November 2009

A sound practice

FEATURE: New technology in cochlear implants and hearing aids means children needn't suffer from hearing loss, says UC Irvine Dr. Hamid Djalilian.

UCI robot to aid brain research

FEATURE: Study could shed light on adaptive decision-making in humans.

UCI robot to aid brain research

RELEASE: A robot powered by a computerized model of a rodent brain will help researchers from UC Irvine and UC San Diego understand how people recognize and adapt to change.

Freemasonry: fact vs. fiction

FEATURE: UCI's Lilith Mahmud discusses the society's portrayal in a hit novel - and reveals its "best-kept secret."

Gaining on pain

FEATURE: UCI center takes multidisciplinary approach to managing chronic suffering with its new Center for Pain Management.

Global ambition

FEATURE: Future physician Benji Zachariah hopes to make a difference among the world's poor.

October 2009

UCI to host 16th annual Religious Diversity Forum

ADVISORY: Turning faith into service is topic of religious diversity forum hosted at UC Irvine.

Bad driving may have genetic basis, UCI study finds

RELEASE: Bad drivers may in part have their genes to blame, suggests a new study by UC Irvine neuroscientists.

The well-rounded student

FEATURE: Sherynn Umali '03 directs campus organizations, and she says clubs are an essential part of a well-rounded education.

Race against the clock

FEATURE: Leslie M. Thompson has her eye on a treatment for the fatal Huntington's disease. Stem cells may hold the key.

UCI marks 20th anniversary of Berlin Wall fall with exhibit, conference

ADVISORY: UCI marks 20th anniversary of Berlin Wall fall with exhibit, conference

Alzheimer's lesions found in the retina

FEATURE: UC Irvine neuroscientists have found that retinas in mice genetically altered to have Alzheimer's undergo changes similar to those that occur in the brain - most notably the accumulation of amyloid plaque lesions.

Making sense of healthcare reform

UCI experts agree that increasing access while decreasing costs is key but question whether healthcare reform can be achieved.

Bad driving may have genetic basis, UCI study finds

FEATURE: Bad drivers may in part have their genes to blame, suggests a new study by UC Irvine neuroscientists.

Matters of the heart

FEATURE: A new biomedical engineering research center looks to advance technology for treating cardiovascular disease.

Trigger of deadly food toxin discovered

FEATURE: A toxin produced by mold on nuts and grains can cause liver cancer if consumed in large quantities. UC Irvine researchers for the first time have discovered what triggers the toxin to form, which could lead to methods of limiting its production.

Trigger of deadly food toxin discovered

RELEASE: A toxin produced by mold on nuts and grains can cause liver cancer if consumed in large quantities. UC Irvine researchers for the first time have discovered what triggers the toxin to form, which could lead to methods of limiting its production.

Alzheimer's lesions found in the retina

RELEASE: UC Irvine neuroscientists have found that retinas in mice genetically altered to have Alzheimer's undergo changes similar to those that occur in the brain - most notably the accumulation of amyloid plaque lesions.

Jerry Brown to speak at UCI on his political career, California’s future

ADVISORY: Attorney General Brown discusses his 40-year political career and answers questions about California's future.

Shocktoberfest rocks

FEATURE: Halloween festivities and UCI basketball combine for a fun-filled night of music, Midnight Magic and an onstage marriage proposal.

Invisible immigrants

FEATURE: Research by sociology professor Judith Treas sheds light on foreign-born seniors in the U.S.

Fighting poverty one loan at a time

FEATURE: Crystal Murphy Morgan studies chronic economic hardship in Africa and how micro-finance loans might help.

Big on obesogens

FEATURE: Biologist Bruce Blumberg believes industrial pollutants called obesogens are contributing to America's obesity epidemic.

Don't bank on small business

FEATURE: David Neumark's study shows chain stores and corporate headquarters are more stable economic partners for cities.

Joseph S. Lewis III named dean of Claire Trevor School of the Arts

RELEASE: Acclaimed artist and academic administrator from Alfred University in New York also is known as a builder of community partnerships.

Cities can't bank on small businesses for stable economic partnerships

RELEASE: Locally owned businesses don't protect communities from layoffs and closures, study shows. UCI co-author says findings validate efforts to attract and retain corporations.

