Dear UCI Colleagues-

I want to take this moment to acknowledge our public health champions. As we have learned over the past few years from the pandemic to the polls, it takes our collective buy-in to invest in the vitality of our communities and pave the way for a healthier future.
Annually, public health practitioners, students, and educators celebrate the field of public health during National Public Health Week (April 1 -7). This year’s theme is Protecting, Connecting and Thriving: We are all Public Health. It’s a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of our health and the environments in which we live, work, and play.

UCI Public Health has experienced incredible growth over the last five years. Originally a one-department program, we now have four departments, 70+ plus faculty members, 40+ career researchers, 60+ staff, and an ever-growing student body of 1,400 members. We also expect to enter the next academic year as the UCI School of Population and Public Health. To kick off 2024’s NPHW, I share a few themes that showcase how impactful our collective power can be to change lives.

• Applying technology to improve clinical outcomes, researchers in epidemiology and biostatistics are using artificial intelligence to analyze ‘big data’ sets to complement the field of precision medicine.
• Uncovering and assessing the impact of harmful exposure to toxins, researchers in environmental and occupational health are studying chronic inhalation of brake dust and its impact on lung health to the trauma of heat stress on liver function among veterans during the Gulf War.
• Evaluating the cause of chronic disease, researchers in population health and disease prevention are studying how lifestyle changes can help minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Evaluating health policy and informing policymakers, researchers in health, society, and behavior, are working to ensure our healthcare system is working for all, not just a few.

As we complete the last few miles of our journey of becoming a school, I want to reiterate our mission of achieving health equity for all populations through research, teaching, service, and public health practice – locally and globally.

The collective work of our renowned faculty, passionate students, and dedicated researchers and staff is addressing some of today’s most difficult public health problems. I applaud their dedication to improving population and public health. Happy National Public Health Week!

Sincerely,

Researcher to evaluate the health benefits of Medicaid dental coverage on pregnant women and their children

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has awarded Brandy Lipton, a 4-year grant to provide critical new evidence on whether dental benefits for women during pregnancy can have long-lasting impacts on their children.  

Congratulations, you’re a father!

The American Heart Association awarded Matthew Landry a career development grant to fund his research measuring the heart health of 125 first-time fathers with a goal to develop public health interventions to lower heart disease risk among younger men.  

Empowering communities of color for environmental health and justice

Communities affected by environmental health disparities are best suited to develop solutions that advance health and well-being as evident by Jason Douglas’ recent publication in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. He shared case examples of STAND L.A. successfully taking legal action against the City of Los Angeles to stop the racially discriminatory oil drilling permitting and protect communities negatively impacted by environmental exposures.  

Findings from a study by first author, Karen Lincoln, found that African American older adults with a diverse social network, like children, extended family members, and friends, helped with their cognitive functioning. This is important as African American older adults are a population with a high risk of cognitive impairment. 

In resource-limited settings, adaptive interventions are crucial in the fight against malaria. In a study published in Malaria Journal, corresponding author, Guiyun Yan, and team (Guofa Zhou, John Githure, Ming-Chieh Lee, Daibin Zhong, and Xiaoming Wang) collected data on mosquito hotspots in various geographically areas of western Kenya. Through analysis, they were able to classify malaria incidence to a specific zone that will help interventions stop the spread of malaria.

Yoonji Kim, doctoral student, served as first author in a study published in Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, where she helped examine the protective and risk factors of substance use behaviors among young adult childhood cancer survivors. Co-authors include Anamara Ritt-Olson, Michael Hoyt, and Joel Milam.

Corresponding author, Ulrike Luderer, and team found that adolescent exposure to THC may cause aberrant activation of the ovarian endocannabinoid system in female mice, resulting in substantial loss of ovarian reserve in adulthood. These findings published in Toxicological Sciences have the potential to uncover associations with infertility in adulthood and have been recognized by the Reproductive and Development Toxicology Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology as the best reproductive and developmental toxicology paper of the year in Toxicological Sciences.  

Despite the numerous health benefits of a plant-based diet, many individuals are reluctant or resistant to change their usual dietary behaviors or unable to sustain diet changes over time. Co-corresponding author, Matthew Landry, published key points from a session at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s annual conference. Landry discussed common preconceptions about plant-based diets and guidance on removing barriers to adopting and adhering to those diets.  

