer R21" grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to develop a new method combining positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning.
Car seat safety tips for families using rideshare services, taxis
November 7, 2019
What do families need to know when using a rideshare service like Uber and Lyft with their children?
Bay Area surgeon and healthcare executive chooses UC Davis for complex cancer surgery
November 5, 2019
After attempts to see specialists in the Bay Area failed, a San Francisco surgeon sought cancer care at UC Davis Health and is now back doing everything he loves to do.
B. infantis reduces intestinal inflammation in infants
November 4, 2019
B. infantis, a strain of probiotic bacteria, reduces intestinal inflammation in infants, a new study shows.
UC Davis Health researchers join the search for chlamydia vaccines
November 4, 2019
Laurel Beckett and Alexander “Sandy” Borowsky are part of a new research effort to develop vaccines for a common sexually transmitted disease.
VIDEO: UC Davis Children's Hospital launches virtual holiday toy drive
November 1, 2019
UC Davis Children’s Hospital will launch its first virtual holiday toy drive this year at https://toydrive.ucdavis.edu.
VIDEO: KVIE shares Emmy honors with UC Davis Health
November 1, 2019
PBS TV station KVIE presented commemorative Regional Emmy Awards today to UC Davis Health for the documentary “Beyond the Ice Bucket Challenge – Battling ALS,” which featured physicians and patients of the UC Davis Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic.
VIDEO: Trick or treating fun, country fair-style, at UC Davis Children's Hospital
November 1, 2019
Hospitalized children at UC Davis Children’s Hospital didn't miss out on trick or treating today. The children's hospital team brought the trick or treating fun to the kids.
October 2019
Eye Center resident honored for research on telemedicine and diabetic eye disease
October 31, 2019
Early diagnosis and care can decrease the risk of severe vision loss from diabetes. But less than half of the 29.1 million Americans with diabetes receive yearly eye screenings. Telemedicine can improve access to care.
UC Davis Health receives 2019 Excellence in Healthcare award
October 31, 2019
Of the 200 physician organizations in California that participated in the program, only 30 met the performance standards to receive an award for excellence.
Mini Medical School in Spanish impresses capacity crowd
October 30, 2019
UC Davis Health experts share knowledge with Spanish-speaking community at “mini medical school”
Autism diagnosis doesn't stop Abby Lone Bear from dancing
October 30, 2019
From pow wows to the Nutcracker: 9-year-old with autism dances with joy
Cardiologist brings life-saving heart care to India
October 30, 2019
Each year, UC Davis Health cardiologist Uma Srivatsa returns to her home country of India with a team of colleagues to provide arrhythmia assessments and interventions to at-risk populations.
"Anxiety and Autism" for the first lecture of 2019-20 Minds Behind the MIND series
October 28, 2019
The 2019-20 Minds Behind The MIND series begins Wednesday, Nov. 6 with a lecture by UC Davis MIND Institute psychologists on “Anxiety and Autism.”
UC Davis Children's Hospital unveils new high-tech, child-friendly ambulance
October 28, 2019
The UC Davis Children's Hospital has a new ride -- see the new Children's Hospital ambulance.
Young investigator awarded $1 million for prostate cancer research
October 28, 2019
UC Davis scientist to tackle prostate cancer with new award.
County clinic is known for great doctors and great care
October 25, 2019
Meet Stephany Sanchez, one of the UC Davis general internal medicine physicians working at the Sacramento County Primary Care Center. Sanchez says she has the best of both worlds — great patients and great colleagues.
UC Davis One Health Symposium on "Interfaces: One Health at Borders and Margins"
October 25, 2019
The 6th annual UC Davis One Health Symposium, on November 2, is to showcase projects addressing critical global health challenges, including emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and environmental pollution.
UC Davis violence prevention researcher awarded for What You Can Do initiative
October 25, 2019
Rocco Pallin, who directs an educational program for providers, is recognized for efforts to educate providers in how they can reduce firearm injury and death in their high-risk patients.
