NEWS
FOOD
Candidate Statements East Bay Hike and GPSA Elections will be held Hearty Brunch April 7-15 » PAGE 6
IN THIS ISSUE
News Briefs » PAGE 3 Journal Club » PAGE 5 Puzzles » PAGE 11
Synapse Sampling Ethiopian fare at Alem's Coffee » PAGE 10
The UCSF Student Newspaper
Thursday, April 10, 2014
synapse.ucsf.edu
Volume 58, Number 26
NEWS
NEWS
By Marta Wegorzewska, Florie Charles and Nir Oksenberg Contributing Writers
By Emma Sew Hoy and Nadya Hristeva Contributing Writers
Graduate Students Engage the Public Over Funding Basic Science Research
O
ver a pitcher of beer at Terzetto’s one afternoon, a group of us involved in the outreach branch of the Science Policy Group at UCSF brainstormed ways to educate the public about the importance of funding basic science research. The annual Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Stand Up For Science video contest was a great place to start. The goal of the contest was “to increase the awareness of the critical role of federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), in funding biomedical and biological research.” Our group, which consisted of graduate students Florie Charles, Sama Ahmed, Nir Oksenberg, Marta Wegorzewska, Argenta Price and postdoc Christin Chong, understand that fundamental knowledge born out of basic science research drives advances in health and technology. However, the public has not always been supportive of funding basic research because they are unaware of its value. As scientists, we rely on public funds and the support of the voting public to do our work. To gain support, we need to engage and educate the public. One sunny day in San Francisco we hit the streets outside AT&T Park and asked passersby this question: The year is 1960 and you had $10 to give to science, would you spend it on a) discovering an affordable treatment for diabetes or b) finding out how bacteria protect themselves? It was not surprising that most people preferred to fund a diabetes treatment. Then using a whiteboard and colorful markers, we set out to educate the public on how the discovery that bacteria can cut DNA actually lead to a treatment for diabetes as well as countless new technologies. In February, FASEB, the policy voice of scientists, announced that our video, “Funding Basic Science to Revolutionize Medicine,” had won the competition, beating out the six other semi-finalists. FASEB invited Marta Wegorzewska to represent our group on Capitol Hill on March 5. She was among nearly 50 scientists who brought the FASEB funding recommendation for the FY 2015 to more than 80 congressional offices. Each scientist shared a story. Marta’s story came from the perspective of a graduate
BASIC SCIENCE » PAGE 9
Patient Safety: How to Reduce Diagnostic Errors
H
Photo courtesy of Science Policy Group The graduate students prepare for videotaping their interviews with the public in San Francisco.
MIND&BODY
Let’s Get Physical...Therapy! Sneak in a Workout During Class
By Ilka Felsen Staff Writer
G
ym time is a hot commodity here at UCSF, and often all too scarce. The following are quick, easy exercises that will help you tone up in class, or at least wake you up during class! First, sit up as tall and straight as you can, with your feet flat on the floor. Look straight ahead—conveniently, since the board is also straight ahead—and hold the end position for all of these exercises for five seconds. Repeat each exercise up to five times. Neck retraction Nod, and then push your chin backwards. In this case, you are actually aiming for a double chin. This activates your deep neck flexors, which are over lengthened and weak in most students. Shoulder rolls Roll your shoulders down and back. Pinch your shoulder blades together, and hold. Abdominal crunch Pull your belly button in towards your spine. You’ll know you’re doing this cor-
rectly by placing your thumbs on your hip bones, fingers pointing towards your belly button, and feeling you abs tighten below your fingertips. Gluteal squeeze Basically, squeeze your butt. You should feel even taller—another added bonus for seeing the board! Thigh raises With your knees bent at 90°, lift your thigh off your chair about a hand’s width. For endurance, repeat on the same leg five times before switching to your other leg. Ankle pumps With your knees bent at 90°, and feet flat, lift your toes off the floor. Repeat as many times as you can tolerate on each side. And lastly, when all else fails, stand up and take a rest room break!
Ilka Felsen is a second-year physical therapy student.
ave you ever driven on a familiar route without remembering how exactly you arrived at your destination? We are creatures of habit, and it is not unlikely that physicians may utilize habitual knowledge in making medical diagnoses. Unfortunately, these skill-based activities may sometimes result in patient harm. We are human, and errors will undoubtedly occur— but why? At the last meeting of UCSF’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Open School on March 11, Dr. Catherine Lucey, professor and vice dean of education at the UCSF School of Medicine explained how errors that occur in the healthcare setting parallel those of everyday life, and spoke about the common cognitive causes that turn activities into errors. Consider the driving example. The routine steps involved are ingrained in our brains as a pre-packaged set of instructions and actions called a schema, which help us arrive at a given endpoint, in this case, our destination. If one day you are supposed to pick up a gallon of milk on your way home, you are likely to forget because this schema would kick in. Preventing this error, or “slip,” would require more monitoring and reminders to achieve the desired outcome— milk and arriving safely at the correct location. In a similar manner, Dr. Lucey discussed having a “designated skeptic” or “designated curmudgeon” on each medical team who would catch potential cognitive biases that can sway our thinking in one direction or another. The aim is to move the team towards cognitive thinking to aid the decision-making process, thus preventing medical errors. This person could be anyone, and what better person than you—the student? You can reduce medical errors and save lives by constantly questioning everything and applying your developing knowledge base. This discussion was just one example of the interesting topics addressed by IHI Open School at UCSF. This year, the IHI Open School Chapter at UCSF worked hard to build a community of interprofessional students and faculty to discuss patient safety and quality improvement. Every month, we held meetings featuring esteemed guest speakers who shared their
PATIENT SAFETY » PAGE 3
2 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
EVENTS MISSION BAY EVENTS
PARNASSUS EVENTS
FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS AT MISSION BAY
CHANCELLOR’S CONCERT SERIES
Thursday, April 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4th Street & Nelson Rising Lane, Mission Bay Join the food truck lunch party every Thursday at Mission Bay and explore the tasty culinary options to break up your routine. Each week will feature two different vendors, so there will always be something new. Grab some friends, get some food, and take your lunch experience up a notch.
ENTREPRENEUR'S CLUB: ON THE DANGEROUS SIDE OF OPTIMISTIC: STARTING A COMPANY FROM SCRATCH
Thursday, April 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Genentech Hall, N114, Mission Bay Samuel Mazin, PhD, CEO of RefleXion Medical, was a postdoc at Stanford University when he attended a radiation oncology lecture and had the insight that led to starting RefleXion. Never imagining his career would head toward business, he took a crash course on business principles, recruited his high school buddy, now an MBA, and raised some “smart money” and an SBIR grant. He is in the midst of raising a venture round and can tell you about the tough times and good times as the CEO of a startup. Find out what his biggest surprise was coming from academic roots.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Friday, April 11, 1-2:30 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.
MISSION BAY RIPS
Friday, April 11, 4-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission Bay Research In Progress Seminar is a seminar series at which one student and one postdoc present their current research. Talks are 15 minutes in length and are preceded by a 20-minute social. Snacks and beverages are provided.
OCPD: PSR NAVIGATING THE NIH GRANT APPLICATION SIMULCAST
Monday, April 14, 12:30-4 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay Learn about the NIH and strategies for grant preparation and submission using the R01 grant as a model. Keith Yamamoto, PhD, will introduce the structure of the NIH as well as the overall grant application and review processes. A panel of senior faculty will dissect a video demonstration of a study section reviewing a grant and give tips for preparing an R01 proposal. Panelists will share experiences in submitting and resubmitting R01 grant proposals and give tips for how to succeed through this process. Cost: $17 for UCSF trainees & $27 for nontrainees. Register: ocpd-funding.eventbrite. com.