Doctoral student’s engineering past improves working conditions for occupations prone to environmental hazards

The Malek Family Scholarship, the first-ever PhD summer fellowship established at UCI Public Health, has been awarded to doctoral student, Megan Ani Mirkhanian. Intersecting her environmental engineering background and her passion for public health, Mirkhanian’s current research focus, and what she plans to do her thesis on, is both innovative and impactful as she aims to bridge the gap between toxicology and engineering. 

Welcoming spring and new beginnings with Public Health’s newest practicum partner, Team Kids 

UCI Public Health welcomed a new site to its growing community of practicum partners: Team Kids, which recently began hosting fourth-year undergraduate students during the Winter quarter. The students helped support Team Kids programming that encourages elementary-aged students to build community and provide service. 

Founding Dean Boden-Albala has been nominated as the Cheryl A. Jay Keynote Lecturer at the American Academy of Neurology’s Health Care Equity Symposium convening in April. As a brain health expert, her lecture will discuss disparities in care and how to move toward health equity in neurology.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions and impactful work in empowering and uplighting Black stories and community, Karen Lincoln has been nominated for the prestigious CA Black Women’s Trailblazer Hall of Fame Legacy Award. Presented by the CA Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, this organization honors individuals who have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also paved the way for others through their leadership, resilience, and commitment to positive change.

At the recent American Heart Association’s EPI Lifestyle Scientific Session, Wenjun Fan was honored as one of the top five finalists globally for the prestigious “Sandra A. Daugherty Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Disease or Hypertension Epidemiology”. Fan’s work is deserving of this recognition as she integrates clinical factors and health behavior management to change practice standards and improve cardiovascular health.  

Honoring the legacy of the late Katelyn Chandler Corey Davis 

A scholarship fund has been established to support future public health practitioners. The fund was created by family members to memorialize the memory of alumna Mrs. Davis, a member of the Class of 2015, who was passionate about research and public health sciences. 

Forging Our Own Path: The Importance of Black Leadership in Environmental and Climate Advocacy
Thursday, April 25 | Sue Gross Auditorium
Panel: 11 a.m. - Noon
Reception: Noon - 1 p.m.

Join UCI Public Health and the UCI Center for Environmental Health Disparities Research for an informative, interdisciplinary discussion with keynote speaker Abre’ Conner, Esq. Abre will delve into the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by Black communities, shedding light on how systemic exclusion from decision-making exacerbates health disparities. Explore actionable strategies to center impacted communities in environmental and climate-related decisions, and learn how prioritizing Black and frontline groups can contribute to collective solutions for the climate crisis.

Spring 2024 Spit Camp: Intensive 2-Day Workshop in Salivary Bioscience
Tuesday, May 14 - Wednesday, May 15 | UCI Campus in Social Ecology I

Spit Camp is an intensive two-day workshop that combines lecture/didactic and hands-on laboratory training. There is a focus on the theoretical perspectives of salivary bioscience, use of oral fluid as biological specimens, practical aspects of sample handing, collection, study design, and the basics of salivary immunoassays. The laboratory component includes hands-on, supervised training on sample processing, salivary immunoassay and kinetic reaction assays, as well as learning basic wet-lab procedures.

Spit Camp Fee: $1,430 per person 

Summer 2024 Study Abroad in Bali
June 23 - July 22 | Bali, Indonesia

Immerse in a transformational learning opportunity at the Bali Institute, a premier world-class learning center in beautiful Bali, Indonesia! As you study public health principles and examine health and disease, you will also have the unique opportunity to work with an NGO to investigate, monitor, and identify health problems and hazards in the local Balinese community.

Participating students must enroll in both PH 144 and PH 159 courses. This program is open to all majors, prerequisites are not required. Pay for only 8 units and get 10 units by signing up for PH 198. Cost is $3000, which includes room and board, meals, and UC Travel Insurance. Airfare, UCI Summer Session fees, and personal expenses not included. Financial aid questions or more, reach out to UCI Study Abroad Center or Dr. Zuzana Bic.