UC Davis psychiatrist Ruth Shim, a contributing author for JAMA Health Forum, suggests that another structural force deserves the same scrutiny: voter suppression.

In her latest article, Shim makes the case that voting is a social determinant of health. She asserts that voter suppression is a structural determinant of health, one of the policies and practices that shape who has access to the conditions for good health.

"We have spent two decades bringing the social determinants of health into clinical practice, but we have paid far less attention to the structures that create them," said Shim, professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "Voter suppression is one of those structures, and it can be changed."

Shim notes that U.S. voter turnout lags behind many other countries, in part because states administer elections and set their own registration rules. She also points to the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which was followed by polling place closures that reduced voting access in communities of color, lower-income communities and rural areas.

Shim highlights studies showing links between voter participation and population health.

Research has found that states with lower voter turnout have worse health outcomes, while people in poor health are less likely to vote. Together, those findings point to what Shim calls a vicious cycle of voter suppression and poor health.

Evidence from historical analysis

Some of the most striking evidence comes from historical analyses.

One study cited by Shim found that passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was associated with significant reductions in Black infant deaths in Jim Crow states.

Other studies have examined the health consequences of voting restrictions.

Shim points to research linking felony disenfranchisement laws with increased depressive symptoms among Black people, but not among White people.

Shim notes that health professionals, who are trusted messengers in the communities affected by health disparities, can support voter registration in health care settings. She points to nonpartisan resources such as Vot-ER and the Civic Health Alliance. Both organizations advance public understanding of the relationship between voter access and health.

"These inequities are not accidental," Shim said. "When people are blocked from voting, they lose a voice in the decisions that shape their health. Protecting the right to vote is a public health intervention."

Resources

• Read the article in JAMA Health Forum
• UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Your costumes and decorations can be both creative and safe with these tips from Jennifer Rubin, Safe Kids Greater Sacramento Coalition coordinator and injury prevention manager at UC Davis Health.

Trick-or-treat safety tips

• Follow age recommendations on costume packaging. Avoid giving children items with small magnets and batteries. These items might include accessories with lights, motion, or sound effects. Small toy mouthpieces with button or coin batteries can be a choking hazard, especially for young children.
• Select costumes that are the right size to prevent trips and falls (avoid long trailing fabric) and choose face paint over masks (which can limit children's vision).
• Don’t wear decorative Halloween contact lenses sold without a prescription. They may seem like a fun way to complete a costume, but non-prescription contact lenses can cause serious eye damage.
• Before your trick-or-treat group heads out the door, talk about sticking together, crossing the street at corners and crosswalks and making eye contact with drivers before crossing.
• Ensure your trick-or-treaters carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes or bags, and wear light colors to help kids be seen. Avoid light-up toys with wires or lightbulbs that can be removed, which can be a choking hazard.
• Accompany children under age 12 for trick-or-treating.

Decoration safety tips

• Teach children to stay away from open flames, including jack-o’-lanterns with candles inside.
• Keep Halloween decorations away from open flames and other heat sources, such as light bulbs and heaters. Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire easily.
• Avoid placing decorations near exits, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Ensure all smoke alarms are working.

Related links

Learn more about the dangers of button batteries, magnets, and other accidental ingestions from the UC Davis Health Kids Considered podcast.

“Testing this device marks a major step toward advancing heart health. Our technology could help clinicians better understand atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease progression and personalize treatment,” said Laura Marcu, founding director of NCIBT. Marcu holds the Endowed Professorship in Neurosurgical Research and is a professor in the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Biomedical Engineering.

The device uses fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) and polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) to simultaneously identify the microstructure and biochemical composition of plaque in coronary arteries.

Now, a UC Davis clinical nurse scientist is helping lead a national effort to better define nursing’s impact on patients and families.

Lori S. Kennedy, director of the Center for Nursing Science at UC Davis Health, has published a new framework Oct. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine that identifies nine domains of nursing practice and proposes new ways to measure nurses’ contributions to patient outcomes.

