Amparo C. Villablanca, M.D.
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Frances Lazda Endowed Chair in Women's Cardiovascular Medicine
Director, UC Davis Health Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program
Director, UC Davis Health Program for Advancing Leadership Across the Health Sciences
To see if Amparo C. Villablanca is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Department
Locations and Contact
4860 Y St.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Additional Numbers
Clinic Phone
Clinic Fax
Physician Referrals
Philosophy of Care
My philosophy of care is woman-centered and culturally sensitive, with respect for each patient. My goals of care are to use evidence-based data-driven approaches to improve health-care outcomes, reduce gender-based health disparities, and empower women (and men) to live longer and healthier lives.
Clinical Interests
Dr Villablanca is a non-invasive cardiologist offering care for a wide spectrum of cardiovascular conditions in adults including coronary heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and valve disease. She has special expertise in heart disease in women as founder and Director of the first woman's heart program in the U.S. She has special interest in cardiovascular conditions more prevalent/ specific in women including autonomic dysfunction, ischemia with normal coronary arteries (INOCA), pregnancy associated cardiovascular disease including pre-eclampsia and peri-partum cardiomyopathy, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). She also has expertise in all aspects of preventive cardiology. For more information please see https://health.ucdavis.edu/internalmedicine/cardio/women/.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Villablanca is a physician-scientist. Her translational research program focuses on understanding sex differences in the molecular and cellular determinants of cardiovascular disease, including the vascular determinants of dementia. She is also a leader in community-based participatory research, and has developed and assessed efficacy of heart disease prevention models for improving heart disease outcomes in women who are at high-risk for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Villablanca is also a mentor, champion, and scholar for women in science careers and has published extensively in the field. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Dpt of Health and Human Services, and private Foundations. Her work has been profiled by the NIH as a 'woman scientist in action', https://womeninscience.nih.gov/women_scientists/villablanca.asp, and by UC Davis Women in STEM, https://www.ucdavis.edu/academics/women-stem/.
Division
Cardiovascular Medicine
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.S., UCLA, Los Angeles CA 1979
Medical School
M.D., UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis CA 1983
Internship
Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento CA 1983-1984
Residency
Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento CA 1984-1986
Fellowship
Cardiovascular Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento CA 1987-1990
International Women�s Day Award for leadership and contributions to gender equity. Committee for the Status of Women at Davis Administrative Advisory Sub-Committee (SWADAAC), 2020
Dean�s Award for Excellence in Diversity Research, 2017
AAMC/GWIMS National Leadership Award, Women in Medicine and Health Sciences Program, 2016
Sacramento Business Journal Health Care Hero award (physician researcher), 2013
Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award, University of California, Davis Academic Senate, UC Davis Academic Senate, 2011
California Dept of Public Health & Health Care Services Award for Excellence in Community-Based Women's Health Leadership, 2009
UC Davis School of Medicine Extraordinary Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of �lifetime commitment and service� to the School of Medicine, 2008
Heart of Gold Award, American Heart Association, Golden Empire Chapter, for �leadership, education and innovation�, 2007
Inaugural Red Dress Award, Woman�s Day for �significant contributions in the fight against heart disease in women and vision and leadership in founding the country�s first women�s heart program�, 2004
Woman of Achievement in Medicine Award, Capitol Business and Professional Women Association, Sacramento, CA, 2000
Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award, UC Davis School of Medicine, 1999
Nuthikattu S, Milenkovic D, Rutledge J, Villablanca A. Lipotoxic Injury Differentially Regulates Brain Microvascular Gene Expression in Male Mice. Nutrients (special issue on High-Fat High-Saturated Diet). 2019. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1771/pdf
Nuthikattu S, Milenkovic D, Rutledge J, Villablanca A. The Western Diet Regulates Hippocampal Microvascular Gene Expression: An Integrated Genomic Analyses. Scientific Reports. 2019;9:19058. (open access: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55533-9)
Carr P, Helitzer D, Freund K, Westring A, McGee R, Campbell P, Wood C, Villablanca A. A Summary Report from the Research Partnership on Women in Science Careers. J of Gen Internal Med. 2018:1-8.
Shaikh U, Acosta D, Freischlag J, Young H, Villablanca A. Developing Diverse Leaders in Academic Health Centers: A Prerequisite to Quality Health Care? Amer J Med Quality. 2017;33(4):440-442.
Raeisi-Giglou P, Volgman A, Patel H, Campbell S, Villablanca A, Hsich E. Advances in Cardiovascular Health in Women Over the Past Decade: Recommendations for Practice. J Women’s Health. 2017;27(2):128-139.
Shauman K, Beckett LA, Howell LP, Villablanca AC. A Qualitative Analysis of Biomedical Faculty Attitudes and Perceptions on Family-Friendly Workplace Policies: Implications for Department Chairs. Acad Med. 2017; 93(2):246-255.
Villablanca AC, Li Y, Beckett LA, Howell LP. Evaluating a Medical School’s Climate for Success: Outcomes for Faculty Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion. J Women’s Health. 2017;26(5):530-539.
Villablanca AC, Slee C, Lianov L, Tancredi D. Outcomes of a Clinic-Based Educational Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease by Race, Ethnicity and Urban/Rural Status. J Women’s Health. 2016;25(11):1174-1186.
Aung H, Robin Altman, Nyunt T, Kim J, Budamagunta M, Voss JC, Wilson D, Rutledge JC, Villablanca AC. Lipotoxic Brain Microvascular Injury is Mediated by Activating Transcription Factor 3-dependent Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Pathways. J Lipid Res. 2016;57(6):955-968.
Villablanca AC, Warford C, Wheeler K. Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Risk in African American Women is Reduced by a Pilot Community-Based Educational Intervention. J Women’s Health. 2015;25(2):188-199.