The investments build on a partnership that began in 2000, when the two organizations jointly opened Rideout Cancer Center. Today, the center remains the region’s only cancer center, offering specialized oncology services and clinical trial opportunities as part of the UC Davis Cancer Care Network. The network partners with many departments at UC Davis Health, including UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, which the National Cancer Institute recently designated again as a comprehensive center, its highest ranking. 

“As someone who was born and raised in this community, I understand firsthand the importance of ensuring local patients have access to the care they need close to home,” said Jennifer Hilleary, Rideout Cancer Center director.

Expanding access to care

As part of its commitment to the community, Rideout is recruiting additional medical oncologists and adding five infusion chairs for chemotherapy and other intravenous treatments. The expansion in infusion services will be accessible to cancer and non-cancer patients.

Alongside expanding the clinical team and patient care space, the center’s existing linear accelerator will be replaced with a new Varian TrueBeam. This state-of-the-art radiation oncology technology will deliver better image quality, decrease treatment time and have increased reliability.

“This combination of outstanding clinical care and access to research ensures all cancer patients from the community surrounding Rideout need not compromise by staying close to home to receive care,” explained Edward Kim, medical director of UC Davis Cancer Care Network.

Hoa P. Nguyen celebrates 20 years of patient care 

The expansion comes as UC Davis Health and Adventist and Rideout mark another milestone in their partnership: the 20-year anniversary of oncologist and hematologist Hoa P. Nguyen at Rideout Cancer Center. Colleagues, patients and the community recognized Nguyen’s years of service at a recent celebration event.

“Most people are terrified of the diagnosis of cancer,” Nguyen said. “It is rewarding to be able to help calm patients and guide them through the most difficult part of their lives.”

One of those patients is Brian Spiess, who lives in nearby Yuba City. He has been a patient of Nguyen’s at Rideout for 14 years since being diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer.

“I know he’s a professional, and he’s a doctor, but it’s like going to see your friend,” Spiess said, adding he appreciates that Nguyen is “thorough and well researched” and the hospital is just a few miles away from his house.

The ability to receive high quality cancer care close to home is important to patient Pam Brady as well. She is 80 years old and has breast cancer. “Before I found Dr. Nguyen, my husband Rick and I drove nearly an hour each way from Yuba City to Roseville for my treatments,” she explained.

But after switching to Rideout, the commute was cut to about 10 minutes. She said Nguyen is always available to answer questions and the staff is “very caring.”

It’s not only local residents who appreciate Nguyen and Rideout hospital; people have traveled from as far as South Asia and Europe to receive care there, and others regularly make the drive to Rideout from Oregon and Nevada. 

A long history of putting patients first

Nguyen is a proud University of California alumnus. He earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees from UC Irvine, completed his internship and residency at UC Davis, and returned to UC Irvine for fellowship training.

Rideout Cancer Center was his first position post-fellowship.

Over the years, Nguyen has grown with the program. He now serves as the Cancer Center medical director, is the local lead investigator on multiple clinical trials and provides training opportunities for future health care providers.

“There's a saying that if you enjoy what you do, it's not really work,” Nguyen said. “Every morning I look forward to meeting patients, and believe it or not, that 20 years at Rideout flew by really fast.” 

“Her leadership established the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing as something intentionally different — a school designed to advance health through leadership, innovation, interprofessional education and bold systems change,” said Jana Katz-Bell, senior associate dean for strategic initiatives.

Dean Stephen J. Cavanagh said Young’s vision continues to guide the school as it prepares the next generation of health leaders.

“Heather did more than establish a school. She created a culture that encourages people to challenge assumptions, work across disciplines and find better ways to improve health and healthcare,” Cavanagh said. “The school’s continued growth and impact are a testament to the strong foundation she built and the many people she inspired.”

Building a school from the ground up

Young, a proud UC Davis alumna from the Department of Nutrition, rejoined UC Davis in 2008 as associate vice chancellor for nursing with the charge of creating a new nursing school. The opportunity followed a $100 million commitment from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to launch the school on the UC Davis Sacramento campus.

The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing was formally established in 2009. A year later, it welcomed its first students: eight doctoral students and 25 master’s-degree students studying nursing science and healthcare leadership.

Under Young’s leadership, the school grew from an ambitious idea into a nationally recognized center for graduate health education. She guided the creation of five graduate degree programs, built a faculty of more than 28 members and launched a nursing research program that attracted more than $12 million in funding during her time as dean.

Young also oversaw the planning and construction of the 70,000-square-foot Betty Irene Moore Hall. The building opened in 2017 as a home for the School of Nursing. It’s also a place where students from nursing, medicine and other health professions learn together in classrooms, simulation labs and study spaces.

She stepped down as dean in 2018 after a decade of service, becoming dean emerita and continuing her work as a professor, researcher and national nursing leader.

Young said she is proud of how the School of Nursing has grown and grateful for the people who helped turn its founding vision into a lasting institution.

“Building the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. From the beginning, we believed nurses and other health professionals could lead meaningful change when they were given the tools, partnerships and freedom to think differently,” Young said.

“It has been an honor to work with so many talented leaders, faculty and staff at UC Davis who made the vision a reality. I am deeply proud of what this community has built, and I look forward to continuing that work through the fellowship and supporting nurse leaders across the country.”

The renewal includes a nearly $18 million grant over five years. The funding will help advance groundbreaking research, expand access to clinical trials and strengthen programs that address the region’s cancer burden.

“Renewing our NCI comprehensive designation is a powerful validation of the extraordinary, innovative work happening here every day,” said Primo “Lucky” Lara Jr., director of the cancer center and principal investigator of the grant. “The recognition reflects the dedication of our physicians, researchers, staff and community partners to cancer care and prevention and to addressing cancer disparities in our region.”