By appearing in one of the nation's leading physician journals, the Viewpoint article brings the conversation to doctors, health system leaders and policymakers whose decisions help shape how quality of care is measured and evaluated. In addition to her leadership role, Kennedy is also an associate professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.

UC Davis Medical Center is just the fourth hospital to receive this recognition in the United States and the first hospital west of the state of New York.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization and movement that promotes local food, traditional cooking and sustainable farming as an alternative to fast food. 

“We are honored to receive the Snail of Approval, especially because it reflects our belief that good food is good medicine,” said Santana Diaz, executive chef and director of culinary operations and innovation at UC Davis Health. “This recognition is a testament to our innovative food service model and the dedication of our team, whose focus on local sourcing, nutrition and exceptional taste helps support the health and well-being of our patients, staff and visitors.”

The national award honors schools that recruit men into nursing and help them succeed.

The recognition comes as men's share of the profession has slipped to 10.4%. In addition, men have represented only 11.8% of students in master’s nursing programs across the country in recent years — yet the school’s number of male students has increased.

“This award belongs to our students and faculty, who show every day that nursing is a career for anyone with the skill and heart to do it well,” said Stephen Cavanagh, dean of the school. “Our communities are diverse and the nurses caring for them should be too. When more men see nursing as a real option, patients benefit.”

Admitting men above national rates

Over the past four years, men accounted for an average of 19% of students admitted to the school, up from 13%. In the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN), 21.3% of students admitted in 2025 were men. In the school's new Doctor of Nursing Practice — Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA) program, three of every four students in the first admitted class are men.

So, what changed? The school looked closely at how it reviewed applications. Faculty built a scoring rubric they believe ensures every applicant is judged the same way, no matter who reads the application file.

Role models in the classroom and the clinic

Men in the school’s programs don’t have to look far to see who has walked their path. A man leads the school as dean, and men hold one in five leadership roles and 14% of faculty and staff positions. Every clinical course in the nurse practitioner program pairs students with male faculty or preceptors. The coursework reflects men’s health, too.

“Seeing someone with a similar background who has successfully navigated the profession can be incredibly empowering,” explained Bryan Tune, an associate professor in the DNP-NA program. “What I hope to communicate to every student is that your place in nursing is not determined by your gender, but by your commitment to learning, your compassion for others and the contributions you are willing to make to the profession.”

In the school’s graduation exit survey the past three years, 71% of male students said they felt valued, included and respected. Alumnus Aron King graduated from the both the master’s-degree leadership and the Ph.D. programs at the School of Nursing.

“Belonging isn’t simply about being welcomed into a space but being able to see yourself in that space without feeling like you have to prove why you deserve to be there. Nursing needs Black men, Latino men, Asian men and men from all backgrounds,” explained King, who advocates for underserved populations and participates in the Capitol City Black Nurses Association.

At the recent AAMN conference where UC Davis was honored, King received recognition of his own: He was named a Distinguished Fellow for his work to diversity the healthcare workforce and advance men’s health.

“I hope this recognition inspires others to reach back and create opportunities for those coming behind them.”

King puts that philosophy into practice as a leader in the UC Davis SHINES program designed to introduce students to nursing careers and help them see themselves in the profession.

The pathway has welcomed 141 participants since it started four years ago. Of those, 22% were young men — more than double the number of men in the nurse/nursing? workforce. A number of male nurses are mentors and speakers.

“We hope every young man who walks in leaves able to picture himself as a nurse,” said Piri Ackerman, who created SHINES.

New research from the UC Davis School of Medicine reveals that the receptor does not respond to every trigger in the same way. Instead, different stimuli appear to place TRPV1 into distinct functional states. The finding opens new possibilities for more targeted pain treatments.

The study, published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), was led by researchers in the UC Davis Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. The findings challenge a longstanding assumption that TRPV1 adopts a single activated state regardless of what triggers it.

TRPV1 as a potential target for pain medicine

TRPV1 is often called the body's capsaicin receptor. Located on pain-sensing nerve cells, it detects heat, tissue injury, inflammation and chemical compounds — including the capsaicin in hot peppers.