Medical Center ranked alongside pair of top Sacramento restaurants
October 25, 2019
Earlier this month, UC Davis Health joined a pair of highly regarded Sacramento restaurants, Mulvaney’s and Magpie, on the national “Good Food 100 Restaurants” list for 2019.
UC Davis nursing professor named fellow in American Academy of Nursing
October 25, 2019
Piri Ackerman-Barger, associate clinical professor Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, is named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the academy's highest honor.
Dean Allison Brashear praises clinical trials program, wants to include more patients
October 24, 2019
Dean Brashear during the UC Davis School of Medicine Office of Research Expo showcased some of the exciting research happening at the School of Medicine and called for more clinical trials to be open for patients.
Central Valley workplaces can be hostile for minority doctors
October 23, 2019
Despite the dire need for primary health care providers in California’s Central Valley, workplace discrimination and harassment can cause minority providers to change practices or leave the region entirely.
Back from the depths of postpartum depression
October 23, 2019
For the first four months of her baby’s life, Tiffany Loesch was overwhelmed by feelings of panic, anxiety and hopelessness. Luckily for Loesch, she had a family friend who had heard about Zulresso, the first intravenous (IV) drug for the treatment of postpartum depression to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2019. Loesch asked her physician about the treatment and was referred to UC Davis Medical Center.
UC Davis Health launches nurse practitioner residency program
October 23, 2019
Applications open for a new UC Davis Health nurse practitioner residency program aimed at improving skills of advanced practice providers and access for underserved patients.
UC Davis Health students receive national scholarships for primary care commitment
October 23, 2019
Two students from the UC Davis School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis receive prestigious national scholarships.
Anthony Seibert to receive Radiological Society's highest honor
October 22, 2019
Tony Seibert will be honored with the Gold Medal by the Radiological Society of North America.
David Amaral of UC Davis Health elected to the National Academy of Medicine
October 21, 2019
David Amaral, distinguished professor and Beneto Foundation Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the MIND Institute, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine.
UC Davis Health experts to lead national patient safety website
October 18, 2019
Patrick Romano and Debra Bakerjian of UC Davis Health have become co-editors-in-chief of PSNet ― the Patient Safety Network ― a globally recognized web-based resource for scholarship and perspectives in the field of patient safety.
UC Davis Health offers free flu shots at Yuba City Sikh Festival Nov. 1-3
October 18, 2019
UC Davis Health employees will be on site with a booth, offering free flu vaccines at the Yuba City Sikh Festival.
UC Davis psychiatrist awarded for advocacy, education on gun violence restraining orders
October 17, 2019
Efforts to develop and educate health care providers and the general public about gun violence restraining orders for individuals who have access to guns and are in crisis lands Amy Barnmorst, psychiatry associate professor, national recognition.
Rite Aid awards $50,000 to UC Davis Children's Hospital, money will fund Project Adam
October 17, 2019
Cardiac awareness continues in local schools, courtesy of Rite Aid
"Mini Medical School" brings together experts in a Spanish-language health forum
October 17, 2019
UC Davis Health experts lead culturally sensitive forum
In rare honor, UC Davis Health physician named as Academy Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences
October 15, 2019
On Oct. 15, UC Davis Health dermatologist and autoimmune disease specialist Emanual Maverakis will be inducted as an Academy Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, a rare distinction for a physician.
First-in-the-nation gun violence prevention training program for health professionals established at UC Davis Health
October 15, 2019
Assembly Bill 521, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Oct. 11, designates the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center to expand its research and give health care professionals the clinical tools they need to assess patients for risk, provide counseling and intervene when necessary.
UC Davis Pediatric Aerodigestive is first of its kind in inland Northern California
October 14, 2019
The new UC Davis Pediatric Aerodigestive Center is now open and accepting patient referrals. It’s the first and only center of its kind in inland Northern California.
UC Davis Health nurse named ANCC Magnet Nurse of the Year
October 11, 2019
UC Davis Health NICU nurse Christa Bedford-Mu was named National Magnet Nurse of the Year for New Knowledge, Innovation and Improvement at the American Nurses Credentialing Center National Magnet Conference in Orlando, Fla.