MISSION BAY FARMERS’ MARKET
Wednesday, April 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Gene Friend Way Plaza, Mission Bay Shop healthy, shop fresh, shop Californiagrown at the UCSF Farmers' Market, every Wednesday (rain or shine). Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association
Thursday, April 10, noon-12:45 p.m., Cole Hall, Parnassus Looking for a place to study or relax between classes? CLS Arts & Events has got just what you need. The Chancellor's Concert Series on Thursdays is a great place to set up your laptop and study or just take a break from classes while listening to classical music. Seating beings at noon. If you are unable to come, you can now listen to the music through live stream. http://campuslifeservices.ucsf. edu/artsevents/29/the_chancellors_concert_ series_streaming_live_and_archived
J-1 ORIENTATION
Thursday, April 10, noon-2 p.m., Medical Sciences, 20, Parnassus J-1 immigration regulations mandate that all new J-1 visa holders who have started their appointment at UCSF must attend one orientation. You will learn about traveling during your program, employment and reimbursement policies, extending your program and other helpful information about living in San Francisco and doing research at UCSF. Hosted by Kevin Long, Adviser. Bring your passport and your DS-2019.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Friday, April 11, 1:30-2 p.m., Medical Sciences, 178, Parnassus The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing.
CAMPUS EVANGELISTIC FELLOWSHIP
Friday, April 11, 7-10:30 p.m., Nursing, 517, Parnassus Join the Campus Evangelistic Fellowship for its weekly meeting, with Bible study, hymn singing and fellowship.
CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN CARING FOR LGBTIQQ PATIENTS
Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., MU-West 123 / Library CL-220, Parnassus This course empowers healthcare providers to build better rapport with LGBT clients leading them to increased understanding, personal confidence and comfort in those relationships plus greater success in delivering care. Cultural Competency Training teaches providers how to establish trust and encourage disclosure by diverse patients. Cost: FREE; Nurses CEUs: $15. Register: bill@billblackburn.net.
OCPD: PSR NAVIGATING THE NIH GRANT APPLICATION
Monday, April 14, 12:30-4 p.m., Nursing Building, 217, Parnassus Learn about the NIH and strategies for grant preparation and submission using the R01 grant as a model. Keith Yamamoto, PhD, will introduce the structure of the NIH as well as the overall grant application and review processes. A panel of senior faculty will dissect a video demonstration of a study section reviewing a grant and give tips for preparing an R01 proposal. Panelists will share experiences in submitting R01 grant proposals and give tips for how to succeed through this process. Cost: $17 for UCSF trainees & $27 for non-trainees. Register: ocpd-funding.eventbrite.com.
UCSF SCHOOL OF PHARMACY SPRING AUCTION 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 4-7 p.m., Cole Hall, Parnassus The annual SOP Spring Auction, hosted by COSA, is the largest on-campus fundraiser that raises thousands of money every year. All proceeds from this event will go towards many important student-run health fairs and patient related services to provide screenings and health education workshops to the underserved communities of San Francisco.
BLAZING THE PRECISION MEDICINE TRAIL: GENOMIC HEALTH’S JOURNEY WITH KIM POPOVITS, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, CEO AND PRESIDENT
Tuesday, April 15, 6-8 p.m., UCSF Library, Parnassus Genomic Health was in personalized medicine before the term was invented. Started from a business plan written in the year 2000, the company has been a trailblazer in genomic-based diagnostics. Popovits Popovits will describe the company’s path from its visionary founder’s idea to a public company with a market capitalization of over $800MM. Popovits became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2002, joining from Genentech where she served as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales. Sponsored by WilmerHale
PARNASSUS FARMERS’ MARKET
Wednesday, April 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., ACC, 400 Parnassus Ave. Shop the Farmers’ Markets on Wednesdays to pick up locally grown produce and more. Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.
SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER
Wednesday, April 16, noon-1 p.m., Millberry Union 123W, Parnassus Synapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. Email synapse@ucsf.edu to RSVP.
LEARNING FROM OUR HISTORY: LESSONS AT UCSF FROM THE EARLY AIDS EPIDEMIC
Wednesday, April 16, noon-1:15 p.m., Lange Room, UCSF Library, 530 Parnassus UCSF played a leading role in the early response to the AIDS epidemic. UCSF faculty and staff helped create important models of care, made many key discoveries into the nature of the disease and its management and faced the many emotional and ethical burdens at a time when personal safety could not be assured in patient care. This event will be more of a conversation of those early days with Drs. John Greenspan, Paul Volberding, Molly Cooke and Donald Abrams (UCSF), each of whom were present and active from the very first days of what would become a massive epidemic. This lecture is free and open to the public.
IMN AND PHYSICAL THERAPY WORKSHOP
Wednesday, April 16, noon-1 p.m., Medical Sciences, 172, Parnassus Come join the Integrative Medicine Network and students from the UCSF Physical Therapy program for a workshop designed for students. Ever wondered how often you should get up to walk while studying? The most ergonomic position for note taking? Students from the PT program will share their tips and tricks.
CIENCIA SPANISH SEMINAR
Wednesday, April 16, noon-1 p.m., Nursing Building, 217, Parnassus CIENCIA welcomes Dr. Laura Fejerman, PhD and Assistant Professor at UCSF. Lunch will be provided. Anyone who is curious to
hear a scientific/clinical talk in Spanish or interested in improving their proficiency with higher-level Spanish language speaking skills is welcome! If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to cienciaucsf@ gmail.com.
UCSF RUN CLUB
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Millberry Union Central Desk, Parnassus Please drop by and join UCSF Fit & Rec for a run. Each Wednesday night, the Run Club runs various distances (from 3-6 miles) at 9 to 11 minutes per mile.
ENGLISH CORNER
Wednesday, April 16, 6-8:30 p.m., Clinical Sciences, 130, Parnassus English Corner is an informal conversational English class given as a free community service and provided on a voluntary basis by both people born and raised in the United States as well as many people who have, at one time in their lives, experienced life as a new immigrant to the United States.
OFF-CAMPUS OFF THE GRID: UPPER HAIGHT
Thursday, April 10, 5-9 p.m., Stanyan and Waller Streets, SF Off the Grid is a roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul.
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: COSMIC NIGHTLIFE
Thursday, April 10, 6-10 p.m., Cal Academy, Golden Gate Park To infinity and beyond! To honor the 53rd anniversary of the first man in space Yuri Gagarin, NightLife opens its doors and minds to the next frontier in planetary exploration. Jump aboard the USS Loma Prieta for a live, computer-powered space ship simulation by the San Francisco Star Trek Group (spacecraft operating experience not required). http://bit.ly/NightLifeTickets, http://bit.ly/CLSDiscounts.
EXPLORATORIUM: AFTER DARK
Thursday, April 10, 6-10 p.m., Pier 15, SF Experience some of the fascinating and beautiful technologies that help us transcend our physical limitations. Featuring exoskeletons, wearable computers, 3D-printed prosthetics, electronically enhanced couture and more. exploratorium. edu/visit/calendar/after-dark.
