News Archive 2023
December 15, 2023 - Ego, logistics, money: Overcoming barriers to a successful wound care program - Dr. Vincent Rowe, Division Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at UCLA Health and professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA provides expert commentary to Vascular Specialist.
December 5, 2023 - UCLA scientists receive $9.1 million from the NCI to improve early detection methods for cancer - Researchers aim to develop effective and affordable liquid biopsy tests to help detect hard-to-treat cancers earlier when it's easier to treat. Dr. Vatche Agopian, associate professor of surgery and director of the Dumont- UCLA Liver Cancer Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is one of the researchers working on the team. Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom.
December 2023 - Garry Shandling Chair Installation - UCLA Surgery recently celebrated the Garry Shandling Chair Installation honoring Drs. Donahue and Sahin-Toth. Dr. Timothy Donahue, professor of surgery and chief of the division of surgical oncology, is the inaugural holder of the Garry Shandling Chair in Pancreatic Surgery. Dr. Miklos Sahin-Toth, professor of surgery, is the inaugural holder of the Garry Shandling Chair in Pancreatic Diseases.
November 28, 2023 - Surgeon and thoracic surgical oncologist Dr. Bryan Burt named chief of thoracic surgery at UCLA Health - Dr. Bryan Burt, professor and chief of the division of thoracic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, leads an NIH-funded research laboratory in the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center focused on understanding mechanisms of response and resistance to immunotherapy, and improving intraoperative margin assessment in thoracic malignancies. Learn more at the UCLA Health Newsroom. Additional Coverage: The Cancer Letter
November 27, 2023 - 'Facial feminization surgery lets the mirror reflect how I see myself' - Dr. Justine Lee, Bernard G. Sarnat Endowed Chair in Craniofacial Biology and associate chief of the UCLA division of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, helped patient undergo facial feminization surgery at UCLA Health in 2021. Learn more at the UCLA Health Newsroom.
November 3, 2023 - ‘Dire' Lack of Vascular Care in Underserved Areas Needs Creativity, Compassion - Dr. Vincent Rowe, division chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at UCLA Health and professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, speaks at VIVA 2023. See coverage at tctMD.
November 3, 2023 - Shaping the future of medical education and advanced training - Dr. Nikhil Chevru, a resident physician in the department of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine, comments on his immediate results following his practice with the new training equipment at the newly opened Rosenfeld Hall. Learn more at the UCLA Health Newsroom.
October 31, 2023 - Rosenfeld Hall: UCLA's Cutting-Edge Hub for Advanced Medical Training and Collaboration - Coverage of the opening of Rosenfeld Hall, the new home for the UCLA Health Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology (CASIT). Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom or at BollyInside.
October 26, 2023 - UCLA scientists receive $16.1 million in CIRM grants to advance novel stem-cell based treatments - Dr. Gerald Lipshutz, professor of surgery and molecular and medical pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, along with his fellow researchers, received more than $16 million in grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom.
October 25, 2023 - 7,500 Daily Steps Before Surgery and Complication Risks Plummet - Dr. Paul Toste, assistant professor of thoracic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine, provided expert commentary to HealthDay.
October 16, 2023 - Integrating Surgical and Systemic Approaches to HCC - Dr. Vatche G. Agopian, associate professor of surgery and director of the Dumont- UCLA Liver Cancer Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, gave a talk at the International Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer. See coverage at Gastroenterology Learning Network.
October 13, 2023 - Celebrate Advances in Screening During Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Dr. Carlie K. Thompson, assistant professor of surgery and a breast surgical oncologist at UCLA Health and the UCLA/Revlon Breast Center, comments on improved screening and treatments that boost survival rates to up to 99% for cancer that has not spread. Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom.
October 3, 2023 - Are environmental toxins causing the rise in early-onset cancers? You asked, we researched. – Dr. Avital Harari, endocrine surgeon at UCLA Health and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Beate Ritz, professor of neurology in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and a professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health provides expert commentary to the Boston Globe.
October 2, 2023 - UCLA Health receives recognition as a Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center from the American Heart Association and the Mitral Foundation - Dr. Richard J. Shemin, chief of cardiac surgery at UCLA Health and director on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, received the Reference Surgeon Award for his commitment to patients who need mitral valve repair. Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom.
October 1, 2023 - Ancient honey-and-vinegar combo could actually treat infected wounds - Dr. Andrew Vardanian, assistant clinical professor of surgery in the division of plastic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, provides expert commentary to Scientific American.
October 2023 - Dr. Yanagawa is the 2023 Tow Humanism Award recipient - Dr. Jane Yanagawa, associate professor of thoracic surgery, is the recipient of the 2023 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a national organization dedicated to ensuring that compassion, respect, and empathy are at the core of all healthcare interactions. The recipient is nominated and selected by faculty peers who recognized Dr. Yanagawa's kindheartedness for her patients and learners and her unwavering commitment and dedication to creating a culture that is inclusive, diverse, and equitable. Learn more here.
September 29, 2023 - 10 most common signs of breast cancer - Dr. Deanna Attai, associate clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center provides expert commentary to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
September 28, 2023 - The 13 best hospitals in California for cardiac surgery - UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center is included in Becker's ASC Review list of top thirteen hospitals for cardiac surgery.
September 20, 2023 - Immunotherapy: when is sooner better than later? - Dr. Jay Lee, surgical director, UCLA thoracic oncology program at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center provides expert commentary to Cancer Today.