The designation places the cancer center among an elite group of only 58 comprehensive cancer centers around the country.

The NCI review process is among the most rigorous in academic medicine. To earn comprehensive status, cancer centers must demonstrate exceptional strength and integration across laboratory, clinical and population-based research programs. They must also show evidence of leadership, community engagement and education efforts.

“UC Davis is driven to break barriers in cancer care through our leading-edge research, compassionate care and community engagement,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. “Our expertise improves lives and we are honored that the renewed NCI grant furthers the university's mission as an engine of discovery in the fight against cancer.”

Evidence-based cancer treatment and prevention

Outside of San Francisco, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center from the Bay Area north to Portland and east to Salt Lake City. It is the only designated center in the Sacramento region.

The center cares for more than 100,000 patients each year and conducts more than 200 active clinical trials, including the region’s only phase 1 cancer clinical trials. The center also manufactures CAR-T cells on site, helping to bring leading-edge therapies closer to home.

The designation matters to patients. Research shows that treatment at NCI-designated cancer centers is associated with improved outcomes. One study found a 23% reduction in overall mortality among adults with solid tumors compared with treatment at non-designated centers.

“This is ultimately about the patients and communities we serve,” Lara said. “It ensures we can continue delivering world-class, research-driven care close to home, while accelerating the discoveries that will define the future of cancer treatment.”

Those findings come from a study published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Cardiometabolic Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association. The article describes how UC Davis Health developed and implemented a multidisciplinary inpatient glycemic management model that improved blood glucose outcomes across the medical center without increasing hypoglycemia — a critical patient safety concern in hospitalized populations.

“Improving inpatient diabetes care requires more than individual interventions. It takes a coordinated, system-wide commitment to patient safety, clinical excellence, and multidisciplinary collaboration,” said Joseph M. Galante, chief medical officer, UC Davis Medical Center. 

The study, he noted, demonstrates how teams across nursing, pharmacy, endocrinology, quality and frontline employees worked together to create a coordinated approach to care. They built a sustainable model that improved outcomes for hospitalized patients while reducing the risks associated with both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.  

“It reflects UC Davis Health’s ongoing commitment to delivering evidence-based, high-quality care through innovation and teamwork,” Galante added.

A phased, system-wide strategy

The initiative was led by the Multidisciplinary Diabetes Care Committee (MDCC) and implemented over several years using a structured, phased approach. Rather than relying primarily on individual consultations, the program focused on strengthening institutional infrastructure and aligning clinical practices across disciplines.

Key components included:

• An active consult service: Inpatient Glycemic Team
• Standardized insulin order sets with embedded clinical decision support
• Multidisciplinary glucose management rounds
• Unit-based diabetes nurse champions
• An ICU insulin infusion protocol co-managed with pharmacists
• Glycemic data and insulin administration dashboards to track performance metrics
• Ongoing education for physicians, trainees, nurses, and allied health professionals

The trial is evaluating the investigational CARLEN System, a transcatheter device designed to support the heart’s natural mitral valve without permanently altering its structure. Unlike other transcatheter mitral valve repair procedures, this device aims to preserve the valve’s anatomy while improving function.

UC Davis Medical Center is the only hospital in Northern California participating in the trial and currently offering eligible patients access to this investigational treatment option. 

“We are honored to be the first U.S. hospital participating in this clinical trial and to play a role in advancing this innovative treatment option for patients,” said Gagan Singh, director of the Structural Heart Program at UC Davis Health. “Making this possible for our patient took a large team working behind the scenes for months.”

“I learned how to work with mice and do a bunch of experiments, and I really liked it,” Clarke said of her undergraduate experience at UC Davis.

After graduating with a degree in neurobiology, physiology and behavior, she took a job conducting research at UCSF, and four years later got into the UC Davis School of Medicine. She’s now in the ARC-MD pathway program, short for Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors. Clarke, who recently completed her third year of medical school, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Daniel T. O’Connor, M.D. Memorial Research Grant (DTOC).

The prestigious grant, named for a 1974 alumnus, is given annually to a research-minded medical student who embodies O’Connor’s values: High-quality research in translational medicine, through a multi-disciplinary, highly collaborative, “bench to bedside” approach. After graduating from the UC Davis School of Medicine, O’Connor became a distinguished professor of medicine and pharmacology at UC San Diego. He was internationally known and published more than 400 journal articles before his death in 2014.

His widow Kellie Evans-O’Connor helps administer the DTOC award. The grant provides a stipend and health insurance for an academic year.

An ‘exceptional student’ with a promising future

“Maria is an exceptional student physician-scientist whose accomplishments, professionalism, drive and clear vision for a career in translational research distinguish her from her peers,” said Jennifer Rosenthal, the UC Davis School of Medicine’s executive director of research, training and development.

The award seemed perfectly timed for Clarke.

Medical students who aspire to be physician-scientists usually step aside from the classroom and conduct unpaid research for at least a year. Clarke was about to complete her third year of medical school and anxious about entering a research year she couldn’t afford.

Researchers at UC Davis Health and Kaiser Permanente have helped fill this knowledge gap by tracking a large group of 90+ year-olds since 2018 — the LifeAfter90 study. Their most recent findings, which were published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, delineate dementia risk disparities between genders and racial and ethnic groups. The study also revealed how older brains respond to genetic variables.

“We know from other studies, done in people 65 and older, that there are differences in dementia rates, and women tend to have higher risk, but nobody knew if that was true after 90,” said Rachel Whitmer, UC Davis Health professor of public health sciences and neurology, chief of epidemiology and senior author on the study. “We need to understand who is most affected by dementia after 90 and how the main Alzheimer's risk gene (APOE) factors in.”

