Keck students, benefactors celebrate success at Scholarship Luncheon

By Ryan Ball

Donor Norene Zapanta with Maria Sandoval, recipient of the scholarship named for Zapanta’s late husband, Edward Zapanta, a USC neurosurgeon and the first Hispanic member of the USC Board of Trustees. (Photo/Steve Cohn) Donor Norene Zapanta with Maria Sandoval, recipient of the scholarship named for Zapanta’s late husband, Edward Zapanta, a USC neurosurgeon and the first Hispanic member of the USC Board of Trustees.
(Photo/Steve Cohn)

The daughter of undocumented immigrants, Maria Sandoval credits excellent mentoring for helping her become the first member of her family to graduate high school and college. Now in her third year at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, she’s getting another boost in her quest to become a primary care physician and practice in her underserved community in the San Fernando Valley.

Sandoval is the recipient of this year’s scholarship named for Edward Zapanta, MD, the late USC neurosurgeon and first Hispanic member of the USC board of trustees. She recently had to the opportunity to thank Norene Zapanta for continuing her husband’s support of Hispanic medical students. The two shared a meal at the Keck School’s annual Scholarship Luncheon, held on Oct. 2 on the Harry and Celesta Pappas Quad. … Read More »

November 8th, 2013|Announcements|

Keck School researchers awarded grant to study Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

By Jon Nalick

Principal investigator Jae Jung received a $7.5 million grant to help discover how to short circuit development of Kaposi’s sarcoma. (Photo/Phil Channing) Principal investigator Jae Jung received a $7.5 million grant to help discover how to short circuit development of Kaposi’s sarcoma.
(Photo/Phil Channing)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have awarded Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers a five-year, $7.5 million grant to investigate how Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) evades the immune system and triggers certain cancers.

Principal investigator Jae Jung, PhD, the Fletcher Jones Foundation Chair and Hastings Foundation Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Keck School, said the research aims to find ways to short circuit the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma. This malignant tumor, often caused by KSHV, is more prevalent among people with compromised immune systems, such as patients with AIDS. … Read More »

November 5th, 2013|Announcements|

Researchers identify gene variant that raises risk for colorectal cancer from eating processed/red meat

By Suzanne Wu

A common genetic variant that affects one in every three people significantly increases the risk of colorectal cancer from consuming red meat and processed meat, according to a study presented at the annual American Society of Human Genetics 2013 meeting, the largest gathering of human geneticists in the world.

In addition, the study — the first to identify the interactions of genes and diet on a genome-wide scale — also reveals another specific genetic variation that appears to modify whether eating more vegetables, fruits and fiber actually lowers your colorectal cancer risk. … Read More »

November 5th, 2013|Announcements|

MEDICAL STUDENTS GET THE INSIDE STORY ON HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGES

More than 50 second-year medical students came to the Edmondson Faculty Center at the Keck School of Medicine of USC on Oct. 17 to hear Kim Belshe, one of the five board members for the California Covered health benefit exchange, and Professor Michael L. Cousineau discuss the public policy ramifications of the new health benefit exchanges that are central to the Affordable Care Act. … Read More »

November 5th, 2013|Announcements|

Keck Medicine of USC researchers to study air pollution/obesity connection

By Leslie Ridgeway

Could air pollution make you fat? Keck Medicine of USC researchers received funding to investigate the hypothesis that children who live near busy roadways may be exposed to air pollution that causes inflammation, leading to obesity and other health problems.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have granted $7.8 million to Keck Medicine’s Southern California Children’s Environmental Health Center (SC-CEHC) over the next five years. Three teams of scientists will mine data from previous research and conduct new studies on near-roadway air pollution’s role in the development of obesity and metabolic abnormalities that may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. … Read More »

November 5th, 2013|Announcements|