the UCTV BLOG

Category: Health and Medicine

  • Cancer from an Evolutionary Perspective

    Humans have a relatively high risk of developing cancer in their lifetimes. But cancer is not unique to humans. Across the tree of life, we can trace cancer vulnerabilities back to the origins of multicellularity. Cancer is observed in almost all multicellular phyla, including lineages leading to plants, fungi, and animals. However, species vary remarkably…

  • The Future of Single-Payer Health Care in California

    Health care is one of the hottest issues in California politics. Last year, state lawmakers shelved a controversial single-payer bill. So, what’s next? California State Assembly Member David Chiu sat down with Dr. Andrew Bindman at UCSF to discuss the complex realities of health care reform. Chiu represents the 17th Assembly District, which covers eastern…

  • Guns, Obesity, and Opioids

    They may not seem related, but Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, says we can approach guns, obesity and opioids in the same manner: population health. Dr. Galea breaks down the key concepts of population health – a relatively new field – during the inaugural Colloquium on Population Health…

  • Aging Well

    Evidence is building for the importance of physical and social activity as the way to optimize wellbeing in older age. UCSF Geriatrics faculty review their research and cutting-edge work on improving physical, social and emotional wellbeing in older adults. Explore topics on the myths of aging, improving surgical outcomes, the science of longevity, social connection…

  • Oh, Our Aging Bones

    Starting at about 30 years old, the density of bones begins to decline. As a result, bones become more fragile and are more likely to break. There are over seven million fractures in the United States every year. With a more physically active and increasingly aging population, we are seeing an increasing number of fractures…

  • Why Diets Don’t Work, and What Does

    Diets make bold claims: drop 15 pounds in four weeks! Shed that stubborn belly fat! Get the abs you’ve always wanted! But, for most people, diets just don’t work. In fact, studies show the vast majority of dieters who do lose weight end up right back where they started, or even heavier, after five years.…

  • Future Patient/Future Doctor

    Larry Smarr is defining the future of healthcare. As he, a world-renowned computer scientist and Michael Kurisu, the much-in-demand osteopathic physician at UC San Diego demonstrate, the balance of power between patients and doctors will change as technology gives patients the tools to know more about their own bodies. And the more informed they become,…

  • Let Food Be Thy Medicine

    Eat well. Stay healthy. That’s the message that a panel of experts from UC San Diego and elsewhere made clear in this fascinating discussion on the benefits of fresh, organic foods. Hear the case studies presented by people who have overcome serious illnesses by changing their diets. It’s true! Healthy food can be powerful medicine…

  • Advancing Global Health

    UC San Diego played host to the 2018 UC Global Health Day earlier this year, attracting faculty, staff and students from all UC campuses who came to hear and share the latest research and best practices for global health. After a compassionate keynote from Vikram Patel of Harvard on the need for universal mental health…

  • The Latest Spin on Living and Loving the Bike

    In the mid-19th century, the bicycle was becoming a popular form of transportation and recreation; by 2017, there were 66 million cyclists in the US. Cycling is a sport that is enjoyed by people of many ages, fitness and ability levels who share the joy of adventure, speed, and travel. All cyclists also share the…