LifeAfter90

LifeAfter90 participants are Kaiser Permanente members, 90 or older, who enrolled before they had any signs of dementia. Led by Whitmer, researchers have closely followed these patients, examining them every six months to track their cognitive health.

Because participants are long-term Kaiser Permanente members, the LifeAfter90 team has access to decades of health information, in some cases dating back to the 1960s. The Lancet study examined medical records from over 800 participants, median age 92. This is the first effort to investigate dementia after 90 in a highly diverse cohort.

The researchers found that, like their younger counterparts, women 90 and older are at higher risk for dementia — two-fold greater than men. There were also racial and ethnic risk disparities, similar to those of younger groups. Black participants had a 75% greater risk than Asian participants.

“It is striking that the racial and ethnic disparities in dementia risk observed in younger adults continue into the tenth decade of life,” said Hilary Colbeth, a UC Davis postdoctoral scholar in public health sciences and first author on the paper. “Specifically, Black and Hispanic participants had significantly higher dementia incidence rates than white and Asian participants.”

The Medical Center was ranked in six adult specialty care areas by U.S. News. Among these, Neurology & Neurosurgery (No. 20) was ranked among the top 20 programs in the country, while Geriatrics (No. 28) and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (No. 34) both ranked among the nation’s top 50 specialties. 

UC Davis was also recognized for excellent patient care outcomes in three regional rankings, including Cancer, Orthopaedics, Cardiology and Heart & Vascular Surgery.

UC Davis Medical Center has 15 procedures and conditions rated as “High Performing” (the highest possible designation) for patient outcomes. U.S. News & World Report ranked these conditions as High Performing:

1. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
2. Colon Cancer Surgery
3. Diabetes
4. Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery
5. Gynecological Cancer Surgery
6. Heart Arrhythmia
7. Heart Attack
8. Heart Failure
9. Hip Fracture
10. Hip Replacement
11. Kidney Failure
12. Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma
13. Lung Cancer Surgery
14. Pneumonia
15. Stroke

In specialty care rankings, UC Davis Medical Center was regionally ranked 10th in California for Cancer treatment, and number one in Sacramento. Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery ranked 16th in California and Orthopaedics was ranked 12th in California and No. 1 in Sacramento.

“UC Davis continues to be Sacramento’s only nationally ranked health care provider, and we’re especially proud to see our Neurology and Neurosurgery program ranked as the 20th best in the nation,” said Chief Clinical Officer Bruce L. Hall. “We’re proud to share our expert care with all of Northern California, as the region’s only academic medical system.” 

UC Davis Medical Center was also awarded a Best Regional Hospital for Community Access badge by U.S. News. The award recognizes hospitals that excel in providing care to historically underserved populations. This includes patients from underserved areas, Medicaid (Medi-Cal) patients, and patients from minority communities.

UC Davis overall is a tier one research university and was recently ranked as one of the Top 10 public universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis is ranked in the top 50 nationally for master’s programs, and the UC Davis School of Medicine was ranked in the top tier nationwide by U.S. News as one of the Best Medical Schools for Primary Care. 

About the rankings

The U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings, published annually since 1990, enable consumers and their physicians to determine which hospitals provide the best care for the most serious or complicated medical conditions and procedures. The full list of hospital rankings can be viewed on the U.S. News website.

Researchers examined how four lifestyle factors — sleep quality, screen time, physical activity and diet — influenced the relationship between mental health symptoms and academic and social functioning in children ages 10 to 13. They found that sleep was the strongest factor associated with better grades and fewer social problems. Screen time was the second strongest factor.

"This finding surprised us," said Jason Smucny, the study's first author and a computational neuroscientist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "We expected sleep to be important, but we didn't expect it to stand out so clearly above other lifestyle factors, particularly screen time.”

Nurses wheel the cart from room to room at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, the 50-bed hospital in a rural and scenic region where rolling vineyards fade into redwood forests.

Mendocino County has long struggled with a shortage of medical specialists. The closest nephrologist is at least an hour's drive away. So patients who need kidney care face long trips for treatment or consultations — even farther if their insurance is limited.

UC Davis Health fills the gap in access with its telenephrology program, a critical link that extends specialty care into hospitals that don’t have it onsite.

“The best part of living in rural communities is the fact that you get to live away from the big, urban areas,” said Kristen Marin, the director of critical care and trauma services at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley. “However,” she added, “it comes with its challenges, and part of that is access to care.”

She describes the UC Davis telehealth program as “the next best option” to in-person care.

“This partnership is not only valued by the patients and their families,” she said, “but also, from a care provider, it’s exactly what you want to see in a rural community or in a rural hospital where Adventist Health is committed to caring for patients close to home.”

Chronic kidney disease on the rise

UC Davis has been a leader in telehealth since the 1990s, connecting with more than 200 clinics and hospitals across a 33-county coverage area. The real-time consultations on video or phone involve nearly 50 specialties.

Nephrology is a newer specialty for telehealth, due to the deepening shortage of nephrologists, especially in rural settings where chronic kidney disease is on the rise.

And because many local residents here lack primary care providers, kidney disease may go undetected until a serious medical event occurs.

“That means patients find out about end-stage renal disease on a trip to the emergency department,” said Clay Martin, who manages the busy Dialysis Clinic, Inc. (DCI), in Ukiah. “They have no idea their kidneys are failing. They’ll just start feeling the effects of kidney failure without understanding what’s really going on.”

Those are the life-changing moments when UC Davis Health nephrologists Nandakishor Kapa and José Morfín enter the scene.