CESAR E. CHAVEZ PARADE AND STREET FAIR
Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 24th Street between Treat and Bryant Streets, SF Commemorate and celebrate the life and work of labor and civil rights leader Cesar E, Chavez. Enjoy music, entertainment and arts & crafts booths. cesarchavezday.org/index. html
THE MODERN SCIENCE OF YOGA
Saturday, April 12, 2–3:30 pm, 200 Larkin St., Samsung Hall, Asian Art Museum, SF Join Anand Dhruva, MD, integrative medicine physician and Ayurveda practitioner at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, and Margaret Chesney, PhD, director of the Osher Center as they review contemporary scientific research on the effects of yoga for conditions such as lower back pain, cancer supportive care, and high blood pressure and learn a few simple poses to do at home, led by Osher Center yoga instructors Rachel Lanzerotti, MSW, RYT500 and Sarah Corey, PhD. Co-presented by the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Asia Society and the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Free with museum admission.
synapse.ucsf.edu | April 10, 2014 | 3
NEWS
UCSF Police Department Up for Re-Accreditation
TABULA THE SYNAPSE LITERARY ISSUE IS COMING APRIL 24! Submit poems, short stories and photos with captions to Synapse by APRIL 18. synapse@ucsf.edu.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
APPLY TO BE A UCSA STUDENT REP: DEADLINE APRIL 29
The University of California Student Association (UCSA) is recruiting for UC System-wide Committee Student Representatives, Student Observers to select Regent Committees and Collective Bargaining Program Representatives. Join thousands of other UC voices fighting for the quality, accessibility and affordability of the UC system. Apply today: http://ucsa.org/getinvolved/
GPSA ELECTIONS: VOTE TODAY
All UCSF students should have received the 2014-15 GPSA Ballot in their UCSF inbox. Please take a few moments to vote for the upcoming GPSA Executive Council. http:// gpsa.ucsf.edu/node/498
ARE YOU A FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE STUDENT (FG2C)?
Register with the First Generation Support Services Office, for access to all of the First Generation Support Services and to help the office advocate for you. Register before April 15, 2014 to be entered to win one of three giveaways! bit.ly/firstgenregister.
FG2C BROWN BAG MENTORING
This Brown Bag Mentoring program is designed to help UCSF first generation college students connect with first gen faculty, postdocs, residents, fellows and alumni who have generously offered to meet with you over lunch. Sign up at bit.ly/ brownbagmentor
Synapse
A
team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive April 13 to examine all aspects of the UCSF Police Department policy and procedures, management, operations and services against national best practices for the purposes of re-accreditation of the UCSF Police Department, Chief Pamela E. Roskowski announced today. Verification by the assessment team that the UCSF Police Department continues to meet the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of the voluntary process to maintain law enforcement accreditation— a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence. The benefits of accreditation include improvements in: law enforcement agency capabilities to prevent and control crime, agency effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of law enforcement services, cooperation with other law enforcement agencies and employee and community confidence in the goals, objectives, policies and practices of the accredited agency, Chief Roskowski said. As part of the on-site assessment, UCSF employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at the public information session scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, from 3-5 pm. The session will be conducted at the UCSF Police Department, 654 Minnesota St., 3rd Floor, Tivoli room, San Francisco. If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. Members of the community may do so by telephone by calling 415-502- 0904, on Tuesday, April 1 between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes per person and must address the UCSF Police Department’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the UCSF Police Department, 654 Minnesota St., San Francis-
500 Parnassus Ave. Millberry Union 108W San Francisco, CA 94143 tel: (415) 476-2211 | fax: (415) 502-4537 synapse@ucsf.edu
The UCSF Student Newspaper synapse.ucsf.edu STAFF
Yi Lu | EDITOR Jenny Qi | EXECUTIVE EDITOR Angela Castanieto | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Akshay Govind | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steven Chin | MANAGING EDITOR
About
Synapse is the UCSF student-run weekly newspaper, which runs on Thursdays during the academic year and monthly during the summer. Synapse seeks to serve as a forum for the campus community. Articles and columns represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Board of Publications or the University of California.
Submissions
Announcements and letters should be submitted six days before publication. All submissions can be either emailed or mailed. All material is subject to editing. Letters to the Editor must be signed by the author.
Subscriptions Subscriptions cost $20/year ($40/outside US).
Advertising
Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Synapse. Synapse and its editorial board reserve the right to decline advertisements promoting false or misleading claims, known health risks, or content deemed by the editors to be antithetical to the interests of UCSF students or the UCSF community. Synapse does not accept advertisements from tobacco or alcohol manufacturers, or sexually oriented personal ads. Synapse reserves the right to run any ad with a disclaimer.
co. The department contact is Acting Captain Jim Brock 415-683-8354. Persons wishing to submit written comments about the UCSF Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA) 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2215 or email calea@ calea.org.The UCSF Police Department has to comply with 353 standards in order to be accredited, Chief Roskowski said. The UCSF Police CALEA Accreditation Manager is Acting Captain Jim Brock. He said the assessment team is composed of public safety practitioners from similar, but out-ofstate agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals and visit offices and other locations where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are: Chief Linda J. Stump, CALEA Assessment Team Leader, Assistant Vice President of Public Environmental Safety, Gainesville, Fla., and Captain John K. Jacobs, CALEA Assessment Team Member, University of Richmond Police, University of Richmond (Va.). Once the CALEA assessors complete their review of the UCSF Police Department, they report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the UCSF Police Department is to be granted reaccredited status, Chief Roskowski stated.Accreditation is for three years, during which the UCSF Police Department must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was accredited.
Patient Safety » FROM HOME PAGE work and perspectives with an interprofessional group of students. The meetings were interactive and provided applicable information that complemented each discipline’s didactic curriculum. They served as a simple yet extremely effective way of getting involved with patient safety. In addition to Dr. Lucey, we were honored to host leaders in quality improvement including: •• Emma S e w Hoy, a four th-year pharmacy student, shared her personal experience in dealing with the consequences of medical errors. •• Linda Nguyen, PharmD, from the San Francisco VA Medical Center, taught us the multidisciplinary approach to Root Cause Analysis, a method of investigating the contributory factors to a medical error. •• Robert Wachter, MD, discussed his experience in patient safety over the last fifteen years, and how economic changes, wider public access to safety data and a shift towards valuebased care are shaping future of the movement. •• Laura M. Wagner, RN, PhD, GNP, FAAN, from the UCSF School of Nursing, shared her research and approach in discussing medical errors with patients and their families. Join us in the patient safety movement at UCSF. We are currently seeking leaders to continue the student discussions around patient safety and quality improvement. Please email us at uscfihiopenschool@ gmail.com and check out ihi.org to access the IHI courses. Students and faculty of all disciplines are welcome.
Nadya Hristeva and Emma Sew Hoy are fourth-year pharmacy students.
NEWS BRIEFS UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Oakland Receive $100M Gift From Benioffs
UCSF announced today a second gift of $100 million from Lynne and Marc Benioff to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and also its affiliate, Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland. The gift will be used to strengthen the existing talent and programs in basic and clinical research and patient care at the two premier institutions, as well as attract new expertise, in order to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for children’s health on both sides of the San Francisco Bay, as well as nationally and globally. “We are thrilled to advance our vision of improving health of the children in Oakland and San Francisco, and to fuel positive changes in the care of our youngest patients today and for future generations,” said Sam Hawgood, MBBS, interim chancellor of UCSF, dean of the UCSF School of Medicine and a neonatologist. In recognition of the two hospitals’ affiliation on January 1, 2014, Children's Hospital Oakland will be named UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital will be named UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco. Together, the hospitals will be named UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
New Breast Cancer Results Illustrate Promise and Potential of I-SPY 2 Trial In an innovative clinical trial led by UCSF, the experimental drug neratinib along with standard chemotherapy was found to be a beneficial treatment for some women with newly diagnosed, high-risk breast cancer. Additionally, researchers learned that an algorithm used in the adaptive, randomized trial known as I-SPY 2 was highly effective at predicting the success of the treatment regimen in the patients who have HER2-positive/ HR-negative disease. The finding marks the second drug “graduation” within the I-SPY 2 trial model, which is designed to accelerate drug development and to reduce the costs of bringing safe and effective new drugs to market. The phase 2 data was presented in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), a premier gathering of scientists presenting cutting edge cancer research.
