UC Davis Health

06/12/2026

Our researchers are using AI to transform how scientists study brain disease in hopes of better understanding dementia and improving diagnosis and treatment.

Over 7 million people in the U.S. are living with dementia, yet it can only be definitively diagnosed with an autopsy after death. Through a new initiative called AggieBrain: AI for Next-Generation Neuropathology, researchers are building advanced tools that can analyze large collections of brain tissue images.

“We hope this research leads to new opportunities for precision medicine for dementia so that people can receive the right treatment at the right time. The goal is to make these tools freely available to researchers worldwide, ensuring no scientist is limited by computational resources or dataset constraints," said Brittany Dugger, leader of the UC Davis Neuropathology Core and associate professor.

Led by Dugger and Chen-Nee Chuah, this collaboration brings together medicine and engineering to expand access to advanced research tools and accelerate dementia research. Learn how this collaboration is shaping the future of brain health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/uc-davis-researchers-using-ai-to-transform-how-scientists-study-brain-disease-/2026/06

Image descriptions:
1: Collaborators Chen-Nee Chuah, Child Family Professor in Engineering and co-director of the UC Davis AI Center in Engineering and Brittany Dugger, leader of the UC Davis Neuropathology Core and associate professor at UC Davis Health, pose for a selfie in the lobby of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.
2: Graduate student Devavrat Singh Bisht is pointing at a presentation in a small conference room on the AggieBrain Initiative to Berghoff Foundation visitors.

06/11/2026

We're excited to share that the UC Davis Children's Hospital is the only hospital in Sacramento recognized as one of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2026 by Newsweek magazine and Statista!

We are honored to receive this recognition. Our team is committed to delivering world-class care every day to children and families here in the Sacramento region and beyond,” said Satyan Lakshminrusimha, chair of pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief.

The ranking recognizes the leading children’s hospitals in the United States across eight pediatric fields, featuring the top 50 hospitals for cardiology and cardiac surgery, endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, neurology and neurosurgery, oncology, orthopaedics and pulmonology.

Learn more about the rankings: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/newsweek-names-uc-davis-childrens-hospital-among-americas-best-/2026/06

Image description: A healthcare professional listens to a pediatric patient's heart using a stethoscope. A bright, colorful curtain and medical equipment are behind them.

06/09/2026

From the moment your child is born through the transitions in childhood, pediatric primary care offers consistent, age-appropriate support for every stage of growth.

Regular checkups do more than track development. They help prevent illness, catch concerns early and build a trusted relationship that supports your child's long-term health and wellbeing into adulthood.

Choosing a pediatric primary care provider is an important decision for your family. Learn what to look for and how to get started: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/choosing-a-pediatrician-a-parents-guide-to-pediatric-primary-care/2026/06

Image description: A pediatric patient and their parent smile at a pediatric primary care provider in an exam room.

06/04/2026

A new study by our researchers and Kaiser Permanente found that higher exposure to very small air pollution particles (PM2.5) over a 17-year span was associated with lower semantic memory. Semantic memory acts like the brain’s “encyclopedia” for things like facts, words and long-term general knowledge.

“Our findings suggest that long-term exposure to air pollution doesn’t just affect physical health, it may also shape how the brain ages, particularly in ways that matter for independence and quality of life," said senior author Kathryn Conlon, an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences.

Learn more about the study:

A new study finds higher long-term exposure to fine air pollution (PM2.5) is linked to lower semantic memory — the type of memory used for facts, words and general knowledge.

06/04/2026

A hot car can turn deadly in minutes.
 
Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body cannot cool down quickly enough, and internal temperatures rise to dangerous levels. For kids, the risk is even greater because their bodies heat up 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s.
 
Inside a car on a hot, sunny day, symptoms can escalate fast, starting with flushed skin or vomiting and progressing to seizures, organ failure and death.
 
That is why it’s important to remember to ACT: Avoid heatstroke, create reminders and take action if you see a child in a hot car alone.
 
Video description: Jennifer Rubin, injury prevention program manager, wears a blue UC Davis Health shirt, standing in front of a white car in a sunny parking lot during the summer. Text explains the ACT acronym.

06/03/2026

Oncology care in the heart of El Dorado County is growing stronger with two highly experienced clinicians now seeing patients at Marshall Cancer Center, a UC Davis Cancer Care Network affiliate.

Deepthi Busayavalasa, a board‑certified hematologist and medical oncologist, specializes in the treatment of solid tumors and blood disorders. Busayavalasa offers patients access to advanced cancer treatments and clinical trials available only at academic institutions such as UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Joining Busayavalasa at the center is Jennifer Aldred, a nurse practitioner specializing in hematology and medical oncology. With more than a decade of oncology experience, Aldred brings a rich and varied clinical background, including roles as an infusion nurse, radiation oncology nurse practitioner and medical oncology nurse practitioner.