Morfín, the telenephrology medical director, is often the first care provider to meet with newly hospitalized patients who are shocked to learn of their condition.

He explains what kidney disease is: when the two bean-shaped organs in the lower back can’t filter blood as well as they should.

He helps patients understand what may have contributed to it, often high blood pressure or diabetes, and sometimes trauma or genetic factors.

He recommends ways to manage their health, from nutrition guidance to dialysis treatment and, when appropriate, kidney transplants.

Much of what Morfín does is educate people about a disease they don’t fully understand.

He leans into the video camera to speak with compassion.

“People will hear this news, ‘you need dialysis,’ as if it’s cancer, it’s paralyzing for them.”

But he stresses that kidney disease is manageable and that going on dialysis is a temporary “bridge” before more lasting treatment such as a transplant. He then connects them with resources such as UC Davis Health educational videos and hospital staff who can help patients navigate disability insurance.

Watch a video to learn more about the care nephrologist José Morfín provides in Mendocino County.

A partnership with multiple benefits

UC Davis Health has provided telenephrology to Mendocino County patients since 2021, when Adventist Health requested the program.

It was a win-win-proposal, Morfín said: “The ask was in alignment with our core mission values.”

The program provides round-the-clock video consults, remote dialysis oversight, real-time support for primary care physicians in the hospital and continuity of care for complex cases.

So far, the program has helped deliver more than 1,000 dialysis treatments at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley. That alone has saved the hospital money by not having to transfer patients to dialysis clinics or medical centers in places such as Santa Rosa, St. Helena, San Francisco and Sacramento.

The dialysis treatments at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley mostly take place in the eight-bed intensive care unit (ICU), when patients are sick enough to need it. Critical care nurses are specially trained to operate the portable dialysis machines, with UC Davis Health specialists available on demand.

Nephrologists appear on screen for any nurse, physician or patient who needs them.

“It’s like a little rolling cart, we just bring it and introduce him: This is Dr. Morfín, he’s our nephrologist, he works out of UC Davis,” explained Erin Ford, an Adventist Health nurse for 20 years.

“What he’s been able to provide is super helpful because, even though he’s not quite here in person, it almost seems like he is,” Ford said. “I think we’re super lucky to be partnered with UC Davis.”

Kristen Marin, the ICU director, said Adventist Health Ukiah Valley is the only hospital in Mendocino County with inpatient dialysis. And that, she added, means patients can promptly get the treatment they need and heal near their family.

“Dr. Morfín has brought services to this hospital, to this county, that would otherwise have to go out of county and that is huge,” Marin said.

“This is allowing us to care for our community here, and that’s important. We know that patients do better when their families are close to them. We’re focused on family and patient-centered care — that’s important to us in rural Ukiah.”

A day-in-the-life of a telenephrology doctor

Dr. Morfín has been with UC Davis Health since his nephrology fellowship in 2006. He’s drawn to the mission of expanding access, advancing health equity and improving the health of medically underserved residents throughout northern and central California.

“The whole reason I went into nephrology is to work with marginalized communities,” he said. “There’s a workforce gap between patients and providers, and rural communities are especially impacted.”

Morfín typically sees in-person patients at the Folsom Medical Care Clinic and the Ellison Ambulatory Care Center on the UC Davis Health Sacramento campus. He also frequently visits patients at a dozen dialysis clinics in greater Sacramento.

But he’ll take the Mendocino County video calls from anywhere, anytime. Sometimes it happens in the middle of workouts and twice it happened while he was on vacation in Mexico.

In addition, he drives to Ukiah every three months to meet with hospital staff and patients at the DCI clinic down the street. He chats in Spanish and English with men and women of all ages who sit in large medical chairs and who are tethered for a few hours by catheters and tubes to dialysis machines in a large room full of them.

On a recent visit to DCI, where hemodialysis machines perform the work of kidneys — filtering waste, excess fluid and toxins from the blood — Morfín stops to greet people he normally sees on a screen.

A woman bundled in two blankets tells Morfín that she leaves dialysis sessions heavier than when she arrives. Morfín opens her medical record and instructs clinic staff to extend her treatment time so the machine can remove more fluid.

A middle-aged man wants a kidney transplant. Morfín advises he needs to be more consistent with his appointments and medication.

UC Davis gives new life to a kidney patient

There are many success stories from the past five years of how telenephrology has improved patients’ lives. Perhaps few as compelling as that of Jesús Andrade, a 46-year-old landscaper who learned of his kidney problems when he offered to donate a kidney to his wife.

Andrade, who lives in Ukiah, was visiting his wife in Mexico and undergoing evaluation to determine if he’d be the ideal candidate for her transplant.

“During the screening they discovered that I, myself, had kidney disease and couldn’t be a donor,” Andrade said. “It was very difficult news — we learned that both of us were facing serious problems with our kidneys.”

He went on dialysis for more than two months in Mexico, until doctors deemed him stable enough to return to California.

Once in Ukiah, Andrade continued thrice-weekly treatments while Morfín referred him to the transplant team at UC Davis Health. Social workers, meanwhile, worked to fix a glitch in Andrade’s Medi-Cal insurance.

On March 16, Andrade was wheeled into an operating room at UC Davis Medical Center where he received a donated kidney from his sister.

“My life since the transplant has completely changed,” Andrade said. “I feel good, I feel normal.”

During his recuperation phase, Andrade is focused on a strict, to-the-minute medication regimen. He’s very careful about hygiene, eating the right foods, and he gets regular lab work to allow his body to adapt to the kidney.