Sam Hawgood Takes the Helm at UCSF Renowned pediatrician and medical school dean Sam Hawgood, MBBS, became interim chancellor last week of UCSF, the nation’s leading public university exclusively dedicated to health. The appointment, which The University of California Board of Regents approved Jan. 23, 2014, places Hawgood at the helm of the $4 billion university during the national search for its 10th chancellor. He assumes the role from Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, who will become chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on May 1. Hawgood has been dean of the UCSF School of Medicine and vice chancellor for medical affairs at UCSF since September 2009, after serving as interim dean since December 2007. “Sam is a highly respected physician, scientist and leader, with a collaborative and inclusive style that will serve the campus well through this transition,” said UC President Janet Napolitano.
m a . r h e s t y e b m a B rmo . e t h T ssine a . B cum l . . l r a i i T by o cha a B cking n. r o ö j R byB a B ll. o D ttle. . o s B per e. a i n D ox O b X e m i T . d d a e D liver e D T:10”
4 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
T:16”
When you can get delivery from all of your favorite stores in 24 hours or less, a diversion is never more than a few clicks away. google.com/express
synapse.ucsf.edu | April 10, 2014 | 5
UCSF JOURNAL CLUB Recent research by UCSF scientists By Taylor LaFlam Staff Writer STEM CELL BIOLOGY: Two miRNA clusters reveal alternative paths in late-stage reprogramming. Parchem, R.J., et al. (Blelloch). Cell Stem Cell. 2014 Mar 11. Epub ahead of print.
The ability to effectively convert fully differentiated cells into stem cells through the addition of a few specific factors has produced an explosion of research and a Nobel Prize. It remains unclear, however, the degree to which this rewinding to a stem cell needs to proceed through all intervening developmental stages. The microRNA families mir-290 and mir-302, each of which can repress hundreds of genes at once, have been shown to promote pluripotency. The Blelloch lab used reporters of these clusters to study dedifferentiation. The researchers found that during normal differentiation, mir-290 is expressed before mir302. Treatment with the stem-cell inducing regimen OSK, however, frequently led to expression of either only mir-290 or mir-302. Addition of Sall4 to the induction protocol increased the frequency of mir-302 followed by mir-290 expression and increased the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cell production. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY: Use of a mouse in vitro fertilization model to understand the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis. Feuer, S.K. et al. (Rinaudo). Endocrinology. 2014 Mar 31. Epub ahead of print. The use of assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) has allowed many people to overcome infertility during the past few decades. Although IVF generally results in babies of good health, there has been some evidence of increased risks of metabolic and cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure, as they age. In this study, Feuer and colleagues used mouse IVF to study how early deviations from the typical in utero environment have long-term effects on the health of the mice. They found that even using the IVF protocol considered optimal, IVF-derived mice have impaired glucose tolerance and altered fat deposition. They showed increased expression of the metabolic regulator TXNIP in IVF blastocysts and continued dysregulation of this gene into adulthood. The authors argue for the importance of follow-up in IVF-conceived humans to determine the degree to which similar problems are present. PRIONS: Evidence that bank vole PrP is a universal acceptor for prions. Watts, J.C. PLoS Pathog. 2014. 10(4):e1003990. Prions are infectious proteins that self-propagate their aberrant conformation, resulting in fatal neurogenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, often called mad cow disease. The specific protein responsible, PrP, differs slightly between different mammals. It is often not transmissible across species barriers, though the exact process for this resistance remains incompletely understood. In contrast to mice, bank voles are susceptible to prions from many species, such as humans. In this paper, the authors created a transgenic mouse expressing the bank vole PrP. They observed that these mice, like bank voles, were much more susceptible to prions from many mammals. They suggest the bank vole PrP is a universal acceptor and propose future research to determine how it is so sensitive. ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY: Chitin activates parallel immune modules that direct distinct inflammatory responses via innate lymphoid type 2 and γδ T cells. Van Dyken, S.J. et al. (Locksley). Immunity. 2014. 40(3):414-24. Chitin is an extremely abundant polysaccharide found in, among other places, the shells of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi. It is thought to be important in allergies to dust mites and mold. Although the downstream immune response to chitin has been well characterized, the set of signals leading from chitin reaching the lung to this inflammatory response was not so clear. Here, members of the Locksley lab showed that three inflammatory signaling molecules produced by lung epithelium in response to chitin were non-redundant in activating innate type 2 lymphoid cells (ILC2s), which in turn were essential for eosinophil and alternatively activated macrophage responses. In contrast, targeted deletion of ILC2s resulted in increased inflammatory activity by γδ T cells.
Taylor LaFlam is a fifth-year MSTP student.
This Year, Take Time Take Time for Reflection, for Prayer, for Community St. John’s United Church of Christ A progressive Christian community welcoming all Palm Sunday Worship April 13 at 10 a.m. 501 Laguna Honda Blvd at Woodside www.sfstjohnsucc.org 415- 731-9333 Forest Hill Muni Metro Station K, L & M lines Muni bus lines #43, #44, #36, & #52
GPSA ELECTIONS
6 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Candidate Statements Online voting takes place April 7-15.
CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT
Matthew Cummings
School of Pharmacy Second Year CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT
Michael Le
Graduate Division Seventh Year CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY AFFAIRS
Neda Nguyen
School of Pharmacy First Year
UCSF graduate and professional student body, we are embarking into an important era of the University. We have seen a change of some valuable leadership in our chancellor; the expansion of our campus split between 5 miles of dense city landscape; San Francisco’s housing costs have skyrocketed, along with general costs of living; and a new student government has been approved which needs strong leadership to transition smoothly. Such impactful changes as these have the power to completely remodel a small student community such as ours, sometimes without our knowledge or understanding. As a member of ASUC this past year, I have worked with incredibly talented and passionate young graduates and professionals from every school on campus and familiarized myself with
these issues. While on the committee to develop the GPSA bylaws and constitution, I gained a unique perspective from my colleagues, bringing my attention to many unmet needs and challenges of our students. I hope to continue serving the student body as president of GPSA, and promise to work adamantly with faculty to address immediate needs of the students while assuring that student interests are taken into consideration during these long-term changes. The division between Mission Bay and Parnassus has never been more apparent than it is today. As a professional student, too many Mission Bay colleagues walk in late to class or meetings, complaining that the bus was too full and they had to wait another 20 minutes. As students at a world-class university, we should not have to worry that our inter-
nal transit system is operating so inadequately as to prevent timely attendance to classes or meetings. I intend on addressing this issue directly, either by requesting further increased shuttle service or a student-only shuttle service to run extra “Grey” lines during peak hours. Furthermore, as Mission Bay develops, the student services must expand to meet the needs of both student populations on each campus. I hope to work with student services in setting up new offices at Mission Bay for financial aid and student life, as well as address any other concerns of the growing Mission Bay community. Every student should be concerned with the cost and availability of student housing provided by UCSF. In such an expensive city, I believe the administration should be more proactive in providing afford-
able housing for students in both quality and quantity, the latter of which has been largely neglected. This is not a problem that is solved easily due to external economic forces; however it should be made a priority as it directly affects the recruitment and retention of students. I hope that every student is excited to enter this new era at UCSF. I want to inspire confidence in you that, at the hands of good leadership, these changes will benefit every student on campus. In my support and development of GPSA, I hope that this new student government can unite graduate and professional students in an interoprofessional forum to collaborate and better our university and society.
