The UCLA Health 3 Wishes Program adapted to meet pandemic demands, with increased participation from dying patients and their families. Frontline staff fulfill small but meaningful requests, providing emotional comfort during a difficult time.
Researchers report that 90% of patients who received gene therapy between 2009 and 2012 remain disease-free, with significant immune system differences observed among those treated. The therapy is most effective in younger children, but further work is needed to achieve high levels of gene correction in all patients.
A new study from UCLA finds that a social companion robot, Robin, provides comfort to young patients during hospital visits. Children and their parents reported significant improvements in positive affect and reductions in negative affect after interacting with Robin compared to tablet-based interactions.
Researchers created a wiring diagram of critical brain circuits using mouse models, providing insights into the primary motor cortex's wiring. The study pinpoints smaller circuits that process specific functions, such as movement control and emotional input, and could reveal new treatment targets for neurodegenerative disorders.
Researchers found that mRNA COVID vaccines reduced symptomatic illness risk by 89% and 96% for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine recipients respectively. The vaccines' effectiveness was lower in immunocompromised individuals.
A new study found that pregnant women with kidney or liver transplants can safely undergo trial of labor without increased risk to themselves or their babies. In fact, vaginal births resulted in improved outcomes for the baby without compromising maternal health. Conversely, cesarean births were associated with higher risks of complica...
A UCLA study found that Black patients with Lyme disease are more likely to have neurological complications, such as meningitis and neuropathy, when diagnosed late. The study analyzed data from 2015-16 and found that approximately 1 in 3 Black patients had these complications, compared to less than 1 in 10 white patients.
A Phase 2 clinical trial found that levetiracetam improved cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients with epileptic activity, particularly those under 65 when symptoms began. The study demonstrated a clear benefit from the medication for this subtype of Alzheimer's disease.
Patients with dementia presenting with shortness of breath were less likely to be tested for pulmonary embolism compared to those without dementia. Clinical signs and risk factors, such as elevated heart rate, were also evaluated differently in patients with dementia.
A new oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) called giredestrant has been shown to significantly reduce tumor activity in women with ER-positive and HER2-negative early breast cancers. The treatment resulted in a 80% drop in Ki67 levels, compared to a 67% reduction in patients treated with the standard care aromatase inhibitor.
The study found that treating women with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer with trastuzumab deruxtecan significantly prolongs the length of time the disease is controlled and cancer growth is halted. Patients who received the drug had a 72% improvement in progression-free survival compared to trastuzumab emtansine.
A new PSMA PET imaging technique can detect prostate cancer lesions throughout the body, enabling more precise treatment. The study shows that 64% of patients opted for alternative treatments after scanning due to detected metastasis outside the prostate.
A new study by UCLA researchers reveals that respiratory emissions produced during labor and vaginal delivery can increase the risk of respiratory disease transmission. The findings support the recommendation of providing full PPE, including N95 masks, to healthcare workers in labor and delivery units to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Physicians prescribed opioids more frequently to their white patients with new-onset low back pain, while prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to patients of color. The study's findings suggest racial bias in pain treatment, with white patients being more likely to develop long-term opioid reliance.
A new study found that STING-activating drugs significantly alter nucleotide metabolism in pancreas cancer cells, which can be visualized using [18F]FLT PET imaging. This provides a non-invasive tool to track the effects of these drugs and fine-tune treatments for hard-to-treat cancers.
A recent study found that 26-45% of people with atrial fibrillation fail to adhere to their prescribed direct-acting oral anticoagulants due to cost and bleeding concerns. Researchers interviewed 42 adults who had stopped or reduced dosing, citing these reasons as major barriers to adherence.
Researchers at UCLA developed brain organoids that mimic human brain structure and function, allowing for the study of neurological disorders like Rett syndrome. The organoids showed organized waves of activity similar to those found in living brains and responded to treatment with an experimental drug.
Researchers found a sequential-combinatorial regimen boosts treatment efficacy for aggressive cancers by re-energizing T cells and suppressing tumor growth. The approach offers realistic chances to improve patient survival.
A new UCLA study found that even one vaping session can significantly increase cellular oxidative stress in healthy younger nonsmokers. The researchers discovered a two- to four-fold increase in oxidative stress levels after a 30-minute vaping session, highlighting the alarming effects of e-cigarettes on young people's health.
A study of 7,400 emergency department physicians found that those who recently saw patients with a pulmonary embolism were 15% more likely to test subsequent patients for the condition. The 'availability heuristic' may influence physicians' care decisions.
A study highlights the need for better diagnostic tools, alternative treatments, and prevention strategies for women with recurrent UTIs. Women report feeling frustrated with their doctors' overuse of antibiotics and lack of education on preventing UTIs.
A new blood test using a nanotech device can detect the risk of placenta accreta spectrum disorder, a potentially life-threatening condition that can occur during pregnancy. The test was found to be 79% accurate in confirming its presence and 93% accurate in ruling it out.
Scientists at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered that removing the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 selectively targets cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. This finding holds promise for the development of targeted therapies for cancers with high levels of IGF2BP3.
Scientists from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center identified TAF12 as critical to the formation of preinitiation complexes, which are necessary for gene transcription. Eliminating TAF12 destroys preinitiation complexes and drastically reduces genome-wide transcription.
Researchers found that a chemical modification called m6A may offer protection against non-alcoholic fatty liver by slowing down the accumulation of fat in the liver. The study also suggested that this modification occurs at a different rate in females than males, potentially explaining sex differences in liver fat content.
