UC Davis Health

17/07/2025

UC Davis MIND Institute researchers Randi and Paul Hagerman are calling for increased awareness and screening for fragile X-associated conditions. The husband-and-wife physician-scientists shared that the group of genetic conditions is still not widely recognized by health care providers, despite decades of research.

In their new paper, the Hagermans note that anyone with a diagnosis of autism or intellectual disability should be screened for fragile X. “Unfortunately, this isn’t happening consistently, even though it’s recommended by the leading medical organizations,” said Distinguished Professor Randi Hagerman, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and MIND Institute founding medical director. “It’s a simple blood test, is usually covered by insurance or Medicaid/Medi-Cal and is absolutely necessary for these conditions.”

Learn more about their research and fragile X: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/uc-davis-experts-call-for-greater-physician-awareness-and-screening-of-fragile-x-related-conditions/2025/07

17/07/2025

We’re thrilled to congratulate Suni Lee and Simone Biles on their well-deserved wins at the ESPY Awards! 🏆

A special highlight for us: Dr. Marcia Faustin, one of our outstanding Family & Sports Medicine physicians, had the honor of attending as Suni Lee’s guest. In addition to her role with us, Dr. Faustin serves as Associate Team Physician for UC Davis Athletics and co-Head Team Physician for the USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team.

We’re incredibly proud of Dr. Faustin’s dedication to supporting elite athletes, both in our community and on the national stage. What an inspiring evening for women in sports!

16/07/2025

We are proud to have earned four prestigious Get With The Guidelines awards from the American Heart Association! This recognition honors our commitment to improving care for patients dealing with heart disease and stroke, and reflects the dedication of our incredible teams.

“These awards serve as a powerful testament to the high-quality care UC Davis Health delivers to cardiovascular and stroke patients,” shared Joseph Galante, chief medical officer. “This recognition underscores our commitment to quality and safety as well as the caliber of our clinical care providers.”

Thank you to our clinical care providers for going above and beyond to deliver lifesaving care every day.

Learn more: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/uc-davis-health-recognized-by-american-heart-association-for-high-quality-heart-and-stroke-care/2025/07

15/07/2025

Our Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has received a $1.8 million U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) grant to explore how bone strength and fractures might influence the spread of prostate cancer.

The three-year study will investigate why prostate cancer often spreads to the bones, and whether weakened bones — due to age, fractures or hormone treatment — make patients more vulnerable to this deadly progression.

"This gap in research is critical," said orthopaedics Professor Gabriela Loots. "Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer are older and already experiencing some degree of bone loss. That matters — especially because the cancer often spreads to the bones and becomes lethal.

Learn more about the DOD grant and research:

More than $2.2 million in Department of Defense research funding is headed to Orthopaedic Surgery scientists to study bone and joint health.

14/07/2025

We're proud to share that respiratory therapist Krystal Craddock has been awarded the 2025 Mallinckrodt Literary Award for her groundbreaking research on a novel, respiratory therapist-integrated care model at our Comprehensive COPD Clinic!

To celebrate this incredible achievement, we sat down with Krystal to discuss her work and the vital, growing role of respiratory therapists in outpatient care:

Krystal Craddock discusses her award-winning paper that evaluated the benefits of respiratory therapists in the COPD clinic, which has drastically improved patient outcomes.

11/07/2025

The ACC Pharmacy, formerly in the Ellison Building, has officially moved to the new 48X Complex.

The pharmacy has also been renamed and is now the UC Davis 48X Outpatient Pharmacy.

The pharmacy will serve patients at the ACC still, as well as same-day surgery, Tschannen Eye Institute patients and 48X.

Pharmacy hours will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition to prescription needs, the pharmacy will also offer immunizations, clinical pharmacy services and a selection of over-the-counter medications and supplies.

Learn more: https://health.ucdavis.edu/pharmacy/outpatient/Ambulatory-Care-Center-Pharmacy

10/07/2025

Head and neck cancers are among the most difficult to treat. They can be aggressive and are located near some of the body’s most vital areas: nose, mouth, throat. Chemotherapy and radiation have been the primary weapons against tumors that cannot be surgically removed, but the results in advanced cancers have been poor.

Immunotherapies have great potential to improve this landscape. These drugs recruit immune T cells to attack tumors — harnessing the body’s preexisting defense mechanisms to defeat cancer. Unfortunately, this approach is also a work in progress.