I am Michael Le, a seventhyear DDS/PhD student running for President of Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA). As GPSA President, my primary goal is demonstrating to the UCSF students how their new unified voice in GPSA will continue to serve as an avenue to express their thoughts on many issues important them while enriching their student experience. My experience as both a graduate and professional student enables me to better understand the sentiments of each general population on key issues such as housing, transportation, and health care, etc. As a result, I can easily convey these sentiments to my peers and campus representatives, influencing the decisions that may positively or negatively affect student life at UCSF for the short- and long-term. With my involvement in Grad-
uate Students’ Association (GSA) for the past 2.5 years, initially as a Student Events Committee member and now as Interim President, I have seen how many decisions are made at UCSF, by GSA as well as the UCSF campus administration, on issues that affect students. While students are often present to make comments and suggestions prior to such decisions being made, it has sometimes been challenging to ensure this feedback is representative of the student population. In addition, sometimes these decisions surprise students, leaving them feeling upset, as they were not aware such decisions were being made, and maybe powerless, as they were not given an opportunity to even comment on the issue. Thus, I want work with the GPSA Executive Board to improve the lines of communication between students and deciding bodies to en-
sure students are given enough time to make representative comments on issues and decisions that affect student life. I also want to continue fostering opportunities for all UCSF students to interact with other students outside their academic cohort through regularly scheduled interprofessional social events, building upon successful events like the Welcome BBQ, Game Night, and Last Lecture. Providing an environment to build camaraderie between UCSF students allows them not only broaden their perspective on their own academic path, but also deepen their understanding of their peers in other academic paths. Lastly, I want to continue the work needed to allow students to keep some aspect of their UCSF email upon graduating as I believe they want to stay in touch with UCSF after graduation. Such
email facilitates current students to reach out to recent graduates on how their careers are going after UCSF. Overall, my daily interactions with both graduate and professional students provide me opportunities to learn the issues that are currently affecting them at the moment. Thus, as President of GPSA, I hope to enhance this relationship by closely working with each of the academic student governments to determine what their students think on current topics and gauge what projects their students want their representatives to work on. This will not only allow UCSF students to have greater control on enhancing their student experience here at UCSF, but also improve the student experience for every student at UCSF.
To be honest, a major reason why I came to UCSF was the obvious dedication to promoting diversity, and the plethora of opportunities at our disposal as students in San Francisco— where everyone and every culture has a niche. The progressive mentality of the city extends deep to the roots of our school here at UCSF. Not only is every culture/ language/preference welcomed, but rather than demanding uniform assimilation, everyone is encouraged to embrace their identity and treasure their differences. There is an organization to celebrate and spread awareness about any major culture, and if there isn’t, you can be sure that someone will create a new organization to fill that gap as soon as humanly possible. As UCSF students and affiliates, we get the incredible opportunity to experience and immerse ourselves in
absolutely whatever our individual passions or identities may be. Of the myriad of organizations and leadership opportunities at UCSF, Vice President of Diversity Affairs would be by far the most personally rewarding position for me. Being half Persian and half Vietnamese, I have struggled for the better part of my life to figure out which culture I can or should identify with. While I have been blessed with opportunities for many international experiences, I also encountered a lot of negative aspects regarding how some of our society views “outside” cultures, interracial families, and “foreign” customs. However, it is undeniable that every culture and identity has remarkable features that are timeless. The diversity of traditions that range worldwide is a major cause for celebration and preservation; we would be en-
tirely lost and stagnant as a human race without being able to embrace that. I want to be the Vice President of Diversity Affairs in GPSA at UCSF because I want to play a role in promoting all of UCSF’s diversity and outreach-based organizations. I believe that by increasing UCSF’s student involvement and awareness in these organizations and their events, we will ultimately be increasing our own society’s promotion of diversity and recognition of diversity issues in the long term. I have substantial experience working with many different populations—ranging in age, ethnicity, cultural beliefs, etc. Additionally, I have considerable leadership experience working with diverse demographics. My past experience has ranged from volunteering with hospitals, HIV/AIDS social service organi-
zations, and Make-A-Wish, to competing nationally in NCAA and USA sanctioned competitions on the UCSD’s Swimming & Diving team, to coaching college athletes and high school students, to working in biotech and pharmacy. If elected for this position, I would devote my time to effectively communicating with all of UCSF’s diversity and outreach-focused programs to ensure that their concerns and ideas are all heard. I will do my best to further these programs, progressing and supporting the individual goals of each organization. I believe I have a lot to offer in terms of a liaison for the diversity programs, and I can effectively work and collaborate with these crucial organizations that are essential to preserving the unique identities and diversity at UCSF.
synapse.ucsf.edu | April 10, 2014 | 7
CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY AFFAIRS
Carlos Rojo
Graduate Division Second Year
Hi everyone, My name is Carlos Rojo, a second year Ph.D student at UCSF. Here’s a quick blurb on why I am running for Vice President of Diversity Affairs, my goals, and my qualifications to run for this position. The short and sweet answer for why I am running is this: not only does every one of you students deserve a chance to thrive at UCSF, not only does every student deserve to feel welcome, but our campus’ culture and its students will be much richer as a result. There are talented, smart, hard- working people that come from all backgrounds, and we all benefit, both practically and perhaps more subtly, by fostering each other’s development in an inclusive environment. A more diverse student body cre-
CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS – GRADUATE REP Graduate Division Second Year
Dongkook Lim
School of Dentistry Second Year CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS – PROFESSIONAL REP
Kate Mitchell
School of Nursing First Year
ward this goal. As an officer in a few student organizations, I have already been able to do so. As Vice President of the SACNAS chapter at UCSF (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science), I’ve worked to perform outreach to high school students in underprivileged schools and to recruit and retain students of color at UCSF. Furthermore, I founded the student organization CIENCIA at UCSF, which invites world-renowned faculty to present their research in Spanish, the goals of which are to create an environment at UCSF where students, staff, and faculty can be immersed in high-level Spanish and thereby enrich the cultural landscape of UCSF and also expand interest/opportunities for international research. Although
I intend to represent the interests of UCSF students to the best of my abilities. With deep commitment to the University of California in general and UCSF in particular, I am poised to strengthen our collective institution by assessing and asserting the needs of our student body. I will remain open to a diversity of perspectives, work diligently to com-
Ryan Whitacre
CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS – PROFESSIONAL REP
ates a dynamic campus, full of wide-ranging ideas, outlooks, and problem-solving strategies. Practically speaking, this breadth of perspective undoubtedly assists the research world as we attempt to attack a problem from every angle or as medical students interact directly with patients from diverse backgrounds. Perhaps more subtly, I think we can all agree that affording every student, regardless of background, from 1st year med student to 7th year Ph.D candidate (hang in there 7th year! :), the opportunity to succeed in their studies and to feel welcome as they do so is the right thing to do. Broadly speaking, my goal for this position is to bolster the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and expand/ create initiatives that work to-
it has been a pleasure to attend the various impressive events held by other like-minded organizations, it has been difficult to be able to know how to directly support their cause. As Vice President of Diversity Affairs, I hope to have a platform to be able to do so and thereby support all existing initiatives (and help create new ones) that will recruit and retain talented students from all backgrounds. Lastly, if you would like more info on the SACNAS chapter at UCSF or CIENCIA at UCSF and some of our activities, please visit our webpages: SACNAS: http:// ucsf.orgsync.com/org/sacnas/ home, CIENCIA: http://ucsf.orgsync.com/org/ciencia/home Thanks everyone and best of luck with all your studies!
municate pressing concerns, and advocate for UCSF students during times of institutional change. Ultimately, I will remain committed to the rights of students, the value of education, and the vitality of our university.
