FYI…UCSF in the News is a daily summary of news stories published worldwide that highlight UCSF, its affiliated programs, and issues that affect the University.  To read the full news story, click the individual headlines listed below.

On the second Wednesday of each month, FYI…UCSF in the News includes an additional "Research Roundup" section that lists research papers authored by UCSF faculty and published in the journals Cell, Health Services Research, JAMA, Lancet, Nature, NEJM, Nursing Research, and Science.

UCSF PRINT AND ONLINE COVERAGE

  • YouTube and Mike Homer (BoomTown)
    Kara Swisher reports: "Today, Mike Homer, as well as many others suffering from incurable degenerative brain disease and dementias, will get a new video-sharing channel on YouTube (GOOG), along with a Web site and an interactive widget. ... The new project is the kick-off of the Memory and Aging Center’s “Defeat Dementia” campaign at UCSF."
  • Fight brain disease online (CNET TV)
    CNET TV Loaded reports: "The University of California, San Francisco launched a new YouTube Channel this week. The UCSF Memory and Aging Center's attempt to improve understanding of neurodegenerative brain disorders." --- Program starts at 1:45.
  • The Brain Trauma Vets (CounterPunch)
    CounterPunch reports: "David Hovda, director of the Brain Injury Research Center at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), calls traumatic brain injury (TBI) the “silent epidemic.” It is the most common cause of death for U.S. adults under the age of 45, deadlier than AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord injury and breast cancer combined." --- Dr. Michael Weiner, professor of medicine, radiology, psychiatry and neurology at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), and director of the Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Disease at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, is quoted.
  • Awareness shout out (Cynopsis: DIGITAL)
    Cynopsis reports: "Silicon Valley investor Ron Conway is launching an interactive campaign to raise awareness for CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,) an incurable brain disease marketer Mike Homer was diagnosed with last year. The Fight for Mike campaign includes a YouTube channel, a Clearspring widget and a Facebook group."
  • A Personal Note: Pause & Read (GigaOM)
    Om Malik writes: "UCSF along with YouTube have launched a comprehensive Internet video channel dedicated to the improved understanding of incurable neurodegenerative brain diseases. The YouTube channel is part of an overall Internet campaign that will help UCSF’s researchers and clinicians reach out to a global audience."
  • UC Provost To Resign (KSWT-TV, Sacramento/Associated Press)
    The AP reports: "The University of California's top academic officer is stepping down. Wyatt R. Hume says he plans to resign as provost and executive vice president for academic and health affairs by September. ... He previously served as UCLA's executive vice chancellor, dean of UCLA's School of Dentistry and chair of UCSF's Department of Restorative Dentistry."
  • UCSF Tackles Dementia with Video, Widget-Based Outreach (MarketingVox)
    MarketingVox reports: "In partnership with YouTube, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) launched Memory and Aging, an online video channel that teaches viewers about neurodegenerative brain diseases ('dementia')."
  • Vid-Biz: DVRs, ImageSpan, UCSF (NewTeeVee)
    Chris Albrecht writes: "UCSF Launches YouTube Channel for Degenerative Brain Diseases; awareness campaign inspired by the “Fight for Mike” initiative, which supports CJD victim Mike Homer. (GigaOM)"
  • UC provost to step down (San Francisco Chronicle/Associated Press)
    The AP reports: "The University of California's top academic officer is stepping down. Wyatt R. Hume says he plans to resign as provost and executive vice president for academic and health affairs by September. ... He previously served as UCLA's executive vice chancellor, dean of UCLA's School of Dentistry and chair of UCSF's Department of Restorative Dentistry." --- "In a related development, the University of California, Berkeley's newest vice chancellor -- Frank Yeary, 44, global head of mergers and acquisitions for Citigroup -- said he will waive his salary."
  • "Defeat Dementia" campaign (Technology360)
    Dennis Haarsager, Tech 360 editor and Interim CEO of National Public Radio, writes: "One of my great professional privileges was meeting and working for two years on Open Media Network with Silicon Valley legend Mike Homer, who has been laid low for more than a year with a fast-moving dementia called Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD). Mike's friends in the tech community raised $7 million for CJD research at the University of California San Francisco. Now, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center has entered a partnership with YouTube kicking off UCSF's "Defeat Dementia" campaign, inspired by Mike's situation but encompassing several other dementias that devastate victims' lives and their families across the globe. --- All Things Digital/BoomTown's Kara Swisher has a very nice column on this today and it has several links to information about this effort. Please take the time to check it out. http://kara.allthingsd.com/20080616/youtube-and-mike-homer/ ."
  • Overweight Children: Living Large (Time Magazine)
    The June 12th print edition of Time Magazine cover story, "Our super-sized kids" features an interview with Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatrician at the University of California, San Francisco, and obesity expert. Time reports that as the obesity epedemic appears to be subsiding, problems resulting from the disease -- like high cholesterol, blood pressure, insulin levels and a fatty liver -- are now appearing in teens and adolescents.
  • Healthful Lifestyle Teaches Prostate Genes to Behave (US News & World Report)
    US News reports: "Adopting a healthful lifestyle can switch on good genes and suppress cancer-provoking ones all in a matter of months, according to a report by Dean Ornish and colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco."
  • "Fight for Mike" moves to YouTube (Valleywag)
    Ron Conway posts: "Mike Homer, the former Netscape executive suffering from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, has inspired a YouTube channel for the "Defeat Dementia" campaign, an effort to educate the public about neurodegenerative diseases. Angel investor Ron Conway, Google advisor Bill Campbell, and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley organized the collaboration between the online-video site and UCSF, where Homer is being treated."
  • YouTube and The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) launch brain health channel (VentureBeat)
    Eric Eldon writes: "I’m not sure if the average YouTube user knows what 'neurodegenerative' means, but that may soon change. The Google-owned video site and medical school UCSF are collaboratively launching a YouTube “channel” featuring educational information about fighting dementia and incurable brain diseases."
  • UCSF Launches 'Dementia' Channel on YouTube (WebVideoReport)
    Elizabeth Jensen posts: "YouTube and the University of California at San Francisco’s Memory and Aging Center have teamed up for a video-sharing channel on YouTube, as well as a Web site and interactive widget, All Things Digital says. The project is the kick-off for a “Defeat Dementia” educational campaign."

UCSF TELEVISION COVERAGE

  • GENES. RESEARCHERS FROM UCSF AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH (ABC 7 Morning News - KGO-TV)
    ABC 7 reports: “A new study finds changing your lifestyle may alter your genes. Researchers from UCSF and Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito were able to modify major cancer genes with exercise, stress reduction, and a very low-fat diet. Men with early prostate cancer ate vegetarian diets with 10% fat for three months and the authors say the DNA changes could benefit cancer patients, including those suffering from breast cancer. Most doctors want a larger study before signing off on diet. It's in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.” --- Air time: 5 AM

UCSF HEADLINES