Stem cells and Alzheimer's disease focus of public panel discussion

MEDIA ADVISORY: UC Irvine presents "Stem Cell Research & Alzheimer's Disease," a public lecture and discussion about the devastation of Alzheimer's, current therapies and potential stem cell treatments.

Douglas C. Wallace elected to Institute of Medicine

RELEASE: Douglas C. Wallace, a pioneering UC Irvine genetics researcher whose achievements in mitochondrial medicine are leading to new treatments for chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes, has been elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine.

Targeting tumors

FEATURE: UCI researchers Kenneth Longmuir and Richard Robertson have developed a more precise approach to delivery of chemotherapy drugs.

Emotional maturity lags cognitive ability in adolescents

FEATURE: A new study of adolescent judgment and decision-making shows young people may not be able to fully control impulses, resist peer pressure until after 22.

Looking at TV with a new eye

FEATURE: The ubiquitous TV becomes sculpture in an exhibit of work by the late mixed-media artist Nam June Paik at Beall Center.

Life in Middle Earth

FEATURE: UCI offers Yukio Nishida a home for his growing family and a purpose - to help residents of student housing.

Emotional maturity lags cognitive ability in adolescents, study finds

RELEASE: Emotional maturity lags cognitive ability in adolescents, study finds They may not be able to fully control impulses, resist peer pressure till after 22

UCI Allergan lecture will address local reaction to climate change

ADVISORY: UC Irvine Earth system scientists Michael Prather and Diane Pataki will speak on "Climate Is Changing Globally. Dare We Act Locally?" as part of the Allergan Foundation Lecture Series in Modern Biology.

UCI Olive Tree Initiative students to share insights from Middle East trip

ADVISORY: UCI Olive Tree Initiative students share experiences from Middle East trip.

Charles Darwin is focus of UCI Libraries exhibit

ADVISORY: Francisco Ayala speaks at opening of UCI Libraries fall exhibit, marking the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's seminal work, "On the Origin of Species."

Global problem, local response

FEATURE: UCI's Diane Pataki discusses strategies for dealing with climate change in Southern California.

Still doing its Level I best

FEATURE: UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange County's only source for Level I trauma care,gets re-certification nod from American College of Surgeons.

UC Irvine Medal event meets fundraising target

FEATURE: UC Irvine Medal event earns $1.1 million for scholarships and other key programs.

Pedal power

FEATURE: Those blue and yellow bicycles parked around the campus represent the first self-serve bike-share program in California. It's designed to reduce car trips and pollution.

Shaping smiles and surfboards

FEATURE: UCI alumnus Daniel Boehne '99 could have been a pro surfer. Instead, he chose dentistry in order to help others.

Protecting the planet

FEATURE: Joseph DiMento says law can be an effective tool in protecting natural resources.

UC Irvine Medal event meets fundraising target

RELEASE: UC Irvine's premiere fundraising event honors campus friends and raises $1.1 million for scholarships and other key initiatives.

UCI to launch UC’s first automated bike-sharing program

ADVISORY: UC Irvine is first to bring concept of self-service bicycle sharing to California, providing inexpensive and environmentally friendly campus transportation.

Environmental law, health subject of Newkirk Center event

ADVISORY: Newkirk Center event brings together experts in law and public health to discuss environmental law, climate change and pollution in China.

UC campuses join forces against breast cancer

FEATURE: UC Irvine's Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is joining forces with UC colleagues to launch the Athena Breast Health Network, the largest study of its kind to improve detection, treatment and survivors' quality of life.

September 2009

UCI water event offers free movies, popcorn and a panel discussion

ADVISORY: UC Irvine will host a water-and-film event to raise awareness of how water issues affect people locally and regionally.

In Ansel Adams' footsteps

FEATURE: Student and staff photographers walk in the footsteps of Ansel Adams, attempting to re-create the master's photographs shot at UCI in the mid-1960s. Trees and time have changed the campus.

Raising water awareness

FEATURE: More than 1 billion people worldwide have unreliable access to clean water. To raise awareness of this and other water issues, UC Irvine is hosting a two-day public event featuring free movies and a panel discussion with local water experts.