Dear UCSF student body, My name is Dongkook “DK” Lim, and I am writing to ask for your support in electing me as your Professional Rep of GPSA VP of External Affairs. I believe I will be able to serve you as a competent, responsible, and professional representative of UCSF GPSA to function as the bridge of communication between GPSA and UC Student Association (UCSA). In order to make sure that I can fully serve the needs of this position, I have been communicating with the external affairs representative of ASUC as well as the two representatives of GSA concerning the entailed commitments and responsibilities. The main duty of the VP of External Affairs is to attend and accurately represent GPSA Assembly at
the regular meetings of external organizations that affect GPSA, including the umbrella UC organization of UCSA and the Council of Student Fees. The position also requires regular attendance at the GPSA Assembly meetings to report on the ongoing issues from other UC professional schools and their possible effects on UCSF’s professional schools. I have been interested and involved in serving in student government since college. I served on the board of student government throughout college and was heavily involved with monitoring and improving student life as the president of one of the eight student houses. At UCSF, I have been fortunate to continue my involvement by serving as the social chair of my class for the past two years. Through these expe-
riences, I not only cultivated a strong desire to serve as the voice of the student body, but also learned much about working effectively with administration and other large student organizations. UCSF is very unique from its fellow UC schools. We lack an undergraduate body but have five world-renowned health professional schools and a graduate school. If elected as the VP of External Affairs, I would like to advocate for the unique needs of our students, including concerns over tuition and fees and an easily accessible support system tailored to health professional students. I plan to proactively gather the opinions and concerns of all health professional students. Then, I will use my understanding of the overarching trends of the UC system to tactfully work
with fellow UC schools and speak out for the interests of the UCSF student body. The VP of External Affairs is an important position to make sure our voice is heard by the greater UC system. I feel equipped for this position as I have extensive experience in student government and the desire to accurately and tactfully represent our professional schools. If elected, I will try to fulfill the outlined responsibilities and seek out new avenues to better serve UCSF through external affairs. Thank you very much for your time and attention. I ask that you please do not hesitate to contact me via email (Dongkook.Lim@ucsf.edu) if you have any questions or concerns about my application.
As the Vice President of External Affairs, I will represent the excellence of UCSF students to the greater University of California community. I am drawn to this role because it is a collaborative position that involves extensive community outreach. As a MEPN nursing student, I would also like to increase visibility of pre-licensure nursing students and better utilize their considerable experience. I am qualified for the various roles of the Vice President of External Affairs and look forward to collaborating with other student professionals to realize the goals of the Executive Council. As a Program Assistant at the U.S. State Department, Office of Foreign Missions, I coordinated events with multiple attendees of governmental and private agencies. In this position, I coordinated an Emergency Preparedness seminar that brought together
representatives from 15 foreign consulates, the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office, and the Red Cross, among other public organizations. Further, as a Health Counselor at the University of San Francisco, I coordinated a weeklong HIV/AIDS event in honor of World AIDS Day that included Positive+ speakers, contemporary films on HIV, and student group discussions. These past experiences have prepared me to coordinate logistics for the annual University of California Student Association. Additionally, I have experience meeting state and national legislative bodies on issues relevant to health care and education, which will serve me as VP of External Affairs when preparing testimony and representing students to legislators. As a student in Washington, D.C., I meet with
congresswoman Kay Granger and German congressman Swen Schulz to promote the CongressBundestag Scholarship, an international educational scholarship I was awarded in 2005. On the statewide level, I promoted health-related legislation in Sacramento with the Women’s Community Clinic to expand the legal scope of practice for advanced practice nurses, culminating in passage of AB-154. My involvement with SF AIDS Foundation, UCSF Students for Choice, and the national Nursing Students for Choice chapter developed my community outreach skills and also prepared me to coordinate student involvement at various conferences. My goals as Vice President of External Affairs include representing the financial realities of students at the Council of Student Fees; promoting legislation
relevant to graduate and professional students to legislatures and UCSF students; and also expanding student presence at congresses, seminars, and conferences. Most importantly, I would like to educate students about the role of the Executive Council and promote professional development for nursing students as the VP of External Affairs.
8 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
Cameron Walsh
School of Dentistry First Year CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Niki Arab
School of Pharmacy First Year CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Randy Rosales
School of Dentistry Second Year
University of California, San Francisco is not only an outstanding academic institution, but an intricate community which requires the necessary fuel to thrive. In order to meet the needs of this community, we must recognize the needs of the people within it. It takes dedication, organization, and an overall view of this community as a financial institution which will aid to its success. Obtaining my degree in mathematics from the University of California, Santa Barbara has provided me with the skill required in planning financial activities and budgetary needs. If granted the opportunity to be the Vice President of Finance, I will utilize my personal experience in mathematics, financial planning, and budget preparation
to meet the needs of the Graduate and Professional Student Association and UCSF, as a whole. As president of the University of California, Santa Barbara PreDental Society, advancing predental exposure to dentistry was a priority. I planned trips to dental schools to increase applicant exposure to the dental school requirements and their environment. These trips were often costly and required an astute understanding of the annual budget. I was able to adequately allocate funds for the travel, transportation, and lodging for the predental society members. As Global Dental Brigades UCSB Chapter founder and president, I raised $10,000 in liquid and $20,000 in supplies for our trip to Honduras. This funded the necessary equipment and overall
infrastructure needed to see 330 patients over a span of two week. As a member of the UCSF student body, I have benefitted from the various Registered Clubs and Organizations events. As Vice President of Finance, I would work to adequately allocate funds to continue these events which allow our diverse student population to thrive. Additionally, as a current dental student, I have become well-versed in the utilization of the student services fee. For example, as of 2012, $171,287 of student fees are being used for the publication of Synapse the campus newspaper. Much of the paper is covered in advertisements, yet the paper cannot sustain itself. We must further our knowledge of the readership of Synapse and do a cost benefit
analysis to determine its future and possible restructuring. After reviewing the current budget, I see a deficit in certain areas. If granted the opportunity to be the Vice President of Finance, I would aim to bridge the funding discrepancies in areas such as Student Health and Counseling Services need for mental health services, LGBT Resources Center allocations, and an improvement in Mission Bay Student Resources. I am a passionate member of this educational establishment and if granted the opportunity to join the GPSA as the Vice President of Finance, I would work alongside fellow board members to enhance UCSF and its diverse student community.
I knew the moment I approached the information table at the New Student Orientation Fair that I wanted to be involved with the ASUC (now called GPSA). During the first weeks of school, I was impressed by the various welcoming events they held for incoming students. I believe that I share similar values as GPSA. I value the promotion of interprofessionalism; as a pharmacy student, I understand how important it is to frame our education around teamwork and collaboration. I look forward to working with other colleagues from different organizations and schools and learn from them as they learn from me. Ultimately, I am running for Vice President of Internal Affairs because of my genuine passion for learning from all the various schools here at UCSF and want to devote
my time and energy to leading a profound interdisciplinary group. Prior to attending UCSF I attended California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) where, during my sophomore year, I obtained the Treasurer position of the Pre-Pharmacy club and Vice President position of the Chemistry club. As Treasurer I managed the clubs budget and raised money for our group’s events and outreach programs. As VP of the Chemistry Club, I held and facilitated meetings. During my final year, I was elected President of the Pre-Pharmacy Club. I found it a privilege to lead other exceptional officers and members—taking charge of a multitude of community volunteer activities. Aside from being involved academically, I also coached gymnastics. I learned to teach and
communicate with kids of all ages while establishing rapport with parents. Coaching gymnastics has helped me to communicate better while developing traits I find necessary of a good leader, such as being a strong motivator, having patience, and demonstrating good work ethics. My experiences have provoked me to run for VP for GPSA. If elected VP, I will use my skills gained from my past leadership experiences to work well amongst other student leaders, so that I can effectively allocate funds, facilitate GPSA meetings, and plan events. At UCSF I had the pleasure of working as the social and media coordinator for UCSF’s 2014 Script Your Future medication adherence campaign. I also write for UCSF’s school newspaper (Synapse). I joined, not just
for writing experience, but also because I like knowing what issues and events are happening on campus, similar to what I would like to continuing doing as VP of GPSA. If elected my goal as VP is to hear and effectively relay the issues and opinions of the students. I hope to also promote interprofessionalism in two ways: helping fund organizations’ cultural and social events and expanding interdisciplinary activities for incoming and current students. More activities will make it easier to connect with people from different schools and will ultimately bring students together. I believe we are in a unique environment at UCSF where we are all in health care; thus, if we have the opportunity to work together we can improve the healthcare system.
