UCLA Newsroom: UCLA Newsroom

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Fire fears grow as blaze burns in Santa Barbara

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Firefighters are still working to contain wildfires that scorched nearly 35,000 acres and destroyed some 750 homes in Southern California this weekend. UCLA has experts on Santa Ana winds and wildfire-related topics.

Scientists discover cellular pathway driving deadly subtype of breast cancer

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

An intracellular pathway not previously linked to breast cancer is driving a subtype of the disease that is highly lethal and disproportionately overrepresented in African American women, scientists have found.

Forum to explore racial implications of presidential election

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Featuring leading scholars from UCLA and across the U.S., "Race and Post-Election America 2008" will examine the implications this year's presidential election has for race in America and explore how the election of the country's first African American president will impact ethnic communities.

UCLA study reveals smoking's effect on nurses' health, death rates

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:01:00 GMT

A new UCLA School of Nursing study is the first to reveal the devastating consequences of smoking on the nursing profession.

Campus to participate in earthquake readiness exercise

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UCLA will test its emergency notification systems, mobilize crisis response teams and participate in a "drop, cover and hold on" exercise as part of a large-scale earthquake preparedness drill Nov. 13.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Quake preparedness drill hits Southland

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Great Southern California ShakeOut on Nov. 13 is being billed as the largest earthquake preparedness exercise in U.S. history. UCLA has several faculty members with earthquake-related expertise.

Earthquake demonstration at UCLA to illustrate seismic improvements

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the Great Southern California ShakeOut, the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation at UCLA (nees@UCLA) will conduct a laboratory demonstration to illustrate recent improvements made to design requirements for reinforced concrete structures.

Researchers discover method for mass production of nanomaterial graphene

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a study published online Nov. 9 in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, researchers from UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) propose a method which can produce graphene sheets in large quantities.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Will Obama Close Guantanamo?

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

President-elect Barack Obama's transition team has reportedly been crafting a proposal that would bring terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. to face criminal trials. UCLA has experts on the issues.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Barack Obama becomes 44th U.S. president

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Nov. 4, Sen. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States. UCLA experts can provide post-election analysis and commentary as Obama assembles his staff, engages the issues and prepares for his inauguration. For more, visit The Sprint, UCLA's faculty blog on the 2008 presidential elections.

UCLA faculty expert advisory: 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht pogroms

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nov. 9-10 marks the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when violent Nazi mobs in Germany targeted Jewish communities across the country, murdering nearly 100 people, destroying some 200 synagogues and 7,500 Jewish businesses, and sending more than 25,000 Jews to concentration camps. The attacks signaled the beginning of the Holocaust. UCLA history professor David N. Myers is available to comment.

Researchers use chemical from medicinal plant to fight HIV

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new UCLA AIDS Institute study has found that a chemical from the Astragalus root, frequently used used in Chinese herbal therapy, may potentially be a key weapon in the fight against HIV.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Can Proposition 8 be overturned?

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After losing at the polls Nov. 4, same-sex marriage supporters have asked the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8, which changes the state's constitution to define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. The UCLA School of Law has leading experts on the issue.

UCLA to host 'First Look LA,' presenting emerging startup opportunities

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UCLA will host the second annual "First Look L.A." event, at which a select group of investors will hear about the most promising research, inventions and emerging startup opportunities from UCLA, the University of Southern California and the California Institute of Technology in both the life sciences and physical sciences.

Judge holds extremist in contempt for harassing UCLA faculty

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An L.A. County Superior Court judge found anti–animal research extremist Pamelyn Ferdin in contempt of court for violating an injunction prohibiting the harassment of UCLA personnel.

UCLA to hold Veterans Day memorial ceremony on campus

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA community will gather at an on-campus ceremony to honor those who have served in the U.S. military and fought in the nation's wars — including UCLA students, alumni, faculty and staff.

UCLA to host 3-day symposium exploring artistic perspectives on body, disease

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A unique three-day multidisciplinary symposium at UCLA will feature international scholar–artists whose work presents unique artistic perspectives on the theme of disease, the body and the temporality of the human condition.

Chancellor Block urges West L.A. College students to look at UCLA

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:39:32 GMT

Chancellor Gene Block visited students at West Los Angeles College to encourage them to consider transferring to UCLA.

Study IDs three effective treatments for child anxiety

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Treatment that combines a psychotherapy with an antidepressant medication is most likely to help children with anxiety disorders, according to a new study.