A new 'nomogram' helps predict which men with advanced metastatic prostate cancer will respond favorably to LuPSMA, a targeted therapy. The tool analyzes imaging and clinical data to stratify patients into high-risk or low-risk groups, enabling more personalized treatments.
Men with high-risk prostate cancer benefit from multimodality care, which includes hormone therapy and radiation. The study found significant differences in deaths when guideline-concordant multimodality care was not delivered.
The team's real-world results demonstrate the potential of SwabSeq to be used for population-wide testing on an unprecedented scale. The test has shown extremely high sensitivity and specificity, making it a promising solution for scaling up COVID-19 testing.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that virtual reality environments strengthen theta waves, a key brain rhythm for learning and memory, in rats. This finding could lead to new treatments for disorders like ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, and depression.
Researchers found that undamaged neurons do not change their function after a stroke, contradicting the 're-mapping' hypothesis. Surround-responsive cells, which react to neighboring whiskers, also failed to take over damaged neurons' functions.
A UCLA-led study comparing human and mouse astrocytes found that mouse cells are more resilient to oxidative stress, a key mechanism behind many neurological disorders. The findings have important implications for basic and translational research into conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral scl...
The National Institutes of Health is funding a research consortium to develop methods for calculating polygenic risk scores (PRS) in people from different ancestries, particularly those with admixed ancestry. Researchers at UCLA will focus on incorporating genetic diversity into PRS to yield accurate and equitable predictions.
Researchers discovered that MAOIs can activate the immune system to shrink various types of tumors. The study found that MAOIs help block immune checkpoints and prevent tumor-associated macrophages from suppressing T cell activity.
A new study shows that tai chi mirrors the beneficial effects of conventional exercise by reducing waist circumference in middle-aged and older adults with central obesity. The 12-week intervention found significant reductions in waist circumference, body weight, and improved lipid profiles among those who practiced tai chi.
A new study found that blocking ABCB10 protein in liver cells protects against insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. Increased bilirubin content inside mitochondria driven by ABCB10 activity contributes to fatty liver disease. The findings could inspire the development of therapies targeting ABCB10 or mitochondrial bilirubin.
UCLA Health has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to scale healthcare innovations for COVID-19 response and recovery. The grant will support the Los Angeles Response to COVID (LA-R2C) Accelerator, aiming to address health equity through novel health technologies.
A new form of gene therapy has successfully treated 48 out of 50 children born with a rare and deadly inherited disorder. The treatment, developed by an international team, involves delivering a corrected copy of the ADA gene into stem cells, which are then returned to the child's body to produce healthy immune cells.
A team of researchers has developed a molecular catalog of cells in healthy lungs and those with cystic fibrosis, revealing new subtypes of cells and how the disease alters their composition. This discovery could help scientists identify prime targets for future genetic therapies.
A new study suggests that postmenopausal women are at increased risk of subsequent fractures after an initial bone break, regardless of the location. The study found that fractures in various parts of the body, including the arm, wrist, leg, and hip, were associated with a significant increase in risk.
A new study by UCLA researchers identified a novel combination therapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors with ATRA to potentially overcome resistance to immunotherapy in LKB1-deficient lung cancer. The therapy led to eradication of over 70% of tumors and generated durable tumor-specific immunity.
A UCLA-led study reveals that seven preventive medical services have no likely health benefit to patients and may even be harmful. These services, including asymptomatic bacteriuria screening and prostate cancer screening, are ordered over 31 million times annually at a cost of nearly $500 million per year.
Researchers developed a topical cream using BRAF inhibitor LUT014 to reduce skin rash caused by EGFR inhibitors in colorectal cancer patients. The study showed that the treatment improved skin condition and reduced severity of the rash in 6 out of 10 patients.
A new UCLA study finds that a one-time injection of an experimental stem cell therapy can repair brain damage and improve memory function in mice with conditions that replicate human strokes and dementia. The therapy, developed from glial cells, stimulates the brain's own repair processes and enhances neural connections.
A new UCLA study reveals the proportion of Black physicians in the US has changed little in 120 years, with a significant income gap between white and Black male physicians. The research highlights pay discrimination and unequal access as contributing factors to this disparity.
Research at UCLA Health Sciences suggests that elderly patients of female physicians are more likely to be vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19. The trend holds across all racial and ethnic groups studied, with Black patients being about 14 percentage points less likely to be vaccinated than white patients.
Researchers have developed a new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy that targets both CD19 and CD20 proteins, achieving complete metabolic responses in four out of five patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma. The approach minimizes treatment resistance and prevents relapse by recognizing multiple targets.
The study shows that using a truncated form of the CD4 molecule as part of a gene therapy yields superior and longer-lasting results in mouse models than previous similar therapies. The new approach to CAR T gene therapy has the potential to create lifelong protection from HIV infection by producing memory cells.
A low-calorie diet and moderate exercise program have been shown to dramatically improve survival outcomes for young people with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After just one month of treatment, participants on the intervention had a 70% decrease in detectable cancer cells compared to those not on the regimen.
A new UCLA Health study reveals that middle-aged women's cognitive function does not improve with physical activity, despite its many health benefits. The 21-year study found no association between exercise and slower cognitive decline in three key areas: processing speed, verbal memory, and working memory.
A new study found percutaneous image guided needle based thermal ablation to be a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for local control of metastatic gynecologic cancers. Nearly 96% of patients achieved complete tumor response over 10 months, with low side effects.