Opening doors

FEATURE: Software architect Erik Olsson helps students and the community find their way with ZotPortal.

Engaging the community

FEATURE: New Web site fosters public interaction with campus.

Courting success

FEATURE: Hall of Fame women's volleyball coach Paula Weishoff brings her winning pedigree to UCI.

UCImpact: Stem cell research

FEATURE: California and UC Irvine take advances in stem cell research in stem cell research on the road as high school classes and educators participate in Stem Cell Awareness Day.

Cancer drug may prevent cocaine relapse behavior

FEATURE: A drug in development to treat cancer could help prevent relapse behavior in people trying to overcome an addiction to cocaine, according to a new study by UC Irvine neuroscientists.

Cancer drug may prevent cocaine relapse behavior

RELEASE: A drug in development to treat cancer could help prevent relapse behavior in people trying to overcome an addiction to cocaine, according to a new study by UC Irvine neuroscientists.

UCImpact: Alzheimer's disease

FEATURE: UC Irvine's impact on Alzheimer's research is acknowledged on World Alzheimer's Day.

Five say farewell

FEATURE: Five longtime UC Irvine colleagues share their campus memories as they get ready to retire.

Leading the way

FEATURE: UCI tour guides serve as campus ambassadors.

UCI to become living renewable energy lab

FEATURE: The UC Irvine campus will become a living renewable energy laboratory under a statewide program designed to make electricity generation and transportation safer, cleaner and more affordable for Californians.

Hungry for good deals?

FEATURE: Cooking classes at Anteater Recreation Center are among the low-cost enrichment activities at UC Irvine, kicking off an occasional series called "UC I Can Afford It."

Anteater Recreation Center expansion receives LEED Gold certification

RELEASE: Anteater Recreation Center's expansion gets gold nod from Green Building Council.

UCI awarded $2 million to become living laboratory for sustainable energy practices

RELEASE: The UC Irvine campus will become a living renewable energy laboratory under a statewide program designed to make electricity generation and transportation safer, cleaner and more affordable for Californians.

Goose bumps, laughter and butterflies

FEATURE: As much as we know about the human body, some of the more mundane, daily functions are least understood.

From high tech to high kicks

FEATURE: Domingos Begalli, physical sciences computer resource manager, brings the Brazilian martial art capoeira to campus.

UCI, Irvine city officials to give briefing on fatal domestic dispute

MEDIA ADVISORY: Press briefing scheduled to update investigation of Sept. 13 shooting on UC Irvine campus.

Growing its own musicals

FEATURE: Drama department's staging of new musicals gives lovers of the genre a voice in the future of Broadway.

The Shrinky Dink solution

FEATURE: Overcoming a research snag was child's play for assistant biomedical engineering professor Michelle Khine - and it earned her international recognition.

Memories exist even when forgotten, study suggests

FEATURE: Using advanced brain imaging techniques, UCI scientists have discovered that a person's brain activity while remembering an event is very similar to when it was first experienced, even if specifics can't be recalled.

Alzheimer's art creates lasting memories

FEATURE: Nine paintings created through an Alzheimer's Association program called Memories in the Making are on display at UCI MIND.

Alzheimer's art creates lasting memories

RELEASE: Nine paintings created through an Alzheimer's Association program called Memories in the Making are on display at UCI MIND.

Memories exist even when forgotten, study suggests

RELEASE: Using advanced brain imaging techniques, UCI scientists have discovered that a person's brain activity while remembering an event is very similar to when it was first experienced, even if specifics can't be recalled.

Up to the challenge

FEATURE: Retiring Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration Christina Hansen facilitated UCI's evolution into a research powerhouse.

Technology helps teach kids with autism

FEATURE: Gillian Hayes, informatics assistant professor, designs computerized devices that help teachers work with children who have autism.

Preparing for a pandemic

FEATURE: Flu season is just around the bend, and one UCI expert says common-sense precautions and flu shots can do a lot to ward off H1N1.

Parolees' release leads to crime

FEATURE: Neighborhood stability and social programs can help mitigate uptick in violence.