He recently reflected on his experience following a post-transplant appointment in the UC Davis Health 48X Surgery Complex. He sat on a tall chair outside the specialty clinic to share an experience he said he will never forget:

A couple of weeks after the transplant, Morfín stopped by DCI to round on patients. When he noticed Andrade’s chair sitting empty, he worried that something might be wrong. “He called and asked how I was doing,” Andrade said. “I explained that I got the transplant and I was home recuperating. He was so happy to hear the news. That really moved me because it reflected the genuine interest that he always had for me.”

Andrade said he’s “deeply grateful” to his entire UC Davis Health care team because he feels cared for and supported. “They are a group of professionals committed to helping people when they need it most.”

He continued: “Thanks to them, I received a second chance. They gave me my health, my hope, and the opportunity to continue moving forward with my life.”

Baxmeyer’s dad, Phil Ryder, was in the hospital for an extended time, due to complications following a permanent spinal injury.

“Our family shares a profound connection to nature and the gift it brings to the mind, body and spirit,” Baxmeyer said. “To be confined to a hospital bed and separated from the outdoors can be incredibly difficult.”

This observation gave Baxmeyer an idea: She would bring nature into the hospital herself, through sound and imagery. Baxmeyer drew upon her years of producing art in multiple genres. She composes and performs music, draws and paints and writes poetry and prose in addition to eco-acoustic sound recording and composition.

While out on nature hikes, she recorded various soundscapes and short nature videos, such as water streaming down the riverbank and birds singing in the trees to share with her dad during hospital visits.

Soundscapes support relaxation by immersing listeners in the sounds of natural environments. The layered, authentic sounds — such as rushing water, a fresh breeze or rustling leaves — can calm the mind and reduce stress.

Baxmeyer has more than 18 years of experience in health, sound and well-being. Trained in narrative medicine and writing and sound-based reflection practices, her work explores how natural soundscapes and immersive audio can support healing and emotional processing.

How the project came together

After her father passed, Baxmeyer attended a memorial service at the UC Davis MIND Institute honoring those who had lost loved ones. The service moved Baxmeyer deeply and inspired her to reach out to hospice staff and offer a creative gift rooted in her talent.

“They took such good care of our family during a difficult time. I wanted to do something to express my gratitude,” Baxmeyer explained.

She offered to produce soundscapes and meditation recordings tailored for the UC Davis Health community — for free.

Humbled by the generous offer, staff connected Baxmeyer with The CARE Project, which offers therapeutic services and holistic interventions to adults admitted to the hospital.

Baxmeyer's gesture resonated with Katie Lorain, the CARE Project manager.

“I’m continually thinking about ways to make the hospital feel more comfortable, especially from a sensory perspective, so I was excited about the idea of bringing meditations and soundscapes to patients, visitors and staff,” Lorain said.

Lorain and Baxmeyer brainstormed possibilities while touring the hospital. Then, they collaborated with the Facilities Planning and Development team to design artistic signs that would help patients, visitors and staff easily access the meditations and soundscapes.

Myrna Saldaña, artwork and signage program manager, was thrilled to be involved in the endeavor.

“When you think of signs, you don’t usually equate it to sound,” Saldaña said. “We wanted the design to be colorful and eye-catching, while also making it easy for the community to access through a QR code. The final product is truly special.”

From start to finish, the meditation menu project took more than a year to create.

Baxmeyer created the soundscapes with extensive field recordings collected in diverse natural environments across California, using specialized microphones to capture both subtle and immersive environmental sounds. She carefully edited and arranged the sounds into authentic, research-informed, narrative-driven auditory experiences designed to guide and engage the listener.

“The project is rooted in the idea that nature can help people find balance and beauty in the world, and offer a sense of respite and connection, especially during difficult times in the hospital,” Baxmeyer said.

Accessible to everyone

While the meditations were created and designed with UC Davis Health patients, visitors and staff in mind, they are accessible to everyone.

Jessica Micheletti, a relationship-based care and wellness manager at UC Davis Health, expressed her appreciation and gratitude for the high-quality recordings.

“I really enjoyed all the soundscapes. Listening to them while I work has helped me stay focused and relaxed throughout the day. I was especially moved by the thoughtful details in the Pavilion Lobby and Healing Arts guided meditation track,” Micheletti said.

The gift that keeps on giving

Baxmeyer has completed 12 soundscapes and meditations, dedicating more than 85 hours of volunteer work to the project. She is also developing a meditation designed specifically for burn patients.

“My hope is that this helps facilitate simultaneous connection with the self and the natural world and gives people an opportunity to feel a greater sense of ease,” Baxmeyer said. “Anything to help reduce stress or pain in whatever capacity possible.”

Listen to the meditations and soundscapes

After being discharged, patients often had to wait in line to pick up medications, navigate insurance issues or learn their prescriptions were more expensive than expected. These challenges could delay treatment and add stress during a time when patients should be focused on recovery.

Two years ago, UC Davis Health launched its Meds to Beds program to remove those barriers by delivering discharge medications directly to patients before they leave the hospital.

Since then, the program has become an integral part of the discharge process. It helps patients start their treatment immediately while supporting a safer transition from hospital to home.

“When we deliver medications directly to patients before they go home, we remove one more barrier to their recovery,” said Kevin Lau, manager of retail pharmacy at UC Davis Health. “It's convenient, but more importantly, it helps ensure patients have the medications they need and understand how to take them. That can lead to better health outcomes, prevent complications, reduce hospital readmissions and, in severe cases, save lives.”

How Meds to Beds works

Through the Meds to Beds program, eligible patients are automatically enrolled during their hospital stay. As discharge orders are entered, pharmacy staff work closely with care teams to prepare prescriptions and coordinate bedside delivery before patients leave UC Davis Medical Center.