UC Davis Center for Advancing Pain Relief explores opioid crisis, alternative approaches during pain conference
October 10, 2019
More than 140 health care professionals from across California gathered for a two-day conference last month to explore options and strategies for pain management, hosted by the UC Davis Center for Advancing Pain Relief.
Study identifies 5 patterns of gun ownership by motivation, practices, other features
October 10, 2019
The UC Davis study is the first to identify nuanced patterns of gun ownership. Striking differences between the groups, suggests one-size-fits-all approaches to prevent firearm injuries and death may be less effective than those that consider these differences.
National Institute on Aging grant focuses on improving Alzheimer's and family caregiving research in Vietnam
October 10, 2019
The number of older adults with dementia in Vietnam and other low and middle-income countries is expected to nearly triple over the next 40 years. With NIH funding, UC Davis Health will provide critical data for policymakers and more broadly share information to help patients and their families.
UC Davis Health unaffected by power outage
October 9, 2019
PG&E outage not affecting UC Davis Health
One man's 1,800-mile bike ride to the border of a country, and the bounds of a lifetime
October 8, 2019
For procurement analyst Mike Lain, the challenge of cycling from Canada to Mexico turned out to be more than just an epic adventure – it was a tribute to the man who made it all possible. Read about Lain’s journey and the cause he’s supporting.
UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center hosts 8th annual research symposium Nov. 14
October 8, 2019
Keynote speaker Douglas Galasko from UC San Diego Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center will present “Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders: the ATN Framework and Beyond.”
Presenting the 39th Street/UC Davis Health Station
October 7, 2019
The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) and UC Davis Health have officially announced a new name for the 39th Street light rail station: the 39th Street/UC Davis Health Station.
Cellular therapy shows promise for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
October 7, 2019
UC Davis Health researchers announced promising findings from interim results of HOPE-2 clinical trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Four UC Davis studies report on key issues in preventing gun violence
October 7, 2019
Research from scholars at the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program and the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center published this week are informing the national dialogue on reducing injury and death from gun violence.
Study finds public support for health care providers talking about gun safety
October 7, 2019
What do gunowners and non-owners think about gun safety conversations that take place between health care providers and their patients in the exam room? A survey found little difference when a patient -- or someone in the patient's home -- is at increased risk for firearm-related harm.
Sacramento Republic FC's Cleats for Causes highlights father-daughter UC Davis Health patients
October 4, 2019
Can cleats tell a story? Sacramento Republic FC today launched its latest pair of one-of-a-kind cleats that will be up for auction, which tells the unique patient story of UC Davis neurosurgery patients Kevin Arredondo and his 11-year-old daughter Gianna, along with Sacramento Republic FC midfielder and childhood cancer survivor Ray Saari.
UC Davis Children's Hospital re-verified as Level I Children's Surgery Center by American College of Surgeons
October 3, 2019
UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been re-verified as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The designation from the ACS Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program focuses on the nation’s first and only multi-specialty standards of surgical care for pediatric patients. UC Davis Children's Hospital was the first hospital on the West Coast to earn this distinction.
Blood flow screening to improve detection of critical congenital heart defects in newborns
October 2, 2019
Heather Siefkes, assistant professor of pediatric critical care at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, was awarded National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant to improve critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) early detection in newborns by establishing a threshold to blood flow levels.
Snively lecturer encourages 'upstream' health care
October 1, 2019
Physician and health care visionary Rishi Manchanda will speak in Sacramento on the importance of an "upstream" — or systemic — approach to health care. “Moving Upstream: Improving Care and the Social Determinants of Health” takes place Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m. in lecture hall 1222 of the Education Building at 4610 X Street in Sacramento.
Menopause Q&A with UC Davis OB/GYN
October 1, 2019
What are the signs, symptoms and treatment options for menopause? UC Davis Health OB/GYN Elaine Waetjen answers those questions and more in our menopause Q&A.
UC Davis awarded new CRISPR grant to test novel approach to cancer treatment
October 1, 2019
UC Davis scientists win NIH award to develop a novel approach to using CRISPR to tackle colon cancer cells.
