UCSF in the News

NOTE: These summaries link to stories published online in the local and national press and other sources. Please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy or availability of links, as over time some links may expire or be made available only to registered users of the originating sites.

Twelve-Toed Baby Has Extra Digits Removed — UCSF Medical Center doctors recently removed some of the extra digits from a 12-toed baby with polydactyly, a rare, congenital condition. Read the Nov. 16 story on KCCI.com.

Experimental Drug May Stop Diabetes Symptoms — UCSF scientists have developed a new experimental drug designed to stop, or even reverse, the effects of diabetes. Read the Nov. 10 report on CBS5.com

MusicianCorps Volunteer Plays for UCSF Children's Hospital — UCSF Children's Hospital is now participating in a new, nonprofit national service program called MusicianCorps that dispatches musicians into cities the way the Peace Corps sends workers to foreign soil. Read the Nov. 6 story at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Hospital Playroom Gets Facelift, Thanks to Barry Bonds — Barry Bonds,the former home-run king of the San Francisco Giants, handed out T-shirts, posed for pictures and romped with young patients as UCSF Children's Hospital opened a playroom bearing his name. See the Oct. 8 report on KGO-TV, channel 7 in San Francisco.

Improved Screening for Jaundice Can Protect Newborns — Research at UCSF Children's Hospital suggests that a blood test in infants can catch many of those at risk for severe jaundice, a potentially dangerous condition. Read the Sept. 28 story in www.usnews.com.

What I Do: Sarah Pearce, UCSF Nurse — Sarah Pearce, an ER nurse at UCSF Medical Center, talks about being a nurse and the "culture of caring," compared to the TV depictions of those in her profession. Read her story in the Sept. 28 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Pediatric Strokes More Common Than Thought — Dr. Heather Fullerton, pediatric neurologist at UCSF Children's Hospital, is interviewed about a study that showed the rate of strokes in infants and children is two to four times higher than commonly thought. Read the Sept. 17 story in Business Week.

Dr. Sam Hawgood Named Medical School Dean — Dr. Sam Hawgood, former physician in chief of UCSF Children's Hospital, former chief of Neonatology and former chair of Pediatrics, was confirmed by UC Regents as the dean of the UCSF School of Medicine. See the Sept. 17 story in the San Francisco Business Journal.

Mythbusters: Who Says Women Can't Do Math and Science — UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann is one of several women leaders highlighted in a Sept. 16 article on Forbes.com.

Experts Say Diet Beats Exercise for Losing Weight — Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at UCSF Children's Hospital, agrees with other medical experts in the rule of thought that exercise is necessary to maintain good health; however, a balanced diet is the key factor for losing weight. Read the Aug. 27 story in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Unlocking the Secrets of Short Sleepers — Many people sleep six or fewer hours a day, but they don't come by it naturally. They rely on caffeinated drinks and alarm clocks to keep them going. In a landmark study, UCSF researchers identified a gene mutation associated with less sleep, a finding considered to be a major breakthrough in sleep science. Read the Aug. 14 story in the New York Times.

UCSF Medical Center Joins Forces with Hill Physicians — UCSF Medical Center and Hill Physicians Medical Group have formed a new affiliation to provide access to high-quality primary and specialty health services for HMO members whose primary care service is based in San Francisco. Read the Aug. 11 story at the San Francisco Business Times.

Board Approves Helipad Proposal — San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday allowing UCSF Medical Center to operate a helipad at its proposed new 289-bed Mission Bay women’s, children’s and cancer specialty hospital. It passed by a unanimous 11-0 vote. Read the July 28 story at the San Francisco Business Times.

Friends, Music Help Singer Zheng Cao Recover — As opera star Zheng Cao took on the new role of fighting for her life, a supporting cast of opera stars, family and friends stepped forward. Cao was treated for cancer at UCSF Medical Center and the outcome to date has stunned everyone involved. Read the July 31 story at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Personalizing Cancer Treatment — Dr. Laura Esserman, head of breast cancer research and treatment at UCSF's Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Zion is profiled by the San Francisco Chronicle. Read the July 20 story at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Spreading Knowledge to Doctors in Peru — Dr. Lisa Lattanza, an orthopedic surgeon at UCSF Medical Center who treats hand, arm and shoulder deformities, returned from a trip to Peru where she taught doctors how to care for accident victims. Read the July 14 Q&A at the San Francisco Examiner.

Compiled by UCSF Public Affairs