My name is Randy Rosales, and I am a second-year dental student seeking your consideration for GPSA Vice President of Internal Affairs. Registered Campus Organizations (RCOs) play an integral part in educational and extracurricular activities. As an active member of the UCSF dental community, I am continually looking for more ways to be involved and enhance the experience that each students leaves with. My underlying desire to run for the position of Vice President of Internal Affairs stems from this idea and I believe that I can increase the opportunities for each RCO. With the student membership fee referendum voted down, RCOs were even more limited in their budget. They were forced to cutback on spending, and as a result, decreased the number of community events, and in some cases, even the quality. My main goal would be to develop a platform for RCOs to collaborate and coordinate events together, thereby getting the best use out of the limited funds. The purpose of merging Associated Students of UCSF and Graduate Students’ Association to form Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) was to increase interprofessionalism. My intent aligns with the objectives of GPSA and could save RCOs financially and develop new collaborations amongst the UCSF community. If elected, I would wholeheartedly provide a median where our RCOs could better utilize their budget and new collaborations could blossom. Thank you for your time and considerations. I look forward to the opportunity to earnestly serve as an integral part of our UCSF community.
synapse.ucsf.edu | April 10, 2014 | 9
FOOD
Spring Brings Wild Greens: Miner’s Lettuce By T. Booth Haley Staff Writer
T
he rain has come, the equinox has passed and California is green again. While our water reservoirs are still alarmingly low, local wild plants are now proliferating. You might be surprised how many of those fresh green leaves and shoots are edible. Recently I sampled one that is new to me, but will be familiar to anyone who was around in the Gold Rush days: miner’s lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata. While the ubiquitous wild fennel has a strong licorice taste and the ever-abundant nasturtium can be bracingly spicy, miner’s lettuce is mild enough in flavor that it’s pretty much unobjectionable to all but the pickiest child. Its closest domesticated analog would be spinach, and they can be used in all the same ways: raw in a salad, steamed, quick-fried with garlic etc. It is high in vitamin C, which those malnourished miner’s appreciated for warding off scurvy in the days before California became a citrus paradise. Claytonia perfoliata is a trailing plant that grows in low, spreading clusters with many stems poking up about a foot tall. It prefers cool, damp conditions. The tiny white flowers appear
from February to June following rain, and are grouped together above a pair of leaves that appear as one circular leaf around the fragile stem. The tiny flowers set in the center dimple of this unique round leaf makes it easy to identify. I don’t usually share my secret harvest spots with the general public, but because miner’s lettuce is flourishing right now and because many of our readers are future health-care professionals who might appreciate knowing local sources for essential vitamins, I’ll tell you where to find some. From the Glen Park BART station, cross the street and walk uphill, west, on Kern Street. This road will dead-end in three blocks where a wide foot-path continues in the same direction. On the right hand side of that path you’ll find a veritable meadow of delicious miner’s lettuce just waiting for your harvesting hands. (This same path also passes fennel growing so high and thick it seems almost like a fennel forest, if you want to harvest two wild plants on the same trip). Edibility information can be verified by Practicalplants.org, which reports the following on miner’s lettuce: “Edible uses: Leaves – raw or cooked. A fairly bland flavour with a mucilaginous texture, it is
quite nice in a salad. The young leaves are best, older leaves can turn bitter especially in the summer and if the plant is growing in a hot dry position. Although individual leaves are fairly small, they are produced in abundance and are easily picked.”
UCSF DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
wikipedia
“Mucilaginous” is not usually a word I like to hear describing a salad, but “local, wild and handpicked” sounds delicious to me!
T. Booth Haley is a fourth-year dental student.
Basic Science » FROM HOME PAGE
student at the end of her training, making decisions about the next steps in her career. Marta focused on the next generation of scientists who watch their mentors increasingly more concerned about finding funding for their labs and talented postdocs discouraged by the difficulty of finding faculty positions. Our winning video was shared with congressional staff members during Capitol Hill Day and has been viewed more than 9,000 times on YouTube. This success emphasizes our ability to communicate a complex story in a manner that is interesting, understandable and enjoyable. We received a $5,000 prize, which will go towards furthering efforts in science communication. We are grateful for the support we received from FASEB and hope future graduate students and postdocs continue engaging with the public on this important issue. If you are interested in getting involved in science outreach, UCSF is a great place to explore the multitude of ways to develop your science communication skills. One great place to start is the Science Policy Club (facebook.com/UcsfSciencePolicyGroup) at UCSF. Consider blogging, making short videos or producing radio shows. After you begin, you will see how supportive your peers are, and how much people are willing to collaborate. Look out for opportunities and seminars related to science communication including the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition coming to UCSF in the near future. Finally, turn to your own communities and talk to them about how funding basic science research revolutionizes medicine (youtube.com/watch?v=GmhD-RWNL6c).
Marta Wegorzewska, Florie Charles and Nir Oksenberg are PhD students in the Biomedical Sciences program.
27th Annual
Resident Research Symposium Friday, April 25, 2014
9:00 am – 2:00 pm Resident Presentations
2:00 pm Keynote Presentation
“Observations from the American College of Surgeons Quality Improvement Programs”
3:00 pm Awards Presentation
TOLAND HALL 533 Parnassus Avenue, U‐142 San Francisco, CA
Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, MSHS, FACS
J. Englebert Dunphy Visiting Professor Director, Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care Director, National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) American College of Surgeons Professor of Surgery, University of California Los Angeles
The Resident Research Symposium is an annual event showcasing the laboratory research of residents, fellows and medical students in the Department of Surgery. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.surgery.ucsf.edu. This event is sponsored by educational grants from the Howard Naffziger Surgery Fund. UCSF D EPARTMENT OF S URGERY R ESIDENT & M EDICAL S TUDENT E DUCATION O FFICE Telephone: (415) 476‐1239 Email: EducationOffice@ucsfmedctr.org
THE STRENGTH TO HEAL
starts with our scholarship.
Capt. Ana Morgan, M.D., HPSP Medical Recipient Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas
You can begin training for the career you’ve always dreamed of with financial assistance from the U.S. Army. Through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)*, you could be eligible to receive a full tuition scholarship for an accredited medical program. The HPSP provides reimbursement for books, laboratory equipment and academic fees. You’ll also receive a sign-on bonus of $20,000 and a monthly stipend of $2,157. During breaks, you’ll have the opportunity to train alongside other members of our health care organization. To learn more, call (650)347-3967 or visit San Mateo Medical Recruiting Center 400 S. El Camino Real, STE 450 San Mateo, CA 94402 Email: usarmy.knox.usarec.list.9e3j@mail.mil www.goarmy.com/amedd.html
*Certain requirements and eligibility criteria apply. ©2013. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved. Information subject to change.