September 18, 2023 - Engineered compound shows promise in preventing bone loss in space - A new study led by Dr. Chia Soo, vice chair for research in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, finds an engineered compound given to mice aboard the International Space Station (ISS) largely prevented the bone loss associated with time spent in space. Learn more at Science Magazine, Interesting Engineering, Sci Tech Daily, Space, MSN Health & Fitness, Technology Networks, Health Reporter, Tech Explorist and Live Science.
September 11, 2023 - UCLA research suggests that heart transplantation is safer for adults with single-ventricle CHD than previously thought - Dr. Peyman Benharash and Dr. Ming-Sing Si's research finds that among adult congenital heart disease (CHD) transplant recipients, single-ventricle physiology correlated with higher short-term mortality. Learn more on the UCLA Health Newsroom.
September 4, 2023 - $6 million gift aims to spark lasting change in Los Angeles County - The Helen and Will Webster Foundation grant supports American Heart Association Social Impact Fund to reduce health equity barriers. Learn more here.
August 31, 2023 - Heart transplant patients from socioeconomically distressed communities face higher mortality - Dr. Peyman Benharash, associate professor-in-residence of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, along with a research team, have a new study on the socioeconomic disparities within the U.S. healthcare system. Learn more here.
August 24, 2023 - Thyroid cancer surgeries at very low-volume centers increase odds for complications - Healio covers a study led by Dr. James X Wu, endocrine surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
August 2, 2023 -Researchers discover a novel pathway that minimizes liver injury during transplantation - Dr. Douglas Farmer, Dr. Fady Kaldas, Dr. Jerzy Kupiec-Weglinski, and Dr. Yuan Zhai, along with a research team, have a new study published in Science Translational Medicine. This study has worked to reduce organ injury and has ultimately improved post-transplant outcomes. Learn more here.
July 20, 2023 - Study sheds light on cellular interactions that lead to liver transplant survival - A new study identifies how certain proteins in the immune system interact leading to organ rejection. Learn more here.
July 10, 2023 - UCLA researchers receive grant from National Institutes of Health - Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, including Dr. Vatche Agopian, the director of the Dumont- UCLA Liver Cancer Center, received a $3.3 million grant to find a more effective way to detect hepatocellular carcinoma. Learn more here.
June 29, 2023 - Through collaboration and innovation, the Kardashian Center paves the way to advances in treatment of esophageal disorders - The Kardashian Center thrives to strengthen the collaborative effort that Dr. Conklin began in clinical care, as well as for education for health care providers and patients. Learn more here.
June 1, 2023 - The Braless Years: How the pandemic changed how we wear underwear for good - ELLE Expert commentary from Dr. Deanna Attai, associate clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
May 24, 2023 - From celebrating 5 years breast cancer free, to planning for a mastectomy - Dr. Ginger Slack and Dr. Jennifer Baker help a patient with the discovery of returning breast cancer as well as her mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Learn more here.
May 8, 2023 - Veterans affairs healthcare is as good as non-VA care for many operations - American College of Surgeons. Coverage of review led by Dr. Mariah B. Blegen, fellow in the Department of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine of UCLA. Learn more here.
May 3, 2023 - Maria Menounos reveals she survived pancreatic cancer. People mentions Dr. Timothy Donahue, Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, as part of the Menounos's care team.
April 27, 2023 - UCLA Health, CHOC collaborate to enhance access to pediatric congenital cardiac care. Dr. Glen Van Arsdell, will serve as the joint program's chief and is UCLA Health chief of congenital cardiovascular surgery. Learn more here.
April 26, 2023 - A UCLA thoracic surgeon shares critical health care advances with underserved communities. Dr. Sha'shonda Revels is creating better awareness about lung cancer screening. Learn more here.
April 18, 2023 - 13 years after bariatrics surgery, a 27-year old says it changed her life. NPR highlights expert commentary from Dr. Edward Livingston, health sciences clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
April 13, 2023 - Dr. Clifford Ko: Surgeon, Researcher, Sommelier. UCLA Health's Chief of Colon and Rectal Surgery extends his pursuit of knowledge and excellence beyond medicine. Learn more here.
March 27, 2023 - Hybrid ablation procedure puts A-fib hearts back in sync. A new, two-stage hybrid ablation procedure is less invasive and lowers recovery time. Dr. Peyman Benharash along with other UCLA Doctors have performed the hybrid procedure more than 60 times with an estimated 80% of their patients remaining in normal rhythm post-surgery. Learn more here.
March 8, 2023 - The Hirshberg Foundation builds a community of support for those affected by pancreatic cancer. UCLA Health Newsroom highlights the Hirshberg Foundation's efforts to build a community of support for those affected by pancreatic cancer, along with the Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases and the Hirshberg Foundation's upcoming Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer on March 11th, 2023 at UCLA.
March 3, 2023 - Younger adults are being diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer. UCLA Health Newsroom shares that patient Brian Coyne, age 38, wasn't expecting the results he received from his first colonoscopy. This Northern California man, treated at UCLA Health for rectal cancer, is representative of a growing trend among young adults.
March 1, 2023 - A UCLA study shows, senior black men are at higher risk after surgery. “Our study has shed light on the fact that Black men experience a higher death rate after elective surgery than other subgroups of race and sex. Further research is needed to understand better the factors contributing to this observation, and to inform efforts to develop interventions that could effectively eliminate such disparity,” said Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, the senior author of the study and associate professor of medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Study authors include Dr. Mariah Blegen and Dr. Melinda Gibbons from the UCLA Department of Surgery. CNN reported on the study.
January 27, 2023 - UCLA Scientists receive $6.9 million in CIRM grants to develop novel stem-cell based therapies. Dr. Gerald Lipshutz, professor-in-residence of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, received a Quest Award. Learn more.