UCLA Sweeps 2008 Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UCLA students and recent alumni have swept the 53rd annual Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards, which recognize excellence in dramatic writing. The winners were announced Monday by Samuel Goldwyn Jr., president of the Samuel Goldwyn Foundation, during a ceremony at UCLA.

Faculty bloggers from UCLA's 'The Sprint' to discuss election Nov. 6

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A panel of faculty bloggers from The Sprint, UCLA's online blog covering the 2008 presidential race, will participate in a post-election discussion, "Reflections on the Presidential Election," at the UCLA School of Public Affairs.

Scott L. Waugh named executive vice chancellor and provost

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:10:40 GMT

Waugh's appointment follows a rigorous and comprehensive national search, during which he rose to the top of a pool of highly distinguished candidates.

UCLA to hold bipartisan election night party for students Nov. 4

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Up to 600 UCLA students from a range of student organizations are expected to attend a bipartisan election-results screening party at the Los Angeles Tennis Center clubhouse on the UCLA campus. Dinner, music and open-mic entertainment will be offered throughout the evening while election results are projected on several large screens.

HPV helps cervical, head and neck cancers grow, spread

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The human papillomavirus (HPV) allows infected cervical and head and neck cancer cells to maintain internal molecular conditions that make the cancers resistant to therapy and more likely to grow and spread, resulting in a poor prognosis for patients, researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center found.

Study finds fears of HIV transmission within families

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite ongoing efforts to educate the public about HIV, a new study by researchers from UCLA, the RAND Corp., Harvard University and Children's Hospital Boston has found that two-thirds of families with an HIV-infected parent experience fears about spreading HIV in the home.

'Iraqi Marshlands Then and Now' opens at Fowler Museum at UCLA Dec. 14

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the mid-1970s, photographer Nik Wheeler documented the life and culture of Iraq's Marsh Arabs, and his remarkable photographs from that era are the focus of "Iraqi Marshlands Then and Now: Photographs by Nik Wheeler," on display at the Fowler Museum at UCLA from Dec. 14 through March 22, 2009.

Ageism more prevalent than racism among presidential voters

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An ongoing study by UCLA and Stanford University researchers of 20,000 registered voters has found that far more of them would vote against Sen. John McCain because of his age than would vote against Sen. Barack Obama because of his race.

Sabertooth cats were social, found strength in numbers, study shows

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The sabertooth cat (Smilodon fatalis), one of the most iconic extinct mammal species, was likely to be a social animal, living and hunting like lions today, according to new scientific research. The species is famous for its extremely long canine teeth, which reached up to seven inches in length and extended below the lower jaw.

School of Public Affairs names senior fellows and policy fellows

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This year's senior fellows class includes leaders from the government, business and nonprofit sectors. Two California leaders have been selected as distinguished policy fellows.

Pediatric patients celebrate Halloween at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite being in the hospital, pediatric patients at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA will still get to celebrate Halloween this year, by dressing up in costumes, decorating pumpkins and watching a magic show. In addition, canine teams from UCLA's People-Animal Connection (PAC) program will don costumes and accompany the kids while they trick-or-treat through the hospital hallways.

Campus police investigate robbery in Westwood

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Two UCLA students were robbed at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 29 while walking on Strathmore Avenue near Levering Avenue in the North Village, west of campus. Two male suspects stepped in front of them, brandished a baseball bat and demanded their purses.

Housing finance experts hold symposium on mortgage meltdown

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the mortgage market and subprime loans taking much of the blame for today's global financial crisis, a timely symposium, "Mortgage Meltdown, the Economy and Public Policy," will be held Thursday and Friday, Oct. 30 and 31, at the University of California, Berkeley.

UCLA to offer free lecture: 'The Internets We Did Not Build'

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

David Clark, a senior research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, will present a free public lecture, "The Internets We Did Not Build," on Monday, Nov. 3, at 4:30 p.m. in UCLA's Haines Hall (Room 39). The lecture, to be followed by a reception, is sponsored by UCLA's Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics.

CNSI program at UCLA helps bring nanoscience to high school classrooms

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As developments in nanoscience and nanotechnology reshape our world on a daily basis, the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA is helping Los Angeles–area high school science teachers incorporate these subjects into their standard core curriculum.

