Research team awarded $11 million grant to fight stroke

By Josh Grossberg

USC researchers and their partners across Los Angeles County have been awarded an $11 million grant to fund research on community-based interventions to reduce the higher rates of stroke and death from stroke among economically disadvantaged Hispanics, African-Americans and Asian-Americans.

Amytis Towfighi Amytis Towfighi

The Los Angeles Stroke Prevention/Intervention Research Program in Health Disparities is a multi-partnered research center, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The center, led by Barbara Vickrey, professor of neurology at UCLA, will conduct two randomized, controlled community-based trials of stroke prevention interventions.

Amytis Towfighi, assistant professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and associate chief medical officer of Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, will co-lead the larger trial in the five-year study.

“The reason we’re targeting this population is because minorities are at high risk for stroke and are less likely to receive appropriate stroke preventive services than whites,” Towfighi said. “We plan to bridge this gap.” … Read More »

May 16th, 2013|Announcements|

New research elucidates a complex gene regulatory circuit

By Candace Pearson

Piece by missing piece, scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of USC are deciphering the powerful gene regulatory circuit that maintains and controls the potential of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to form any type of cell in the body.

Recent findings by Andrew McMahon, director and Provost Professor, and Qilong Ying, associate professor of cell and neurobiology, at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, underscore the essential role of basic science in paving the way for future medical breakthroughs. … Read More »

May 16th, 2013|Announcements|

Director of global health sees cause for optimism on climate change

By Ina Fried

Images of shrinking glaciers and stranded polar bears give powerful evidence of the need for people to work together on the common problem of protecting the planet. Adding art and the voices of community leaders to the data scientists are compiling may help convince decision makers to take action to deal with climate change, said Jonathan Samet, director of the USC Institute for Global Health.

Samet spoke on challenges and opportunities in arts and health care and the need for stewardship of the planet at an Earth Day Forum on April 22 at Los Angeles City Hall. … Read More »

May 16th, 2013|Announcements|

CHLA names Levitt inaugural director of Developmental Neurogenetics

By Ellin Kavanagh

Pat Levitt, USC Provost Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacy, Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Psychology, has been named inaugural director of the Developmental Neurogenetics Program of the newly created Institute for the Developing Mind within The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The Institute for the Developing Mind, envisioned to become an internationally recognized center for innovative research, diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders, will provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary research and clinical services at CHLA and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. … Read More »

May 16th, 2013|Announcements|

Psychiatry resident wins two key awards

By Josh Grossberg

Beating out hundreds of entrants, a third-year psychiatry resident at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has recently been named the winner of two separate prestigious awards.

Sean Sassano-Higgins was one of only 13 people in the country chosen for a GAP Fellowship, awarded by the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. … Read More »

May 16th, 2013|Announcements|