But now, researchers at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center have initiated an innovative clinical trial to provide better results against head and neck cancers. It combines the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, also known as KEYTRUDA, and a commonly prescribed blood pressure medication losartan, sold as COSAAR, with a new therapeutic radiation. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is different than conventional radiation in that it uses multiple beams of energy to shrink tumors.

“Immunotherapy has shown so much promise in other cancers, but it hasn’t been particularly effective against head and neck cancer,” said cancer center Chief Science Officer Xiao-Jing Wang. “We’re hoping this combination of radiation, losartan and immunotherapy can provide better results for patients.”

Learn more about the clinical trial:

Cancer center scientists may have uncovered a breakthrough treatment for head and neck cancer using a common blood pressure medicine.

10/07/2025

We're thrilled to share that Kimberly Bleichner-Jones (Kimmie) will now serve as our Interim Chief Operating Officer (COO)! In this role, she will continue to advance our commitment to operational excellence, patient experience, and team-based care across our health system. Kimmie has been an integral part of our organization for more than two decades.

Throughout her career, Kimmie has led a number of areas in patient care services and hospital operations. She has successfully driven major initiatives, provided visionary leadership, and ensured strong operational oversight for the areas she supervises. In her 24 years at UC Davis Health, she has led with a strong focus on collaboration and an unwavering dedication to patient-centered care.

"Please join me in congratulating Kimmie on her interim appointment. She brings great experience and tremendous dedication to the role. I look forward to the continued impact she will make in this next chapter of her leadership at UC Davis Health," said Michael Condrin, Interim Chief Executive Officer.

10/07/2025

A seizure is described as a sudden, temporary burst of electrical activity in the brain that changes how messages are sent between brain cells. These bursts can cause involuntary body movements.

People who have multiple seizures may have a condition called epilepsy, which can impact your quality of life. There are several treatment options for people with seizure disorders and epilepsy.

Our experts break down the causes, symptoms and treatments:

People who have multiple seizures may have epilepsy, which can impact their quality of life. There are treatment options for people with seizures. Learn more about seizure disorders and epilepsy.

08/07/2025

We're excited to share that we've been awarded funding from the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) to further support a workforce development program embraced by residents of local, underserved neighborhoods.

The $175,000 grant will support adding five trainees in 2025 who seek to become a Clinical Research Coordinator, or CRC. A CRC helps manage our clinical trials. The jobs are in high demand, pay well, and college degrees aren’t necessary.

“With this grant, we’re not only funding a training program — we’re investing in people and in the future of clinical research,” said Olga Kishchenko, the education program manager. “The CRC Foundations program reflects our anchor mission: to uplift our community by opening doors to meaningful careers in research and ensuring our workforce reflects the region we serve. Together, we are creating a more skilled and resilient research ecosystem.”

Learn more about our program: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/opening-doors-building-an-inclusive-clinical-research-workforce-in-sacramento/2025/07

08/07/2025

How does early trauma shape brain health later in life? A new study of older Vietnamese Americans finds that war trauma leaves a mark. But so do resilience and gratitude.

Learn why researchers believe these insights could help us care better for all aging adults:

Insights from a new study on war trauma on Vietnamese Americans can shape future research on aging, trauma and brain health.

07/07/2025

We recently celebrated the graduation of our first Best Buddies Project SEARCH internship cohort! The nine-month internship, which began in the fall of 2024, provides young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience in a health care setting.

Program leaders said that the internship has significantly bolstered hospital operations, advanced goals for a more inclusive workplace, and fostered a positive atmosphere across our health system.

Throughout the internship, participants rotated through roles in departments such as Distribution, Radiology, Guest Relations, Patient Support Services, Plant Operations and Maintenance, and more. Each day combined classroom learning in the morning with real-world job training in the afternoon, all with the goal of preparing interns for long-term employment.

Learn more about the program and the impressive graduates: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mind-institute/news/headlines/best-buddies-interns-celebrate-graduation-after-completing-inaugural-program/2025/07?fbclid=IwY2xjawLY7RRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFjaWRpdnVMck9ib1NiaGRLAR5DPnjQMvnYwngthfBRJglYduz6-64rS37HHT9oinK9mUGWznpFO57pCrsdxQ_aem_zTlhRKPJcvqUHWyaqWtTng