The service eliminates the need for patients, caregivers or nurses to walk to the pharmacy after discharge paperwork is completed. Pharmacy staff also help navigate insurance coverage, prior authorizations and financial assistance programs when needed, ensuring patients can promptly access the medications prescribed for their recovery.

“Patient care does not end when someone is discharged,” said Cindy Vang, supervisor of the UC Davis Medical Center Discharge Pharmacy team. “We want to make sure patients can continue their care after they leave the hospital, and having medications in hand is a critical part of that.”

Improving outcomes beyond convenience

While the program adds convenience to the discharge process, its impact extends far beyond saving patients an extra stop on their way home.

Research has shown that Meds to Beds type of programs can significantly reduce 30-day hospital readmissions. One study of nearly 40,000 hospital discharges found that patients who participated in a Meds to Beds program were approximately 50% less likely to be readmitted within 30 days than those who did not participate.

The program also helps address a common challenge known as primary nonadherence: when patients never fill a prescription after leaving the hospital. By providing medications before discharge, Meds to Beds removes potential barriers such as transportation challenges, insurance complications and out-of-pocket costs. Studies suggest that up to a third of medication-related readmissions are linked to patients not taking prescribed medications as directed.

“Medication adherence is critical for patients with cardiac conditions who are discharged with new prescriptions,” said Samer Mishriky, pharmacy supervisor at UC Davis Health. “Barriers such as high costs, insurance challenges and lack of transportation can prevent patients from accessing needed therapies, leading to readmissions, higher healthcare costs and poorer health outcomes.”

A collaborative effort across UC Davis Health

While patients experience a seamless bedside delivery, the program is powered by extensive collaboration across the health system.

Pharmacy leaders partnered with nursing leadership, information technology, nurse educators and other key stakeholders to design workflows that integrated smoothly into the electronic health record and existing clinical processes. The program launched as a pilot before gradually expanding across inpatient units.

“We had to build a lot of infrastructure to get the program off the ground,” Lau said. “There were many stakeholders involved, and it was important to make sure the program integrated smoothly into existing workflows without disrupting patient care.”

That collaboration has benefited caregivers as well as patients. Prior to the program, nurses or family members often had to leave patient units to pick up medications, taking time away from patient care. By bringing medications directly to the bedside, care teams can remain focused on their patients while helping facilitate a more efficient discharge process.

The pharmacy team measures performance and identifies opportunities for improvement by tracking key metrics through a dedicated dashboard, including patient capture rates and reductions in medication turnaround times.

National recognition for innovation

The success of the UC Davis Health Meds to Beds program has attracted attention from health systems across the country.

Earlier this year, UC Davis Health was selected to present its innovative Meds to Beds workflow enhancements at Epic’s XGM Conference. Healthcare organizations nationwide learned about the team's automated enrollment processes, chain-of-custody documentation and technology innovations.

Attendees showed particular interest in UC Davis Health’s opt-out enrollment model as an alternative to the commonly used opt-in approach. They were also eager to learn about the organization’s integrated tracking systems, which enhance medication delivery by improving safety and efficiency and minimizing disruption to clinical operations.

Looking ahead

As the program enters its third year, leaders are focused on continuing to expand patient access. Recently, Meds to Beds expanded operations to include weekends and holidays, helping ensure patients can receive medications regardless of when they are discharged.

The team is also exploring opportunities to bring similar services to additional care settings outside the hospital.

For the pharmacy discharge team, the program's growth reflects a simple but powerful goal of ensuring patients have the tools they need to continue their recovery after hospitalization.

“By delivering medications directly to a patient's bedside, we're able to provide both convenience and peace of mind before discharge,” shared Adriana Lepe, discharge pharmacy technician. “My hope is that this service helps make the transition home a little easier by ensuring patients have what they need and one less thing to worry about as they focus on their recovery.”

The biotherapeutic metabolite, 10-hydroxystearic acid (10-HSA), is produced by the beneficial gut bacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. L. plantarum is a common lactic acid bacterium found in many over-the-counter probiotics and fermented foods. It also occurs naturally in the human gut.

The findings were published in Nature Microbiology.

"Current HIV therapies are remarkably effective at controlling viral replication, but they do not fully repair the profound damage HIV causes in the gut," said Satya Dandekar, senior author of the study and a distinguished professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis Health. "Our findings suggest that restoring the gut's structural and immune health can enhance antiretroviral treatment and opens an entirely new avenue for achieving more durable control of HIV.”

HIV and the late stage of the infection, AIDS, remain major global public health issues. In 2025, an estimated 40.9 million people were living with HIV, and approximately 1.2 million people acquired new HIV infections. In 2025, around 570,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide.

HIV damages gut immune system

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the body’s largest immune tissue and key regulator of the body's immune system, is an early target of HIV. The virus severely damages the immune and epithelial cells in the gut’s lining. This damage leads to an inflamed, leaky gut, a weakened defense system and decreased nutrient absorption. The virus also disrupts mitochondrial function (mitochondria are organelles that generate energy within the cells). 

Even with strict adherence to ART, many people living with HIV have persistent gut inflammation caused by the virus. Previous research from Dandekar’s lab showed L. plantarum could quickly heal the chronically inflamed leaky gut associated with HIV.

For this study, the researchers identified metabolites produced by L. plantarum in the virally inflamed gut environment in the non-human primate model of HIV/AIDS. Among the hundreds of molecules created by L. plantarum, one metabolite, 10-HSA, emerged as the strongest candidate for repairing the gut barrier and reducing inflammation.

Using X-ray crystallography to visualize 10-HSA interactions at the atomic level, researchers demonstrated that 10-HSA directly binds to PPAR-alpha, a nuclear receptor that regulates key biological processes.

This binding promoted histone crotonylation, an epigenetic modification that helps regulate gene activity. The resulting cascade of cellular events reprogrammed gene expression to restore mitochondrial function and energy metabolism while supporting repair of the gut lining.

Researchers also found that 10-HSA increased mitochondrial respiration of gut epithelial cells during HIV inflammatory conditions, boosting energy-generating capacity and reducing harmful reactive oxygen species.

Testing the approach in nonhuman primates

To determine whether the benefits of 10-HSA translate to living organisms, the team conducted two independent studies at the UC Davis National Biomedical Research Institute in non-human primates infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a close relative of HIV.

• The first study evaluated 10-HSA alone without ART. This led to intestinal repair, improved key markers of gut function, improved mitochondrial health, reduced inflammatory signaling and partially restored the gut microbiota.

• The second study evaluated 10-HSA in combination with ART. Significantly, the combined treatment showed faster clearance of viral burden than ART alone. The combination also promoted faster recovery of gut immune cells, reduced immune activation, restored epithelial barrier integrity and restored beneficial gut microbiota and microbial diversity.

“The findings suggest repairing the tissue damage caused by HIV may be as important as suppressing the virus itself with antiretroviral therapy,” said Dylan Kramer, first author of the study and recent Ph.D. graduate from the Dandekar Lab. “By rebuilding the gut barrier, restoring mitochondrial function and reducing inflammation, 10-HSA helps create conditions that support stronger immune recovery and more effective antiviral therapy for HIV.”

The authors caution that the results are from preclinical models. The studies showed no adverse effects. The research supports testing the safety and effectiveness of 10-HSA in humans.

"Our research shows that host health, microbial health and viral control are deeply interconnected," Dandekar said. She noted that treating the damaged gut ecosystem facilitates recovery of the immune system, leading to regained functions that have been lost during HIV infection. Additionally, treating the damaged gut during HIV infection can improve outcomes beyond what antiviral drugs can achieve alone.

“The restoration of gut barrier integrity and microbial balance through 10-HSA supplementation may represent a promising therapeutic strategy, with implications that extend beyond HIV to other chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract,” Dandekar said.

A full list of authors appears in the journal article.

This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (U42OD010990, AI123105, R37 AI 153025, T32 AI060555, P51 OD011107, R01 ES036174) and the UC Davis School of Medicine.

The University of California has filed a patent application related to therapeutic treatment strategies involving 10-HSA.

Resources

Read the study in Nature Microbiology

Mapping the pathway to gut health in HIV and SIV infections

The study, published in The Lancet, found that patients who received deramiocel experienced significantly slower disease progression compared with those receiving a placebo, demonstrating benefits across multiple measures of muscle and cardiac function.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects approximately 1 in 3,500 to 5,000 boys worldwide and progressively weakens skeletal, respiratory and cardiac muscles. While advances in care have improved survival, there remains a critical need for therapies to address multiple aspects of the disease, particularly in non-ambulatory patients with advanced disease.

In the HOPE-3 study, 106 participants with advanced DMD were randomized to receive quarterly infusions of deramiocel or placebo over 12 months. Patients treated with deramiocel showed significantly less decline in upper limb function, a critical measure of independence that affects activities such as feeding, grooming and using technology. The treatment also demonstrated advantages on measures of cardiac function and disease-related heart scarring, two major causes of illness and premature death in DMD.

“What makes these findings especially meaningful is that deramiocel demonstrated effects across multiple systems impacted by Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” said Craig McDonald, chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UC Davis Health and lead study investigator. “Preserving arm and hand function is critically important for maintaining independence and quality of life in people living with Duchenne. At the same time, protecting heart function is essential for long-term health. Seeing evidence of the benefit in both areas is a game changer and represents a potentially important advance for patients and families.”

A different approach to treating Duchenne

Unlike therapies that target a specific genetic mutation, deramiocel is designed to address disease processes common to many people with DMD — including inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring — that progressively damages muscles and the heart.

The therapy consists of cardiosphere-derived cells, which are obtained from donated human heart tissue and act through biological signaling mechanisms that help reduce fibrosis and modulate harmful inflammation.

The event celebrated the extraordinary courage of young warriors battling cancer at the cancer center and honored the unwavering love and strength of their families who stand beside them every step of the way.

Since 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded 14 grants to UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, totaling $1,310,000 in funding.

“To me, this is the best thing we do other than selling cars. We want to make sure that someday, kids will be 100% cured. That’s the goal,” said Rajesh Gupta, senior group manager of regional sales for the Western Region at Hyundai Motor America. “Every single dollar helps Dr. Marcio and his team to do what they need to do to make medicine and conduct research for the kids.”

This is the fourth consecutive year that Marcio Malogolowkin, chief of the Division of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, has received a Hyundai Hope on Wheels grant.

“This will help our kids by improving their lives during therapy and advancing their long-term outcomes, but it will also help us find new modalities, therapies and ways to care for our patients,” Malogolowkin said.

The event began in the cancer center’s auditorium and ended outdoors where attendees dipped their hands in paint and added their handprints to the SUV.

On hand to provide a “high five” and a thank you was 8-year-old cancer patient Alizah. She smiled broadly as she made an indelible memory of the day. 

“UC Davis gave Alizah her childhood back and gave her her voice,” said the girl’s mother, Malia Martinez. “We didn’t get the help we needed until we came here. Thank you.”

“Hey,” Justina Huang asked, “Have you thought about going back to school?”   

By “school,” Huang meant medical school. Zhang had taken the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) about 13 years earlier and scored well but decided not to apply. 

The question lingered. The desire to become a physician still remained despite years spent building a career and raising a family. This time, Zhang decided to pursue it. She enrolled in online, out-of-state science courses, retook the MCAT and, with the encouragement of her husband, applied to medical school. 