Parolee releases spike violent crime, study suggests

RELEASE: Parolees' release increases neighborhood crime, but residential stability and social service slow the rate.

Treating fibroids without surgery

FEATURE: Dr. Scott Goodwin takes a new approach to an age-old problem for women at UC Irvine Medical Center.

UC Irvine establishes Center for Computer Games & Virtual Worlds

RELEASE: Drawing on expertise from computers to art, a new center in Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences will study virtual worlds.

August 2009

Advocate for Anteaters

FEATURE: Liz Toomey, assistant vice chancellor of community & government relations, talks about the UC system's impact on everyday life in California.

Stopping the spread of infectious diseases

FEATURE: UCI research on infectious diseases, such as dengue fever, HIV and meliodosis, could benefit millions worldwide.

Triumph out of tragedy

FEATURE: Four other people are known to have survived the kind of spinal injury suffered by Jon Wilhite in a triple-fatality car crash, and everything had to go just right for emergency personnel and UC Irvine Medical Center doctors before this story could be told.

Money management among the poor

FEATURE: UCI funds research on financial practices in developing countries.

Intro to UCI

FEATURE: Director of new student programs and alumna Jill Halvaks gives incoming freshmen their first lessons in becoming Anteaters.

Cracking the law books

FEATURE: UC Irvine School of Law opens to inaugural class of 61 students who will help develop innovative curriculum.

Social costs of job loss

FEATURE: UCI's David Dooley studies the impact of unemployment on mental health.

Watching over the water system

FEATURE: UC Irvine engineers plan to outfit the local water system with sensors that will alert officials when and where pipes crack or break, hastening repair - thanks to nearly $5.7 million over three years from the National Institute of Standards & Technology and several local water groups.

Wave of the future

FEATURE: Portable ultrasound scanners in the ER can save lives by expediting diagnosis.

UCI engineers watch over the water system

RELEASE: UC Irvine engineers plan to outfit the local water system with sensors that will alert officials when and where pipes crack or break, hastening repair – thanks to nearly $5.7 million over three years from the National Institute of Standards & Technology and several local water groups.

Storytelling in Tehran

FEATURE: Bicultural professor Roxanne Varzi makes a film about Iranian American identity and the aftermath of war.

Imaging the inner workings of single molecules

FEATURE: With $20 million over five years from the National Science Foundation, UC Irvine scientists hope to become the first ever to make real-time videos of single molecules in action - a feat that has proved elusive because size and time scales are so small.

UCI chemistry center awarded $20 million from NSF

RELEASE: A UC Irvine center that aims to make real-time videos of single molecules in action has been awarded $20 million over five years from the National Science Foundation.

Satellite data explains vanishing India groundwater

FEATURE: Using satellite data, UC Irvine and NASA hydrologists have found that groundwater beneath northern India has been receding by as much as 1 foot per year over the past decade - and they believe human consumption is almost entirely to blame.

Satellites unlock secret to northern India's vanishing water

RELEASE: Using satellite data, UC Irvine and NASA hydrologists have found that groundwater beneath northern India has been receding by as much as 1 foot per year over the past decade - and they believe human consumption is almost entirely to blame.

White coats, bright future

FEATURE: Bryce Spitze and Brenda Campos-Spitze, first married couple to enter UC Irvine's medical school, intend to play a role in an emerging healthcare system designed to provide affordable, quality care for all.

California dream deferred

FEATURE: Political scientist Carole Uhlaner discusses how the two-thirds vote requirement, term limits and ballot propositions have made the state difficult to govern.

Parents warn of fire pit danger

FEATURE: More children than ever are being burned in beach fire pit accidents.

UCI meets D.C.

FEATURE: Students in internship program explore career paths in Washington.

UCI discovers new Alzheimer's gene

RELEASE: A UC Irvine study has found that a gene called TOMM40 appears twice as often in people with Alzheimer's disease than in those without it. Alzheimer's, for which there is no cure, is the leading cause of elderly dementia.

End of an era

FEATURE: UCI bids farewell to retiring Dean of Students Sally Peterson, a major contributor to campus life for 35 years.

Downsizing for a worthwhile cause

FEATURE: Volunteers from Facilities Management department build a playhouse to help provide real shelter for the homeless.