FOOD 10 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
A Hike and A Hearty Brunch in the East Bay By Akshay Govind Associate Editor
H
aving been given the good fortune of sunshine on a much needed weekend off, I decided to head out to the East Bay for a casual hike and a hearty Eritrean brunch, both recommendations of my sister. Redwood Regional Park, lying in the hills just east of Oakland (about 35 minutes from UCSF), was our first stop. The park, part of the East Bay Regional Park District, contains several miles of nicely maintained trails that wind their way gently enough to allow for mountain biking, trail running, horseback riding or hiking. The part district website (ebparks.org/parks/redwood) is a little clum-
Alem's Coffee 5353 Claremont Ave Oakland, CA 94618 (510) 655-6003 sy, but the park itself is quite easily navigable, with plenty of maps available at the various parking lots. The scenery throughout is lovely. A cool, fresh breeze accompanied us as we walked among majestic evergreens with rays of sunshine penetrating through the treetops onto the forest floor. As we emerged from the tree cover, the terrain changed to classic California chaparral, with characteristic shrubbery
and dry earth. Rounding a corner and facing the opposite direction, the chaparral gave way to lush grasslands laced with the unmistakable orange of California poppies. Wildlife this weekend was limited to some songbirds and a few lizards, but the website says golden eagles, nonvenomous snakes called Alameda striped racers, as well as deer, squirrels and raccoons inhabit the area. One can always count on there being an endless supply of cute dogs having the times of their lives. The trails are easy enough to take groups with varied fitness levels, but there are enough little hills to justify a hearty lunch after two to four hours of hiking, depending on the course one decides to take. There are also plenty of picturesque spots for picnics, but we decided to finish our hike and head to Alem’s Coffee (5353 Claremont Ave. in Oakland’s Rockridge distrct) for a bite. Alem and Nigisti are the owners of the café, and their smiling faces greeted us warmly as we walked through the door. Using mostly Ethiopian varieties, their coffee is dark and earthy, piping hot and felt as though it were made with love. There were a variety of pastries and sandwiches available, but the clear choice on weekends is a specialty called shiyan phool. This is a stew made from crushed fava beans, diced tomato, onion, and chilies, along with a blend of olive oil, lemon juice, and aromatic spices. It was served with two French rolls, which as my sister said, “are exactly how
Photo by Akshay Govind/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery3 Alem's Coffee in Rockridge serves this Ethiopian specialty, shiyan phool, on weekends.
French bread is supposed to be but never is.” It made a distinct crunch as it was ripped apart, stayed hot and chewy on the inside, and soaked up the flavors of the shiyan phool perfectly. We ate our food, drank our coffee and shared stories on their shaded patio decorated with rustic hubcaps. We left with our bellies
Grad School Illustrated
full, our faces smiling and with plenty of time to come back home and catch up on laundry.
Akshay Govind is a third-year resident in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
by Jillian Varonin
Jillian Varonin is a fourth-year BMS student.
EGG DONORS NEEDED We are seeking attractive and intelligent women of all ethnicities under the age of 29 to help our clients create their family. If you are interested in becoming an egg donor or just want to receive more information about the process please contact us. Information is free and there is never an obligation if you inquire.
info@aperfectmatch.com or 1-800-264-8828
$15,000 plus expenses CA Health and Safety Code Section 125325: “Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into a donor contract is advised.”
ASIAN EGG DONORS NEEDED We are seeking attractive and intelligent women under the age of 29 to help our clients create their family. If you are interested in becoming an egg donor or just want to receive more information about the process please contact us. Information is free and there is never an obligation if you inquire.
info@aperfectmatch.com or 1-800-264-8828
$25,000 plus expenses CA Health and Safety Code Section 125325: “Egg donation involves a screening process. Not all potential egg donors are selected. Not all selected egg donors receive the monetary amounts or compensation advertised. As with any medical procedure, there may be risks associated with human egg donation. Before an egg donor agrees to begin the egg donation process, and signs a legally binding contract, she is required to receive specific information on the known risks of egg donation. Consultation with your doctor prior to entering into a donor contract is advised.”
synapse.ucsf.edu | April 10, 2014 | 11
PUZZLES
The Weekly Crossword 1
2
3
4
by Margie E. Burke 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
ACROSS 1 Drink like Lassie 14 15 16 6 Quick cut 18 19 10 Give and take? 17 14 Pointless 20 21 22 15 White House 23 24 25 w orker 16 Pirelli product 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 17 Like some 34 35 36 37 substances 19 Charitable gift 38 39 40 41 42 20 Embed one plant 43 44 45 46 47 into another 21 What's-his48 49 50 51 name 23 Draw 52 53 54 conclusions 58 59 60 61 62 25 Prefix w ith night 55 56 57 or day 63 64 65 26 Carrying cargo 66 67 68 29 Go ashore 34 Genesis 69 70 71 follow er Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate 36 Pub craw ler 37 Money of China 67 ____ vera 11 Jokers, 35 Roadside helper sometimes in a parable 38 Give a hand 68 Tortilla chip dip 39 Seagoing one 69 Take notice of 12 Prepares for 40 Scottish hero w ar Roy 42 Casino cube 70 Urgent w ant 43 Spraw ling story 71 Like some 13 Cozumel coin 41 Antsy curtains 45 "Goodfellas" 18 Bug spray 44 Defendant, w ith fellas brand the 46 Say the Pledge, 22 Draw a bead on 47 Fastest feline say DOWN 24 Humorous 49 Tasseled hat 48 Like some 1 Head parasites 26 Car dealer's 50 Happy as a candidates offering clam 2 Soon, poetically 51 Nautical hazard 3 Gut feeling? 27 Kind of 54 Tennis term tested 52 Vacation rental 4 Never 55 Illegal drug, Week of 4/7/14symmetry - 4/13/14 briefly 53 Fill w ith joy 5 Every year 28 Legendary w estern city 55 Free from 6 Word on a 56 Malarial fever slavery peanuts can 30 Chip off the old 57 Low card in block pinochle 59 Purported 7 Zip 63 Protection (var.) 8 Time to bew are 31 Part of a TV 58 Bit of folklore signal 64 Playground 9 Walker's 60 Big blow snitch counter 32 Indian yogurt dip 61 Ultimatum w ord 66 Adjust a 10 Cheap w ay to 33 Prepare to be 62 Letter starter Steinw ay fly dubbed 65 Little dipper?
Edited by Margie E. Burke
Difficulty : Easy
HOW TO SOLVE:
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate
Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham
Solution to Sudoku
www.phdcomics.com
Parnassus Poets Skeletal Muscle Is Not This muscle is not involuntary nor smooth, It's striated red or white myofibril stuff. By human will, a nerve pulse makes it move, Yet full explanation falls not short of tough. Filament types are two, both thick and thin: Myosin the thick one has a contractile head, Thin actin contains binding sites within; But the action of both is calcium ion led. This nerve-triggered ion activates actin's site
In which myosin's head will come to bind. Myosin contracts, pulling actin tight; Released by ATP they repeat the grind. And thus it goes on until ATP runs out, And thus we laugh and kiss and roll about!
title: "Magic Code" - originally published 3/3/2014
12 | April 10, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Solutions
Solution to Sudoku
Vision Optical Look sharper. See better. Find us easier, too. Contemporary prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lens fitting Millberry Union, B1 For appointment & information 415.476.3100 Hours: M-F 8:30 am-5:00 pm
look sharper Vision Optical
Open at Parnassus & Mission Bay Campuses
for your convenience we accept: All major Credit Cards • Recharge for catering Bear Hugs • UCSF Resident Meal Card
breakfast, lunch, or dinner…
Parnassus: Millberry Union I Level, Parnassus, 415.661.0199 Open Daily 7:00 am-10:00 pm Mission Bay: 550-B Gene Friend Way, Mission Bay, 415.865.0423 Mon-Fri 7:00 am-9:30 pm / Sat-Sun 8:00 am-9:00 pm
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF
Get a gourmet taste of Italy. panini, insalate, zuppa, hot pasta, gelato, dolci We offer student discounts. Millberry Union, Plaza Level 415.681.9925
Mon-Thu, 6:30 am-6:00 pm Fri, 6:30 am-4:00 pm Closed Sat & Sun
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF