Scholars and students share their own stories
A volunteer from the USC Joint Education Project teaches elementary school students about DNA using licorice and gumdrops.
Innovators across USC make news every day for their discoveries and their commitment to transform health. Get an inside look at their latest work below.
She found her calling in hunting down Alzheimer’s
USC’s Meredith Braskie turned her knack for numbers into a mission to demystify dementia.
Liquid biopsies provide breakthrough in diagnosing retinoblastoma
The aggressive eye cancer, which affects babies and young children and can lead to loss of vision, had baffled oncologists. Now they can get a very specific map of each child’s disease from
Entrepreneur turns to USC online health administration program to help launch startup
Ryan Nazar started Practical Healthcare to improve patient satisfaction, especially when it came to difficult disease and injury diagnoses.
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment may struggle with everyday decision-making
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that the condition, which can be a precursor to dementia, was linked to worse decision-making abilities.
COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines — what you need to know
Keck Medicine of USC experts discuss new recommendations for staying healthy and safe during the respiratory virus season.
Alzheimer’s gene associated with increased fertility in Amazonian women
Allele associated with increased risks for dementia and heart disease is linked to earlier age of first birth as well as shorter intervals between births in a Bolivian indigenous community.
Gift to expand understanding, clinical management of migraine, other debilitating neurological pain
Through their donation to USC Dornsife, Roberta and Arnold Mahler aim to break down research silos, accelerate treatment progress and bring hope to patients and families.
Exposure to air pollution early in pregnancy increases risk of gestational diabetes, study finds
The USC study also suggests that prenatal depression, with disrupted immune and hormonal functions, could make the case worse.
Linked through mission, L.A. and USC bring medicine and housing to the homeless via Street Medicine
A “fireside chat” between USC President Carol L. Folt and Mayor Karen Bass reinforces the university’s collaborative work with the city in a united quest to care for the
People can’t recover the ability to hear — or maybe they can
USC Stem Cell scientists explain why sensory hearing cells of the inner ear don’t regenerate — and how we might be able to change that.
Helping older adults in times of extreme heat
Amid one of the hottest summers on record, USC caregiving expert Donna Benton shares how caregivers can help vulnerable older adults stay healthy. The post Helping older adults in times of extreme hea
Helping older adults in times of extreme heat
Amid one of the hottest summers on record, USC caregiving expert Donna Benton shares how caregivers can help vulnerable older adults stay healthy.
All racial, ethnic minority groups underrepresented in Alzheimer’s neuroimaging research
In a comprehensive review of U.S.-based Alzheimer’s disease brain imaging studies, USC researchers found minority groups are underrepresented — but the gap is narrowing.
Study finds new, unexpected mechanism of cancer cell spread
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC discovered that when cells are under stress, a key protein can travel to the nucleus and reprogram cells to migrate and become more invasive.
Keck Hospital of USC receives highest rating in national quality report
Hospital earns five stars in the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services annual quality star rating report.
Field trip introduces USC TRiO students to research opportunities in aging
High school students tour state-of-the-art laboratories at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and hear from undergraduates about their work. The post Field trip introduces USC TRiO students t
Field trip to introduces USC TRiO students to research opportunities in aging
High school students tour state-of-the-art laboratories at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and hear from undergraduates about their work.
Why doctors who are using ChatGPT are unknowingly violating HIPAA
USC Price’s Genevieve Kanter explains the privacy risks that clinicians are taking when they use AI chatbots.
There’s an easy way to increase rates of COVID booster vaccinations
USC research finds that the answer to getting more shots into arms is just a text message or email away.
Key federal agency recognizes streets as legitimate locale to deliver health care
The move will allow providers like USC’s Street Medicine team to be reimbursed for care they provide to people who are unhoused.
For dogs with arthritis, pet pain relief effort could be a game-changer
A USC-backed startup aims to slow down aging and arthritis in dogs. Osteoarthritis occurs in a quarter of our canine companions.
The surprising impact of a physical therapist on gender-affirming surgery
Pre-and post-operative physical therapy treatment can improve gender-affirming surgical outcomes, giving transgender individuals a chance to get back to the activities they love.
USC to lead interdisciplinary project to predict psychological health risk factors
USC Viterbi’s Professor Shri Narayanan will bring together an interdisciplinary team of USC and UCLA researchers to work on the mental health project.
Brain scans reveal that lonely people process the world in unique ways
A USC Dornsife psychology researcher compares brain images of people who are lonely with those of people who are not lonely and discovers significant differences in their brain processing patterns.
What’s the best fuel for your body?
Our bodies consume, create, expend and transfer energy in a multitude of ways. Choosing what provides us with optimal energy — from the food we eat to the company we keep — can infuse
After family friends’ double homicide, online public health student vows to combat gun violence
Mary Rozelle left a longtime career as a dermatology physician assistant because she wanted to achieve a wider impact than is possible by helping just one patient at a time.
From LASIK to telemedicine: How a USC ophthalmologist is revolutionizing vision care in Guam
Charles Flowers Jr., surgeon and physician at the USC Roski Eye Institute, has made significant contributions to eye care on the island.
USC Roski Eye Institute faculty use AI with aim of revolutionizing patient care
Physicians Melinda Chang and Benjamin Xu are exploring the use of AI to automate clinical tasks.
Even ‘safe’ air pollution levels can harm the developing brain, study finds
In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that everyday air pollution can alter brain development patterns in adolescents.
Biosimilars drug market is helping to reduce medication prices, USC study finds
Researchers looked at a cancer therapy drug and found biosimilars bring competition to the market, with prices declining by more than half for some versions.
To boost Latino participation in Alzheimer’s studies, don’t skimp on ‘personalismo,’ USC researcher says
Latinos represent only a small fraction of people enrolled in Alzheimer’s-related clinical trials. USC researcher María Aranda has some ideas on how to fix that.
Arterial plaque buildup in legs especially dangerous to Black patients
Black patients with arterial plaque buildup in the legs are more likely to have a stroke, heart attack or amputation than white patients, a USC study finds.
USC Stem Cell’s journey toward 1,000 mini-kidneys begins with $1 million fund
With a $1 million prize from the Kidney Innovation Accelerator, or KidneyX, USC Stem Cell scientists are on a quest to build a “kidney” that resembles the real thing in function, if
Raising awareness for leading non-genetic cause of infant hearing loss is personal
Michelle Zappas discovered a gap in knowledge among health care professionals around the viral infection that caused her daughter's hearing loss.
USCs Paul Aisen, pioneering Alzheimers researcher, honored with Epstein Alzheimers Disease Directors Chair
An international leader in Alzheimer’s disease research for over 30 years, Aisen is recognized with the highest academic honor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The post USC’s Paul Aisen, pioneer
USC’s Paul Aisen, pioneering Alzheimer’s researcher, honored with Epstein Alzheimer’s Disease Director’s Chair
An internationally recognized leader in Alzheimer’s for over 30 years, Aisen was recognized for his work in accelerating the search for treatment.
How the mung bean’s evolution provides cultivation clues for climate change
Researchers at USC Dornsife are using genomic testing to uncover two game-changing variants for crop breeders in the face of climate change.
Researcher uses mammal DNA to zoom into human genome with unprecedented resolution
Steven Gazal has identified base pairs of DNA that play a crucial role in human disease.
USC Schaeffer Center research director testifies at congressional hearing
Darius Lakdawalla testifies before the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, discussing biomedical innovation and patient access.
How vaccine hesitant are you? A third of Americans aren’t fully protected against COVID
Researchers at USC’s Information Sciences Institute used machine learning and deep statistical analysis to look for answers about vaccine hesitancy.
New USC Mann and Naval ROTC grad will soon commission in the U.S. Navy
COMMENCEMENT: Jack Saville has long dreamed of being in the U.S. Navy.
Keck School of Medicine of USC Dean Carolyn Meltzer beats impostor syndrome
TITLE IX: Leader seeks to create environments that ensure that people of all identities feel included and valued.
Biosimilar drugs underused due to commercial insurance restrictions
A USC Schaeffer Center study — the first to examine biosimilar drivers — finds commercial insurers limit use in almost 20% of cases. Restrictions are greatest for pediatric patients.
Nursing graduate seeks to improve rural access to health care
COMMENCEMENT: Raelene Zamora knows first-hand how daunting access to medical care can be in small, rural communities.
Air pollution particles trigger cellular defense mechanisms
Research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC shows that air pollution particles activate a cellular defense mechanism that may reduce the ability of cells to fight off other harms.
Trailblazer Elyn Saks sees ‘gender-inspired mental health activism happening all the time now’
TITLE IX: The USC Gould School of Law professor is the founder and faculty director of the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy and Ethics.
From first-gen student to master’s and doctoral degrees — and graduate student leadership
Samuel Garza also worked as a graduate research assistant while serving as president of USC’s Graduate Student Government.
Public relations grad crafts multimedia campaigns for music, health policy and more
COMMENCEMENT: Progressive degree graduate Jonathan D’Aguilar creates a diverse portfolio of work, including his own music brand and a health policy campaign for the USC Schaeffer Center.
Heavy drinking poses even greater risk for 1 in 3 Americans
A USC study shows that metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other health problems — more than doubles the risk of
Immigrant adults with liver cancer have higher survival rates than those born in the U.S.
Research from the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center identifies a previously unrecognized disparity in survival after a diagnosis of liver cancer across all major racial/ethnic groups.
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Joel Smith
Senior Associate Vice President
USC Health Sciences Advancement