“At UC Davis Health, we believe every patient deserves compassionate, expert cancer care close to home. We are proud to team up with Marshall Cancer Center to support patients and families in El Dorado County with trusted, high‑quality oncology services,” said Yulia Thorpe, director of the UC Davis Cancer Care Network.

Learn more: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/uc-davis-cancer-care-network-expands-rural-access-with-new-oncology-team-at-marshall/2026/06

Image description: Deepthi Busayavalasa, hematologist and medical oncologist, and Jennifer Aldred, nurse practitioner in hematology and medical oncology, pose in front of the entrance, where a Marshall Cancer Center sign is behind them.

06/02/2026

Primary care that grows with you, right here in Folsom.

“What’s exciting about being a part of the new Folsom Medical Care Clinic is that patients from this region no longer have to drive super long distances to get their primary healthcare, because we’re located right in the center of Folsom,” says Dr. Amber Lau.

From newborns to older adults, Lau cares for patients at every stage of their life, building lasting relationships with families across the community.

Our new Folsom Medical Care Center offers high-quality pediatric and family medicine care as well as cardiology, neurology, hematology and oncology, sports medicine and much more.

Learn more about how we’re providing personalized patient-centered care, and make an appointment today: https://health.ucdavis.edu/discovering-healthy/primary-care/

Video description: Amber S. Lau, D.O., M.P.H., wears a white coat, sitting in a waiting area of the Folsom Medical Care Clinic, speaking directly to the camera. Video of the outside of the clinic building shows the UC Davis Health logo and Dr. Lau interacting with staff around the hospital.

06/02/2026

For many physicians, patient care begins and ends in the exam room. Ellen Shank’s career tells a different story. By engaging in health policy, she has translated daily clinical experiences into legislative change.

“My greatest value was bridging the gap between policy and practice. As a physician, I could identify which ideas would meaningfully affect day‑to‑day emergency medicine, something that isn’t always intuitive to legislators or their staff," said emergency physician Shank.

Through her fellowship, Shank helped shape a state law that improves medication access and patient care across California. She saw the bill signed into law in October, which allows emergency departments to provide patients with the unused portions of their multi‑use prescription medications upon discharge, so patients can go straight home with what they need instead of stopping at a pharmacy.

The benefits are especially clear for pediatric asthma patients, Shank added. Ensuring that a child leaves the emergency department with an inhaler already in hand, rather than relying on a delayed pharmacy pickup, can reduce return visits and improve outcomes.

Now a faculty member in our UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine, Shank teaches medical students, residents and community groups how to track legislation, communicate with elected officials and be effective advocates for their patients. Learn more about her work: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/from-the-emergency-department-to-the-capitol-a-doctors-impact-beyond-the-bedside/2026/06

Image description: Dr. Shank stands in blue scrubs in front of an emergency room bed. Medical equipment can be seen in the background.

06/01/2026

New research from our Emergency Medicine team suggests naloxone use during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with improved survival and neurological outcomes, particularly in drug-related cases.

Researchers found that people who received naloxone, a medication better known for reversing opioid overdoses, had higher rates of survival from the time EMS treated them to the time they were discharged from the hospital. The patients also benefitted from return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and favorable neurological outcomes compared to those who did not receive the drug.

“This study provides important real-world evidence that naloxone may offer benefit even after cardiac arrest has occurred,” said David Dillon, assistant professor of emergency medicine and one of the study’s authors.

The findings help address a critical gap as opioid-related cardiac arrests continue to rise.

A new study found naloxone use during out of hospital cardiac arrest was associated with higher survival, restored circulation and neurological outcomes.

05/29/2026

For most of her life, Ailene Voisin was always on the move: swimming, skiing, running, walking and traveling every chance she got. But in her late 60s, a worsening spinal condition left her unable to go anywhere without a walking stick and in severe discomfort.

She was beginning to lose hope until she met orthopaedic surgeon Safdar Khan, who recommended an innovative new approach to spinal surgery: custom lumbar implants. The implants are designed to fit into the lower back like a missing puzzle piece to address a patient’s specific anatomical needs. In Ailene's case, her issues stemmed from scoliosis along with severe stenosis, a degenerative condition that narrows the spacing in the spine and puts pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.

“This surgery made such a big difference and created an immeasurable improvement to my quality of life. My brother just reminded me, ‘You were always complaining about your pain. And now I don’t hear you ever talk about your pain at all,'" Ailene said after surgery.

Patient-specific implants are a relatively new technology in the world of spinal surgery. Read more about the future of personalized care at our Spine Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/spine-surgery-with-custom-lumbar-implants-helps-woman-move-again-without-pain/2026/05

Image descriptions:
1: Safdar Khan examines Ailene Voisin’s back at a recent post-operation visit in an exam room.
2: Safdar Khan points to recent X-rays of Voisin’s back that show the locations of the two custom lumbar implants he surgically placed in her lower spine.
3: Ailene walks outdoors, along a shady tree pathway with a bench and vehicles in the background.