On Saturday, Zhang will officially join the UC Davis School of Medicine as one of 139 first-year medical students. 

“I’m very grateful to be here and I would say it feels surreal,” Zhang said. “But at the same time, I feel like I’m in the right place, like it just fits.” 

The induction ceremony, also known as a white coat ceremony, takes place at the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis. The new students will receive a warm welcome from deans, be given a stethoscope and hear words of advice from fourth-year students. The 10 a.m. ceremony will be livestreamed on the School of Medicine’s Facebook page. 

Returning to her UC Davis roots 

For Zhang, medical school means returning to the university where she earned her master’s degree in nutritional biology in 2014. 

She has since worked at hospitals in Fairfield, Lodi, and even UC Davis Medical Center during her dietetic internship in 2016.  

She loved her 10-year career as a registered dietitian, which included a stint in private practice where she provided counseling. She especially enjoyed the opportunities to help children develop healthier habits, educate parents about nutrition and see the positive results. 

“I worked with a lot of kids with eating disorders, and it was very meaningful to connect with them and gain their trust,” Zhang said.  

Some of the most memorable chapters of her career have unfolded at Shriners Children’s Northern California, the Sacramento hospital where she has been a clinical dietitian since 2022. The hospital is located across the street from the UC Davis Health building that houses the medical school classrooms, so she can easily meet old friends for lunch. 

Providing nutritional therapy allowed Zhang to appreciate the rich cultural diversity of her patients. She helped some make dietary adjustments without sacrificing dishes that held meaning for their families. 

“Food is so important to your identity,” said Zhang, who was born in New Jersey to Taiwanese American parents and lived most of her childhood in China. “It’s really about enjoying your food and honoring your culture. And I think that’s what medicine should be.” 

The push to become a physician 

When Zhang committed to applying to medical school upon her sister’s suggestion, and husband’s support, she knew the journey would require significant sacrifices. 

Her kids were 1, 3 and 5. Her husband worked a demanding job. When he was traveling, Zhang juggled raising the children and shuttling them to daycare and activities, packing the lunches, doing the laundry and other chores — all while working part time.   

“I was treading water,” she confessed. 

She signed up for online classes, one after the other, to reactivate expired pre-requisite coursework for medical school applications. First chemistry. Then organic chemistry. Biology. Physics. 

While most classmates watched lectures in real time, Zhang squeezed them in whenever she could — late at night after her children went to bed and on weekends. 

Her work ethic will come in handy at UC Davis — and not only for the usual rigors of medical school. Zhang is one of six students enrolled in the ACE-PC pathway, or Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care. The pathway allows students to complete medical school in three years instead of four through a more intensive curriculum focused on primary care. 

Zhang dreams of becoming a family medicine physician and psychiatrist, she says.  

She looks forward to serving on a care team and intervening earlier with nutrition therapy — an opportunity she did not have as a registered dietitian. 

As she begins medical school, Zhang’s thoughts are on the people who helped make the journey possible. 

“I’m thinking about my family: My grandparents were refugees, with very poor health literacy. My parents sacrificed for my education. My sister believed in me and gave me a nudge. I could not have gotten here without the support of my husband, in-laws and friends,” Zhang said. I am investing in myself and modeling being a lifelong learner to my children.” 

The oral medication was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2024 to treat anemia caused by chronic kidney disease in adults. The drug is currently approved for once-daily use.

The new trial evaluated the safety of administering it three times a week rather than daily, aligning treatment with a typical patient’s dialysis clinic visits.

“Offering patients a treatment that aligns with their regularly scheduled dialysis sessions ensures adherence and reduces the burden of managing yet another medication at home,” said Shuchi Anand, a kidney specialist and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UC Davis Health.

Anand served on the executive steering committee for the clinical trial, helping to design the study, oversee its implementation and evaluate its outcomes.

Need for new treatment options

Many patients on dialysis develop anemia because damaged kidneys produce less erythropoietin (EPO), the hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. Frequent blood draws and iron loss during dialysis sessions can further lower blood counts. 

Treatment typically includes iron supplementation, EPO-stimulating injections and, more recently, oral medications to help reduce fatigue and prevent complications associated with low red blood cell levels.

“The goal of this trial was to broaden the range of treatment options available to patients,” said Anand. “We haven't seen a new anemia therapy for people on dialysis in more than two decades. That makes it especially important to develop safe and effective alternatives.”

The award will allow McBeth to spend six months on research to improve trauma care in a country she's very familiar with — The Gambia — where she has trained healthcare workers for years. 

Her Fullbright work will support the country's National Trauma Injury Prevention and Management Plan for 2025–2029. The plan was created after a deadly stadium collapse prompted the need for stronger emergency care systems.

Unlike the United States, emergency medicine is not yet recognized as an independent medical specialty in The Gambia and many other low- and middle-income countries. As a result, emergency care is often delivered by physicians from multiple disciplines without standardized emergency medicine training, creating gaps in trauma care, triage and the management of critically ill patients. 

During her six-month Fulbright-sponsored appointment, McBeth will partner with clinicians and health system leaders in The Gambia to develop a longitudinal emergency and trauma care curriculum for medical residents and medical officers. Her research will evaluate best practices for implementing emergency and trauma care systems, including improvements in clinical workflow, patient outcomes, provider knowledge and attitudes and strategies to optimize the transfer of injured patients across the country's healthcare system. 

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” McBeth said. “The Fulbright is a meaningful recognition of the work we’ve been doing in The Gambia and the difference it is making. This opportunity will allow us to spend six months focused on improving trauma care, helping us build on our progress and reach more people. I’m grateful for the support and recognition this award provides.”