As marijuana becomes increasingly popular in Los Angeles, UCLA researchers are studying the drug’s potential benefits and risks. Jeffrey Chen, the executive director of the Cannabis Research Initiative, said the initiative is collecting data on variables that might be affected by cannabis legalization, such as crime, alcohol and opioid consumption, high school graduation rates and […]
Author Archives: Raymond Le
UCLA study connects types of cancer treatment to reduced cognitive functioning
UCLA researchers found chemotherapy and other radiation cancer treatments may be linked to worsened cognitive performance. The study, published this week, showed DNA damage from radiation therapies was associated with worsened cognitive performance in patients. Patricia Ganz, a health policy and management professor, said chemotherapy and radiation treatments kill cancer cells, as well as normal […]
Campus Queries: Is blue light harmful for us?
While some companies have profited off fears of blue light, Colin McCannel, a professor of clinical ophthalmology at UCLA’s Stein Eye Institute, said many of these fears aren’t based on scientific research. There is little credible evidence from real-life scenarios or human studies that support that blue light adversely affects eye health, McCannel said. Laboratory […]
Virtual reality researchers model heartbeats of zebrafish to use in medicine
This post was updated Oct. 2 at 4:58 p.m. UCLA researchers developed a virtual reality visualization of zebrafish hearts for use in medical treatment and surgical training. In a paper published Aug. 15, the Cardiovascular Engineering & Light Sheet Imaging Lab under the Department of Bioengineering created a new computer program that can generate a […]
UCLA and USC researchers team up to create pills that relieve hangovers
UCLA researchers are developing a pill to relieve hangovers. Yunfeng Lu, a chemical and biomolecular engineering professor at UCLA, and Cheng Ji, an associate professor at the University of Southern California, created a pill that decreased blood alcohol by 45 percent in inebriated mice within four hours. The pill is an FDA-approved nanocapsule filled with […]
Graduate students collaborate to improve access to health care
A new initiative at UCLA’s medical school brings together graduate students from different disciplines to help improve patients’ access to the medical system. The David Geffen School of Medicine implemented the American Association of Medical Colleges’ hotspotting program in this academic year. In the program, medical students collaborate with nursing, dental, public health, pharmacy, social […]
Remodeled chemistry course allows for student research, publishing
A newly revamped chemistry course allows undergraduate students to conduct independent research and publish a paper in a science journal. This quarter, the chemistry department remodeled the curriculum of Chemistry C174: “Inorganic and Metalorganic Laboratory Methods” to allow students to pursue an independent group research project rather than follow an established lab procedure. Alex Spokoyny, […]