Because TRPV1 plays a central role in pain pathways and does not involve opioid signaling, it has long been considered a potential target for developing nonaddictive pain medicines. However, efforts to block the receptor have been complicated by its equally important role in regulating body temperature.

"Researchers have generally assumed that once TRPV1 is activated, the channel enters essentially the same open state regardless of what stimulus triggered it," said first author Bo Hyun Lee, a former researcher in the Zheng Lab at UC Davis. "Our findings show that the receptor is more sophisticated than that. Different stimuli appear to stabilize different open states, each with distinct functional properties."

Methods measured receptor’s response to different stimuli

To investigate how TRPV1 responds to different stimuli, the researchers measured electrical currents passing through individual channels activated by:

• Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat
• Resiniferatoxin, an extremely hot compound derived from a succulent plant
• Hydrogen ions (protons), which create acidic conditions commonly associated with tissue injury and inflammation
• 2-APB, a chemical commonly used to modify ion channel activity
• Heat

They found that different activators consistently produced different conductance levels. This finding suggests the channel opens in distinct ways rather than entering a common activated state.

The team then combined several approaches to see if those different conductance levels reflected structural differences in the receptor itself.

Using sensitive ion-permeation measurements (which measure how quickly charged particles move across a barrier), the researchers detected evidence that different activators altered the shape of the channel pore. They also used a fluorescence-based technique in living cells that allowed them to watch different parts of the channel protein shift position as it responded to different stimuli.

Finally, computational modeling helped visualize how the receptor's structure changed when activated by different stimuli.

Together, these approaches pointed to the existence of multiple distinct open configurations of TRPV1.

"We were able to see consistent evidence from several independent experimental methods that the pore of the channel does not look exactly the same when activated by different stimuli," said senior author Jie Zheng, professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. "That convergence of evidence gave us confidence that these are genuine functional states rather than experimental artifacts."

The researchers also made another unexpected discovery. When two stimuli were applied together, the channel opened more slowly instead of more quickly. The finding suggests that different activation mechanisms may sometimes interfere with one another, revealing an additional layer of complexity in how pain signals are processed.

Findings may have implications for pain and basic research

Previous attempts to target TRPV1 with drugs for pain relief have often caused unwanted side effects, including major disruptions in body temperature regulation. The new study suggests it may someday be possible to selectively target receptor states associated with painful stimuli while preserving those involved in normal heat sensation.

"Our study provides a conceptual framework for thinking about TRPV1 in a much more nuanced way," said Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy, co-author and professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. "If different forms of activation produce different functional states, we may eventually be able to design therapies that selectively affect pain-related activity while leaving other essential functions intact."

The study also offers insight into how proteins function when encountering nontypical stimuli.

The work provides a new understanding of one of the body's most important pain sensors. It offers a potential roadmap for developing safer, more precise analgesic therapies. More research is needed to translate the study’s findings into new treatments.

Additional authors include Shisheng Li, Simon Vu, and Zhihao Yao from UC Davis and Yuhua Tian from UC Davis and Qingdao University.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (R01NS103954) and the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2023-00212567, RS-2023-00219399).

Resources

• Read the study in PNAS
• Zheng Lab
• UC Davis Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology
• Read more about federal research at UC Davis

The program enrolled 20 youths with type 1 diabetes who had elevated hemoglobin A1C levels (above 8%) and were already using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology. Over four months, clinicians reviewed CGM data weekly and reached out when patients met criteria indicating a need for additional support.

“Continuous glucose monitoring provides a wealth of health information, but the data often goes largely unreviewed between office visits,” said UC Davis pediatric endocrinologist Stephanie Crossen, who led the initiative. “This pilot demonstrates how remote monitoring can help us proactively identify patients who may be struggling and offer personalized guidance when they need it most.”

During the program, clinicians monitored measures such as:

• Time-in-range (the percentage of time a patient’s glucose level stays within a target range)
• Changes in glucose control
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• CGM wear time (the maximum number of days a single continuous glucose monitor can be worn before it must be removed and replaced with a new one).

Participants received support through phone calls, text messages or electronic medical record messaging when intervention was needed.

