The UCSF Community Newsletter

Does Science Back Any of Those Childhood Medical Myths? It’s a Mixed Bag


Whether it’s a cautionary anecdote exchanged at the playground or advice murmured by a doting grandparent, children encounter a range of medical beliefs and misbeliefs. We asked UCSF experts if the guidance holds up.


See what they said »

Are the New Weight Loss Drugs Too Good to Be True?


Whether you view the latest weight loss drugs as a miracle or a menace, the hype around them is impossible to ignore. So, are Ozempic and Wegovy the real deal?


Get the facts »

Trauma Team Saves Teen Surfer From Paralysis


On an overcast day in June 2023, 15-year-old Marcos Ornellas’ life changed. In minutes, Marcos went from on top of his surfboard to an emergency helicopter evacuation to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland.


Read his inspiring story »

Cure for Multiple Sclerosis? Scientists Say Its Within Our Lifetime


A generation ago, most people with multiple sclerosis could expect to rely on walkers and wheelchairs or be limited to their bed within 15 years of diagnosis. Today, UCSF’s discoveries are keeping millions with MS healthier for longer – many disability-free.


Learn about the research »

How UCSF Creatives Crafted Community with Handmade Art


There are hobbies and then there are passions. For a dedicated group of UCSF faculty, staff and learners, a diverse set of talents fuels their artistic energy.


Go inside UCSF’s creative community »

Experts in the News

USA TODAY

Adults Care About Gender Politics Way More Than Kids. So Why is it Such a Big Deal?

KTVU

Salty Diet May Increase Risk of Dry, Itchy Skin

Los Angeles Times

Editorial: Lack of Housing is Pushing More Seniors Onto the Streets. That's On Us

San Francisco Chronicle

When Your Caregiving Role Ends, How Do You Learn to Live Without Caring for Someone?

KCBS

15,000 Robot-Assisted Surgeries in the Books for UCSF

Social Spotlight

Congratulations to the UCSF Class of 2024! Embrace the challenges, celebrate the victories and look forward to the impact youll make.


Celebrate the graduates on LinkedIn »

Announcements

Summer Uptick in COVID-19 Cases: Over the past several weeks, UCSF has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases among faculty, staff and learners across campus and UCSF Health locations. As part of UCSF’s ongoing efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, all members of the UCSF community are asked to remain diligent with best practices for infection control. Those who test positive for COVID-19 are required to report their result through the UCSF Digital Screener. If you’re experiencing COVID-like symptoms, test early and often. Learn more »

Win Gift Cards for Taking Remote Travel and Work Test: The University of California provides a myriad of resources to help protect UCSF’s and your data while traveling or working remotely. Find out how to travel and work remotely, safely and securely by taking a quiz, then be entered to win one of six $50 Amazon gift cards. Take the test »

Special Noon Time for Monthly Town Hall: Don’t miss the upcoming monthly UCSF Town Hall at a special time from noon to 1 p.m. on Friday, July 12. The change next month is a test of a new program time to see if there’s increased engagement with an earlier start. Panelists include Peter Chin-Hong, MD, with Health News You Can Use, and Christopher Williams, MD, on the potential of artificial intelligence impacting patients visiting emergency departments. Mark your calendar »

Salary Hikes for Eligible Policy-Covered Staff : University of California President Michael Drake has authorized a 4.2% base-salary increase for policy-covered (non-represented) staff for fiscal year 2025, subject to eligibility requirements. The salary increase will be effective Sunday, June 23 for bi-weekly paid employees (reflected on the Wednesday, July 17 paycheck) and Monday, July 1 for monthly paid employees (reflected on the Thursday, August 1 paycheck). Read about it »

Apply Today for Community Well-being Grants: The Community Well-being Grants program awards funds to impactful and creative projects that focus on one or more of UCSF’s pillars of wellness. Administered by UCSF Wellness and the UCSF Well-being Committee, the grants give faculty, staff and learners at UCSF and UCSF Health, including Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, an opportunity to implement their ideas to strengthen UCSF’s culture of well-being. Apply now »

Don’t Miss the Staff Engagement Town Hall: Get the results of this year’s staff engagement survey that will drive action planning to make UCSF a more supportive environment for staff. Join UCSF leadership for the 2024 Staff Engagement Results Town Hall on Friday, June 28. Save the date »

UC Emergency Resources Available to You: Wildfire season is upon us again. Now is a good time to explore the resources available to you through the University of California’s benefit plans, in case you should ever need assistance during a natural disaster or other emergency. Support includes replacing lost prescriptions, emergency care, submitting claims, legal resources and emergency retirement savings access. See the resources available through UC’s benefit plans »

Join UCSF at AIDS Walk San Francisco: Help raise funds to support programs and services that benefit people living with HIV/AIDS in the Bay Area by donating to any of the UCSF teams participating in AIDS Walk San Francisco. Then join the UCSF contingent of teams for the event at Golden Gate Park on Sunday, July 21. Consider donating or joining any of the UCSF-affiliated teams or register for Team UCSF »

Temporary Custodial Service Changes in July: The UCSF custodial team is gearing up for peak season with housing turnover coming up in July and will be conducting a major cleaning of 200-300 apartment units to prepare space for new tenants. Temporary staff will be hired for the housing turnover to minimize impact on regular services but there will be temporary adjustments across the rest of UCSF’s campuses as a result. Read about the temporary service change »

Nominations for Academy of Medical Educators Excellence Awards: The nomination window is open for the 2024 Academy of Medical Educators Excellence Awards. These peer-nominated awards are intended to highlight outstanding frontline teachers at all UCSF teaching sites who might otherwise go unrecognized. Nominations are due by Friday, July 26. See the criteria and nominate someone now »

2024 UC Whistleblower Notification: The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. Every employee at the UC plays a role in maintaining ethical standards. The University’s Whistleblower Policy provides multiple avenues for employees to bring forward concerns of potential employee misconduct. Get more information about the process »

Emeritus Professor Granted UCSF Presidential Chair Award: Olle ten Cate, PhD, emeritus professor, has been granted the prestigious position of UCSF Presidential Chair for the 2024-2025 academic term. The UCSF Presidential Chair Award is intended to encourage new or interdisciplinary program development or to enhance quality in existing academic programs of the University. Learn more about Olle’s career »

Upcoming Events

JUN

26

Day of Joy: Flower Arranging, Music and More!


Implementation and Evaluation of AI in Real-World Clinical Settings: Generative AI for Health Care


Stem Cell Tours


La Madre: A New, Adapted Play

JUN

27

Building Your Research Portfolio and Keeping it in the Black

JUN

28

Stem Cell Tours

JUN

29

Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Health and Wellness Walk/Fair in Oakland


Dr. Frank Staggers, Sr. Prostate Cancer Walk

JUN

30

SF Pride Parade

JUL

03

Office Hours: Community Well-being Grant Applications

JUL

07

UCSF Latine Comunidad and Resident Social

JUL

09

Arts and Events’ First Rodeo


Office Hours: Community Well-being Grant Applications

Visit the UCSF Events Calendar to submit events and see what’s happening.

Deals and Discounts

Chase Center Ticket Offers: See NBA and G League players compete at the California Classic in early July or go with the whole family to enjoy Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live from August 24-25. Tickets start at just $25 each. Buy tickets here »

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