Cycling, basketball, sailing at Disability Awareness Week

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cycling, basketball and sailing activities will be offered to UCLA students with mobility impairments, as well as to friends and family who would like to experience these specially designed programs, during Disability Awareness Week at UCLA, which runs from Monday, Oct. 27, through Saturday, Nov. 1.

UCLA Anderson Forecast: Gloomy outlook for Orange County economy

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The outlook for the California and Orange County economies has become more pessimistic over the last few weeks, according to the latest UCLA Anderson Forecast report for Orange County. The report was presented Oct. 27 in Irvine, Calif., before hundreds of leaders in the business community.

Blue Shield of California and UCLA reach an agreement

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After several months of negotiations, Blue Shield of California and the UCLA Health System have agreed to new contract terms. Both parties are pleased to announce a three-year agreement, providing for services through Dec. 31, 2011.

Chicano Studies Research Center to premiere film on undocumented youth

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Casa Libre|Freedom House" is an hourlong documentary that explores why unaccompanied immigrant youth risk traveling thousands of miles to come to the United States, the hardships they experience upon arrival in this country, and how their lives change when they find a home at the Casa Libre shelter in Los Angeles.

UCLA Dept. of World Arts and Cultures announces fall 2008 events

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures offers a variety of events for the public's enjoyment throughout the year. The department's emphasis is threefold: cross-cultural research, dance and community outreach. Events include student and faculty performances, lectures, and symposia and feature an eclectic range of exciting artists and scholars from around the world.

Student film to be used in national initiative on health care, economy

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"The Cure," a film by UCLA student Anthony Onah has been awarded first prize in AARP's Stolen Dreams film competition and will be featured as part of a nationwide initiative aimed at securing affordable health care and assuring financial security for all Americans.

BruinAlert system used to notify campus of nearby fire

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Campus officials today utilized the BruinAlert emergency notification system to advise UCLA community members of the Sepulveda Pass fire and encourage them to monitor news reports for additional information.

Women's voices become more high-pitched during ovulation

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new UCLA study adds to mounting evidence that human ovulation — a state once thought to be undetectable without medical equipment — actually prompts a range of subtle but observable behaviors aimed at attracting the best possible mate. The authors show for the first time that women unconsciously change their voices with the approach of ovulation, using a higher, more feminine pitch in social communication.

UCLA creates safer, more effective TB vaccine for people with HIV

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A new tuberculosis vaccine engineered by UCLA scientists specifically for HIV-positive people has been shown to be safer and more potent than the current TB vaccine in preclinical studies.

Jules Stein Eye Institute leads way in patient care and research

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:48:37 GMT

After extensive research, Geri Shapiro and her husband found Dr. Arthur Rosenbaum, a UCLA strabismus specialist who performs 300 muscle-correction surgeries a year at UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute.

Landmark conference to look at use of human growth hormone by athletes

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Office of Continuing Medical Education at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is partnering with Major League Baseball and the law firm of Foley and Lardner on a landmark summit that will bring together the world's leading anti-doping experts and scholars to explore issues surrounding testing for human growth hormone, or hGH, in sports.

UCLA gets grant to explore how pesticides boost Parkinson's risk

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has awarded Dr. Marie-Francoise Chesselet, chair of the neurobiology department at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, a five-year, $6.5 million grant to illuminate how environmental factors influence Parkinson's disease.

Roundtable looks at global workforce development, international education

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Global workforce development has become a key concern for policymakers, businesses and institues of higher education in California and beyond and is critical to our economic vitality and competitiveness in the 21st century. This roundtable at UCLA will address the issues.

UCLA conference to focus on marriage in the shadow of electoral politics

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The ongoing debate in electoral politics over marriage will be the focus of a free public conference at UCLA on Friday, Oct. 24. Organized by UCLA's Center for the Study of Women, "State of the Union: Marriage in the Shadow of Electoral Politics" will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Royce Hall (Room 314). A reception will follow.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Fed to aid money market mutual funds

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Reserve has announced it will help finance the puchase of up to $600 billion in assets from money market mutual funds. UCLA has faculty with expertise in various aspects of evolving plans to stabilize the economy and the financial and credit markets.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Final countdown to Nov. 4 election

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama continue campaigning in contested states in the final weeks before the Nov. 4 elections. The following UCLA experts specialize in presidential politics and political campaigns.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Wildfires and Santa Ana winds

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fire officials in California continue to maintain a close watch on weather conditions following two major blazes in the northern San Fernando Valley. UCLA has experts on fire-related topics and Santa Ana winds.