Remote patient monitoring supports better glycemic control

The pilot produced meaningful improvements in glycemic control. Average time-in-range, a key measure of diabetes management, increased from 34.4% at baseline to 40% by the end of the program.

Participants also experienced a significant reduction in time spent above target glucose levels, decreasing from 64.8% to 58.9%. Most notably, 35% of participants achieved a time-in-range improvement of 10% or greater, a change that correlates with an estimated 0.5% to 0.8% improvement in hemoglobin A1C.

Participants also reported high satisfaction with the program. Nearly half (44%) of the patients described RPM as “very helpful,” while 56% said it was “a little helpful.”

Eighty-three percent of participants indicated that remote monitoring should continue as part of their diabetes care. Frequently cited benefits included helping patients stay focused on diabetes management between appointments and making it easier to receive support from their care team.

Insight from the pilot program

The pilot program also identified important opportunities for future refinement. Clinicians found that outreach often required repeated attempts, with phone calls proving more effective than text messaging alone. Researchers also observed considerable variation in reimbursement of RPM services across public and private insurance plans, highlighting ongoing challenges in creating sustainable care models.

Based on the pilot’s success, the team plans to expand its remote monitoring capabilities by:

• Integrating the diabetes data platform Tidepool into the hospital’s electronic medical record software
• Refining documentation and billing workflows
• Providing additional staff training
• Studying RPM in newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes patients through a multi-site research grant.

In fiscal year 2025-26, UC Davis received a total of $953 million in external funding. The medical school received around 46% of this funding, making it the top recipient among all UC Davis colleges and schools.

In total, the school’s researchers received 2,042 grant awards — a 29% increase from the year before.

“Funding research remains critical to advancing promising discoveries and transforming them into real-world breakthroughs that could save lives and improve quality of life,” said Kim Barrett, vice dean for research at UC Davis School of Medicine. “Kudos to our university community, who stepped up in this time of challenge, submitted a record number of grant applications, and led numerous research studies and clinical trials.”

Federal, state and industry funding

Public and private investments in university-based research have been a cornerstone of American prosperity, security and innovative leadership.

One key source of funding is the federal government. The medical school received around $234.7 million in federal funding, a 45% increase over the year before. According to the latest ranking by Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the UC Davis School of Medicine is among the nation’s leading medical schools in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding.

Professor Rachel Whitmer is leading the two largest federal grants (total of $19.8 million) at UC Davis. Her studies, funded by the NIH, focus on age-related dementia and cognitive impairment and brain pathology among different ethnic groups. Whitmer is a professor of public health sciences and neurology and co-directs the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

This year also marked the federal grant renewals to multiple UC Davis centers, including the Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC) ($10.8 million), Comprehensive Cancer Center($7.1 million) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center ($6.4 million). These centers continue pursuing basic and translational science, developing treatments for cancer, dementia and other diseases, and mentoring the next generation of scientists.

Funding from the state of California reached $30.3 million this year. The top state funding source was a grant of $15.8 million for the Statewide California Cancer Registry. This grant is led by Professor Ted Wun, director of CTSC.

This year marks a significant increase in industry funding (around 61%) with a total of $112.6 million. These funds mainly support clinical trials and studies to test potential treatments for various diseases and conditions. For example, Jonathan Riess is the site principal investigator of a $6.2 million grant for a cancer clinical trial sponsored by BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics. Riess is the medical director of Thoracic Oncology and an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology.

The medical school also received $61.1 million in funding from other sources.

Supporting early researchers and collaborations

This year, the school received 36 Research Career Development Awards (K-awards), an unprecedented number. These NIH awards help faculty develop careers as outstanding teacher-scholars and achieve independent research funding in the biomedical, behavioral or clinical sciences.

The school also made significant investments in supporting interdisciplinary research and promoting research seed funding.

“UC Davis School of Medicine has vastly expanded its pilot award programs to support early career researchers and interdisciplinary collaborations among our internationally recognized research community," said School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin. "Over the last five years, we've launched new initiatives fostering innovative research, offering seed funding programs, collaborations with the VA Northern California Health Care System, symposia support, bridge funding and many others." 

UC Davis extramural funding

Research investments allowed UC Davis to produce a wide range of scientific breakthroughs to improve health, enhance food supplies, protect the environment and empower a more resilient society. For example, last year, UC Davis researchers submitted 201 invention disclosures.

“UC Davis researchers continue to attract substantial investments based on deep expertise, unique collaborations and a long history of delivering impactful insight and solutions,” said Simon J. Atkinson, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis. “Despite significant funding uncertainty and regulatory change, our faculty and staff have drawn on their passion and ingenuity to keep their important — often life-changing — work moving forward.” 

Learn more about how public investment in UC Davis research powers innovation, strengthens the economy and advances human health in From Labs to Lives.  A detailed breakdown of the funding sources can be viewed in 2026 Annual Research Impact Report.

Discover more School of Medicine research stories.

The new findings come from one of the largest studies to examine the impact of donor smoking on kidney transplant outcomes.

The study, published this month in Kidney360, analyzed data from 88,490 living donor kidney transplant recipients in the United States. The recipients underwent transplantation between 2004 and 2022 and are part of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database.

Researchers found that recipients of kidneys from donors with any history of smoking experienced a 13% higher risk of all-cause graft loss compared with recipients of kidneys from donors who never smoked. Also, donor smoking history was associated with an 18% increase in the odds of acute rejection during the first year after transplant.

The greatest risks were observed among donors with more than 20 pack-years of smoking exposure. A pack-year is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for one year.

Compared with recipients of kidneys from never-smokers, recipients of these organs from heavy users faced a:

• 29% higher risk of graft loss
• 24% higher risk of delayed graft function
• 32% higher risk of acute rejection

“Our findings suggest that smoking history, particularly heavy smoking exposure, should be considered during living donor evaluation and counseling,” said UC Davis pediatric nephrologist Machi Kaneko McBee, the lead author of the study. “At the same time, living donor transplantation remains a highly beneficial treatment option and smoking history alone should not automatically disqualify an otherwise suitable donor.”

The study also found that kidneys from former smokers performed better than those from active smokers. This suggests that smoking cessation prior to donation may help reduce transplant risks. However, the duration of smoking abstinence did not significantly alter long-term graft survival outcomes.

Study co-authors are Daniel Tancredi and Lavjay Butani of UC Davis Health.

Read the study.

Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness that affects the nose, throat, and lungs. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. In some cases, the flu can lead to hospitalization or even death.

• What is the flu?: Symptoms and treatments

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that often causes symptoms similar to a cold or the flu. Most people recover, but some can become very sick and develop serious health problems.

• COVID-19 symptoms and treatments

Vaccination is the best protection against serious illness from flu and COVID-19. Health experts recommend flu vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older. COVID-19 vaccines are especially recommended for young children ages 6 to 23 months, those 65 years of age or older, and other priority groups with risk factors for severe disease and are available to anyone ages 6 months and older who chooses protection.

For the 2026-27 respiratory virus season, UC Davis Health is offering the following flu and COVID-19 vaccines:

Flu vaccines

FluLaval: An injectable inactivated influenza vaccine used to prevent illness caused by influenza A and B viruses.

• Who can get it: Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people 6 months and older.
• How it works: The vaccine helps your body build protection against the flu by teaching your immune system to recognize and fight the flu viruses included in that season's vaccine.
• How it is given: It is administered as a single shot in the upper arm.
• Egg content: It is made using egg-based methods, however the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people with egg allergies can receive any flu vaccine that is right for their age and health status. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs and have concerns, talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated.

Fluzone High-Dose: An annual influenza vaccine specifically made for adults 65 and older to provide a stronger immune response than standard-dose flu.

• What makes it different: This vaccine contains a higher dose to help create a stronger immune response. It has four times more flu-fighting antigen than a standard flu shot.
• Who should get it: It is recommended for adults 65 and older because the immune system becomes weaker with age.
• How it is given: It is administered as a single shot in the upper arm.
• How well it works: Studies show it provides better protection against the flu and can help reduce flu-related hospital stays in older adults compared to a standard-dose flu shot.
• Egg content: It is made using egg-based methods. The CDC says people with egg allergies can receive any flu vaccine that is right for their age and health status. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs and have concerns, talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccines

Spikevax (Moderna) for ages 6 months to 11 years: FDA-approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 in children.

• Who should get it: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends the updated COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older to reduce their risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death.
• What it protects against: The 2026-27 vaccine is designed to protect against the COVID-19 XFG variant, a descendant of the JN.1 strain.
• How it works: It trains the immune system to recognize and fight the COVID-19 virus, significantly lowering the risk of severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death.
• How it is given: Given as a shot in the muscle.

Spikevax (Moderna) for ages 12 years and older: FDA-approved, mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for active immunization to prevent COVID-19.

• Who should get it: CDPH recommends the updated COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older who chooses to reduce their risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death.
• What it protects against: The 2026-27 vaccine is designed to protect against the COVID-19 XFG variant, a descendant of the JN.1 strain.
• How it works: It trains the immune system to recognize and fight the COVID-19 virus, significantly lowering the risk of severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death.
• How it is given: Administered as a shot in the muscle.

Ways UC Davis Health patients can get their flu and COVID-19 vaccines

• The most convenient way to schedule a vaccination appointment is to use MyUCDavisHealth: 
  
  • Schedule through MyUCDavisHealth
  • Click to schedule an appointment
  • Select flu shot or COVID-19 vaccination
  • Follow the prompts to choose a date, time and location
• You can schedule your flu and COVID-19 vaccine appointments by calling the vaccine line at 916-703-5555. 
• If you have an in-person appointment with your primary care provider, you can ask to receive your vaccines during that visit.
• You can schedule a vaccine-only appointment at any UC Davis Health primary care clinic in the region, Monday through Friday.
• Drive-through flu shots are available by appointment only at the following locations:
  
  • UC Davis Health Elk Grove Clinic: Oct. 24 to Nov. 7
  • UC Davis Health Folsom Medical Care Clinic: Oct. 17 to Dec. 5
  • UC Davis Health Rancho Cordova Clinic: Oct. 3 to Nov. 14
  • UC Davis Health Roseville Clinic: Oct. 10 to Nov. 21
• Vaccines are also available for patients ages 18 years and older at two UC Davis Health pharmacies:
  
  • 48X Pharmacy 
    
    • Flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines 
    • Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Davis Clinic Pharmacy
    
    • Flu and RSV vaccines 
    • Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., closed for lunch 12:45 – 1:30 p.m.

Important Information

• Immunocompromised patients should call the vaccine line (916-703-5555) to schedule their COVID-19 vaccines. They may need a different vaccine schedule than other patients.
• If you have a scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointment, you can ask to receive a flu shot during the same visit.
• If you have a scheduled flu shot appointment, a COVID-19 vaccine cannot be added when you arrive. COVID-19 vaccines require special handling and must be scheduled in advance.

How to get the flu and COVID-19 vaccine if you’re not a UC Davis Health patient

If you are not a UC Davis Health patient, here are some resources to help you get a flu vaccine:

• Consumer pharmacies (drugstores): Check the website for the pharmacy of your choice or give them a call.
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
• Sacramento County Health Services
• Yolo County Health and Human Services
• Placer County Public Health

That’s why, when her fourth boy was due in 2018, she and her husband, JR, felt confident they knew what to expect.

But five weeks before Crystal’s delivery date, the couple went to an ultrasound appointment and got news they were not expecting to hear — Crystal’s amniotic fluid was low. The baby’s kidneys were “bright.” Doctors refer to this as echogenic kidneys, a finding in which the kidney tissue appears brighter or whiter than normal when compared with the liver. This increased brightness can signal a variety of kidney conditions and may indicate changes in the kidney tissue that require further evaluation.

“All the other pregnancies were really healthy,” Crystal said. “We were so surprised because we didn’t think anything was wrong.”

The couple was immediately sent to labor and delivery at a hospital near their Rancho Cordova home.

A rare genetic disorder: Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease

Jordy Perkins was born on April 29, 2018. Then came the diagnosis: auto recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), a rare genetic disorder that affects about one in 20,000 children.

Low amniotic fluid results in underdeveloped lungs, which causes major breathing issues in babies. The disease also leads to lifelong issues with kidney function … if the baby survives.

About 30 percent of newborns with ARPKD die within their first week.

The Perkins held onto hope that their son would make it.

Rushed to UC Davis Children’s Hospital

Jordy’s best chance, doctors said, was for an ambulance to take him to UC Davis Children’s Hospital, the only one in the area that could provide the level of care he required. UC Davis has the only nationally ranked pediatric nephrology program in the Sacramento region.

Jordy’s underlying kidney condition put him at high risk of developing progressive chronic kidney disease and, ultimately, dialysis or a transplant.

The free event, which is open to the public, takes place Oct. 14 from 4 to 6:15 p.m. in the MIND Institute auditorium in Sacramento. It will feature a keynote address on mental health and a panel discussion about anxiety, feeding problems and gastrointestinal issues. 

“The symposium is a chance to discuss not only scientific discoveries, but also what they mean for individuals and families,” said David Hessl, director of the lecture series and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the MIND Institute.

Mental health, feeding challenges and GI issues

Clinician-scientist Meng-Chuan Lai of the University of Toronto will present the keynote, "Going Beyond the Label: Rethinking Mental Health in Autistic People."

Lai’s lecture will examine why autistic people experience mental health challenges at higher rates than the general population and why those challenges can be overlooked or misunderstood. He will discuss how a person’s mental health needs change across a person’s lifetime and how care can be better tailored to autistic individuals.

Lai is a child psychiatrist who leads an internationally recognized research program on the mental health, psychology and wellbeing of autistic people. He is senior scientist and associate professor of psychiatry at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto.

Lai’s lecture will be followed by a panel discussion on other health and behavioral challenges that commonly affect people with developmental disabilities. Panelists include UC Davis experts in the following areas:

• Anxiety: Marjorie Solomon, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Feeding problems: Scott Akins, developmental-behavioral pediatrician and MIND Institute medical director
• Gastrointestinal issues: Bibiana Restrepo, developmental-behavioral pediatrician

Ruby Robinson recalls completing her first trimester and feeling excited about the promise of being a parent. She began sharing the happy news with friends and family. She was going to have a girl.

But at 16 weeks gestation, something seemed off. First there was spotting, then contractions. She went to the emergency room, where she went into labor and delivered. It was a nonviable pregnancy.

Robinson was understandably devastated. 

She turned to a UC Davis Health support group that helped her cope during such a difficult period. HALO (Healing After the Loss of a Child) is a safe space that meets weekly online to help people like Robinson work through their anger and grief with others in a similar situation.

“It’s still such a taboo subject so you feel so alone,” Robinson said. “When you lose a child through miscarriage, you’ve lost the chance to know them. You’ve lost the chance to raise them, and you have no memories to rely on. It’s a different kind of grief.”

HALO was started in 2021 by UC Davis perinatal psychiatrist Shannon Clark.

“We wanted to provide a safe, compassionate community to help our patients with the heartbreak and loneliness that are often the hallmarks of miscarriage and infant loss,” Clark said. “Through peer support and clinician-led care, we help parents grieve openly, manage guilt and trauma, and, when desired, prepare emotionally and medically for a future pregnancy.”

Patients can attend for as long as they need. Healthcare providers are encouraged to refer anyone affected by pregnancy or infant loss. Patients can also self-refer into the group.

Memorializing her loss

Michelle Jaromay’s first miscarriage in October of 2021 was the worst moment of her life.

She was looking forward to a gender-reveal party at a scenic bridge on the preserve behind her house in Elk Grove.

Instead, she memorialized her child with a bench just a short distance away.

“No one knows how to talk to someone who has had a miscarriage,” Jaromay said.

She found HALO through Clark, who was on her maternal-fetal health team during pregnancy. “HALO gave me the support that I didn’t get with my family or friends. The group was a healing environment.”