The Corneal Correction: How a specialty scleral lens restored a patient’s sight

Three years ago, an outside clinic diagnosed Maria Contreras with keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease that causes thinning and bulging of the cornea. Though the clinic followed her for years, Maria saw no improvement in her vision and continued to Read More »

June 23rd, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Nearly $2 million NIH grant to support acute myeloid leukemia research

Houda Alachkar, assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the USC School of Pharmacy, was awarded a five-year, $1.79 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to fund a study that could lead to advancements in the development of Read More »

June 22nd, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

The same cell type can help or hinder repair after acute kidney injury

The USC Stem Cell laboratory of Andy McMahon has identified a type of injured cell that might contribute to the transition from an acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, as described in a new study published Read More »

June 22nd, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

USC study reveals potential new treatment target for Alzheimer’s disease

Like amyloid plaque, the genetic variant APOE4 has long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but still little is known about the role the gene plays in the disease process.

Now, a new study published in Nature Aging not only sheds Read More »

June 21st, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Juneteenth is Joyce Richey’s own family history

Joyce Richey never needed to learn about Juneteenth from stories in books. She first heard about the holiday through her own family history.

Each generation shares stories about her great-grandmother, who was born into slavery in Georgia and Read More »

June 18th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Heart health scientist recommends rethinking hormone therapy for women

Doctors used to routinely prescribe hormone replacement therapy to women to ease discomfort as they approach menopause, for symptoms ranging from night sweats to irritability. But in the early 2000s, its use plummeted.

Today, medical researcher Howard Hodis, Read More »

June 17th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

USC researchers receive $5 million to study cancer risk across diverse populations

Scientists have long been studying the role that genes play in determining an individual’s risk for disease with a focus on individuals of European ancestry, which were easy to sample. The National Institutes of Health is now funding a consortium Read More »

June 16th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Breakthrough in brain imaging may offer future alternative to functional MRI

The gold standard in functional brain imaging for over two decades, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has transformed the landscape of research and clinical care. Because of its cost and functional limitations, scientists have continued to look for new ways Read More »

June 16th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

USC Stem Cell scientists make big progress in building mini-kidneys

A team of scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has created what could be a key building block for assembling a synthetic kidney. In a new study in Nature CommunicationsZhongwei Li, PhD, and Read More »

June 16th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Ethnic diversity in research identifies more genomic regions linked to diabetes-related traits

Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC are among the contributors to a large-scale, ethnically diverse genetic study that has expanded what scientists know about potential causes of type 2 diabetes.

The research, published in Nature Genetics, Read More »

June 16th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Q&A: Neil Bahroos on the journey from raw data to useful information

Data scientist Neil Bahroos, MBA, MS, joined USC in 2020 with an impressive résumé, highlighted by work on the Human Genome Project, innovative industry experience, and a track record of helping medical centers use abundant data to transform Read More »

June 15th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

USC investigators lead international call for increased diversity in immunogenomics

For commentary published in Nature Methods, USC School of Pharmacy scientists united researchers worldwide to promote inclusivity in immunology studies.

Limiting immunogenomics studies to people of European ancestry restricts the ability to identify variations in human adaptive immune responses across populations. Thus, Read More »

June 15th, 2021|Announcements|

Masking, breakthrough infections and telehealth: Keck Medicine of USC experts weigh in on life after June 15

June 15 is a banner day in California. Most COVID-19 statewide restrictions will be eliminated, including physical distancing and, in many situations, mask mandates. How will life change and how will it stay the same? Keck Medicine Read More »

June 14th, 2021|Announcements, COVID-19, Keck Net Intranet|

Breakthrough in brain imaging may offer future alternative to functional MRI

The gold standard in functional brain imaging for over two decades, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has transformed the landscape of research and clinical care. Yet, because of its cost and functional limitations, scientists have continued to look for new Read More »

June 14th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

FDA’s approval of aducanumab paves the way for ‘more momentous’ Alzheimer’s breakthroughs

The Food and Drug Administration yanked the fight against Alzheimer’s out of the mire with its approval of the first disease-modifying therapy. Although it’s a modest first step, it paves the way for more momentous breakthroughs.

The drug — Read More »

June 11th, 2021|Announcements|

Business leader Steve Keck named to the USC Board of Trustees

USC alumnus Steve Keck, a financial analyst and co-president of the W.M. Keck Foundation, was elected to the USC Board of Trustees on June 9.

“It’s my great honor to welcome Steve Keck to our board,” said Rick Read More »

June 10th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Caryn Lerman named president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes

Caryn Lerman, PhD, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC, has been named president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI).

Lerman joined the AACI Board of Directors in 2019 and was Read More »

June 10th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

USC Norris celebrates strength of cancer survivors at 31st Festival of Life

The spirited sounds of the USC Trojan Marching Band and the welcoming sight of the physicians and staff of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center kicked off the 31st annual — and second virtual — Festival of Life.

Hosted by USC Norris on Read More »

June 9th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Renovated Valley Lot to reopen June 14 for Health Sciences Campus

Parking options will be expanding soon on the Health Sciences Campus as the Valley Lot will reopen for parking on June 14. Keck Medical Center of USC interim CEO Marty Sargeant announced the reopening in a June 7 memo.

“This is Read More »

June 8th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|

Researchers to study ties between financial vulnerability, Alzheimer’s disease

The Han Research Lab at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the link between financial decision making and Alzheimer’s disease Read More »

June 7th, 2021|Announcements, Keck Net Intranet|